Quest Magazine June 2026

THE LONDON ISSUE

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CONTENTS

The London Issue

94 HOW CHIPPING NORTON BECAME THE NEW CHELSEA

Stretching across Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, the Cotswolds has attracted a steady exodus of Londoners in recent years, drawn by the promise of country life and a slower pace. By

Letty White-Spunner

102 SCHIAPARELLI’S SURREAL STYLE AT THE V&A

London’s Victoria and Albert Museum recently opened the U.K.’s first exhibition dedicated to Elsa Schiaparelli. By

Brooke Kelly Murray

108 LONDON CHIC Assouline’s latest volume serves as a love letter to the city, and the places, people, and institutions that continue to define its enduring allure.

110 PERSONALITY WITH A PAINTBRUSH Artist Louise Pragnell recently unveiled her portrait of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, commissioned by the British Army’s Intelligence Corps. By Letty White-Spunner

112 CONNAUGHT CALLING A new book takes readers inside the history of The Connaught, the storied London hotel long known for its “pleasure to please” motto. By Brooke

Kelly Murray

116 MAY BALLS Decades of Cambridge University’s famed May Balls, as captured by society photographer Dafydd Jones.

120 A GUIDE TO LONDON’S BEST SHOPPING From New Bond Street to Savile Row, these are the must-visit shops that define London style.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DAVID PATRICK C O LUMBIA

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

ELIZABETH MEIGHER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

TYKISCHA DELGADO

MANAGING EDITOR

BROOKE KELLY MURRAY

DESIGN EDITOR

JAYNE CHASE

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

ROBERT BENDER

PHOTOGRAPHER-AT-LARGE

JULIE SKARRATT

SOCIETY EDITOR

HI LARY GEARY

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

GIGI BENSON

JANE CHURCHILL

DOMINICK DUNNE (RIP)

TONY HALL

ROBERT JANJIGIAN

RICHARD JOHNSON

KAREN KLOPP

JAMES MACGUIRE

DUNCAN MCLAREN

HAVEN PELL

CHUCK PFEIFER

JANIE PIERREPONT

LETTY WHITE-SPUNNER

TAKI THEODORACOPULOS

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

HARRY BENSON

CAPEHART PHOTOGRAPHY

BILLY FARRELL

MARY HILLIARD

CRISTINA MACAYA

CUTTY MCGILL

PATRICK MCMULLAN

NICK MELE

ANNIE WATT

SLIM AARONS (RIP)

PUBLISHER AND C.E.O.

S. CHRISTOPHER MEIGHER III

ASSISTANT TO THE C.E.O. KATHLEEN SHERIDAN

ACCOUNTING MANAGER LUWAY LU

MARKETING SERVICES

ROXANNE UNRATH ext. 106

DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL SALES JODY REISS 917.747.6431

PALM BEACH & MIAMI

LINDA LANE SOPER 612.308.4159

CHICAGO

TIMOTHY DERR 847.615.1921

HONG KONG BINA GUPTA 852.2868.1555

MILAN

EMILIO ZERBONI 011.39.031.267.797

BOARD OF ADVISORS

CRISTINA CONDON

JOHN CREGAN

JED H. GARFIELD

KIRK HENCKELS

DANA KOCH

PAM LIEBMAN

LIZA PULITZER

WILLIAM LIE ZECKENDORF

© QUEST MEDIA, LLC 2026. All rights reserved. Vol. 40, No 06.

Q uest—New York From The Inside is published monthly, 12 times a year. Yearly subscription rate: $96.00. Quest, 420 Madison Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10017. 646.840.3404 fax 646.840.3408. Postmaster: Send address changes to:

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Photo:

Peter Simon

Clockwise from bottom left: Crews rowing past Temple Island at the Henley Royal Regatta, 2006; Grateful Pub congratulating his younger daughter Amanda Meigher Mariner, 1998; artist and cover girl Louise Pragnell in her studio; Lobb’s custom shoes in St. James’; Lady Jane Spencer-Churchill at her design desk; Chris Ives in a single shell, 1998; Contributor Jayne Chase; punting at dawn on the River Cam.

I THINK IT was Samuel Johnson (I tend to get all those Johnsons mixed up) who warned us: when a man gets tired of London, he somehow gets tired of life. “Blimey”, sayeth this colonial pub, so off to London we go, where their endearing eccentricities have taken a back seat to a multicultural city that feels more worldly and weighty...yet somehow retains the signature charm of its undying Britishness. A crucial component of the UK’s underbelly is their much respected “fourth estate” - their (mostly) independent media voices that avoid getting as preachy as our own American journalists, especially our television “ventriloquists” who continue to posture themselves, foolishly, as loftier intellectuals opining on the issues of the day. Avoiding the moral vanity of their Yank counterparts, the ink-drenched British scriveners and talking TV heads managed to steer clear of the polarizing woke wars - focusing more on the prosperity and cosmopolitan outlook of England’s younger generation, where cultural decency and commercial success go hand and hand.

Once again, we reached across The Pond to our savvy contributor and highly respected style icon, Lady Jane Spencer-Churchill, who on cue introduced us to the charming and talented writer, Letty WhiteSpunner. We three agreed that the trend amongst London’s younger smart-set families was a polite exodus from the fashionable postcodes of Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Mayfair to the more rural landscaped communities of the Cotswolds - “a pocket of England that has everything that a young family could want” writes the well versed Letty. The legendary Lady Jane observes that more and more of her clients are swapping city life for the quaint Cotswolds villages which are “pure countryside but still accessible”. Indeed. As Letty shares: “Country-chic Cotswolders can still be found picnicking at Ascot, enjoying Pimm’s at Henley or strawberries at Wimbledon”. Ahhh...the fabled British Fortnight, which is never to be missed.

Further along, Quest’s savvy Design Editor, Jayne Chase, brings to life an extraordinary panel discussion by “The Legends of Landscape”, recently held at The Society of Four Arts - perhaps Palm Beach’s most venerated cultural institution. The “Legends”, well known to Jayne, are

Mario Nievera, Jorge Sanchez and Fernando Wong, and all three are acclaimed throughout the country for their discerning and distinctive out-of-door creations.

Back to the beginning we go, to meet our extraordinarily gifted English covergirl, Louise Pragnell, whose recent portrait of The Princess Royal (King Charles’ sister, Princess Anne) has met with unrestrained applause. Letty White-Spunner picks up her pen again to profile the lovely Louise, whose near-photographic paintings embrace “pure personality with a paintbrush”. Quest proudly salutes this trio of exceptionally accomplished ladies.

Meandering back to Samuel Johnson’s oft-quoted observation of 18th Century London, this dubious and debt-ridden poet might have presciently foreseen us, dear readers, as being overwhelmed by the 21st Century obsession with “Agentic AI” and its impact on civilization. Said Johnson some 300 years ago (Chat GPT swears I’ve got the right Johnson :)), “Integrity without knowledge is useless, and knowledge without integrity is dreadful. And dangerous”.

Wise words, Sam; you just might have been onto something! ◆

ON THE COVER: Louise Pragnell in Pragnell jewels, with her portrait of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise. Image by Adrian Pope/Courtesy of the Intelligence Corps.

Chris Meigher

The Field Team Advantage Successfully Selling Manhattan in the Summer

David Patrick Columbia NEW YORK SO CIAL DIARY

WELL, IT’S BEGUN. The Season, that is, with the temperatures rising and all kinds of activities going on while we begin to adjust for the

Summer. Will it be a long and hot one? We’ll have to wait and see. I live in a generally “quiet” neighborhood on the island’s edges, so from

my personal (rather than professional) point of view, the town’s a relatively quiet town. However, it’s not. A quiet town by any

means. Going over the score of events social, philanthropic, and privately entertaining; it is New York after all. A quick glance at last

Katie Holmes and Constance Wu

Robert F. and Hope Smith

Robert Kraft and Dana Blumberg

Barbara Tober and Colleen Rein

Clive Gillinson

CARNEGIE HALL’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT IN NEW YORK

Michael and Victoria Imperioli

Taylor and Liev Schreiber

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

ALZHEIMER’S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION CELEBRATES FIFTH SEASON OF PALM BEACH SYMPOSIUM SERIES

month’s, however, was a calendar-full of social activities. It’s also the end of one season and on to beginning the next. At least from a social point of view.

This past month’s social activities were major and frequent, depending on people’s interests. The objective in society today (of what we once called the “social” scene) is raising funds for a variety of social and philanthropic causes. It is these “activities” that bring people together

socially and enhance the philanthropy of an important and prominent political position. The business of business.

It began with the Opening Night of TEFAF to benefit the Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering.

prestigious art fair.

From the Armory’s Gilded Age history Karen Klopp and Hilary Dick take us inside the season’s most

The Hat Luncheon this year brought out the romance of business, fashion, and otherwise for the 44th annual Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon. Grey and drizzly weather didn’t deter the 1,300 guests from the annual affair which raised an historic $54

million for Central Park. Then of course there was the Met Gala. Today, the fashion world descends on the Met, though “fashion” is barely the half of it. It is, quite literally, the year’s most expensive costume party, where the gowns are often bigger than the guests and the red carpet is more like a subway platform.

Let’s face it, we all love to watch the chaos — it is the grandest stage for a modern social theatre—yet it’s easy to forget that this circus

CPC’s Inaugural Hat Luncheon, 1983

CAPEHART; LISA BARLOW

Danielle Graham, Howard Fillit, and Laura Nisenbaum Terry and Linda Collier

Christine Kepner and Maureen Leness

Melinda and Tom Hassen

Stacey Prentis and Nancy Goodes

Tom and Heidi McWilliams

Isobel Coleman and Jo Carole Lauder

has a very specific pedigree.

Diana Vreeland really put the Costume Institute on the map. She was a remarkable personality: sophisticated, curious, charming, socially adept, and a real connoisseur of fashion. When she took the job at the Met, it was a perfect step for a woman whose entire life was artfulness.

With the help of Nan Kempner and Pat Buckley (remember them?), Mrs. Vreeland turned the Costume Institute Benefit into

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

an annual ball. It became the go-to social event of the season — all those ladies chicly dressed to the nines in their designer gowns, and the old boys in their black tie.

The 21st -century editor, Anna Wintour, has been presiding over the event for the last 30-plus years. She is the director, La Di -

rectrice, and this is her production. The couture among the guests is full of imagination and attitude. Some of it goes all the way over the top — some might call it “freakchic,” meant to be noticed, amused, and perhaps a little shocked. That is the intention, and it’s the vibe of the world we are

all living in. Ms. Wintour has succeeded in turning the event into a financial bonanza for the Costume Institute, raising millions as well as millions of new visitors to the museum. Such is life these days, on certain sides of the track.

But the Met Gala hasn’t always been about the influencer-du-jour. There was a time when the glamour felt a little more… well, regal.

I remember covering the affair in the ’90s.

Nan Kempner and Pat Buckley, 1977

CAPEHART

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY’S BAREFOOT ON THE BEACH

Tom Quick and Michael Donnell

Craig Gibson, Jr. and Greg Conners

Kristy McChesney and Michael Klump

Steve and Deborah Barnes

Chuck and Amanda Schumacher with Camille and Charles Schumacher, Jr.

Reid Boren, David Lambert, Taylor Collins, and Mel Boren

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

The most memorable, for me, was 1996. The guest of honor was the Princess of Wales. I wanted to see her up close, and as it happened, I did — quite accidentally.

I got there at the beginning of the reception in the entrance gallery to scout out a spot where I knew she’d be photographed. It was set up on the southern side of the gallery. While waiting, I was chatting with two guests on a settee — Lee Thaw and Amalia

Lacroze de Fortabat, the Argentine billionairess. I was telling them that I’d wanted to attend the evening so that I could get a glimpse of the Princess. At which point Lee Thaw said, “Then turn around, because she’s standing right behind you!”

I hadn’t heard a thing,

but there she was — no more than six feet away. She was standing in a shadowed corner, surrounded by no one, looking very serious. She was wearing a bright blue, sheathlike gown.

And then, suddenly, like the flick of a switch, the brights from a bank of photographers

lit up the area. About fifteen feet away, a dozen pros were in place. With that, her somber face transformed into that famous, generous Diana smile, her eyes bright and laughing. It might have been 60 or 90 seconds. And then, just as suddenly, the lights went off.

And so, too, did the smile.

The countenance returned to that serious, focused stare. It was the face of a woman who knew she was on her own in the

Diana, Princess of Wales, 1990

Dylan Lauren

Krystal Joy Brown

Harry and Jill Kargman

Charlotte Groeneveld

Will Kopelman and Allie Michler Kopelman

Paul Giamatti and Clara Wong

Roopal Patel and Meredith Melling

world. It wasn’t sad, but it was fearsome. She was the most famous woman on earth, yet standing there in the shadows, she seemed incredibly alone in her world.

As she was about to leave, I told her how great she looked and that there was a rumor she and her sons might be coming to Southampton that summer. She asked, as if sincerely curious, if I thought she’d like it. I responded that she — and her boys — certainly would. And with that, she was off into the evening.

It took her death to

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

finally free her from the palace life, and it demonstrated that even her in-laws were unaware of her powerful effect until they saw the thousands and thousands of floral bouquets left at the gates. To an outsider, it was easy to understand why she evoked those basic feelings. She was a gift. And yet, life — and the

theater of the monarchy — goes on. Just recently, King Charles and Queen Camilla were here in New York for their own series of engagements, including a starstudded “Greater Together” gala at Christie’s to support The King’s Trust. It’s a different era and a different kind of ro-yal spotlight, one far removed from the shadowed corner where

I saw the Princess 30 years ago. It’s a reminder that even as institutions evolve, ghosts of the past are always present at the party.

All of this came to mind as the Gala approached. I watched from the sidelines a slow-moving traffic jam of sequins and spectacle. It is fun to watch, and you can have a laugh. But amidst the chaos, it’s worth remembering that this event, much like the city itself, has a long, storied, and occasionally tragic history hanging in the closet. ◆

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY’S “1916” LUNCHEON

King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive for their recent State Visit to the U.S.

Frances Fisher and Jeremy Johnson

Mike Margolis and Bill Bone

Melissa Sullivan, Alan Murphy, and Anne Ilyinsky

Edward Davidson, Kara Ackerman, and Peter Soriento

Penny Murphy and Frances Scaife

Richard and Scott Johnson

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

Fe Fendi

Joyce and John Varvatos

Daisy Soros and Edward Gallagher

Barbara Tober and Oscar Tang

Aditi Shah

Alex DiMattia, Christine Shevchenko, and Larissa Saveliev

Sandra and Stanford Warshawsky

Angela Chen and ChenXin Xu

Sharon King Hoge and Margo Langenberg

Elizabeth Segerstrom and Christopher Forbes

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

Nancy Stone and Renay Meyer

Denise Marie Neiman and Elizabeth Belfer

David Granville, Amanda Cain, and Jeff Pfeifle

Jacqui Michel and Liz McDermott Elisa Fredickson and Amanda Taylor

Jada Loveless and Laura Moore Tanne

Leetitia Laurent and Jennifer Mabley

Karen Murray and Pamela Morgan

Alixander Baker and Shelia Fuchs

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

DORA FROST’S ART SHOW AT JENNIFER GARRIGUES’ SHOWROOM IN PALM BEACH

Grace Meigher and Jennifer Garrigues

Cooky Donaldson and Patrick Killian

Brooks De Blois and Schuyler Ford

Dora Frost and Stephanie Gates Jean Miller and Muffie Murray

Edward Davidson and Savannah Lee

Meg Kirkpatrick and Nancy Hellmuth

Ston Bitterly and Barbara Tucker

Wally and Betsy Turner

Augusta Lorber and Jane Foster

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

David Lees and Renee Landegger

Andrea Stark and Barbara Lewis

John Manice and Anne Manice

Martha Stewart and Christopher Spitzmiller Mark Gilbertson, Emily Keno, and Jared Clark

Katherine Gold, Kinzie Bashline, Emily Hodge, Kate Moran, and PJ Redmond

Christopher Manice, Andrew Roosevelt, Lauren Gilbane, and Mike Gilbane

Kathy Angele and Paige Boller

Jonathan Winslow and Steve Rabin

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DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

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DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

SOCIETY OF MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING’S SPRING BALL IN NEW YORK

David and Joline Stemerman

Courtney Corletto, Jay Aston, and Allison Aston

Lillie Howard, Alexandra Robertson, and Jackie Keber

Claudia and Taylor Overstrom

Peter Gregory, Jennifer Oken, and Dusty Philip

Amanda Waldron and Dara O’Hara

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RESCUE LEAGUE’S

HAPPY TAILS IN WEST PALM BEACH 1. Alyssa Comroe and Pauline Pitt 2. Anne and Chris Flowers 3. Lesly Smith 4. Ande Murray and Payton Matthews 5. Michael and Ellen Merriman

Anne and Steven Freitag 7. Emila and Jose Pepe Fanjul with Emilia Pfeifler

8. Stephanie Shafran and Hilary Murray

9. Leigh Goodwyn, Allison Pappas, Leslie Whitman, and Sally Lineberg

1. Mish Tworkowski and Hilary Thomas

2. Frannie Scaife 3. Ginny Burke and Jerry Seay

4. Diane and Tony Rutgers 5. Denise and Danny Hanley 6. Susan and David Saunders 7. Allison and Richard Roeder 8. Joan Van der Grift

9. Connie and Peter Lacaillade

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

FLAGLER MUSEUM’S WATERFRONT DINNER IN PALM BEACH

Cindy and Barry Hoyt

Kelly Hopkins and Freddie Gray

Cori Lee Berman and Molly Fitzpatrick

Amanda Skier and Jeff Smith

Kerry and Simone Vickar

Jeanie Daniel, Brian and Christina Flaherty, and Cindy Ketchum

Sarah and Jack Cecil

Michael and Amanda Reynal

Elizabeth Matthews and Chip James

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

PRESERVATION FOUNDATION OF PALM BEACH’S DONOR DINNER

Charles Royce and Aimee Sunny

Julie and Brian Simmons

Fernando Wong and Tim Johnson

Danielle Del Sol and Betsy Shiverick

Maggie and Mark Zeidman

Peggy Moore and Kit Pannill

Talbott Maxey and Muffy Miller

Peter Soros and Electra Toub

Jennifer and Steve Errico

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SCHWARZMAN ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER’S LIVING LEGENDS LUNCHEON IN NEW YORK

SUTTON PLACE PARKS CONSERVANCY’S GALA IN NEW YORK

ANNIE WATT;

JOY GLENN

Elaine Langone, Emilia Saint-Amand Krimendahl, and Cheryl Krongard

Bobby Liberman and Wendy Lash

Whitney Phipps and Andrea Schiavoni

Gail Gilbert, Annette de la Renta, Donna Acquavella, and Karen LeFrak

Vanessa Eastman and Ann Tisch

Gordon Hoppe, Jack Barnett, and Maureen Leness

The Paumgarten family Lionel and Dotty Goldfrank

Maureen Berman, Allen Kirmss, Butch Yamali, and Steven Gold

Maureen Jerome, Vanessa Aronson, and Lucy Lamphere Matt and Faith Bondy

Andrea Nissman, Roxy, Lauren Claus, Hayley Huxley, and Sheena Vo

Nancy Patsos and Elizabeth Monaco McCarthy

Scott Hughes and Margo Nederlander

Leda Nussbaum and Myrna Ruskin

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

JUPITER MEDICAL CENTER’S BALL IN PALM BEACH

Sal and Kim Tiano

Robert Stilley, Mary Lynn Magar, Jillian Hasner, and Adam Hasner

Timothy and Jayne Donahue

Debbie Dunkin, Thomas Quick, and Amit Rastogi

Ava Roosevelt and Janna Ronert with Allison and Brad Saft

Kelly Brodner, Anca Linca, and Nika Ciarfella

Lee and Jeff Alderton

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DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

FUTURE WAVES GALA IN PALM BEACH

Bobbie Lindsay and Lula Ferreira Katie and Bill Benjamin

Christopher and Cayla Leidy

Gabrielle Raymond McGee with John and Diane Sculley

Lilly Leas Ferreira and Lula Ferreira Lorna James and Mayor Keith James

Minnie Pulitzer, Bob Calhoun, and Liza Pulitzer

Michele Henry and Gary Lickle

Eliza Elias and Ted Cooney

Jessica and Lyle McKinney

DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA

Amanda and Charles Schumacher with Helen Ross

Missy Savage, Ann Summers, Nicole Menges, and Alexis Waller

Pam and Gary Patsley

Mark Cook and Susie Dwinell

Lucy Musso and Lore Dodge

James and Gaye Engel with Richard Callahan

Jack Flagg, Ellen Merriman, and Bennie Bray

Vicky Hunt and Ann Heathwood

Kevin and Nancy Jones

Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Prince Philip in New York, 1966.

Photographed by Harry Benson.

IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY

ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY in 1966, Prince Philip arrived in New York City to begin a three-day solo visit to the city to promote British trade and raise funds for his favorite charity, Variety Club International. It turned out to be Gigi’s father’s favorite, too, although we didn’t even know each other at the time. Philip met with Governor Nelson Rockefeller at Gracie Mansion and attended a star-studded gala where Lauren Bacall latched onto him for a dance or two.

The prince had arrived in New York from a visit to Houston to see the Space Center. That evening at the Rice Hotel, I stepped onto the elevator and noticed a young woman in a white satin gown with her parents. On the next floor, the elevator stopped, and Prince Philip entered and said to me, “Ah, the man from the Daily Express .” And at the final stop, we all exited into the Grand Ballroom for the Variety Club International’s Charity Gala.

In case you haven’t guessed by now, the young woman on the elevator turned out to be a UT Austin college student who is now my wife.

It seems like yesterday... u

HARRY BENSON

WINTOUR OF OUR DISCONTENT

daughter Cornelia at the Met’s Costume Institute Gala, 1981; Valentino Garavani, Pat Buckley, and guests at the Costume Institute Gala, 1981; Diana, Princess of Wales, at the Costume Institute Gala, 1996; Anna Wintour, 1991.

IT WAS GREAT FUN while it lasted. It certainly was elegant, exclusive, and attended by men who were gentlemen and women who were ladies. Society beauties like C.Z. Guest, Babe Paley, Natalie Cushing and their ilk were regulars. It was run by Pat Buckley, William F.’s better half, and she kept the level exclusive and high. It celebrated artistry and beauty, and attendants paid for it with pleasure. I remember introducing the author Walter Isaacson to C.Z., and how impressed with her ethereal elegance and looks the writer was; he told

me so. And the lady in question was in her mid-sixties at the time. When some Andy Warhol hangers-on asked me if I could get them an invite, Pat Buckley screamed, “But they’re so ugly….”

I am talking about the New York Metropolitan Museum Gala—the way it was long ago, that is. Because after Pat Buckley’s reign came the deluge, catastrophe rather. It is now the freak show to end all freak shows, run by Anna Wintour, the Brit lefty that poses as an upper-class lassie, except to some of us who knew her long ago and her rather

vulgar lefty old man. I first met Anna on the  Queen Elizabeth liner crossing from England to New York. The year was 1973 and she was with her boyfriend Jon Bradshaw, an American writer living in London who was always in need of funds. Bradshaw and I were good buddies. In mid-Atlantic Anna met another buddy of mine, Claude Beer, a backgammon player financially better off than Bradshaw. She left the poorer one for the richer. Shock, horror, but not surprising. Soon after our arrival she began her dizzying climb, culminating as editor supreme of Condé Nast, or whatever those glossy rags call their top banana.

addition to her many other tasks, she became the head of the Met Gala. (Si is now also gone.)

How did the once elegant soiree turn into a freak show? Step forward yet again Anna Wintour, the make-believe aristocrat who thinks Jay Z, Beyonce, Megan Thee Stallion, and Lizzo are the types that draw crowds to culture; in that, she might even be right. Nowadays ain’t what it used to be, that’s for sure. In beauty and elegance versus ugliness and vulgarity, the latter wins big time. The Gala is supposedly a fundraiser, and some know-nothings refer to it as the party of the year, but it’s nothing of the kind. Basically it is a showpiece for the

him that both her previous boyfriends had died prematurely. Stone also died way before his time. As did her husband. I leave to you, dear readers, in case you are superstitious, to make your own conclusions. Needless to say, Anna read Americans better than anyone I know. And developed her looks and personality accordingly. Her ubiquitous dark glasses reminded the peasants of the widow Kennedy, later Jackie O., while her frosty manner was designed to keep the natives impressed and unaware that she was not exactly to the manner born. Soon Si Newhouse, the multi-billionaire owner of Condé Nast, was sniffing around and presto, a star was born. In

immemorial. Climate activists have protested the gala in the past, as have Black Lives Matter activists.

Has Bezos exploited his workers? Has he pillaged and plundered the poor? Of course not, but any successful man or woman in today’s world will be accused by the left of doing so. Ironically, the Newhouse family has never been accused of exploitation, although it pays peanuts to its writers and employees. But here is a suggestion that might please everyone involved, excluding Wintour: The left-wing influencer and arch-phony Hasan Piker and the  New Yorker (owned by Condé Nast) writer Jia Tolentino are on record for

Costume Institute, and its new home, which is the Condé Nast Galleries. This year’s cochairs of the gala were Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, Anna Wintour. Need I say more?

Well, yes. Wintour is no fool. She sniffs out where the money is quicker than Dick Tracy uncovered bad guys. The honorary chairs this year were Jeff Bezos and his wife, both obviously greatly impressed by the Brit “aristo” Anna. There are, however, some clouds in the immediate horizon. One poster put up by so-called activists reads: “The Bezos Met Gala: Brought to you by workers’ exploitation.” All I can say is that activists are always going on about worker exploitation since time

being in favor of stealing. Larceny is an appropriate response to the capitalist system, according to them. So, I suggest that Piker and Tolentino, and their ilk, steal everything from Condé Nast buildings, including from the Newhouse and Wintour private homes. As Piker and Tolentino went on record saying: “It is cool to steal and we gotta get back to cool crimes.” Your move, Condé Nast.

Let’s see how cool you are, Piker and Tolentino: steal from Condé Nast and Wintour. Or maybe you’re just two more lefty phonies, all talk and no action. ◆

For more Taki: theamericanconservative.com

From left: Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Jeff Bezos, and Anna Wintour, 2025; Hasan Piker and Jia Tolentino.

LEGENDS OF LANDSCAPE

BY JAYNE CHASE

In a Coral Gables garden, centuries-old live oaks frame a sight line that terminates at a grand folly painted in a custom gray-green. Designer Fernando Wong drew the color directly from the mossy, lichen-covered bark of the oaks themselves, creating a structure that feels less like an addition and more like an extension of the landscape’s existing character. At the center of the composition, an antique limestone fountain pulls visitors through the space, its aged surface catching light beneath the dappled canopy. The folly rises beyond, grounded in place by a palette borrowed from nature. Inset: Fernando Wong and Tim Johnson.

AS ONE OF PALM BEACH’S oldest and most respected cultural institutions, The Society of Four Arts has provided dynamic and inspired programming to the community for decades.

Season after season, its line-up of music, art exhibitions, and distinguished lectures continue to draw packed audiences.

Recently, our favorite landscape architects graced the stage in a lively discussion titled, “Legends of Landscape.” Fernando Wong, Mario Nievera, and Jorge Sanchez entertained the audience with stories about notable projects in Palm Beach and around the country, representing more than a life-time of

combined experience. These award-winning designers all began their careers in and around Palm Beach and have completed exceptional projects that showcase their mastery and talent.

“Over the past 15 years,” says Tim Johnson, partner in Fernando Wong Outdoor Living Design, “we have been blessed to work on some of the most beautiful houses in the world by legendary architects John Volk, Addison Mizner, and Maurice Fatio. Those all stand out along with the work we did designing Southern Boulevard and consulting on turning Bingham Islands into an all-native plant bird sanctuary.”

Jorge Sanchez, of SMI Landscape Architecture, has been practicing for many years and has earned multiple honors, including the Arthur Ross Award for Landscape Architecture in 2010, 2014, and 2019. One of his most memorable projects was redesign of all of Worth Avenue. “The town had to replace all of the infrastructure on the road from the ocean to the lake,” he reminisces. “Absolutely everything had to be removed from the face of the buildings on the south side to the face of the buildings on the north side. We came up with the idea of “tying” Worth Avenue from both sides, which are very different. With that in mind,” Sanchez continues, “we designed the pair of gas-lit massive entrance piers on South Ocean Boulevard, a tabby sidewalk from one end of the avenue to the other. We added crosswalks with benches and shade trees and replaced the then existing small palms with 300 coconut palms which are all supported underground. Finally, we designed several resting places with more shade trees and fountains and once the project was completed,” he smiles, “I received several notes admiring the work that had been done. That brings me great satisfaction.”

Mario Nievera, of Nievera Williams Design, another award-winning firm, began his discussion with the outdoor space he designed for Villa Artemis located at 656 N. Ocean Blvd which garnered him the 2014 Lesly S. Smith Landscape award. This property, made famous by the late photographer Slim Aarons and his photographs of socialite C. Z. Guest, looked like an architectural dig when the project began. “We added climate-friendly plants to replace the Australian Pine hedges as well as coconut palms planted to capture and further emphasize the view of the ocean. The Palm trees frame

the vista,” he continues, “and emphasize the water. Where there are no palm trees, you have no sense of direction without them.”

“Palm Beach has always been the envy of any other town.” Sanchez adds. “The gardens in town run from extremely formal to very wild.

“I’m a fan of water installations,” Wong adds to the conversation. “These features allow any garden to sing with the soft sounds of the water flow. We encourage clients to add a fountain to their gardens. Take the plunge,” he smiles, “and add a fountain to your garden or property.”

Worth Avenue’s gas-lit entrance piers at its intersection with South Ocean Boulevard. Inset: Jorge Sanchez.

Mario Nievera aims to create gardens that reflect the casual elegance Palm Beach is known for, encouraging friends and family to linger and relax in a timeless yet personalized outdoor setting. Inset: Mario Nievera.

ASPREY’S CONTEMPORARY CRAFTSMANSHIP

BY ALEX TRAVERS

TO GIVE A SENSE of what it may be like to live surrounded by Asprey accessories and jewelry and silver and silk, allow me to recommend exploring one of its flagship boutiques in London or New York. Both offer immersive experiences, which highlight the House’s luxurious collections of leather goods, accessories, watches, clocks, first edition leather bound books, china, crystal, games, and more. Some loyal readers may even be in the company of Asprey they peruse this, encircled by its Purple Water scents, curious to find out what the House has in

store for summer.

Asprey may be one of the oldest British luxury brands, but its designs and collaborations are immaculately fresh. That’s thanks to John Rigas, Asprey’s chairman since 2006, who expertly leads the house down creative, contemporary paths without forsaking its rich heritage. For instance, Rigas tells me that Asprey will be introducing a capsule jewelry collection with the Brazilian designer Silvia Furmanovich. One, he says, “that will incorporate jadeite in some of the exclusive designs

Clockwise, from top left: John Rigas, Asprey’s Chairman; Stag Head Crystal Decanter ($7, 500); Hanover Large Backgammon in Saddle Leather ($6,900); crystalwear from Asprey’s Beverly Hills Collection. Opposite: Asprey’s London Flagship, located at 36 Bruton Street in Mayfair.

Clockwise from top left: Asprey’s 1781 Pochette Handbag in crocodile ($29,500); Mediterranean Hibiscus Vase ($32,500); a necklace from the House’s Sunflower Collection (price upon request). Opposite: Asprey’s New York boutique, located at 687 Madison Ave; Rocket Cocktail Shaker ($18,750).

that she has created for the House.” There will be new ladies’ handbags collections for the end of spring (“pastels,” says Rigas) and the summer (“nautical,” he hints). And, in the object d’art space, there is the Asprey Grand Tour Globe, “a collaboration with artisan Leonardo Frigo,” Rigas confirms. Handmade, using traditional globe-making techniques inspired by 17th-century Venetian cartography, the Asprey Globe reflects a fusion of heritage craftsmanship and contemporary design.

“This breadth,” Rigas says, “allows Asprey to be not just a product house but a lifestyle brand, curating the complete world of luxury around its clients.”

Last year, Rigas informs me, Asprey’s best-sellers included its imperial jadeite and colored diamond collections, “as well as all the main collections such as Daisy, Chaos, and Woodland.” In silver, crystal, and china, he reports: “Asprey bespoke silver and the Beverly Hills capsule collection were the best sellers.” Asprey’s Beverly Hills Collection—featuring an Art Deco bar cart, champagne cooler, and tray—pays homage to Los Angeles’ legendary Beverly Hills Hotel, the “Pink Palace” at the top of Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard. It’s the perfect accompaniment for a summer outdoor gathering with friends.

As I mentioned earlier, it is a real treat to walk through and explore an Asprey boutique. And this summer, as they have since 2020, Asprey will reopen its concept store at 18 Jobs

Lane in Southampton, “The Asprey Bar,” where the House will officially launch its Hamptons Barware collection. Says Michele Heary, CEO of Asprey Americas, “We specifically highlight our exceptional barware during the summer peak season when so many events are happening and our entertaining products are most desirable. We will also have a curated collection of jewelry and leather products on hand.”

Asprey, with its all-encompassing selection of luxury goods, astute contemporary designs, and deft collaborations, is the true definition of a modern luxury House. Says Rigas, “Unlike most luxury brands, Asprey occupies a distinctive position defined by several interlocking elements.” Fashion, hospitality, heritage... In an age of immediacy and massproduction, it’s nice to see a brand care about and celebrate craftsmanship this deeply. ◆

ROLLS-ROYCE ANCHORS AN ELEGANT EVENING IN PALM BEACH

ROLLS-ROYCE PALM BEACH and the world of superyachts share a natural affinity—each defined by craftsmanship, exclusivity, and an uncompromising commitment to luxury. That synergy was on full display at the 2026 Palm Beach International Boat Show, where Rolls-Royce Palm Beach partnered with Worth Avenue Yachts to create a truly unforgettable experience.

Positioned dramatically along the waterfront, two extraordinary motor cars—the 2026 Black Badge Spectre and the 2026 Ghost—were showcased against a backdrop of gleaming superyachts. Over the course of the five-day show, attendees had the rare opportunity to experience these masterpieces of automotive design in a setting that perfectly mirrored their elegance and presence.

The highlight of the week came on Friday evening, March 27th, when 60 specially invited Rolls-Royce Palm Beach clients gathered for an intimate soirée aboard the $19 million, 143foot tri-deck superyacht  Oceanic. From the moment guests arrived, the tone was set for an exceptional evening. Street shoes were left dockside as attendees stepped aboard to the ethereal sounds of electric violinist Christina Zai, immediately immersing themselves in an atmosphere of refined indulgence.

Each deck of  Oceanic offered its own distinct experience. The main deck featured a lively champagne and wine bar complemented by plush seating areas designed for relaxed conversation. The mid deck provided a more intimate ambiance, where a dedicated champagne station ensured glasses were never empty. Above it all, the top deck delivered sweeping, unobstructed views of the boat show along the Clematis Street waterfront—arguably the most coveted vantage point of the evening.

A variety of passed hors d’oeuvres tickled palates throughout the boat. Guests also enjoyed curated samplings of Black River caviar paired with IWA sake, elevating the culinary experience to match the setting. Beneath a clear, star-filled sky, the evening unfolded as a seamless blend of elegance, hospitality, and spectacle.

It was, in every sense, a celebration of the Rolls-Royce lifestyle— where luxury extends beyond the automobile and into a world of unforgettable moments, shared in exceptional company. ◆

Braman Rolls-Royce Palm Beach – More than a car, it’s a lifestyle. Visit BramanRolls-RoycePalmBeach.com 2801 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach.

Clcokwise from top left: Rolls-Royce Palm Beach guests on board the Oceanic at the Palm Beach International Boat Show 2026; Worth Avenue Yachts display/stern of Oceanic (center yacht); electric violinist Christina Zai entertains. Opposite page: Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre & Ghost on the Worth Avenue Yachts dock.

ELIZABETH GAGE: A JEWEL OF LONDON

ELIZABETH GAGE founded her namesake jewelry business in 1964. Born in 1937, Elizabeth studied at the Chelsea School of Art in London before pursuing further study at London’s Sir John Cass College, now known as London Metropolitan University, where she learned to craft fine gold jewelry.

For more than 60 years, each piece handcrafted in Elizabeth’s London studio and workshops has reflected a singular design language: bold, sculptural, richly detailed, and unmistakably her own. Drawing inspiration from historic traditions including the Renaissance, Ancient Rome and Egypt, and the Tudor period, Elizabeth has created jewels that transcend conventional norms and remain immediately identifiable. Working almost exclusively in 18- and 22-karat gold, she often incorporates ancient coins, vibrant enamels, textured goldwork, Baroque pearls, architectural and mythological elements, and large, colorful gemstones. The result is a body of work that fuses the antique and the contemporary, the natural and the man-made, in a manner that feels both timeless and luxuriously modern.

Long regarded as one of the jewelry world’s best-kept secrets, Elizabeth Gage remains quietly independent and deeply rooted in London. Its refined Belgravia showroom at 5 West

Halkin Street offers a fitting window into the house’s world, where clients and collectors may experience the collection privately by appointment and discover, in person, what makes the brand a true jewel of London. The showroom also offers the opportunity to commission an individual bespoke piece, shaped by Elizabeth’s enduring eye for proportion, color, craftsmanship, and story.

That legacy was recently celebrated through a rare exhibition drawn in part from Elizabeth Gage’s personal collection and the house’s archive. Bringing together a curated selection of jewels, many of which had not previously been exhibited, the presentation traced the evolution of Elizabeth’s distinctive aesthetic and the breadth of her influences, from ancient artifacts and classical antiquity to the intrinsic character of rare and unusual stones. Carved cameos, intaglios, richly textured goldwork, and one-of-a-kind designs underscored a central principle of the house: no design is repeated, and each jewel exists as a singular expression of its materials, its history, and the hand that formed it. The archive endures not only as a record of Elizabeth’s extraordinary career, but as a continuing source of inspiration for the work of the present. u

Clockwise from above: Elizabeth Gage; inside the showroom at 5 West Halkin Street in London; Black Tourmaline and Gold Necklace ($37,400); Mandarin Garnet Molten Gold Ring ($9,100). Opposite page, from above: Bee Pin ($10,800), Ottoman Ring ($25,100), Peridot Molten Gold Ring ($11,900), Blue Zircon, Apatite and Diamond Earrings (made to order); pieces from the recent “Elizabeth Gage Archive” exhibition.

Classic

PALM BEACH HISTORICAL SOCIETY HONORS FRANCES SCAIFE

BY AUDAX

THE PALM BEACH HISTORICAL SOCIETY has just announced that the beloved nonagenarian Frances Scaife, known as “Frannie” to her myriad of admiring friends, has been named as its latest “Classic Quest ” honoree. This well deserved recognition will be cheered by her legions of

devoted pals, as well as the countless needy recipients in our community who have been touched by Frannie’s quiet and generous support.

Born Frances Louise Gilmore, Frannie was raised in Pittsburgh and at her parents’ country home, Penguin

From left: Frances and Richard Mellon Scaife attend an event at the White House in Washington, D.C., 1983; Frances Scaife at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League’s Happy Tails event in Palm Beach, 2025.

Court, in Ligonier Pennsylvania. The brainy lass then studied successfully at Chatham Hall and Vassar College, graduating in 1956. In July of that same year she married Richard Mellon Scaife, a scion of Pittsburgh’s banking family and supporter of many conservative causes, who also owned and operated the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . They had two children, the late Jennie and David, but divorced in 1991. Frannie then relocated to Palm Beach and quickly became one of the town’s leading hostesses and philanthropists. She has continuously supported a host of Palm Beach charities,

Classic

including the Red Cross, ASPCA, Casita Maria, the Alexa Foundation, and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. Today, her foundation’s giving is focused on helping women and children, addiction programs, and the welfare of all domestic animals.

Throughout her storied life, the ever radiant and indomitable Frannie has been a beacon of kindness and warmth to everyone lucky enough to have shared her journey. Quest salutes our dear and legendary friend.

Ad multos annos! ◆

Clockwise from bottom left: Frances Scaife, archival image from the Historical Society of Palm Beach County; Frances Scaife with Renee Kessler, 2020; Frances Scaife with Virginia Burke, 2021.

GOD’S GARDEN: WHERE CRAFTSMANSHIP AND CREATION MEET

BY ELIZABETH MEIGHER

EVERY SPRING SHE COMES IN COLOR. London, that is—in the form of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the world’s most prestigious horticultural event, held annually each May in England’s capital by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Traditionally known as the Great Spring Show, the Chelsea Flower Show runs for five days and attracts a distinguished guest list, including members of the Royal Family. Sixth generation British family-run heritage jeweller Pragnell marked the occasion at its Mount Street showroom in Mayfair with a whimsical tribute to the Lady Garden Foundation’s groundbreaking Silent No More Garden.

In a neighborhood once famously known for the “May Fair” (1686–1764), Mayfair hosts a series of floral displays and themed installations every spring in conjunction with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. A premier London destination for luxury shopping, dining, and heritage retail, Mount Street provided an apt setting for Pragnell’s tribute to The Lady Garden Foundation’s Silent No More Garden. Since 2014, UK-based women’s health charity Lady Garden Foundation has been dedicated to raising funds, advancing education, and promoting early detection in the fight against gynecologic cancer. Representing more than 170 years of British heritage and original craftsmanship, Pragnell Mayfair adorned its façade with a floral landscape in support of the foundation’s work.

Designed by two-time Chelsea Flower Show gold medalist Darren Hawkes, the Silent No More Garden was conceived as a space

From above: Kitulo National Park; Pragnell’s Brilliant Cut 4.44ct Kitulo Garnet and Diamond Ring in 18ct Yellow Gold. Opposite: Queen Elizabeth II visits London’s Chelsea Garden Show in 1971.

Pragnell’s tribute to Lady Garden Foundation’s Silent No More installation at its

for quiet reflection. A husband and father of three, Hawkes brought a bold, emotionally resonant approach to the project, supporting the Lady Garden Foundation’s mission to break taboos and shatter the silence surrounding the five types of women’s gynecologic cancer. Pragnell’s whimsical Mayfair floral display complemented Hawkes’ creation by drawing attention to gynecologic cancer awareness in shape and meaning. Pragnell’s two-dimensional Mount Street interpretation of Hawkes’ three-dimensional garden became a poetic extension of the Silent No More Garden, featuring soft-hued, snow-white achillea, blush-toned geraniums, and verdant lavender salvias.

The first Royal Horticultural Society Great Spring Show was held in 1862 at the RHS garden in Kensington. Twentysix years later, the event moved to Temple Gardens in central London, an area with history dating back to 1307 and the era of the Knights Templar. The roses for which the Temple Gardens became famous are alluded to in Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part 1. A longtime supporter of the arts and the Royal Shakespeare Company for more than 70 years, Pragnell’s support of Lady Garden Foundation’s Silent No More Garden at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show naturally aligned with the heritage

brand’s penchant for promoting and preserving craftsmanship through philanthropic endeavors and community outreach.

Each year, the Chelsea Flower Show attracts a mix of royal family members, celebrities, international visitors, and between 157,000 and 168,000 visitors—across 400 horticultural exhibits spread over 20 acres. In 2023, King Charles III and Queen Camilla memorably attended the show and viewed a special display honoring Queen Elizabeth II while marking their coronation.

Representing more than 170 years of British heritage and original craftsmanship, Pragnell brought its support for the Lady Garden Foundation to life through the Mount Street installation. “We are delighted to support the Lady Garden Foundation in its mission to amplify an important message, and we are proud to support the Silent No More Garden,” said Managing Director Charlie Pragnell. “We hope our Mount Street design helps continue the conversation.”

The jeweller collaborated with award-winning floral and plant designer Hazel Gardiner to translate the immersive show garden into the Mount Street floral façade, with a finished vertical interpretation of the Silent No More Garden retaining the garden’s sculptural quality, a hallmark of both Hawkes’ and Gardiner’s work. The project’s color palette became a floral extension of Pragnell’s rare jewels, with design details reflecting the craftsmanship and technical skill required to shape each piece. In tandem with the display, the showroom unveiled new additions to Pragnell’s Kitulo Garnet collection, featuring purplish-pink stones sourced from an artisan mining community in Tanzania. The colour reflects the vibrancy of the wildflower fields found in Tanzania’s Kitulo National Park, also known as Bustani Ya Mungu, meaning “God’s Garden” in Swahili. The collection added another layer to Pragnell’s Chelsea partnership, while the designs conveyed strength and solidarity in support of the Silent No More Garden and the foundation’s work. Upon dismantling, parts of the installation were donated to a local charity. Pragnell Mayfair’s showroom is located at 14 & 16 Mount Street, London, W1K 2RF. ◆

Mount Street location, in partnership with Hazel Gardiner Design Studio; a ring from the Kitulo Garnet collection. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: detail of the Mount Street installation; Pragnell’s Skimming Stone 2.66

Kitulo Garnet and Diamond Pendant in 18ct Yellow Gold; Darren Hawkes’ Silent No More Garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

BESPOKE RESORT LIVING

BY JAYNE CHASE

FOR NICK BIENSTOCK, Co-Chairman and CEO of Savanna, West Palm Beach always held a certain appeal. Unlike some of his partners whose were rooted in New York City, Nick and his family, all competitive equestrians, had lived in Wellington and knew the area well. “The equestrian community is tight and I wanted to build a similar community in West Palm Beach, where businesses are flocking to, creating a pipeline for a residential property like Olara.”

Although it took a few years to assemble all the elements required for a development of this scale, Nick and his partners had a clear vision to create a distinctive resort lifestyle with an exceptional array of high-end amenities that would attract buyers from around the world.

“There are a number of high-end developments, many of them branded, coming to West Palm Beach that have nice residences with good views of the water. But Olara is the only one,” he continues “that is delivering an unprecedented depth and quality of with the state-of the-art amenities that create a living environment that is similar to what you would get at a top-tier bespoke resort or a premier full service private club. Those offerings created at Olara are unparalleled in the market.”

A look at the projects currently underway in West Palm Beach makes clear how few offer direct water access like Olara. “At Olara,” Nick adds, “we have built a marina on the Intercoastal that provides our residents with a lifestyle that integrates the water into their daily lives. At our private dock, there will be a teak deck on the water for swimming, paddleboarding, and jet skiing. We will offer private boat services so residents will be able to call the concierge and request sunset cruises with friends or have a fishing boat pick them up at the marina for a day of fishing.

Michelin star chef, José Andrés will operate an oyster bar as well as the restaurant and indoor and outdoor lounge and juice bar.

Designed by Bernardo Fort-Brecia, founder of the Miami based firm Arquitectonica, Olara reflects a sophisticated global perspective. The Chilean designer has built an international practice with projects around the world and knows what American and European buyers are seeking.

“Part of the challenge for a European buyer,” Nick explains, “is buying a condominium with access and community. Olara provides a European buyer with 80% of what they would get in a resort or private club and nobody else has the depth, quality

and array of amenities like we do.”

At the center of the property is an 80,000 square foot amenity deck featuring a 10,000 square foot spa managed by Arch Amenities, a 13,000 square foot indoor and outdoor gym, designed and programmed by Jay Wright of The Wright Fit, a lap pool and sunset pool, and a fully staffed wellness program offering yoga, Pilates, massage, and other treatments.

“Five or six years ago, nothing like this existed in West Palm Beach,” Nick says. “Now all these offerings create a unique lifestyle at Olara that is unmatched by any other project in West Palm Beach or perhaps,” he adds with a laugh, “all of South Florida.”

Olara offers 2-4 bedroom + den waterfront residences priced from $1.7 million. For more information, email sales@olarawestpalmbeach.com or call 561.726.6151.

Renderings of Olara. Clockwise from above: The building’s veranda; dining by Chef José Andrés; Marina; view of the Leisure Pool. Opposite page: A private terrace.

QUEST Fresh Finds

Elizabeth Gage’s strikingly colorful and exquisitely crafted 18ct yellow gold Mult-Colored Stone Earrings with Carved Background, designed to showcase a vivid mix of shapes, colors, and textures. $26,600 at elizabeth-gage.com.

BY BROOKE KELLY MURRAY & ELIZABETH MEIGHER

SUMMER HAS ARRIVED, and our favorite designers are offering just the pieces to pack for a weekend away—whether your plans call for the beach, lakeside lounging, or somewhere in between.

Handwoven Frances Valentine wicker, embroidered with the signature Colony-inspired seagrape motifs, brings a touch of Pink Paradise to every outing. $378 at thecolonyedit.com.

Oscar de la Renta’s Porcelain Flower Guipure Cocktail Dress. $7,990 at oscardelarenta.com.

Nestled in Via Mizner on Worth Avenue, Renato’s Palm Beach impresses in every way, making it the perfect restaurant for any special occasion. Visit renatospalmbeach.com.

Crafted from fine crystal, the Christofle Iriana Old Fashioned Glasses bring a graphic, textural element to the table through its finely cut detailing and sculptural silhouette. Set of two for $375. Visit christofle.com.

Barton & Gray Mariners Club offers an assortment of membership options. Members enjoy a lifetime of yachting with the ability to adjust their membership and take advantage of the ever-expanding harbors and new yachts being added to the club. Visit bartonandgray.com.

J.McLaughlin’s Doug V-Neck Sweater ($198), Anderson Shirt ($168), Chatham Shorts ($148), Rafe Suede Espadrilles ($228), and Wells Canvas Tote ($348). Visit jmclaughlin.com.

In celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) presents a special collection of stamps: “American Icons,” curated by designer Ralph Lauren. This marks the first time that the U.S. Postal Service has invited an individual to curate a complete official USPS stamp collection. The USPS selected him in honor of his contributions to American design and transformative influence on our collective visual identity.

A blend of two British symbols of creative expression. Three limited edition Cooper models sporting legendary British designer Paul Smith’s signature style. Order yours at BramanMINI.com.

Asprey’s Route 66 Marquetry Watch and Cufflink Box. $8,200 at asprey.com.

Ralph Lauren Collection’s Silk Linen Crewneck Sweater ($1,490), Pant ($1,990), Wide Brim Hat ($1,290), Necklace ($990), Leather Belt ($750), Leather Sandal ($950), The Ralph Braided Calfskin Tote ($5,800), Silk Scarf ($395), and Pearl and Silver Ring ($390). Visit ralphlauren.com.

Olara is a luxury residential retreat set along Florida’s coveted Intracoastal Waterway. The light-filled homes are defined by timeless details and seamless indoor-outdoor living spaces that frame sweeping views of Palm Beach Island and the Atlantic Ocean. Over 7,400 square meters of transformative amenity spaces combine with signature dining by Michelin-starred Chef José Andrés and an exclusive private marina to offer an unparalleled waterfront lifestyle. Completion slated for 2028.

Van Cleef & Arpels 18 Karat Mother of Pearl & Diamond Flower Motif Earrings set in yellow gold. $27,500 at shrevecrumpandlow.com.

Michele della Valle bracelet, featuring thirty strands of blue sapphire beads, joined together in three sections by 18k white gold diamond-accented spacers. $19,800 at greenleafcrosby.com.

Studio Lucie de Moyencourt Shellegance. Wall Shell Collection available at Via Coquina Nantucket Boutique at 40 A Centre Street. Visit viacoquina.com.

Pragnell’s Van Cleef & Arpels Retro Diamond Bracelet in Platinum. $239,636 at pragnell.co.uk.

The Portofino Automatic 34 IW657601 by IWC Schaffhausen presents itself with refined restraint and exceptional craftsmanship. $11,300 at greenleafcrosby.com.

Fresh Finds

Introduced last year as the most ambitious and artistically driven expression in Aperture’s portfolio, Collage returns with new 2023 Proprietary Red and Proprietary White releases. The 2023 Collage Proprietary White is available in a three-bottle set retailing for $375. Visit aperture-cellars.com.

The Preservation Society of Newport County’s annual Summer Dinner Dance is the night everyone circles on their Newport, Rhode Island summer calendar. This year, the festivities land August 8th at the legendary Rosecliff Mansion, perched dramatically above the Atlantic. Expect a swirl of glamour as bespoke guests dance the night away. It all adds up to an evening full of surprises, spectacle, and just a touch of mischief. Pure Newport magic! Visit NewportMansions.org.

Kiton’s long ivory dress with a clean silhouette, detailed with cascading black embroidery. Elegant and refined with a modern edge. $7,070 at us.kiton.com.

Enjoy the world’s best cigars and rums as they come together for Casa de Campo’s four-day 1st Annual Cigar in Paradise Festival in the heart of the Dominican Republic. Valid for travel between June 25th and 28th. Rooms starting from $660. For more information, visit casadecampo.com.do.

Phoebe Knatchbull & Leopold Glover

Quest Weddings

BY BROOKE KELLY MURRAY

CharLotte tayLor

Phoebe and Leopold were married in an intimate, low-key ceremony at the Kensington and Chelsea Register Office. The bride wore a custom blazer dress designed by her sister, Daisy Knatchbull, paired with a hair bow embroidered with “Mrs. Glover.” As the newlyweds departed, close friends and family showered them with white rose petals.

Audrey Carol Davis & Jeffrey William Shook

February 14, 2026 j austin, texas j PhotograPhed by Fallon stovall

Audrey and Jeffrey were married before 160 guests in the Mirabeau Ballroom at the Austin Proper Hotel, whose interiors by Kelly Wearstler provided a striking backdrop for the Valentine’s Day celebration. The bride wore a Danielle Frankel gown and carried a bouquet of white fringe tulips and sweet pea wrapped in ivory as her father, Tim Davis, escorted her down the aisle. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a reception, which featured dinner, dancing, and an orange almond cake with Greek yogurt mousse and raspberry hibiscus sauce by Nicole Wiggins, the hotel’s pastry chef. The newlyweds shared their first dance to “Higher Love” by Kygo and Whitney Houston. One of the day’s sweetest moments came just before the bride’s planned first look with her father, when a crowded hotel elevator unexpectedly opened to reveal him inside. Rather than spoil the moment, the happy accident became a spontaneous and memorable first look, shared with laughter. The evening continued with an afterparty in the hotel’s Quill Room. On Monday, the newlyweds departed for their honeymoon, spending a few days in Amsterdam before traveling to St. Anton, Austria, for a week of skiing and après-ski.

Rebecca Hjortsberg & Reed McDonnell

June 14, 2025 j Southampton, new York j photographed bY CadenCe kennedY

Rebecca and Reed celebrated their wedding at the groom’s family home, surrounded by 96 guests. Reed’s sister, Claire, officiated the outdoor ceremony, which began just as a day of steady rain gave way to clearer skies. Rebecca wore a Jenny Yoo gown and carried white peonies accented with blue tweedia as her father, Frederick Hjortsberg, walked her down the aisle. The reception followed in the backyard, where guests enjoyed dinner, dancing, and a classic vanilla cake with traditional sugar icing. The cake also featured a sweet tribute to the couple’s two cats, Loki and Cleo. The couple shared their first dance to Gary Go’s acoustic version of “Cinema,” before continuing the celebration with an afterparty at Southampton Publick House. The next day, the newlyweds slipped away to Montauk for a minimoon, with a safari honeymoon in South Africa planned for their first anniversary.

Lane Creswell deCordova & Tyler Scott Carroll

S eptember 27, 2025 j K iawah i S land , S outh C arolina p hotographed by C lay a u S tin

at a private club. The bride wore a Vera Wang gown and was escorted down the aisle by her father, Trip deCordova. Following the ceremony, guests gathered nearby for a reception filled with dinner, dancing, and cake. The couple shared their first dance to “Coming Home” by Leon Bridges, and Tyler later drank Champagne from Lane’s shoe, a family tradition first carried out by her father at her parents’ wedding. The bride and her bridesmaids also surprised guests with a choreographed dance. Immediately following the festivities, which were planned by Sarah Rickman of Anderson Event Design, the newlyweds

Helene Short & Harrison Wright

A ugust 23, 2025 j s nowm A ss V ill A ge , C olor A do j P hotogr AP hed by d A nielle d e F iore

Helene and Harrison tied the knot before 120 guests at a private club outside Aspen. The bride wore an Elizabeth Fillmore gown and was escorted down the aisle by her parents, Emina and Tom Short. Following the ceremony, guests gathered for a reception featuring dinner, dancing, and cake by d’Elissious Cake Studio. The newlyweds shared their first dance to “Millionaire” by Chris Stapleton. In a nod to the bride’s heritage, family surprised them with a Serbian flag during the reception and led guests in the “kola,” a traditional Serbian dance that was a highlight of the evening. The celebration culminated with an afterparty at The Tavern Kitchen and Bar. After the weekend, the newlyweds enjoyed a mini-moon in Santa Barbara and will travel to France and Italy for their first anniversary.

On June 20th, the 27th Annual Mashomack International Polo Challenge will take place at Mashomack Polo Club in Dutchess County, New York. For more information, visit mashomackpolo.com.

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TASTE OF SUMMER

Enjoy culinary tastings prepared by some of the City's best restaurants— plus cocktails, music, and dancing at Central Park Conservancy's annual Taste of Summer event at 7 p.m. Hosted at the iconic Bethesda Terrace, this annual benefit supports the organization's mission to restore, maintain, and enhance Central Park. For more information, visit centralparknyc.org.

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FASHION WEEK IN THE DR

Celebrate the debut of Casa de Campo Fashion Week with a specially designed stay that blends world-class fashion, cultural experiences, and the signature hospitality of Casa de Campo Resort & Villas in the Dominican Republic. During an immersive weekend, enjoy exclusive runway presentations, close access to designers, and a program that includes wellness, art, and inspiring conversations—all at one of the Caribbean's most iconic luxury resorts. For more information, visit casadecampo.com.do.

CONSERVATORY BALL

New York Botanical Garden will host its "Flower Power" Conservatory Ball. For more information and to

purchase tickets, visit nybg.org.

UNCHARTED WATERS

Mark Seidenfeld's new exhibition,

On June 30th through July 5th, the 2026 Henley Royal Regatta will return to River Thames in England. For more information, visit hrr.co.uk.

Uncharted Waters , will be on display through June 21st at the Bridgehampton Museum, with an opening reception on June 4th, adding another compelling cultural stop to the Hamptons summer calendar. Known for his visually striking work, Seidenfeld brings an artistic energy that fits naturally into the East End’s long tradition of gallery-going and collecting. For more information, visit markseidenfeld.com.

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EVENING OF READINGS

Literacy Partners will hold its Evening of Readings & Gala Dinner at Pier Sixty in New York. For more information, visit literacypartners.org.

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WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Wildlife Conservation Society will host its annual gala at Central Park Zoo at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit wcs.org.

On June 4th, New York Botanical Garden will host its "Flower Power" Conservatory Ball. For more information, visit nybg.org.

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ROYAL ASCOT

Through June 20th, Royal Ascot will take place at Ascot Racecourse in England. Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne who, when riding out from Windsor Castle, came across a piece of land “ideal for horses to gallop at full stretch.” In the 300+ years since, there have been champions crowned and legends made, with hundreds of thousands of racegoers welcomed each year. There is no event in the social calendar quite as revered as Royal Ascot. After all, it’s reserved for the best; the best in racing, the best in hospitality – and, of course, the best in style. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ascot.com.

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NEWPORT FLOWER SHOW

"Pearls of Newport" is the perfect theme for the 30th anniversary of the Newport Flower Show, taking place June 21st at Rosecliff. This milestone event will feature exquisite floral exhibits inspired by the rare beauty and hidden treasures of the City-by-the-

Sea. For more information, visit newportmansions.org.

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MASHOMACK POLO

The 27th Annual Mashomack International Polo Challenge will take place at Mashomack Polo Club in Dutchess County, New York. Dinner and dancing will follow an elegant afternoon of polo. For

more information, visit mashomackpolo.com.

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AMERICAN PICNIC

Southampton Fresh Air Home will celebrate its 125th year and the 250th anniversary of America at the 39th Annual American Picnic 7:00 p.m. Enjoy a fun-filled evening including a spectacular, custom

drone display, a BBQ buffet, cocktails, pizza and taco trucks. The festivities will also include a carnival with arcade games, crafts, stilt walkers, popcorn, cotton candy, live music, and a silent disco. For more information, visit sfah.org.

FAM

JAM

Penny's Flight will host its annual Fam Jam at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, New York at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit pennysflight.org.

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WIMBLEDON TENNIS

The pinnacle of the summer sporting season returns as the world’s top tennis players take to the grass courts of the All England Club through July 12th. The 2026 Wimbledon Championships promises two weeks of thrilling matches. For more information, visit wimbledon.com.

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HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA

A quintessentially British affair, the 2026 Henley Royal Regatta returns to River Thames with worldclass rowing, riverside revelry, and refined tradition in Oxfordshire, England through July 5th. For more information, visit hrr.co.uk.

JULY

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HALSEY HOUSE GALA

The Southampton History Museum will hold its annual Halsey House Gala. For more information, visit southamptonhistory.org.

On June 19th through June 21st, Newport Flower Show will take place Rosecliff. For more information, visit newportmansions.org.

BY LETTY WHITE-SPUNNER

IT IS A TRUTH universally acknowledged, that a London family in possession of small children must be in want of the country.

If they have busy jobs, full social lives and a badly behaved dog then they want to escape all the quicker. Where once the UK’s most enviable postcodes could be found in Chelsea, Knightsbridge, and Mayfair, there has in recent years been a

gradual exodus of Londoners to the National Landscape area of the Cotswolds.

Stretching across Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire in South West England, the Cotswolds was originally famed

From above: King Charles III at Highgrove; Castle Combe in Wiltshire, England. Opposite page: Arlington Row in Bibury, England.

for its wool trade and known for its honey-coloured Cotswolds stone. As a child I always knew that we were getting close to my grandmother’s house when the roads became lined with low walls of charmingly mismatched sandy stone and farmland. The land is still rural but over the last few years, the area has become a hive of activity and long-time Londoners are swapping city life for these picture postcard villages.

The attraction of the Cotswolds is clear; it’s a pocket of England that has everything a young family could want. Country life is slower and calmer. City smog, extortionate square footage, and a constant buzz give way to clean air, open spaces, and quiet. Chichester, the Cotswolds’ largest town only has 18,000 residents compared to the 143,000 who live in London’s Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea alone. Dominic Spencer-Churchill, founder of D S Churchill property is currently selling a five-bedroom house overlooking Hyde Park and Kensington Palace with an asking price of £7,500,000. He also has a six-bedroom farmhouse in the North Cotswolds on the market for just over £2,500,000. They’re almost identical square footage but the latter has a private drive, a swimming pool, and a timber

store (an essential)…and you can still reach London’s central train stations within an hour. Dominic’s mother, acclaimed interior designer Jane Churchill, says that more and more clients are moving to the area that is pure countryside but still accessible. “Last year we were approached by several young families who were moving out of London. Drawing up plans for a vineyard was quite exciting!”

From above: Kensington Palace Gardens; Alexander SpencerChurchill’s Cotswolds cottage, featuring designs by Jane Churchill Interiors. Opposite page, from above: Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England; Dominic Spencer-Churchill.

By moving to the Cotswolds, no one is giving up any kind of luxury. Soho Farmhouse is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year; The Beckhams, Hugh Grant, and Elizabeth Hurley all being part of ‘The Chipping Norton Set’ where the estate is located.

Celebrity neighbours might be a downside to London living, but the Cotswolds has such a strong sense of kinship that farmers park their tractors next to Range Rovers and no one bats an eyelid. There are beautiful five-star hotels, spas, and restaurants including Lord and Lady Bamford’s Daylesford Farm which is a village in itself but there are also cosy inns, the 1,000-year-old Porch House in Stow-on-theWold being a particular favourite. It’s said to be England’s oldest pub and we know how much the English like a pub.

Nowhere else in the UK would you find the kind of sideby-side living that the Cotswolds offers. Independent and local businesses are really championed here. The town of Tetbury in South Gloucestershire is home to King Charles III’s Highgrove Estate but it has a twice weekly market where local vendors sell everything from flowers and fish, to fashion and foodie treats. On the Eastern edge of the Cotswolds

From above: Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, England; the Kitchen Garden at Highgrove. Opposite page: The Porch House in Cheltenham, England. Insets, from left: The Cotswold Cheese Company; sketch of The Woodstock Bookshop storefront.

is Woodstock, surrounding the hugely famous Blenheim Palace but it also has the most charming bookshop you have ever seen aptly named…The Woodstock Bookshop. A mere twenty minutes away in Witney is…Teddy Bears Of Witney. The 15th century Sudeley Castle has paintings by Turner and Rubens whilst in nearby Moreton-in-Marsh you’ll find locally produced The Cotswold Cheese Company, another place that sells exactly what it says on the tin.

The Cotswolds provides safety without compromising on style. It’s perfect for a young British smart set of entertainers and revellers who want to be near the fabulous parties and trendy clubs but who also want somewhere with a sense of community, and a place for their children to thrive. During

the summer months, bigger towns such as Cheltenham can become too attractive to tourists but that luckily lands during The British Summer Social Season, when Cotswolders can be found picnicking at Ascot, enjoying Pimm’s at Henley or strawberries at Wimbledon.

It would be remiss of me to not mention the hand

Jeremy Clarkson has had in London’s love affair with the Cotswolds. His Amazon series Clarkson’s Farm did wonderful things for British farming, showing the challenges that come with country life alongside the camaraderie of a very social community…all set within rolling fields, country pubs and some very chic establishments. Time to get house-hunting. ◆

From above: Sudeley Castle; highlights of the British Social Season include picnicking with classic Pimm’s cocktails and watching Wimbledon. Opposite page, from above: The first ever 70mm film was captured at Henley Royal Regatta in the 1890s; Women’s Rowing during the Henley Royal Regatta.

SCHIAPARELLI’S SURREAL STYLE

AT THE V&A

BY BROOKE KELLY MURRAY

FREDRICH

BORN IN ROME in 1890, Elsa Schiaparelli was an Italian fashion designer and one of the defining figures of European haute couture between the two World Wars. Renowned for her avant-garde spirit, she transformed fashion into a form of modern art, fearlessly blurring the boundaries between dress and fantasy. “For me, dress designing is not a profession but an art,” Schiaparelli once said.

A force in fashion throughout the 1930s and ’40s, Schiaparelli drew inspiration from the leading artists of her day, most famously Salvador Dalí, who was also at the height of his career. After settling in Paris, she opened her first showroom in 1927 and, by 1934, had become one of the city’s leading couturiers. Her great rival was Coco Chanel, whose understated luxury stood in sharp contrast to Schiaparelli’s eccentric, art-infused designs. Chanel dismissed her creations as theatrical costumes, but that critique was not entirely misplaced.

From above: Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art exhibition view; Lady Mount Temple (oil on canvas), - Gluck, (Hannah Gluckstein) (1895-1978). Opposite page: Designer Elsa Schiaparelli wearing a black silk dress with crocheted collar of her own design and a turban for Vogue , 1940.

Counterclockwise from above: Exhibition view; one of Schiaparelli’s ensembles featured in British Vogue, March 1937; portrait of Nusch Eluard by Pablo Picasso. Oil on canvas, 1937. Opposite page: Schiaparelli Haute Couture, Fall/Winter 2024, Look 26.

Schiaparelli’s eveningwear included some of her most inventive creations, from shimmering gold lamé gowns to dinner suits appliquéd with circus horses. She also designed for the stage and screen, dressing leading performers including Marlene Dietrich, who favored the designer’s sharply tailored trouser suits.

This spring, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum opened Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art , the first U.K. exhibition dedicated to the designer. On view through November, the exhibition traces the house’s origins and evolution, from Schiaparelli’s 1927 trompe l’oeil bow-knot sweater, one of her earliest and most famous garments, to the only surviving Tears Dress, conceived in 1938 with Salvador Dalí, and present-day creations by creative director Daniel Roseberry. As Delphine Bellini, CEO of Schiaparelli, observes, “Elsa Schiaparelli’s fearless imagination and radical vision redefined the boundaries between fashion and art.”

The show brings together hundreds of objects, including ensembles, accessories, photographs, and archival material, illuminating Schiaparelli’s enduring influence across fashion, art, performance, and commerce. It also devotes a section to the opening of her London salon in Mayfair in 1933, a milestone that helped cement her international presence. Among the British highlights are a dress and coat worn to the 1937 coronation of King George VI, as well as Gluck’s portrait

of Lady Mount Temple wearing a Schiaparelli creation.

“

Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art [celebrates] one of the most ingenious and daring designers in fashion history,” says Sir Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A. With its unparalleled fashion holdings and historic relationship to design, the museum offers a fitting stage for a designer whose work continues to prove that couture can be as witty and unforgettable as art itself. u

Clockwise from left: Schiaparelli Lobster Dress; exhibition view; Lobster Telephone by Salvador Dalí, 1938. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Exhibition views and Awar Odhiang wearing Schiaparelli Haute Couture, Fall/Winter 2024 in Paris, 2025 (top right).

LONDON CHIC

“THIS IS LONDON —open, dynamic, and, above all, the beating heart of our nation, the best city in the universe.”

—Dame Hannah Rothschild.

For a bespoke suit, there is Savile Row. For contemporary art, Soho. For royal pageantry, Buckingham Palace. And yet London is far too layered to be reduced to any single address or archetype. It is a city of exhilarating contradictions: posh and punk, regal and rebellious, modern and timeless. That tension is precisely what gives the capital its unmistakable charge.

Wander from private members’ clubs and storied theaters to bustling markets and candlelit dining rooms, and London reveals itself as a living collage of black cabs, Georgian town houses, grand hotels, corner pubs, and hidden gardens. Its rarefied air is best enjoyed in the sweep of Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent’s Park, or Hampstead Heath—or amid armfuls of blooms gathered at Columbia Road Flower Market.

Assouline’s new volume, London Chic, by Londoner Charles Finch, is a love letter to this singular city, filled with images of the places, people, and institutions that continue to define its enduring allure. ◆

Clockwise from top left: Punk fashion on the streets of Camden Town; Claridge’s, a five-star luxury hotel in London’s Mayfair district; film producer and editor in chief Charles Finch at his desk at A Rabbit’s Foot , a magazine and online platform focusing on film, art, and culture; The London Eye, the world’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel and the UK’s most popular paid attraction; Serpentine South Gallery in Kensington Gardens. Opposite page, clockwise from above: The entrance to the London tube, showcasing the iconic roundel and the city’s emblematic red double-decker bus; cover of Assouline’s London Chic; Rainbow News in Notting Hill, a distinctive boutique showcasing a refined collection of gifts and homewares.

PERSONALITY WITH A PAINTBRUSH

BY LETTY WHITE-SPUNNER

Clockwise from top left: Intelligence Corps Colonel Niklas Fairweather, Artist Louise Pragnell, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Colonel-in-Chief Intelligence Corps, and General Sir Jim Hockenhull with the unveiled portrait of HRH The Princess Royal; portrait of Jeremy Clarkson by Louise Pragnell; Louise Pragnell painting in her studio; portrait of “Pops” Mensah-Bonsu by Louise Pragnell. Opposite page: Louise Pragnell beside her recently unveiled portrait of HRH The Princess Royal, commissioned by the Intelligence Corps to mark The Princess Royal’s official appointment as their Colonel-in-Chief.

THE BRITISH ARE WELL-VERSED when it comes to royal portraiture.

King Henry VIII can be recognised a mile away and art historians at London’s National Portrait Gallery have identified over 200 portraits of the late Queen Elizabeth II alone. Portraiture in itself is a tremendous skill but when a portrait of a well-known face gives you a real feel for the sitter as well as a true likeness, then it’s quite a feat. That’s exactly what Louise Pragnell has managed to achieve in her recently-unveiled portrait of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

Commissioned by the British Army’s Intelligence Corps to celebrate her role as their Colonel-in-Chief, the portrait is such a fantastic representation of Her Royal Highness that you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a photograph. Further perusal of Pragnell’s portraiture shows that this isn’t a fluke, they all have real personality. Of her new commission, she says, “I wanted the portrait to remind viewers not only of her strength and leadership, but also of the quiet dignity and soft power she embodies as a person.” There’s a lovely hint of a smile in this painting that does just that. This is the second time that Louise has painted The Princess Royal and she is

thrilled with the response. This month, she will exhibit a new portrait of “Pops” Mensah-Bonsu, a London born former NBA player of Ghanaian heritage who serves as an ambassador for the NBA’s Basketball Africa League. The portrait was chosen from 1,500 entries and will be on display at The National Portrait Gallery from June until October. This is also the third time she’s been selected for this portrait award exhibition; the first time would be the proudest moment of her career so far…if she had to choose, which I can’t imagine is easy.

The Princess Royal is one of many high-profile people that Louise has in her portfolio and she sits (excuse the pun) alongside His Royal Highness

The Duke of Kent, Jeremy Clarkson, and Sir Jackie Stewart, amongst others. When asked who she would have loved to paint, Louise chooses Vivienne Westwood for “her hugely influential grasp on this quite British combination of the punk-militaryaristocratic aesthetic.” I can imagine it; a portrait so full of life that it looks photographic with a strong sense of Vivienne the person. That’s what Louise Pragnell is so good at, pure personality with a paintbrush. ◆

Connaught Calling

BY BROOKE KELLY MURRAY

LONDON HAS grand hotels, famous hotels, and fashion able hotels. Then there is The Connaught. Tucked into the heart of Mayfair, with roots dating back to 1897, the hotel has long occupied a rarer category: a place defined as much by discretion and ritual as by beauty and address. Part of the legendary Maybourne Collection, The Connaught has welcomed a remarkable cast over the decades, from Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, Princess Grace of Monaco, and Alfred Hitchcock to Princess Diana, Jack Nicholson, and Dame Maggie Smith. Yet its appeal has never rested on famous names alone. Its magic lies in what its longstand ing motto calls “Placere Placet – the pleasure to please,” a spirit of service that has made the hotel feel, for genera

Counterclockwise from above: The Connaught staircase as the focal piece of the lobby. Ralph Lauren loved it so much that he had it recreated for his Manhattan flagship; Sommelier’s Table; cover of Assouline’s The Connaught. Opposite page: The hotel’s entrance.

tions, less like a grand institution than a private world.

That spirit is now celebrated in The Connaught, a new Assouline volume written by editor Bill Prince. Filled with imagery that traces the hotel’s story from its earliest days to the present, the book captures what Prince calls The Connaught’s “near-130-year history” and the extraordinary heritage of the “Monarch of Mayfair.” But this is not simply a chronicle of a storied building. As Prince notes, the hotel’s approach to hospitality “is forever present and remains every bit as integral to its story as the building itself.”

That approach can be felt in the pleasures that have made The Connaught so beloved: a perfectly made drink at The Connaught Bar or the Coburg Bar, Europe’s first Aman Spa, and the personalized butler service. For Sandeep Bhalla, Managing Director of The Connaught, the book is a way to gather “so many incredible stories and guest memories from over the years” into “one very special book.” It is also a tribute to the “unwavering standards and innumerable creative talents” that have kept this handmade hotel at the forefront of global hospitality, not only in memory, but “for 2025 and beyond.” u

From above: Actor Stanley Tucci ascends The Connaught’s staircase during a photoshoot; the grand staircase. Opposite page, from above: A small guest is gently sheltered from the London rain; The King’s Lodge suite; Coburg Bar.

MAY BALLS

A new volume from ACC Art Books offers a nostalgic glimpse into Cambridge University’s famed May Balls, the lavish celebrations held each year to mark the end of the academic term, as captured over four decades by society photographer Dafydd Jones.

1. Elizabeth Pulford, Cambridge University Charity Ball, March 15, 1985. 2. Magdalene May Ball, June 25, 2025. 3. Trinity May Ball, 6 a.m., 1984. 4. Magdalene May Ball, June 21, 2023. Opposite page: Cover of ACC Art Books’ Cambridge Balls by Dafydd Jones.

1. Magdalene May Ball, June 18, 1997. 2. Dominic Armstrong and Charles Prideaux, Magdalene May Ball, June 17, 1987.

3. Toby Mansell-Pleydell, Cambridge Hunt Club Ball, March 4, 1988. 4. Magdalene Ball, June 15, 1983. Opposite page: 1. Caroline Calloway, Madingley Hall, 4.35 a.m., June 24, 2025. 2. Magdalene May Ball, June 25, 2025. 3. Scene on the river during Trinity College & Clare May Ball, June 10, 1985.

4. Clare College May Ball, June 16, 1998.

A GUIDE TO LONDON’S BEST SHOPPING

Clockwise from below: New Bond Street; northward up Savile Row from Vigo Street, 1955; Savile Row street sign; Oxford Street.

RALPH LAUREN

32-33 Sloane Square / ralphlauren.com

Situated on Sloane Square, Ralph Lauren’s flagship boutique offers items from the brand’s most elevated collections—including Purple Label, Polo for men and women, and Ralph Lauren Home—alongside an edit tailored to the London shopper. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren has captured the essence of American style, reinterpreting equestrian heritage through a modern lens. Set behind an Edwardian façade, the light-filled, 4,251-square-foot space spans two floors and artfully blends clean lines with classic detailing. Just in time for Father’s Day, the boutique features a curated selection of gifts, including items like the new Bailey Picnic Basket ($4,995).

ELIZABETH GAGE

5 West Halkin Street / elizabeth-gage.com

A celebrated British jewelry designer, Elizabeth Gage is renowned for her bold, eclectic designs that blend exquisite materials and vibrant gemstones with meticulous craftsmanship. Her work is defined by its creativity, attention to detail, and a distinct sense of narrative, earning her a devoted following of collectors and admirers around the world. Since founding her namesake brand in 1964, Elizabeth has established a legacy of innovation in the world of fine jewelry. Each piece is a testament to her unique aesthetic—ancient bronzes, carved gems, baroque pearls, and radiant stones are chosen for their individual beauty and brought together in designs that are at once timeless and striking.

JANE CHURCHILL INTERIORS

81 Pimlico Road / janechurchillinteriors.co.uk

Jane Churchill is renowned for two things. The first is her traditional sense of style, which manifests itself in her love of all things English. The second is her take on modern design, and the contemporary flair that she brings to her interiors. Thirty years ago it was her vast and successful collection of fabrics and wallpapers that made Jane Churchill a household name. When this half of her rapidly growing empire was sold, she made the permanent move into interior design and Jane Churchill Interiors has been trading at 81 Pimlico Road ever since. Jane and her small team of close-knit designers focus on high-end residential properties both in the UK and abroad, and can count some slightly unusual design briefs amongst their past projects: a horsebox, a Rolls Royce, helicopters…and a rickshaw.

BUDD LONDON

3 Piccadilly Arcade / buddshirts.co.uk

Budd has plied its trade as a quintessential gentlemen’s haberdashery and shirtmaker since its founding by Harold Budd in 1910. The shop and cutting room have been located in Mayfair’s Piccadilly Arcade since day one and are its oldest tenants. Like all of Mayfair’s traditional arcade boutiques, the shop is tiny, but its size belies the wealth of clothing and haberdashery housed inside. Budd is a veritable Pandora’s stocking the finest shirts, nightwear, dresswear, and accessories. It prides itself on its hard-to-source items.

14 & 16 Mount Street / pragnell.co.uk

With over 170 years of British craftsmanship, Pragnell Mayfair is recognized as one of the leading independent jewelers in Mayfair, London. Located on prestigious Mount Street, the townhouse showroom presents handcrafted high jewelry, remarkable vintage and antique jewelry, an extensive bridal offering, and highly personalized bespoke jewelry design services. Welcoming clients from across London and beyond, Pragnell offers a discreet jewelry experience defined by expertise, artistry, and family heritage. The showroom also features an exclusive selection of luxury Swiss timepieces, with Pragnell recognized as an Authorised Retailer for Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Greubel Forsey. As one of the UK’s last family-owned full-service jewelers and a Responsible Jewelry Council member, Pragnell combines international credentials with a trusted reputation—offering specialist jewelry and watch care.

JOHN LOBB

88 Jermyn Street / johnlobb.com

Since its inception over 150 years ago, Lobb has trodden an innovative path. Its founder, who traveled on foot from the Cornish coast to London in 1851 as a young apprentice bootmaker, also journeyed to Australia during the gold rush, creating hollow heeled boots, in which miners could stow contraband gold nuggets. On returning to London in 1863, Lobb was named as the bootmaker to the Prince of Wales, before opening the brand’s first bespoke boutique on Regent Street in 1866. Today, John Lobb designs still incorporate artisanal techniques and silhouettes discovered in the house’s extensive archive. The label’s ready-to-wear designs are made using a complex 190-step manufacturing process in Northampton.

PRAGNELL

ASPREY

36 Bruton Street / asprey.com

Asprey is a British retailer of luxury goods. Founded in 1781, the House has historically been recognized as one of the world’s preeminent luxury goods brands and has a substantial client base of members of royalty, heads of state, and important actors on the world stage. The Bruton Street Flagship, ‘Asprey 240,’ offers a unique immersive experience of discovering the brand and its creations. The must-see London shop incorporates elements of inspiration from the British outdoors and a contemporary London mansion, showcasing the house’s distinct collections and hero products in a cinematic, exhibition-type format catering to all five senses.

KNATCHBULL

32 Savile Row / knatchbull.com

Daisy Knatchbull is on a mission to change tailored clothes for women, and to offer successful, style conscious women a compelling alternative to fast fashion. She founded Knatchbull (formerly The Deck) in early 2019, and the brand has since received glowing reviews in the fashion press, dressed some of the most influential female actors, entrepreneurs, and creatives working today, and opened the first women’s-only shopfront on Savile Row. Knatchbull is determined to establish itself as the leading tailoring house for women internationally, and to stand alongside its neighbors on Savile Row as a respected and innovative tailoring house.

JAMES J. FOX

19 St James’s Street / jjfox.co.uk

James J. “JJ” Fox has been trading in fine tobacco and smokers’ accessories from 19 St James’s Street for over 235 years and its customers have included discriminating smokers from all walks of life-from commoners to kings. Among them have been Sir Winston Churchill, Oscar Wilde, British and Foreign Royalty, the officer’s mess of famous British regiments, and the leading lights of the stage, film, sport, TV, radio, music, and literature. This world-famous tobacco business started with Robert Lewis, who began trading fine tobacco in St James’s Street in 1787. James J. Fox was formed in Dublin in 1881 and opened its first tobacco shop in London in 1947. Fox acquired the business of Robert Lewis in 1992, uniting two of the most respected names in the cigar world. ◆

THE YOUNG & THE GUEST LIST YGL

BY BROOKE KELLY MURRAY

Beyoncé Knowles in Olivier Rousteing and Blue Ivy Carter in Balenciaga.

ON THE FIRST Monday in May, celebrities descended on the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the highly anticipated Costume Institute Gala, better known as the Met Gala. This year’s event, co-chaired by Beyoncé , Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos serving as honorary chairs, celebrated the opening of Costume Art, the Costume Institute’s latest exhibition. Guests embraced the evening’s dress code, “Fashion Is Art,” with an array of interpretations.

MET GALA IN NEW YORK

Clockwise from top left: Blake Lively in Versace; Anok Yai in Balenciaga; Kendall Jenner and Zac Posen in Gap Studio; Nicole Kidman in Chanel, Lauren Sánchez in Schiaparelli, and Anna Wintour in Chanel; Michael Kors and Anne Hathaway in Michael Kors.

IN LATE APRIL, the Cinema Society and 20th Century Studios hosted a screening of The Devil Wears Prada 2 at the SAG-AFTRA Robin Williams Center. Following the film, guests gathered for an after-party at a nearby private residence in Central Park Tower. Attendees included Martha Stewart, Clive Davis, Susan Lucci, Lena Hall, and more.

Eunice Bae, Helena Christensen, and Lena Hall

Tyler Lain and Sophie Sumner

Clive Davis, Greg Schriefer, and Susan Lucci

Martha Stewart and Kevin Sharkey

Xin Li-Cohen and Maye Musk

NEW YORK CITY BALLET’S SPRING GALA

LAST MONTH, New York City Ballet’s Spring Gala took place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. The star-studded evening, chaired by Mick Jagger with host committee members Emmy Rossum, Ashley Graham, Hari Nef, and Diane Kruger, raised $3.2 million in support of the organization. ◆

Johannes Huebl and Olivia Palermo

Melanie Hamrick and Mick Jagger

Sai De Silva and London Scout de Silva

Jimmy Fallon

Ashley Graham and David Burtka

A racing legency tracks the Belmont Stakes 130th anniversary.