While travel to Beverly Hills has diminished due to the coronavirus, more people are expected to visit Rodeo Drive later this year. (photo by Brica Wilcox/courtesy of the Rodeo Drive Committee)

While travel dramatically declined over the past year due to the coronavirus pandemic, people’s desire to explore and learn certainly has not – and it’s under that premise that the city of Beverly Hills agreed to spend $20,000 to help support a second season of “Rodeo Drive-The Podcast.”

“These podcasts allow people to experience the magic of our iconic street and feel the creativity, passion and exuberance from wherever they are in the world,” said Councilwoman Lili Bosse, who served as City Council liaison along with Mayor Lester Friedman to approve the funding.

While the launch date for the new season has yet to be solidified, the podcast’s executive producer Lyn Winter said the first episode was anticipated to go live by early February. Like the first season, there will be eight episodes, and each one will explore a different theme.

“The first season was an incredible success and I think it’s gained a lot of traction with both local and global audiences,” she said. “Obviously, that’s a result of the [high-profile status] of the Rodeo Drive brand, but also because of the nature of the stories that were told through the first season.”

Winter emphasized how season one launched during the lockdown and didn’t shy away from taking listeners through what was happening on the street until the final episode was broadcast on Sept. 3, 2020.

Kathy Davoudi-Gohari, vice president of the Rodeo Drive Committee and director of client engagement at Valentino, described the first series as a “reality check” while focusing on the history and high style of the iconic street.

“Everything is documented in the series,” she said. “It was really important for us to not make these podcasts tone-deaf, because these episodes are being listened to … on six continents.”

For the first season, Davoudi-Gohari, who previously helmed the Rodeo Drive Committee for two years as president, offered a brief inside perspective on each episode into what was actually happening inside the stores and on the street while individual episodes spotlighted topics including architecture, cars and the red carpet. She said the first season was listened to in over 60 countries.

According to a Podcast Insights report in 2020, the first season series ranked in the top 50 of 250 globally-ranked podcasts in 25 countries.

“I am thrilled with the success of the Only on Rodeo Podcasts,” Bosse added. “It truly is exciting to see that it has been ranked in the top podcasts worldwide.”

While the second season will be similar in concept, the subjects featured will be different and will include the future of fashion shows, luxury at home, the best tressed dogs, design and architecture, and what’s coming next for the street, including the planned Cheval Blanc Hotel.

With its European charm, Two Rodeo is a popular destination for visitors and will be the focus of an upcoming podcast on design and architecture. (photo by Brica Wilcox/courtesy of the Rodeo Drive Committee)

Davoudi-Gohari said one episode will be devoted to traveling in style for this new era – ideal for when the world once again opens back up.

“I was the kind of person who traveled … at least every month I was on a plane somewhere, most of the time in different countries. And I miss that, that kind of excitement of travel,” she said. “A lot of the people that listened to our podcasts were very much in the same boat. They used to travel, either socially or for business reasons. This has given them a way to kind of close their eyes and be here.”

Gohari said she anticipated that the new season will similarly enhance the brand while enticing people to visit Beverly Hills in the future. It’s a vision shared by Julie Wagner, CEO at the Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau. While the CVB did not donate to last season’s production, the organization is giving $5,000 to support the new series because of its emphasis on travel.

“As we all know, travel is such a big factor in Beverly Hills in terms of generating revenue and maintaining a strong perception of the brand and supporting local businesses, so it’s really a huge part of the social and economic fabric of our city,” she said. “We thought, any opportunity that allows us to support another partner organization, position the brand in a positive manner and bring awareness to the importance of travel was the right initiative for us.”

To support the podcast, the Rodeo Drive Committee sought both public and private partnerships, raising $30,000 in private sponsorships in addition to the city’s $20,000.

As in the first series, Bronwyn Cosgrave, a former editor for British Vogue, will once again host the second season. A fashion historian, Cosgrave will take listeners through immersive experiences, including behind-the-scenes stories of Rodeo’s landmark boutiques.

“I really became fascinated by the street and how it has a real history that harkens back to the 1920s and 1930s,” she said. “I was very interested in sharing that history and using that history to contextualize the street as we know it today.”

The podcast’s author Frances Anderton, who hosted a weekly radio show on design and architecture for more than two decades at KCRW, will similarly feature the current trends of fashion, luxury and entertainment while examining innovations and visions for the future as the fashion and luxury industries respond to today’s unprecedented times and opportunities.

“Rodeo Drive encapsulates, in a way, the history of style and fashion and the emergence of L.A. as a style capital,” Anderton said. “There are some really compelling characters – because when you tell a story about anywhere, you want some great characters, and Rodeo Drive is certainly full of them.”

She said that elements of the upcoming podcasts would focus on how retail and fashion have been impacted by current events, in addition to honing in on the architectural legacy of the street, such as Two Rodeo.

“As we all know, retail and fashion has been impacted in recent years by changes in the way people shop and most recently by changes brought upon us all by the pandemic,” Anderton said. “So obviously, the stories are of how Rodeo Drive and Two Rodeo are evolving to meet those conditions. That’s very interesting. All in all, it’s two streets – Rodeo Drive and Two Rodeo – that capture a really rich and colorful story about Los Angeles.”

Anderton also noted the power of podcasts, and their increasing popularity, as a compelling storytelling medium.

“Podcasts have expanded exponentially. And what that attests to, is people like hearing each other speak. They like hearing stories that go straight from mouth to ear,” she said. “That’s very interesting at a time when we’ve become a very visual culture … and for people to still desire what is a very traditional form of storytelling … has been a great education to us all.”

The Rodeo Drive Committee underscored that during this time of social distancing and isolation, the series offers an opportunity to connect audiences during the pandemic while spotlighting the street.

“The podcasts provide a fascinating look inside Rodeo Drive,” Mayor Lester Friedman said. “Listeners are treated to stories and insights from the world’s leading designers and those who know the street best. I encourage everyone to take a listen.”