Greg Chait: Founder of The Elder Statesman – Cashmere, Colour, Craftsmanship, & Playful Luxury

JAN 14, 202674 MIN
The Gstaad Guy Podcast

Greg Chait: Founder of The Elder Statesman – Cashmere, Colour, Craftsmanship, & Playful Luxury

JAN 14, 202674 MIN

Description

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Greg Chait, founder of The Elder Statesman, to trace the unconventional path from throwing parties and collecting blankets to building one of fashion’s most distinctive luxury brands. Greg shares the origin story behind receiving his first cashmere blanket, discovering the power of yarn, and why leading with intuition, not trends, became the foundation of his creative philosophy. From early exposure to fashion to stumbling upon the identity that would define his brand, he reflects on living many lives before finding the one that felt right.The conversation explores colour theory, self-expression, and becoming the first to put tie dye on cashmere, a move that reshaped perceptions of luxury as something playful, cosy, and deeply personal. Greg breaks down the evolution from blankets to ready-to-wear knitwear, expanding into womenswear, designing retail experiences, and building a brand with soul. They discuss value alignment, creative collaborations, customers turned partners, and the balance between being an artist and an operator. Along the way, Greg opens up about empathy, therapy, emotional overload, and how becoming a father reshaped his perspective on leadership and life.Filmed at Casa Cipriani New York’s Premier River View Suite.Chapters:(00:00) Intro ✨(00:40) Colton πŸ‘€βœ¨(01:26) Positive Luxury πŸŒΏπŸ’Ž(02:25) The Origin Story πŸ“–βœ¨(03:50) First Exposure To Fashion πŸ‘—βœ¨(04:31) Discovering Number Nine πŸ”9️⃣(05:50) Being Gifted The First Cashmere Blanket 🎁🧣(07:26) β€œIt’s All About The Yarn” 🧢🎯(08:23) Colour & Expression πŸŽ¨πŸ’¬(08:36) Close To Loro Piana πŸ€πŸ»πŸ’Ž(09:44) The Beauty In Imperfection 🌸⚑(10:25) From Blankets To Ready-To-Wear Knitwear πŸ§£βž‘οΈπŸ‘•(12:42) Maxfield LA πŸ™οΈπŸ›οΈ(18:45) Figuring Out The Right Path 🧭✨(24:04) Value Alignment 🀝🏻🀝🎯(25:31) Expanding Into Womenswear πŸ‘©πŸ‘—(26:32) Tie Dye On Cashmere 🌈🧣(27:03) Stumbling Upon The Elder Statesman πŸ€βœ¨(30:40) Designing The Retail Experience 🏬🎨(34:20) Upcycled Teddy Bear & Home Goods πŸ§Έβ™»οΈ(36:06) The Early Days of The Elder Statesman πŸŒ±πŸ“–(36:55) Building An Identity Takes Time ⏳🧬(48:20) Behind The Name: The Elder Statesman πŸ”πŸŽ©βœ¨(44:29) Some Things Stay Behind The Scenes πŸŽ¬πŸ”’(43:05) If You Know, You Know πŸ‘€πŸ€«(45:05) β€œThe Brand Has Soul” ❀️✨(46:45) Spectrum Of Collaborations 🌈🀝🏻(47:56) Being A Creative & An Operator πŸŽ¨βš™οΈ(49:26) Customers Turned Partners πŸ€πŸ»πŸ’Ό(50:42) What Seems Right For The Business vs. Yourself βš–οΈπŸ§ (54:04) The Beauty Of Being A Founder πŸ‘‘πŸŒ±(55:40) Empathy 🀍🀝🏻(56:06) Being A Father πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘§β€οΈ(58:03) The Next Phase Of The Brand πŸš€βœ¨(1:00:56) Urban & Resort Customers πŸ™οΈπŸ–οΈ(1:03:00) Playful Luxury πŸŽˆπŸ’Ž(1:05:18) There Is No Easy Path To Success πŸ§—β€β™‚οΈπŸ†(1:07:28) We’re Emotionally Overloaded 🧠⚑(1:09:14) Therapy πŸ›‹οΈπŸ’¬(1:11:13) Γ€ La Poubelle vs. Fantastique πŸ—‘οΈβœ¨See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.