Threads and tea: new takes on Japanese tradition with Ichijiku and Ito En

Founder Aaron Benjamin shares how his Tokyo-based luxury fashion brand Ichijiku grew out of a collection of gifted kimonos and has since evolved into what he describes as more of an art gallery than a traditional label. Plus: executive advisor and tea ambassador, Rona Tison, on Ito En’s global expansion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Jarkko Antila, CEO of Kuva Space, a Finnish company using AI-powered satellites with hyperspectral cameras to monitor activity on Earth, from timely intelligence to detecting dark and stealth vessels at sea. He explains the company’s technology and its mission to launch more than 100 satellites by 2030.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former DJ and Music Concierge founder, Rob Wood, explains his approach to designing the sound of luxury brands worldwide, curating music for clients including Rosewood Hotels, Belmond and Cathay Pacific. Plus: Hôtel de l’Arcade’s Laetitia Brandariz-Berrut on managing three Parisian properties and flying the Swiss flag for hospitality in France. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Other co-founders Jack Blumsom and Gleb Petrenko discuss how they started a wine company championing less-explored regions after a fateful holiday in Georgia, one of the oldest wine-producing countries. Plus: how a trip to Kyoto inspired Italy native Silvia Mella to launch New York-based Japanese tea company Sōrate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do brands down under need international approval before making it big at home? Dimitri Weber, founder of Australia’s first luxury fragrance house, Goldfield & Banks, talks about what businesses can learn from Aussie exports such as Kylie Minogue and Nicole Kidman. Plus: why the country is a surprising perfume powerhouse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there a new playbook for great, British brands? Founder Daisy Knatchbull shares the latest from Knatchbull, the first Savile Row shopfront exclusively for women. She discusses the importance of her global trunk shows and the brand’s ready-to-wear collection. Plus: Toby Gauvain on Gaudium, a new private-membership community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luxury décor studio Rokos’s founder Jim Rokos talks about the creative advantages of dyslexia and why he sees it as an edge in designing his sculptural objects. Plus: How new work platform Vizzy caught the eye of job-hunters and clients such as Burberry, Tiffany & Co and Louis Vuitton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mysterious objects spotted over the Nordics have sparked speculation online but they’re not aliens. Kelluu co-founder Jiri Jormakka explains the technology behind the company’s hydrogen-powered autonomous airships and how they operate in GNSS-jammed environments near the Russian border. Plus: travel expert Maggie Draycott discusses her new venture, Club Aviator. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belmond CEO Dan Ruff shares his journey from globetrotting foodie to leading one of the world’s most esteemed luxury travel brands. He explains why LVMH’s acquisition pushed Belmond to focus on desirability over growth. Plus: how childhood travel experiences at Disney’s Epcot and eating pasta in Venice shaped his career.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michigan native Carrie Solomon talks about moving from the Midwest to Paris, her unconventional path into the French culinary scene and how returning to the kitchen led her to open a neighbourhood bistro while rebuilding her life after personal loss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.