The Materialist : A Podcast from At Present

The first time David Rogier swiped an American Express card, he was buying groceries at Ralph’s, and he was thrilled. Then the card worked exactly like his debit card. Same swipe, same receipt, same groceries.

“The transaction itself was a letdown,” he told me. “But emotionally, I liked how I felt.”

I know the feeling. The first thing I ever bought with a Platinum card was a footlong at Subway. The sandwich was no different. I was. Now I’m a baller.

That’s the whole game, and it’s what this episode is about...

Can a machine have taste?

Everyone wants to ask Lisa Yamner about taste. She told me so, a little wearily, about four minutes into our conversation. It makes sense. She ran fashion at Google, co-founded The Yes (an early, ahead-of-its-time bet on personalized shopping that Pinterest bought in 2022), and is now building Daydream, an AI shopping app. If anyone has a view on whether software can know what you should want, it’s her.

Her answer is no, and her reasoning is the thread that runs through this whole episode. Taste, she says, is built fr...

Danielle Zdanowski and Devin Zdanowski are husband and wife, business partners, and, before any of that, friends. A year into building a jewelry brand out of their New York apartment, they came on the show to talk about how it started, what they got wrong, and why nobody can predict which piece will sell.

At Present Founder Marc Bridge with Deux Amis Founders Danielle Zdanowski and Devin Zdanowski at the Hotel Chelsea, New York City.Deux Amis means “two friends,” and Dani and Devin insist that’s the literal truth of the brand. They are married, they share...

The designer behind ERINESS talks about getting discovered at 18, finding meaning in ladybugs, balancing creativity with commerce, and building a jewelry brand on her own terms.

Erin Sachse Nathan never intended to start a jewelry company.

She had been making things for as long as she could remember—knitting, building a camera out of wood and a drawer, and, beginning in seventh grade, making jewelry by hand. It was simply what she did: a way to work with her hands and create objects that made people happy.

Then, at 18, while working at Fred Se...

Lauren Sherman, of Puck and The Fashion People podcast, knows exactly how the fashion trick works.

She understands the margins, the mythology and the machinery that turns a jacket into an object of desire. Amazingly, the trick still works on her.

The most recent object to break through her professional defenses was a Chanel jacket from Matthieu Blazy’s first collection. Lauren wanted it since she saw it on the runway. When she finally tried it on, it connected her to the 13-year-old in Pittsburgh who dreamed of becoming a fashion journalist and covering the sh...

For this episode of The Materialist, host Marc Bridge sits down with Ivette Stephanopoulos — a 25-year jewelry industry veteran whose career has spanned nearly every corner of the business, from retail and GIA to De Beers, Tiffany, and David Yurman. Recorded on location at the Las Vegas shows, often described as the industry’s “Super Bowl,” the conversation moves from the emotional power of an engagement ring to the unresolved tension between natural and lab-grown diamonds, and from the rise of high jewelry to why so few American brands have built lasting design-driven followings.

A Career Built on Conne...

This episode of The Materialist is a little different.

Usually, we talk with designers, tastemakers, collectors, and creators about the objects they love: the jewelry they wear, the pieces they make, the things they choose to bring into their lives. This conversation is about jewelry, but it is not really about looking at jewelry. In fact, Rob Bates says at one point, “I don’t really like looking at jewelry. It has no interest to me. And I’ve written about jewelry for 35 years.”

That may be the perfect way into Rob’s particular genius.

For d...

Marc Bridge and Danielle Meyer, The Dominick Hotel, NYC, March 27, 2026

What happens when a brand is built not from strategy decks or heritage training, but from instinct, speed, and a refusal to wait for permission?

In this conversation, Danielle Meyer of Spicy Dan shares how her business has grown out of pure creative impulse—designing pieces she wants to exist, then refining them through real-time feedback from her community. The result is a brand that sits in a rare space: playful but intentional, accessible but aspirational, and deeply personal without feeling precious.

We ex...

A conversation with Malaika Crawford on flex culture, gatekeeping, and why print still matters.

There’s a moment in my conversation with Malaika Crawford—Editorial Director of Hodinkee Magazine, former fashion-world operator (Mel Ottenberg’s assistant in the Rihanna heyday), and current resident anthropologist of the watch internet—where she says the quiet part out loud:

“Watches are like jewelry with logos. Period.”

It lands because it’s true… and because so much of watch culture is built around pretending it isn’t.

This episode is about that tension: watches as craft and watches...

Marc Bridge and Monica Stephenson, Anza Gems Worldwide Headquarters, Seattle, WA

Monica Stephenson is the kind of guest who makes you see a familiar object—one you might already love—like it’s brand new. In this episode of The Materialist, we sit together in her Seattle office overlooking Lake Union and the skyline, and we follow a thread that runs from the jewelry counter in a Midwest college town all the way to artisanal gem mines in East Africa—and then back again, into the hands of the designers and collectors who ultimately give these stones a second...

Marc Bridge and Randi Molofsky, The Peninsula Beverly Hills

There are people in the jewelry world who write about it, people who sell it, people who design it—and then there’s Randi Molofsky, whose superpower is weaving all of these worlds together. Randi doesn’t simply work in jewelry. She connects miners to designers, designers to retailers, and collectors to pieces that will live on their bodies and in their lives. She is a translator, mediator, curator, and—by her own admission—a sentimentalist with impeccable taste and a love of objects that carry stories.

In this...

In this episode of The Materialist, Marc Bridge sits down with celebrity colorist Jenna Perry, the artist behind the signature looks of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, and a generation of “It Girls.” Known for transforming hair into a medium of emotion, identity, and self-expression, Jenna shares how a childhood fascination with her grandmother’s salon visits evolved into one of New York’s most coveted creative businesses.

She opens up about the emotional connection between women and their hair, why a haircut after a breakup can feel like therapy, and what it takes to turn artistry into enterpri...

If you’ve peeked at modern watch culture in the last few years, chances are you’ve felt Brynn Wallner’s impact—whether you realized it or not. She’s the founder of Dimepiece, the platform that reframed watches through a lens that’s stylish, pop-cultural, and—crucially—women-forward. In our conversation for The Materialist, Brynn unspooled the origin story of Dimepiece, the pandemic moment that sparked it, and why a Cartier on a wrist can carry just as much meaning as a family heirloom or a diploma on the wall.

Who Brynn Is—and Why She’s Interesting

...

From a small town in Denmark to a sun-splashed bench in New York’s Diamond District, sisters Joy and Sarah Haugaard (the minds behind Lionheart) have built a jewelry universe where heritage, handwork, and human connection matter as much as gold and gemstones. In this conversation, we cover the origins of their partnership, Joy’s second-chance spark in 2020, the storybook that gave Lionheart its name, the community that sustains them, and why their clients don’t want what everyone else has—they want what feels like theirs.

The origin story (and why it had to be the two of t...

Marc Bridge and Charlotte Groeneveld at the launch dinner for The World of Charlotte Groeneveld, presented by At Present. Raf’s New York, September 9, 2025. Charlotte’s dress is by ALMADA Label, Necklace from At Present.

Charlotte Groeneveld—aka The Fashion Guitar—joins me during New York Fashion Week to talk about how blogging became the creator economy, why authenticity (not algorithms) is her north star, and the thrill/terror of debuting our new jewelry capsule together. From front-row politics to fabric snobbery and the “feel” test, Charlotte traces her path from WordPress fits to building a modern luxury busin...

Sommyyah Awan and Marc Bridge, Hotel Chelsea, New York City, September 13, 2025

For this episode of The Materialist, recorded during New York Fashion Week, I sat down with Toronto-based content creator, communications strategist, and fashion multihyphenate Sommyyah Awan. Known for her irreverent and stylish “dual life” — corporate strategist by day, luxury fashion influencer by night — Sommyyah brings sharp insights on style, material culture, and what it means to live intentionally with objects.

We traced her journey from Houston to Toronto, from Tumblr blogs to TikTok virality, and from sewing her own clothes as a teenager to walking...

What does it take to translate timeless brands into the digital age—and what happens when you refuse to play by algorithmic rules? This week on The Materialist, I sit down with Ruthie Friedlander, a digital pioneer who has shaped how we see luxury fashion and jewelry online.

Ruthie’s story defies linear career paths. She started as Dan Abrams’ assistant in the early days of Mediaite, carved out one of Chanel’s first digital roles, joined the Olsen twins at The Row when the company was barely 25 people, and later helped lead digital strategy at ELLE and InSt...

On Instagram, it looks effortless: the infinity pools in the Maldives, the safari sunsets in South Africa, the couture fit checks against a perfect backdrop. Laura and Nicolas Herbert — known to their hundreds of thousands of followers as @laurandnicolas — seem to embody the ultimate lifestyle: global travel, editorial style, and a business powered by beauty.

But as Laura reveals in this week’s episode of The Materialist, the dream is much more complicated.

From Antwerp to Everywhere

Laura began her career in Antwerp’s fashion world. But a six-month trip with Nicolas — meant as a sabba...

This week on The Materialist, I’m joined by Tiffany Lopinsky — co-founder and president of ShopMy, the platform quietly powering your favorite creators.

We cover a lot of ground: the evolution of influencer marketing, why affiliate and subscription revenue might just save the creator economy, and what it takes to build something useful, without a playbook.

Tiffany speaks with the clarity of someone who’s seen behind the curtain — first as a content creator herself (shout out to Boston Foodies), and now as the operator behind a platform with 175,000 creators and 30,000 brands.

“There’s no playboo...

Victoria Gomelsky and Marc Bridge Live from the Fabulous Venetian Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas.

Welcome back to The Materialist. I recorded this special episode live from the jewelry shows in Las Vegas—the annual gathering point for the industry’s global village. Fittingly, I sat down with Victoria Gomelsky, Editor-in-Chief of JCK Magazine, contributor to The New York Times, and one of the most thoughtful chroniclers of the jewelry world for over two decades.

Victoria and I talked about what keeps her coming back to JCK after 23 years, why jewelry is still a face-to-face busi...

What do you get when a journalism grad, Dallas native, and self-described jewelry “nepo baby” builds a piercing empire in the middle of a pandemic? You get Wildlike—a brand that’s as much about identity, memory, and reinvention as it is about sparkle.

This week on The Materialist, I sit down with my friend Alysa Teichman—co-owner of Ylang 23 and founder of Wildlike—to talk about the deeply personal reasons people get pierced (divorce, fertility, “hot girl summer”), the role jewelry plays in our emotional lives, and what it means to grow up inside a family business and the...

This week on The Materialist, I sit down with milliner and creative force Gigi Burris, founder of Gigi Burris Millinery and the nonprofit Closely Crafted, which champions artisanal production in the U.S.

We talk about how Gigi went from sewing hats as a Parsons student to dressing Rihanna and being a CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund finalist—while keeping her studio (and her soft-coated Wheaten Terrier shipping manager, Brooklyn Bow) right in the heart of Chinatown. She shares what it means to build a niche brand in an age of sameness, the surprisingly diverse world of hat-wearers, an...

Marc Bridge and Sophie Cohen (@stylewithsoco), The Hotel Chelsea, May 21, 2025

In today’s episode of The Materialist, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sophie Cohen, a fashion influencer whose authenticity and vibrant style have garnered a dedicated following across social media. Sophie’s journey from high school style page to full-time influencer is both inspiring and eye-opening, offering a unique behind-the-scenes look into the evolving business of influencer marketing. Here's a recap of some of the best parts of our conversation.

The Power of Authenticity in Fashion

Sophie has always believed that fash...

What does it mean to make something lasting in a world built for speed? In this episode of The Materialist, I sit down with Sam Broekema, Editor in Chief of Only Natural Diamonds, to talk about permanence, disruption, and the enduring power of jewelry.

Sam shares his journey from a small town in Wisconsin to the fashion departments of Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and InStyle, where he honed his editorial vision. Now, at Only Natural Diamonds, he’s building a platform that champions storytelling over sales — and elevates diamonds not just as luxury goods, but as cultur...

Cassie Thorpe doesn’t just talk about luxury fashion—she makes you feel why it matters. In our latest episode of The Materialist, the undisputed queen of Tiny Bag Energy joins me to unpack the emotional logic behind the circus of style. Cassie is incisive, hilarious, and uncommonly generous about the things that spark obsession: Alexander McQueen blazers, vintage Chanel rings, and bags shaped like plastic pigeons (cheers to you JW Anderson).

We talk about what it means to curate a personal archive—and why her “love hand” (yes, that’s a thing) features not only her engagement r...

Every so often, a guest joins The Materialist who manages to collapse categories: intellect and indulgence, strategy and sparkle, Prada and Gramsci. This week, that guest is Tariro Makoni.

Tariro is a strategist, writer, and the voice behind Trademarked, one of the smartest (and funniest) Substacks on the internet. She writes about fashion, politics, and consumer behavior with such clarity and candor that you’ll never look at a sweater—or a tariff—the same way again.

In our conversation, we dig into:

* The emotional logic of “frivolous” purchases

* Why women drive 85...

This week on The Materialist, I had the joy of sitting down with Colin Keane Lynch, the artist and jeweler behind Keane. His work has been part of At Present’s assortment for years, but this conversation offered the time to slow down, zoom out, and ask how meaning is made—through hands, history, and a thousand degrees of heat.

Colin’s pieces are hand-formed from glass in his Brooklyn Navy Yard studio—each one made by him, start to finish. But as we talked, it became clear that the true through-line in his work isn’t just craft...

“You may not have heard of Ali Pew, but you are probably — indirectly — wearing something she told you to,”

— Harriet Walker, the fashion editor of The Times of London

Ali Pew, stylist, creative director, and creator of the influential newsletter Uniform, joins The Materialist to unpack the power of intentionality in personal style and curating life's meaningful objects.

Ali shares her career journey from Conde Nast Traveler and W Magazine to Goop, offering insightful perspectives on how editorial fashion translates into real-world dressing. Our conversation spans the California wellness scene ($18 smoothies!), the art of finding...

In the latest episode of The Materialist, I sit down with the brilliant Sally Morrison, a leading voice in the diamond world who spent decades shaping De Beers' iconic story. Together, we unpack how natural diamonds are evolving amidst the rise of lab-grown alternatives, changing generational attitudes toward commitment, and the shifting ways we define luxury.

Episode Highlights:

* How the diamond dream is adapting for younger consumers who value the authenticity of their journey rather than traditional notions of “forever.”

* Why “quiet luxury” is replacing flashy status symbols, and what this means for the futu...

In the latest episode of The Materialist, I sit down with my friend Ben Gilbert, co-host of Acquired, to talk about brands, luxury, and the meaning we assign to the things we own.

Ben has spent the last decade dissecting the world’s most successful companies, and in light of his recent blockbuster five-hour episode on Rolex, we sat down to explore what makes something valuable—not just in dollars and cents, but in culture, psychology, and personal connection.

What We Cover:

🔹 Luxury vs. Premium – Why a $20,000 handbag performs the same function as a $1,000...

Marc Bridge with Fern Mallis, The Hotel Chelsea, February 10, 2025

In this special New York Fashion Week episode of The Materialist, Marc sits down with the legendary Fern Mallis, the architect of New York Fashion Week and a lifelong champion of independent designers.

We discuss the origins of Fashion Week, the evolving landscape of American fashion, and the challenges facing young designers today. Fern also shares her passion for jewelry—how it tells a story, carries emotional weight, and serves as both personal expression and historical artifact.

She highlights the work of designers past an...

Marc Bridge and Christina Caruso, The Carlyle Hotel, January 16, 2025

What does it take to make a career in jewelry—one that spans Sex and the City, Banana Republic, QVC, and a successful independent brand? Designer Christina Caruso joins The Materialist to share her fascinating journey from Parsons to corporate fashion and back to forging her own path.

We talk about:✨ A chance encounter with Patricia Field that landed her designs on Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City✨ The highs and lows of the corporate fashion machine—and what it taught her about scaling a busine...

In this episode of The Materialist, host Marc Bridge, Founder + CEO of At Present, sits down with stylist, writer, and content creator Heather Hurst (@Pigmamiii).

Heather shares her fascinating journey from a background in public health and lab work to becoming a curator of style and self-expression. They explore the interplay between permanence and ephemerality, the evolution of personal collections, and the deeper meanings behind the things we choose to adorn ourselves with.

Heather discusses her passion for collecting—from vintage clothing and jewelry to unexpected treasures found at estate sales and auctions. She highlights so...

This week on The Materialist, Superstar publicist and New York IT Girl Gabrielle Katz takes center stage in a lively discussion with At Present Founder Marc Bridge about her journey in fashion PR, the evolving industry, and the joy of being a thoughtful materialist. As the founder of Accent Projects, Gabrielle has collaborated with some of fashion’s most iconic brands, including Oscar de la Renta, St. John, and Edie Parker.

Gabby rocking the At Present : Jalil Johnson BOLD Bracelet

In this episode, Gabrielle reflects on her early love of fashion, inspired by family legacies an...

In this episode of The Materialist, host Marc Bridge, founder and CEO of At Present, interviews Alexandra Mack, the visionary founder of Holiday on Madison.

Alexandra shares her journey from co-founding the jewelry brand Rebecca de Ravenel to creating a unique holiday retail experience that emphasizes discovery and curation of rare, artisan-crafted pieces.

They discuss the challenges and joys of finding and spotlighting unique items, the dynamics of their respective brands, and the importance of intentional shopping.

Alexandra provides insights into her curatorial process, her inspirations, and the special allure of Holiday on...

In this special live-recorded episode of The Materialist, Marc Bridge sits down with three extraordinary guests at Parcelle in NYC to delve into the artistry and meaning behind jewelry.

Adam Shulman and Heidi Nahser Fink, the creative minds behind James Banks Design, share their journey of crafting pieces that tell deeply personal stories and "sing" when they’re ready to connect with the world. Editor and curator Will Kahn (@willsnotebook) offers his insights into the evolving world of independent jewelry and the enduring allure of pieces that transcend trends.

Together, the group explores why jewelry ma...

In the latest episode of The Materialist, Marc Bridge sits down with Mirta de Gisbert, a jewelry consultant and gemologist whose life and work are deeply intertwined with the stories behind every piece she encounters.

From her multicultural upbringing in Spain and South Africa to her deeply personal connection to family heirlooms, Mirta shares how jewelry transcends adornment to become a medium of memory, empowerment, and legacy.

Highlights from the episode include:

* The story behind Mirta’s most treasured piece—a Himba bracelet made of PVC. (Below in white)

* How her fath...

In this episode of The Materialist, Marc interviews Presley Oldham, a jewelry designer whose path to creating unique, handcrafted pieces was shaped by his creative upbringing and personal exploration.Presley shares his journey, starting with a childhood in an artistic family—his uncle a fashion designer, his father a metalsmith, and his grandmother a fine artist—and his early pursuits in performing arts. These experiences, along with the introspection brought on by the pandemic, led him to focus on jewelry, a tangible art form that resonates deeply with him.Presley discusses launching his jewelry business in 2020, emphasizing the importance of u...

In this episode of The Materialist, I sit down with the remarkable Annika Inez, a jewelry designer who blends Scandinavian minimalism with evocative, sculptural design. Anika takes us through her creative journey—from her early days in Sweden, surrounded by her entrepreneurial family, to her serendipitous start in a tiny Upper East Side storefront. Along the way, she shares her philosophy of letting materials "speak," her passion for creating timeless yet surprising pieces, and her love for hidden details that evoke emotion and delight.

But this episode isn’t just about Annika—it’s also about the artists...

What happens when bold choices meet impeccable taste? In this episode of The Materialist, I chat with Jalil Johnson, At Present’s Stylist in Residence and a true style trailblazer. From the creation of our Bold Collection to his love for jewelry history and a little “bad taste,” Jalil shares his unique approach to self-expression and storytelling through design. Join us for a fun, inspiring conversation about fashion, risk-taking, and the joy of objects that matter.

A few of Jalil’s Favorite Things:

Jalil Johnson : At Present BOLD Ring (The Jalil-tastic gold one)

EliorRen...