GRAZIA
HAMPTONS
VOLUME FIVE
SUMMER 2021
GAZETTE
Free BIRD
DOVE CAMERON THE SINGER & ACTRESS SPREADS HER WINGS IN SEARCH OF NEW HORIZONS
ZEROBONDNY.COM
ZEROBONDNYC
Join Napa Valley’s first Wine Club that gives back! With over $7 million donated to date, doing good has never tasted so great.
onehopewine.com/wine-club
7
SUMMER 2021
THE SCENE & The Seen As the world slowly starts to reopen, the summer event circuit is finding its new “normal”—and GRAZIA has an inside look.
Favorite Daughter x Fivestory Southampton Trunk Show was
From left: Erin Foster and Sara Foster; Deanna First and event guests; Karen Murray.
hosted by Erin Foster and Sara Foster, alongside owner Karen Murray, to kick off the label’s East Coast launch; illustrator Deanna First attended the event, sketching fun and candid moments as guests sipped on BEV and La Croix. PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID BENTHAL FOR BFA.
Project Zero and Grazia USA Collaborate to #Turnthetide on Climate for a paddleboard
event at Havens Beach in Sag Harbor. Later that evening, Project Zero founder Melissa Clarke and guests gathered in the garden at The Maidstone in East Hampton. Thanks to Eternal Fleur, La Croix, ONEHOPE, and Volvo. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROB RICH FOR SOCIETYALLURE.COM.
From left: Team Paddle Diva, Shelton Lindsay, and Judy Darling; Stephanie and Bruce Moulton, Michele Clarke, Ricardo Pavoncelli.
Galerie House of Art & Design VIP Opening in Sag Harbor is
where Galerie Founder and Editorial Director Lisa Fayne Cohen—along with the editorial team and designers—showcased combined high-caliber art and design in livable spaces. The event drew such guests as Anne Heche and Peter Roth. Proceeds from this season’s show house will benefit the construction of Stony Brooke Southampton Hospital’s East Hampton Emergency Department. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOE SCHILDHORN FOR BFA AND GALERIE.
From left: Design chair Nicole Fuller along with the designers; Lisa Fayne Cohen.
GRAZIA USA
“Your muscles can become younger and healthier, and your joints can be—and deserve to be—pain-free. Now is the time for your dreams of design, strength, longevity, balance, and beauty to become a reality.“ —Tracy Anderson
INTRODUCING A BREAKTHROUGH IN INNOVATION AND INVENTION
ENHANCE synaptogenesis REPAIR mitochondrial damage DESIGN
muscles with clear precision
No Springs No Weights All New All Air Resistance
CREATE youthful expression PROTECT
spine and joint health
Sessions are available exclusively at the Tracy Anderson East Hampton studio this summer. E-mail us at hamptons@tracyandersonmethod.com for bookings and more information.
CASSANDR E MONTORIO L
The best of the worlds of art and design under one roof
AT SAG HARBOR
Sag Harbor, New York • August 7 to September 6, 2021 For tickets and more information, visit galeriemagazine.com/HouseofArtandDesign
Platinum Sponsors:
Supporting Sponsors: Arte, Bernhardt, Cambria, Cosentino, Eastern Accents, Ferguson, Fiber-Seal Northeast, Forbes and Lomax, Fromental, Gibson & Dehn, Katonah Hardware, Lee Industries, Link Outdoor, Pierre Frey, SAMAD, Savoir Beds, S. Harris, The Rug Company, Woodwrights Wide Plank Flooring
365 DAYS OF REAL,
fresh roses
www.roseboxnyc.com Store Location: 186 Franklin Street, New York, NY 10013 +1-646-374-1711, info@roseboxnyc.com
11
HAMPTONS
GRAZIA
SUMMER 2021
GAZETTE BRENDAN MONAGHAN Executive Vice President, Global Chief Brands Officer
DAVID THIELEBEULE Editor In Chief, Chief Creative Officer BRIAN CAMPION Executive Creative Director CASEY BRENNAN Executive Editor At Large
FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES Our coterie of Hamptonites who embody success, culture, change, and the art of living well
KEVIN SESSUMS Editor At Large GABRIELLE PRESCOD Market Director RAVEN BAKER Social & Audience Director DEBORAH DRAGON Director of Publishing Operations KATHLEEN BURNS Editorial Coordinator
JENNIFER WAINSTEIN
CURTIS JACKSON III
The rapper–turned-entrepreneur, better known as 50 Cent, was born in South Jamaica, Queens, and gained fame for hits like “In Da Club” and “Disco Inferno” before branching out into investing, management, and even acting. He now serves as executive producer for the STARZ series Power Book III: Raising Kanan, based on his life experiences .
As a partner at Dana Rebecca Designs, Wainstein has helped oversee and grow sales for the jewelry brand founded in 2007 by her sister Dana Gordon. The must-have designs include tennis necklaces and pendants, earrings, stackable rings, and a stunning bridal collection.
DIANE HODGES Copy Editor CONTRIBUTORS SHELTON BOYD-GRIFFITH TY GASKINS AMANDA MITCHELL MARISA PETRARCA AARON RASMUSSEN JUSTIN ROSE AARON ROYCE JOHN RUSSELL DOMINIC UTTON MIA UZZELL
ROBERT SORRENTINO
The UBS exec—and husband of PR powerhouse Amanda Ruisi—has also gotten into the wellness space, as the founder of Reach Nutrition. The bars, which are organic, gluten- and dairy-free, and vegan, are made with proper ratios of fats and protein and minimal sugar, now available in such flavors as Nut Brownie and Vanilla Coconut.
ROB ELLIN
As the chairman and CEO of LiveXLive—a global platform for livestream and on-demand audio, video, and podcast content in music, comedy, and pop culture—Ellin has overseen the company’s growth and initiatives including the 48hour online festival “Music Lives,” which had more than five billion views on TikTok.
DIGITAL JESSICA BAILEY International Editorial Director LILY CHEN Digital Director CHARLOTTE STOKES Fashion Director GRACE O’NEILL Fashion Writer REBEKAH CLARK Features Writer EMILY ALGAR Beauty Editor JOSH SOKOL Multimedia Producer KATE LANCASTER Contributing Beauty Editor
OMAR ALY
As the director of member experience for private club Zero Bond, Aly is responsible for curating the nightly crowd at the buzzy downtown spot. Expect to see a mix of athletes, actors, fashion execs, and financiers; notable members include Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian, Zac Posen, and Liev Schreiber, with a staggering wait list for wannabe VIPs.
IN THE Issue
ISABELLE TRUMAN Contributing Editor HEADQUARTERS
100 Broadway, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10005 • PHONE (917) 231-8680 • EDITORIAL contact@graziausa.com • ADVERTISING sales@graziausa.com • MEDIA press@graziausa.com © 2021 Mondadori Media S.p.a. All rights reserved. Published by PANTHEON MEDIA GROUP LLC with the permission of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.a. and Mondadori Media S.p.a. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.
13 THE NEW & THE NOW
16 MOST WANTED
18 LOOKING FORWARD
23 COVER STORY
38 WHAT’S IN MY BEACH BAG?
ON THE COVER Dove Cameron, photographed by Dennis Leupold and styled by Christian Stroble. Brunello Cucinelli blazer, $4,995, pants, $1,995, available at Brunello Cucinelli Soho boutique; KAIMIN bra, $95, kaiminnewyork.com; Vintage Saint Laurent necklace, rental price upon request, paumelosangeles.com; Givenchy sandals, $650, givenchy.com; Shiffon ring, $525, shiffonco.com.
GRAZIA USA
TAMARA COMOLLI Boutiques Southampton 27 Main Street NY 11968 Palm Beach 150 Worth Avenue Suite 115 FL 33480 www.tamaracomolli.com
THE NEW & THE NOW
VOLUME FOUR
SUMMER 2021
FOOD For Thought
North Fork Table & Inn has been redesigned by Thomas Juul-Hansen to mirror chef and owner John Fraser’s desire to honor its heritage while creating something wholly new. BY KEVIN SESSUMS
“I
‘IT JUST FELT LIKE AN OBVIOUS PATH AS A CHEF WAS TO BE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THINGS RUN AND THEN AT A CERTAIN POINT, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO OWN THE RESTAURANT.’
’m a type A introvert,” Chef John Fraser said, chuckling at the keenly observed incongruity—which just might be the secret ingredient to his success as a Michelin-starred chef. Indeed, honing in on surprising juxtapositions is what sets his dishes apart. A self-described “99 percent vegetarian,” Fraser doesn’t bristle at cooking the perfect steak or Long Island duck breast rubbed with lavender spices and paired with rhubarb. Fraser’s latest reimagining is North Fork Table & Inn (you can get that duck breast there), which reopened this summer to much acclaim. Fraser hired Thomas Juul-Hansen, known for the simplicity of his grandeur—more keenly observed incongruity—to redesign Table & Inn. “Thomas is an architect, so he approaches things through a lens of restoration and awakening,” said Fraser. “I wanted a wholesale new interior with respect for what was there—which is an almost impossible thing to do— but I think he did it. I just felt like he would be able to get it—but would be able to get it on the right budget.” Balancing the books is integral to his sense of honor as a businessman but there is a deeper kind of balance Fraser seeks. He majored in anthropology in college, and still has an intellectual curiosity that is systemic in its application to his professional life. “Whatever remnants are left of those studies deal with the way in which small things can become big things and big things can become small things inside culture or a community,” Fraser explained. “It just felt like an obvious path as a chef was to be curious about how things run and then at a certain point, I had no choice but to own the restaurant. Some of it may be control freakish squeezing in there.” Fraser paused. I can’t decide if that was really an odd little chuckle coming from him again or more of a cud of bemusement. I settled on cud. “One of my culinary partners tells me I cook with my brain and not my belly. I want things to taste good, but I require a story,” he said, echoing restaurateur José Andrés, who claims he is not a chef himself, but a storyteller. Fraser’s own story started with Thomas Keller mentoring him at The French Laundry in Napa Valley. Keller has said, “When you acknowledge—as you must—there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it, then the real purpose of striving toward perfection becomes
clear: to make people happy. That is what cooking is about.” Does Fraser agree with his mentor? “There is a lot to unpack in the word ‘happy.’ It’s an easy one to sort of flop around,” he said. “In every restaurant there is a different sort of society that is happening. At The Loyal in Manhattan,” he said, citing another of his properties, “people are coming there and they are drinking and there is revery. At the North Fork Table, maybe it’s a bit more of a foodie rhythm. I think my job is first to define why it is that you’re there and then try to peek inside what your version of happiness is and provide it for you.” And what would someone see if they peeked inside his own version? “This is not going to be a very sexy answer. I’m more relieved than happy. I don’t celebrate victories. I’m more on the other side of it where I say, ‘Thank goodness,’” he claimed, unclenching his jaw around that cud of bemusement to release a long, lovely sigh. It was one of exhaustion, however, as much as it was one of relief. It was only a few days before the Fourth of July when we spoke and he told me he has just flown in after visiting his parents for the first time since the pandemic. They still live out in Los Angeles, where he grew up. “‘What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child,’” I teased him, quoting the Chinese novelist and philosopher Lin Yutang. Fraser’s chaw of a chuckle was back. “The dining table was the place where my family did come together almost every day,” he recalled. “That is probably where it started. I was a pretty curious kid about science and chemistry and math. I was a lot less creative and a lot more the-inner-workings-of. How does macaroni and cheese go from milk to thick. That sort of thing. So food was a part of the way we came together as a family but it was also part of my curiosity.” When it comes to creating his own family, Fraser himself is still single. His businesses and his staff seem to fulfill the need in him for companionship and even devotion. He’s been coming to the farthest reaches of Long Island since college, when he worked as a bartender and cook at Shagwong Tavern in Montauk. So why did he choose the North Fork—and not the South Fork—to put down stakes finally? There was no bemusement now. There was no chuckle. He no longer seems exhausted but becalmed. “Maybe the North Fork chose me,” he said. northforktableandinn.com
GRAZIA USA
14
VOLUME FIVE
DEEP Dive
Artwork details, from left: Bruce Cohen, Still Life with Calla Lilies in Pitcher, 2020; John Currin, Untitled, 1990; Helen Frankenthaler, Center Break, 1963. Photograph by Lena Yaremenko, courtesy of Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco.
Harry Winston’s newest accessories are inspired by the ocean. BY AARON ROYCE
Harry Winston’s iconic fine watches are getting a makeover, just in time for the fall season. The brand’s sporty new Ocean Collection features its signature women’s Ocean Biretrograde timepieces, elevated in optimistic individual hues of yellow and orange. Each boasts sharp mother-of-pearl dials, as well as faces encrusted in yellow sapphires and orange spessartites. The corresponding men’s watches include the same color palette in the brand’s sleek Project Z10 style; featuring deep gray Zalium cases and openwork dials, the style is both industrial and sleek. Deeply saturated colors, intricate patterns, and fine craftsmanship similarly permeate Winston’s corresponding Winston With Love Collection, creating a refined range of complex accessories that will shine forever. harrywinston.com
SAN FRANCISCO’S Berggruen Gallery Heads East
The Berggruen Gallery, a renowned, multigenerational art gallery based in San Francisco, has set up shop at 55 Main Street in East Hampton for the 2021 season. Through September 30, modern and contemporary paintings from the Berggruen Gallery will call the village home; exhibitions at the limited-run space include Julian Lethbridge / Carl Andre, a show featuring the monochrome paintings of Lethbridge and the rudimentary sculptures of Andre. The works of both artists represent an influence of math and geometry on the contemporary artistic landscape, resulting in an abstract and minimalist portfolio of work. Lethbridge, in his painting, works off a preliminary grid system that informs composition, while Andre works in small-scale pieces, deriving from a diversity of materials that act as honest, literal objects. berggruen.com – JOSH SOKOL
ROVELOOP Is Now Offering Luxury And Eco-Friendly Rides Around The Hamptons
Looking for a new way to get around East Hampton? RoveLoop, a line of eco-friendly electric vehicles powered by Optimum, is now providing free transportation in close proximity to three covered zones including East Hampton, Sag Harbor, and Montauk. With this new initiative, RoveLoop seeks to alleviate traffic concerns in a way that is good for the environment. With Gianpaolo De Felice and Jack Brinkley Cook’s vision of RoveLoop coming to life, you can now book rides easily through Apple’s App store, and in no time you’ll be navigating the Hamptons in style. ridewithrove.com – JOSH SOKOL
THE SCENT of Summer
Fresh new fragrances to try. (Not that we don’t love the smell of sunscreen.)
Elevated womenswear line Black Iris has launched a limitededition collection with activewear brand Terez.
BY MARISA PETRARCA
Versace Versense, $95, harrods.com.
VERSACE VERSENSE Versense debuted in the early aughts, but its refreshing fruity-floral aroma withstands the test of time. “Versense reminds me of summer, of carefree moments on the beach and the glittering waters of the Mediterranean Sea,” says Donatella Versace of the perfume’s relaunch. “It combines scents that make me think of the places where I grew up, in the South of Italy.”
GRAZIA USA
SWEATING in Style
Etro White Magnolia, $220, etro.com.
ETRO WHITE MAGNOLIA Consider Etro’s newest perfume launch for women a must-have on your fragrance vanity this season. The floral-woody scent evokes an optimistic, lively mood, and its nature-inspired notes are perfectly of-the-moment. As a bonus, each glass bottle comes housed inside a collector’s box adorned with one of the label’s signature paisley prints.
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Soleil Cristal, $100, lancome-usa.com.
LANCÔME LA VIE EST BELLE SOLEIL CRISTAL EAU DE PARFUM Intended to evoke the memories of warm summer days, this new iteration of Lancôme La Vie Est Belle features addictive top notes of mandarin, ylang-ylang, vanilla, and coconut. The beloved label deems this scent happiness in a bottle, so it makes sense that its holographic packaging is a cheerful work of art in itself.
BY CASEY BRENNAN
When Black Iris debuted in 2019, the line featured feminine dresses, blouses, and perfectly fitted bodysuits. Next came belt bags, PJs, and face masks, and a capsule collection with loungewear brand Donni. Now, Black Iris has expanded yet again, launching activewear with athleisure favorite Terez. “At Black Iris we make beautiful, functional pieces for our ‘lady,’ and we felt she needed an on-brand option for exercise as that is definitely incorporated in her day,” Black Iris cofounder Candice Miller tells GRAZIA. “The collection includes leggings, bike shorts, and a bralette featuring a deep-scoop back in striking floral patterns. There is something for little ones, too, thanks to the Black Iris x Terez Mommy and Me line, including leggings, dresses, and back-to-school supplies. shopblackiris.com; terez.com
THE NEW & THE NOW
15
PAMELA TICK’S Guide to the Hamptons BY CASEY BRENNAN
TAKEOUT, UPGRADED
SETTING Sail
Stuck in the city and missing the Hamptons’ breezy beaches? The Mark Hotel’s 70-foot Herreshoff sailboat is now available for private twohour charters for up to 25 guests who want to get back out on the water. Launching from Tribeca’s North Cove Marina, guests sail through New York Harbor while sipping wine and noshing on a Jean-Georges Vongerichten-designed menu of bites, including oysters, spiced chicken samosas, and petit fours. For those ready to take the ultimate plunge, The Mark can even provide an onboard wedding officiant. themarkhotel.com – AARON RASMUSSEN
Do your summer plans include staying out of the kitchen as much as possible? The newly opened Wishbone Farms in Southampton is here to help. Owner Josh Lebowitz recommends that anyone who has “an appetite for high-quality, pre-made, chef-prepared meals made from scratch and fresh daily” visit the new marketplace for healthy seasonal farm-to-fridge options ranging from snacks, salads, and sandwiches to oven-ready selections for up to four people. Executive chef Eva Pesantez notes that all ingredients used in dishes are sourced from sustainable farms in the area. “It’s about having passion for putting local ingredients together to make restaurant-quality food that people can enjoy at home, on the beach, on the drive back to the city on Sunday, or anywhere else,” she says. “Whether you’re choosing from Wishbone’s highly curated groceries from the market or our thoughtfully sourced prepared meals, everything will be made-in-house.” Wishbone Farms also features a rotisserie and coffee bar for easy grab-and-go options. eatwishbonefarms.com – AARON RASMUSSEN
MEDUSA To The Max Versace, Versace, Versace, Versace.
Versace’s psychedelic Resort 2022 collection is Donatella Versace’s interpretation of post-pandemic dressing: which means, typical Versace maximalism taken to the extreme. The 44-piece lineup comprises men’s and women’s wares featuring bold textures, super-saturated colors, and trippy patterns. “I think there’s a renewed sense of optimism right now, and I wanted this collection to speak to that,” says Versace. “This season is about having fun with fashion again, and it feels right to put something positive into the world. We will never return to the old world or the old ‘normal.’ There’s no going backward. This is what the new now looks like to me.” versace.com – MARISA PETRARCA
New York-based DJ and Creative Pamela Tick began her career as a fashion assistant before growing a large following on Instagram. She quickly picked up DJing and from there, her presence in front of the camera and on social media took off. Below, Pamela’s picks for the best spots to hit in the Hamptons. What attracts you to the Hamptons? The Hamptons is the Hamptons and there is just nothing quite like it. The very different towns, the farms, the beaches, the historic charm, the golf courses, the stables, the galleries, the vineyards. Whether you want the social scene or want an escape, the Hamptons has an atmosphere for just about any type of person. It can be beachy as ever or pure countryside. Either way, you can’t go wrong. Where do you like to go for a beauty treatment? Why? Shou Sugi Ban House is as good as it gets. Offering luxury accommodations with spa treatments, this wellness retreat is unique and remarkable. It is its own sanctuary. Where can we get the best drinks? Different strokes for different folks. Sunset Beach is a vibe. I love John Scott’s Surf Shack, and Rumba. The list goes on. Where can we shop for chic must-haves? RRL in East Hampton, Sylvester and Co. in Sag Harbor, and Love Adorned in Amagansett. Favorite restaurant? What do you usually get?? Oakland’s Restaurant at the Shinnecock Inlet. Always get a stuffed lobster!
SON OF A TAILOR: Fit to a T
Navy or rose wool T-shirt, $84.
As late summer turns into fall in the Hamptons, Son of a Tailor is catering to the shoulderseason set with the launch of two new men’s wool T-shirt colors: aquatic green and blue. The short-sleeve shirts, made in lightweight 100 percent superfine merino wool, naturally wick away moisture to keep you cool during the day and warmer as the evenings out East grow chillier. They come in high-neck and crewneck styles and are made with what the Danish brand calls a “perfect fit algorithm.” In low-tech terms, that means clients create a fully custom pattern online based on body type, weight, and other variables. If your first order doesn’t feel quite right, they offer a remake guarantee. sonofatailor.com – AARON RASMUSSEN
GRAZIA USA
16
VOLUME FIVE
MORE AT GRAZIAMAGAZINE.COM
COOL GIRL Autumn
The summer season is winding down but the heat is on for busy city dwellers. With humidity and congestion still looming large, these looks will have you staying cool and looking great through the (hopefully!) last heat wave. BY GABRIELLE PRESCOD
LAQUAN SMITH
OTTOLINGER
GRAZIA USA
LOUIS VUITTON
VALENTINO
CHANEL
PROENZA SCHOULER
GIVENCHY
BOTTEGA VENETA
17
MOST WANTED
BRIGHT Eyes
The end of summer never looked so good-even behind these shades. Nanushka Sazzo, $275, nanushka.com.
Bottega Veneta, $550, bottegaveneta.com.
Orseund Iris tube tank, $195, orseundiris.com; Christopher John Rogers pants, $995, bergdorfgoodman.com; Prada sandals, $925, prada.com; Mateo bag, $325, mateonewyork.com; Ana Khouri Jamie ear cuff, $8,668, matchesfashion.com.
Jil Sander shirt, $850, shop similar at modaoperandi.com; Ganni shorts, $205, shop similar at fwrd.com; Versace mules, $995, select Versace boutiques; Anima Iris bag, $375, animairis.com.
The Attico Irene, $250, modaoperandi.com.
Elisa Johnson Bonnie, $150, elisajohnson.co.
Y/Project tank, $106, yproject.fr; Goldsign jeans, $290, netaporter.com; A.W.A.K.E. MODE sandals, $690, shopbop.com; Edas belt bag, $410, similar styles at edas.store; 51 E John ring, $280, 51e-john.com.
Gentle Monster Talin, $270, gentlemonster.com.
LaQuan Smith tank, $425, thewebster.us; Coperni shorts, $182, farfetch.com; Staud sandals, $295, staud.clothing; Bruce Glen bag, $695, shop similar at bruceglen.com.
Thierry Lasry Mastermindy, $480, thierrylasry.com.
Poppy Lissiman Coco Husk, $95, us.poppylissiman.com.
Wray shirt, $215, wray.nyc; Victoria Beckham pants, $534, victoriabeckham.com; Amina Muaddi pumps, $1,001, mytheresa.com; Eéra bag, $660, mytheresa.com; The Last Line necklace, $8,535, thisisthelast.com.
YanYan dress, $350, yanyanknits.com; Paris Texas mules, $214, shop similar at norrgatan.com; Burberry bag, $2,090, shop similar at us.burberry.com; AOX eyewear sunglasses, $142, aoxeyewear.com.
GRAZIAMAGAZINE.COM stylish The most
destination online.
GRAZIA USA
18
VOLUME FOUR
LOOKING FORWARD
Good INFLUENCE
Oscar de La Renta top and shorts, price upon request, available at Oscar de la Renta boutiques; Paris Texas boots, $1,521, paristexas.it; Alan Crocetti ring, shop similar at alancrocetti.com; Bea Bongiasca ring, $870.00, beabongiasca.com.
FROM A SUCCESSFUL MODELING CAREER TO BECOMING AN ACTOR AND ENTREPRENEUR, IT SEEMS THERE IS NOTHING OLIVIA CULPO CAN’T DO.
19
LOOKING FORWARD
BY JOHN RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHER SASHA SAMSONOVA STYLIST CHRIS HORAN HAIR ANITA CASTILLO MAKEUP LISA-MARIE POWELL
Agent Provocateur bra, $215, agentprovocateur.com; Windowsen skirt, view collection at windowsen-official.com; Ana Khouri earrings, price upon request, anakhouri.com; Fernando Jorge ring, $4,000, fernandojorge.co.uk.
S
“
o, first I have to ask you what your liquor choice is.” Olivia Culpo had turned the tables on me. I was meant to be asking her questions—about her life, her career, her many, many projects. Instead, she was asking me about my drinking habits: “Tequila or vodka, which do you prefer?” Culpo—it soon became clear—was trying to get a sense of my taste profile so that she could recommend a flavor of Vide, the brand of low-calorie, nocarb canned cocktails for which she serves as creative director. I copped to some embarrassingly déclassé preferences, which I will not repeat here, but which made her laugh. “I need to try that!” she giggled. She ultimately settled on the mango vodka soda Vide for me. (For the record, Culpo herself is partial to the grapefruit tequila soda.) Vide is just one of the projects in Culpo’s diverse array of business ventures. The 29-year-old model, actor, influencer, entrepreneur, and former Miss Universe has so much going on, it’s kind of hard to keep track of it all: There’s Back40, the restaurant she opened in 2017 with her family in her home state of Rhode Island. (A second location, Union & Main, is due to open before the end of the year.) There’s More Than a Mask, a line of cloth masks Culpo launched at the beginning of the pandemic. In recent years, she’s created capsule collections for brands like Macy’s and Express, and partnered with the likes of L’Oréal, DSW, and Rampage as a brand ambassador. And, of course, there’s the modeling. When we spoke in late July, Culpo was in Miami for the launch of Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue. She’d been featured on the 2020 cover, but because of COVID restrictions, the magazine wasn’t able to properly fête her and the two other models—Jasmine Sanders and Kate Bock—who appeared on the cover with her. They were making up for it this year. Culpo was thrilled to be in town celebrating alongside this year’s cover girls: Megan Thee Stallion, Naomi Osaka, and Leyna Bloom, the first transgender model to appear on the issue’s cover. She laughed as she talked about getting to explore Miami with her sister Sophia, who managed to sneak her nine-week-old goldendoodle puppy into a party. “It kinda feels like everybody’s just been let out for recess,” she said. “So, it’s a fun time to be out and about, I guess. Better than before!” (Little did we know that within a week the Delta variant would cut short the hot vax summer we all needed so badly.) From Miami, Culpo was bound for the Amalfi Coast and then to Greece, where she would meet up again with Sophia and their other sister Aurora for a bit of a girls’ trip. Although, the trio has been working on a super-secret project that Culpo wasn’t quite ready to discuss, so it’s likely the vacay would end up incorporating some work. “I mean, sometimes it’s hard to differentiate if I’m actually here for fun or here for work when I’m traveling like this,” Culpo admitted. Obviously, when you have the sort of public profile that Culpo does, your work can infiltrate most aspects of your life. As a social media influencer— her Instagram account boasts nearly five million followers—she is constantly documenting every
Tomo Koizumi x Emilio Pucci playsuit, $2,165, net-a-porter.com; Miu Miu pumps, $895, miumiu.com; Alain Mikli sunglasses, $400, sunglasshut.com; Acchitto ring, shop similar at acchitto.it.
Cong Tri dress, price upon request, congtri.net; Grace Lee 3 Diamond Ovals ring, $2,880, Oval and Pear diamond ring, $3,880, gracelee. com; Acchitto Ruby Gem ring, $200, acchitto.it.
second of her busy life. In the week or so following our chat, I kept up with her antics in Santorini with Aurora and Sophia on Instagram. Through the scrolling, something became clear: While Culpo, of course, posts the kind of highly styled, aspirational images of herself that we all expect from figures like her, she’s also not afraid to post candid goofy pics and the occasionally unflattering mishap. “We do have fun,” she told me. “I would never want to take myself too seriously, because that would be depressing. So, there’s not a huge barrier between the person that I am behind the camera and the person that I am in real life, and I like it like that. I feel like that comes very naturally to me.” Culpo’s success as an influencer certainly informed her latest role. (Did I mention she’s also an actor?) In writer-director Ty Hodges’ indie drama Venus as a Boy, Culpo plays Insta-famous New Yorker Ruby, whose whirlwind love affair with struggling LA artist Hunter (Hodges) is complicated by their disparate social scenes. Hodges told me that the process of casting Ruby took upward of seven months. Ultimately, it was Culpo’s acting chops as well as her authenticity that sealed the deal. “I think a lot of times when you see films about a social media influencer, they feel kind of contrived, not as honest and not as human,” Hodges explained. “I think what she brought to it was a very human existence. Yeah, she happens to be a social media influencer, but the film is not about that. It’s about her as a human being.” As for Culpo, “I definitely felt like playing a version of what I do in real life was very cathartic. And challenging too in some respects,” she said. She described a scene in which Hodges’ character tells Ruby she’s vapid and vain. “You know, it’s all of those comments that you see on the internet that you don’t really ever want to have to. So, having to dig deep there and really think about how it makes me feel to hear that—which I do, absolutely, on the internet—is challenging, but also was really cathartic, because I could yell at him and do exactly what I would want to do in real life if I could!” But why focus on the trolls? Culpo would rather devote her energy to the causes that mean something to her. “I think people in any form of spotlight— whether you’re an influencer, actor, model, singer— there is a responsibility to use your platform in a way that’s going to help,” she explained. To that end, she donated the profits from her initial More Than a Mask collection to Feeding America, helping to provide 1.5 million meals to kids in need. During last summer’s nationwide protests following the killings of George Floyd, Brianna Taylor, and countless other Black Americans at the hands of the police, Culpo donated More Than a Mask’s profits to the racial justice advocacy organization Color of Change. More recently, she’s released a line of jumpsuits benefitting Period, a nonprofit that provides menstrual supplies to people in need. She’s been open about her own struggle with endometriosis and is committed to destigmatizing menstrual health. Culpo credits her parents for her impulse to give back. “They always showed the importance of giving back, being grateful, not expecting a lot in return,” she recalled. “It really just boils down to that. I have the ability to help because I’ve been given such a big platform. If there’s something I think I can really make an impact on, I’m gonna go for it.” In short, stay tuned for much more to come.
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VOLUME FIVE
BEST FACE FORWARD
Dr. Barbara Sturm has gained a cultlike following for her anti-aging treatments and products—and she’s just getting started.
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BY CASEY BRENNAN
first encountered the Dr. Barbara Sturm brand in the Hamptons during the summer of 2018 after taking The Class at The Barn in Bridgehampton. The Sun Drops SPF 50 were in the studio’s perfectly curated boutique; the simple packaging was so chic, I bought them without any knowledge of the line. Soon after, I started noticing Dr. Sturm products everywhere and realized the German aesthetics doc was already the industry’s not-so-secret skin guru. Fast-forward to summer 2021, and the Dr. Sturm brand is even more ubiquitous: There are full-service spas in Dusseldorf, London, Los Angeles, and Miami. There are more on the horizon. Meanwhile, the science-based products are sold everywhere from Dr. Sturm’s own studios to Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, along with Onda Beauty (co-owner Naomi Watts is a fan of the Sturm line), Sephora, and Rescue Spa. An impressive line of products includes the in-demand Sun Drops, Enzyme Cleanser, Face Cream, and Hyaluronic Serum. The brand-new Aloe Vera Gel just debuted this summer and a Molecular Hair and Scalp launch is in the works. “I began my medical practice in anti-aging orthopedics, with a focus on anti-inflammatory treatments,” Dr. Sturm tells GRAZIA Gazette: The Hamptons. “I later translated some of the science and approaches into skin and my aesthetics practice. In 2002, I invented anti-inflammatory medical treatments using a patient’s own blood plasma and soon after, I created a prescribed, blood plasma-based cream for my patients.” The cream—officially named MC1 Cream and unofficially dubbed “blood cream”— won Dr. Sturm major props. Fast-forward nearly a decade and she is respected and renowned for her nonsurgical anti-aging methods and treatments. After the success of the MC1 cream, Dr. Sturm launched the brand’s first “off the shelf” skincare line in 2014; the products are now available in 52 countries. So just how did Dr. Sturm, whose posttreatment results have been given the moniker #SturmGlow, gain cult status as the most sought-after skincare expert for the fashion industry, top models, A-listers, and anti-aging enthusiasts? “Beauty and wellness are a huge, competitive industry and within that I have been outspoken
about the approaches that I believe are good for your skin,” Sturm continues. “I never planned on fame or status; my ultimate goal was to create a product that worked. The MC1 cream became very popular in the circles of my patients, especially in Hollywood, and I would receive a lot of questions about which other products should be used for the daily skincare routine. The results and ingredient science have spoken for themselves.” Not surprisingly, Dr. Sturm has the most perfect, glowing complexion ever, so I had to know: What is her daily skincare routine? “I use my face mask every day,” Dr. Sturm shares. “Twice a week, I’ll either use the facial scrub or enzyme cleanser in the shower on my face and body to remove dead skin, boost circulation, and encourage skin renewal. The rest of the time I cleanse with my cleanser. Immediately after showering I apply my balancing toner, then hyaluronic serum and anti-pollution drops, super anti-aging face cream, and eye cream.” A few of her recently released products are also in the rotation. “My face cream is my absolute must-have, followed closely by my hyaluronic serum, which is so fundamental to skin health, I call it the ‘white T-shirt’ of my skincare regimen,” says Dr. Sturm. “It applies viscous, like a light syrup, and within seconds absorbs entirely into your skin. The improvement in the quality of the skin matrix is instantaneous. It promotes skin barrier function and replenishes both superficial and deeper moisture reservoirs. I couldn’t live without my face mask, which is a skin savior when skin is struggling and a skin perfector when it’s not. I am also currently obsessed with my new hand wash and body wash, and my aloe vera gel has been a skin savior this summer.” It’s clear that Dr. Sturm’s passion is helping her clients achieve their ultimate skincare goals. “I love interacting with my clients and customers and educating them about skincare and my anti-inflammatory philosophy,” Dr. Sturm reveals. “Helping each and every customer have the best and healthiest skin possible is one of the driving principals of my work and inventions.” Still, despite all she has achieved, for Dr. Sturm, there is always more to learn and build on. “I am deeply interested in innovation, and closely monitor the innovations in ingredient science and approach and scientific advances,” Dr. Sturm explains. “I have some interesting new inventions coming out—new delivery methods for potent ingredients and new compounds, increasingly tailored products, and advanced procedures. We have lots of exciting things in store, so stay tuned.” drsturm.com
‘I LOVE INTERACTING WITH MY CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS AND EDUCATING THEM ABOUT SKINCARE.’
Enzyme Cleanser, $75.
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LOOKING FORWARD
PROJECT ZERO IS RESTORING THE WORLD’S OCEANS— ONE STEP AT A TIME
The environmental nonprofit’s new ambassadors are advocating for sustainability, carbon reduction, and more.
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BY AARON ROYCE
ith the oceans literally life support system. It gives us every second breath we take.” protection, the organization is continuing various initiatives catching fire around us, Richards believes that small steps are the best way for to that end. One such project is “Adopt-a-Coordinate,” where the time has come for se- people to begin to make a difference in promoting sustain- individuals can adopt 1-100 km stretches of sea throughrious action. Project Zero ability. Personally, she first committed to eliminating her use out the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Indian Oceans, in the is here to help. The non- of plastic straws and to carrying a reusable tote bag. Now, she meantime sharing their additions on social media to raise awareprofit’s mission is straight- lives a largely sustainable lifestyle. “I’d also like to point out ness and funds for the climate crisis. Standard investments in any forward: to create more that no one is perfect,” she notes. “What is important is that amount can be made on the project’s website. However, there’s worldwide ocean sanctuaries, preserving aquatic life against we are all doing something to reduce our individual impact also a fashionable component to the cause: The brand’s created a the climate crisis. By restoring the health of oceans and on the ocean—and our planet.” range of graphic T-shirts to promote their efforts. marine ecosystems, the organization aims to combat issues Ambassador and artist Cavier Coleman is the latest creative In particular, Richards hopes to instill the values of like pollution, drilling, and fishing that harm the world’s sustainability in her newborn daughter, Arlowe, through to be tapped as a contributor, adding his signature facial print waters—92.3 percent of which are unprotected, according to initiatives like local sourcing and removing harmful chemi- to the shirts’ “Ours to Solve” lettering. The pieces are printthe Marine Protection Atlas. cals at home—and, of course, to continue promoting aware- ed on an on-demand basis in a renewable energy-powered Michele Clarke’s own love for the oceans drove her to ness through music. “Sustainability is something that we factory, making them both sustainable and stylish. “The found Project Zero just over a decade ago, setting out to raise incorporate in our lives every day and we’ll be teaching our ocean gives us life. It’s important to take care of the ecosystem awareness and generate funding to secure ocean sanctuaries daughter that too as she grows up,” Richards explains. that makes life possible,” Coleman states in an email. worldwide. Coleman believes that investments in the ocean—no Ronen Rubinstein shares similar sentiments. The 9-1-1: “Unfortunately, awareness that the ocean matter how big or small—make a major differis in such dire straits is low, and ocean ence in aquatic health. “The ocean is our biggest conservation gets a fraction of a fraction of ally in the fight against the climate crisis. Project global philanthropic funds that go towards the Zero is working to secure a global network of ocean environment: 3 percent to the environment sanctuaries, and they all need investment to secure as a category, and the ocean gets 6 percent of them for the good of the planet and the people that,” Clarke said in an email conversation living around them,” he says. with Grazia Gazette: The Hamptons. “Given Indeed, ocean restoration is a public matter— that the ocean comprises 70 percent of Earth, and, according to Clarke, people should care about that’s pretty scary.” it if they like to breathe, drink fresh water, and live Cavier Coleman Mei Kwok Alexandra Richards To further Project Zero’s mission, Clarke on a habitable planet. Even if someone can’t invest has tapped a unique group of ambassadors to represent the Lone Star actor consciously reduces his carbon footprint by financially, for example, they can still support ocean restoration organization. These include model, DJ, and activist Alexan- eating vegan, buying vintage clothing, living in a solar-pow- and sustainability from home. dra Richards, artist Cavier Coleman, actor Ronen Rubinstein, ered house, and driving a hydrogen fuel cell car. Rubinstein’s “There are so many super easy ways to help,” Clarke shares. entrepreneur Mei Kwok, and musician Griff Washburn; all care for the oceans was his motivation for joining Project “Start by reducing your carbon footprint by doing little things five share a passion for ocean life. Zero as an ambassador, exemplified through his beach clean- like turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, washing your Alexandra Richards, who also serves as a board member up efforts during the pandemic. “Beaches were empty. Waters clothes in cold water (they get just as clean), switching to a green for Project Zero, has championed the organization’s cause for were cleaner than ever. I have never seen more dolphins and energy provider, lowering your thermostat. All these little things more than a decade. “I saw a very concerning documentary seals in the Cali coast in my life,” he told Grazia Gazette: The add up, especially if we all did them.” back in 2009 called The Cove, and I was trying to figure out Hamptons. For more information on how to get involved, visit a way I could help,” she explained. “The ocean is our planet’s As Project Zero continues to push for greater ocean weareprojectzero.org.
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CAMP COUNSELOR Dove Cameron spent the summer in Apple TV+’s over-the-top musical parody, Schmigadoon! What’s next?
D
ove Cameron lives for camp. Actually, she does more than live for it: “I live, eat, sleep, breathe, die for camp!” she gushes. “Camp is my number one most important ingredient! I think that most things should be done with a camp sensibility. And all my favorite things have huge elements of camp.” (To be clear, we’re talking about the Susan Sontag brand of camp—not your kids’ summer getaway.) She pauses and laughs at herself. “I’ve said ‘camp’ so many times it’s going to stop sounding like a word!” Other things that don’t sound like words: Schmigadoon! Both a parody of and tribute to the Gold-
en Age of Hollywood musicals, the Apple TV+ comedy concerns a seemingly contented couple, played by Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key, who stumble upon an enchanted village while hiking and find that they’re unable to escape the saturated colors, artificial landscape, and incessant singing until they find true love—either with each other or with someone else. The town of Schmigadoon is populated by over-the-top tropes: the pinched, judgmental minister’s wife (Kristin Chenoweth); the effete mayor (Alan Cumming); the lovable tomcat (Aaron Tveit); the virtuous, independent-minded schoolmarm (Ariana DeBose). Cameron plays Betsy, the farmer’s buxom daughter who initially tempts Key’s character. It’s a high-camp role that she embraced with gusto.
“I view her not really as a person as much as she is an idea of the projected male fantasy, the collective hivemind spirit of what a woman should have been in that time,” Cameron says of the character. “That whole idea of innocent as a rose always used to grate me. I remember watching [musicals] at eight years old being like, What in the f**k is this? I knew even then that it was a massive injustice to be a woman in musical theatre.” Schmigadoon!, however, gave her the opportunity to parody the ingénue trope. “It was so fun because things like that hold power when you don’t acknowledge them,” Cameron explains. “Classic tropes like that only hold the shadowy, dark, ugly power when they remain unacknowledged. And when we’re in your face about how ludicrous they are, that’s when they lose their power.”
BY JOHN RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHER DENNIS LEUPOLD STYLIST CHRISTIAN STROBLE HAIR CLAYTON HAWKINS MAKEUP TONYA BREWER
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And, after all, isn’t that what camp is all about? A devoted fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Cameron took cues from some of her favorite queens in bringing Betsy to life. “Camp is so beautiful and impactful because it’s an acknowledgment of human nature, and also the flip side of that joy, which is horrible, terrible grief and trauma and loss, you know? Two sides of the same coin, which is why I find that there is such a humility in the surrender to looking stupid and allowing yourself to be so fully unabashed in a character like that, or in your drag persona, or in your expression of your art—in all of these things. That’s where all the human juices are!” Cameron has experienced her fair share of grief and loss. Born Chloe Celeste Hosterman on Bainbridge Island, Washington, a small island community in the Puget Sound, she describes her childhood as a strange mix of high highs and very low lows. To start, the home she and her sister shared with their parents was constantly under construction. “I think my sister at a certain age was like, I want a ladder in my room and a bubble window! And my parents were
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like, It’s brilliant! An indoor bridge? We must have it!” she recalls. Money was tight, but her parents prioritized creativity and joy, and made up for a lack of material possessions with a wealth of experiences. “They had a company out of India, so my sister and I traveled a lot to India. We went everywhere with them, so I was never really in public school very much. Like, six months in, one year out, three months in, two years out. But then, I had a great close relationship with [my parents]. No structure, no consistency, lots of experience.” Through it all, Cameron grew up watching the films her father cared about: Lawrence of Arabia, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Gone with the Wind. As their household became increasingly unstable, film and music became and escape route of sorts for Cameron. “I think I fell in love with the idea of what the world looked like in movies, versus what my world really looked like,” she recalls. Her parents divorced, and her father, who struggled with mental health issues, died by suicide when she was 15. “It’s not like that comes out of nowhere,” she explains. “His life was always a very emotionally volatile life for
him. And so, as his children, we came along on that ride with him.” But as one aspect of her life was falling apart, her career was about to take off. Around this time, Cameron, who was living in Los Angeles with her family, was cast in a pilot that would become The Disney Channel’s tween sitcom Liv and Maddie. She played the show’s titular twins for four seasons, winning a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series, and went on to star in another Disney property, the Descendants franchise, a series of TV movies about the teenage offspring of classic Disney villains. Fame didn’t come easy for Cameron. She remembers having a panic attack and hiding in a Nordstrom the first time a fan spotted her at The Grove. “I was like, Oh, this is terrible! I’m not made for this,” she recalls. “So, that was scary, you know? I went from being in high school to that. And you only really know how that’s going to interact with your biology when it happens. Sorry to say, I thought I knew that I was gonna be OK with that, and you just don’t know.”
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It took Cameron years to get used to being recognized in public. Oddly, she credits the past year in relative isolation for recalibrating her sense of self. “I had, like, a year where I was just not witnessed by anybody. And I wasn’t recognized ever and I didn’t go to any events,” she explains. “And I think when I could let my nervous system go back to an equilibrium that I had before I was ever exposed to the public eye, then I could kind of heal whatever was not reacting well in me. It used to just send me into a state of terror, I guess, and now I feel like I can tackle it, because… I don’t know. I guess I have a better sense of who I am.” These days, Cameron finds herself in a whole new phase of her life and career. Last year, she came out publicly as bisexual. She’s dating for the first time. (“I’ve only ever rushed into highly romantic and highly public monogamous relationships that last like four years with straight men!”) She’s finally managed to build a community of musicians and songwriters around her in LA, and she’s looking forward to possibly releasing a new EP at some point. She wants to continue to do it all:
music, TV, film, theatre. She’s particularly interested in doing more action and sci-fi. “I have this very specific obsession with Tron, cyberpunk, Ex Machina,” she says. “It looks so f**king fun! And also, it’s like the world that I want to live in. Like in a video game!”
“But because Powerpuff is such a beloved piece of intellectual property, I feel like there’s this air of conspiracy. Like something big and bad happened,” Cameron explains. “We’re just gonna come back and do it again with some tweaks and maybe a different villain and probably some more expensive shoes.” An upgrade, an opportunity for improvement. That sounds a lot like the ongoing Dove Cameron project—at least, as Cameron herself describes it. Throughout our conversation, she’s mentioned the ways her perspective has changed in certain things— her drive to perform, her early taste of success, her father’s death. “I think that everything in life comes back to how you feel about yourself,” she says. “I just feel a lot more autonomous and I love myself. It took me a long time to love myself and even longer to like myself. And now that I feel like I’ve done both to the best of my ability so far—until I redefine what that means again—it’s just changed everything. When you don’t hate yourself anymore, the world opens up.”
‘CAMP IS MY NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT.’ That sounds a lot like what she’s getting to do on Powerpuff. The CW’s upcoming live-action reboot of the beloved ’90s cartoon The Powerpuff Girls has been the subject of much online scrutiny, particularly since it was announced that the network was re-shooting the pilot. Cameron, who plays Bubbles, the sweetest of the superpowered trio, insists that this is entirely normal. Lots of shows get retooled before we ever see them.
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IN WITH THE INN CROWD
After 250 years, The Maidstone finds new life. BY KEVIN SESSUMS
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E
ast Hampton was the first English settlement in the state of New York. Before it was called East Hampton it was, in fact, known as Maidstone, having been named for the county seat of Kent, England. The name was later changed to Easthampton to mirror the names of its neighbors to the south and west, but in 1885 it was split into two words to coincide with the way the local newspaper, The East Hampton Star, decided to spell it. Who knew the naming of the town was an editorial decision? Well, the town’s official historian Hugh King, also known as the East Hampton town crier, would. I called King to talk to him about his recollections of the hotel in town called The Maidstone. “Which one are you talking about?” asked the delightful 80-year-old gentleman. “The inn? That one burned down in the 1930s. Even I’m not old enough to remember that one.” “No,” I told him. “I’m talking about The Maidstone, the first thing you really see when you drive into town across from Town Pond, the Greek Revival that almost seems painted there, the one with that perfect porch.” King laughed. “Well, I’m old enough for that one but I’m not rich enough,” he said. “Never had the money it takes to stay there. I did go to the tree-lighting ceremonies that they used to have there at Christmas with all the candles. Then they’d have a dinner and give the proceeds to the food pantry in town. Those were the previous owners. There are new ones now.” The “new” ones, Jonathan and Jenny Baker, have been the owners since 2008—a Bakers’ dozen of years, come to think of it—when they reimagined the iconic hotel to reflect art collector Jenny’s keen curatorial eye and movie producer Jonathan’s appreciation of mise-en-scène. Jonathan thinks of “the Hamptons as the epitome of the American version of La Dolce Vita,” citing the Fellini film for its title’s translation: The Sweet Life. There is, indeed, a kind of sweet swagger to that film that the Bakers have translated into the tranquil moxie of their hotel, a manifested characteristic of East Hampton itself. Many of the stars attending the Hamptons International Film Festival each year insist on staying at The Maidstone because its old-school, old-shingled Hamptons
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elegance now elides with the sophisticated serenity that is the result of the updates that the Bakers have put into place. Before settling in for a visit with the Bakers, let’s circle back to The East Hampton Star for a bit more history of the place from Mayra Scanlon, the East Hampton Library’s archivist for its Long Island Collection. In a column titled “The Maidstone That Remains,” she wrote of the Osborne family history that is so much of The Maidstone’s own. When Thomas Osborne arrived in East Hampton from Connecticut, he bought the property from Robert Bond somewhere between 1650 and 1660. Six subsequent generations of Osbornes ran a tannery business from here. In 1840, William Osborn—who lost an “e” along the way—built the main structure that still stands today. He soon opened the place to lodgers and renamed it Osborn House. Maybe that “e” just didn’t fit on the sign that was the hotel’s first attempt at branding. William’s son Burnett ran the Osborn House for 32 years. In 1924, the place was taken over by the Hamptons Hotel Corporation and renovations ensued, including that perfect porch. On September 21, 1938, however, the Long Island Express Hurricane that left 150 Montauk fishermen homeless and swept an entire movie theater out to sea in Westhampton, drowning the projectionist and 20 matinee-goers, severely damaged the hotel. Reconstruction began and bettered the battered place which gave the porch a sturdier appeal to match its aesthetic one. In a town where the first English settled and a hotel can have such a history, even a porch can be generational. “The hotel changed hands twice more, the owners including, for many years, Rita Reiswig and her husband, the late Gary Reiswig, before being purchased by its current owner, Jenny Ljungberg, in 2008,” Scanlon wrote, winding up her column in The East Hampton Star. “The reopening of the Maidstone featured a new look and feel with Scandinavian influences. Today, the Maidstone features modern amenities such as morning yoga, a restaurant serving Swedish cuisine, and distinct red bikes for guests, which can be seen throughout town.” The influences mentioned in archivist Scanlon’s column, influences for which The Maidstone is now known since the Bakers became its innkeepers, are described by Jenny as “Scandinavian cozy.” When I first heard the term, I
‘FROM NEWLYWEDS TO FUGITIVE LOVERS, FROM FAMILIES TO FRIENDS, OUR PROPERTY HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF PEOPLE’S MEMORIES.’
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thought of Liv Ullmann in a pair of old slippers wearing a moth-eaten cashmere turtleneck handed down from her mother that she sleeps in and doesn’t take off on Sundays. “That sounds brilliantly specific!” says Jenny. “Since I’m Swedish, my interpretation of ‘Scandinavian cozy’ is intrinsically linked to my lifelong memories. What I intend with the term is a feeling of perfect visual balance that exudes easy sophistication. I would like our guests to feel comfortably at home at The Maidstone; yet, I want them to live the best version of their lives.” That led to this question for her husband, who is not only a movie producer, but also the founder of Jonathan Baker Beauty, whose products can be found in The Maidstone’s rooms. Since telling a story is important to him, what story does he want The Maidstone to tell? Or, is it more of a setting for the narratives that others bring to it as his guests? “I would love to think that sometimes the setting is the main character and The Maidstone is the perfect set to tell love stories,” he says. “From newlyweds to fugitive lovers, from families to friends, our property has been an integral part of people’s memories. What makes me happy is the diverse cast of characters that have walked our halls and stayed in our rooms, and the overall history of the hotel depicts a story of inclusivity and celebration.” So, whose signatures would be on his fantasy guest register? “Quentin Tarantino, Truman Capote, Bruce Springsteen, Alec Baldwin, Warren Beatty, Jackie Onassis, John F. Kennedy, Tom Cruise, Charlize Theron, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Woody Allen.” Springsteen was the only rock star mentioned. To see more of those, you can visit The Maidstone to see the latest exhibition on its walls which Jenny has curated. “We are featuring a wonderful exhibition from photographer, festival producer, and artist Roger Sichel, whose prolific creative career documents the ’60s and ’70s music lifestyle of communal living, particularly those heralded during the Woodstock era,” she tells me. “The exhibit includes unforgettable
moments captured from that historic period, featuring Joe Walsh, Janis Joplin, PG&E, Paul Butterfield, Johnny Winter, and others, plus photos unique to the events and lifestyle of the generation and the times. All of Sichel’s pieces tell powerful stories captured through his signature eye on the front lines of an era so deeply rooted in rock and roll and that exemplify the lifestyle of tumultuous times that draws several parallels to the modern day.” The modern-day Maidstone has been curated further since recently becoming a part of the Life House portfolio of boutique hotels, which ties in much of what we have been discussing in its mission statement, describing the properties it virtually runs as “contextual hotels with narrative, substance, and locally-rooted restaurants and bars” which are “artfully designed to bring meaning to life.” The Bakers will remain a creative front-of-the-house presence while “allowing Life House to oversee day-to-day hotel and restaurant operations,” wrote Berkshire Hathaway Business Wire when reporting on the addition of The Maidstone to Life House’s lineup of boutique hotels. I asked Life House’s Founder and CEO, Rami Zeidan, if, in fact, curation were the correct way to consider how he chooses the hotels with which he works, thereby redefining the term “efficient” as “graceful.” He agreed. “For our Life House-branded hotels, we certainly think of it as a curated collection. That said, some hotels don’t need to be rebranded into a Life House as they have their own existing strong brand story, and The Maidstone is certainly that. In that spirit, we are certainly intentional with which hotels we select based on the strength of that story.” The rooms and cottages themselves are curated at The Maidstone, even narratively so. They each center around a celebrated Scandinavian—among them Finnish architect and designer Eero Saarinen, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, and Danish author Karen Blixen, who also was known as Isak Dinesen. “Blixen wrote in Out of Africa, ‘God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road,’” I tell Jenny. “What do you see not too far down the road?” “I see a beautiful world coming back together again,” she says. “We are ready to celebrate togetherness with art, design, good food—and a lot of love.”
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THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY IS THE WORLD’S GREATEST SECRET EXPOSED IN THIS MASTERPIECE IN MILAN? BY DOMINIC UTTON
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t the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, the devoted come to gaze upon the divine. Here in this 15th-century church in Italy’s bustling second city, is the crowning glory of mankind’s greatest artist. The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci’s depiction of Christ’s final meal with his apostles, covers the entire end wall of the convent’s dining hall. The mural is huge—fully 29 by 15 feet—and, despite its fame and familiarity, remains breathtaking, even 520 years after the master first painted it. On a recent trip to Milan, I was invited to view The Last Supper. I knew it to be one of the most admired, most studied, and most reproduced paintings the world has ever known. But I had reckless abandon for one of the world’s most iconic paintings. To be invited, albeit for a 15-minute private viewing, was a rarified chance to appreciate Leonardo da Vinci and The Last Supper: only five people are allowed to view the masterpiece at a time, and it is booked out for at least two months in advance. But like any journalist, I was also aware of the painting’s pervasive mythology and the clues da Vinci’s brushstrokes allegedly created to provide evidence in a cover-up of the true identity of Christ by the Roman Catholic Church. Today, The Last Supper looks in arguably better shape than at any time in its long and turbulent history. It has survived occupations by invading armies, bombing by the Allies during the war, and numerous botched attempts at restoration from as early as the 18th century, until eventually, in 1999, Leonardo’s masterpiece was lovingly restored to the condition the artist intended. It also remains, perhaps as the artist also intended, the center of controversy, speculation, and bitter arguments between scholars, historians, theologians, and conspiracy theorists. The Last Supper is not simply a painting of Jesus and his disciples eating together one final time—it captures the defining crisis of their union, the precise moment Christ told his friends: “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” It is loaded with
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drama, tension, and symbolism. Each of Jesus’ twelve closest followers reacts differently. To his left, James is outraged, throwing his arms in the air, while Thomas, raising his finger, appears to be demanding an explanation, and Philip leans closer as if he can’t believe what he has heard. Behind them, Matthew and Jude Thaddeus are the only two with their back to Christ, as they look to Simon for answers. On Jesus’ right, at the far end of the table, Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus, and Andrew appear to be giving what we might call a “double take” at the news, while in front of them, Peter has grabbed a knife and seems ready to physically protest, while Judas, the disciple who would betray Christ, holds a purse, and has knocked over a salt cellar—a punning nod by Leonardo to the Middle Eastern expression “betraying the salt,” meaning to turn on one’s master. Which leaves only one figure—the most interesting depiction in the painting, and certainly the most controversial. Immediately to Jesus’ right – where one might expect to find Saint Peter, the de facto head of the12 apostles and, in Christ’s own words, “the rock upon which I will build my church”—is a swooning, long-haired, androgynous figure, whose downcast eyes and expression of ineffable sadness mirror that of Jesus himself. Officially, this is Saint John, the youngest apostle, and commonly referred to (in his own Gospel, at least) as “the disciple who Jesus loved.”
But is this delicate, mournful figure really Saint John? For many scholars, the person Leonardo sat at Jesus’ right hand was not John, or indeed any other man… but rather Mary Magdalene, one of Christ’s few female followers and the only one of his disciples who would be present at both his crucifixion and burial, as well as being the first to witness his resurrection. She—and not John—was the disciple who Jesus loved. All of which raises the question: Why would Leonardo not only include her in his masterpiece, but also place her at the most exalted position at the table? Most modern viewers of The Last Supper will know Mary Magdalene from her role in Dan Brown’s 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code, which not only claims the figure in the painting to be her, but also goes on to suggest that she and Jesus had a sexual relationship. But Mary was already a central—and controversial—figure in the Christian church when Leonardo toiled in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, 500 years before Dan Brown wrote his best seller. She is mentioned more in the four “canonical” gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) than any woman other than Jesus’ mother, and more often than most of the other apostles. In the Gospel of John, she alone is the first to see the risen Christ – and is sent by Jesus to tell the other apostles of his resurrection, giving her the status of “apostle of the
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apostles.” She is also a central figure in the later “Gnostic” Gospels, ancient Christian texts discovered in Egypt in 1945, in which she is repeatedly referred to as Jesus’ closest and most beloved disciple and “the one who best understood his teachings.” It is these Gnostic Gospels that give added weight to the suggestion that Leonardo deliberately placed Mary, not John, at the right hand of the savior. The second-century Gnostic Gospel of Philip contains repeated references to Mary as Jesus’ partner or companion, with one passage even claiming: “And the companion of the savior [was] Mary Magdalene. [Christ] loved Mary more than all the disciples, and used to kiss her often on the mouth.” Another Gnostic text, the fifth-century Gospel of Mary (so named because it is about Mary, not because she was the author) not only seems to confirm this unusual closeness, but also reaffirms Mary’s importance within the Church, with one verse relating an incident where Peter seeks her advice. “Sister, we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of woman,” he says. “Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember which you know, but we do not, nor have we heard them.” Those same Gnostic Gospels include other references to Peter feeling jealous, resentful, and even angry with Mary’s favored position in the eyes of Jesus. Leonardo would have been well aware of Mary Magdalene as an important figure in early Christianity—perhaps even the most important, after
Christ himself. But he would also have known of her as a hugely divisive influence. The Church’s attitude to women was hardly progressive at the best of times, but in the sixth century, Pope Gregory I—perhaps reflecting Saint Peter’s own jealousy— falsely declared Mary to have been a prostitute. It was a slur that lasted nearly 1,400 years until finally being corrected in 1969—and it was only five years ago, in 2016, that Pope Francis allowed her to be referred to as the “apostle of the apostles,” for her role in witnessing the resurrection.
‘For many scholars the person Leonardo sat at Jesus right was not John but rather Mary Magdalene.’ Whether, as Dan Brown’s novel claims, Jesus and Mary Magdalene’s unusually close relationship culminated in marriage, and even children, remains unproven. But, given that Leonardo was also an exceptional scholar and that Mary was patron of the Dominican Order for whom the mural was painted in the first place, it is by no means unthinkable that, whether out of theological precocity, loyalty to the order who commissioned him, or just plain mischief, he would include her in his depiction of
the apostles’ moment of crisis… and that, of them all, the “one who best understood” Jesus’ teachings should be the only one among them not to react with fear, shock, or disbelief. The Last Supper is not just artistically and aesthetically breathtaking, the towering masterpiece of the Renaissance era, and the greatest achievement of the world’s greatest artist; it is, like all Leonardo’s works, an example of his dazzling, and playful, intellect. From the hidden musical score formed by the positions of the apostles’ hands and loaves of bread across the table—which, with typical virtuosity, has to be read from the viewpoint of Jesus, or right to left as we look at it, to make sense—to the myriad signposts and hidden meanings inherent in his depiction of each of the apostles (Peter’s knife symbolizing his later anger in Gethsemane, Thomas’ raised finger foreshadowing his doubt of the resurrection, Judas’ purse and spilled salt), part of the enduring genius of The Last Supper is its seemingly endless capacity to surprise, intrigue, and inspire debate. Five centuries after he first painted his masterpiece, The Last Supper still holds one final, unanswered question that strikes to the very heart of the Christian Church. Who really was the “disciple who Jesus loved”? And could his portrayal of the demure, feminine figure at Jesus’ right hand, deliberately depicted as different to the other apostles, be Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest trick of all?
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SHOW TIME IMG’s Leslie Russo preps for a Fashion Week like no other with a look back at valued mentors and lessons learned. BY KEVIN SESSUMS ILLUSTRATION BY PETER OUMANSKI
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his past summer IMG and the CFDA (the two powerful entities that oversee New York Fashion Week) issued a joint communiqué emphasizing that they are working “hand in hand” to present the shows and events this season: running from September 8, when Ulla Johnson kicks it off at 9 that morning, to September 12, when it all builds to a closing night with Tom Ford’s presentation at 8 p.m. As NYFW renews itself and rebuilds its concept of live events in a post-pandemic social media world, a cooperative spirit is integral to its American one, which is celebratory and inclusive. The two companies are leading by example. Indeed, when I mentioned to Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), that I was writing a profile of Leslie Russo, President of Fashion Events and Properties for IMG (the International Management Group, not that anyone ever calls it that), he raved about her, kvelling even as he used the careful cadence of corporate-speak to do it. “Leslie is the consummate pro during the often-chaotic process of planning New York Fashion Week. She’s also a great friend and ally in our shared mission to represent American fashion at its very best on the global stage,” he said. “We are both driven by our shared interest in maximizing opportunities for our talented designers. In any creative field and especially fashion, this can be quite complicated, but Leslie navigates our world effortlessly.” For Russo, leading by example is in her personal and professional DNA: She is the niece of Vito Russo, the legendary film historian and LGBTQ activist who died of AIDS in 1990. “Vito was a giant in his activism, but also in our family,” she told me, a mother now herself of two sons, ages 12 and 15. “His influence has pervaded every area of my life, helping to define my character, my principles, my outlook, my interests, and my personality, all from a very young age. His legacy as a champion for equality is more relevant and important than ever in our world today.” Right out of college, she got a job at Andy Warhol’s Interview, where she was mentored by Ingrid Sischy, its beloved late editor in chief who died of breast cancer in 2015. Her two most important mentors succumbed to two health scourges that still stalk us as a society and, more importantly, helped build the industry that she now helps lead from her corporate perch at IMG. “I was the ‘events girl,’” Russo said, describing that first job she had at Interview with an egalitarian, self-deprecating
aplomb when we spoke via Zoom back in July. Such aplomb is one of the secrets of her success. I worked at Interview as its executive editor for a couple of years before Russo arrived but we agreed we each looked on our roles there as having held “factory jobs.” That pun instilled in us a real work ethic about steering culture even as we were stirred by it. “We learned to be stevedores of glamour,” I kidded her. Russo laughed—there is an ease to her laughter that belies the seriousness with which she takes her corporate role, laced as it is with the deeper timbre that loss has layered into it— and remembered her own early days learning how, as Kolb so keenly observed, to navigate effortlessly the larger world of New York City by navigating the hallways of Interview. “I love that you put it that way,” she said. “You’re right. We’re
‘WE ARE BOTH DRIVEN BY OUR SHARED INTEREST IN MAXIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TALENTED DESIGNERS.’ stevedores of glamour. People always say, ‘You’re in this big job.’ I never aspired to be in a big job. I never aspired to have a big career. I really loved the work. I love the ‘getting my hands dirty and making things.’ That to me has always been the part that has been the most motivating. As the doors kept opening, I kept going through.” “When I was at Interview, it was the time when publishing was the hottest industry to be in. So, I feel like that was the best training ground,” she continued, recalling her 15 years at Condé Nast, where she oversaw a rotating array of brands, including Glamour, Details, W, and Brides. “That experience at Interview really shaped how I approach my work in general. You know how it was there. It was part magazine, part art project. It wasn’t like a formal office environment, but it was
a really tough learning ground.” “Ingrid was an incredible person to learn from. She taught me a lot,” Russo recalled. “There was this one day when I went to the copier and David Bowie was in front of me making a photocopy. Julian Schnabel was in the library. And as I was going out to Dean & DeLuca to get myself something for lunch, I ran into Ingrid who had scribbled a note and handed it to me. I still have the note. She wrote, ‘Stefano and Domenico are coming to lunch and you have to pick up something for them to eat.’” Russo laughed again, referencing Dolce & Gabbana in the familiar way they were referenced when Ingrid scribbled down their names for her in her almost illegible script. “I realized, Ohmygod. This is where all these things intersect. You felt as if culture was happening and being made in real time.” Today, that experience continues for Russo, albeit in a different way. “I work at Endeavor,” she said, now referencing IMG’s corporate parent, the segue as graceful as her corporate rise itself. “It’s a big company, but it’s that on steroids. It’s a modern media company at its most evolved. We have talent, events, sports, arts, culture, fashion, models—all of that. It’s like sitting in the middle of all of it and figuring out, How do you connect the dots? There is a sense of constantly creating culture. So, I do think there is similarity there.” Russo and IMG will be reconnecting the dots of an industry shaken by crisis during NYFW from the hub of Spring Studios. “The pandemic is giving an inflection point to this long evolution we’ve been experiencing.… So now we are at ‘What is the reason for Fashion Week?’” she admitted. “It’s a balancing act. It comes down to really simple things.” One of which is the IMG Fashion Alliance, a new initiative intended to spotlight independent and emerging talent, the next generation. “That’s who people are excited to see—these brands that are up and coming and that have huge followings on social media and are becoming part of the cultural consciousness,” she said. At the same time, even legacy brands are redefining themselves in the light of the post-pandemic dawning, a cultural moment that Russo is grateful to both experience and celebrate. “There is also this sense of freedom. There are no rules,” she explained. “What works for one designer who’s really established doesn’t work for another. I don’t think there’s a certain way you have to show or present your collection. I think there’s all these different ways that people are servicing their businesses. So freedom is an important word. And joy is the feeling of it.”
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What’s In My Beach Bag?
LAURA KIM & FERNANDO GARCIA
Despite the uncertain times, summer is about relaxing and regrouping before the hectic fall season starts anew—and Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, co-creative directors at fashion house Oscar de la Renta, know how to prepare for those perfect moments. For Kim, a favorite destination is Villa d’Este in Lake Como, Italy. “The weather is always perfect and I get to work on my favorite thing: making fabric while enjoying the beautiful scenery.” GRAZIA USA
1 Oscar de la Renta tote, shop similar styles, oscardelarenta.com. 2 Gigi Burris hat, shop similar styles, gigiburris.com. 3 Augustinus Bader The Lip Balm, $38, augustinusbader.com. 4 Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm, $38, westman-atelier.com. 5 Carlotha Ray flip-flops, $210, matchesfashion.com. 6 Oscar de la Renta mini hoop earrings, $390, oscardelarenta.com. 7 Oscar de la Renta rose leaf earrings, $390, oscardelarenta.com. 8 Dr. Barbara Sturm Sun Drops, $145, drsturm.com.
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TEEN Dream
Hedi Slimane’s latest creation for CELINE is the ideal fall accessory for Gen Z and beyond. BY TY GASKINS
DYLAN HOWARD CHAIRMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & PUBLISHER MELISSA CRONIN President, Chief Operations Officer BRENDAN MONAGHAN Executive Vice President, Global Chief Brands Officer PAUL DOUSSET Chief Innovations Officer Executive Vice President of Business Development TANYA AMINI Vice President, General Manager SARA SHENASKY Executive Director of Global Events & Marketing JENNIFER YOUSEM Chief Financial Officer
Other than shoes, handbags have undoubtedly been one of the most overlooked accessories in our wardrobe this past year. With nowhere to go, there was no need to lug around a purse, clutch, or tote-unless, of course, you just want to feel chic walking around the house (guilty). As we cautiously navigate the new post-pandemic world, it’s officially time to invest in a new partner to keep by your side through it all. The Fall 2021 collections offer many standouts, but one of
our favorite contenders was the CELINE Teen Soft 16 bag. Look familiar? Lady Gaga debuted the original 16 bag earlier this year. Naturally, it became an overnight success. Creative Director Hedi Slimane designed the 16 on his first day at CELINE based on the chic Parisian way to wear a handbag, and now, the Teen Soft 16 adds a new touch to carrying the iconic bag: This rendition incorporates the timelessness of the original but it’s smaller and less structured, with a thick crossbody strap for easy carry.
JILLIAN MAXWELL Head of Revenue (USA) BETSY JONES Head of Integrated Marketing & New Business Development AIMEE MARETT Vice President Sales, Consumer Brand Partnerships BRIAN CAMPION Executive Creative Director ILARIA SVITIC Creative Director, Editorial & Integrated Marketing GABBY ZURROW Sales & Business Development Manager CASEY BRENNAN Executive Editor at Large DEBORAH DRAGON Director of Publishing Operations DOMINIC UTTON Chief Writer, Development Officer MELISSA MELENDEZ REALE Chief of Staff HEADQUARTERS • 100 Broadway, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10005 • PHONE (917) 231-8680 • EDITORIAL contact@graziausa.com • ADVERTISING sales@graziausa.com • MEDIA press@graziausa.com
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MONDADORI MEDIA S.p.a. Chief Executive Officer Carlo Mandelli; Managing Director International Business Daniela Sola; Head of International Platforms Marne Schwartz; International Marketing Manager Fashion & Design Francesca Brambilla; International Advertising Manager Daniella Angheben; Photos & Rights Manager Melania Landini For further details, please write to graziainternational@mondadori.com © 2021 Mondadori Media S.p.a. All rights reserved. Published by Pantheon Media Group LLC with the permission of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.a. and Mondadori Media S.p.a. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited
CELINE Bag, $2,400, celine.com.
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