Story + Rain Talks

From Risk To Reality. Divya Gugnani is a self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur, and we've had a front row seat. Story + Rain founder Tamara Rappa first met her when she’d just created a company called Send The Trend. Over the years we've heard Divya excitedly talk about ideas and concepts like nuggets of gold. With degrees from Cornell and Harvard and a background in investment banking, sh...

Sight Seeker. During this exclusive podcast, we talk to writer, comedian, documentarian and host, Chelsea Handler. Determined to make a contribution and serve up some joy and laughter during the Covid 19 pandemic, Chelsea ’s touring the country this year in her latest stand up, aptly titled “Evolution” which you can catch on HBO Max. Tamara had the unique privilege of sitting down with our May cov...

We sat down with actor, director, and writer Soleil Moon Frye during an exciting time in her life: one we're calling her 2021 renaissance. It was a treat to be able to have this discussion, this intimate podcast that covers it all. We discuss Soleil’s artful documentary Kid 90 produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company, Appian Way on Hulu. Kid 90 is an incredibly candid and bitterswee...

Angelina Mondavi is at the forefront of a new generation of winemakers in Napa Valley, and she has a rich history and lineage in California wine. Her great-grandparents purchased the Charles Krug Winery shortly after the end of prohibition. With determination and vision, Angelina’s ancestors shaped Napa Valley as one of California’s premium wine regions. So Angelina literally began her career at a...

Watching Marin County California-raised actor Jane Levy in her starring role on NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, you would think she’d been born singing and dancing. You’d certainly be convinced she spent years practicing. It’s mind blowing to know that she hasn’t. Even more reason she is deserving of her recent Golden Globe nomination for her rich role. The compelling “stew” of content that i...

Michael Bruno is an internet and real estate entrepreneur. The time he spent swimming in his youth became the breeding ground for his big ideas. He is the founder of 1stDibs, the world’s premier online marketplace for extraordinary furniture, lighting décor, art, and more. Simply put, Michael is a thought leader who helped to shape the online retail experience as we know it. After arriving in Pari...

The Secret Sauce. Jennifer Fisher has seriously established herself not only in jewelry, but as a lifestyle brand. What started out as the former stylist creating a day-today necklace for herself, one that she couldn’t find in stores, has turned into kind of a jewelry empire. She’s a member of the CFDA, and a nominee and recipient of a number of awards. Starlets, stylists, editors…and everyone...c...

The Beauty Of Fashion. Zanna Roberts Rassi grew up influenced by the music of Manchester, and by sisters obsessed with style. The New York-based, Emmy award-winning fashion and beauty journalist, stylist, television host, and co-founder of Milk Makeup is a highly recognized expert of fashion and beauty. Zanna has an innate on-the-pulse vision and mentality that can be attributed to her many years...

Iconic Fashion For The Screen. Emmy award winning costume designer Ellen Mirojnick’s work has brought us stylishly iconic film + tv characters for decades. There’s Ellen’s infamous Gordon Gekko in Wall Street, and her Alex Forest played by Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Ellen’s look for Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct is unforgettable. There’s Diane Lane’s sleek look that Mir...

When Opposites Attract. Fine jewelry designer and fine artist Eva Zuckerman’s aesthetic is grounded in black with neutrals, but she grew up in a colorful life. She was born and raised in New York’s West Village and in Switzerland where her mother is from. And when it came to her schooling, it was a mix of uptown (The Dalton School) and downtown (Cooper Union). And then of course there’s the entrep...

The Unassuming Powerhouse. Josie Maran is a beauty barrier breaker. In 2007 she was a pioneer of the clean beauty movement when she decided to launch her line of chic-ological skincare and cosmetics. The longtime model (a Guess? girl, a video vixen, cover star, to name a few)who started in the business at age 12 found herself in many top makeup artists’ chairs, as you would imagine, and would use...

Red Carpet Rainmaker. If you’ve got a mental picture of the Hollywood red carpet, you’re most likely visualizing outfits created by stylist Cristina Ehrlich. The two are synonymous. On this podcast Cristina describes growing up surrounded by glamour and beauty living in New York, Bel Air, and Europe. Her Italian mother was an interior designer who dressed, lived, and entertained well, and at an ea...

Model Behavior. Hunter McGrady is a third-generation model who is killing it…and she’s doing it with kindness and compassion. We were witness to her beautiful vibes during her photo shoot for Story + Rain. One of Hunter’s missions is to help nurture women of all body types. The fresh-faced blonde grew up in the mountains of Malibu and has Icelandic roots. Her mother was personally mentored by mode...

Born To Create. “Playful Defiance” is how one of fine jewelry and award winning platinumsmith Deirdre Featherstone’s beloved clients describes the sensibility of her collection. The one-time antiques auctioneer, since childhood, has been building things and grew up in a family who did the same. Her father would often disappear to the store for a gallon of milk, and come back with a car for fixing....

Basking In The Glow. Dr. Barbara Sturm became one of the most sought-after beauty doctors in the world. She created MC1 Cream, a skin cream that is bespoke, created individually by using her patient's blood. She is credited with pioneering the vampire facial. Her products have achieved cult status, as has her philosophy of healing the skin. Famous for her #SturmGlow facials, there’s now a sev...

Cut From Her Own Cloth. Harlem born and bred Bevy Smith has always used her voice. The radio show host, Bravo, and Page Six TV television host, longtime fashion and advertising executive (for magazines like Vibe and Rolling Stone) and now, author, has long made her mark with her savvy way with words. Bevy Smith’s authenticity excites and inspires. The title of her first book, Bevelations, nods to...

Timeless. Rachel Brosnahan is working hard and working smart. At 30 years old, she’s won an Emmy with four nominations, two Golden Globes, two Critics’ Choice Awards, and three SAG Awards for her beloved character Midge Maisel on Amazon’s huge hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel---and she’s started her own production company, taking a cue from actresses like Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington...

Entirely Original And Often Copied. Sarah Bahbah is one who lives and speaks boldly. Known for creating art that empowers and speaks directly to women, namely millennial women, Sarah draws on her experiences of childhood sexual abuse, anorexia and bulimia, drug dependency, and destructive love to put forth her vulnerable and strong voice. Her art has been exhibited internationally at over 25 art f...

Celebrating The Senses. Twin sisters and best friends Sarah and Boo Simms are the culinary and creative duo behind LA based Lady + Larder, and they’re responsible for starting a global grazing board movement. With a long list of devoted customers and fans, they’re a beloved and local go-to for delicious and stylish entertaining. Quite simply, they positively own the term “edible displays”. Their m...

Scrappy Success. Rita Hazan is a leading force in hair color, and she launched her career only six years after working directly under legendary hairstylist Oribe. Simply miraculous. Why? Early on, Rita had identified hair as the career she’d wanted, and like many of us who made our way into fashion, beauty, media, and entertainment, she spent her early years pouring through and studying magazines....

Express Yourself. Ashley Longshore is a force. Her bold, in-your-face art is a true reflection of her personality. Story + Rain Founder Tamara first Ashley years ago in Paris, and quickly became acquainted with her zest for life and love of fashion. The New York Times has since called her "fashion’s latest darling", and for good reason. She once was the official artist for New York Fashi...

Will Power. After challenges that the last year brought all of us and at 26 years old, Tallulah Willis bravely moved forward launching Wyllis, her thoughtfully designed clothing line whose pieces nod to 1940’s silhouettes. Tallulah aimed to create a collection that fully embodied not only her style, but what’s important to her. She married the two in way that’s really working, her untethered authe...

Living Life In Style. Story + Rain founder Tamara has been connected to designer, entrepreneur, and best-selling author India Hicks for years, and in a number of ways. As an editor, each time India launched a new collection or collab, she was there to preview it: from bath and body products, to jewelry, and more recently, handbags and accessories. India’s been an on-air personality for networks fr...

Making Faces And Beauty-full Places. The recently established Makeup Museum located in downtown New York City explores the history of beauty and its ongoing impact on society. It’s a cool and dynamic space that celebrates beauty culture; one particular exhibit dates back decades, showcasing Erno Lazlo’s personalized skincare prescriptions for both Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy. But on this pod...

Flavor Maker. When Tyler Malek, alongside his cousin Kim, began making and selling ice cream from a cart in 2011, he began charting the course for changing the way people experience and perceive ice cream forever. And he was recognized for it. Tyler was selected as one of Forbes 30 Under 30 for “Changing The Way America Eats”. With out-of-the-box ingredients like turkey, sweet potatoes, bleu chees...