Design Discord

Latest Episodes:

Cristina Grajales on 35 Years in Design: Prouvé, Perriand & Her Newest Artist, Mastrangelo Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

Cristina Grajales, one of the most respected dealers in the design world, joins Fernando Mastrangelo for a historical, deeply personal conversation. She is also Fernando's new gallerist, and his solo show, Territories, opens October 8 at her Tribeca gallery.

Cristina takes us from her childhood in Colombia's coffee region, through a job in the DA's office, to an accidental start in design. She went on to run Tony DiLorenzo's legendary 1950 gallery, bring Charlotte Perriand to America, open her own gallery in 2001, and help launch Design Miami as an original exhibitor. Along the way she shares stories about Jean Prouvé, Jean Royère, Hechizoo and the early days of the collectible design market, plus her philosophy on trust, editing and treating everyone with dignity.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

1:37 Growing up in Pereira, Colombia

8:25 New York and the DA's office

12:03 Accidentally entering design

14:10 Tony DiLorenzo and 1950 gallery

21:43 Jean Prouvé chairs and the rise of the market

23:17 Bringing Charlotte Perriand to America

26:18 Starting her own gallery

27:31 The Sandy Hill commission

36:27 Selling the Jean Royère Yo-Yo sofa

37:51 Hechizoo and Latin American craftsmanship

41:40 The first Design Miami

47:26 How she works with designers

49:12 How Cristina and Fernando met

58:08 About Territories

Guest: Cristina Grajales, founder of Cristina Grajales Gallery

cristinagrajales.com

Instagram: @cristinagrajalesgallery

See the show: Fernando Mastrangelo: Territories

Opening October 8, 2026 at Cristina Grajales Gallery

50 Vestry Street, Tribeca

What It Really Takes to Work With High-End Interior Designers: Nicole Fuller Breaks It Down Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

What does it actually take to work with a high-end interior designer? Fernando Mastrangelo sits down with Nicole Fuller — founder of her namesake lifestyle design firm with studios in New York, Los Angeles, London, and soon Palm Beach — for a candid, no-fluff conversation about how she builds trust with artists, vets new talent, and decides who earns a seat at the table on multi-million dollar residential and hospitality projects.

Nicole breaks down her process for discovering artisans on a global scale, why she still buys through galleries even when she has direct relationships with artists, how she "tests" new collaborators before handing them a major commission, and what separates an artist with real staying power from someone riding a trend. She also gets into the business of collectible design, how secondary market value gets tracked, and why fearlessness is non-negotiable if you want to grow as a creative.

This episode is part of Design Discord, the podcast where we go beyond the finished room or the finished piece to talk shop with the people actually building the design world — titans & tastemakers who've spent decades learning what works, what doesn't, and what it really takes to make it at the highest level.

If you're an artist, maker, designer, or just obsessed with how the best in the business operate, this is the insider access you won't find anywhere else.

00:00 Intro
00:48 Growing up with her artist mother, Diane Bokel
04:47 Modeling in London & living in King's Cross
08:42 Becoming an interior designer by accident
09:41 Landing her first mega estate project
14:00 Running a firm across 4 cities
18:19 How she discovers new artists & artisans globally
22:07 Inside her art advisory division
23:04 Why she still buys through galleries, not direct
24:20 How she tests new talent before committing
26:44 Why Milan is the design world's hottest city
28:16 Buying art for love vs. investment
30:44 Collectible design & tracking secondary market value
33:07 Betting on rising talents
39:39 The explosive crossover of art, fashion & design
45:23 Are interior designers the industry's real gatekeepers?
48:02 What she wishes artists understood about commissions
50:41 Why fear kills great artists — and how to beat it
56:14 Her new private members club
59:34 What's next: hospitality, landscape design & more

Subscribe for more conversations with the designers, artists, and tastemakers shaping the future of design.

Design Media Insider Tells All: Dan Rubinstein on Vogue, AD & The Grand Tourist Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Dan Rubinstein — founder of The Grand Tourist and former Home & Design Director at Departures magazine — sits down with Fernando Mastrangelo to talk about how design media really works, and why it's changing faster than ever.

Dan turned a pandemic passion project into a 160+ episode podcast and a full biannual hardcover print magazine. In this conversation, he shares candid stories from his years at House & Garden, Surface, and Departures, breaks down why the old magazine business model died but great storytelling didn't, and hands out real, tactical advice for designers trying to get press today — no publicist needed. They also dig into the collapse of the design fair model, whether "collectible design" is really just decorative arts with a new name, the K-shaped economy reshaping who's actually buying design, and what's happening behind the scenes in the gallery world right now.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

02:14 What old-school magazines got right

04:35 House & Garden, Surface, and Departures

07:34 His "Devil Wears Prada" moment

08:16 5 years, 160+ episodes of The Grand Tourist

09:37 Is the magazine model broken?

12:01 Media is getting "atomized"

15:33 Personalities vs. institutions

17:44 Building a brand, not just a podcast

19:11 Podcasting as the new radio

20:00 Interning at The Sally Jessy Raphael Show

23:13 Defining The Grand Tourist as a business

24:46 From podcast to hardcover magazine

28:07 "Prolific, not comprehensive"

29:43 Lessons from Murray Moss

34:00 Is design's center of gravity shifting?

37:09 How young designers get press now

39:24 Real advice for landing coverage

44:16 The death of the design fair model

45:19 What's next for The Grand Tourist

50:12 Defining "collectible design" today

55:06 The K-shaped economy of design buyers

58:05 Inside the gallery world's growing pains

Guest: Dan Rubinstein, founder of The Grand Tourist thegrandtourist.net Instagram: @danrubinstein

Host: Fernando Mastrangelo, Design Discord Follow, rate, and subscribe if you enjoyed this one — it helps us bring on more guests like Dan.

Championing Women Artists in Craft: Inside Lisa Perry's Onna House Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Design Discord, Fernando Mastrangelo sits down with Lisa Perry—legendary art collector, fashion entrepreneur, and founder of Onna House—to discuss her remarkable journey from collecting '60s pop art to championing women craftspeople.

Lisa shares how her childhood surrounded by creatives, her mother's craft gallery, and decades of art collecting shaped her mission to give women artists a platform. From her political activism for women's reproductive rights to launching her iconic '60s-inspired fashion brand, Lisa's life has been defined by advocating for women—and now, through Onna House, she's focusing on how craft is valued in the art world.

TOPICS COVERED:

Growing up in an artistic household in Chicago
The '60s fashion movement and vintage collecting
Political activism & supporting Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign
Discovering Onna House: from Instagram call-out to renovation
Why craft deserves gallery recognition
Collaborations with TWP (Trish Wescoat Pound)
Future vision: Onna House Curates
Lisa's legacy: helping women artists one at a time

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Intro
0:26 – Lisa Perry's Background & Family
8:30 – Studying Textile Technology at FIT
12:15 – Collecting Art in the 1980s SoHo Scene
16:30 – Discovering Her Passion for '60s Fashion
21:10 – How Her Fashion Brand Started (2006)
27:00 – Getting Involved in Politics & Hillary Clinton
37:25 – Discovering & Buying the East Hampton House
42:30 – Why She Chose to Focus on Women Artists
51:45 – Featured Artists: Tamiko Kawata, Jane Yang Dahane, Kelly Cline
56:00 – The SoHo Gallery Opening & Commercial Expansion
59:30 – Collaborating with Fashion Brand TWP
63:45 – Onna House Curates: Future Plans
68:00 – Her Legacy & Why This Feels Like Her Best Work
75:00 – How to Visit Onna House & Connect

CONNECT WITH LISA PERRY & ONNA HOUSE:
Website: https://onnahouse.com
Instagram: @onnahouse & @lisaperrystyle (Lisa responds to DMs)
Email: info@onnahouse.com
East Hampton Location: By appointment only
SoHo Gallery: Second floor, open by appointment

CONNECT WITH DESIGN DISCORD:
design.discord.podcast@gmail.com

KEYWORDS:
Lisa Perry, Onna House, women artists, craft gallery, art collecting, East Hampton, SoHo gallery, women entrepreneurs, women in art, craft design, pop art, fashion design, Hillary Clinton, women's rights, contemporary art

From Auction House Rookie to Design Institution: The Rise of Wexler Gallery Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Design Discord, host Fernando Mastrangelo sits down with Lewis Wexler of the acclaimed Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia, for one of the most candid and wide-ranging conversations about the art and design world you’ll hear anywhere.

Lewis traces his journey from a $17,000 a year job at the front counter of Christie’s in the 1980s, where he had no connections and no pedigree, through his years training under legendary dealer Tony DiLorenzo, to opening Wexler Gallery with his wife Sherri in Philadelphia in 2000. Over 25 years, Wexler Gallery has grown into one of the most respected and distinctive galleries in the collectible design world, known for mixing eras, mediums, and markets in a way that was genuinely ahead of its time.

Lewis and Fernando cover everything from the Japanese collector boom of the 1980s auction world, the rise and fall of the contemporary glass market, the real economics of art fairs, the challenges of representing artists through feast and famine cycles, the blurring lines between fine art and collectible design, and why the secondary market remains the biggest challenge facing the collectible design world today.

They also discuss the opening of Wexler Gallery’s extraordinary 11,500 square foot flagship space in Fishtown, Philadelphia, a former pencil factory with 35-foot ceilings that has become a destination for museum-quality exhibitions

This is an essential listen for anyone passionate about art, design, collecting, gallery business, or building a life and career around the things you love.

Design Discord is hosted by Fernando Mastrangelo. New episodes available wherever you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with anyone who loves art and design.

Jill Singer on How Sight Unseen Ushered in the Golden Age of American Design Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Jill Singer, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Sight Unseen, joins Fernando Mastrangelo to talk about 17 years of defining American design. From establishing OFFSite, the fair of the season, to launching the Design Hot List, Sight Unseen became the platform that shaped an entire era of design.

Topics covered:

Sight Unseen's origin story at i-D magazine
Bootstrapping a design platform with no money
How the 2014 Offsite show became a turning point
Why design fairs are struggling now
The state of design in Milan vs. Copenhagen
Why everything in design costs more now
What "collectible design" actually means
The shift from online magazine to newsletter
Jill's new Substack, Counter/Space
The future of design media and discovery
The designers Sight Unseen discovered and launched

Guest: Jill Singer
Host: Fernando Mastrangelo
Show: Design Discord

Holly Howard on What Actually Moves the Needle for Creative Entrepreneurs Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Design Discord, Fernando Mastrangelo sits down with Holly Howard — founder of Ask Holly How and the new AI-powered platform Pyramid.work — for one of the most inspiring and practical conversations we’ve ever had.

Holly’s journey is unreal: from training at the Joffrey Ballet, to becoming a music therapist who worked with Oliver Sacks’ methods, to managing legendary Williamsburg restaurants (Marlowe & Sons and Egg), to building a 14-year consulting practice helping designers and creative entrepreneurs build sustainable, values-driven businesses.

We go deep on:
• Why culture must come before strategy
• The psychology of pricing and perceived value
• The uncomfortable truth about social media & Instagram ads
• How to stop copying other people’s paths
• The origin story of Pyramid.work — the AI “strategic engine” that helps entrepreneurs define their purpose, values, and vision, then generates aligned strategy, operations, PR plans, and more!

Whether you’re a designer, maker, creative entrepreneur, or just someone trying to build a business that actually feels like you, this episode is packed with hard-won wisdom.
Learn more about Holly & Pyramid.work: pyramid.work | askhollyhow.com

Timestamps:
00:00 — Intro & why Holly is the guru for creative entrepreneurs
01:13 — Holly’s origin story: Joffrey Ballet → music therapy → Oliver Sacks
04:11 — The magic (and lessons) of Marlowe & Sons in post-9/11 Williamsburg
06:29 — Columbia, dropping out of pre-med, and Egg as “business school”
14:17 — Forensic accounting, P&Ls, and learning to read the story in the numbers
16:38 — Culture before strategy — why values must come from your lived experience
21:16 — The most important question most designers never ask
24:52 — Pricing psychology, perceived value & the storytelling gap
34:18 — Should every designer sell direct-to-client? (Some shouldn’t)
36:15 — The brutal truth about social media, ads, and what actually moves the needle
45:20 — Introducing Pyramid.work — the AI strategic engine for entrepreneurship
53:26 — The wild story of building Pyramid (family investment, Hypatia séance & more)
01:01:21 — Putting her own methodology into practice publicly

If this episode helped you, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway and tag a designer or creative friend who needs to hear it. Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of design, business, and creativity.

#DesignDiscord #HollyHoward #PyramidWork #CreativeEntrepreneurship #DesignBusiness #PricingStrategy #AIForBusiness #ValuesBasedBusiness

Jean Lin: The Rule Breaker Behind Colony’s Game-Changing Co-op Inspired Model May 28, 2026

Show notes

Fernando Mastrangelo interviews Jean Lin, founder of Colony Gallery in New York, about her incredible journey from Hurricane Sandy relief work to creating a groundbreaking gallery that supports independent designers.
Jean reveals the details behind Colony’s co-op inspired model — affordable monthly fees paired with a low 15% commission — and why she’s stayed committed to this approach for over 12 years.

The conversation covers the challenges of starting with almost no money, building community in the 2010s NYC design boom, launching an 8-month artist residency/incubator program, expanding into interior design projects, and navigating slow markets and rising costs.
They also discuss Jean’s book “What We Keep,” which shifts focus from objects to the personal stories of collectors, makers, and the emotional connection to design.
Perfect for designers, makers, gallerists, and creatives who want real talk about building a sustainable career in the design world.
**Timestamps:**
00:00 - Introduction
01:45 - Hurricane Sandy Origin Story
05:48 - 2010s NYC Design Scene
09:49 - First Lease & Personal Risks
13:24 - Finding the Space & Early Struggles
16:44 - Colony’s Co-op Inspired Business Model
26:38 - Starting Interiors & Staging
30:00 - Current Gallery Operations (24 Designers)
35:15 - The Residency Program Explained
41:10 - Trends, Cycles & Timeless Design
44:46 - Market Challenges & Moving Spaces
46:39 - “What We Keep” Book & Collecting
55:58 - 5-Year Vision for Colony
59:00 - Closing Thoughts
Follow Colony Gallery and Jean Lin for more inspiration in the world of collectible and contemporary design.

David Michon: The Optimistic Critic Changing Design Discourse with his Must-Read SubStack 'For Scale' May 14, 2026

Show notes

In this refreshingly honest episode of Design Discord, Fernando Mastrangelo sits down with David Michon, the sharp, eloquent voice behind For Scale, the buzziest Substack in the design world right now.

David shares how he went from writing for Monocle and Icon to creating his own independent platform for real design criticism. Together they unpack why so many design magazines feel identical, why celebrity homes dominate the covers, and how the industry has become strangely polite and risk-averse.

They explore:

Why “decor” might actually be a more honest word than “design”
The liberating joy of imperfect, lived-in homes over sterile perfection
How growing up in Winnipeg shaped David’s refreshing perspective on taste
The myth of “timeless” design and why dated interiors can be incredible
What’s really wrong with events like Basic Space / Design Space
The missing critique in interiors and why optimistic criticism matters

David’s writing is smart, observational, and deeply human. He believes great interiors are about people, not just perfect objects — and that your home should never feel “finished.” This conversation will make you look at your own space differently and feel a whole lot better about the dents on your dining table.

If you’re tired of aspirational interiors that feel fake and unattainable, this episode is for you. A must-listen for designers, design lovers, interior enthusiasts, and anyone who wants sharper, more honest conversations about the spaces we live in.

Follow For Scale on Substack for David’s weekly writings that are quickly becoming essential reading in the industry.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introducing David Michon & For Scale

09:28 – Winnipeg roots and forming real taste

13:00 – Reading rooms as people, not just objects

15:00 – Why your home should never feel finished

19:20 – Wealth, aspiration, and lived-in reality

25:25 – The origin story of For Scale

37:25 – Why David chooses “decor” over “design”

47:30 – Honest critique of Basic Space

52:00 – The future of For Scale: print, events & real-life energy

The Rise of The Future Perfect Empire with Laura Young Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Laura Young of The Future Perfect joins Fernando Mastrangelo on Design Discord for a wide-ranging conversation covering her full career path, the evolution of one of design’s most respected galleries, and what’s actually in or out right now.

From RISD and chaotic auction-house days to co-leading The Future Perfect across New York, LA, Miami, and San Francisco, Laura opens up about building a business that balances commerce and culture, their signature showroom/gallery approach, the deep collaboration with artists like Chris Wolston, and the realities of gatekeeping.

Timestamps

0:00 – Intro

0:01:08 – RISD & early career

0:05:12 – Auction house years

0:13:22 – Meeting David & joining The Future Perfect

0:22:15 – The Future Perfect model explained

0:23:27 – Residentializing the gallery experience

0:31:18 – Chris Wolston deep dive

0:42:04 – Gatekeeping in design

0:47:15 – Discovering new designers & open call

0:53:35 – Future Perfect as cultural institution

0:56:12 – In or Out design trends