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VIVANT M AGA Z I N E

Next issue coming in Winter 2027! For advertising opportunities, contact colleen@vivant.media | 203-561-5086

CONTENTS / FALL 2026

NOTES

Objects, rituals, ideas, and discoveries shaping the season.

26 — THE OBJECT The Eternal White Bugatti’s one-of-one Blanc Éternel and the beauty of craftsmanship without compromise. 28 — THE ROOM When Furniture Became Art How collectible design moved from supporting role to the center of the room. 30 — THE MATCHBOOK The Smallest Souvenir Worth Keeping Why hospitality’s most charming little calling card is finding its way back.

STYLE

Fashion, objects, and the evolving language of modern elegance.

33 — THE FALL AFFAIR Suede, tweed, florals, and jewel-toned accents define autumn’s most romantic mood. 34 — THE SPORTING LIFE

BEAUTY / WELLNESS

Equestrian ease, heritage polish, and the art of

The products, rituals, and ideas shaping how we look

dressing well outdoors.

and feel now.

37 —THE ART OF COMFORT

38 — THE HARVEST

Bedside Manor’s edit of beautiful things for the

A season of warmth, texture, and beautiful

rituals of home.

excess. 41 — THE SILENT FIRE WITHIN

What modern medicine is learning about chronic inflammation, aging, and prevention. 44 — THE BODY REMEMBERS Garry Lineham on fascia, healing, and the intelligence within.

ESSAY 48— WHO DECIDES WHAT MATTERS NOW A cultural essay on the rise of collectors, designers, hosts, editors, architects, chefs, and creators of beautiful worlds—and why influence has shifted beyond celebrity culture.

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CONTENTS / FALL 2026 FEATURES 51 — JACQUELINE LAMBA The Surrealist Who Refused to Be a Muse Artist, revolutionary and resistance figure Jacqueline Lamba created a life and body of work far greater than the role history assigned her. 57 — BEAUTY, SLIGHTLY ENDANGERED Party Crasher Photographer Nick Mele sends a horse through a formal dinner, revealing a world where tradition, absurdity and deeply personal taste coexist. 66 — ARCHIVE FEVER By Sharon Jane Inside the growing obsession with vintage fashion, rare finds and the stories that make them worth collecting. 72 — THE CULT OF CHROME HEARTS By Sharon Jane How a rebellious silver jewelry brand became one of luxury’s most influential cultural forces.

57 18

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CONTENTS / FALL 2026

HOME

Interiors, entertaining, and the evolving art of living well. 79 — FROM GRANDEUR TO GRACE Layton Campbell transforms a grand Charlotte residence into a more intimate expression of art, personality, and modern life. 93 — THE TABLE IS SET Holiday House Hamptons celebrates entertaining, thoughtful design, and the enduring pleasure of bringing people together. 96 — THE ART OF BUILDING A WELL-RUN HOUSEHOLD How thoughtful household staffing evolves alongside the way we live.

CULTURE Design, conversation, and the people shaping how we live now. 99 — ALEXANDER’S HEATED RIVALRIES A look at competition, ambition, and the rivalries that keep the art world talking. 106 — THE NEW SCHOOL IN TOWN Wingrove Academy is building a future-focused approach to education in Wellington. 108 — BEDSIDE READING The books worth adding to the nightstand this fall. 110 — THE HOUSE THAT HOPE BUILT Inside The Pink House and the community of support behind Carolina Breast Friends.

SPORTING LIFE The people, traditions, and worlds surrounding modern sport. 114 — THE RIDER — KENT FARRINGTON On precision, discipline, horsemanship, and the quiet decisions behind a championship career. 118 — THE BUSINESS OF BEAUTIFUL THINGS Inside the ambition, economics, and detail behind creating a world-class sporting event.

ESCAPE 123 — THE UMSTEAD Hidden among the pines, a Southern retreat where art, landscape, hospitality, and stillness converge.

TASTE Ingredients, rituals, and the pleasures of the season. 133 — THE INGREDIENT: FIGS An ancient fruit with a fleeting season—and far more range than its sweetness suggests. 136 — THE MANHATTAN The history, ritual, and enduring authority of whiskey, vermouth, and bitters.

V-MAP 138 — Greenwich & Connecticut Gold Coast | New York & The Hamptons | Palm Beach & Wellington | Charleston & The Lowcountry | Charlotte & The Carolinas

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BEAUTIFUL THINGS Carefully Curated for Your Home

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VIVANT FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Colleen Guilfoile Richmond ART DIRECTOR Kim Hall DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA & BRAND OPERATIONS Taylor Freeze

SALES & OUTREACH COORDINATOR Abigail Cleary CULINARY EDITOR Marci Moreau BOOK EDITOR Jane Ubell CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY EDITOR Margot Richmond EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Morgan Richmond EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Marci Moreau Taylor Freeze Vivian Ashcroft Norah Lawlor Sharon Jane Georgette Gouveia EDITOR AT LARGE Margaret Bastick Luce Cover image Nick Mele Fine Art We love hearing from our readers. Send press releases, inquiries or comments to colleen@vivant.media. Follow us on Instagram at @VIVANTpublications.

VIVANT Magazine is published quarterly by VIVANT LLC. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the express written consent of VIVANT Magazine. Material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or its staff. VIVANT Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content. VIVANT Magazine reserves the right to edit all materials for space and clarity and assumes no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors or omissions. Article and photography submissions are welcome and may be submitted for review.

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Custom Homes, Crafted Without Compromise C H A R L E S TO N 8 4 3 . 8 01.16 0 0

C H A R LOT T E 70 4 . 8 8 9 . 1 6 0 0

A Note from the Editor Fall has always felt like a season of return. We return home. We return to routines, to dinner tables, to rooms filled again with friends. We dress with a little more intention, linger a little longer, and find ourselves drawn back to the things that have substance, the objects, places, traditions and people that become more interesting with time. That idea runs throughout this issue of VIVANT. So much of what we see now is about what is new, what is next and what is getting attention. For this issue, I found myself much more interested in the opposite: what lasts, and why. You see it in the extraordinary story of Jacqueline Lamba, an artist whose life was too often reduced to the men around her and whose work asks us to look again. You see it in the fascination with vintage fashion and the pieces we search for precisely because they have already lived a life. And you see it in Chrome Hearts, a brand that built its influence not by chasing fashion, but by creating a world so distinctive that fashion eventually came to it. That same sense of individuality carries into the homes, people and places in these pages. There are rooms shaped by collections and memory rather than perfection. There is the discipline and extraordinary horsemanship of Kent Farrington. There are tables set for gathering, schools imagining what comes next, and communities built around generosity, conversation and shared purpose. Perhaps that is what I love most about fall. It reminds us that living well has very little to do

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

VIVANT

with having more and much more to do with choosing well. The things we keep. The people we invite in. The rooms we remember. The traditions we carry forward. The ideas worth preserving, and occasionally, the rules worth breaking. As VIVANT continues to grow, I find myself becoming even clearer about what I want these pages to be. I want them to celebrate individual taste, curiosity, craftsmanship and lives lived with character. Not a catalog of what everyone should want, but an invitation to discover what speaks to you. Thank you, as always, for being part of VIVANT and for continuing to believe in the pleasure of turning a page, discovering something unexpected and taking the time to look a little closer. I hope you find something in this issue worth keeping.

VIVANT (vee-VAHNT)

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NOTES

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THE OBJECT

The Eternal White

ome cars are built for speed. Others are

speaks in a more architectural language. Its pure

one-of-one W16 Mistral “Blanc Éternel”

the hidden geometry of the W16 Mistral itself — the

built to outlast the moment. Bugatti’s belongs to the latter category — a

hypercar conceived not simply as performance, but as an object of permanence.

Created through Bugatti Sur Mesure in

collaboration with Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin, the car revisits a story that began fifteen

years ago with “L’Or Blanc,” Bugatti’s porcelain-

inspired Veyron Grand Sport. But where that earlier

commission was defined by fluid blue lines inspired by an Enzo Mari vase for KPM, “Blanc Éternel”

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white body is traced with fine black lines that reveal

digital surface structure normally unseen beneath the finished form.

That is what makes the car compelling. The lines

are not decoration for decoration’s sake. They expose process. They show the tension between technology and handwork, between digital modeling and the

human hand required to turn an idea into something

tangible. Each line is carefully taped and painted by hand, following the sculptural body of the roadster with the precision of a drawing.

The porcelain details deepen the story. KPM-crafted

elements appear on the exterior and throughout the

cockpit, including the EB emblem, fuel and oil caps,

engine-cover inlays, speaker cover plate, gear-shifter

shells, center-console armrest inlay, kneepad inserts, and

discipline. Each porcelain element must be engineered

with extraordinary accuracy, accounting for the way the material changes in the kiln before it can fit seamlessly into a machine built for power.

As the W16 Mistral represents the final roadgoing

window-lifter buttons. These are not decorative gestures

expression of Bugatti’s legendary sixteen-cylinder era,

exacting moments where the driver encounters material,

White, precise, handmade, and impossible to repeat, it

added at the end. They are points of contact — small, craft, and history.

Porcelain may seem delicate for a hypercar, but that is

precisely the point. “Blanc Éternel” turns fragility into

“Blanc Éternel” feels less like a farewell than a signature. leaves the W16 era not with spectacle, but with a line drawn by hand.

Images Courtesy of Bugatti

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THE ROOM

When Furniture Became Art

here was a time when the contents of a room

ignore. In New York, the Collection of Jean and Terry de

the painting, the mirror above the console,

as the most valuable design auction in United States history.

were understood as support: the chair beneath the cabinet holding the objects that mattered

most. But the design market has been quietly rewriting

that hierarchy. Increasingly, the room itself has become the collection.

This spring, Sotheby’s made that shift impossible to

Gunzburg achieved $96 million, marking what is described

At the center of the sale was Claude Lalanne’s extraordinary ensemble of fifteen mirrors, originally commissioned for the Paris home of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, which

sold for $33.5 million, the highest price ever achieved for a work of design at auction.

The mirrors were on display at Sotheby’s global headquarters in advance of the sale. (Image credit: Courtesy Sotheby’s)

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The number is startling, but the story

is more interesting than the record. These were not simply mirrors. They were part

of an atmosphere. Commissioned in 1974 for Saint Laurent and Bergé’s Salon de Musique, the project began with two

mirrors and expanded over the course of a decade into a complete installation of

fifteen. Executed by hand in gilt bronze, galvanized copper, and mirrored glass,

the works transformed a functional object into something closer to architecture, sculpture, and memory.

That is the new language of collectible

design. It is not about furniture as

decoration, but furniture as authorship.

A Lalanne mirror does more than reflect a room; it alters the meaning of the

room around it. A Jean Royère sofa is not merely seating; it is a sculptural

proposition about comfort, proportion, and modern life. A Jean-Michel Frank chair carries the restraint of its line as powerfully as a drawing. An André

Groult cabinet, with its green shagreen surface and architectural presence,

becomes less a place to store things than a reason to pause.

The de Gunzburg collection

understood this instinctively. Jean and

Terry de Gunzburg did not collect design as an accessory to art. They lived with it

A green shagreen-clad cabinet designed by André Groult sold for $2.2 million (Image credit: Annie Schlechter, courtesy Sotheby’s)

as part of the same intellectual and emotional conversation.

matters. But so does the private life of an object, the years

modernism, and major works of twentieth-century painting,

beside it.

Their homes brought together French decorative arts, postwar creating rooms where objects were not arranged by category,

it spends in a room, absorbing the rituals of those who live

In that sense, the rise of collectible design is not simply a

but by feeling, material, and tension.

market story. It is a cultural one. The most important works

at a moment when interiors are being reconsidered not as

in the corner, frame the light, hold the books, gather the

That may be why the sale resonated so strongly. It arrived

displays of taste, but as biographies. The objects we choose to live with reveal how we see, what we value, and how we want time to gather around us. Provenance matters. Craft

in a home may no longer hang on the wall. They may stand

conversation, or wait quietly until someone recognizes them for what they are.

The room is no longer the backdrop. It is the collection.

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T H E M AT C H B O O K

The Smallest Souvenir Worth Keeping

here was a time when nearly every good restaurant had a matchbook.

They waited beside the reservation book,

stood in small bowls at the bar or arrived

tucked discreetly onto the silver tray with the check. Guests slipped them into coat pockets and handbags

over casually, picked up at the bar or noticed on the way

out. Its charm lies in the fact that it does not appear to be trying too hard. And yet the best examples are carefully considered.

The dimensions are small, but the design decisions are

without much thought. Weeks—or sometimes years later,

not. The color must feel right. The type must hold its own.

the memory of a particular room, a late dinner or a city

instantly. A successful matchbook can suggest whether a

they would reappear in the back of a drawer, still carrying briefly inhabited. A matchbook was never simply a way to light a cigarette. It was part of the atmosphere.

Its paper stock, typography and color palette offered

The image, if there is one, must communicate something

room is clubby or romantic, grand or irreverent, old New York or something entirely new.

In that sense, the matchbook may be one of hospitality’s

a miniature version of the establishment itself. A gilded

most effective calling cards. It captures the identity of a

might capture the energy of a downtown dining room. A

could. It has weight, texture and edges that soften with

crest suggested old-world formality. A bold illustration

simple name printed in the right typeface could conjure an entire evening before the cover was even opened. Then, gradually, they disappeared.

As smoking declined, restaurants had little practical

restaurant more intimately than a logo on a website ever time. It changes as it is handled. A pristine matchbook

remembers the room; a worn one remembers the person

who carried it. Collectors have understood this for years. Vintage matchbooks are framed, cataloged and traded

reason to keep producing them. Hospitality moved online.

as miniature works of graphic design. Examples from

and the smallest details of an evening were increasingly

histories of the places they represented. A matchbook

Reservations became digital, menus became QR codes replaced by screens. The matchbook, once an ordinary part of dining out, became a relic. Now, it is finding its way back.

At restaurants such as The Polo Bar and Elio’s, the

matchbook no longer exists because anyone truly needs

storied hotels, restaurants and resorts offer compact visual saved from the Waldorf Astoria, The Breakers or

Newport’s Black Pearl carries more than a name. Its

lettering, colors and worn corners reveal the tastes of another era.

The most compelling ones were never designed to

one. That is precisely what makes it appealing. It has

become precious. They were meant to be used, passed

and an understated invitation to take part of the evening

purpose is part of what now makes them feel so personal.

become a signature: a small, tactile expression of a place home.

Unlike a branded pen or promotional card, a matchbook

rarely feels like marketing. It feels discovered. It is handed

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across a table and dropped into a pocket. That casual

A postcard proves that you visited a place. A matchbook suggests that you belonged there, if only for an evening.

It may have been picked up after a long lunch that

return to the images. The matchbook asks for nothing. It

bar. It might recall the night everyone stayed later than

It does not require a password, a charger or an app. It

became dinner, after a first date or a final drink at the

simply waits.

planned, the table by the window or the conversation that

sits quietly in a bowl, on a bookshelf or in the back of a

itself is small. What it holds can be much larger.

are back at the table.

continued long after the plates were cleared. The object

Image Phillips Thatbymay explain why the matchbook feels particularly

drawer until one day it is found again. And suddenly, you The conversation returns. The laughter. The room. The

resonant now. So much of modern life is recorded

evening you thought you had forgotten. The best souvenirs

photograph the table, the cocktail and the room, but rarely

the way out.

instantly and then lost in an endless camera roll. We

are not always bought. Sometimes, they are picked up on

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At Chelsea Lane & Co., every project is approached as a story in the making. With Palm Beach’s most extensive collection of designer wallpapers and fabrics, the showroom is a destination for those who value interiors with depth and character. Clients experience expert guidance, whether visiting in person, meeting virtually, or accessing the mobile library. Each detail is thoughtfully managed, ensuring a seamless journey from first inspiration to final installation.

CHELSEALANECO

STYLE EDIT

BODE FAIRY FLOSS CROPPED EMBELLISHED WOOL AND CASHMERE CARDIGAN Nostalgic, handcrafted, and full of personality, Bode’s embellished cardigan brings charm to coldweather dressing. It is proof that the coziest pieces can also be the most memorable. fwrd.com

ERDEM BELTED CORDUROY-TRIMMED FLORAL JACQUARD JACKET Erdem brings romance to fall with a richly woven floral jacquard jacket framed by corduroy trim. It is feminine, tactile, and just structured enough to feel seasonally grounded. net-a-porter.com

ERDEM FLORALJACQUARD COTTON MIDI SKIRT Worn with the matching jacket, the skirt creates a full autumn statement. On its own, styled with a cashmere knit, crisp white shirt, or knee-high leather boots, it becomes an unexpectedly versatile piece. net-a-porter.com

DIOR MÉDAILLON BELT With its polished medallion buckle and rich leather strap, Dior’s belt proves the smallest details often make the strongest statement. It turns a simple trouser, coat, or knit into something considered. dior.com

THE

FALL AFFAIR Suede, tweed, florals, and jewel-toned accents define autumn’s most romantic mood.

LOEWE SUEDE STRAIGHT-LEG PANTS Few materials capture autumn’s richness like suede. LOEWE’s straight-leg pants keep the silhouette clean and restrained, letting the material do the talking. Pair them with the Bode cardigan for a textured, unexpected contrast. net-a-porter.com TOM FORD SATIN AND CRYSTAL THEA SLINGBACK HEELS In crimson and violet, Tom Ford’s slingbacks introduce a decadent jolt of color. The pointed toe, crystal detail, and sharp slingback silhouette give even the quietest fall look a glamorous edge. tomfordfashion.com

By Margot Richmond DRIES VAN NOTEN FLEUR DU MAL A floral with depth, Fleur du Mal layers softness with warm woods and sensual spice. It feels made for crisp evenings, candlelit rooms, and the kind of fall mood that lingers after dark. driesvannoten.com

CELINE SCARF JACKET IN WOOL CLOTH Part outerwear, part built-in styling trick, Celine’s scarf jacket brings structure and ease into one instinctive fall layer. The silhouette feels polished without trying too hard — exactly the point of transitional dressing. celine.com

PRADA MEDIUM SUEDE SHOULDER BAG Soft suede, a clean silhouette, and a quietly recognizable shape make Prada’s shoulder bag the kind of piece that becomes more essential with every wear. It is fall’s answer to understated polish. prada.com

MIU MIU CHECKED MINI SKIRT Heritage tailoring gets the Miu Miu treatment. Cut in classic plaid and finished with rhinestone embellishment at the back, the checked mini skirt balances collegiate charm with a wink of glamour. miumiu.com www.vivantmagazine.com

STYLE

RALPH LAUREN RAMONA WINDOWPANE TWEED JACKET Cut in a relaxed double-breasted silhouette, the Ramona jacket gives heritage tweed a lighter, sharper feel. Finished with peak lapels and horn buttons, it is menswear polish made entirely its own. ralphlauren.com. RALPH LAUREN FLORAL CASHMERE SQUARE SCARF Made in Italy from 100% cashmere, this floral scarf brings a soft, polished finish to autumn dressing. Tied at the neck or draped over a blazer, it adds just enough pattern without trying too hard. ralphlauren.com

NILI LOTAN LILY SILK BLOUSE In ivory silk with a ruffled collar and cascading bib, the Lily blouse adds a soft, romantic polish to fall dressing. nililotan.com

THE

HOLLAND COOPER CONTOUR TROUSER The Contour Trouser perfectly reflects the art of dressing for life outdoors. Their streamlined fit makes them easy to tuck into riding boots, while the comfortable stretch allows for movement throughout the day, whether that’s a morning at the stables or a weekend spent in the country. us.hollandcooper.com

SPORTING LIFE Equestrian ease, heritage polish, and the art of dressing well outdoors.

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL 41 New for 2026, the Oyster Perpetual 41 celebrates 100 years of the Oyster with a slate dial, subtle green details, and a polished pairing of Oystersteel and yellow gold. Classic, commemorative, and just showy enough, it is the kind of watch that makes “everyday” feel rather well timed. rolex.com

By Margot Richmond BAUNILHA & AÇAFRÃO EAU DE COLOGNE Inspired by the comforting atmosphere of the season, rich notes of vanilla are balanced by a distinctive spice of saffron, creating a scent that feels perfectly suited for a crisp autumn morning. granado.us BURBERRY HIGHLANDS MEDIUM BOWLING BAG No wardrobe is complete without a dependable leather holdall. The warm brown leather perfectly reflects the colors of the season, fallen leaves, weathered saddles, and centuries-old oak trees. While the timeless shape adds a polished finish to even the most relaxed looks. us.burberry.com

BARBOUR DALBURY CASUAL JACKET Cut in a cropped, slim-fit silhouette and crafted in a cotton-linen blend, the Dalbury jacket brings a tailored ease to autumn dressing. The tan and beige tattersall check feels classic without being too expected, perfect over knits, denim, or tucked-in trousers for a weekend in the country. barbour.com

HERMÈS JUMPING BOOT Crafted in box calfskin and finished with Hermès’ signature palladium-plated Kelly buckle, the boot is a refined nod to the Maison’s equestrian roots. Its clean lines and timeless shape make it a polished staple for autumn, from country weekends to city days. hermes.com

EDIT

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DISTINCTLY AMERICAN: HOUSES AND INTERIORS Hendricks Churchill’s new Rizzoli volume celebrates interiors rooted in history, craft, and a distinctly American sense of place. Consider it required reading for anyone who believes a room should feel collected, not decorated. rizzoliusa.com

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N O O N E S H O U L D FA C E

BREAST CANCER

A lone

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MENTORING | CONNECTION

COMFORT...CARE...CONFIDENCE. 36

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CAROLINABREASTFRIENDS. ORG

Desk Calendar - The Karen Adams calendars have been a Bedside Manor best seller for years. They make a great gift that helps the recipient celebrate year-round. Each twelve 6-inch square—one for every month—features an original Karen Adams design that is printed and handfinished. bedsidemanor.com

Whispercale Sleepwear - Imagine a sleepshirt that's as soft as silk with the easy care of cotton. Using a special weaving technique that combines the two fibers in distinct layers within a single, luxurious fabric, Whispercale does it! This lustrous fabric is specially treated so the cotton relaxes into an amazing hand, and the bright shine of the silk ebbs to a subtle, welcoming glow. It’s pre-shrunk and color fast. It can be machine washed and tumble dried. Ironed or not, it looks smooth and inviting. $248 Also available in loungewear and robes. bedsidemanor.com

1000pc Puzzle Snowfall on Park Avenue - Awardwinning designer, illustrator, and creative director Michael Storrings highlights the ultimate winter experience in New York City featuring snow, a lit Christmas tree and holiday shoppers. An insert of the full puzzle image is also included. $22. bedsidemanor.com

I Love Ski Candle - Plunge into the heart of the snowy peaks with the new edition of the I Love Ski candle, an elegant ode to the alpine world. Its refined glass is enhanced by a silk-screen print in gold and bright colors, illustrating charming mountain chalets nestled in a wintry landscape. It's fun to watch the little skiers on the glass, the golden fir trees, and the chairlift that seems to come alive under the light of the flame. $155-$242. bedsidemanor.com

THE ART OF

COMFORT

Bedside Manor’s edit of beautiful things for the rituals of home. Sheepskin Rhinestone Slippers - Step into holiday comfort and sparkle. These slippers combine ultra-soft sheepskin with hand-placed crystal snowflake rhinestones for a festive, elegant shine. Designed for everyday wear, the plush shearling interior hugs your feet in warmth, while the durable non-slip rubber sole offers secure indoor-to-porch versatility. $92. bedsidemanor.com

Marshmallow Throw - A cozy, lightweight throw for someone who runs hot but still gets cold! Wrap yourself in the Ultra-Lite Marshmallow thorw, a luxurious addition to any home that redefines cozy living through the coldest months. It features a looser weave, making it lighter in weight yet remarkably plush thanks to its high pile — and double the thickness for extra warmth without the bulk. $130. bedsidemanor.com

Radiance Duo Set Jewelry Cleaner - A treat for any jewelry lover—or yourself—with everything needed to clean and care for a treasured collection. Wash & brush set includes a full-size bottle of Shinery's bestselling wash which cleans your hands and jewelry every time you wash your hands. Made with gentle plantbased surfactants, it removes dirt and oil from your jewelry with a formula that is nourishing to the skin. $65. bedsidemanor.com

Matouk luxury towels - Widely praised by reviewers and design experts as top-tier luxury bath products. Matouk towels use low or zero-twist, long-staple Portuguese cotton to deliver an exceptional balance of plush softness, generous sizing, and lightweight absorbency. bedsidemanor.com www.vivantmagazine.com

Rhode Pocket Bronze: The brand’s first-ever bronzer delivers an effortless wash of warmth, bringing back the look of late-summer skin long after the season has passed. Rhode’s creamy stick melts into the skin, creating soft warmth and subtle definition that feels natural rather than sculpted. rhodeskin.com

Guerlain Customizable Satin & Velvet Matte Lipstick in Le Nude Intense: The earthy nude shade complements the season’s palette of camel knits, chocolate tailoring, and burnished gold accents. Equally captivating is the maison’s collectible cheetah print case, a bold accessory in its own right that brings a touch of glamour to any beauty bag. guerlain.com

THE

HARVEST A season of warmth, texture, and beautiful excess. By Margot Richmond

Victoria Beckham Beauty Cheeky Posh: Rosy, freshly pinched cheeks swept the Fall/Winter runways across all four fashion capitals. As temperatures drop, embrace the trend with blushes that mimic a natural rosy glow. fwrd.com

Westman Atelier Liquid Super Loaded Tinted Highlighter: Autumn’s golden-hour glow doesn’t have to disappear with the summer sun. Perfect for enhancing fall’s richer makeup palette while maintaining a fresh, lit-from-within finish. westman-atelier.com

Bottega Veneta Déjà Minuit Eau de Parfum: The warm, lingering essence settles on the skin, creating an intimate scent trail that is both elegant and intriguing. Housed in Bottega Veneta’s sculptural bottle, Déjà Minuit embodies the mood of fall itself: mysterious, refined, and impossible to forget. bottegaveneta.com

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BEAUTY Oribe Matte Waves Texture Hair Lotion: Perfectly polished hair is taking a back seat this season. Fall’s standout style is effortlessly undone, soft volume at the roots, and lived-in texture. Oribe’s hair lotion is the perfect product to achieve this look. oribe.com

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir Body Lotion: This luxurious lotion brings together nourishment and fragrance, draping skin in a veil of amber-infused sophistication. The formula leaves skin feeling hydrated while imparting the signature warmth of Grand Soir, a scent that evokes golden evenings and the comforting embrace of autumn. franciskurkdjian.com

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Soaring to New Heights in PK-12 Education Wingrove Academy is a new private non-profit school in the Village of Wellington, FL, serving students from PK–12 grade. Designed from the ground up, it offers a future-focused education that blends academic excellence with vibrant arts and athletics programs, supported by a campus built for collaboration, creativity, and growth.

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THE SILENT FIRE WITHIN What Modern Medicine Is Learning About Chronic Inflammation By Marci Moreau

or decades, medicine treated heart disease,

response. White blood cells rush to the scene. Damaged tissue

some cancers as separate illnesses—each with its

is the body’s emergency response team—swift, coordinated,

diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and even

own specialists, treatments, and explanations. But

a growing body of research is revealing something remarkable.

begins to repair. Harmful invaders are destroyed. Inflammation and essential for healing.

In healthy circumstances, once the danger has passed, the

Beneath many of these seemingly unrelated diseases may lie a

immune system quiets. The work is done. But sometimes that

Not the kind that announces itself with a swollen ankle or

obvious smoke, yet beneath the surface, the fire continues to

common biological thread: chronic inflammation.

a fever after an infection. This inflammation is quieter. It can smolder beneath the surface for years, often without obvious symptoms, slowly influencing how our bodies age, how disease takes hold, and perhaps even how long we live.

Some scientists believe understanding chronic inflammation

may prove to be one of the defining medical stories of the

alarm never fully switches off. There are no dramatic flames or burn and smolder. That is chronic inflammation.

For generations, physicians viewed inflammation as

something temporary—a response that appeared when

needed and disappeared once healing was complete. Today, researchers understand the story is far more complex.

Sometimes the immune system continues sending low

twenty-first century. The implications reach far beyond any

levels of inflammatory signals long after an injury has healed.

prevention, and the remarkable ways the body works to protect

fat, chronic stress, disrupted sleep, environmental pollutants,

single disease, challenging long-held assumptions about aging, itself.

Inflammation has earned an unfair reputation. Today,

the word is often used as though it were synonymous with disease. Social media promises anti-inflammatory diets,

Sometimes those signals arise in response to excess visceral smoking, persistent infections, or metabolic dysfunction.

Even aging itself appears to change how the immune system behaves.

One of the most significant shifts in modern medicine isn’t

miracle supplements, and foods that supposedly extinguish

the discovery of a new disease. It’s the growing realization

enemy. In fact, without it, we couldn’t survive.

pathways. Rather than asking only, “How do we treat disease?”

inflammation overnight. Yet inflammation itself is not the

When you cut your finger, catch the flu, or recover from

surgery, your immune system launches an extraordinary

that many chronic diseases may share common biological

researchers are increasingly asking, “How do we create an environment in which disease is less likely to develop?”

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Researchers have even given this phenomenon a name:

inflammaging. As we grow older, many people experience

focuses on what scientists call senescent cells. Sometimes

believe this process may contribute to frailty, cardiovascular

have stopped dividing but don’t simply disappear. Instead,

a gradual increase in low-grade inflammation. Scientists

disease, metabolic disorders, cognitive decline, and other age-related illnesses. But here’s the encouraging news:

growing older doesn’t necessarily mean inflammation must grow with us.

Emerging research suggests that the way we live—our

nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, social connections, and environmental exposures—may influence how loudly

referred to as “zombie cells,” these aging or damaged cells they remain in our tissues, where they continue releasing inflammatory molecules and other chemical signals that

can affect nearby cells. Over time, scientists believe this

ongoing inflammatory activity may contribute to the chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with aging and many age-related diseases.

Researchers are now mapping these cells throughout the

this inflammatory “fire” burns. While aging is inevitable,

human body, hoping to better understand their role in aging,

believed.

that may one day lead to new therapies designed to promote

the biology of aging may be more adaptable than we once Perhaps the fire isn’t lit by age alone. Perhaps the world in

which we age helps determine its intensity.

One of the most fascinating areas of current research

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inflammation, and chronic disease. It’s an exciting frontier

healthier aging—not by stopping the clock, but by helping the immune system restore balance.

Researchers are also uncovering the role chronic

inflammation may play in a wide range of conditions,

including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, cognitive decline, and even certain cancers. While

inflammation is rarely the sole cause of disease, it appears to

influence the biological environment in which many of these conditions develop and progress.

This growing understanding is changing medicine. Rather

than viewing these illnesses as entirely separate, scientists are

in colorful vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts,

seeds, extra-virgin olive oil, herbs, spices, and omega-3-rich seafood. These foods provide fiber, antioxidants, healthy

fats, and plant compounds that support the body’s normal inflammatory regulation. Just as importantly, these eating patterns support a healthier gut microbiome, improve

metabolic health, and help regulate blood sugar—factors increasingly recognized as interconnected.

But food tells only part of the story. The body doesn’t

increasingly exploring the common biological pathways that

separate the meal you ate from the sleep you missed. The

well as treatment.

movement you skipped. The loneliness you may be feeling.

connect them—offering new opportunities for prevention as

One of the places where many of those pathways intersect

stress you carry. The grief you continue to process. The Biology receives the whole story. The question isn’t

is the gut.

whether one thing can extinguish inflammation. The better

circulating through the bloodstream. In reality, much of our

creating—through the food we eat and the lives we live?

Most people think of the immune system as something

immune activity is closely connected to the gastrointestinal

question may be: What kind of biological environment are we The word “inflammation” has become one of the most

tract.

overused terms in modern wellness culture.

eat, the trillions of microbes living in our intestines, and our

countless other symptoms are often attributed to inflammation

that support the intestinal lining, influence immune

not a catch-all diagnosis, and no single blood test can explain

Every meal begins a conversation between the food we

immune system. Those microbes help produce compounds regulation, and communicate with organs throughout the body—including the brain.

Scientists continue to uncover new connections between

the gut microbiome and chronic inflammation, reinforcing an

idea that nutrition experts have long appreciated: food doesn’t simply nourish us. It communicates with us.

This may be surprising, but when it comes to food, there is

no single anti-inflammatory food.

Fatigue, headaches, bloating, brain fog, joint pain, and

without evidence. While chronic inflammation is real, it is every symptom.

Rather than fearing inflammation, we should understand it.

And, rather than chasing miracle cures, we should embrace consistent habits that support long-term health.

Perhaps inflammation isn’t the enemy. Perhaps it is the

body’s oldest language—a signal that something needs attention, repair, or protection.

Modern medicine is teaching us that health is not simply

Not blueberries. Not turmeric. Not salmon. Not even olive

the absence of disease. It is the presence of balance. While

What exists instead are dietary patterns—and daily

lives, we can influence the environment in which our bodies

oil.

habits—that either support the body’s natural regulatory

systems or continually challenge them. One meal won’t create chronic inflammation. Just as one healthy meal won’t erase it. Health is built through repetition, and using the most

powerful foods, and omitting unhealthy options, meal after meal, day after day, year after year. The immune system is always paying attention.

Research consistently points toward dietary patterns rich

we cannot eliminate every source of inflammation from our function—through the food we eat, the way we move, the quality of our sleep, the relationships we nurture, and the

ways we respond to life’s inevitable stresses. Perhaps that is the most hopeful lesson emerging from this science.

The silent fire within is not something we extinguish once.

It is something we learn to tend, with knowledge, intention, and the small, powerful choices that shape our lives every day.

The information in this article is intended for educational purposes and should not replace personalized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

www.vivantmagazine.com

THE BODY REMEMBERS Garry Lineham on Fascia, Healing and the Intelligence Within By Vivian Ashcroft

or generations, we’ve been

taught to think about the body in separate parts: a painful knee, a tight shoulder, an

aching back. Today, that view is changing

as fascia, the continuous web of connective tissue throughout the body, moves to

the center of conversations about pain, mobility, recovery and aging.

Few people have helped bring greater

attention to this subject than Garry

Lineham, founder of Human Garage. A

former systems engineer, Lineham applied his understanding of complex systems

to his own experience with chronic pain,

eventually learning to see the body not as a collection of isolated parts, but as one

intelligent, interconnected whole. In this

exclusive conversation with VIVANT, he shares why fascia matters, what we may

have misunderstood about pain and aging, and why healing may begin by learning to listen to the body differently.

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VIVANT: Why do you think fascia is receiving so much

attention now? What has changed in the way people think about pain, mobility, recovery and aging?

Garry Lineham: I think we’re living through a

fundamental shift in how people relate to their bodies. For

decades, we looked at the body like a machine. If your knee hurt, you looked at the knee. If your shoulder hurt, you

treated the shoulder. If something wore out, it was considered a normal part of aging.

That model helped us accomplish incredible things, but it

everything else. When one area becomes restricted, the rest of the system adapts. That’s why someone may feel pain in one place even though the source of the tension developed somewhere else. Historically, anatomy was taught by

separating the body into individual systems because that

made it easier to study. But nature doesn’t separate itself

that way. Advances in imaging, connective-tissue research,

biomechanics and nervous-system science are beginning to reconnect those pieces.

From our perspective, fascia isn’t simply connective tissue.

also left many people asking, “Why do I still hurt?” Today,

It is connective intelligence. That doesn’t mean fascia thinks

to recognize that the body functions as one interconnected

throughout the body in ways we are only beginning to

people want to understand the “why.” They’re beginning

system rather than a collection of separate parts. That’s where fascia enters the conversation. Fascia is no longer viewed simply as the material that wraps muscles. Researchers

such as Robert Schleip have helped bring attention to fascia as one of the body’s richest sensory tissues, continually

communicating information about tension, movement and our relationship with the environment.

At Human Garage, we began with people. Over hundreds

of thousands of sessions, we watched the body repeatedly reorganize itself when the right conditions were created.

People would come in for neck pain and discover changes

in their feet. They would work on their hips and notice that

their breathing improved. The body kept reminding us that it

like the brain. It means it participates in communication

understand. Fascial Maneuvers are a body-led movement process designed to work with pressure, restriction and

movement while allowing the body to adapt in real time. We’ve become so accustomed to outsourcing authority

over our bodies that many people have lost confidence in

what they feel. One of the most beautiful moments happens when someone performs a simple Fascial Maneuver and

says, “I didn’t know my body could feel like this.” Nothing about that person’s anatomy changed in fifteen minutes.

Their relationship with their body changed. Knowledge is important. Experience is what gives knowledge meaning. VIVANT: What do you think we have most

wasn’t thinking in isolated pieces.

misunderstood about the body?

moving less naturally and they’re living longer without

be this: The body is always trying to heal. Most people have

helps explain experiences millions of people are already

often communication.

The timing isn’t accidental. Stress is high, people are

always living well. Fascia is gaining attention because it having.

VIVANT: For readers who think about the body

primarily in terms of muscles, bones and joints, how do you explain fascia?

Garry Lineham: I usually tell people to stop thinking

about muscles first. Imagine taking every organ, muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel and cell out of the body. What

remains is an incredibly sophisticated three-dimensional web that still resembles you. That’s fascia.

It is the continuous fabric that connects everything to

Garry Lineham: If I could change one belief, it would

been taught to think of pain as the problem. I think pain is

The body constantly adapts to keep us alive. If movement

becomes restricted, it creates a new strategy. If stress

becomes chronic, the body reorganizes around that stress. If an injury occurs, it finds another way to move. Those

adaptations are incredibly intelligent. The challenge is that

an adaptation can eventually become our normal. We begin believing, “This is just who I am.”

Maybe we’ve always had tight hips. Maybe we’ve always

had rounded shoulders. Maybe we’re simply getting older.

But what if those patterns aren’t permanent? What if they are the body’s current strategy?

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Life experiences don’t exist only in memory. They

influence how we breathe, move, protect ourselves and

Today, people are asking different questions: Can I get on the

and lived experience are continually interacting. The longer

I recover more easily? Can I sleep better? Can I feel calm

interact with the world. Biology, environment, relationships we work with people, the less interested I become in fixing

bodies. I’m much more interested in helping people create the

floor with my grandchildren? Can I travel without pain? Can inside my own body?

Those questions are much more meaningful than asking

conditions in which their own bodies can begin reorganizing.

what someone weighs.

simply needs the opportunity to remember.

to partnering with the body. When someone feels more

The body already knows an incredible amount. Sometimes it

VIVANT: How might fascia influence stiffness, limited

mobility or the feeling that the body is aging?

Garry Lineham: One of the biggest misconceptions

We are witnessing a shift from performing over the body

connected to themselves, they naturally begin making

different decisions about food, movement, relationships, work and recovery.

The body becomes less of a project to manage and more of

about aging is that stiffness is inevitable. I don’t think most

a conversation to listen to.

accumulated adaptation.

about fascia. Spend fifteen minutes experiencing your own

emotional stress, injury, sitting, exercise, lack of sleep,

that reason. Try it for three days and notice what changes.

people are experiencing age. I think they’re experiencing

Every day, we encounter gravity, repetitive movement,

relationships, work and thousands of environmental inputs.

The body adapts to every one of those experiences. If those adaptations aren’t regularly released or reorganized, they

become our new baseline. Over time, we move through a

smaller and smaller range of possibility. People often describe

That’s why I tell people not to begin by reading five books

body. We offer a free 15-Minute Stress Reset on YouTube for Then continue for seven.

After you’ve had your own experience, the research and the

books become easier to understand because the ideas connect to something you have actually felt.

Knowledge can inspire curiosity. Experience creates

that as aging. I describe it as losing options.

understanding.

Walking changes. Balance and recovery change. Eventually,

people more information, but helping them reconnect with the

When movement options decrease, breathing changes.

people begin believing that their bodies are fragile. Our experience has been almost the opposite. The body is

remarkably resilient. When people begin restoring mobility throughout the fascial system, they are often surprised by

I believe that is the future of wellness: not simply giving

intelligence that has been within them all along. The Conversation Continues…

As we edited this interview, one thing became clear: Garry

improvements in areas they weren’t consciously trying to

Lineham’s perspective on fascia, movement and the body’s

they believed they had lost decades earlier. That doesn’t mean

single feature.

address. We see people of every age rediscover movement

we are reversing time. It means we are reminding the body that it has more options than it realized.

VIVANT: Why do you think wellness is moving away

from aesthetics and toward function, recovery and longevity?

Garry Lineham: I think people are tired of looking healthy

without feeling healthy.

For a long time, wellness was measured by appearance.

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remarkable capacity to adapt could not be contained within a In our Winter Issue, we will continue this exclusive

conversation, exploring the future of medicine, longevity,

nervous-system regulation and why Garry believes the next

frontier in health is not about fixing the body, but learning to trust its innate intelligence.

Until then, perhaps the most important takeaway is also the

simplest: The body is always communicating. The question is whether we have learned to listen.

THE BRITISH ARE COMING!

Who Decides

WHAT MATTERS NOW? By Colleen Guilfoile Richmond

A Reflection on Taste, Influence, and the Enduring Power of Beautiful Things

ot long ago, the answer seemed relatively simple.

Editors decided what books deserved

attention. Critics influenced what films we

watched. Curators determined what hung on museum

walls. Publishers, designers, and cultural institutions acted as filters, helping society determine what was worthy of notice.

Today, those filters have largely disappeared. We live

in a world of endless information, endless opinions, and

endless choice. Every day, algorithms decide what appears in our feeds, what products are recommended to us, what

destinations are promoted, and what captures our attention.

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We have more access than any generation before us. Yet for many people, it has become harder—not

easier—to determine what is truly worth their time. Which raises a question that feels increasingly relevant: Who decides what matters now? At first glance, the answer appears obvious. The internet decides. Social media decides. Algorithms decide.

But algorithms are remarkably effective at identifying

what attracts attention. They are far less effective at identifying what deserves attention. Attention and

significance are not the same thing. Popularity and value

are not the same thing. Visibility and influence are not the same thing.

A trend may dominate a conversation for a week.

A thoughtfully designed house may influence how

people live for generations. One captures attention. The other shapes culture. The distinction matters. Because while technology has transformed how

culture spreads, it has not changed how culture is created.

We tend to notice the people attracting attention

while overlooking those shaping aspiration. The

architect designing a home that will stand for

generations. The hotelier creating a sense of place in a world increasingly defined by sameness. The chef

transforming a meal into an experience. The collector preserving history. The gardener cultivating beauty with patience. The designer, craftsman, editor, or

host whose work influences how others choose to live. These are the people who shape culture, not through visibility, but through vision.

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Their influence is measured not by how many people

know their names, but by how many people are inspired by their work. They establish standards. They preserve

traditions. They create places, objects, and experiences that endure long after trends disappear. In many ways, their influence has become more important than ever.

slowly over time. The hotel that felt unlike any other. The house filled with history. The object that became part of a family’s story. The people who gathered us together. The moments that changed how we saw the world.

What makes these experiences memorable is not

Because abundance has created a new challenge.

luxury. It is intention. Someone cared enough to make

what is valuable? When every destination claims to be

is renewed appreciation for heritage brands, artisan

When everything is available, how do we determine

extraordinary, which places are truly worth visiting? When every object promises luxury, which objects deserve a place in our homes? When every voice

demands attention, whose judgment do we trust? These are not merely consumer questions. They are cultural

them meaningful. Perhaps this explains why there

craftsmanship, collecting, entertaining, gardening,

independent hotels, and beautifully designed homes. People are searching for permanence in a culture obsessed with immediacy.

They are searching for character in a world

questions.

increasingly defined by uniformity and for authenticity

something that once seemed old-fashioned: Taste. Taste

searching for meaning. The most beautiful objects and

And they have quietly elevated the importance of

is often misunderstood. Many people associate it with fashion, decoration, or personal preference. Others

dismiss it as elitist or subjective. Yet true taste has never

in an era of constant performance. Most of all, they are places possess something that cannot be manufactured overnight.

They reflect time, reveal stewardship. They tell stories

been about status. Taste is discernment.

and carry evidence of the people who created them and

fashionable and what is enduring. Between novelty

aesthetics.

It is the ability to distinguish between what is

and quality. Between spectacle and substance. Between

what is new and what is lasting. Good taste is not about owning expensive things. It is about recognizing value. It is understanding why one building feels timeless

while another quickly feels dated. Why one hotel

cared for them. In this way, beauty becomes more than

It becomes a form of cultural memory and a reflection

of what we value. A declaration of what we choose to

preserve. Which brings us back to the original question. Who decides what matters now?

Perhaps the answer is not found in algorithms,

becomes beloved while another is forgotten. Why some

celebrity culture, or institutions alone. Perhaps it belongs

discarded. Taste is not about exclusion. It is about

increasingly defined by noise.

objects improve with age while others are quickly judgment.

And judgment has become increasingly valuable

in a culture overwhelmed by choice. For much of the last century, progress was measured by speed. Faster

transportation. Faster communication. Faster production. Today, we can access almost anything instantly. Yet

to those who continue to exercise judgment in an age

The people willing to preserve craftsmanship when

convenience would be easier. The people willing to

pursue excellence when mediocrity is more profitable.

The people willing to create beautiful things in a culture that often struggles to explain why beauty matters. Because long after the trends disappear and the

speed alone has never created meaning. Meaning is

algorithms change, the things that continue to shape our

and place. The experiences we remember most are rarely

Hospitality, Place, Connection, and Meaning. The

created through care, craftsmanship, hospitality, beauty the most efficient. We remember the dinner that lasted

longer than expected. The garden that revealed itself

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lives are remarkably consistent. Beauty, Craftsmanship, enduring things. And perhaps they always have been.

JACQUELINE

LAMBA

The surrealist who refused to be a muse By Colleen Guilfoile Richmond

She was admired as a beauty, mythologized as André Breton’s great love, and nearly erased as an artist. Jacqueline Lamba spent her life resisting the roles others wrote for her, and painting a world of light entirely her own. www.vivantmagazine.com

Jacqueline in Cannes, 1952. In the background is Picasso’s poster for the Vallauris exhibition in 1951

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“

f I had been less beautiful, I would have been a better painter.” Jacqueline Lamba understood the danger of being admired for the wrong thing.

Her entrance into Surrealist history could hardly

have been more cinematic. In 1934, André Breton, the poet, provocateur, and commanding figure of the movement,

saw her performing underwater in a glass pool at a Paris nightclub. Light moved across the water and over her

body. To Breton, she appeared less like a woman than an

apparition, seemingly summoned from the dream world he had spent years trying to reach.

He transformed their meeting into literature in Mad Love,

casting Lamba as the embodiment of desire, chance, and poetic destiny. The story made her unforgettable. It also

made it dangerously easy to forget who she was. Long before Breton, Lamba had already decided that ordinary life would not be enough. Born in 1910 to parents who had expected a son, she was nicknamed Jacquot and later called Jack. As a

teenager, she wore masculine clothes, cut her hair short, read

Rimbaud and Baudelaire, attended Communist meetings, and

For me, the importance of the Lamba-Kahlo correspondence is that it reveals two women who were able to share an emotional and psychological intimacy that went beyond ordinary understanding,” Grimberg says.

”

trained seriously as an artist.

She studied decorative arts and created designs for

books, fabrics, advertisements, and Paris department

stores. Commercial work paid the bills, but it frustrated her. Her ideas, she believed, were repeatedly corrected

because they were too advanced. Painting offered another possibility: a place where no one else could revise her

vision. That independence made Surrealism attractive. The movement rejected convention, embraced dreams, and

treated imagination as a revolutionary force. Yet its promise of liberation did not extend equally to women. They were welcomed as beauties, lovers, symbols, and sources of inspiration more readily than as creative equals.

Marriage placed Lamba at the center of Surrealism while

obscuring her within it. Breton celebrated her as a revelation but gave little public attention to her painting. She later

said that he saw what he wanted to see rather than who she actually was. The distinction between being looked at and being understood became the central conflict of her life.

Lamba’s paintings tell a different story from the mythology

surrounding her. Light was not simply something she

depicted; it was the emotional architecture of her work. It

generated form, atmosphere, movement, and mood. Her early

paintings carried traces of Symbolism and dream imagery, but over time her work became increasingly abstract, luminous, and difficult to categorize.

During the 1940s, while living in the United States, she

moved beyond recognizable Surrealist imagery toward a

more personal language. Colors dissolved into one another.

Forms hovered between landscape and memory. The natural world became psychological terrain.

Her work did not resemble a manifesto. It did not need to.

It existed apart from the rigid authority that defined Breton’s circle. Lamba’s standards, however, were punishing. She

destroyed paintings she considered unsuccessful, while other early works were lost amid the collapse of her marriage

to Breton. What survives represents only part of what she created.

Her life moved through the most electric artistic circles

of the twentieth century. She knew Pablo Picasso, Alberto

Giacometti, Dora Maar, Leonora Carrington, Roberto Matta, Yves Tanguy, and Diego Rivera. After leaving Breton, she married the American sculptor David Hare and entered another world of artists, collectors, and experimental thinkers.

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But one of the most arresting

Jacqueline and Frida Kahlo, Mexico, 1938.

discoveries to emerge from

Photo: André Breton

Salomon Grimberg’s archival

research concerns her relationship with Frida Kahlo.

Drawing on previously

unpublished letters, Grimberg concludes that the friendship

became a love affair. The revelation is compelling, but its meaning

extends beyond romance. Kahlo and Lamba were both artists

repeatedly viewed through their relationships with powerful

men. Both resisted conventional

femininity. Both understood pain,

performance, desire, and the labor of constructing a self. Kahlo’s

identity was unmistakable. She turned clothing, body, illness,

politics, and self-portraiture into a visual language no one could

confuse with another artist’s. For Lamba, who had so often been

transformed into someone else’s

ideal, that radical self-possession may have been magnetic.

Lamba’s second marriage

eventually fractured as well. She returned to France with little

security and continued working, shifting again from lyrical

many causes: she was a woman inside a movement narrated

views shaped by solitude and memory. That evolution

paintings; portions of her work were destroyed or lost; and

not remain neatly inside one movement, one style, or one

movement. The legend of Breton’s muse was easier to

too independent for an easy mythology.

one.

her as brilliant, angry, exacting, proud, and emotionally

glass pool is unforgettable. But it is not the whole story. She

require turning her into a faultless heroine. Her contradictions

had been mistaken for a muse.

abstraction toward landscapes, villages, interiors, and city

largely by men; her beauty became more famous than her

may have made her harder for art history to place. She did

her evolving style made her difficult to place within a single

identity. She was too changeable for a simple narrative and

preserve than the reality of a woman who refused to remain

She could also be difficult. Friends and family remembered

wounded. A serious reconsideration of her life does not are part of what make her compelling. Why, then, was she forgotten?

Her disappearance from art history appears to have had

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The image of Lamba swimming beneath the lights of a

was not simply a muse who painted. She was a painter who Now, nearly a century later, the question is not whether

Jacqueline Lamba deserves to be remembered. It is whether we are finally prepared to see her clearly.

Photos courtesy of Jacqueline Lamba

Jacqueline would want the viewer to understand that “I think light in her work represents a spiritual experience— photography by Brittan Goetz

the sublime, Grimberg says.

”

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BEAUTY SLIGHTLY

ENDANGERED In Party Crasher, photographer Nick Mele sends a horse through a formal dinner, revealing a world where tradition, absurdity and deeply personal taste coexist. By Colleen Guilfoile Richmond

t first glance, everything appears perfectly civilized.

A table has been set with flowers, candelabras and wine. The guests are dressed for dinner at a farm in

Virginia. Then a horse and rider fly through the middle of it.

The photograph, titled Party Crasher, is theatrical, elegant and completely absurd. One guest ducks, another

sends wine into the air, while others remain composed enough to suggest that this may be merely another inconvenience of country life.

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“The absurd thing is

happening, but everyone is trying very hard to maintain appearances. “That is usually where the humor in my work lives,”

The location, clothes, props and composition gradually

photographer Nick Mele says. “The absurd thing is

suggest a narrative. Mele leaves enough unresolved for

appearances.” The idea began with Mele’s fascination with

happen next. “You do not know exactly what happened

happening, but everyone is trying very hard to maintain

the unusually expansive role horses occupy in equestrian life. They are athletes, companions, status symbols and

members of the family. He decided to take that relationship

viewers to imagine what happened before and what might before or what is going to happen next,” he says, “but you want to.”

That balance between polish and disorder becomes

one step further by having the horse literally interrupt

especially vivid in Mele’s Horsing Around series. He did

“I wanted the image to feel elegant at first glance

allowed him to see the world with both admiration and

dinner.

and completely ridiculous a second later,” he says. That

collision, beauty, humor and tension arriving in the same frame defines Mele’s work. His photographs are visually

seductive, but rarely serene for long. The setting is beautiful,

not grow up as an equestrian, and his outsider’s perspective curiosity. “The clothes, the houses, the dogs, the old cars,

the mud, the rituals,” he says. “It is incredibly beautiful, but it is also wonderfully messy.”

What intrigued him was the contradiction between a

the clothes and light are right. Then something slips. An

carefully preserved world and the enormous animals at its

Something has gone wrong, or everyone has agreed to

“There is something very funny about people attempting to

animal refuses to cooperate. A ritual begins to unravel. pretend that nothing has.

“Beauty by itself can become predictable, and humor

without beauty can become a gag,” he says. “I am most interested in creating a world that is visually seductive

enough to draw you in, then giving you something slightly off that makes you stay.”

center, animals with no interest in following art direction. maintain centuries of tradition while standing in mud and

trying to convince a thousand-pound animal to cooperate,” he says.

“Beauty by itself can

Mele’s images often feel cinematic, as though the viewer

become predictable, and

room, a person, a joke or a half-remembered moment from

humor without beauty can

has arrived halfway through a film. He may begin with a

childhood. Rarely does he begin with a finished picture in

mind. “I usually start with one strong ingredient and build around it,” he says.

”

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become a gag.

”

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“

Taste is not

wagon they refuse to replace. “Taste is not about owning the

about owning

The worlds he finds most compelling are inhabited. Children

the correct things. It is about having

”

a point of view.

The humor is affectionate rather than cruel. Mele is drawn

to the codes, rituals, dress and architecture of equestrian

correct things,” he says. “It is about having a point of view.” The same principle shapes his understanding of luxury.

run through the rooms. Dogs climb onto the sofas. Someone spills a drink. The furniture gets used, and the symmetry is occasionally ruined.

“I think people often confuse luxury with perfection and

seriousness,” he says. “The worlds I find most interesting are beautiful because people actually live in them.” For

Mele, life does not diminish an extraordinary place. It gives

it character. “A beautiful life should still look like a life,” he says. Humor gives viewers a way into these environments. It interrupts the surface just enough to reveal something familiar beneath it.

“It says you are allowed to enjoy beauty without

culture, but also to what exists behind the polish: muddy

worshipping it,” Mele says.

The people may understand the social hierarchy. The

speaks directly to the season’s exploration of style, culture,

boots, dog hair, broken fences and temperamental horses.

As the cover of VIVANT’s Fall issue, Party Crasher

animals remain entirely indifferent to it. “I wanted to be

tradition and the people and places that define taste.

traditions and the worlds that preserve them, but affection

ceremony. The table is set. The candelabras are in place. The

affectionate rather than satirical,” he says. “I am drawn to

The photograph contains the formal symbols of

does not mean taking them too seriously.”

guests have dressed for dinner. Then life charges through.

dysfunction” a phrase that could describe much of his work.

it. “I think the photograph says that tradition survives

Horsing Around is, in his words, about “tradition meeting

Disorder is not the enemy of beauty. It is what keeps beauty from becoming lifeless.

Mele’s photographs are filled with beautiful houses,

clothes and objects, yet they resist the impersonal perfection

Yet the disruption does not destroy the scene. It completes because life keeps happening inside it,” Mele says.

That may be the deeper subject of his work. Traditions

endure not because they are protected from disorder, but because people continue to live within them, subjecting

often associated with luxury. He is drawn to rooms that have

them to accidents, laughter, eccentricity and change.

and people comfortable with their own eccentricities.

not museum pieces,” he says. “They should be lived with,

than when it is perfect,” he says.

over on horseback.” In Party Crasher, beauty remains

very much. Mele wants to see the books someone actually

reset. The glasses can be refilled. Dinner will continue,

everyone else would have removed and the old station

beauty,” Mele says. “Slightly endangered.”

evolved over generations, objects that do not quite match

“The traditions and beautiful things worth preserving are

“To me, taste is much more interesting when it is personal

interrupted, spilled on, laughed at, and occasionally jumped

Perfection can be beautiful, but it does not always reveal

compelling because it is still part of life. The table can be

reads, the strange painting they inherited, the wallpaper

now with a story worth remembering. “That is how I like

nickmelefineart.com

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E V I H C R

R E V E F

h c r a e S g n i s i R e Th d e t a r u For C es c e i P e Vintag By Sh

www.vivantmagazine.com

njane

Itssharo

e|@ aron Jan

Image courtesy lesmerveillesdebabellou.com www.vivantmagazine.com

passion, though, started long before this thrifted gem. It started with my mom — watching her love for fashion

play out through her wardrobe, a time capsule of timeless late 80's and 90's pieces from Gucci, Versace Jeans

Couture, John Galliano, Escada, and more. Or the day

she passed down to me her beloved brown suede fringed Chanel bag from a late-90s Karl Lagerfeld collection.

trends, with Millennials, Gen Z, and younger generations

reigniting 2000's styles across movies, music, and fashion. It's a search for creative, unique style over the sameness that comes with a whole lot of unethical baggage — the

chase for a single, storied piece over infinite identical ones.

intage fashion is certainly

And thankfully, social media has made that chase easier

nostalgic trends overtaking

2000's pieces to boutique suggestions for the best hidden

having its moment, from

than ever, from TikToks showcasing surprise boxes of

social media and fashion

gems in different cities. The narrative has shifted from

collections alike, to the rising demand for collecting

chasing short-lived micro trends to tailoring a wardrobe

from the favorite eras of selected designers and creative

creatives (like collecting Dior pieces from Galliano's era).

have a story sewn into every stitch, gives it that special

1. NEW YORK

archival pieces. The aesthetic of pieces exclusively chosen directors, combined with the ethics of wearing pieces that touch. With the growing obsession for vintage fashion, rare

with sentimental pieces that honor favored collections and

New York is such a haven for collectors searching for

finds, and the stories behind them, some of the best curated

curated archival pieces - it's no wonder some of the best

(or hidden gems) in New York, Tokyo, London, Paris,

the perfect red carpet moment, fashion editorial, or celeb

pieces can be discovered across the most renowned spots

stylists favor it for finding the most memorable pieces for

Buenos Aires, Seoul, and beyond.

off-duty look. This is a city for those who live and breathe

Margiela piece you've been chasing for months, scoring a

to-wear pieces, building a wardrobe that Miranda Priestly

or stumbling on a Galliano label at a London boutique

If in New York, visiting the Albright Fashion Library is

Whether you're scrolling Depop for that archival Maison

This fatigue has paralleled the rise of nostalgia-fueled

fashion, always in search of archival couture and ready-

shocking find at Dongmyo vintage market in South Korea,

would be extremely proud of.

— there is nothing more magical than meeting your

a must - but you have to set up an appointment beforehand,

sameness, and fast fashion fatigue, and honestly, we're

fashion library is favored by major celebrity stylists, film

We're searching for something special — pieces with

you're producing a shoot abroad, you can ask their staff

biggest archival find. It happened at my local Sunny Isles

and they'll ship the items to you on location! Although you

with no real expectations when I found it: a barely-worn

style hub, which houses archival pieces from the 90's and

vintage soulmate. We're living in a time of AI, algorithmic

of course. Located in NoHo, this massive 20,000-piece

collectively sick of the copy-paste and the inauthentic.

production companies, and fashion editorial producers. If

heart, with soul, with a story. I will never forget my

to photograph looks based on mood boards you provide,

Beach, Florida thrift store. I was flipping through racks

can only rent the styles, it's impossible not to mention this

velvet Moschino Jeans crop top. I couldn't believe it. That

2000's, as well as from the latest collections. There is also

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a west coast Albright Fashion Library located in Beverly Hills, CA.

For purchasing the best archival pieces, one of the top

places to visit in New York is "What Goes Around Comes Around," the undisputed vintage haven in SoHo known

Comme des Garçons, Hermès by Maison Margiela, Jean

Paul Gaultier, and more curated styles in pristine condition,

presented like relics in racks and clear vitrines - like a secret chamber of designer preservation.

For the celebrity-favorite option, visit Casanova Vintage,

for authenticated pieces conserved in excellent condition.

also located in Shibuya. This store collects some of the top

for younger collectors in search of more avant-garde pieces.

celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Doja Cat, Kim Kardashian,

James Veloria, located at 75 East Broadway, is a favorite

A few more standout boutiques well worth a visit include Procell, Desert Vintage, and Aberizk. For a new, up-and-

coming spot, check out "The NY Archive" in Chelsea, which showcases several vendors. This spot is quickly gaining

attention - and they have some carefully picked items that

Carrie Bradshaw would obsess over. A hidden gem can be found at Old The Best Vintage Boutique, located in West Village. This one may be smaller, but for collectors, this

consignment shop has some special handbags and jewelry and positive reviews!

Boutiques listed:

/www.instagram.com/whatgoesaroundnyc www.instagram.com/jamesveloria

secondhand luxury goods in mint condition. It's no wonder Jennie, A$AP Rocky, Jay-Z, and more shop here. For more avant-garde and playful pieces, Harajuku has many gems

close to each other that are certainly worth exploring - such as Toro, Kinji, RagTag, 2nd Street, and Kindal. In the

Shimokitazawa district, the "Chicago" boutique and the

"Flamingo" boutique are worth checking out if you're into 90's streetwear, Americana classics, and eccentric pieces. www.instagram.com/archivestore_official www.instagram.com/casanova_vintage3

www.instagram.com/torovintageclothing www.instagram.com/kinji_harajuku www.instagram.com/ragtag_jp

www.instagram.com/procell

www.instagram.com/2ndstreet_official

www.instagram.com/shop_aberizk

www.instagram.com/harajukuchicago_official

www.instagram.com/desertvintage www.instagram.com/thenyarchive www.instagram.com/old.thebest

www.instagram.com/kindal.harajuku

www.instagram.com/flamingo_shimokitazawa

3. LONDON

www.instagram.com/albrightfashionlibrary

For the early-2000s designer connoisseur and lover of

2. TOKYO

more rock 'n' roll pieces, London is your city for finding

pieces for vintage boutiques. New York certainly has variety

from Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, and John

Every city has its own style when it comes to curating

and access to rare finds due to the high editorial demand.

Heading to Japan, the vintage clothing culture is one that incorporates a "mono wo taisetsu ni" mindset - which

translates to "cherish your things" or "treat objects with

respect." Collectors praise the impeccable condition and conservation of archival pieces found in Tokyo.

the ideal archival treasures. Here, you'll find archival pieces Galliano's Dior, among others. Situated on the vibrant

Portobello Road in Notting Hill, you'll stumble into a vintage nirvana - a tangle of charming storefronts where antiques,

rare couture, and eccentric knickknacks all seem to hum with their own story.

In this colorful, beloved corner of London, you'll find the

In Shibuya, found underground via an inconspicuous

celebrity-favored "One of a Kind" boutique. This store holds

in, the city buzz quiets down as you're welcomed by warm

and more. If you lean toward a more rebellious flair (think

staircase, is the acclaimed "Archive Store." Once you step brass arches, mirrored walls, and a museum of vintage

Maison Margiela, Number (N)ine, Phoebe Philo-era Céline,

a private archive specially reserved for stylists, collectors, main character energy), you'll adore this boutique. You'll find to-die-for pieces like a Dolce & Gabbana Brown

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Image courtesy lesmerveillesdebabellou.com

www.vivantmagazine.com

Embellished Suede & Shearling Coat, FW 2001, a Christian

vintage pieces and archival designer items, the appointment-

FW 2002, and a Givenchy by Alexander McQueen Black

certainly feel the cinematic passion and theatrical flair in the

Dior by John Galliano Silk Print Dress with Integrated Skirt, Structured Evening Coat Dress, FW 1998.

Found and Vision is ideal for those chasing styles with a

little more edge. From Vivienne Westwood couture pieces to

femme fatale Roberto Cavalli dresses - this boutique has it all for the fearless fashion lover.

only Bimba showroom is the celebrity favorite. You can

curated pieces chosen by vintage stores across Buenos Aires. For that more hidden, old-charm style easily found in San

Telmo, check out Gil Antigüedades, El Almacén de Lulú, and more.

Lovers Lane is a fairly new hidden gem for discovering

www.instagram.com/boycapelvintage

sparkling blue storefront alongside their mother, and together

www.instagram.com/bimba_vintage

archival pieces. Sisters Charlotte and Georgina run this

www.instagram.com/dudouvintage

they're experts at unearthing the most delectable, rare runway

www.instagram.com/gilantiguedades

pieces spanning the last hundred years. Outside of Portobello,

www.instagram.com/elalmacendelulu

London has many more vintage stores well worth seeking out,

5. PARIS

such as Rellik, The Vintage Showroom, Aro Archive, Brother London, and more!

www.instagram.com/oneofakind.archive www.instagram.com/foundandvision

www.instagram.com/loverslanelondon www.instagram.com/rellikvintage

www.instagram.com/vintageshowroom www.instagram.com/aroarchive

www.instagram.com/brother_ldn

4. BUENOS AIRES

If you find yourself in South America, Buenos Aires,

Argentina is an underrated city for vintage designer stores. Surrounded by such a vibrant culture, Buenos Aires has

historically been a strong luxury resale market by nature,

combined with a raw passion for artisan, handcrafted goods and sustainability - which means vintage shopping here is

Paris is for the traditionalist, the purist, and the amoureux

of unforgettable archival fashion pieces - especially from

iconic French maisons. Paris is for you, you little romantic.

For the exclusive, celebrity-favored spot for rare designer

items, the Mon Vintage showroom in Saint-Germain is the best choice. Curated by Marie Blanchet, the showroom is

favored by fashion icons like Rihanna, Margot Robbie, Zoe Kravitz, Amal Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Michelle Williams, and more.

If you're in search of dazzling archival pieces and cabinets

full of the finest vintage Chanel, Hermès, and more, Le

Merveilles de Babellou at Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

is unmissable. Much like a delicately curated treasure chest, founder Isabelle Klein passionately selects every item seen,

and everything is carefully authenticated. This showroom is certainly a collector's heaven.

For the up-and-coming hidden gem with gorgeous early-

certainly on the rise. One of the most sought-after vintage

2000s pieces, Yourgarmentz is not to be missed. The pieces

Recoleta, Buenos Aires: Boycapel. Named after the polo

secret, but you didn't hear it from me.

stores in South America is located in the elegant town of

player Boy Capel - also Coco Chanel's muse - the boutique

here are stunning - Yourgarmentz is certainly a well-kept

Odetta Vintage has more of a curated-boutique vibe rather

specializes in refined, timeless, authenticated pieces from

than an appointment-only showroom, and this Paris store

Yves Saint Laurent, John Galliano, Moncler, Miu Miu, Louis

past-season items for a more contemporary style.

luxury houses such as Hermès, Chanel, Dior, Valentino, Vuitton, and Roberto Cavalli, just to name a few.

In Palermo Soho, you'll find Dudou Vintage, tucked into

offers a perfect mixture of vintage pieces and more recent

www.instagram.com/mon_vintage

the neighborhood's streets with luxury pieces ranging from

www.instagram.com/lesmerveillesdebabellou

pieces from local fashion designers. For authentic handcrafted

www.instagram.com/odetta_vintage

vintage Louis Vuitton and eccentric Gucci ties to archival

www.instagram.com/yourgarmentz

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Chrome

HEARTS THE CULT OF CHROME HEARTS & the Art of Luxury Rebellion By Sharon Jane | @itssharonjane

www.vivantmagazine.com

CHROME HEARTS voguebus-photographer-month-22-story Richard and Laurie Lynn Stark Photo- Bellamy Brewster www.vivantmagazine.com

shared purpose: to design and manufacture the motorcycle leather jackets that didn't yet exist on the market. Stark

brought access to premium raw leather, sourced through

his years as a dealer; Bowman brought the manufacturing

hen you think of the great fashion

skill to turn that quality material into something real,

history and continue to pioneer

in 1988, they built the jackets they'd been searching for.

houses, the ones that have shaped

from beginning to end. Together, in a Los Angeles garage

in the present, the names that rise

Shortly after, master jeweler and sterling silversmith

above the rest share the same creative spirit: fearless

Leonard Kamhout joined as the third and final co-founder,

steadfast in their identity.

defined by today. Premium leather, honest design, and

becoming a name spoken with reverence in luxury

from the very birth of the brand.

Through true artisanship, mastery of customization, and

almost by accident, when a low-budget horror film

silverwork never outsourced, this motorcycle-born house

for motorcycle leather gear. One of the film's actresses

the once-dormant luxury fashion and accessories industry

at the time, and through her, the designs caught his eye.

Like many of the artists who have rewritten the crafts

was the spark that ignited the brand's presence in the rock

in their rebellion, unwavering in their ingenuity, and And Chrome Hearts has certainly perfected this,

fashion and one that has never diluted its core identity. a deeply rooted branding heritage, with its leather and

lending the silver detailing that Chrome Hearts is still

unmistakable silverwork became Chrome Hearts' identity The label's rise from garage to cult status began

called Chopper Chicks in Zombietown came calling

became the blacksmiths of cool, creating the very tension

happened to be dating Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones

had been quietly starving for.

Jones began wearing Chrome Hearts on stage, and that

they mastered, Chrome Hearts was forged in a garage. It

scene. Musicians like Lenny Kravitz, Mötley Crüe, and

began with Richard Stark and John Bowman, driven by a

Guns N' Roses soon followed.

Chrome Hearts Rolls Royce Cullinan Rims. Courtesy of Drake x Chrome Hearts.

www.vivantmagazine.com

The cult fashion label's reputation was

especially sealed once Cher, a longtime admirer

of the label, presented Stark with the 1992 CFDA Accessory Designer of the Year Award while

wearing Chrome Hearts herself, cementing the

brand's recognition far beyond its underground roots. With CFDA recognition, Chrome Hearts began its climb to becoming an insider luxury brand.

The raw admiration and pure connection

artists feel when embracing Chrome Hearts'

designs cements the brand's early anti-marketing, trend-resistant ethos, since they wore the designs out of genuine interest, not persuasion.

This natural blossoming romance with major

artists cemented the label's nature: that it will

forever remain the cult-classic brand it started

out as, and still is today, never a bland copy-andpaste factory brand.

1994 marked a shift within Chrome Hearts,

when Bowman and Kamhout withdrew from the

brand and Stark bought out their shares, with his wife, Laurie Lynn Stark, becoming co-owner.

Chrome Hearts x Cher Editorial Courtesy of Chrome Hearts With Laurie's background and impressive experience in fashion design

and photography, her creative instinct became vital to the brand's global recognition. She photographed the designs and famously initiated the

label's magazine in the early 2000s, which featured celebrity editorials and interviews.

In 1991, the label began selling pieces at Tommy Perse's prestigious

boutique, Maxfield. This brought exposure and recognition to a wider,

wealthier client base. The demand didn't stay contained to Maxfield for

long. By 1996, Chrome Hearts had its own flagship in Manhattan, New

York. A second boutique followed in Tokyo by 1999, and a third in West Hollywood by 2000.

It's worth noting that years earlier, in 1991, Rei Kawakubo, the visionary

behind Comme des Garçons, had invited Richard Stark to showcase

Chrome Hearts pieces at her Aoyama flagship. I believe this was the

beginning of East Asian fashion's deep affinity for Chrome Hearts and, perhaps, one of the many quiet reasons Minami-Aoyama felt like the

destined second home for the label's boutique. Two boundary-pushing creators, bound by a kinship that fashion rarely produces, one later Mikimoto x Chrome Hearts (Photographed by Laurie Lynn Stark, Hollywood, 2024)

immortalized in a proper collaborative collection.

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Expansion, to any real degree, demands tension: "a balance

Mikimoto is a renowned

maintained in an artistic work between opposing forces or

jewelry house founded by

shaped Chrome Hearts' balance of cult and couture. The brand

with successfully creating

elements" (Merriam-Webster). This is the very tension that remains a fiercely private, family-run business, producing nearly all its pieces at a single campus in Hollywood,

California. Forever an artisan at heart, there is a sacred art to its raw customization and deliberate scarcity, famously refusing

to sell its own jewelry online, that lends the label an old-guard luxury appeal, fiercely loyal to its founding alma mater. Isn't that the perfect balance of niche and luxury?

At the core of Chrome Hearts, without forgetting its

quintessential craftsmanship, iron-clad heritage, and mastery

of customization, lies a symbolism that is embellished, forged, and branded into every garment. Gothic fonts, medieval

crosses, horseshoes, piercing daggers, and elaborate fleurs-de-

lis: this iconography, unmistakably Chrome Hearts, has become the very language of the label. The hand-drawn Gothic font

lends an air of antiquity and remains irreplicable; the crosses

speak to devotion, resilience, faith, and profound individuality; the fleur-de-lis celebrates a heritage of craftsmanship and aristocratic elegance; the horseshoe and daggers stand as tokens of righteous defiance and armor-like protection.

With such a defined culture and modus operandi, any brand

Chrome Hearts agrees to join forces with is chosen with great

care, especially with such elevated symbolism in mind. This is why Chrome Hearts x Mikimoto made perfect sense.

Perhaps, when you think of a luxurious biker-rock-rooted

Kokichi Mikimoto, credited the world's first cultured

pearl in 1893. The brand is globally recognized for its incredibly high standards of quality, otherworldly

luster, and top-tier harvests.

If Chrome Hearts were ever going to work with pearls, it would undoubtedly

have to be Mikimoto.

The collection consists of 11 core pieces, plus

four additional exclusive handcrafted necklaces, combining Mikimoto's

Akoya and White South

Chrome Hearts x Rolex Courtesy of empiretimeny.com

Sea pearls with Chrome Hearts' 18-karat gold and diamond accents. Jesse Jo Stark, who had the idea to introduce the timeless elegance of pearls to the brand, was inspired by

her parents and wanted the collaboration to represent both the feminine and masculine sides of Chrome Hearts. The

collaboration was so successful that it led to a multi-year creative partnership.

It is quite the investment to own a rare Chrome Hearts

brand, the first thing you likely don't think of is pearls, but

garment. It's remarkable how quickly new pieces sell out in

heritage and rebellion, loud mystique and quiet refinement, an

certainly add to the value of ownership. Forever innovative and

this collection is a poetic collaborative juxtaposition. It is unexpected love story.

stores. The rarity and demand for unique or custom pieces

rooted in its own brand identity and culture, the label's future is certainly in good hands. Jesse Jo, Frankie, and Kristian, the Starks' children and the next generation of Chrome Hearts, are naturally born artists. Kristian, their son, is especially

passionate about keeping the label embraced by today's most influential hip-hop artists, the modern-day rock stars. What started as Richard Stark's dream of a multi-

generational empire is now a reality, carried forward with

remarkable optimism to keep raising the bar and remain a fashion and design phenomenon. Chrome Hearts endures

not despite its contradictions, but because of them, a cultural Mikimoto x Chrome Hearts Courtesy of Chrome Hearts

www.vivantmagazine.com

reset, a constantly moving state of mind.

www.vivantmagazine.com

CLASSIC, meet CONTEMPORARY; TRADITIONAL, say “hey there” to SOUTHERN CHIC.

Whether traveling on business or for pure indulgent R&R, Zero George delivers Charleston’s premier boutique hotel experience. When guests at our award-winning Zero George Hotel kept telling us they wish they could stay longer—much longer—we listened. Now, in addition to our hotel, we proudly offer the Residences at Zero George—luxury that entices you to linger. Five exquisitely designed private residences available for up-to-twelve month extended stays, with all the indulgence and amenities of a boutique hotel at your fingertips. Live like a local, luxuriate like a guest.

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HOME

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FROM

GRANDEUR TO

GRACE Interior Design by

Layton Campbell, J. Layton Interiors.

he experience of this home begins the moment

the marble floor by Renaissance Tile & Stone lead naturally

windows in the foyer, so Layton Campbell

rich teal shades of the study. Nothing is overly matched, but

the private elevator doors open. There are no of J. Layton Interiors chose not to fight its

enclosed quality. Instead, he made it feel intimate, dramatic

there is a connection from one room to the next.

The 5,000-square-foot condominium was designed for a

and a little mysterious.

British client who had previously lived in a 15,000-square-

paneling, catching quiet reflections of the geometric marble

sensibility. Although the move represented a significant

A smoky blue antiqued mirror is set within the wall

floor below. A custom Hellman Chang console with a

marble top and waterfall edge gives the room a sculptural

presence, while lighting from Urban Electric adds warmth. The bench came from the owner’s collection, one of many personal pieces that found a natural place in the finished home.

“I wanted it to give guests a taste of what they were

about to experience,” Campbell says. “It became a jewel box and one of my favorite spaces in the project.”

The foyer also introduces the colors and materials that

appear throughout the residence. The blue and green notes in

into the Calacatta Verde stone used in the kitchen and the

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foot home with a much heavier, Old World European

change in scale, it was never meant to feel like a sacrifice. The residence still needed four bedrooms to comfortably

accommodate family, including visiting children and a son who lives at home. Two outdoor balconies extended the

living space and gave everyone additional room to gather.

During an early walk-through, Campbell quickly realized

the existing new-construction interior would not support the direction they had in mind. He began to picture the

character of a New York prewar apartment. When he shared the idea, the client laughed and told him that he had once had an apartment on Madison Avenue.

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“It was one of those kismet moments,” Campbell says. “That

became the springboard for everything that followed.”

Creating that atmosphere within a new building was the most

demanding part of the project. The condominium was taken down to the drywall, and the kitchen and all of the bathrooms were

completely gutted. New moldings, trim profiles, wall paneling

and custom millwork were added where there had been very little architectural detail.

A simple drywall partition was replaced with a book-matched

walnut dividing wall and integrated fireplace. A large closet

became a wine cellar, and the primary closet was completely customized. Campbell also created a new laundry room with

mudroom lockers, generous storage, a sink and space for hanging

clothes to dry. The work required hundreds of decisions, especially because so much reconstruction was needed in a building that was technically new.

The owner brought with him an extraordinary collection of

objects gathered across Africa, Europe and Asia, along with an

extensive collection of art and sculpture. He continued to acquire new works during the project, allowing the home to evolve as it came together.

Those pieces give the rooms much of their personality. The

home feels continental and collected, but not overly formal. It reflects the owner’s travels, interests and history rather than a single decorative period.

“

One rule

of mine when layering materials is to let certain things take center stage while others become supporting

”

players. 84

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In the living room, a sweeping teal

sectional anchors the space. Chairs covered

in Manuel Canovas fabric bring in a warmer pattern, while a hand-knotted Wendy

Morrison rug from Couture Knots creates

movement beneath the furniture. Campbell

refers to a beautiful hand-knotted rug as “art on the floor,” and this one draws the eye

before guests have fully entered the room. A Jonathan Browning fixture from R

Hughes hangs overhead, set against a Phillip Jeffries ceiling treatment that adds another quiet layer of texture. The room combines walnut, brass, velvet, pattern and strong color, but it does not feel crowded.

“One rule of mine when layering

materials is to let certain things take center stage while others become supporting

players,” Campbell says. “That keeps a

room from feeling overwhelming and makes it more approachable.”

The nearby keeping room is more relaxed

and playful. Chairs covered in Schumacher fabric are grouped around an ottoman

upholstered in Scalamandré leopard print.

A Hunt Slonem moth artwork adds another unexpected note. It is polished, but not precious, and feels like a room where people would naturally sit and stay.

A tailored pantry and bar area supports

the way the family entertains. Though

smaller in scale, it carries the same attention to material and detail as the larger rooms

and gives the home another practical place for serving and storage.

“

I believe there should never be a ‘touch me not’ room.

A home is where life happens and people should feel

”

welcomed and cared for.

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The kitchen is lighter and more uplifting than the study

and living spaces, though no less considered. Cabinetry

painted in Farrow & Ball’s Shaded White, a warm beigetoned neutral, surrounds a patterned backsplash, while

the ten-foot island is topped with book-matched Calacatta

Verde marble. Its reverse double ogee edge gives the stone a graceful, almost furniture-like finish. An Urban Electric fixture hangs above, and upholstered counter stools bring warmth to the room.

The kitchen had particular importance for the client, a

former chef who went on to found hundreds of restaurants around the world. Campbell worked closely with him

to plan the layout around the way he cooks, works and entertains.

At the heart of the room is a one-of-a-kind La Cornue

range and coordinating hood designed exclusively by

Matthew Quinn. Campbell and his team were fortunate to

find the pieces during a buying trip to New York, and they

Calacatta Gold marble from Ann Sacks is paired with

Urban Electric lighting and Samuel Heath fittings from

Bird Decorative Hardware and Bath. A custom Waterworks tub became a project within the project, requiring the work of designers and artisans to bring it to life. The custom vanities required an especially challenging countertop

application, demanding considerable precision from the design and fabrication teams.

Campbell’s love of textiles runs through the entire

residence. Before fully pursuing interior design, he considered becoming a textile designer. Fabrics,

wallcoverings and rugs remain some of his favorite

elements to work with, though selecting them is rarely a quick process.

“My team and I labor over what to use, what to take out

and what to reselect,” he says. “It is about editing over and over.”

For Campbell, all of that beauty must still serve the

became defining elements of the kitchen.

people who live with it.

Because it is an interior room without windows, Campbell

he says. “A home is where life happens and people should

The study moves in a completely different direction.

embraced its enclosed nature. It reminded him of the

smoking rooms and cigar clubs of New York, and the room

“I believe there should never be a ‘touch me not’ room,”

feel welcomed and cared for.”

The finished residence is rich in material, art and

developed around that feeling.

craftsmanship, but it never loses its sense of comfort. It is

rug create an enveloping atmosphere.

to feel uplifted, and personal in a way that could not have

Deep teal lacquer, chevron wood veneer and a Jan Kath A Baker Furniture desk anchors the room, while a

dramatic David Yarrow photograph above it makes it clear

moody where it should be, lighter where the family wanted come from decoration alone.

What began as a move to a smaller home became a

that this is the owner’s private domain.

chance to create something more focused. The result is

wallcovering by Aesthetics wraps the room in subtle

thoughtful expression of the way he lives now, surrounded

The primary bedroom is softer and quieter. A

pattern, while a custom Schumacher boudoir pillow adds another carefully chosen textile. In the primary bath,

not a diminished version of the owner’s former life, but a

by family, friends, art and the pieces he has gathered along the way.

Interior Design: Layton Campbell, J. Layton Interiors Contributing Designer: Jen Sullivan Photography: Chris Edwards Styling: Ashley Hotham Cox

Builder: Fenstermacher Custom Homes

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Holiday House Summer Table 2026 photography by Eric Stiffler

www.vivantmagazine.com

The Table is

SET

Holiday House Hamptons celebrated a season of entertaining, thoughtful design, and a mission that continues to make a difference.

here is something quietly reassuring about a

The concept reflected a noticeable shift taking place

beautifully set table.

throughout the design world. For years, luxury interiors

because it signals something more meaningful:

increasingly creating homes that feel warm, welcoming

Not because of the china or crystal, but

people are expected. Friends will gather. Conversations will unfold. Meals will be shared. In a world that often feels

increasingly fast paced, the simple act of bringing people together has become one of life's greatest luxuries.

Spirit was at the heart of this year's Holiday House

often emphasized perfection. Today, designers are

and deeply personal. Entertaining has returned to the center of residential design, with dining rooms, outdoor terraces, kitchens and garden spaces once again becoming places where family and friends naturally come together.

Holiday House embraced that evolution beautifully.

Hamptons, where interior design became more than an

Every vignette celebrated a different interpretation of

turned its attention to the spaces where life actually

hospitality. Some installations leaned toward understated

exercise in beautiful rooms. Instead, the annual event

entertaining, proving there is no single formula for gracious

happens, inviting visitors to rediscover the art of

elegance while others embraced bold color, sculptural floral

gathering spaces.

demonstrated that memorable entertaining is less about following

entertaining through thoughtfully imagined tablescapes and Held in a newly built Bridgehampton residence,

the event presented approximately fifteen installations by leading interior designers, each offering a unique interpretation of hospitality. Rather than designing

complete rooms, participants focused on intimate moments

of gathering, demonstrating how thoughtful details, layered textures, seasonal florals, lighting and tabletop styling can transform an ordinary meal into a memorable occasion.

arrangements or richly layered tabletop collections. Together, they rules than creating an atmosphere where guests feel comfortable, inspired and welcomed.

The setting itself reinforced that message. The Hamptons has

long represented a lifestyle where entertaining feels effortless.

Long lunches drift into evening cocktails, dinners move outdoors

beneath the stars, and weekends become opportunities to reconnect with family and friends. Holiday House captured that distinctly

Hamptons sensibility while offering visitors fresh inspiration they could bring into their own homes, regardless of size or style.

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Brett Helsham Interior Design Photo by Eric Striffler What continues to distinguish Holiday House, however, is that

every beautiful installation serves a greater purpose. Founded by breast cancer survivor Iris Dankner, Holiday House was created

mission.

Proceeds from Holiday House Hamptons benefit the Breast Cancer

to unite the design community while raising meaningful funds

Research Foundation and The Ellen Hermanson Foundation, helping

organization has become one of the industry's most respected

the remarkable impact that creative communities can have beyond

and awareness for breast cancer research. Since its inception, the charitable design events, bringing together celebrated designers,

generous sponsors and thousands of visitors in support of a shared

www.vivantmagazine.com

advance research, education and patient support while demonstrating the walls they design.

That mission gives the event a depth that extends well beyond aesthetics.

Visitors certainly leave inspired by beautiful interiors, innovative

entertaining ideas and thoughtfully curated tables, but they also leave

knowing their participation contributes to something far more significant.

around a beautifully dressed table have taken on renewed meaning,

reminding us that some of life's richest moments require little more than thoughtful surroundings and good company.

Holiday House Hamptons captured that idea with elegance and

It is a reminder that design has always been about more than furnishings

imagination. Rather than simply showcasing beautiful design, it celebrated

milestones and encourage people to gather around one another.

a timely reminder that true luxury is rarely found in excess. More often,

or finishes. At its best, it creates spaces that nurture relationships, celebrate Perhaps that is why this year's focus on entertaining felt especially

timely. As our homes continue to evolve, they are increasingly expected

to serve many purposes. They are places of work, retreat, celebration and connection. The rituals of welcoming guests, sharing a meal or lingering

the experiences that make a house feel like a home. In doing so, it offered it is found in the quiet pleasure of gathering the people we love around a beautifully prepared table.

For an event built on both creativity and compassion, that may be its

most enduring design lesson of all.

Kathy Kuo Home Photo by Lucy Helena Van Ellis Participating designers included Ally Coulter Designs with Versace Home, Andrea Stark, ARTE, Ciuffo Cabinetry, COC Interiors with Current Home, Collette Home, Duggan Society, Eichholtz LI by Archive V, Fiorello Designs, FZ Collection by Felicia Zwebner, Helen Bergin Interiors, Laura Michaels Design, Lozano Jolas Interiors, Maila Vilhjalmsson, Phyllis Borak, and Riese Design, each bringing a distinctive perspective to this year's celebration of entertaining, hospitality, and design.

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The Art of Building a

WELL-RUN HOUSEHOLD

well-run home has a rhythm to it.

Imagine this: the house is ready when family

or guests arrive, schedules run seamlessly, all the

maintenance and repairs are taken care of, and the

details of daily life are handled with ease.

Yet, effortless household management is rarely accidental.

The smoothest household operations happen when right team of people are in place to help keep things organized and flowing,

so no matter what challenges or changes arise each day, there’s a plan.

And life does change. Children get older, travel increases, and

careers become more demanding. Parents may need additional support, entertaining becomes more frequent, or a remodel

or renovation disrupts normalcy. Sometimes the shift is less

obvious, and the family simply reaches a point where too much time is being spent managing the house instead of enjoying it. In these moments, it’s good to look at the home with fresh

eyes.

Starla Smith, president of Household Staffing, understands

what clients are looking for and makes sure to educate them to hire with the future in mind.

She shares, “The right team should support the way a family

lives now, not the way they lived five or ten years ago.”

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Starla Smith, President of Household Staffing

EVALUATING ROLES

managing guests, vendors and events. A change in travel patterns

It sounds straightforward, but households often change more

may mean that a home once used every day now needs to be

quickly than job descriptions do. A housekeeper hired years ago

opened, prepared and closed on a regular basis.

A family assistant may have taken on travel, appointments and

consider where life is headed and determine if the household is

responsibilities will look entirely different once the children are

residences are involved. For the family, the experience may be

may now be coordinating contractors and handling deliveries.

While no family can anticipate every change, it’s important to

household projects in addition to managing calendars. A nanny’s

set up to move with it. This is particularly crucial when several

older.

simple: they arrive and the house is ready.

needs to be done and steps in. But that’s not always the case. For

kitchen is stocked, everything is cleaned and organized, the

you had a baby is no longer able to accommodate a growing

and outdoor areas are ready for relaxation or entertainment.

Those shifts are often a sign of an employee who sees what

Behind that arrival is a considerable amount of work: the

example, the household employee you hired five years ago when

cars have been serviced, security protocols have been reviewed,

family or may not be able to travel to your second or third home.

Without that high level of oversight, it is surprisingly easy for

oversees vendors or keeps track of maintenance appointments?

living in another.

Looking beyond standard titles can be quite revealing. Who

homeowners to find themselves managing one property while

Who’s in charge of preparing the residence before guests

arrive? Is there someone in place to make decisions when the

homeowner is unavailable? Sometimes one person has quietly

taken on too much, and domestic roles and responsibilities start

HIRING A TRUSTED TEAM

The value of a strong household or estate manager is not

simply that tasks get completed. It is that someone notices what

to overlap. Or maybe a long-time employee has moved into a

needs to happen before the family has to think about it.

The answer is not necessarily to hire more people. In fact,

there’s continuity. The family isn’t roped into every small

leadership role and that has never been acknowledged.

adding staff without defining responsibilities can make a household more complicated.

This is where Smith and her team at Household Staffing shine:

they consult with homeowners and take time to get to know

With a trusted household team, communication is clear and

decision and when plans change, staff know how and when

to adapt. They have discretion, judgement, and flexibility to efficiently solve problems.

With more than three decades working with private

their lifestyle, the flow of the home, what’s worked previously,

households, Smith has found that the most successful placements

approach sheds light on what type of support is truly needed.

with understanding how the family lives, what the existing team

and what’s currently in place. This personalized, full picture

often begin before a candidate search ever starts. They begin

Sometimes no new hire is needed at all. Responsibilities simply

is doing and where time or attention is being unnecessarily lost.

and trusts.

going well. This gives a family the opportunity to look at what

“It’s to build the right team and make sure everyone understands

whether changes on the horizon could affect how the household

need to be reorganized among people the family already knows “The goal is not to build the biggest team,” Smith explains.

what they are responsible for.”

Smith recommends having conversations while things are

is working, where a trusted employee may be ready to grow and operates. The result might be a new hire, or it might mean a shift in job duties. Or perhaps it leads to a newly defined position or

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

simple confirmation that the right team is already in place.

Thinking ahead becomes especially valuable when a family

Ultimately, a well-run home is not defined by how many

knows change is coming. A new residence may require someone

people work in it. It’s defined by how naturally everything

enrolling in school may find their needs moving away from

thoughtful care.

frequent entertaining can create a need for someone comfortable

is ready to move with it.

to oversee it when the family is away, or parents with children

comes together and how the right team handles each detail with

childcare and toward household or personal assistance. More

The result: as families move into new chapters, the household

householdstaffing.com

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Past, Present, & Future

The Greenwich psychic and spiritual worker, renowned for her celebrity and Wall Street clientele in Manhattan, Timothy Leary shares the story behind her divine gifting. By Katelyn Rutt nlike most

In the third conversation I had

require the honing

‘Janet, can you please be our VIP

vocations that

with Saks Fifth Avenue they said,

of new skills,

psychic for the store?’”

Janet Lee’s foray into the world

From that moment forward, the

of psychic and spiritual work was

“Greenwich Psychic” was born.

“I am a born-gifted psychic

every weekend, prompting her

incredibly innate.

Lee worked at Saks Fifth Avenue

with an Indian background,” Lee

to eventually open her own shop

says. “My entire family has the

on Greenwich Avenue where she

ability to look into a person’s past,

could specialize in psychic and

present, and future and help them

spiritual work.

shed light on troubling issues in

Since then, Lee’s psychic

their life. My grandmother was a

work has expanded to include a

a born-gifted psychic with vision,

where she conducts most of her

hands-on healer, my mother was

luxurious office suite in Manhattan

and I have the divine ability of

readings for her Wall Street clients.

both gifts.”

Both of her office spaces blend

This dual-ability, Lee says, is

luxury with comfort and feature a

very unique in the industry. It’s

arguably what brought her from northern Connecticut to Greenwich

home-like atmosphere.

“In a typical reading, people will come in, sit down, and I will do

decades ago—a charming area she has now called home for nearly

most of the talking,” Lee says. “The reading starts by going through

“I was approached by Saks Fifth Avenue to do a promotion,”

concentrates on the mind and heart, what’s going on in the present,

25 years.

Lee says. “They asked me to come in and do psychic readings for any $100 purchase at the Lancôme counter, so I came across to

a person’s past, present, and future. Most of the time, the reading and healing any broken parts.”

Confidentiality is highly important to Lee, who has a list of

Greenwich.”

high-profile clients she guards carefully. No matter the client or the

booked with readings for most of the day.

in her calling.

On the morning of the promotion, the line zig-zagged and Lee was “The second request I got from Saks Fifth Avenue was to return

and work for Chanel, doing readings for each $500 purchase,” Lee says. “Once again, the line wrapped around the corner of the store.

unique struggles they bring to Lee, the psychic finds deep fulfillment “When they enter, clients are broken and hopeless,” Lee says.

“After working with me, we’ve picked up all of the pieces and put

them together again. Clients always leave feeling whole and happy.”

Greenwich Psychic | 203.500.7459

Two convenient locations: 424 W. Broadway, New York, NY 10012 | 50 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830 serenityhouselife@gmail.com

CULTURE

Alexander and the cast of characters in his life have stirred the imaginations of artists throughout history and the world. Here John Steell’s “Alexander & Bucephalus” (1883, bronze), which stands outside Edinburgh’s City Chambers in Scotland, crystallizes the story of the preteen Alexander taming the rearing Bucephalus by recognizing the horse was afraid of his shadow and turning him so he couldn’t see it. Photograph by Stefan Schäfer, Lich. www.vivantmagazine.com

The “heated rivalries” of Alexander the Great’s FAMILY VALUES By Georgette Gouveia

e’s the subject of Netflix series, business

King Philip II and his chief wife and queen, Olympias.

biographies that mull just how “great” he

his complex personality — at once ardently romantic and

articles, West Point courses and really was.

What is undoubtedly true is that Alexander the Great

(356-323 B.C.) – the Greco-Macedonian king whose

lead-from-the-front conquest of the Persian Empire in 331 B.C. spurred the dissemination of Greek culture – helped shape the world we live in. But what today’s audience seems to find most resonant is a juicy backstory that’s

part “Succession,” part “Heated Rivalry” and part ancient

brutally realistic — but his equally multilayered approach to personal relationships, marriage and sex. His father was a skilled commander and diplomat who like the

later Henry VIII would marry much but none too well.

His mother was a fair beauty with dynastic ambitions of her own and a vengeful attitude toward betrayal. Think Princess Diana crossed with Medea.

Alexander — Philip’s oldest, legitimate, able-bodied

Greek tragedy.

son — would be the battlefield on which his parents

docudrama “Alexander: The Making of a God,” while

mother filling his head with notions of Zeus, the Greeks’

Small wonder, then, that Netflix is streaming its 2024

“Heated Rivalry” creator Jacob Tierney has turned his attention to an upcoming Netflix series, “Alexander.”

Based on Annabel Lyon’s novel “The Golden Mean,” it

played out their increasingly troubled relationship, his

chief god, being his real father; his actual father implying he was a mama’s boy not quite up to the task of heir.

The preteen Alexander earned his father’s respect by

will explore the teenage Alexander’s relationship with

taming a superb but ornery horse that would become his

pursuit of the Homeric ideal of arête, or excellence. (That

father’s elite cavalry.

his tutor Aristotle, the philosopher who encouraged his

relationship is also the subject of “Aristotle/Alexander,” a

trusty steed Bucephalus. At 18, he was commanding his

But the relationship soured as Philip divorced Olympias

play written and directed by Alex Lyras that had its world

for a younger wife, potentially disenfranchising mother

It’s one of many fascinating, oft-considered threads

Alexander’s sister Cleopatra, where Philip was stabbed to

premiere in March in Los Angeles.)

in a narrative that began around July 20, 353 B.C. when Alexander was born in Pella, the capital of the ancient

kingdom of Macedon (now part of northern Greece), to

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Alexander’s parentage would contribute not only to

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and son. The inflection point came at the wedding of

death by a former male lover. Historians today, however,

have little doubt that Olympias was the assassination’s true architect.

A head of Alexander the Great (third century B.C., marble) from Alexandria, Egypt, one of the many cities he founded. Every ancient portrait of Alexander captures the melting gaze, tilt of the head and leonine mane thanks to a carefully controlled image designed to signal power. Photograph by Marie-Lan Nguyen. www.vivantmagazine.com

101

In one of the most poignant stories from the life of Alexander the Great, the family of the defeated Persian Emperor Darius III gets off on the wrong foot by kneeling in homage to Hephaestion, Alexander’s soulmate and right-hand man — a diplomatic faux pas that Alexander dismissed by saying “He, too, is Alexander.” Paolo Veronese’s “The Family of Darius Before Alexander” (1565-70) adds to the confusion, with art historians arguing over whether the gesturing figure in red is Alexander or Hephaestion.

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103

At age 20, Alexander became king of Macedon, hegemon

of the Greek city-states and heir to his father’s ambition to

conquer the Persian Empire. He would do all that and more —

creating a new empire spanning 22,000 miles from the Balkans

to northern India and spreading the Greek language and culture that would later facilitate the growth of the Roman Empire as

well as Christianity — all on his way to becoming the greatest military commander to date. Yet he would never escape the

exacting parentage that had in a sense been the making of him. Was that brambled parentage, along with his own

controlling nature, the reason Alexander resisted his parents’ efforts to interest him in the opposite sex? Or was there something — someone — else?

In his youth, Alexander befriended Hephaestion, one of the

noble companions with whom he was raised. Did they become lovers? The ancient Greeks had an educational practice by which a young man would take up with a slightly younger one on his way to marriage. (What made Alexander and

Hephaestion’s relationship different was that they were the same age.)

become his chief wife and mother of his heir, Alexander

A Roman copy of a Greek head of Phillip II, king of Macedon and Alexander’s father. A shrewd commander and diplomat, he nonetheless underestimated wife Olympias, a misreading that would cost him his life. Courtesy Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.

eunuch Bagoas. Not bad for a guy who said sex and sleep

Was Alexander bisexual then? The ancient Greeks had

Alexander would marry several princesses, including

Roxane, a fierce beauty not unlike his mother, who would IV; take a mistress and form an attachment with the Persian reminded him of death.

no concept for a term that, like homosexuality, would not

be described until the 19th century. What we can say is that Alexander and Hephaestion, who fancied themselves like

Achilles and Patroclus in Homer’s “The Iliad,” were soulmates — a point underscored when the abandoned Persian royal

family mistook Hephaistion for Alexander, he being reportedly the taller and handsomer of the two. Alexander dismissed the faux pas by saying, “He, too, is Alexander.” It’s a story not

unlike the moment in Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights” in which Cathy declares, “I am Heathcliff.”

Hephaestion died of natural causes in October 324 B.C. and

though Alexander was devastated, he fought on, with plans to

conquer India, Arabia, North Africa and Italy, until he, too, was felled, probably by malaria, in Babylon around June 10, 323 B.C.

For Alexander, who was said to have an ineffable pothos,

A Roman medallion of Olympias, Alexander’s mother (220-250). Her origin story as a beautiful, virginal, orphaned princess belied a steely nature characterized by dynastic ambitions and a vengeful streak. Courtesy Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki (the northern Greek city named for one of Alexander’s younger sisters).

104

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or longing, there was only ever the next conquest, the next exploration, the next adventure, the next horizon.

The writer is also the author of “Daimon: A Novel of

Alexander the Great” (JMS Books).

MAGAZINE

Next issue coming in Spring/Summer 2027! For advertising opportunities, contact colleen@vivant.media | 203-561-5086

THE NEW SCHOOL IN TOWN With South Florida growing at full speed,

Wingrove Academy is building a new kind of school in

Wellington, designed for the world its students will inherit.

here aren't many opportunities to build a school from scratch.

Most schools evolve over decades, adding

buildings, programs and technology as the world

around them changes. Wingrove Academy has the unusual

advantage of doing the opposite: starting fresh and asking what kind of school today's children will need tomorrow.

Opening in Wellington in August 2029, Wingrove Academy is

a new nonprofit independent school being created as a PreK–12 campus. And the timing is interesting.

South Florida has become remarkably adept at

accommodating its influx of new residents. There are new

homes, office towers, restaurants and private clubs. Finding a

seat at a great private school? That can be considerably trickier. So tricky, in fact, that The Wall Street Journal recently summed

up the situation with a headline that was hard to resist: “Florida’s Billionaires Want More Private Schools. So They’re Building

new generation of schools taking shape across the region.

Wingrove Academy is part of that story, but it isn't simply

about adding more desks. Set on nearly 44 acres in Wellington, the school is being developed by ElevateED, the global

education organization founded by Karen Yung and led with

Chair and CEO Jeff Clark. Yung has started 14 schools across Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Singapore and beyond,

top-tier institutions that have served more than 11,000 students worldwide. The broader ElevateED team has helped launch

dozens more, with prior work spanning Avenues: The World

School in New York, Green School in Bali, Dulwich College in Singapore and Da Vinci Schools in Los Angeles. Collectively, the team has built and led schools across four continents.

That experience comes with a rare advantage. They have seen

what works, what doesn't and what they might do differently when given the chance to start fresh.

The school has been conceived around core design principles

Their Own.”

that reach well beyond curriculum, influencing the schedule,

reported that many private schools in South Florida are full and

rigor is central, but so are adaptability, resilience, curiosity and

Behind the cheeky headline is a very real shift. The Journal

that the arrival of executives and families has intensified demand for places, even as established schools expand. The result is a

106

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staffing, learning environment and physical campus. Academic giving students room to discover where their particular talents might take them. Designed by architect David Manfredi of

Elkus Manfredi Architects, Wingrove's purpose-built campus is intended to connect classrooms,

laboratories and studios

with open green spaces. Arts and athletics will

be central to campus life alongside academics,

while flexible learning

environments are being designed to encourage

collaboration, movement and exploration.

In other words,

“yourthisoldisn't

prep school with better Wi-Fi.

”

And perhaps that's the point. The children who enter

It's an easy thing to overlook amid architectural renderings

Wingrove will graduate into a world changing at remarkable

and state-of-the-art facilities. A beautiful science lab is

industries are evolving. Careers that will be commonplace a

into it the next morning is considerably more important.

speed. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we work. Entire decade from now may barely exist today. Simply memorizing

impressive. The teacher who makes a child desperate to get back Wingrove's arrival also says something about Wellington

the right answer is becoming less valuable than knowing how to

itself. For decades, the village has been known internationally

Wingrove's stated vision emphasizes individualized learning

that comes with it. Increasingly, though, Wellington is part of a

ask a better question.

and a rigorous pursuit of excellence across academics, STEAM, the arts and athletics, while also developing

resilience, adaptability and a global perspective. The goal is not simply to prepare students to get into the right college, but to help them understand their strengths and what they might do

for equestrian sport and the extraordinary seasonal community much larger Palm Beach County story. The region is attracting businesses, investment and families who are putting down

more permanent roots, and expectations for the institutions surrounding them are growing as well.

A major new independent school is another sign of that

with them.

evolution. There are still several years before Wingrove's first

can only take a school so far. The real test is the people inside

far more complicated than creating a beautiful one. Its ultimate

Of course, an impressive campus and ambitious curriculum

it. Attracting exceptional educators will therefore be just as

important as attracting students. Wingrove has an opportunity to build its faculty alongside the school itself, creating a culture in which teachers can collaborate, teach creatively and know their students as individuals.

students walk through its doors, and creating a great school is

success won't be determined by acreage, architecture or even the length of its eventual admissions list.

It will be determined by the young people who eventually

walk out. If Wingrove gets it right, they will leave knowing

plenty. More importantly, they will know what to do with what www.vivantmagazine.com

107

BEDSIDE READING

NEED A BOOK-CATION? BEDSIDE READING’S BEST BOOKS OF THE FALL ISSUE!

There’s something about fall that makes us want to slow

down, settle in, and get lost in a great book. This season,

Bedside Reading® has curated a collection of standout new titles from page-turning fiction and unforgettable memoirs

"One book changed my Even better, of these are being discovered lifemany and mybooks business. beyond the bookstore, inside some of our favorite luxury Which book will do that hotels across the country, where Bedside Reading turns a for you?" hotel stay into an unexpected literary discovery. Whether to books that challenge the way we think, lead, and live.

you’re checking into aUbell-Meyer, beautiful hotel or curling up at home, --Jane consider this your fall reading list.

Founder Jane Ubell-Meyer, founder, Bedside Reading

Here’s what they’re reading at Canoe Place Inn & Cottages, Hampton Bays, NY...

AWAKEN IN NATURE:

DISCOVER YOUR TRUE SELF

Here’s what they’re reading at Pierre New York, A Taj Hotel...

THE SEVENTH FLOOR: BY DAVID MCCLOSKEY

BY ANNE MARIE WALL

Awaken in Nature is an inspirational personal-growth book about reconnecting with the natural world in order to better understand yourself. Anne Marie Wall explores mindfulness, spiritual awareness, intuition, purpose, and the restorative power of spending time outdoors. The book encourages readers to slow down and recognize their connection to the world around them.

Here’s what they’re reading at Dream Inn, Santa Cruz, CA...

TWISTED LIVES

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A Russian arrives in Singapore offering a dangerous secret, but the meeting ends with the Russian dead and CIA officer Sam Joseph missing. Months later, Sam returns and reveals that a Russian mole is embedded at the highest levels of the CIA. Artemis and Sam begin an unauthorized investigation.

Here’s what they’re reading at Conrad New York Downtown, NYC...

THE BIG DAY: SAYING “I DO”

BY TAMARA MERRILL

ONLY TO DISCOVER I DIDN’T

During a violent snowstorm, single mother Sarah Blake wakes to find her six-year-old son, Jeremy, has vanished. She wakes days later in a hospital with fractured memories and a terrifying reality. Twisted Lives is a psychological thriller about coercion, betrayal, motherhood, resilience, and one woman’s fight to recover the truth.

On her wedding day, Lisa Cheek looks backward as much as forward. Amid the celebration’s comedy, chaos, and unexpected turns, she revisits former relationships, family marriages, friendships, and the highs and lows that shaped her ideas about commitment. It is a funny, candid account of choosing a meaningful shared future.

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BY LISA CHEEK

Bed

BEDSIDE READING Here’s what they’re reading at Acqualina Resort & Residences On The Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, FL.. Here’s what they’re reading at Conrad Washington, DC...

SIT, CINDERELLA, SIT BY LISA CHEEK When film editor Lisa Cheek accepts a job in rural China near the Tibetan border, she joins a Mandarin-speaking crew to help create a movie about the origins of Cinderella. Told through a playful fairy-tale lens, the memoir explores courage, selfbelief, human connection, and the rewards of taking a courageous leap.

Here’s what they’re reading at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, Dana Point, CA...

THE DOWNLOAD: TRAIN YOUR BRAIN. UNLOCK YOUR GENIUS. CREATE MIRACLES. BY SARA CONNELL

The Download argues that creativity and original insight are not rare gifts but abilities people can intentionally strengthen. Sara Connell combines neuroscience, personal story, intuition, and practical exercises to explain how different brain states may support imaginative thinking. It guides readers in reclaiming human creativity, attention, intuition, and breakthrough problem-solving.

Here’s what they’re reading at The Benjamin Royal Sonesta, NY...

LIVE MORE. HURT LESS BY DR. SEAN PASTUCH

WHAT WE LEFT BEHIND BY VALERIE NIFORA

Live More. Hurt Less. is a practical guide for people whose choices, movement, and plans are restricted by persistent pain. Dr. Sean Pastuch offers an individualized approach that combines pain education, psychology, lifestyle principles, exercise, and strength training. The book emphasizes rebuilding trust in the body and defining the person readers want to become beyond pain.

What We Left Behind by Valerie Nifora is a moving story about love, loss, forgiveness, and the choices that shape our lives. Decades after Seth Abrams broke Margaret Taylor’s heart, he returns carrying fame, regret, and the knowledge that his time is running out. A tender exploration of first love and second chances.

Here’s what they’re reading at Hyatt Regency Chicago, IL..

A RIVER REMEMBERS BY LEE CLARK A brilliant forensic entomologist returns to her small North Carolina hometown after her aunt’s suspicious death—and discovers family she never knew existed, a string of brutal murders, and secrets someone will kill to protect. A River Remembers features a determined female investigator, dark family secrets, a dangerous inheritance, and shocking twists. Here’s what they’re reading at Sonesta LAX, Los Angeles, CA...

WAIT…WHO GOT GOOSED?® COMPANION ACTIVITY BOOK BY JULIE COLES

Designed as a companion to Julie Coles’s humorous Mother Goose remix, this activity book lets middle-grade readers step inside the poems instead of simply reading them. Children become budding poets, artists, and math problem-solvers through three creative activity zones. The exercises encourage literacy, creativity, practical thinking, and independent expression.

Here’s what they’re reading at Hyatt Regency San Francisco, CA

HIS DAUGHTER BY CARYN MCGILL

They’ve been locked in this sacred debate forever. Father wants her to redeem the physical realm, but she insists it’s his mess. She would either heal the broken land—or let it burn. Yet when Father casts her down into the muck and mire, she must decide: Redemption or divine judgment?

Here’s what they’re reading at Hyatt Regency Aruba...

SUGAR SAND LAND BY PATRICIA LEAVY Emerson Blue is a wildly successful reality star and influencer whose life plays out in public. Renn Walker is a Grammy-winning country singer who disappeared from the public eye after being canceled years earlier. An unexpected romance forces them to navigate fame, judgment, age differences, and a world where everyone has an opinion. www.vivantmagazine.com

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THE HOUSE THAT HOPE BUILT Inside The Pink House, the Charlotte community behind Carolina Breast Friends and its celebrated Roaring in Pink gala.

By Colleen Guilfoile Richmond Images courtesy The Pink House

very day, someone walks through the doors of The

providing free programs and services that support Survivors,

overwhelmed. Others are months or years beyond

every stage of the breast cancer journey. At the heart of the

Some arrive newly diagnosed and

treatment, searching for connection with people who truly

understand. Many simply need a place where they can ask

questions, find encouragement, and remember they don't have to face breast cancer alone.

That's exactly why Carolina Breast Friends exists.

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For more than two decades, Carolina Breast Friends has been

Pink House for the very first time.

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Thrivers, Co-Survivors, and their families throughout

organization is The Pink House, a welcoming community

where individuals impacted by breast cancer find mentoring, wellness programs, support groups, educational workshops,

retreats, the Pink Boutique, and meaningful connections that often become lifelong friendships.

It's a place built on one simple

belief: healing happens best when no one has to walk the journey alone.

That belief comes to life every

day inside The Pink House.

And, each fall, it shines even

brighter through Roaring in Pink,

Carolina Breast Friends' signature fundraising event.

This year's gala, Roaring in Pink:

A Night of a Thousand Lights, has already become one of the organization's most celebrated

milestones, selling out in just 17

days. While guests will experience an unforgettable evening of

elegance, entertainment, and

inspiration, the event represents something much greater than a sold-out ballroom.

Every ticket purchased, every sponsorship secured, every

auction bid placed, and every donation made helps ensure that the programs and services offered through The Pink House remain available at no cost to those who need them most. One of the evening's most anticipated highlights is the

exclusive runway presentation by internationally acclaimed couturier Luis Machicao. A longtime supporter of Carolina

Breast Friends, Luis will debut his Holiday 2027 Collection,

generously donating proceeds from every gown sold to benefit

the mission of Carolina Breast Friends. His partnership is

a beautiful example of how fashion can become a force for

compassion, bringing together artistry, generosity, and purpose

in support of Survivors and Thrivers throughout our community. Although this year's event is officially sold out, there is still

an opportunity to be part of the evening's impact.

Community members can register as Virtual Bidders,

allowing them to participate in the silent auction from anywhere. From one-of-a-kind experiences and exclusive packages to

Luis Machicao couture, every winning bid directly supports the life-changing work happening every day at The Pink House.

Roaring in Pink may last for one extraordinary evening, but

its impact is felt every day, in every support group, every mentoring relationship, every educational program, every wellness class,

and every person who discovers hope through Carolina Breast Friends.

Because behind Charlotte's most

meaningful gala is something even more

extraordinary: a community that believes no one should face breast cancer alone.

To learn more about Carolina Breast

Friends, explore the programs and services

offered through The Pink House, or make a donation, visit: carolinabreastfriends.org Even though Roaring in Pink is sold

out, you can still be part of the evening by registering as a Virtual Bidder and participating in the silent auction:

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SPORTING LIFE image: MERAKI/ MCG The Agency

On Precision, Discipline, Horsemanship, and the Quiet Decisions Behind a

CHAMPIONSHIP CAREER Kent Farrington By Colleen Guilfoile Richmond

here is a certain quiet that settles over an arena

before the first horse enters the ring. The jumps

what makes him such a compelling rider to watch. There is an

Months, and sometimes years, of preparation have

little time and rarely appears to waste a stride. His turns are

have been set. The distances have been walked.

led to a course that will be decided in little more than a minute. For those watching, it is a competition. For the rider, it is the

result of countless decisions made well before the opening bell. Few riders understand those decisions better than Kent

Farrington. Over more than two decades at the highest level of

international show jumping, Farrington has built one of the most successful careers in the sport. He is an Olympic team silver

medalist, earning a medal in Rio in 2016, a World Equestrian Games team bronze medalist, and the 2026 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final champion.

He has also won three Rolex Grand Slam Major titles, most

economy to the way Farrington rides a course. He wastes very direct, his pace is controlled, and even in a jump-off, when every fraction of a second matters, his riding seldom looks rushed. The precision is easy to recognize. What is harder to see

is everything that came before it. Farrington did not grow up in a multigenerational equestrian family. Raised in Chicago,

he began riding at eight years old, taking weekly lessons at a

downtown stable that also housed carriage horses. He progressed through the junior ranks largely by catch-riding, developing the ability to understand and compete unfamiliar horses for other trainers and owners.

That experience demanded adaptability from an early age.

recently capturing the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva with

A catch rider does not have months to establish a partnership.

Cup victory in Fort Worth, Farrington returned to the top of the

confidence, and how much can reasonably be asked of it. Those

Greya in December 2025. In May 2026, following his World Longines FEI World Rankings.

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The results are impressive, but they do not fully explain

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He must quickly recognize how a horse thinks, what gives it lessons would become central to Farrington’s career.

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His talent was already apparent as a junior. In 1998,

he won the national equitation medal final at the

Pennsylvania National Horse Show. The following year, at 18, he earned individual gold at the North American

more confident, or more comfortable with international competition.

The work is not simply about asking for more. It is

Young Riders Championships. He later worked with

about recognizing what each horse needs and knowing

accomplished junior rider to professional.

may be decided by fractions of a second, that preparation

two-time Olympian Leslie Howard as he transitioned from Farrington’s first Grand Prix victory came in

Saugerties, New York, in 2004 with Madison, a horse who helped establish him at the top level. Madison was named the American Grandprix Association Horse of the Year in 2005, while Farrington received Trainer of the Year honors.

The recognition reflected more than a single successful

when it is ready for the next step. In a sport where classes cannot be hurried. Farrington’s championship record has been built through a series of distinctive partnerships.

With Uceko, he helped the United States win team gold

at the 2011 Pan American Games. With Voyeur, he earned team bronze at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in

Normandy and Olympic team silver in Rio two years later. Gazelle became another defining horse in his career.

round. Farrington was becoming known not only as a rider

Together, Farrington and the mare won the Rolex Grand

and developing talent. That ability has remained central

Aachen in 2019, one of the most prestigious competitions

who could win, but as someone capable of recognizing to his program. Although show jumping often places

the rider at the center of the story, no two horses reach the highest level in the same way. Some reveal their image courtesy of Tiffany Van Halle

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ability early, while others need time to become stronger,

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Prix at CHI Geneva in 2017 and the Rolex Grand Prix of in the sport. More recently, Greya and Toulayna have taken leading roles in his international string. At the

2026 World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Farrington won the

opening speed competition with Toulayna and the second

after the injury won the RBC Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows

the decisive clear round to secure his first World Cup Final

Aachen with Gazelle as particularly meaningful because

final competition with Greya. He and Greya then delivered championship.

The victory came after Farrington finished fourth at the

2024 World Cup Final in Riyadh. Returning two years later

to win illustrated something that has long defined his career: the ability to absorb a result, make adjustments, and return

with a stronger plan. In a jump-off, Farrington’s advantage

often comes from understanding precisely where time can be

for the fifth time. He later described his 2019 victory at

it confirmed that he had returned to his best. Longevity in

equestrian sport depends on more than recovering physically. It requires the ability to reconsider a plan without losing

sight of the larger goal. A rider must know when to compete, when to wait, and when a horse would benefit more from time at home than another week in the show ring. That long view may help explain Farrington’s

saved and where it cannot. He is willing to take risks, but the

consistency. His career includes an Olympic medal,

error is extremely small, the round retains a sense of control.

victories at many of the sport’s most celebrated venues.

boldness seldom feels careless. Even when the margin for

championship appearances, World Cup success, and

That control begins well before the horse enters the

Yet the larger story is not contained in any one result. It

from the vast grass fields of Aachen or Spruce Meadows. A

lessons in Chicago to a rider capable of producing horses

arena. A compact indoor ring presents different questions

rider must consider the dimensions of the arena, the course design, the footing, the atmosphere, and the strengths of

each horse before deciding which partnership is best suited to the occasion. By the time Farrington enters the ring,

much of the strategy is already in place. What follows may

look instinctive, but instinct at that level is often experience

can be found in the progression from a child taking weekly for the highest levels of international competition. It can

also be found in the partnerships developed over years, the adjustments made after setbacks, and the ability to remain

competitive as horses, circumstances, and the sport continue to change.

Championship careers are not built in one afternoon.

moving faster than conscious thought.

They take shape through years of observation, discipline,

serious compound leg break kept him out of competition and

decisions can be easy to overlook. Yet when Farrington and

Like every rider, Farrington has faced setbacks. In 2018, a

forced what might be called a “careful” return to the sport,

although Farrington’s version of careful was hardly passive.

He began working out during the first week of recovery, was back in the saddle within 12 weeks, and just four months

and judgment. In a sport that celebrates speed, the quieter his horse enter the ring and everything appears to happen

almost effortlessly, that ease is not accidental. It is the result of experience, preparation, and a partnership built long before the crowd begins to applaud.

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The Business Of

BEAUTIFUL THINGS Images courtesy of MERAKI/ MCG The Agenc

he most important object at CSI Greenwich may be the sand.

Not the custom-built jumps, the champagne-

filled hospitality tents or the contemporary art

to their feedback. Spectators notice when the ring looks

immaculate. Riders notice how it feels beneath the horse. The arena is only one part of a much larger

inside the Brant Foundation. The temporary arena beneath

transformation. For four days each September, a Greenwich

weekend succeeds.

Stabling, warm-up areas, kitchens, bars, hospitality rooms,

the horses’ feet is what can determine whether the entire

In 2023, rain disrupted the Greenwich competition. The

following year, organizers built a temporary sand stadium

in less than a week, taking over part of a property ordinarily devoted to polo. It was an investment in something many

spectators might never think about, yet every rider would notice immediately.

At a five-star show-jumping event, the arena surface

is a highly specialized piece of sporting equipment. A

horse weighing well over 1,000 pounds must be able to

accelerate, turn and land securely after clearing fences as

high as 1.60 meters—more than five feet. The footing must remain consistent through changing temperatures, rain and hundreds of rounds.

The Greenwich arena required approximately 60

polo field becomes an international sporting venue.

grandstands and broadcast positions arrive. So do the power, water, communications, security and veterinary systems required to support them.

Then the horses arrive: approximately 150 highly trained

equine athletes, potentially valued in the hundreds of

millions collectively. Some are purchased at the height of their careers; others are discovered young and developed over many years by a rider with the support of an owner.

Partnerships and syndicates allow several people to share in a horse’s journey and experience the sport from the inside. Some travel by highway and others by air, each arriving with its own team, equipment and carefully managed routines.

The field includes Olympic and World Championship

truckloads of material, enough to cover an entire football

medalists competing at CSI5*, the highest level of the

relies on the generosity of its supporters, including Cara

13 of the world’s top 20 ranked riders competed in the

field nearly five inches deep. As a nonprofit, CSI Greenwich Raether Carey of Trelawny Farm, who donated the arena

footing. Even with that contribution, creating the temporary Trelawny Stadium cost well over $1 million.

sport. At a recent Major League Show Jumping Grand Prix, same arena. At CSI Greenwich 2026, one in three riders is

expected to be an Olympian, with 15 countries represented. By Sunday afternoon, the leading horse-and-rider

During competition, Brett Raflowitz of ESI monitors

combinations will be jumping at 1.60 meters before an

determining when the arena should be watered, dragged or

in prize money is offered across the competition program.

moisture, depth, compaction and other conditions,

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otherwise adjusted. He also speaks with riders and responds

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audience expected to reach 10,000. More than $1.6 million

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The public competition begins on Thursday, September 24,

but the real timeline starts nearly a year earlier. CSI Greenwich

September, the property changes disciplines.

A polo field becomes an international show-jumping stadium.

requires approximately 12 months of planning and two weeks

A former agricultural building becomes the architectural

working to transform the site. The temporary venue includes

between five-star competition and modern art without

of construction, with more than 100 people from 20 companies 200 stalls and 35,000 square feet of tenting for the horses. Each figure represents a carefully coordinated chain of

decisions. A tent cannot be furnished until it is erected. A

temporary kitchen cannot operate without power and water. And the horses cannot arrive until the stabling, veterinary facilities and controlled access routes are ready.

The objective is to complete an enormous logistical exercise

without allowing the finished

centerpiece of a contemporary sporting event. Guests move necessarily realizing that the view contains more than 100 years of Greenwich history. The stone barn has lived three distinct lives: farm building, polo clubhouse and art museum. CSI Greenwich adds another chapter to its story.

The event takes place at Greenwich Polo Club, but its

economy extends well beyond the property. Riders, owners,

grooms, officials, sponsors and production teams require hotel rooms, meals, transportation and

event to feel temporary or

supplies. Guests make dinner

improvised. CSI Greenwich

reservations, shop on Greenwich

may exist for only a few

Avenue and arrange drivers to the

days, but its setting has been

backcountry. CSI Greenwich also

evolving for more than a

engages caterers, landscapers, rental

century.

companies, security personnel and

The stone building

temporary workers.

overlooking the arena was

The public sees four days of

constructed in 1909 as a cold-

competition. For the businesses

the vast working estate created

earlier and reaches considerably

storage barn on Conyers Farm,

supporting it, the event begins

by steel and banking magnate

farther. On Sunday afternoon,

Edmund Cogswell Converse.

one horse-and-rider combination

Beginning around 1904,

wins the Grand Prix. Ribbons are

Converse assembled

presented, photographs are taken

approximately 20 farms across

and the guests begin to leave.

northern Greenwich and

Then the production shifts into

neighboring North Castle, New

reverse. The horses depart within

operation that employed more

more than 100 people spend the

York, creating an agricultural than 200 people at its height.

“Conyers,” an Old English variation of the Converse name, became the name of the estate and remains attached to this storied corner of Greenwich more than a century later.

Built using stones sourced from local farm fields, the barn

belonged to an earlier Greenwich of orchards, livestock and country estates. It later became a polo clubhouse. In 2009,

architect Richard Gluckman transformed it again, this time into the Brant Foundation Art Study Center. Outside, Peter Brant

had established Greenwich Polo Club in 1981, two years after

founding the White Birch Polo Team. The club developed into

one of the world’s leading venues for high-goal polo. Now, each

approximately three hours, and

following week dismantling the

temporary venue and restoring the polo grounds. By the seventh day, remarkably little remains.

For one brief period each fall, a Greenwich polo field

becomes an international show-jumping venue, a broadcast set, a private club, a public gathering place and a working home

for 150 elite horses and the riders who have built their careers around them. The footing makes great sport possible. The

production turns it into an occasion. A century-old barn stands

watch, while 10,000 spectators carry the energy of the weekend beyond the gates and into Greenwich. Then the trucks return. And the city is gone.

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THE

VISION IN THE PINES How an executive retreat became one of America’s most extraordinary luxury hotels. By Colleen Guilfoile Richmond

uxury hotels are often born in predictable

home for visiting executives, international clients, and

Hamptons.

headquarters, The Umstead was built on a belief that

places. Palm Beach. Aspen. Napa Valley. The Rarely does anyone expect to find one

hidden among Carolina pines in Cary, North Carolina, a

city better known for technology campuses than five-star

hospitality. Yet that is precisely what makes The Umstead Hotel & Spa so remarkable.

What began as a vision by SAS founders Ann and Jim

business leaders traveling to SAS Institute's nearby

exceptional hospitality could thrive in an unexpected place. At the time, few could have imagined that a luxury hotel

hidden among the pines of North Carolina would one day become a destination travelers seek out from around the world.

Yet nearly two decades after opening its doors, that is

Goodnight has quietly evolved into one of America's most

exactly what has happened. Today, The Umstead stands as

wellness, and culinary excellence exist in perfect harmony.

flashy or fashionable, but because it understands something

celebrated luxury retreats, a destination where art, nature, Originally conceived as an elegant home away from

one of the South's great luxury properties, not because it is many hotels have forgotten.

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Luxury is not simply about beautiful rooms. It is

about creating a sense of place. From the moment guests arrive, The Umstead feels different.

The winding drive passes through a landscape of

towering pines before opening to a serene lake and a striking contemporary building that seems designed to blend into its surroundings rather than dominate them. Inside, sunlight pours through expansive

windows, drawing the outdoors in. The atmosphere is calm. Intentional. Unhurried.

There is no grand performance of luxury. Instead,

there is warmth.

Throughout our stay, what stood out most was

the people. Every interaction felt genuine. Staff

members greeted guests with sincere enthusiasm

rather than rehearsed hospitality. Whether speaking with a member of the front desk team, a server in

the restaurant, or a staff member passing through the lobby, there was a consistent feeling that everyone genuinely cared about the guest experience.

That culture of hospitality has become one of The

Umstead's defining characteristics.

The hotel's commitment to beauty extends far

beyond service. Art plays a central role throughout

the property and feels less like decoration and more like part of the hotel's identity. Hallways become

galleries. Public spaces invite exploration. Largescale contemporary works appear unexpectedly around corners and in quiet alcoves, creating

moments of discovery throughout the property.

During a guided art tour, guests are introduced

to works by nationally recognized artists, including renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose

pieces have become synonymous with the hotel's

collection. Rather than existing as a backdrop, the art becomes part of the guest experience, another reason to slow down, linger, and pay attention.

But if art is the soul of The Umstead, food may

very well be its heartbeat.

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At the center of the culinary program is Executive Chef

Steven Greene, whose influence can be felt throughout the property.

us. Fresh herbs. Peppery greens. Edible flowers. Leaves still

carrying traces of the morning sun. Then came the strawberries. Plucked directly from the plant and handed across the garden

Chef Greene has spent nearly his entire professional career

path, they were unlike any strawberry I have ever tasted.

early years, he has been instrumental in developing what has

tasted almost impossibly vibrant. It was one of those simple

helping shape The Umstead's culinary identity. Since the hotel's become one of the most respected dining programs in the South. His philosophy is simple, yet increasingly rare: extraordinary ingredients create extraordinary meals.

At many luxury hotels, farm-to-table has become a marketing

phrase. At The Umstead, it is a way of life.

Less than a mile from the hotel sits One Oak Farm, a

Intensely sweet, deeply fragrant, and bursting with flavor, they moments that reminds you how disconnected most of us have become from our food.

Standing in the middle of One Oak Farm, tasting ingredients

at their peak, it suddenly became clear why dining at Herons feels so different.

The menu is not merely inspired by the farm. The farm helps

three-acre regenerative farm that supplies produce to the hotel's

write the menu.

portion of the vegetables, herbs, fruits, and edible flowers served

guests' plates. Ingredients harvested in the morning may find

Visiting the farm with Chef Greene offers perhaps the clearest

between farm and kitchen is immediate, authentic, and deeply

restaurants and bars. During peak growing seasons, a significant throughout the property originate there.

understanding of what makes The Umstead so special. Walking

through the gardens, Greene speaks about ingredients the way an artist speaks about color. Every row tells a story. Every season offers new inspiration.

As we moved through the fields, he stopped often, reaching

into the garden and inviting us to taste what was growing around

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What is thriving in the garden often dictates what appears on

their way into dinner service that same evening. The relationship connected.

For Chef Greene, the farm is not simply a supplier. It is a

creative partner.

That philosophy reveals itself throughout every meal at

Herons, the hotel's signature restaurant and one of the most celebrated dining destinations in the region.

Dinner at Herons is refined without being rigid. Sophisticated

without being intimidating.

Each course reflects the landscape surrounding the hotel. Seasonal

vegetables harvested from the farm. Delicate herbs. Thoughtfully sourced proteins. Beautiful presentations that never feel overly complicated.

The result is a dining experience rooted in North Carolina while

operating comfortably on a national stage.

The same attention to detail extends beyond the dining room. At the Bar & Lounge, seasonal cocktails often incorporate

ingredients harvested from One Oak Farm, bringing the property's agricultural philosophy into every corner of the guest experience.

Meanwhile, outside the hotel, guests can explore walking trails,

spend afternoons beside the pool, or simply sit quietly overlooking the lake as the Carolina light shifts throughout the day.

Then there is the spa. Consistently ranked among the finest in the

country, The Umstead Spa embraces the natural beauty surrounding

it. Treatments are designed to restore rather than simply pamper. The

atmosphere encourages guests to disconnect from schedules, screens, and daily obligations. Surrounded by whispering pines and peaceful

woodland views, it feels less like a hotel spa and more like a sanctuary.

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Perhaps that is the word that best defines The Umstead.

What began as a retreat for visiting executives has become

Sanctuary.

something far more significant.

increasingly performative, The Umstead remains quietly

destination.

but in thoughtfulness.

extraordinary places are often found where you least expect them.

remembers your name. A carefully curated art collection. A walk

Hotel & Spa has become one of the South's greatest treasures—

In an era when luxury often feels louder, faster, and

confident. It understands that true luxury is not found in excess A chef who knows every row of his garden. A staff that

through the pines.

It is a cultural destination. A culinary destination. A wellness And perhaps most importantly, it is a reminder that

Hidden among the pines of Cary, North Carolina, The Umstead

and one of America's most compelling luxury escapes.

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ARRIVE WITH SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY READY-TO-SERVE CRAFT COCKTAILS

TASTE

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THE FIG

More Powerful Than It Looks By Marci Moreau

ome ingredients nourish us. Others tell us who we’ve been. The fig does both.

Long before grocery stores, refrigeration,

or even written recipes, figs were

sustaining civilizations throughout the Mediterranean. Archaeologists believe they are among the earliest

cultivated foods, enjoyed for thousands of years by

ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. They appear in sacred texts, symbolize abundance and wisdom across

cultures, and have quietly remained a part of the human table for millennia.

immediately visible.

The fig’s story is just as remarkable as its

structure. In many traditions it has represented

peace, prosperity, knowledge, and generosity. The

Bodhi tree beneath which the Buddha is said to have

attained enlightenment belongs to the fig family. In the Mediterranean, families often planted fig trees not just for themselves, but for generations yet to come, as a quiet expression of hope and legacy.

Nutritionally, figs offer far more than their honeyed

Yet today, many of us walk past them in the produce

sweetness suggests — fiber, potassium, calcium,

like interior. Perhaps that’s part of their charm. The fig

wrapped inside something that tastes like dessert.

aisle, unsure of what to make of their soft skin or jamhas never been a flashy fruit. It asks us to be curious,

magnesium, and naturally occurring polyphenols all What I appreciate most about figs is that they refuse

and to discover what lies beneath the surface.

to be ordinary. Their season is brief, and they don’t

eat. What appears to be a fruit is actually a syconium

or a long shelf life, fresh figs need to be enjoyed in

Botanically, figs are unlike almost anything else we

— a hollow, fleshy structure lined with hundreds of tiny flowers tucked safely inside. Each tiny seed is the result of one of those hidden blossoms. Nature, once again,

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reminds us that some of its greatest wonders are not

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travel well. Unlike fruit bred for perfect appearance the moment. And I think there is something refreshing about an ingredient that doesn’t try to be available every day of the year.

I love them simply sliced over creamy ricotta with

a drizzle of local honey and fresh thyme. They bring

way few fruits can.

In a world that often celebrates speed, perfection, and

elegance to a summer salad with peppery arugula, toasted

abundance, the fig reminds us to appreciate what is fleeting

become an unforgettable accompaniment to roasted chicken

in the produce aisle. It was never going to win on looks.

walnuts, and goat cheese. Roasted until caramelized, they

or pork. And sometimes, the best way to enjoy a perfectly ripe fig is standing over the kitchen sink, letting its sweet juices remind you that some of life’s greatest pleasures

require very little preparation. Yet they can just as easily

surprise you in savory territory entirely-diced into a bright, spicy salsa, they hold their own against lime and chile in a

— and to look past first impressions. It doesn’t turn heads Its beauty is in the richness hidden inside, and in just how

much more it’s capable of than we’d ever imagine. Perhaps that’s why this ancient fruit has endured for thousands of

years — not simply because it nourishes us, but because it

invites us to slow down, gather around the table, and savor the season while it’s here.

FIG SALSA

A sweet-hot-acidic salsa that lets the fig play against type — bright, spicy, and completely unexpected against grilled fish, tacos, or simple chips. Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ripe fresh figs, diced small • 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely minced • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped • 1 small clove garlic, finely minced • 2 limes, juiced • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1/2 tsp ground cumin • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, gently combine the figs, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and garlic. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, and salt.

3. Pour the dressing over the fig mixture and toss gently to combine, taking care not to mash the figs.

4. Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to let the flavors meld, then taste and adjust salt or lime as needed before serving.

Best made 20–30 minutes before serving so the flavors meld, but not much longer — the figs will start to break down and get mushy after a few hours. Great over grilled fish or pork, spooned onto tacos, or simply with tortilla chips. *Adjust jalapeño to taste, and feel free to leave the seeds in for more heat.

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The MANHATTAN The Cocktail With Authority

The history, ritual, and enduring elegance of whiskey, vermouth, and bitters

ome drinks are made for light. Others belong to the

stirred, never shaken, until very cold and perfectly clear. It

not sparkle. It does not refresh in the obvious

fresh, not forgotten at the back of a bar. The cherry should feel

The Manhattan is one of those drinks. It does

way. It arrives deep, polished, and quietly serious, the color of

mahogany and evening light. Where a spritz announces leisure

and a martini suggests precision, a Manhattan carries authority.

should be served in a chilled glass. The vermouth should be

intentional, not decorative. In a drink with so few ingredients, every detail is visible.

The choice of whiskey matters, too. Rye gives the

Part of that authority begins with the name. Before the

Manhattan its classic edge: dry, peppery, upright. Bourbon

banquettes, private clubs, late dinners, theater nights, brass

severe. Both have their place, but rye gives the drink its

first sip, it suggests old New York: hotel bars, steakhouse

rails, and polished wood. It is not the New York of spectacle, but the New York of ritual. The Manhattan feels less like

makes it rounder and sweeter, more generous but less posture.

Perhaps this is why the Manhattan continues to endure.

a drink invented for a menu than one that has always been

It allows for preference without losing its identity. It can be

Its origin, like many great cocktail stories, is slightly

perfect with both sweet and dry vermouth. But the essential

waiting at the bar.

unsettled. The most repeated legend places it at the Manhattan

Club in the late nineteenth century, created for a grand banquet and tied, improbably, to Lady Randolph Churchill. The story

ordered with rye or bourbon, up or on the rocks, classic or

idea remains intact. It is a cocktail built on proportion, not performance.

And that may be why it feels so right now. Taste has moved

is charming, though cocktail historians have long questioned

away from spectacle and toward things that last: a beautiful

interesting: by the 1870s and 1880s, American bartenders were

drink made correctly. The Manhattan belongs to that world. It

the details. The more likely truth is less cinematic and more

beginning to combine whiskey with vermouth and bitters, and the Manhattan emerged from that moment of sophistication.

coat, a leather chair, a proper dining room, a good watch, a is not trying to be new. It is trying to be right.

In fall and winter, it feels especially natural. It suits darker

That addition of vermouth changed everything. Earlier

evenings, fireside bars, city restaurants, country houses, roast

Manhattan was different. It dressed whiskey rather than

moved beyond the polite stage. A tray of Manhattans before

cocktails often relied on spirit, sugar, bitters, and water. The disguising it. Rye gave the drink structure. Sweet vermouth brought depth and a wine-dark richness. Bitters added

discipline. Together, they created a cocktail that was strong but not blunt, elegant but not soft.

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A proper Manhattan depends on restraint. It should be

hour when the room begins to darken.

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chicken, steak, oysters, wool coats, and conversation that has dinner changes the room. People settle. The evening gathers itself.

Trends have seasons. Rituals have staying power. The Manhattan has both history and authority.

The VIVANT Manhattan A Manhattan should feel cold, composed, and quietly powerful — the kind of drink that makes the evening more deliberate.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz rye whiskey or bourbon • ¾ to 1 oz sweet vermouth

• 2 dashes Angostura bitters • Ice

• Brandied cherry

METHOD Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Stir slowly until very cold and properly diluted. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry. Serve immediately.

VIVANT Notes • Rye gives the drink its classic New York edge. • Bourbon makes it softer, warmer, and slightly sweeter. • Keep vermouth refrigerated once opened. • The best Manhattans are clear, cold, and balanced — never rushed, never overworked.

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V- M A P

GREENWICH & CONNECTICUT GOLD COAST The autumn return to houses, clubs, galleries, gardens, and the private rhythms of Connecticut’s coast.

T H E D I S PAT C H

A New Season on the Sound Fall brings the coast back to life.

In Greenwich, the long-awaited Greenwich Crossing development is putting the finishing touches on a reimagined train station, new shops and restaurants, and a public square that finally connects the western side of town. Up the line, Darien’s Corbin District enters a new phase with a curated mix of retail, dining and wellness arriving this fall, adding fresh energy to the heart of town. And in Westport, a new restaurant from the team behind Nomade is set to open on Main Street, continuing the town’s culinary moment. From galleries and gardens to polo fields and private clubs, the Connecticut Gold Coast is more than a place to land for the weekend. It’s a lifestyle with its own cadence.

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THE NAME TO KNOW

THE ADDRESS

Delamar Greenwich Harbor

Charles Mallory BUILDING A CONNECTICUT KIND OF LUXURY

GREENWICH

One of Greenwich’s most familiar addresses is having a moment. Delamar Greenwich Harbor was recently named one of the

Charles Mallory built his first career in

country’s top waterfront hotels

shipping. His second has quietly reshaped

in USA Today’s 2026 10Best

hospitality along the Connecticut coast.

Readers’ Choice Awards, following

He founded Greenwich Hospitality Group in

renovations to the 82-room

1999 and opened Delamar Greenwich Harbor

property.

in 2002. What began as one waterfront hotel has grown into a collection that now includes

This fall, Delamar will unveil

Delamar Southport, Delamar West Hartford,

a new penthouse designed by Bunny Williams and Elizabeth Lawrence. At more than 1,600 square feet inside, with an approximately 1,100-square-foot rooftop terrace overlooking Greenwich Harbor, it gives this longtime local hotel

Delamar Westport and Delamar Mystic, as well as Delamar Traverse City in Michigan.

something it hasn’t had before: a true top-of-the-house statement suite.

In an era of global brands, Mallory has stayed

For a hotel that has been part of Greenwich for more than two decades, it’s a good reminder that the best

personal kind of luxury, grounded in art, design,

independent and made the case for a more

addresses don’t have to be new. They just have to evolve at the right time.

service and a strong sense of place.

THE EDIT DINE

Luya

WESTPORT

SEE

American Stories from Sargent to O’Keeffe

THE BRUCE MUSEUM · GREENWICH

SHOP

ON OUR RADAR

DARIEN

SEPTEMBER 24–27, 2026

The Corbin District

CSI Greenwich

From the team behind Nomade

Opening October 15, this major

Darien’s Corbin District enters a

Four days of international show

comes Luya, opening this fall

fall exhibition brings 45 works

new phase this fall with a curated

jumping return to Greenwich,

on Main Street. The menu will

from The Newark Museum of Art

mix of retailers and restaurants

featuring CSI2* and CSI5*

celebrate the flavors of the

to Greenwich, including works

including Tuckernuck, Asha,

competition and culminating in the

Mediterranean with fresh pasta, a

by Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward

Framebridge, Hinoki, Corsica,

five-star Grand Prix on Sunday,

wood-fired oven and thoughtful

Hopper, John Singer Sargent,

Millie’s and Tatte, bringing fresh

September 27.

cocktails in a warm, convivial space.

Alexander Calder and Mickalene

energy to downtown.

Opening Fall 2026.

Thomas. www.vivantmagazine.com

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V- M A P

NEW YORK & THE HAMPTONS The fall return to galleries, dining rooms, city streets and an East End that gets interesting again when summer winds down.

T H E D I S PAT C H

Back to Town, Not Quite Done Out East

September has always been a changeover month between New York and the Hamptons. This year, the line feels a little less defined. New York heads into fall with another wave of restaurant openings, gallery shows and the return of the fashion and cultural calendar. Out East, meanwhile, some of the season’s biggest stories are built to last beyond Labor Day. Historic inns have been remade, Sag Harbor has a new waterfront hotel, and the East End’s increasingly serious art scene is giving people reasons to stay on the road east long after the beach crowds thin. The result is less of a summer-to-city switch than a season lived between the two.

THE ADDRESS

The Hedges Inn EAST HAMPTON

One of East Hampton’s oldest addresses is new again. Dating to 1873, The Hedges Inn reopened this summer following a complete redesign by David Netto. Owners Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall, the couple behind Palm Beach’s Colony Hotel, acquired the property in 2025 and brought in Netto, a longtime East Hampton resident, to rethink its 12 guest rooms, restaurant, bar and public spaces. The result doesn’t try to turn The Hedges into a beach resort. Netto leaned into what was already there: the scale of an old East Hampton house, layered rooms and a sense that the place belongs to the village. A custom de Gournay installation in the parlor draws on East Hampton landscapes and architecture, while Swifty’s at The Hedges gives locals a reason to come even when they aren’t checking in. In a place that reinvents itself every summer, The Hedges makes a good case for simply getting the old things right.

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THE NAME

Photo by Greg Kessler

Sarah Wetenhall

ON OUR RADAR

Faraway Sag Harbor SAG HARBOR

MAKING OLD HOTELS MATTER AGAIN

Sarah Wetenhall knows the value of a hotel people already love.

After overseeing the revival of Palm Beach’s Colony Hotel, she and her husband, Andrew, acquired The

The former Baron’s Cove has been

chose David Netto to reimagine the historic property

a 67-room waterfront hotel from Blue

character that made it special in the first place.

cues from Sag Harbor’s maritime history,

It is an increasingly unusual approach. As luxury hospitality becomes bigger, more branded and more

overlooking the water, plus Zagara, an

Hedges Inn in 2025. For East Hampton, Wetenhall

transformed into Faraway Sag Harbor,

without erasing the residential scale and local

Flag Capital. The new property takes its with a pool, lawn and gathering spaces

uniform, Wetenhall is betting on hotels with history, personality and a very specific sense of place.

Amalfi-inspired restaurant.

With The Colony in Palm Beach and now The Hedges in East Hampton, she has become an

hotel scene is getting considerably more

influential figure in two of the country’s most distinctive resort communities.

It is one more sign that the East End’s interesting.

THE EDIT DINE

SEE

SHOP

LOWER EAST SIDE · NEW YORK

MONTAUK

NEW YORK

TIN’s

Shanghai meets downtown New York at this new multi-level restaurant and cocktail bar on Ludlow Street. Dumplings and Shanghai-inspired dishes lead the menu, backed by a serious drinks program and enough late-night energy to make this more than another dinner reservation. One to know before everyone does.

The Ranch

Max Levai has turned a working horse farm near Montauk into one of the East End’s more unexpected places to see contemporary art. This season, LA Monumental fills the landscape with enormous works by Nancy Rubins, Paul McCarthy and Matt Johnson. Johnson’s Meditating Figure—a 60-foot sculpture made from 12 decommissioned shipping containers, has drawn particular attention, along with a permitting dispute with East Hampton Town. Controversy aside, it is worth seeing for yourself.

Still Here

Still Here has quietly become one of New York’s denim names to know. Founded by Sonia and Maurice Mosseri, the independent label has grown into an eight-figure business with stores on Madison Avenue, in Nolita and Williamsburg, and another West Village location recently opened. The jeans feel current without chasing every trend, which may explain why the brand suddenly seems to be everywhere. www.vivantmagazine.com

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V- M A P

PALM BEACH & WELLINGTON The people, places and shifts shaping palm beach and its equestrian neighbor now.

T H E D I S PAT C H

Westward

Palm Beach has always known exactly what it is. What’s changing is everything around it. Across the bridge, West Palm Beach continues to build a personality of its own, with new restaurants, shops, cultural destinations and neighborhoods changing the way people move through the city. Farther west, Wellington is entering a new era. The show grounds are expanding, a landmark covered arena is underway and a major residential and private-club development will bring a year-round vision to the village. One of the world’s great equestrian destinations is thinking bigger about what comes next.

THE ADDRESS

The Vineta Hotel PALM BEACH

The former Chesterfield reopened as The Vineta following a full restoration. The first U.S. hotel operated by Oetker Hotels blends a century of Palm Beach history with a fresh, residential sensibility. Designed by Tino Zervudachi, the hotel features Coco’s, a courtyard restaurant already part of the scene, along with an intimate bar and pool that feel like a very good private house. Palm Beach didn’t need another grand hotel. The Vineta gives it something more interesting: a small one.

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THE NAME

Ned Grace BUILDING THE NEW WEST PALM BEACH As co-founder of NDT Development, Ned Grace is one of the forces behind Nora, the 40-acre district transforming a former warehouse area north of downtown West Palm Beach into a walkable neighborhood of restaurants, shops, wellness concepts and gathering places. The idea is simple but not easy: create a place people might actually want to spend time in—walking outside, staying for lunch, shopping and having dinner. Palm Beach may still have the name recognition, but it is this kind of vision that is giving West Palm a stronger identity of its own.

Wellington, Next

Wellington International is expanding to 215 acres with the addition of Wellington International South, a new competition venue scheduled to open in fall 2026. The new grounds will become the future home of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival while also hosting FEI show jumping, hunter derbies and other competitions. Beyond the rings, The Wellington, a roughly 400-acre private residential and club community, is bringing another layer of development to the village, with residences, hospitality, dining, wellness and a new golf experience planned as part of the larger vision.

THE EDIT

EMELINA

NORTON MUSEUM OF ART

BOTTEGA VENETA

Husband-and-wife chefs Osmel González and

Art & Independence: America at 250 brings

Bottega Veneta has opened a boutique at The

Camila Salazar have made culinary history at

together painting, sculpture, ceramics and

Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach, bringing the

Emelina, their intimate 16-seat tasting-menu

photography from across eras to consider the

house’s refined Italian approach to ready-to-wear,

restaurant in West Palm Beach’s Flamingo

heritage and future of the American spirit.

bags, shoes and accessories to one of the island’s

Park neighborhood. In 2026, Emelina earned

A timely exhibition for the country’s anniversary

most established shopping destinations.

one Michelin star, becoming the first Cuban

year.

restaurant to receive the distinction.

Through December 6, 2026

For the reservation

For the exhibition

For the fall wardrobe

A tasting-menu format makes this one of the most exciting tables in West Palm Beach right now. www.vivantmagazine.com

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V- M A P

CHARLESTON & THE LOWCOUNTRY The people, places and shifts shaping

Charleston and the coast around it now.

T H E D I S PAT C H

Charleston, in Motion

Charleston has never had trouble attracting visitors. What feels different now is the number of people deciding to stay. A new group of chefs, designers, entrepreneurs and creative businesses has been moving south, adding another layer to a city already known for food, architecture and hospitality. King Street continues to attract major fashion names, while new hotels and restaurants are pushing north and toward the waterfront. Across the harbor and out toward the islands, the Lowcountry is evolving too, without entirely surrendering the slower rhythm that made people want to be here in the first place. The challenge for Charleston has always been how to grow without losing the thing everyone came for. Right now, that tension may be what makes the city most interesting.

THE ADDRESS

The Cooper

CHARLESTON WATERFRONT For a city surrounded by water, Charleston has spent surprisingly little time looking directly at it. The Cooper changes that. Opened on March 30, 2026 beside Joe Riley Waterfront Park, the 191-room hotel is Charleston’s first luxury waterfront hotel on the peninsula. Nearly everything is oriented toward the harbor, from private balconies and the waterfront infinity pool to a marina that puts guests directly on the water. Champalimaud Design looked to the Lowcountry for the interiors, using pale oak, shiplap, natural textures and quieter colors rather than leaning too heavily into traditional Southern decoration. There are four places to eat and drink, a 7,000-square-foot spa and enough outdoor space that the hotel feels almost resort-like despite sitting in the middle of downtown. Charleston has plenty of beautiful old hotels. The Cooper gives the city something it didn’t already have.

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THE NAME

Ben Navarro RESHAPING CHARLESTON’S HOSPITALITY LANDSCAPE. Ben Navarro has been steadily assembling some of Charleston’s most recognizable addresses. Through Beemok Hospitality Collection, the Charleston-based investor is behind The Charleston Place, Sorelle, the restored Riviera Theater and now The Cooper, the company’s most ambitious hospitality project to date. His broader Charleston portfolio also includes Credit One Stadium on Daniel Island. What ties the projects together is less a single aesthetic than a belief that hospitality can play a larger role in how a city feels and functions. The Cooper brings luxury hospitality to the waterfront. Sorelle helped revive a quiet stretch of Broad Street. The Riviera returned an Art Deco theater to active use. And The Charleston Place remains one of the city’s defining gathering places. In a city understandably cautious about change, Navarro is making a sizable bet on Charleston’s next chapter.

THE EDIT DINE

SEE

SHOP

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND

CHARLESTON & THE LOWCOUNTRY

KING STREET

Sullivan’s Fish Camp

The Fall Tours

Sister Shop

ON OUR RADAR

Food & Wine Classic in Charleston NOVEMBER 13–15

The Food & Wine Classic returns

November 13–15 for three days of The fish camp has grown up without losing the beach. James Beard Award-winning chef Jason Stanhope is leading the kitchen at this Middle Street institution, giving the menu a sharper edge while keeping the things that belong here: fresh local fish, seafood and raw-bar offerings. It still feels like Sullivan’s Island. The food is simply better.

The Preservation Society of

Charleston marks the 50th year

of its Fall Tours with a month of architecture, history and garden programming, including access

to private residences, gardens and

buildings seldom open to the public. This year’s calendar reaches beyond downtown, with programming on Sullivan’s Island, in Mount

Beau & Ro has expanded next door. Its new Sister Shop mixes fashion, accessories, home and one-of-a-kind pieces from labels including Natalie Martin, Carolina K and Fanm Mon, alongside Beau & Ro’s own blockprinted collection. The appeal is less about finding another recognizable luxury logo and

Pleasant’s Old Village, West Ashley

more about discovery, something

neighborhoods. October 1–31.

Street crowded with national brands.

and some of the city’s lesser-seen

increasingly valuable on a King

celebrated chefs, premium wines and spirits, and the best of local food and Lowcountry culture.

The 2026 talent lineup includes names

such as Nancy Silverton, Tyler Florence, Maneet Chauhan, Katie Button and

Charleston’s Mike Lata, with Grand Tastings, demonstrations, seminars

and special experiences throughout the weekend.

If there is one fall weekend that captures

how seriously Charleston takes food, this is probably it. www.vivantmagazine.com

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V- M A P

CHARLOTTE THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND SHIFTS SHAPING T H E Q U E E N C I T Y N O W. T H E D I S PAT C H

Charlotte Grows Into Itself

For years, Charlotte’s story was about growth: new towers, new neighborhoods, new residents arriving by the thousands. Now something more interesting is happening. South End is moving beyond its brewery-and-apartment phase. Uptown is preparing for a major new era of sports and entertainment, and increasingly ambitious restaurants, hotels and independent concepts are giving Charlotte the texture of a city that feels less concerned with becoming the next something and more comfortable being itself.

THE ADDRESS

Zamindar’s Clubhouse SOUTH END

A Royal Sitting, Reimagined. Charlotte’s South End welcomes an opulent, transportive love letter to India’s golden age of hospitality, courtesy of a NYC Michelin-starred chef and a corporate-maverickturned-DJ. Some restaurants want you to eat quietly. Zamindar’s Clubhouse wants you to have a night. The new South End spot, a 7,500-square-foot ode to the golden age of India’s colonial-era social clubs, comes from chef Vamshi Krishna Adi (Michelin-starred kitchens in his past) and David Pandoria, who traded a corporate career for one behind a DJ booth. The pairing shows: this is fine dining that isn’t afraid to turn the music up. A members’ club-style lounge and private dining rooms are reportedly still to come, as if the current footprint weren’t already a lot to take in. The menu doesn’t do subtlety, and it shouldn’t. Start with the Ajwaini Tiger Shrimp, sharpened with fermented chili and a Schezwan sour cream, or a cardamom-laced Bombay Presidency cocktail. From there, the Old Delhi Butter Chicken goes full velvet, and the Nalli Gosht Mandi —a slow-roasted lamb shank buried under crispy onions and cashews — is the kind of dish people will talk about for weeks. Save room for the gold-dusted Kalakand Chocolate Tart, because you should always end a royal evening looking a little bit extravagant. Zamindar’s Clubhouse, 155 New Bern St, Charlotte, NC 28203. Tue–Thurs 5–10:30pm, Fri–Sat 5–11pm, Sun 5–10pm, closed Mondays. zamindarsclubhouse.com

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THE NAME

David Tepper

David Tepper’s next bet on Charlotte extends well beyond football. The Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC owner is behind a sweeping transformation of Bank of America Stadium, with the total project investment now topping $1.3 billion. The HOK-designed renovation is planned to reshape the 30-year-old stadium with expanded indoor-outdoor gathering spaces, new premium experiences, a skyline-facing social patio and an illuminated exterior crown. A planned 4,400-capacity entertainment venue will host 80 to 100 events a year and provide additional hospitality on NFL game days. The larger idea may prove more consequential than the stadium itself: turning this corner of Uptown into a year-round destination for sports, entertainment and community events. In a city accustomed to building new, Tepper is making a very big case for reinventing what Charlotte already has.

THE EDIT

MAMAN, SOUTH END

SOAK HEAD + FOOT SPA

CRESCENT GROUNDS

Maman has brought its blue-and-white toile,

No sprawling treatment menu here. SOAK in

Rather than razing the familiar yellow house

overflowing florals and French café mood to

Huntersville concentrates on two things

that housed the Phil Aull photography studio on

For the long lunch

For the reset

South End.

One to watch

Providence Road for decades, Tim and Susan Japanese-style head spa and herbal foot soak-and

Johnson are giving it another life.

The new 3,000-square-foot location is exactly the

does them very well. Copper bowls, dim lighting,

kind of place where coffee becomes lunch and

a steam wash and head massage make 50 minutes

Crescent Grounds is being conceived as a lodge-

lunch stretches well into the afternoon. Order the

feel considerably longer.

inspired neighborhood coffee house, complete

croque maman, then get the nutty chocolate chip cookie everyone talks about.

with a wraparound porch overlooking Colonial Better yet: the experience comes in under $100.

Park.

www.vivantmagazine.com

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New York City is Back in Season: A Fall Calendar of Fashion, Art, Culture and Society By Norah Lawlor

Fall arrives at full speed this year as New York and the surrounding region move from the final days of the summer social season into a packed calendar of polo, fashion, art, architecture and philanthropy. Beginning in Greenwich over Labor Day weekend and quickly shifting to New

York Fashion Week, the season moves through Manhattan galleries, Grand Central Terminal and the newly reopened Waldorf Astoria before continuing into October and November with exhibitions and philanthropic gatherings.

GREENWICH POLO CLUB — September 6th, 13th, 26th and 27th, 2026 The fall equestrian season begins in Greenwich as Greenwich Polo Club brings together two of the sport’s most spectacular disciplines during

September. The East Coast Open, presented by Audi, continues with Sunday polo on September 6th and September 13th, bringing leading players and

equine athletes to the field at Conyers Farm for one of the most celebrated tournaments on the East Coast polo calendar. Established in 1981 and

recognized as one of the world’s leading high-goal polo venues, Greenwich

Polo Club combines elite competition with a distinctive field-side social scene

through September 28th, with an opening reception Thursday, Sept. 10, the solo exhibition brings Slonem’s unmistakable visual world to downtown Manhattan. Known internationally for his neo-expressionist paintings of

birds, butterflies and rabbits, Slonem has developed a singular visual language built around repetition, vivid color and recurring natural motifs. Among

the key works presented are Pink Ascension and Blue Hutch, placing the

exhibition firmly among the art highlights surrounding New York’s September cultural calendar. For more details, please visit www.huntslonem.com and www.oneartspace.com

of lawn seating, hospitality, cabanas and the traditional halftime divot stomp.

Later in the month, the focus shifts from the polo field to the show jumping

arena as CSI Greenwich returns September 26th and 27th. The two-day event

VICTOR DE SOUZA — Friday, September 11th, 2026

Club, with leading riders and horses competing at one of the most distinctive

Victor de Souza presents his latest collection at Arlo Midtown. Known

brings Olympic-level international CSI5* show jumping to Greenwich Polo

stops on the international equestrian calendar. Together, the East Coast Open

and CSI Greenwich extend the club’s season deep into September, offering a fitting transition from the summer social calendar into fall. For information, visit: www.greenwichpoloclub.com

CATWALK FURBABY — Tuesday, September 8th, 2026

Fashion Week begins with four-legged stars

sharing the runway when CatWalk FurBaby,

presented by ELYSIAN Impact, returns to Sony Hall on Tuesday, September

New York Fashion Week gathers momentum Friday, September 11th, when for sculptural silhouettes, theatrical presentation and a couture-informed

approach to fashion, the New York-based designer has built a distinctive

identity around clothing that sits at the intersection of fashion, fantasy and craftsmanship. The presentation adds an independent designer voice to a

Fashion Week calendar increasingly defined by shows staged beyond the traditional runway format. For more visit www.victordesouzany.com

HITECHMODA at NEW YORK

FASHION WEEK — Friday, September 11th – Saturday, September 12th, 2026

8th. Now in its fourth year, the event brings

hiTechMODA returns to the Edison Ballroom for two days of runway

and rescue animals together for an evening

international fashion platform will stage multiple shows throughout both

designers, models, celebrity supporters

where New York Fashion Week glamour meets animal welfare advocacy.

Presented in collaboration with Runway 7, the runway will pair fashion with participating rescue organizations, using the visibility of Fashion Week to

support adoption, fundraising and awareness for animals in need. For more information, www.readelysian.com

HUNT SLONEM AT ONE ART SPACE — Opening Reception

programming Friday, September 11th, and Saturday, September 12th. The days, bringing designers from the United States and around the world to New York. Friday’s program begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by evening shows,

while Saturday features runway presentations from morning through evening. With designers representing multiple continents and a Fashion Week pop-up

in the Hotel Edison lobby, the program creates a broad showcase for emerging and established independent fashion talent. For tickets and more information, please visit www.hitechmoda.com

Thursday, September 10th, 2026

SOUTHAMPTON HISTORY MUSEUM Insider’s

world as internationally recognized artist

Fashion Week is not the only attraction on Saturday,

The fashion calendar overlaps with the art Hunt Slonem takes over One Art Space in Tribeca. Running from August 18th

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View — Saturday, September 12th, 2026

September 12th. On the East End, the Southampton

History Museum presents its annual Insider’s View,

offering guests an opportunity to explore distinctive private properties and

four bodies of Hershman’s work — The Art of Code Switching, I Am a Barn,

museum’s wider mission of preserving and interpreting the history and

in which repeated and overlapping lines build color, rhythm, atmosphere

architectural stories that help define Southampton. The event reflects the

culture of greater Southampton while opening a window onto the architecture, design and heritage of one of America’s most storied communities. For more information, please visit www.southamptonhistory.org

Urban Abstraction and Still/Still — tracing the evolution of a visual language and emotional tension. The exhibition also explores the unusual duality of Hershman’s life as both a nationally recognized podiatric surgeon and a

practicing artist, connecting the precision and structural thinking of medicine with the expressive freedom of painting. For more information please visit: www.donhershman.com and www.oneartspace.com

MALAN BRETON at NEW YORK FASHION WEEK — Sunday,

New York turns a little greener

September 13th, 2026

Designer Malan Breton returns to the New York Fashion Week calendar

Saturday, October 3rd, as Trees New York, together with its coalition

Sunday, September 13th, continuing a career built around cinematic runway

partners at Forest for All NYC, presents the fifth annual City of Forest Day,

music and performance. Breton’s shows have become known for creating

boroughs, the day brings thousands of New Yorkers together through tree

presentations, couture craftsmanship and a distinctive fusion of fashion,

a world around the collection rather than simply sending clothes down a

runway, bringing together fashion personalities, performers, social figures and international media for one of the independent calendar’s signature presentations. For more, please visit: www.malanbreton.com

VANDERBILT & SEEWALD GLOBAL STUDIO

Launch at NYFW — September 15th, 2026

New York City’s largest celebration of trees. Taking place across all five

walks, planting and stewardship, park restoration, birding, hiking and family activities designed to celebrate and protect the city’s urban forest. The event

also highlights the vital role trees play in creating a healthier, cooler and more resilient New York while encouraging residents to become active stewards of their own neighborhoods. For more information please visit: www.treesny.org

Fashion Week reaches one of New York’s most

recognizable landmarks Tuesday, Sept. 15, when

Vanderbilt & Seewald Global Studio stages its launch

runway event at Vanderbilt Hall inside Grand Central Terminal. Co-founded by Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin and Michaela Seewald, V&S Global Studio

The Baker House 1650 Reception to Celebrate HIFF – Sunday,

media, investors, strategic partners and opportunities for growth. The

The East End’s fall cultural season continues Sunday, October 11th as The

has been created as a platform connecting emerging designers with global invitation-only Grand Central runway will bring designers together with

press, buyers, family offices and cultural leaders, turning one of Manhattan’s great public interiors into an international fashion showcase. For further details please see www.vsglobalstudio.com

MVVO ART SHOW 2026 at the Waldorf Astoria New York —

September 21st – 27th, 2026

Later in September, the art world moves uptown as MvVO ART SHOW

2026 arrives at the Waldorf Astoria New York from September 21st – 27th.

October 11th, 2026

Baker House 1650 hosts a special reception celebrating the 34th Hamptons

International Film Festival. Set within the historic East Hampton property’s English-inspired interiors and gardens, the intimate gathering will bring

together guests and friends of The Baker House for an evening celebrating film, creativity and the energy HIFF brings to the Hamptons each fall.

Located in the heart of East Hampton Village, The Baker House provides an

elegant setting as filmmakers, industry figures, patrons and film lovers gather across the East End for the festival. For more information visit www.bakerhouse1650.com and www.hamptonsfilmfest.org

Presented in partnership with Waldorf Astoria New York and Guerlain

THE NEW YORK WOMEN’S FOUNDATION

international moment in Manhattan, alongside the city’s September art

Tuesday, November 10th

Wellness Spa, the exhibition is timed to coincide with a particularly

activity and the United Nations General Assembly. MvVO ART, known for

presenting artists in settings including Sotheby’s, Times Square and the New

York Stock Exchange, will bring together members of its creative community with new artists selected through its 2026 open call. For more please visit: www.mvvoart.com

DON HERSHMAN – OUT OF LINE –

Exhibition Launch at One Art Space – October 1st, 2026

October opens in Tribeca as San Francisco-based

artist and surgeon Don Hershman presents OUT

2026 Neighborhood Dinner —

The fall calendar continues into November with The New York Women’s Foundation’s 2026

Neighborhood Dinner on Tuesday, November 10th at the Museum of the

Moving Image in Astoria, Queens. A New York tradition dating to 1994, the Neighborhood Dinner moves among the boroughs and recognizes women

and community leaders creating change at the local level. This year’s Queens

edition will bring together community leaders, supporters, philanthropists and advocates while spotlighting people and organizations expanding opportunity and strengthening communities across New York City. For more please visit: www.nywf.org

OF LINE, opening Thursday, October 1st at One Art Space. The solo exhibition brings together

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A RELAXING INTERLUDE

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Vivant Fall 2026