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OPEN DE FRANCE FINAL • OPEN DE FRANCE FEMININ FINAL
THE BRIDGE • NYFW • LFW PFW • MFW
A $50M WATER-FRONT POLO PROPERTY UP FOR GRABS THE MEMORY-IMPROVING & ANXIETY-RELIEVING HERB PALAIS VS HOTEL
THE FRONT ROW
THE FRENCH DISTINCTIONS & DIFFERENCES
PROTEIN IS IN EVERYTHING FROM CHIPS TO ICED COFFEE
WHAT'S ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL? ARGENTINE CITIZENSHIP THE NEW WEALTHY FLEX
SS27: SILHOUETTES AND COLOR DOMINATE
WHAT FEAR CAN FIX FIVE SERIOUS THINGS YOU NEED TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE ITS TOO LATE
AIRELLES DIPS ITS TOES IN CARIBBEAN WATERS SEARCH FOR THE SACRED
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CULLINAN I SERIES
Sophisticated force. Graceful power. The journey and the destination.
R O L L S - R OYC E LO S G AT O S www.rollsroycelosgatos.com
VOLUME X / ISSUE X / OCTOBER 2026
Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand Publisher
Dr. Michael J. Snell
Joshua Jakobitz
Lifestyles & Luxury Automobile Contributor
Editor-in-Chief
William Smith
Copy Editor & Wine Contributor
Claire Barrett
Joey Velez Wellness Contributor
Raabi Benadada
Head of Photography
Polo Contributor
Dana Romita
Raphael K. Dapaah
Amritlal अमृत
Dr. Michael J. Snell - NYC Miriam P. Owens - NYC
Polo Photographers
Contributing Photographers
Luxury Real Estate Contributor
Art Contributor
Brand Representatives
Monarch Visionary Contributor
Katerina Morgan Justine Jacquemot Irina Kazaridi Helen Cruden Pascal Renauldon Kathrin Gralla K. Kerley
Xavier Merchet-Thau Aubrey Chandler Eric Carré Eva Espresso Rob Miskowitch Margarita Crotto
Polo Lifestyles is a publication of HT Polo Publishing Co. Created in the Polo Lifestyles Design Lab Concord, Calif., U.S.A.
Cover Photo Courtesy Schiaparelli Content Copyright © Polo Lifestyles 2026 All Rights Reserved. For information or to advertise Contact marketing@pololifestyles.com Read online at www.pololifestyles.com On Instagram & Facebook @pololifestyles A proud partner of Issuu, U.S. Polo Assn., USPA, Global Polo Sports, The Impression and Mixam
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WWW.PO LO WW W. P O L O L ILFIFES E S TTYYLES L E S ..COM COM
TRIPLE CROWN OF POLO Tortugas Open Hurlingham Open Argentine Open GRAND CHAMPIONS Fall Classic Tackeria Invitational Casablanca Fall Cup Legends of Polo International Cup LA PALMERAIE MOROCCO The Autumn Cup ART BASEL MIAMI
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COCKTAIL COLLECTION AVAILABLE AT PIAGET BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE
A vibrant invitation to celebrate life's golden moments. Flamboyant jewels, a blend of festive audacity and timeless PA G E 15 sophistication, brightening every day.
VOLUME X / ISSUE X / OCTOBER 2026
SCOREBOARDS & COCKTAILS
OPEN DE POLO DE FRANCE
DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY'S GLORIOUS OPEN
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POLO LIFESTYLES EDITORS & CONTRIBUTORS
Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand
Josh Jakobitz
Claire Barrett
Publisher Polo Lifestyles @haiti_polo_captain
Editor-in-Chief Polo Lifestyles @joshuajakobitz
Claire Barrett Photography
Eric Carré
Eva Espresso
Katerina Morgan
Photographer EC Photography @ti_carre
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Photographer
Eva Espresso Photography
@eva.espresso
Head of Photography @clairebarrettphoto
Polo Photographer Horse Polo Art Gallery @horsepoloartgallery
William Smith
Copy Editor & Contributor
May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust
@willismith_2000
Amritlal अमृत
Ascension Contributor Monarch Visionary @monarchvisionary
Raphael K. Dapaah Art Contributor Dapaah Gallery @dapaahgallery
Joey Velez
Wellness Columnist
Velez Mental Performance
@velezmentalhealth
Michael J. Snell
Lifestyles & Luxury Automobiles Contributor @agnello_1
Dana Romita
Real Estate Contributor Douglas Elliman @danaromita
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The Age of Protein Maxxing, page xx
The Bridge turns 10 in a major way, page 54
Airelles tests the Caribbean waters, page 66
A Palais by any other name is just a hotel, page 76
THE FASHION ISSUE
SS2027 FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS PAGE 98
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S
EPTEMBER ALWAYS FEELS LIKE THE BUSIEST MONTH HERE AT POLO LIFESTYLES. WE SPEND WEEKS PREPPING FOR THE FASHION ISSUE IN THE MAIN OFFICE WHILE OUR WINE CONTRIBUTOR, BILL SMITH, SPENDS MOST OF SEPTEMBER ELBOWS-DEEP IN THE SANTA FE WINE AND CHILE FESTIVAL (MORE ON THAT IN HIS PIECE THIS MONTH) BRINGING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WINE AND FOOD ENTHUSIASTS TO SANTA FE FOR ONE NON-STOP, JAM-PACKED WEEKEND.
Fashion houses from New York to Paris showed color and flowing silhouettes for SS27 and it felt like a breath of fresh air after a long, hot summer of geo-political upheavals and unmatched heat waves. Fashion Weeks transport us to the sublime, the ideal, the artistry of the industry. What we see as conceptual or even avant-garde on the runways now will influence what we’re wearing in the coming months… some version of those looks are bound to make it to our wardrobes and closets. Fashion unites us more than we probably realize; whether we love something or despise it. It is the launching point of 100,000 conversations and a million blogs and reels. More fashion content was available sooner this season on social media than on traditional media outlets. From the runway to TikTok’s servers and into our hands… this is a new frontier of fashion consumption; only time will tell if it translates to sales – traditional retail or online. As for me – and hopefully you – fashion remains inspiring; it pushes my own creative boundaries and teaches me time and again when to hold back and edit and when to go for all out. Happy reading, Josh Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief josh@pololifestyles.com
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@thecut
@jimmychoo
@modernluxury
@piaget
@chanelofficial
@champagnetaittinger
@dior
@donatella_versace
@cartier
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Click and comment on our choices... Tag @pololifestyles. We will share noteworthy comments with you next month.
@traceeelissross
@goyardofficial
@mahershalaali
@kadircivici
@eliesaabworld
@luxurylistings
@thombrowne
@robbreport
@zuhairmuradprivate
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OPEN DE FRANCE DE POLO BARNES
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S
A YOUTHFUL KAZAK TEAM PREVAILS IN CHANTILLY
ÉBASTIEN AGUETTANT HAD BEEN WAITING FIVE YEARS FOR THIS REVENGE. BEATEN 12-5 BY LA MAGDELEINE, NOW AKASHA, IN THE 2021 OPEN DE FRANCE FINAL, THE KAZAK CAPTAIN HAD CHOSEN TO PUT HIS FAITH IN YOUTH THIS YEAR. EXTREME YOUTH, IN FACT… AND ON SUNDAY AT CHANTILLY, IT SIMPLY TOOK OVER.
The oldest of Kazak’s three professionals, Teodoro Lacau, has only just turned 24. Alongside him, Pedro Chavanne and Leon Donoso – 33 years old between them – produced a dazzling final. Golazos, long runs, improbable plays, very few fouls and, above all, all ten of Kazak’s goals scored by the three of them: four for Chavanne, four for Donoso and two for Lacau. On the other side, another youngster was determined to make life difficult for them. Ciro Urturi, 20, scored four of Akasha’s nine goals, including their first two, getting his team going and keeping them in touch in a game Kazak nevertheless seemed to have under control. 2-1, 4-3, 6-5 and then 8-6: Kazak led at the end of every chukker. But never by enough to breathe easily. And certainly not in the closing minutes. Trailing 10-6 in the final period, Akasha stormed back to 10-9 within a matter of minutes. On the last play, the equalizer even seemed to be there at the end of a mallet. It took a miraculous save by the Kazak defense right in front of their goal line to deny Akasha a tenth goal and send the match into overtime. This was not one for the faint-hearted. At 24, Teodoro Lacau therefore almost qualified as the patriarch of this young bunch, something that amused him after the match: “I felt a bit like a dad. I didn’t have much to do, really – just make sure I didn’t disrupt the team, and they did everything!” But “Dad” had made a prediction. Kazak had lost 11-6 to Akasha when the teams first met earlier in the tournament: “I told them on the very first day that when we played them again, we were going to beat them. And that’s what happened.” PA G E 27
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Then came the difficult task of choosing the best player of the final. Pedro Chavanne and Leon Donoso had both made such an impact on the game that there was very little to separate them. But a choice had to be made: Chilean Leon Donoso was named MVP and, at just 16, became the youngest MVP in Open de France history. And perhaps that is ultimately the image to remember from this final. Of the 19 goals scored, 14 came from Teodoro Lacau, Pedro Chavanne, Leon Donoso and Ciro Urturi – four players, the oldest of whom has only just turned 24. On Sunday we watched them contest an Open de France final; it would hardly be surprising to see them, a few years from now, playing another final on Palermo’s cancha 1.
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OPEN DE FRANCE DE POLO BARNES
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OPEN DE FRANCE FEMININ 2026
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133° ABIERTO DE HURLINGHAM ARGENTINA
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MICH AEL SNELL, PHD / LUXURY & AUTOMOTIVE CONTRIBUTOR
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THE BRIDGE AT TEN A DECADE OF CARS, CULTURE AND COLLECTING IN BRIDGEHAMPTON
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HERE ARE AUTOMOTIVE GATHERINGS WHERE THE OBJECTIVE IS IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOOD: JUDGING, TROPHIES, PROVENANCE, LAP TIMES, AUCTION RESULTS. AND THEN THERE IS THE BRIDGE.
On a brilliant September afternoon in Bridgehampton, the distinction was apparent almost immediately. Here, across the rolling grounds of a former race circuit, some of the world’s most remarkable automobiles appeared not as competitors, PAGE 56
but almost as objects within an enormous outdoor exhibition—placed among the landscape, architecture and remnants of one of American motorsport’s more fascinating settings. For its 10th anniversary, The Bridge X, presented by Mercedes-Benz USA, returned to The Bridge golf club with the kind of automotive collection that would be extraordinary almost anywhere else: multiple Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs, generations of Porsche 911 RS models, sixteen Ferrari Testarossas, competition cars spanning more than seven decades, and a field populated by supercars and hypercars from across the automotive world.
Yet the appeal of The Bridge has never been entirely about assembling the rarest cars in one place. It is about how they are assembled.
A CONCOURS WITHOUT THE CONCOURS The absence of judging may be The Bridge’s greatest luxury. There are no scorecards tucked beneath windscreen wipers, no judges inspecting stitching and engine bays, and no procession toward a podium. The cars simply exist within the landscape, allowing design, history and occasionally eccentricity to become the conversation.
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That philosophy felt particularly appropriate for the tenth edition. Color has long played an important role in the visual language of The Bridge, and this year the grounds became an almost painterly study of the automobile. White Porsche 911 RS models appeared together across generations; elsewhere, Porsches moved through an ombré of greens. Ferraris, too, departed from the expected Rosso Corsa, appearing in varying shades of green. Then came the Testarossas. Sixteen of them stretched across the driving range—a wonderfully excessive con-
gregation of one of the defining shapes of the 1980s and early 1990s. Nearby, a starting grid on Paddock Four assembled racing machinery dating from the 1950s through the present. The result felt less like a traditional car show and more like walking through an exhibition in which the curators happened to have several hundred acres at their disposal.
Designed by Grumman engineers and built in 1957, the original Bridgehampton Race Circuit stretched across more than 500 acres overlooking Peconic Bay. Created in the wake of New York’s ban on racing on public roads, the circuit would become an important chapter in postwar American motorsport—and even today, that history remains palpable.
And that landscape matters. Long before golf arrived here, engines did.
Walking the property, now defined by immaculate fairways and carefully considered hospitality spaces, it is difficult not to imagine what this landscape once sounded like at speed. When the property later faced the prospect of development, Robert Rubin stepped in to
WHERE RACING CAME FIRST The manicured grounds beneath the cars conceal a considerably louder past.
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preserve it, acquiring the circuit in 1981 and eventually establishing The Bridge golf club on the site in 2002. That preservation ultimately provided the foundation for what The Bridge has become today. The annual gathering is a collaboration between Rubin; Shamin Abas, President of Shamin Abas Associates; and Jeffrey Einhorn, a Manhattan-based attorney and longtime car collector. Together, they have created an event that feels inseparable from the history of the land on which it takes place. For today’s guests, that connection between past and present gives the gathering a sense of authenticity that would be nearly impossible to recreate elsewhere. At an event devoted to automobiles whose significance is so often defined by history, provenance and preservation, there could hardly be a more appropriate setting.
MERCEDES-BENZ: 140 YEARS IN MOTION This year’s anniversary carried another significant number. Presenting sponsor Mercedes-Benz is celebrating 140 years since Carl Benz’s 1886 patent for what is widely recognized as the first automobile, and the marque’s presence was integrated throughout the event rather than confined to a conventional display. At its center was “Lines of Motion,” an installation extending from The Bridge Pro Shop into the surrounding grounds. Color, form and movement were used to interpret the progression from Benz’s earliest invention to the company’s contemporary performance and technological ambitions. The cars provided the punctuation. Historic Mercedes-Benz models shared the property with contemporary machinery, including the Mercedes-AMG ONE, creating the sort of juxtaposition that makes 140 years of automotive evolution suddenly tangible. One could move from the proportions and mechanical elegance of a 300 SL to a modern hypercar shaped by Formula One technology without ever leaving the lawn. That contrast—heritage without nostalPAGE 58
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gia—became one of the more compelling themes of the afternoon.
BEYOND THE AUTOMOBILE What has increasingly distinguished The Bridge, however, is its understanding that automotive collecting rarely exists in isolation. Collectors tend to collect. Watches, tailoring, architecture, furniture, art, aircraft and automobiles frequently occupy the same cultural orbit, and The Bridge X leaned deliberately into that intersection. The official program expanded across horology, fashion, aviation, design and luxury lifestyle, turning the afternoon into something considerably broader than an automotive gathering. Breguet offered perhaps the most literal demonstration of craftsmanship. Inside
its working atelier, a Master Guillocheur demonstrated traditional guilloché using an antique rose-engine machine while a Master Watchmaker assembled and disassembled movements nearby. Among the pieces on display were the experimental Experimentale 1, the GPHGwinning Souscription 2025BH and six tourbillons commemorating 225 years since Abraham-Louis Breguet patented the tourbillon. Particularly appropriate to the surroundings were historic automotive timepieces connected to the Bugatti Royale and Lamborghini Diablo. The relationship between watchmaking and automobiles can occasionally feel like a marketing construction. Here, watching the work being performed rather than merely looking at finished products, the connection between me-
chanical precision, obsessive detail and craftsmanship felt considerably more convincing. Elsewhere, Mytheresa created the event’s luxury fashion environment with a men’s lounge combining a curated wardrobe with bespoke tailoring, shoe shining and cigars. Twisted Automotive arrived with two bespoke classic Land Rover Defenders, each representing more than 2,500 hours of craftsmanship, while Expedition Motor Company presented a MercedesBenz 250GD Wolf transformed from its former European military life through an extensive frame-off restoration. Ferrari North America occupied the croquet lawn. Spyker made its Bridge debut with the limited-edition C8 Preliator XXV. Aston Martin presented a
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pair of bespoke vehicles. The automotive landscape continually shifted between preservation, restoration, reinterpretation and outright performance. Even the sky became part of the conversation. Blade, now a Joby company, displayed a full-scale model of Joby’s S4 electric aircraft, while Pivotal brought its electric aircraft to the grounds for demonstrations—a reminder that the same questions of mobility, technology and design reshaping the automobile are increasingly moving vertically. A Little Theater PAGE 60
For all the seriousness of the machinery, The Bridge has retained an important sense of humor. A new Americanainspired drive-in theater vignette placed cars and chairs around a hypercut of founder Robert Rubin’s favorite automotive films, complete with popcorn. Nearby, a vintage taxi stand and bus stop featured a 1973 GMC New Look Bus surrounded by yellow sports cars assuming the role of cabs. Artists added another layer by “tagging” a cardboard Mason Williams bus artwork. These moments are important because they keep The Bridge from becoming overly precious. There is an inherent
absurdity to the world of serious collecting—objects designed originally for transportation becoming sculpture, investments and historical artifacts—and the most successful gatherings understand that reverence and enjoyment do not have to be mutually exclusive. The Bridge seems particularly comfortable with both.
THE NEXT GENERATION OF COLLECTING Volvo offered another perspective on that evolution. The marque returned with the debut of its new all-electric EX60, unveiled alongside a live performance
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by pianist and composer Chloe Flower. Surrounding it was a miniature timeline of Volvo history: a 1957 PV444E, 1972 P1800E, 1995 850 T-5R, 2026 XC90 T8 and the 2027 EX60.
Restoration can mean absolute originality or radical reinterpretation. The boundaries have softened, and perhaps that is why The Bridge feels particularly relevant at ten years old.
Placed within an event overwhelmingly informed by history, the display raised an interesting question without needing to state it explicitly: What will the next generation choose to collect?
TEN YEARS LATER
Today’s collector landscape is increasingly comfortable crossing eras and disciplines. A garage might contain an analog sports car, an electric daily driver and a modern hypercar. A vintage watch can coexist with contemporary design.
The weekend extended beyond Saturday’s invitation-only gathering. Cars & Coffee, presented by 1600 Veloce at the Bridgehampton Museum, opened the experience to the public on Sunday morning, while the weekend concluded at Topping Rose House with a garden gathering celebrating Mercedes-Benz’s 140th anniversary.
Limited to 500 guests, the finale combined Mercedes-Benz automobiles with cuisine from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, with ticket proceeds benefiting Heart of the Hamptons and its work providing food and emergency assistance to local families, seniors and individuals in need. The tenth anniversary was also commemorated with a limited-edition capsule collection and a special book documenting both the property and the event’s history. But perhaps the most compelling marker of ten years wasn’t something that could be purchased or displayed.
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Many automotive events can assemble important cars. Fewer can create a setting in which a Testarossa, a Breguet tourbillon, a bespoke Defender, an electric aircraft and a perfectly tailored jacket somehow belong to the same conversation. PAGE 62
By late afternoon, as the September light stretched across the former circuit, the cars appeared less like exhibits waiting to be judged and more like pieces of a much larger portrait of collecting. That may ultimately be The Bridge’s achievement
after a decade. It has never really been about deciding which automobile is best.
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AIRELLES DIPS ITS TOES IN CARIBBEAN WATERS LUXURY HOTEL GROUP AIRELLES WILL ASSUME THE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT FOR ST-BARTH'S LE GUANAHANI IN NOVEMBER
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HE LARGEST HOTEL ON THE ULTRA-LUXE FRENCH WEST INDIES HIDEOUT, SAINTBARTHÉLEMY, IS CHANGING HANDS.
Stéphane Courbit is acquiring Le Guanahani from Rosewood and bringing it into his Airelles collection, which will reopen the property on November 1, 2026, one month after Rosewood’s departure. This marks the French brand’s first venture into the Caribbean, and its very first beach resort.
Le Guanahani occupies a setting unmatched anywhere else on the island: a seven-hectare private peninsula bordered by Marigot Bay on one side and the Grand Cul-de-Sac lagoon on the other. Two beaches · one exposed to the waves, the other sheltered by the coral reef · along with 66 rooms, suites and villas set within Creole cottages featuring pastel shutters, scattered across a tropical garden. Opened in 1986, the hotel has long been Saint-Barth’s premier family address, standing apart from the more glamorous micro-palaces of St. Jean and Flamands.
Hurricane Irma flattened it in September 2017; it remained closed for four years during a complete reconstruction, before reopening in late 2021 under the Rosewood banner, featuring the Beach House, Bar Mélangé and Sense spa. Rosewood’s management contract included an exit clause in 2026, and the death of the owner, American investor David Bonderman, accelerated the sale: his heirs did not wish to retain the hotel. Rosewood left the property on October 1, and Airelles reopens it on November 1, just in time for the Caribbean high season starting at Thanksgiving. PA G E 67
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A four-week transition window indicates that no heavy renovation work is planned in the short term, as the hotel was entirely rebuilt five years ago. Efforts will focus on service, gastronomy and guest experiences, carrying the Airelles signature, rather than structural changes. The transaction amount was not disclosed. Courbit built the Airelles brand starting with Les Airelles in Courchevel, acquired in 2007. The collection now includes Mademoiselle in Val d’Isère, La Bastide de Gordes, Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez, Le Grand Contrôle on the Palace of Versailles estate and, as of this year, Palladio in Venice, its first address outside France. All share a common model: character-filled properPAGE 68
ties, consummate French service, butlers, signature restaurants and complimentary activities for families. Saint-Barth opens a new chapter. This is the collection’s first beach hotel, and its first property outside Europe. The brand finds here what it was missing: a sunny winter destination for its Alpine clientele, a large portion of whom are American and already frequent the island. AnneLaure Ollagnon, Managing Director of Airelles, takes over a fully operational hotel along with its teams. Saint-Barth is a market of micro-palaces: LVMH’s Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France, Oetker Collection’s Eden Rock, Le Sereno, Le Toiny, and
recently Fouquet’s, which replaced the Carl Gustaf. Le Guanahani features two beaches, a full-service spa and children’s facilities. This is precisely what Airelles’ family clientele expects. The question on regulars’ minds is style. Airelles champions grand decor, multiple dining venues and theatrical flair; Guanahani under Rosewood cultivated discreet elegance and a single restaurant. The specialized American press has already expressed concern about a potential mismatch. The answer will come in November, when the first guests discover what changes the house has made in four weeks.
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D I PA K A M D A R /S P E C I A L T O P O LO L I F E S T Y L E S
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THE MEMORY-IMPROVING AND ANXIETY-REDUCING HOUSEHOLD HERB
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OSEMARY IS MORE THAN JUST A KITCHEN STAPLE. IT’S A NATURAL REMEDY WITH ANCIENT ROOTS AND MODERN SCIENTIFIC BACKING Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), the aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean, has long been treasured in kitchens around the world. But beyond its culinary charm, rosemary is also gaining recognition for its impressive health benefits, especially when it comes to brain health, inflammation and immune function. Research suggests rosemary may even hold promise in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Historically, rosemary has been linked to memory and mental clarity. In ancient Greece and Rome, students and scholars used rosemary in the hope of sharpening concentration and recall. Modern science is finding there may have been something in this: in one study, people who inhaled rosemary’s scent performed better on memory tasks compared to those in an unscented environment. So, how does rosemary work on the brain? There are several mechanisms at play. For starters, rosemary stimulates blood circulation, including to the brain, helping deliver more oxygen and nutrients, which may improve mental clarity. It also has calming properties; some studies
suggest its aroma can reduce anxiety and improve sleep. Lower stress can mean better focus and memory retention. Rosemary contains compounds that interact with the brain’s neurotransmitters. One such compound, 1,8-cineole, helps prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical essential for learning and memory. By preserving acetylcholine, rosemary may help support cognitive performance, especially as we age. Another bonus? Rosemary is packed with antioxidants, which help protect brain cells from damage caused by oxidative stress – a major factor in cognitive decline. Rosemary is rich in phytochemicals, plant compounds with health-enhancing effects. One of the most powerful is carnosic acid, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that helps shield brain cells from harm, particularly from the kinds of damage linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In 2025, researchers developed a stable version of carnosic acid called diAcCA. In promising pre-clinical studies, this compound improved memory, boosted the number of synapses (the connections between brain cells), and reduced harmful Alzheimer’s related proteins like amyloid-beta and tau. What’s especially exciting is that diAcCA only activates in inflamed brain regions, which could minimize side effects. So far, studies in mice show no signs of toxicity and significant cognitive improvements, raising hopes that human trials could be next.
Researchers also believe diAcCA could help treat other inflammatory conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Parkinson’s disease. Beyond brain health Rosemary’s benefits could extend well beyond the brain. It’s been used traditionally to ease digestion, relieve bloating and reduce inflammation. Compounds like rosmarinic acid and ursolic acid are known for their anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body. Rosemary may even benefit the skin – a review suggests it can help soothe acne and eczema, while carnosic acid may offer anti-aging benefits by protecting skin from sun damage. Rosemary oil also has antimicrobial properties, showing promise in food preservation and potential pharmaceutical applications by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi. For most people, rosemary is safe when used in food, teas or aromatherapy. But concentrated doses or extracts can pose risks. Consuming large amounts may cause vomiting or, in rare cases, seizures – particularly in people with epilepsy. There’s also a theoretical risk of rosemary stimulating uterine contractions, so pregnant people should avoid high doses. Because rosemary can interact with some medications – such as blood thinners – it’s best to check with a healthcare provider before taking large amounts in supplement form. PA G E 73
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UMORS HAVE CIRCULATED IN PARIS FOR WEEKS: WHO’S IN AND WHO’S OUT OF THE ELITE CLUB OF “PALAIS” HOTELS? Launched by Atout France in 2010, the coveted Palace distinction recognizes establishments that surpass the five-star rating, symbolizing the ne plus ultra of French hospitality. The independent Palace commission has been hard at work evaluating applications — both for new, aspiring applicants and those looking to renew their status (valid for three years) — leading up to the June 2 announcement. The whole thing has been shrouded in secrecy, but someone spilled the beans: In mid-May French newspapers reported that some properties would lose their Palace status for the very first time (“A bombshell in the hushed world of luxury hotels,” proclaimed Le Figaro.). The big reveal took place at the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild, a magnificent 19th-century mansion bequeathed to the state by Europe’s dynastic Rothschild banking family. Profuse with pomp and polish, the ceremony was overseen by Tourism Minister Serge Papin, who delivered the verdict on the 2026 Palace Collection, which now numbers 33. Papin equated it to the Palme d’Or award at the paparazzi-hounded Cannes Film Festival. Six new properties have joined the reigning Palace queens: Hôtel Martinez Cannes, Cheval Blanc Paris, Bvlgari Hotel Paris, Fouquet’s Paris, Four Seasons Resort Megève, and Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa. PA G E 77
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The audience of media and industry veterans nodded and nudged neighbors; the new laureates are not unexpected. Four Seasons already has a duo of Palaces in France, in Paris and the Côte d’Azur. For the Barrière family, the ChampsElysées landmark joins their Courchevel ski resort (both official monikers have morphed into “Fouquet’s,” dropping Barrière). And the LVMH luxury conglomerate scored twice with the Bvlgari Hotel Paris and the Cheval Blanc Paris, both of which debuted in 2021. Parisian hotels still dominate the Palace distinction with a total of 13 in the city, followed by the Côte d’Azur/Provence region (9), and Courchevel (7). This is the first time that Champagne has graced the list. “This Palace distinction is a sublime recognition of the efforts made by our team over many years,” said Michel Cottray, general manager of the Hôtel Martinez, part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection. “Learning that we have met the requirePAGE 78
ments fills us with joy. It is a great source of pride to join the exclusive circle of Palaces in France. After several years of waiting, the Palace distinction is finally making its debut in Cannes and we are very honored.” But mon dieu, what about the quartet that lost their Palace distinction? Incumbents are not safe from scrutiny, and the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, Hôtel Byblos-Saint Tropez, Hôtel du Palais Biarritz, and Mandarin Oriental Paris got the axe. Atout France is tight-lipped about the decision, only noting that the hotels failed to meet the requirements as determined by the 12-person Palace commission during the evaluation process, which included site visits and an interview. The check list of criteria is pages long — service and gastronomy play a key role, as does the balancing act between heritage and innovation. Yet in the end, the deciding factor is subjective. More than a place to sleep, Palaces are “true cultural players,” to quote Christian
Manteï, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atout France. France is the world’s No. 1 tourist destination, and the Palace distinction is a showcase of excellence in hospitality. For luxury travel advisors like Hazel Boone of Marylandbased Someday Vacations, who’s experienced many Palaces first-hand, the label is a selling point, “a useful tool to help clients differentiate between luxury properties in Paris.” Manteï noted that the fact that hotels can lose the Palace distinction speaks to its credibility. Downgraded hotels could potentially rejoin the elite Palace ranks in the future. But will they reapply? The Ritz Paris, which initially failed to snag the Palace distinction before its epic restoration unveiled in 2016, supposedly “opts out” from the application process, instead citing its existing star power and global name recognition.
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PROTEIN IS IN EVERYTHING
WHAT'S REALLY WORTH IT?
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M A R G OT S A N G E R-K AT Z A N D L A R RY B U C H A N A N/S P E C I A L TO P O LO L I F E S T Y L E S
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HOW SUPERMARKETS BECAME PROTEIN-MAXXED
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E ARE LIVING IN AN ERA OF PROTEIN HYPE. THE MACRONUTRIENT HAS BECOME A FOCUS OF TRENDY WEIGHT-LOSS ADVICE. IT’S AN OBSESSION OF WEIGHT LIFTERS AND LONGEVITY BIOHACKERS.
Doctors have been advising higher protein consumption for patients taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs. And the government’s new dietary guidelines, released last year, boosted the levels of recommended protein by more than 50 percent. The guidelines tell Americans to “prioritize protein foods at every meal.” The food industry, naturally, has caught on to this nutritional trend. Yogurt and cheese are now being positioned as high-protein foods, which they always have been. Prepackaged salami snacks are called “protein packs.” But protein is also finding its way into foods that haven’t traditionally contained much of it. You can find protein tortilla chips, granolas, baby food, pudding — even ranch dressing. Over one week, reporters and editors at The Upshot were asked to snap photos of protein marketing in foods they came across in their daily lives. The folder of images grew rapidly. The protein foods are in bodegas, gas stations, grocery stores, warehouse clubs, coffee shops and chain restaurants. The trend has puzzled many nutritionists, including experts involved in developing the new protein-enhanced nutritional guidelines. “A snack food is an indulgent food, and people need to understand it that way,” said Donald Layman, an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who helped inform the protein chapter for the guidelines. He said protein-packed chips and cupcakes are “a bad choice.” A doughnut with 10 grams of protein is still a doughnut. The guidelines advise Americans to eat less processed food and to focus on foods that are naturally high in protein, including dairy, meat, nuts and beans. Protein added to processed snack foods is not the same thing, he said.
“I refer to it as fairy dust,” Professor Layman said. “Fairy dusting over products that don’t need to have protein in them is useless.” (We neglected to ask him about his views on several protein-infused vodkas, including one that claims it is “crafted for the wellness-minded and fitness-forward.”) Protein bars, powders and shakes have been around for a while; they long ago broke out from bodybuilding to the mainstream. They now occupy an expanding share of real estate in grocery stores and gas station convenience stores — in many cases, entire aisles. But there are now also protein versions of everything else, with a range of claims. Sources of protein and good sources of protein. High PROTEIN, PROTEIN-packed, and sometimes just “PRO.” It is almost always in all caps, and often in the product’s name. And there are snack categories that appear to exist primarily in the protein universe, like sticks and balls. Even white-label supermarket brands now offer protein foods. “If you’re not evolving and the consumer is, you’re dead in the water,” said Bonnie Herzog, an equity analyst at Goldman Sachs, who tracks the food and beverage industry. Ms. Herzog, a vegan, said her social media feed was filled with advice to eat more protein and tips on how to do it. NIQ, which collects detailed data on retail food sales, counts 37,232 products in stores carrying front-of-package protein claims. It has measured around $90 billion in consumer spending on these products over the last year, including more than $2 billion on protein pizzas and $35 million on protein toaster pastries. (Yes, Protein Pop-Tarts exist.) “You’ve got the claims sneaking into categories that don’t make a lot of sense,” said Chris Costagli, a vice president at NIQ, who monitors the food and beverage industries. “All of a sudden, you’ve got people that are buying the product just because they see the word.” Whey, the milk-based protein that is the key PA G E 83
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ingredient in most protein powders, bars and even ice creams, was once considered a waste product of cheese production. It is now in such demand that prices have doubled in the last five years, according to Ever.Ag, an agricultural risk management firm that closely tracks prices in the dairy industry. “There were a lot of questions over the last few months of are we at the jumpthe-shark moment with some of these new products,” said Kathleen Wolfley, the company’s vice president for insights. But, she said, “we continue to see further innovation in this marketplace.” She also noted that the protein bonanza had been great news for struggling cheesemakers. Nearly 90 percent of Americans already get enough protein, according to a recent analysis from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (If you’re curious how much you should be getting, here’s a calculator.) But consumers still seem hungry for more. Sales of protein-packed breakfast cereals and granola have increased by 15 percent over the last year, according to NIQ. They are often paired with ultra-filtered high-protein milks. (It is those filtered
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milks that are used to make the protein foams at your local coffee shop.) Tortilla chips with protein are also selling at a steady clip, driving PepsiCo’s new launch of Protein Doritos, located on a supermarket endcap near you: Do protein Doritos taste good? Matt Rosenman, a graphic designer who makes social media content examining food marketing and health, said he had tried nearly all the protein snacks, including tortilla chips that were close to inedible. His verdict on protein Doritos was more positive: “Slightly worse version of Doritos, but they are pretty close.” In videos, Mr. Rosenman shows some of the common tricks food companies use to make junk foods look like responsible choices. Neutral colors and pictures of farms and mountains signify healthy products. Unregulated words like “plantbased” and “natural” help give foods a virtuous halo. But as the protein arms race has intensified, these subtle techniques have faded. Font size has come to dominate protein claims. With ubiquitous giant bubbles, companies emphasize protein content, sometimes even when products don’t
offer much of it. The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates health claims on foods, has relatively lax rules about how brands use the word “protein” on the front of their packages. While there are rules about claiming a product has “high protein” or is a “good source,” vaguer claims in product names and giant bubbles are almost always unregulated. “It works, and it works for me,” Mr. Rosenman said. “I saw the giant word ‘protein’ and it stopped me in my tracks.” Doritos itself is a useful case study. The brightly packaged chips have been around since the 1960s, with reformulations for nearly every major diet trend. The original Doritos emphasized that they were tasty with dips. But nutrition claims started showing up in the 1970s, with the information they contained “no preservatives!” Of course, you can protein-max by cooking your own food. There are endless TikToks and Instagram Reels about how to consume more than 150 grams of protein a day, often by sneaking chicken breasts and cottage cheese into just about every meal. (Cottage cheese fatigue has become such an issue that there is now
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a subcategory of videos on how to make high-protein meals without it.) But junk food is more fun. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist who directs the Food Is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, compared protein chips and protein brownies to SnackWell’s Cookies of yore — products that are no
healthier than the highly processed foods they replaced, but sheathed in a patina of virtue. “It’s a bizarre trend, and not supported by the science,” he said. As Doritos teaches, nutritional fads come and go. Peak protein may not last forever. (Several industry experts casually
mentioned that fiber may be the next big thing.) Around 70 years ago, food scientists at what was then the Kellogg Company teamed with researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health to develop a new cereal, called Special K. Its main selling point? PROTEIN!
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NEVER IGNORE
EXPERTS SAY THESE WARNING SIGNS SHOULD ALWAYS PROMPT A CHAT WITH A DOCTOR
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S
OMETIMES A MISERABLE BOUT OF DIARRHEA IS CAUSED BY NOTHING MORE THAN NERVES OR A 24-HOUR STOMACH BUG. LINGERING GAS AND BLOATING CAN BE SET OFF BY A RECENT LONG-HAUL FLIGHT.
But similar symptoms could also represent something far more serious. It can be tricky to tell with the gastrointestinal tract, the long tube that runs from the mouth to the end of the large intestine. We asked gut health experts to share some of the warning signs they’d never want their patients to ignore. 1. BLOOD IN THE TOILET. When people see blood in or on their stool, they often ignore it because they assume it’s from hemorrhoids, said Dr. Cathy Eng, a professor of medicine at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. When hemorrhoids, which are swollen, inflamed veins, are irritated or pressure is applied, they can cause bright red blood to appear on toilet paper, or as drops in the toilet bowl or on the surface of your stool. But it’s often not possible to tell by appearance whether the blood is from hemorrhoids or something more serious, Dr. Eng said. Health issues like colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and even certain stomach bugs can also cause blood to appear in or on the stool, said Dr. Baha Moshiree, a gastroenterologist and professor of medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina. Stool that appears black, tarry or dark maroon can be a sign of bleeding in the stomach or upper digestive tract from a stomach ulcer, a cancer in the stomach or esophagus or other conditions, Dr. Moshiree said. 2. AN UNUSUAL CHANGE IN BOWEL MOVEMENTS. It’s a good idea to tell a doctor about unexpected changes to the shape, frequency or consistency of your bowel movements,
like newly appearing constipation, diarrhea or thin stools, said Dr. Andrew Chan, a gastroenterologist at Mass General Brigham in Boston. When such changes occur without a clear reason, like shifts in your diet, medications, stress levels or work schedule, it could signal that something is off, Dr. Chan said. A growing tumor in the colon, for instance, can cause constipation or thin stools, Dr. Eng said. And intestinal inflammation can cause both constipation and diarrhea, often with pain, gas and bloating. 3. DIARRHEA THAT WON’T GO AWAY. If your bowel movements have been loose or watery for more than five to seven days, especially if you also have abdominal pain, cramping or changes to your appetite, it’s worth looping in a health professional, Dr. Eng said. Intestinal infections caused by certain pathogens, like the parasites cyclospora or giardia or the bacterium Clostridioides difficile, can cause diarrhea, cramping, pain or appetite changes that may benefit from antibiotics or other treatments, Dr. Moshiree said. Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis can also cause chronic diarrhea, pain, cramping, gas and bloating, as can celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which eating gluten causes the immune system to attack the colon. 4. DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING. Any recurring pain, discomfort or trouble with swallowing can be worrisome, Dr. Moshiree said. This includes feeling like you can’t move food from your mouth to your throat or a sensation that food is getting stuck in your throat. If you’re noticing any of these symptoms frequently — even if they only last for a moment — see a doctor, Dr. Moshiree said. Nerve or muscle conditions, like Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis, can cause discomfort or trouble swallowing, she said. And conditions that cause a blockage near the throat, such as
throat or esophageal cancers, can make it difficult for food to pass through. 5. SYMPTOMS THAT WAKE YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, nausea or other gut symptoms that wake you up should raise an alarm, Dr. Moshiree said. Serious conditions like Crohn’s disease or colorectal cancer can cause these unpleasant nighttime awakenings. Stomach viruses or food poisoning can also jolt you awake, she said. Less urgent gut conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome or run-of-the-mill indigestion, are less likely to disrupt your sleep, Dr. Moshiree said, since their symptoms are more likely to occur when you’re awake. Also be sure to tell a doctor if you’re frequently having night sweats that aren’t menopause-related, Dr. Eng said. Night sweats can be a symptom of many types of cancer, including those related to the gastrointestinal tract, such as colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancers. As a general rule, an unexplained loss of more than 10 percent of your body weight, across any time frame, is worth telling a doctor about, Dr. Moshiree said. Worrisome conditions that can cause unexpected weight loss include gastrointestinal cancers, inflammatory bowel diseases, intestinal blockages and gastroparesis, a disorder that causes your stomach to empty too slowly. THE BOTTOM LINE If you’re unsure whether a digestive symptom is worrisome, especially if it doesn’t resolve within a few days to a few weeks, it’s a good idea to run it by a doctor, the experts said. A primary care doctor at a local clinic, or even a gynecologist, can be a good first stop, Dr. Eng said. That doctor can then refer you to a specialist, like a gastroenterologist, if you need one.
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ARGENTINE CITIZENSHIP WILL BE NEW ‘STATUS SYMBOL’ FOR WEALTHY AMERICANS, SAY EXPERTS
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NNOUNCED BY ARGENTINA’S MINISTER OF ECONOMY, LUIS CAPUTO, AND SET TO LAUNCH BEFORE THE END OF 2026, THE COUNTRY’S CITIZENSHIP-BY-INVESTMENT PROGRAM IS THE FIRST IN SOUTH AMERICA, THE FIRST FOR A G20 COUNTRY, AND THE FIRST TO RECOGNIZE SAME-SEX MARRIED COUPLES. There are two ways to buy into the program: make a one-time, non-refundable donation or invest in a seven-year, no interest bond. High-net-worth Americans are increasingly seeking a “plan B” as “an insurance policy” against instability in a volatile world, two investment migration advisers
who counseled the Argentinian government, told Forbes. Since 2020, immigration attorneys and ancestry services have also seen surging interest among Americans seeking dual citizenship through descent, but the Trump administration’s staffing cuts at the National Archives have made it more challenging for people to access the necessary genealogy records, the Boston Globe reported. “I think every wealthy American will consider this,” Nuri Katz, president of Apex Capital Partners, told Forbes. “It’s so unique that it’ll be seen both as an insurance policy and as a kind of a status symbol, like the Amex Black Card. As in, ‘oh, you don’t have Argentina.’” Before launching its citizenship-by-investment product, Argentina’s government consulted with a consortium of five global immigration migration advisory
firms, including Latitude World, Apex Capital Partners, Passport Legacy, Arton Capital and AIM Global Residency and Citizenship. The resulting program offers two pathways to citizenship. An applicant can make a one-time donation of $350,000 for an individual or $450,000 for a couple, plus $25,000 for each child under 18 and $100,000 for each adult child 18 to 24. Alternatively, an applicant can purchase a seven-year, no-interest treasury bond for $800,000 for an individual or $900,000 for a couple, plus $25,000 for each child under 18 and $100,000 for each adult child 18 to 24. Katz expects the first option to be more popular. “Any decent investor should be able to double their money in seven years,” he said. “For a family of four, paying $950,000 for a seven-year bond with zero interest means losing $950,000 in the future,” he said. “That’s worse than giving up $500,000 now.”
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FASHION & STYLE FASHION WEEK SS 2027
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FROM THE RUNWAYS OF NEW YORK, TO THE PALAZZOS OF MILAN AND LABYRINTHS OF LONDON TO THE CELEBRATIONS OF BEAUTY IN PARIS
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NYFW'S BEST OF SPRING 2027
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ROM TORY BURCH’S NEW YORK CONFIDENCE TO RALPH LAUREN’S ENDURING ROMANCE, SPRING 2027 CELEBRATED DESIGNERS WHO KNOW WHO THEY ARE — AND STILL KNOW HOW TO SURPRISE US New York has always done confidence particularly well, and Spring 2027 found the city’s designers wearing theirs rather comfortably. Rather than chasing novelty for novelty’s sake, many of the week’s best collections came from designers who seemed increasingly at ease with their own identities. They knew their signatures, understood their women, and then had a little fun moving the furniture around. The result was a season filled with perPAGE 100
sonality: romantic in places, wonderfully polished in others, and often lighter on its feet than fashion can sometimes allow itself to be. Tory Burch led the way with a collection that showed just how far her creative evolution has come. Her recent seasons have steadily expanded the language of American sportswear, but Spring 2027 felt especially assured, balancing usefulness with fantasy and introducing a richer, more opulent femininity without losing the intelligence and ease that now define her work. It was sophisticated, desirable, and, perhaps most importantly, looked like women might actually have a very good time wearing it. Ralph Lauren, meanwhile, offered a reminder that there is something rather wonderful about a designer who has spent decades building a world and still
finds new reasons to invite us back inside it. The familiar pleasures were there — tailoring, romance, glamour, and that particularly Lauren idea of American ease — but nothing felt dusty or overly reverential. It was Ralph Lauren doing what Ralph Lauren does best, which is considerably harder than he makes it look. At Khaite, Catherine Holstein softened the edges of the house without losing any of its authority. Lace, florals, lingerie elements, and less controlled silhouettes brought romance and vulnerability into a vocabulary better known for leather, sharp shoulders, and downtown cool. The Khaite woman did not suddenly become someone else; she simply revealed another side of herself. Thom Browne went in the opposite direction, happily disappearing even
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further into his own universe. Insects became the latest characters in his wonderfully peculiar world of uniforms, tailoring, repetition, fantasy, and exacting craft. There are few designers in American fashion whose work can be identified from across a room, and Browne’s Spring collection was another reminder that having an unmistakable point of view remains one of fashion’s greatest luxuries. There was plenty of joy elsewhere. Wes Gordon celebrated Carolina Herrera’s 45th anniversary with color, wit, flowers, polish, and the simple but increasingly radical idea that getting dressed beautifully should be fun. The house’s history was present, but Gordon wisely treated it as something to play with rather than preserve behind glass. Michael Kors Collection once again made the business of looking effortless feel remarkably enticing, while Brandon Maxwell continued refining his own idea of modern American glamor. Spring also brought a welcome change of scenery for Magda Butrym. Having previously shown in Paris, the Polish designer arrived in New York with the sensuality and romantic confidence that have made her work so distinctive. She felt surprisingly at home here, her particular brand of femininity adding another voice to the city rather than simply visiting it. Joseph Altuzarra brought intimacy and emotion to the week, while Coach continued to prove that heritage is often most interesting when it is allowed to get a little scuffed around the edges. Together, they helped round out a Top 10 that felt less like a search for one defining New York aesthetic and more like a celebration of how many compelling versions of American fashion can coexist at once. That may have been the real pleasure of Spring 2027. New York did not need to shout about finding itself. Its strongest designers simply got on with the business of making good clothes, building distinctive worlds, and reminding us that confidence, when earned, can be enormously charming.
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TORY BURCH SS27
THE IMPRESSION
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RALPH LAUREN SS27
A
FTER YEARS OF CREATIVE TURNOVER, FASHION HAS BEGUN TO TREAT REINVENTION AS A CONDITION OF RELEVANCE. HOUSES ARE EXPECTED TO RESET, DECLARE NEW ERAS, AND PROVE CHANGE QUICKLY, OFTEN BEFORE A LANGUAGE HAS HAD TIME TO DEEPEN. Ralph Lauren offers a different proposition. His authority comes not from disruption, but from the sustained belief in a world he has spent decades building. PAGE 112
Spring 2027 returned to that familiar vocabulary — masculine tailoring, romantic shirting, languid evening wear, flashes of gold, and American elegance — but its strength lay in how those codes were loosened, recombined, and made to feel lived in again. The tension between polish and abandon gave the clothes their character. Navy tailoring provided the collection’s architecture, appearing in elongated coats, broad-shouldered jackets, pinstriped trousers, and cropped silhouettes. Around it came ruffled white shirts, faded velvets, tactile trims, metallic skirts, tassels, washed florals, and dresses that moved between evening glamour and
something more bohemian. A gold skirt beneath a severe navy coat made tailoring feel suddenly decadent; a voluminous blue shirt became an evening proposition through scale alone. Elsewhere, embroidered layers and robe-like velvet suggested a woman whose elegance had been acquired over time rather than assembled for an occasion. That sensibility feels especially relevant now. Fashion is moving through an unusually self-conscious period of creative transition, with houses under pressure to demonstrate change quickly and visibly. Ralph Lauren presents almost the inverse proposition. His universe has been built over decades, and its value increasingly
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lies in its continuity. Spring 2027 understood that familiarity can still create desire when the ingredients are recombined with instinct. The collection knew the difference between repetition and recognition. Which raises a larger question for the season: at a moment when designers are being asked to prove their relevance through constant transformation, how much creative value can reside in deepening a language the audience already understands?
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TOP 10 MILANO SS27 SHOWS F ROM PRADA’S PROPOSITION OF POSSIBILITY TO BOTTEGA VENETA’S NEW LIGHTNESS, MILAN FOUND ITS STRENGTH IN DESIGNERS WHO KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO PUSH — AND WHEN TO PULL BACK
Milan had a lot on its plate this season. New creative chapters were settling in, established designers were sharpening their point of view, and a few houses were still figuring out exactly what their next act should look like. The good news: the city rarely felt short on ideas. PAGE 126
What connected the strongest shows was not one dominant trend, but a willingness to rethink familiar territory without making a great fuss about it. Sometimes that meant taking something as ordinary as a skirt and finding sixty-three ways to make it interesting. Sometimes it meant making leather feel almost weightless, or allowing a house known for eccentricity to get a little more mischievous. The best collections found movement by working from within. At Prada, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons built the entire collection around one of fashion’s most familiar garments: the skirt. What could have become an
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academic exercise instead turned into a demonstration of possibility, with variations in proportion, surface, function, and styling making repetition feel anything but repetitive. Velcro, embroidery, tailoring, transparency, and bare simplicity all entered the conversation. Prada has long enjoyed taking the ordinary and making us reconsider it; Spring 2027 did exactly that, one skirt at a time. Louise Trotter took Bottega Veneta in a lighter direction, quite literally. Leather was shaved down, intrecciato opened up, and natural fibers, crochet, embroidery, and fringing softened the house’s craft vocabulary for summer. There was still
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plenty of technical intelligence beneath it all, but the collection felt freer and less interested in proving how difficult everything was to make. Sometimes luxury works best when all the effort looks effortless. Meryll Rogge’s second season at Marni confirmed that her first was no happy accident. She seems to understand the peculiar balancing act Marni requires: eccentric but wearable, experimental without disappearing into concept, playful without becoming juvenile. Cut-outs, displaced proportions, oversized buckles, exposed inner construction, and a little well-placed mischief gave the collection character, while Rogge’s interest in dressing different ages and personalities made the whole thing feel surprisingly generous. At Fendi, Maria Grazia Chiuri turned her attention inward — and underneath. Lingerie, exposed bras, slips, robes, folk references, and softer layers pushed the house toward a more sensual and playful
femininity. The mirrored set occasionally made the clothes harder to see, but Chiuri’s larger idea came through: this was a Fendi woman increasingly comfortable deciding what she reveals, what she keeps private, and how much fun she wants to have in between. Gucci was less interested in subtlety. For what Demna described as the first true expression of his vision for the house, he built an entire store and filled it with characters, merchandise, aspiration, excess, and plenty of Gucci. “The Store Show” made his retail instincts part of the spectacle, moving between accessible sportswear and full-throttle luxury with the confidence of someone who knows exactly how people shop — and how they dream about shopping. The foundation has been laid. Now comes the fun part: seeing how far Demna is willing to push it. Simone Bellotti continued finding his footing at Jil Sander by loosening the expectations around minimalism. Clean
tailoring and corporate codes were disturbed by crushed surfaces, shifted fastenings, exaggerated evening silhouettes, and unexpectedly sweet color. The best moments suggested that Bellotti’s Jil Sander will not be about reverence for restraint so much as finding out how much tension can live inside it. Moschino entered a new chapter under Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo, the founders of Sunnei, and their debut was tellingly less noisy than some might have expected. Rather than racing immediately toward Franco Moschino’s greatest hits, they approached the house with a more measured wit, using wearability and understatement as a way into a brand long associated with provocation. For two designers known for questioning how fashion is presented and consumed, beginning with restraint may have been the cheekiest move available. Diesel delivered a goodbye worthy of Glenn Martens’ six-year run. His tenure transformed denim into a testing ground
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for distressing, coating, manipulation, spectacle, and just about every indignity a pair of jeans could survive. His final collection did not play like a sentimental greatest-hits tour; it was one last reminder of how thoroughly he changed the brand’s place in Milan. Denim may recover eventually.
Miller became less a costume and more a spirit of independence running through a wardrobe Davis has made increasingly his own.
At Ferragamo, Maximilian Davis continued building one of Milan’s clearest visions of modern sensuality. Looking to Lee Miller, he moved between military structure and intimate draping, softening utility through sheer fabrics, scarf dressing, and flashes of fetishistic polish. The historical reference never swallowed the clothes, which is precisely why it worked:
And then there was Galib Gassanoff, who made a convincing case for clothing that demands to be experienced beyond the screen. Beginning with squares of fabric, he transformed flat planes into sleeves, capes, drapes, and sculptural forms that only fully revealed themselves in motion. Against lighter georgette, bouclé, and frescolana, the architectural rigor associated with his work gained a new fluidity. The final handkerchief dresses, made from Azerbaijani kelaghayi silk scarves, brought heritage into the collection
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without flattening it into symbolism. In an era when so much fashion is designed to survive a phone screen, Gassanoff gave Milan something refreshingly three-dimensional. Taken together, Milan’s best collections suggested a city increasingly comfortable with contradiction. Prada found freedom through limitation. Bottega Veneta made craft lighter. Marni made eccentricity welcoming. Fendi exposed more, Jil Sander disrupted restraint, Gucci built a store, and Diesel tore the place up on its way out.
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A
NNOUNCED AS ‘THE STORE SHOW’ ON INSTAGRAM FOUR DAYS AGO THE DESIGNER BUILT AN ENTIRE ‘STORE’ FOR HIS SPRING 2027 SHOW, Complete with four distinctive layouts and all the fixtures, fittings, and furniture you would expect upon entering the brands retail space on Via Monte Napoleone. With security diligently guarding the merchandise on display, least any guests attempt to secure a souvenir from the show feigning ignorance that it was a prop. And In his first true vision for Gucci, Demna invited us in to window shop from the front row. This meta device was his method of self-referencing the brand, while also displaying his extensive experience as a chief merchandiser who knows what will go from runway-to-retail and fly off the shelves. His love of characters also
provided room for a full expansion of the The Snob, The Rebellious Aristocrat, and The Eccentric who we were introduced to at the beginning of his tenure. but there is still room to push the boundaries now that the foundation has been fully established. In a personal letter to editors – via the show invitation that was later shared to the brands Instagram account – Demna wrote that his spring 2027 collection should be marked down in the ledger as day one. An unofficial starting gun for his complete vision for Gucci, and what we can expect in the seasons to come. This approach feels logical as his ‘official’ debut would have been considered more of an appetizer, it gave a flavor of his grasp of the Gucci house codes and how he will interpret them going forward. There was also his dabble into the world of filmmaking with ‘The Tiger,’ directed by Spike Jonze released nearly a year ago to the day. This presented another angle, or visual medium, for the designer to approach how Gucci has become an integral part of popular culture. The film linked to the introduction of ‘La Famiglia’ and the extended lineage of which we were introduced to today, in what can only be described as the ultimate runway-to-re-
tail experiment. The cult of personality drives this world, ever since we could broadcast every minute of our lives, from the thrilling to the mundane. And it is this cult that has also had a hand in creating the outsized influence the brand has on everything from music and film, to sport and hospitality. ‘Gucci’s history is carried by personalities’ reiterated the designer. It is not what you wear, but how you wear it that makes the double G cool, provocative, or even bourgeoisie. Taking himself back to Gucci’s origin story, he was taken by the way people from all walks of life might cross paths in the hotel lobby of The Savoy Hotel in London. An institution where Guccio Gucci got his start in life as a porter, and which also became the very place that began the seeds of an idea to start a luggage atelier. Previously, said lobby would only have entertained the international jet set, inter-mingling and brokering deals. Today – as a reflection of Gucci’s runway casting – you can expect aristocracy, tech bros, and award-winning actors to rub shoulders with influencers, rappers, and the nouveau rich. And it is in this spirit of possibility that Demna plans to build his new vision for Gucci. PA G E 139
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DIOR SS27
CRAFT, TOUCH, AND IRREGULARITY GIVE DIOR'S HISTORY NEW LIFE By now, Jonathan Anderson’s Dior is no longer simply a debut proposition. A language has begun to take shape: layered, delicate, youthful, charming, artisanal, and touched with enough oddness to keep prettiness awake. For Spring 2027, Anderson continued refining that language, building on the ideas he has spent
the past few seasons gradually honing at the house.
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The wénwán walnuts sent as the show invitation offered a useful way into that thinking. Across the house’s materials, Dior connected them to the image of a nut holding the knowledge of the tree it
will become, and to the Chinese tradition of hand-rolling wénwán walnuts until their surfaces acquire a smooth patina over time. Perfect symmetry, the house suggested, is elusive. That thought felt central to the collection. Anderson’s Dior is not interested in perfection as something fixed or untouched. It is interested
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in what becomes precious through touch, time, irregularity, and care. The setting made the idea feel literal without becoming heavy-handed. At Le Bassin Octogonal in the Jardin des Tuileries, a cluster of camphor trees stood enveloped in mist, installed for the show before being replanted in the gardens afterward. The gesture gave the presentation a sense of continuity
beyond the runway: nature as image, but also as process. Growth, patience, and cultivation became more than mood. They became a way of thinking about how Anderson is approaching Dior itself. That is where the collection felt especially persuasive. Rather than trying to define the house through one commanding silhouette or a dramatic reset, Anderson continued to build a Dior world through
accumulation: soft color, delicate layers, crafted surfaces, youthful proportions, historical echoes, and small moments of strangeness. The result was charming, but not slight. Its sweetness was grounded by material intelligence. Its playfulness was supported by craft. And its prettiness felt most compelling when it allowed imperfection, asymmetry, and the evidence of the hand to remain visible. PA G E 153
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SPIRITUALITY · FAITH · QUESTIONS · GROWTH · FOCUS
IN SEARCH OF THE
SACRED AMRITLAL अमृत
ASCENSION CONTRIBUTOR @monarchvisionary
WHEN TRAVEL BECOMES TRANSFORMATION There are journeys measured by distance, and others measured by what they alter within us. Sacred-site spiritual ascension travel belongs to the latter tradition: pilgrimage undertaken not simply to encounter extraordinary geography, architecture or culture, but to enter places shaped by centuries of devotion with enough presence that the journey may transform consciousness itself. Within that experience, mind, body and soul are not separate subjects. The mind encounters unfamiliar cosmologies and sees its own assumptions more clearly; the body becomes an instrument of pilgrimage through walking, sensation, exertion and contact with the elements; and the soul enters the older spiritual disciplines of reverence, surrender and contemplation. For the contemporary luxury traveler, this suggests a deeper definition of privilege—not merely access to rare destinations, but the time and interior freedom to be changed by PAGE 180
them. Few sacred landscapes express this possibility more powerfully than Arunachala, the mountain rising above Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Revered within Shaivite tradition as an embodiment of Lord Shiva and of Agni, the primordial principle of fire, Arunachala became for spiritual teacher and Kundalini master, Atmapriya, a place where mythology moved into lived experience. In this conversation with Monarch Visionary for POLO LIFESTYLES, her testimony remains entirely her own: a journey through sacred architecture, bodily encounter, pilgrimage, resistance, surrender and awakening.
THE LIVING MOUNTAIN MONARCH VISIONARY: Sacred-site travel begins with a radically different relationship to place. Rather than approaching a destination merely as geography, architecture or history, the pilgrim enters it as a living field of meaning. For someone who has never encountered Arunachala, how would you describe this place? ATMAPRIYA: There are places on this earth that are not merely geographical locations, but active, living spiritual entities. Tiruvannamalai, a vibrant
town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is one such place. It is home to the majestic Annamalaiyar Temple and the towering, ancient Arunachala Hill. To the casual observer, it is a stunning piece of Dravidian architecture nestled at the foot of a rugged mountain. But to the seeker, the pilgrim, and the devotee, the hill is not just made of rock and earth—it is the physical embodiment of Lord Shiva himself. This is not just a story of an ancient temple; it is a story of personal transformation, of feeling the tangible presence of the divine, and of walking out of the comforts of everyday life into something profoundly greater.
A M R I T L A L अमृत / A S C E N S I O N C O N T R I B U T O R
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R E N E WA L · C O M M U N I T Y · S U P P O RT · E X P LO R AT I O N · E N E R G Y A JOURNEY THROUGH PSYCHIC REMEMBRANCE, THE TREE OF LIFE, AND THE SAP OF IMMORTALITY THE MIND: ENTERING A DIFFERENT COSMOLOGY MONARCH VISIONARY: Arunachala is particularly associated with fire. Within the inner journey of pilgrimage, fire can also symbolize illumination, purification and the transformation of consciousness. What is the sacred origin of Arunachala’s connection with Agni? ATMAPRIYA: To understand the energy of Arunachala, one must first understand its origins in Hindu mythology. The Annamalaiyar Temple is revered as one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, a cluster of five sacred Shiva temples in South India, each representing one of the five primeval elements of nature: earth, water, fire, wind, and space. Arunachala specifically represents Agni, the element of fire. According to ancient Puranic legends, there was once a cosmic dispute between Lord Brahma (the creator) and Lord Vishnu (the preserver) over who was the supreme deity. As their argument threatened to plunge the universe into chaos, Lord Shiva intervened. To shatter their immense egos, Shiva manifested himself as a colossal, infinite column of blazing fire—the Jyotirlinga—piercing the heavens and the earth. Shiva challenged Brahma and Vishnu to find the beginning and the end of this blazing pillar. Vishnu took the form of Varaha, a giant boar, and dug deep into the netherworlds to find the base of the fire. Brahma transformed into a
swan and flew high into the cosmos to find its crown. Despite their immense powers, both failed. The column of fire was endless, representing the infinite nature of the Supreme Consciousness. Humbled, they surrendered to Shiva. MONARCH VISIONARY: And according to the tradition, that infinite fire eventually became the mountain itself? ATMAPRIYA: It is said that because this fiery form was too blinding and intense for mortals to worship, Shiva compassionately condensed this cosmic fire into a dormant, physical form: the sacred hill of Arunachala. The name itself reflects this history. “Annamalai” is derived from two Tamil words: anna, meaning “great” or “powerful,” and malai, meaning “hill.” In Sanskrit, “Arunachala” translates roughly to “Red Mountain,” a name derived from aruna (the red, fiery rays of the sun) and achala (unmoving). Thus, the mountain is quite literally an unmoving fire.
SACRED ARCHITECTURE AS THRESHOLD MONARCH VISIONARY: At the foot of that mountain stands the extraordinary Annamalaiyar Temple. For the ascension traveler, entering sacred architecture can itself become part of the transition from ordinary consciousness into spiritual contemplation. What does one encounter there? ATMAPRIYA: The Annamalaiyar Temple complex that sits at the base
of this sacred hill is one of the largest and most breathtaking temple complexes in India, spanning over 25 acres. The temple as it stands today is the result of centuries of devotion, built and expanded by successive dynasties, including the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Hoysalas, and the Vijayanagara Empire. The temple is fortified by massive, towering walls and features four colossal gateway towers known as gopurams. The eastern gateway, the Rajagopuram, stands at a staggering 66 meters (216 feet) tall, making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. Intricately carved with thousands of colorful deities, mythological creatures, and fractal-like geometric patterns, it serves as a gateway between the mundane world and the divine realm. Inside, the temple is a labyrinth of pillared halls, sacred water tanks, and intimate shrines. The most famous of these is the Thousand-Pillared Hall, an architectural marvel built by the Vijayanagara kings, where each pillar is carved from a single piece of granite block. MONARCH VISIONARY: And what exists at the spiritual center of the temple? ATMAPRIYA: At the innermost sanctum, the Garbhagriha, sits the presiding deity: Lord Annamalaiyar. He is worshipped in the form of a lingam— specifically the Agni Lingam, representing the fire element. His consort, the goddess Parvati, is worshipped here as Unnamalai Amman. The atmosphere inside the sanctum is thick with the PA G E 181
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SPIRITUALITY · FAITH · QUESTIONS · GROWTH · FOCUS scent of camphor, incense, and the echoing chants of ancient Vedic mantras, creating an environment where the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds feels incredibly thin.
THE BODY: WHEN PILGRIMAGE BECOMES EMBODIED MONARCH VISIONARY: Your own relationship with Arunachala began before you understood any of this history. In many sacred journeys, the body appears to encounter the destination before the analytical mind understands it. What happened during that first encounter? ATMAPRIYA: For all its historical grandeur, the true essence of Arunachala cannot be understood through books or architecture alone. It must be experienced. Before my first visit to Tiruvannamalai, I knew virtually nothing about this place. I did not know about the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, nor was I familiar with the legend of the infinite column of fire. I was simply a traveler, arriving in a new place. We had planned to visit the temple at night. The air was cool, and a gentle, persistent drizzle was falling from the dark sky. As I began walking toward the temple complex, something inexplicable happened. Despite the cool night air and the light rain, my physical body began to react in a way I had never experienced. My entire face and body began to heat up rapidly. It wasn’t just a mild warmth; it felt as though I was literally burning. I kept looking around, bewildered, trying to locate the source of the heat. I turned to the people I was with and asked, “Why is my body so warm? I feel like there is an actual fire burning right in front of my face.” PAGE 182
MONARCH VISIONARY: Was there any visible explanation for the heat? ATMAPRIYA: I was confused and overwhelmed. It wasn’t until I reached the temple and spoke to the local residents that the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. They listened to my experience and smiled with a deep, knowing understanding. They told me the history of the temple—how the entire hill is worshipped as Lord Shiva, and how he manifests here specifically in the form of Agni, or fire. MONARCH VISIONARY: How did they interpret what had happened to you?
tion with resistance. The journey does not ask the traveler merely to admire the sacred from a distance; it asks for participation. This is where sacred-site ascension travel diverges most clearly from conventional tourism. Its deepest luxury is not consumption but presence: the opportunity to leave habitual structures long enough for another order of experience to become perceptible. Arunachala becomes compelling not simply because of what the traveler sees there, but because of what the encounter may disclose within the traveler.
THE PATH OF SURRENDER
ATMAPRIYA: They told me that what I had experienced was not my imagination playing tricks on me. The intense, burning heat I felt was the undeniable truth of the place. Lord Shiva had shown his presence to me directly. He had made me feel the cosmic fire that lies dormant within the red earth of the mountain.
MONARCH VISIONARY: The temple is only one dimension of the pilgrimage. Another is the ancient practice of walking around Arunachala itself. Here the sacred journey becomes physical discipline, contemplative practice and psychological transformation simultaneously. What is the significance of that journey?
When the heat finally subsided, it did not leave me drained; it left me overflowing with profound gratitude. In that moment, Shiva was no longer a distant mythological figure or an abstract concept. He was a living, breathing reality. Arunachala is one of those rare places on earth where you can experience the divine as a tangible, everyday phenomenon. It is a place where faith is not just believed, but physically felt.
ATMAPRIYA: Worshiping the lingam inside the temple is only half of the pilgrimage. Because the hill of Arunachala itself is considered to be a massive Shiva Lingam, the ultimate act of devotion is Giri Pradakshina (circumambulation of the mountain).
Atmapriya’s account reveals the distinctive architecture of transformational pilgrimage. Sacred geography first enters the mind through myth and meaning, then the body through sensation and disciplined movement, and finally the interior life through the confronta-
The path around the mountain is approximately 14 kilometers (about 8.7 miles) long. Along this sacred route, there are eight smaller shrines, known as the Ashta Lingams, each positioned at a specific cardinal or intercardinal direction and associated with a different celestial deity (Indra, Agni, Yama, Niruthi, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, and Isanya). Walking this path is believed to burn away karmic impurities and bring the seeker closer to spiritual liberation.
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R E N E WA L · C O M M U N I T Y · S U P P O RT · E X P LO R AT I O N · E N E R G Y
MONARCH VISIONARY: You have visited Arunachala twice. During one of those visits, you were challenged to make that entire journey barefoot at night. In the language of transformational travel, this is the moment when pilgrimage begins dismantling comfort and exposing the inner structures of the self. ATMAPRIYA: I have visited Arunachala twice now, and it was during one of these visits that I was challenged to perform the circumambulation. I was told that the 14-kilometer walk was to be done at night, and crucially, it had to be done completely barefoot. This request triggered an immediate internal resistance. In my everyday life, I am a self-admitted “clean freak.” The thought of walking barefoot for 14 kilometers on rough, public roads in the pitch-dark of night—stepping on dirt, stones, and who knows what else—went against every instinct of comfort and hygiene I had cultivated. But Arunachala is a place that demands the shedding of the ego, and my obsession with cleanliness was just another layer of ego that needed to be stripped away. I left my shoes behind and stepped onto the path.
MONARCH VISIONARY: What happened internally as the walk continued? ATMAPRIYA: That night walk became a profound journey into my own psyche. As my bare feet hit the rough pavement, mile after mile, the physical discomfort and my mental anxieties began to give way to something else. Stripped of my protective barriers, I felt deeply grounded and connected to the earth. The mountain loomed quietly in the darkness to my right, a silent, ancient witness to my internal struggle. During that 14-kilometer barefoot trek, I experienced numerous personal breakthroughs. I realized how tightly I clung to control, and how much energy I spent trying to insulate myself from the messy realities of the world. Walking in the dark, vulnerable and exposed, I was forced to confront my own rigidities.
THE SOUL: SURRENDER AS TRANSFORMATION MONARCH VISIONARY: What remained when those defenses began to fall away? ATMAPRIYA: By the time I completed the circumambulation, I had stepped completely out of my comfort zone. I
realized that the divine is found not in sterile, controlled environments, but in the raw, unfiltered reality of existence. Arunachala had broken down my walls, and in doing so, allowed a new sense of freedom and spiritual clarity to enter my life.
WHEN THE MOUNTAIN BECOMES FLAME MONARCH VISIONARY: There is one moment each year when the symbolism of Arunachala as fire becomes visible on an enormous scale: Karthigai Deepam. ATMAPRIYA: The intense fire energy of A runachala reaches its absolute zenith once a year during the Tamil month of Karthigai (which falls between November and December). This is when the temple hosts the Karthigai Deepam festival, a spectacular celebration that attracts millions of devotees from around the world. The festival spans several days, featuring grand processions where the beautifully decorated idols of Lord Annamalaiyar and Goddess Unnamalai Amman are carried around the temple on massive, intricately carved wooden chariots. But the true climax of the festival occurs on the final day, just as the sun sets and the full moon rises.
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SPIRITUALITY · FAITH · QUESTIONS · GROWTH · FOCUS MONARCH VISIONARY: What happens on the summit? ATMAPRIYA: At the very peak of the 814-meter Arunachala hill, a massive copper cauldron is placed. It is filled with thousands of kilograms of pure ghee (nei) and hundreds of meters of cotton cloth to serve as a wick. At the exact moment the idols in the temple below are brought out for worship, the wick in the cauldron is lit. The resulting flame, the Maha Deepam, is colossal. It blazes furiously against the night sky, visible for dozens of miles in every direction. For the devotees watching below, the lighting of the beacon is a moment of sheer ecstasy.
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The air is filled with roaring chants of “Annamalaiyarukku Arohara” (Praise to the Lord of Annamalai). The giant flame burning atop the mountain is a visceral reminder of the infinite column of fire that Shiva manifested as in the ancient myths. It is a symbol of the light of consciousness dispelling the darkness of human ignorance.
THE LINGERING FLAME MONARCH VISIONARY: Why do you think Arunachala continues to exert such a profound attraction upon spiritual seekers? ATMAPRIYA: Arunachala has drawn saints, sages, and spiritual seekers for
centuries, the most famous in modern times being Sri Ramana Maharshi, who lived his entire adult life at the base of the mountain, absorbed in its silent presence. Like him, many who come to Tiruvannamalai find that the mountain exerts an irresistible, magnetic pull on their souls. My experiences at Arunachala—feeling the physical fire of Shiva on a rainy night, and shattering my own mental limitations during a grueling, barefoot walk in the dark—have left a permanent mark on my life. It is not just a place of historical significance; it is an active catalyst for spiritual awakening. The red mountain stands as an eternal, unmoving fire, silently burning away the illu-
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R E N E WA L · C O M M U N I T Y · S U P P O RT · E X P LO R AT I O N · E N E R G Y sions of those who are willing to walk its path and surrender to its heat.
MONARCH VISIONARY — THE NEW LUXURY OF TRANSFORMATION Atmapriya’s experience of Arunachala illuminates why pilgrimage remains relevant in an age of unprecedented mobility. The meaningful distinction is not between ordinary and exotic destinations, but between travel that accumulates impressions and travel that reorganizes perception. Sacred-site ascension
travel reaches its fullest expression when the external journey becomes inseparable from an internal one. In Arunachala, fire becomes both sacred symbol and lived encounter; architecture becomes threshold; walking becomes spiritual discipline; and surrender becomes a form of knowledge. The mind is challenged, the body participates, and the soul is invited into a relationship with mystery that cannot be reduced to observation alone.
and perhaps one of its most sophisticated forms of luxury: to enter a sacred landscape without attempting to possess it, to encounter a living tradition with humility, and to return carrying something more enduring than memory. The destination remains on the map, but its deepest imprint travels home within the pilgrim. ASCEND WITH ATMAPRIYA: WWW. ATMAPRIYA.COM
For Monarch Visionary, this is the deeper promise of transformational travel
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Find a Home that Suits your Lifestyle
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MANSION OF THE MONTH
CANCHA DE ESTRELLAS CARPINTERIA, CALIFORNIA, 93108
$50,000,000 USD
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A familiar, sprawling water-front polo estate in Carpinteria, Calif., is on the market and asking $50 million. Dubbed Concha De Estrellas, or “field of the stars,” the 61.2-acre estate offers equestrian amenities including two polo fields, 100 covered horse stalls with options for 30 more and walking and riding trails with direct access to the beach and neighboring polo fields, per the listing. PAGE 192
Christian Name and Fred Dapp of The Agency are representing the property. “I have absolutely loved the time I have been able to spend at Cancha de Estrellas,” Mr. Name said in a statement. “In the evenings the night sky is filled with stars because there is no light pollution. In the day the possibilities are endless, from building forts along the creeks, to riding our four-wheelers around the
trails while barbecue Asados are set up as players, family, and friends gather after matches and tournaments.” The property has been visited by high profile polo players including Prince Harry and Nacho Figueras. The seller, film producer and polo player Sarah Siegel-Magness, purchased the main property for $14.2 million in 2017,
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then purchased an adjoining property for $2.125 million and combined the two properties. “Polo is a male-dominated sport, generally speaking, so the rarity of this property is that it has a woman’s touch with the landscaping,” Siegel-Magness told Mansion Global. “It has a different aesthetic than other polo properties, which can be very utilitarian, and ours is
not that way.” Located near Santa Barbara and Montecito, the gated estate has panoramic views of the mountains and the ocean, and both parcels that make up the property have the option to build new homes as well as other structures such as tennis courts, swimming pools, and guest houses, per the listing.
“It’s rare, if not impossible, to be able to play polo so close to the ocean, as well as have mountain views,” Siegel-Magness said. “We also really put a lot of creativity and time into making sure that we have lots of native vegetation.” “I’m a big flower person, and I’m careful about water usage,” she added. “We put in beautiful plants and pretty much every part of the property, you’ll see color.” PA G E 193
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77 BEVERLY PARK LANE BEVERLY PARK CA 90210 PRICE UPON REQUEST
T
HE MOST PROLIFIC PROPERTY IN BEVERLY PARK. THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF PERFECTION, FROM ONE OF THE BIGGEST 2 ACRE FLAT LOTS IN BEVERLY PARK TO THE IMMACULATE GROUNDS, NOT INCLUDING THE 4 ACRE MOUNTAIN THAT SITS AT THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY THAT CAN NEVER BE BUILT ON, TO THE ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIORS, PAGE 198
AN ESTATE THAT EMBODIES THE VERY ESSENCE OF WHAT BEVERLY PARK STANDS FOR. THE ULTIMATE IN PRIVATE AND SECURE LIVING. This is why the titans of industry choose to call Beverly Park home. Privately set behind the guarded gates of one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious enclaves, 77 Beverly Park Lane is a masterclass in architecture by world-renowned William Hablinkski, offering extraordinary privacy and grandeur just minutes from the heart of Beverly Hills.
A dramatic arrival unfolds into interiors defined by soaring ceilings, refined architectural detail, expansive volumes, and millions spent on stones and finishes sourced from around the world. Walls of glass frame the surrounding landscape, filling the home with natural light and seamlessly connecting indoor living with the estate’s outdoor spaces. Designed for grand-scale entertaining and luxury living, the residence features a multi-million-dollar private theater, an extraordinary wine cellar that may never be completely filled, incredible gym, parking for over 50 cars across the property,
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and the latest and greatest amenities. Outdoors, multi-millions were invested in landscaping by the renowned landscape designer of San Ysidro Ranch. Resort-caliber grounds showcase manicured lawns, lush rose and vegetable gardens, and entertaining terraces with multiple fire pits, an outdoor kitchen, piz-
za oven, grills, and dining areas, creating a private oasis. 77 Beverly Park Lane stands as a true trophy estate and a rare opportunity to experience the pinnacle of privacy, prestige, and architectural excellence in Beverly Park. Properties of this caliber very rarely ever come up. Call for a private showing.
CONTACT Branden Williams The Beverly Hills Estates 310.776.0737 brandenwilliams@mac.com DRE# 01774287
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BLENDED WITH NATURE IN THE HEART OF SAGAPONACK
A STORYBOOK ESTATE IN THE HEART OF SAGAPONACK Set on three enchanting acres in Sagaponack, “Whimsy Farm” is a one-ofa-kind estate blending Hamptons farmhouse charm with French countryside elegance and Palm Beach flair. From the PAGE 200
original barn-turned-great room to the lush, sculpture-filled grounds, saltwater pool, dual kitchens and separate guest quarters, every detail invites relaxation, celebration and timeless style. PROPERTY DETAILS 790 Sagg Road, Sagaponack, New York
5 Bedrooms | 6 Bathrooms $6,995,000 Listed by Douglas Elliman Adam Hofer adam.hofer@elliman.com 631.236.8659
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As Rome isof Eternal, In Search Solace so is Wine
WHEN WINE BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
HUMANITY HAPPENS WILLIAM SMITH
@willismith_2000 COPY EDITOR & WINE CONTRIBUTOR
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CTOBER HAS ARRIVED AND WITH IT, AS A WINE WRITER, I AM ONCE AGAIN RETURNING TO A FOCUS ON THE COME OVER OCTOBER CAMPAIGN. Launched in 2024 by wine veterans Karen MacNeil, Gino Colangelo, and Kimberly Noelle Charles, the annual effort highlights the role of wine in bringing people together and even more practically, seeks to counter the many challenges the wine industry is facing in shifting consumer preferences and buying habits, among other headwinds. PAGE 204
This is the third year I am utilizing this column to highlight the campaign, but this year, it feels especially resonate with me. You see, I serve on the Board of Directors of Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta in Santa Fe, N.M., consistently regarded as one of the premier wine and food festivals in the U.S. And just last week, we welcomed over 4,000 guests to over 30 different experiences during the 35th annual Fiesta.
year’s Fiesta was my own, co-hosted by wine writer friend and colleague Amy Beth Wright, on California’s rich history of crafting world-class Zinfandels. Joined by friends from Ridge Vineyards, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Michael David Winery, and Cline Family Cellars, we hosted over 40 Zin lovers for a tasting through the state’s many terroirs and expressions of this beautiful varietal. Zinfandel brought us together.
As a “working Board,” I get a front-row seat in seeing the Fiesta come together and even more so, in its execution. This year, certainly more than most, underscored the unity of purpose of all those involved (more on that below). The Board, staff, and an army of dedicated volunteers make the Fiesta happen each year. Our collective desire to celebrate wine brings us together, year after year.
As the week’s events picked up speed, I had two of my dearest, long-time friends arrive – one from Denver and the other from South Carolina. Seeing them is a rarity since I moved from the East Coast a decade ago, where we all once lived in miles of proximity to one another and saw one another at least weekly. I was overjoyed to have them come and celebrate with me against the backdrop of the Fiesta. Our shared love of wine (and one another), nourished
Among the many seminars held at this WILLIAM SMITH /WINE CONTRIBUTOR
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over decades of friendship, brought us together. Again. One evening a group of guests came together at the historic La Fonda hotel, just off Santa Fe’s historic Plaza, and often referred to as the city’s “living room” for its propensity to perpetually gather both visitors and locals alike. That evening, the property hosted a Frank Family Vineyards wine dinner, an event I conspired to bring about with a friend of mine who works at the hotel and with a local wine distributor friend. In addition to an exceptional meal, we enjoyed several Frank Family wines, all of us gathered together by our desire to celebrate this distinguished winery and its exceptional wine. Frank Family Vineyards brought us together. Another evening, a small group of Cabernet Sauvignon lovers broke bread and indulged in the culinary exquisiteness of Chef Cristian Pontiggia at Rosewood’s Inn of the Anasazi, whose dishes were paired with wines from Hundred Acre. In addition to myself, wine talents like Eric Asimov, wine writer for the New York Times, and writer Wanda Mann were in attendance, as were many Santa Feans and visitors with cellars of note. Hundred Acres highly scored and low availability allocation wine brought us together. On Saturday of the Fiesta, thousands of people gathered for the Grand Tasting. It was the event that almost
wasn’t as just days before, much-needed rain in the Desert Southwest came in abundance, making the existing venue unusable. We were close to canceling, letting down the thousands who’d planned all year to come together for the event. Thankfully, with just days to pivot, we landed at another venue that proved to be perfect. Nearly 90 wineries were part of the event, pouring wines from all over the world under a perfect New Mexico azure sky. Those 90 wineries and the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta brought us together. On Sunday, the last day of the Fiesta, the beautiful Auberge Bishop’s Lodge property hosted Rosé All Day – my favorite of all the Fiesta events. It’s a bit of calm after the flurry of activity of the week, with a couple hundred rosé enthusiasts, dressed appropriately in varied hues of pink, partaking in stellar wines and exceptional bites. Rosé brought us together – especially you, McCollum Family Vineyards, whose rosé of Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley has been my favorite pour two years running. Finally, as the crowds dispersed and Santa Fe fell into its beautiful and natural state of tranquility, on that final evening, I sat on the couch with my friend Amy Beth and we finished off a leftover bottle of Hundred Acre’s sublime 2019 Dark Ark, recounting the week’s events and, fondly, back to how
we met on a wine press trip years early (thank you Jarvis Communications!). Alas, wine brought us together. As Rome is eternal, so too is wine. For so many of us – and so many others over the millennia – it serves a vital role as we gather together – whether it is a group of two, a couple dozen, or even thousands. It brings us together. Come Over October creates a focal point throughout the month, reminding us that sometimes, a simple bottle of wine is the perfect accom-
paniment or even reason to gather with friends, strangers, and with one another. So open up that bottle you’ve been saving or the one you just bought… and gather. And if you need some ideas, the Come Over October website (www.comeoveroctober.com) has ideas to spark your imagination. As Always, Salud!
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MOLD YOUR MIND IT'S OK TO BE AFRAID HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR
COACH JOEY VELEZ
MENTAL WELLNESS CONTRIBUTOR @velezmentalperformance
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KNOW THIS IS A LONG WAYS OFF, BUT HALLOWEEN IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF YEAR BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT THAT GOES WITH IT: CUDDLING UP WITH LOVED ONES WATCHING SCARY MOVIES, PEOPLE DRESSING UP IN FUNNY COSTUMES, AND HANDING OUT CANDY TO COMPLETE STRANGERS, AND SEEING THE SMILE ON KIDS FACES WHEN YOU DO. However, there is a level of fear for some associated with this holiday, and that leads me to think about how fear plays a role within the performance realm. There is a quiet misconception at the highest levels of performance: that elite performers are fearless. They are not. They simply have a different relationship with fear. Whether it’s stepping onto a stage, closing a highstakes deal, or taking the final shot, fear shows up precisely when something matters. The problem isn’t fear itself—it’s how we interpret it. Many people wait PAGE 208
for fear to disappear before they act. High performers don’t. They act with it. Fear is not the enemy of performance. Misunderstanding it is UNDERSTANDING FEAR AS DATA, NOT DANGER Fear is a physiological and psychological response designed to prepare you—not paralyze you. Increased heart rate, heightened awareness, faster breathing—these are performance enhancers when properly interpreted. The issue is cognitive labeling. When you interpret those sensations as “I’m not ready” or “Something is wrong,” your body shifts toward protection. But when reframed as “My body is preparing me,” that same response becomes facilitative. Research in performance psychology consistently shows that arousal—what most people call “nerves”—can improve execution when paired with a positive interpretation. The difference between choking and thriving often lies in perception, not physiology. Fear also signals importance. You don’t feel fear in low-stakes environments. You feel it when something meaningful is on the line. In that sense, fear is confirmation that you’re exactly where you need to be. STRATEGIES TO PERFORM THROUGH FEAR The first strategy is to label the feeling accurately. Instead of saying “I’m nerJOEY VELEZ / WELLNESS CONTRIBUTOR
vous,” try “I’m energized” or “I’m ready.” This isn’t empty positivity—it’s cognitive reframing grounded in physiology. Your body doesn’t distinguish much between anxiety and excitement. Your interpretation determines the outcome. The next strategy is to control the controllable. Fear often comes from uncertainty. Anchor yourself in what is within your control: preparation, effort, and focus on the present moment. This shifts attention away from outcome (which fuels fear) toward process (which fuels performance). Another strategy you can use is using your breath as a regulator. A was to use the breath as an anchor is to simply inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 6–8 seconds. Longer exhales activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you regain composure quickly without eliminating the beneficial arousal. Another strategy is by adopting the “Act Despite” mindset. Waiting to feel ready is a trap. Readiness is often the result of action, not the prerequisite. Elite performers operate with a simple principle: “I don’t need to feel confident to act—I act, and confidence follows”. Finally, to handle your fear effectively is to narrow your focus. Fear expands your thinking into “what ifs.” Performance requires narrowing: one cue, one task, and one moment.
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THOUGHTS MATTER " T H E M E N TA L B R E A K- D O W N " P O D C A S T I S N O W O N A L L S T R E A M I N G P L AT F O R M S
Execution lives in the present, not in hypothetical outcomes. FINAL THOUGHTS Fear is not a signal to retreat—it’s a signal that you’re stepping into something
meaningful. The goal is not to eliminate fear, but to build the skill of performing alongside it. At the highest levels, the question is no longer “How do I get rid of fear?” and it becomes: “How do I use it?” PA G E 209
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