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Publisher / Editorial Director: Cecilia Moreno Editor in Chief: Samia Arslane Founder/Creative Director: Stephen Kamifuji Executive Fashion Editor: Mindy Saad Fashion Editor: Amanda Eliasch Luxury Fashion Editor: Laura Dunn Beauty Editor: Beau Dunn Philanthropy Editor: Catherine Williams Garden Editor: Kelly Emberg Color Director: Karoline Huber National Advertising Director: Alan Thavisouk VP of Advertising: Rhonda Zakhor Financial Director: Marc Meshekow Director Human Resources: Yolanda Garcia Contributing Editors: Ninka B, Marc Baptiste, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Dr. Ezra Kest, Gina Mari, David Meister, Cheryl Woodcock ©2021 by GENLUX Magazine™, LLC., All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission from GENLUX Magazine. To advertise: contact Cecilia Moreno: Cecilia@genlux.com Photograph of Dita Von Teese by Beau Nelson Hair: Tony Medina; Makeup: Gregory Arlt
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STEPHEN KAMIFUJI CREATIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE
I made the ethically responsible decision for GENLUX to be fur-free since 2006—just saying. But no, I wasn’t smart enough to buy Netflix in 2009 or to put down $100 on Bitcoin in 2013 (now worth $28.7 million—I know, I know), but if there was a stock market where one could invest in people, I’d let it all ride on the Jiaoying Summers IPO. Analysts would survey the facts: Jiaoying is a former Miss China beauty queen, who came to the US to attend the University of Kentucky; became China Ambassador to the Operation USA charity; finished Howard Fine’s acting masterclass (do you have any idea how hard it is to get into his masterclass?); started doing stand-up, and is now a regular at both the Laugh Factory and Hollywood Improv. I interviewed Jiaoying to find out why this hysterically funny motherof-two has over one million Tic-Toc followers (p66). Last month, when I texted my friend Dita Von Teese inviting her to grace our GENLUX cover (her fourth), she agreed with a caveat—she wanted to pick the photographer. So, with Dita’s choice of Beau Nelson (and a good choice it was), we brought on ace makeup master Gregory Arlt (MAC Cosmetics Director of Makeup Artistry) and hairstylist Tony Medina (a master of 40s coiffure). We needed a resort-style location, so we shot poolside at the Beverly Hills home of Isabel Madison, owner of the popular makeup brand Nude Envie. The team killed it (p72), then again, when does Dita ever take a bad photo? Hard to fathom, but GUESS, the quintessential LA fashion behemoth, turns 40 this year. From the start, the brand grasped the value of advertising and Paul Marciano created iconic campaigns with models like Claudia Schiffer and Anna Nicole Smith. To honor the brand’s legacy, Robert Steinken, along with model Livia Pillmann, photographed a tribute in the spirit of the GUESS style (p34).
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In New York, with temperatures dropping well below reasonable, photog Marc Baptiste opted for the cozy warmth of the studio. He teamed with stylist Mimi Lombardo and veteran makeup artist Sandy Litner. Sandy has worked with photo heroes from Avedon and Penn to Elgort and Watson—the gamut, as they say. For our shoot, she went all 90s supermodel (p50). Out in LA, makeup guru Luis Casco (Cloutier Remix artist) took inspiration from the 60s (think Twiggy) in our captivating beauty story with doe-eyed model Shea McLoughlin (DT Models, LA). Photographer Marta Elena Vassilakis’ impeccable eye for detail delivered an insane set of flawless images (p26). On being an instrument of change, Helen Keller once said, “A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.” We commend all who have gone fur-free including Armani, Burberry, CHANEL, Michael Kors, Prada, Versace, and retailers, Saks, Net-a-Porter, and Neiman Marcus. You made the turn. G Virgil Abloh (Sept. 30, 1980 - Nov. 28, 2021) We mourn the passing of a shining star of the fashion world. Illinoisborn Virgil Abloh, who founded Off-White and was the first African American to be artistic director at a French luxury fashion house, Louis Vuitton, died from cancer. Abloh earned his master’s in architecture and started his fashion career in 2013. He generously devoted time to mentoring young designers, and established the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund—raising $1 million for the scholarships to assist Black students. Abloh is survived by his wife and two children.
ILLUSTRATION: STEPHEN KAMIFUJI
Fur is dead. That’s basically the message from Kering Chairman and CEO, Franҫois-Henri Pinault. “The time has now come to take a further step forward by ending the use of fur in all our collections,” Pinault said. “The world has changed, along with our clients, and luxury naturally needs to adapt to that.” Pinault’s mandate ensures brands like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, GUCCI, and Yves Saint Laurent, will be fur-free by their fall 2022 collections. To give credit where due, Stella McCartney is the true hero—she launched her no-fur collection back in 2001.
I hope you enjoy this issue of GENLUX. We pour a lot of love into every page.
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Have you caught the HBOMax show Fake Famous? It’s THESE EYES SHOES! SHOES! Hotel—was built in 1911 SHOES! by Harry and Virginia Robinson, a clever documentary about the smoke and mirrors of To-there lashes make a 60s statePhotographer John Lawton heir to Robinson’s department store. Now managed by the Instagram influencers directed by Nick Bilton, a special ment on model Shea McLoughlin shares favorites. County ofthis Losseason’s Angeles, it’s worth a visit. robinsongardens.org
correspondent at Vanity Fair. Coincidentally, Graydon Carter
Dee creative director of two successful fashion accessory is oneis of the executive producers. The40? show reveals how many GUESS WHO’S TURNING AMERICAN BEAUTY of thephoto so-called “followers” ofGUESS, these influencers are handnot even brands: Judith homage Leiber andto her eponymous shoe and Our Artist/Photog Andrew Matusik human—they’re “bots,” also known as robots. feature bag collection. heartfashion ofmonument. gold spills forth onWe behalf of the LA’s quintessential brand. reimagines aHer familiar
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most the show’sThe threeBreast participants, Dominique three successful importantofnon-profits: Cancer Research
Druckman (p56). Ironically, being on a show of about SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY Foundation (10 percent of annual revenues her creating Dee HAPPILY EVER AFTER influencers has transformed her into one. Go figure. Who Ocleppo brand goes to life-saving research), Next for Like a Lord Byron poem, this We find out why actress Kelly Hu knows, maybe one day there will be a reality show where the Autism, and Autism Speaks. Dee is the first to mention jewelry your heart rate. is livingwill her raise best life—ever!
main character so Hilfiger’s intelligentseven and wealthy, that three of herwill andappear Tommy childrenviewers are
will believe itPOINT and vote him as expresses president.the I know, SUMMERS TIME LIPPING on the autism spectrum andinshe need right? to Comedian Jiaoying Summers is destigmatize the condition. The five words that saved Model Raha Europ makes a repeat performance in this issue. one funny mother—of two.door Isabel makeup The model appeared in our last issue Frombeautiful hisMadison’s Sunset Blvdwho studio, next line. to The Roxy,photoand graphed by Ron Contarsy at the de Gournay wallcovering
famed eatery of every head-bangin’ rock ‘n’ roller—the DITA’S FLIGHT OF FANCY THE REAL, RHOBH showroom in New YorkRobert is out Lynden in the fields, this time with Rainbow Bar & Grill, Our fourth cover feature withshot knockout beauty, Garcelle Beauvais’s brutal photographer Tim Francis (p84). Gabriella Wright (p78). The actress does some damDita Von Teese—the yet. honesty keeps her inbest the game. age as a ninja in T he Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
Back to how we’re still printing GENLUX, I want to give starring Antonio who’s Banderas, Samuel Jackson, special thanks to one advertiser supported usL. since the SOME ENCHANTED EVENING and Salma Hayek. For us, her most crucial very beginning, Sircuit Cosmeceuticals. Michael Wolfgeherrole is Shooter Marta Elena Vassilakis is co-founder along withunique Deepakformulas Chopra that of a brilliant skincare expert who creates captures model Angelina Pirts are the Alone (neveralone.love), work, and his Never marketing communications nextnon-profit level. If spawned from her sister’s death suicide. The you want a lesson on how to build a gorgeous to Instagram feed, NIGHT MOVES! check out his.worldwide network of knowledgeable individuals We take tohelps the those streets of New challenged with mental health issues. New advertisers deserve love, too, and I want to thank York with Olyesa Ivanishcheva. New our pages someone is no stranger Paul Marciano andtoGUESS foriscoming on who board. Our to fashion—model Kelly Emberg. Kelly has eyes and ears on the ground say GUESS—that omnipotent KEEP IT SHORT AND CHIC been featured in our magazine twice (once LA brand—is in the midst of a robust revival. Bravo! Photographer Arthur Belebeau with her daughter with Rod Stewart, Ruby), shoots Holiday’s looks. In closing, I’d like to leggy share the last stanza from on numerous VOGUE covers (13 to be exact), and “Ode to a Grecian Urn,” from which John Keats writes: now becomes our first garden editor. Reporting “When old age shall this generation waste, from her magnificent home garden, Kelly knows her way Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe around the arugula and bok choy and is delighted to guide Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st, us on the benefits of growing your own (p114). “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all Each week, areyegetting better at bowling. Along G Ye know on Sean earth,and andI all need to know.” with another father and son duo, Marc and Joey Bender, our team is floundering somewhere near the bottom of the standings. No pressure. It’s a long season, and those rental shoes are starting to grow on us. G
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Well, another magazine goes by the wayside. Earlier this month, to connect with my teenage son Not ours, thankfully, but another of my favorites, Departures, (well, at least for a few hours a week), we entered a summer helmed by editor Jeffries Blackerby. Blackerby writes a bowling league. To give you an idea of where Sean sits on the touching farewell that reminds me of Vanity Fair editor aesthetic scale, he refused to bowl in the ugly rental shoes. Graydon Carter’s goodbye letter in 2018—another sad day “Daaaaad, I can’t wear those.” Instead, he wanted to bowl in publishing. Mind you, Vanity Fair is still in print; it’s just in OUR hisCOVER: NikeGARCELLE Air Force Like most teens, he’s all about ON BEAUVAIS INsneakers. CLUB MONACO TOP; not the same without aesthetic sensibilities. CAROLINA HERRERA TRUMPET SKIRT; PHOTOCarter’s BY ROBERT LYNDEN his sneakers. Perhaps you should be too, so we showcase some the hot thought options from Balmain,(now CHANEL Valentino, Jimmy Even of GENLUX in its ,16th year) closing Choo and others photographed by James Murray is anathema to every creative synapse my T. brain might(p26). muster. thesoend, Sean and followed alley to rules and suffered through IInfeel grateful fortunate work with so many crazy, with the bowling shoes. there are of rare mad, anddreary-looking passionate geniuses who help Yes, create works art times when functionone winsincluded. over form. in every issue—this I feel I have the greatest job on the planet. Fortunately, you GENLUX fashion victims, summer is all aboutofcomfort, and we’ve the swimwear, sun-protecting One the maddest of thegot alchemists is Andrew Matusik. ON OUR COVER: DITA VON TEESE IN ALEXANDER MCQUEEN; PHOTO: BEAU NELSON caftans, clinking bangles, andart—that SPF-50 moisturizer Ihats, usedflowy to believe photography was NOT is, more to prove it.it Witness stunning photoshoots from precisely, fell into our the realm of documenting sculpture. A the beaches of Long Island and LA. OurMatusik’s teams photogdebatable point, right? But along comes of photographers, stylists, makeup artists, raphy that comes close to art because he doesn’t just shoot hairstylists, andofmodels were full Rather, force he takes what’s in front him and callout it ainday. to bring to of you. parts andthem pieces many photos, and then he paints, using Photoshop, adding other dashes of realism into the work. Photographer Marc Baptiste takes us to his Need proof ? Look at the beautiful madness for yourself new home in Bellport, New York, to shoot (p44). Those models in Pompeii were actually shot in his swimwear styled by the legendary stylist Park Avenue studio in New York. Freddie Leiba (p60). Meanwhile, Tim Francis busy shooting on Jones Beach, shooter in On our was cover, Jennifer Rovero, a first-time where it was so windy, we were GENLUX, carried the day with lucky these the images of Nicky Hilton model was in headwraps. In Kathy California, Rothschild shot at Rick and Hilton’s home in Bel Air Geoff Ragatz usedsecond his home base (p92). It’s Nicky’s timeasinthe GENLUX, tying her sister, for our ocean Emerald Bay—the Paris (we love shoot Paris),atwho’s also been in twice. As I typed toney Laguna Beach enclave how (p94). In LA, made up and, Nicky’s last name, I realized impossibly we spotted up at the Hollywood Hills home of I mean, wow, well, pretentious it sounds. Hilton Rothschild. makeup artist Luis Casco for a few fashion features now that’s royalty. shot by Marta Elena Vassilakis. Marta photographed The last time I interviewed Nicky, she was about to tie the gorgeous model Jayden Robison (p70), who we just can’t knot with James Rothschild. This time around, she has seem to shake. Jayden makes her third appearance this year, two preschool-age children and recently designed a shoe which included a coveted GENLUX cover. On the same day, collection with Amanda Hearst and French Sole, the ballet Marta shot the lovely and affable Jessica Sikosek, who I’m flats company. Nicky continues her philanthropic path of predicting, here and now, will become a mega actress (p54). compassion—why she’s on our cover. She’s part of the Arise Baptiste swooped fromhuman New York for theand honor of the Foundation to helpinstop trafficking is on shooting our cover DeeFamily Ocleppo Hilfigerthat at the intern board of thegirl Hilton Foundation awards Virginia Robinson Gardens ((p84). magnificent the largest humanitarian prize in theThe world. Last year6-acre alone, garden estate—a stone’s from thearound Beverly the foundation gave over throw $207 million theHills world.
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CHARITY
GENLUX SHOP FOR A CAUSE
We applaud and honor the PRODUCT(Red) project founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver. Their ongoing commitment to charitable causes, initiating with the fight against AIDS, has extended to other global emergency needs. Every sale helps save a life. Visit red.org to purchase. —CAT WILLIAMS, PHILANTHROPY EDITOR (cat@genlux.com)
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THESE EYES
Makeup artist Luis Casco works his magic on doe-eyed model Shea McLoughlin for our stunning GENLUX shoot by photographer Marta Elena Vassilakis.
Photographer: MARTA ELENA VASSILAKIS /martaelena.com Model: SHEA MCLOUGHLIN / DT Models, Los Angeles Stylist: JOLINE TOWERS @jolinetowers Hair: JAMES MCMAHON / CloutierRemix.com Makeup: LUIS CASCO / CloutierRemix.com Art Direction: STEPHEN KAMIFUJI @genlux
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GUESS WHO’S TURNING 40?
It seems like yesterday when models Claudia Schiffer and Carla Bruni graced ads for GUESS —the quintessential California fashion brand. Now forty successful years later, and GUESS is still on the rise. We honor its legacy with a photo tribute to Paul Marciano and the GUESS family. Photography by Robert Steinken. Photographer: ROBERT STEINKEN @robertsteinkenhair Model: LIVIA PILLMAN @livia_pillmann Stylist: JENNIFER FÉIN / feinjennifer.com Hair: ROBERT STEINKEN / CelestineAgency.com Makeup: STACY SKINNER / CelestineAgency.com Nail Technician: AMBER STUDER @polishedbyamber Photo Assistant: BRENDON MINTO Retouching: @LEONA MANASTUREAN Location: @SEBASTIANHARRISONMALIBU Art Direction: STEPHEN KAMIFUJI @genlux
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(L-R) ON KATYA: VALENTINO TOP; VALENTINO KNIT TURTLENECK, VALENTINO, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-247-0103 JACOB&CO. TOPAZ AND DIAMOND CRESCENT MOON CHANDELIER EARRINGS, PUR, JACOB&CO., NY, 312-719-5887 ON NAOMI: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN COCOON SLEEVE POLYFAILLE MINI DRESS, $2090, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, RODEO DRIVE, BH, 323-783-4983 JACOB&CO. CARNEVALE COLLECTION DIAMOND AND 18K WHITE GOLD EARRINGS, PUR JACOB&CO., NY, 312-719-5887 ON CRYSTAL: DIOR CRUISE ‘22 DRESS, PUR, DIOR.COM JACOB&CO., WATERFALL COLLECTION PRINCESSCUT DIAMOND AND 18K GOLD CHOKER, JACOB&CO., NY, 312-719-5887
Photographer: MARC BAPTISTE / CerruttiandCo.com ELITE NY Models: (l-r) KATYA KULYZHKA, NAOMI SOMOLU, CRYSTAL VAN COMMENEE; (Next page) DEJA LIGHTY Stylist: MIMI LOMBARDO / De Facto Inc., NYC Hair: JASMINE KELLY / jazmink@gmail.com Makeup: SANDY LITNER / carole@BryanBantry.com using Tom Ford Beauty Hair Assistant: ROBERT REYES Casting Director: OSCAR REYES Location: Special thanks to UNION SQUARE LOFTS Art Direction: STEPHEN KAMIFUJI @genlux In memory of MIREILLE BAPTISTE-WESH (August 8,1956 - Dec 7, 2021)
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SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY
Like poetry by Lord Byron, photographer Marc Baptiste and stylist Mimi Lombardo bring us fashion and diamond pairings that raise our heart rate.
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(L) FAITH CONNEXION CRYSTAL EMBROIDERED SLIP DRESS, $2140; FAITHCONNEXION.COM JACOB&CO. WATERFALL COLLECTION 18K WHITE-GOLD PRINCESSCUT DIAMOND CHOKER, PUR, JACOB&CO., NY, 312-719-5887 (R) FAITH CONNEXION FRINGE DRESS, PUR, FAITHCONNEXION.COM JACOB&CO. RARE TOUCH COLLECTION 18K DIAMOND & PALLADIUM CHOKER; CARNEVALE COLLECTION 18K WHITE-GOLD DIAMOND DRIP EARRINGS, PUR, JACOB&CO., NY, 312-719-5887
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FAITH CONNEXION COPPER STRAPLESS MINI DRESS, $765, FAITHCONNEXION.COM MARCIANO ‘MOLLY’ FAUX FUR JACKET, $358, MARCIANO.COM SIMON ALCANTARA STERLING SILVER AND LEMON CITRINE NECKLACE, $3755, SIMONALCANTARA.COM ANNE KLEIN SCULPTED CURL RING, BELK.COM
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ALEXIS MAGENTA AZALEA CUTOUT TAFFETA MAXI DRESS, $880, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-4211
SUMMERS TIME
To Jiaoying Summers’ one million TikTok followers, she’s the sexy, bold, irreverent comedian who delivers fresh, video ‘funnies’ daily. Our STEPHEN KAMIFUJI caught up with the China-born beauty to find out what all the laughter’s about. Photographer: TRACEY MORRIS / traceymorris.com Stylist: JOLINE TOWERS / @jolinetowers Hair: CARLOS ORTIZ / CloutierRemix.com Makeup: LUIS CASCO / CloutierRemix.com Digitech/Lighting Director: ROBERT MORRIS / @romocam007 Art Direction: STEPHEN KAMIFUJI @genlux SUMMER 2022 2021 GENLUX 67 95 WINTER/RESORT
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Jiaoying Summers was dead-set on being a stand-up comedian. She searched online for clubs with open-mic nights and found one in LA’s Koreatown. She went on stage for a two-minute set and bombed. “I froze and went blank,” admits Jiaoying Summers in a thick Chinese accent. “It was the worst two minutes of my life—it seemed like two hours. I think I said the same thing over and over. As I was leaving the stage, I heard some guy say, ‘Somebody shouldn’t be doing comedy.’ Another said, ‘Oh, my God, is she okay?’ and a third said, ‘I have a tissue.’ I ran out the front door so fast and got in my car. I recently gave birth, so my breasts started to explode, so I’m pumping in the car as I’m crying. I thought this milk couldn’t be good for my baby because of this experience ... maybe I should go back in and order a vodka and make a white Russian.” Then, Jiaoying did what most of us wouldn’t. The next night, she found another open-mic club and got right back up on the bike. Fortunately, she's never stopped pedaling. Reeta Piazza, the GM of the famed Hollywood Improv, saw something special in Jiaoying, and encouraged her, “I hope I see you continue because it’s hard and most comedians give up after two months.” Jiaoying returned every week for three months. After six months, Reeta gave Jiaoying a booked spot—one more step up the comedy ladder. “Then I heard about the 10,000-hour rule. Where it takes that many hours to master a skill,” says Jiaoying. “But it’s hard to get on open-mic stages because of the lottery system where you buy a drink, write your name on a piece of paper and put it in a bucket. So I figured the only way to get the hours I needed was to buy my own clubs.” So she did. The driven young mother of two (both under 2 at the time) found a vacant spot on Melrose and opened the Hollywood Comedy Club. Rather than using the lottery-based system, Jiaoying built her club to operate like a therapist’s office—you make an appointment; you get in. From 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., ten comedians per hour book a guaranteed five-minute spot for five bucks. The club was a big success, so she opened another in Pasadena. “I cleaned the floor, and took out the trash, and hosted the shows for ten hours a day,” Jiaoying says, adding with a deadpan delivery, “Anything to stay away from my husband.”
Today, Jiaoying invites me to lunch at Xi’an, a Chinese restaurant in Beverly Hills, where it’s hard to eat the chicken salad between all of the laughter. “When I came to America in 2009, it was to Kentucky,” says Jiaoying. “When people ask if I’m telling the truth about Kentucky, I say, nobody lies about moving to Kentucky.” One semester shy from graduating from the University of Kentucky in finance, the bug to act and perform comedy pulled Jiaoying to LA. Her first gig was as a server at an Operation USA charity event at the Beverly Hills home of Jeff Franklin (producer, Full House). She met the organization’s president, Richard Walden, and offered to help the cause. Richard shared with Jiaoying how it was difficult to get donors to pitch in for the Pine Ridge Reservation project—a mission to bring heaters to the South Dakota tribes during the brutally cold winter. “I told Richard I was traveling to China and would go to my city mayor. I would recall how the American government came to help the Tibetan people, and now the Chinese government could help the American Indians,” says Jiaoying. “I told the mayor, ‘If you give me 100K, I can get needed heaters from Honeywell, and you’d be the exclusive sponsor to help.’ He said, ‘I don’t have $100,000, but I can give you 80. Richard was shocked that I raised 80K in only two days.’” Jiaoying became the first Asian ambassador for Operation USA. Now two years after that first cringing stand-up debacle, her no-quit attitude not only spawned two hot comedy clubs but also launched regular bookings at the Laugh Factory and the Hollywood Improv. Jiaoying has also become a TikTok star, serving up crazy funny skits, like her Uber Karen, to her over one million followers. Jiaoying claims the negative comments on social media or hecklers in the audience are a walk in the park for her. “Hecklers are my strength. I can deal with them. They say things that are so mean, but luckily, I grew up with a Chinese mom who said many mean things that were so much worse.” Ba-dum-bump. G
JIAOYING’S ‘MY FAVORITE THIINGS’ VIDEO CLICK HERE
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LOTUZ PARROT DRESS, @LOTUZ_JAKARTA PLECAS JEWELRY ‘CENTRAL PARK’ BRACELET, $275; 5TH AVENUE BRACELET, $185, PLECASJEWELRY.COM JIMMY CHOO ‘AZIA 110’, $850, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-4211
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“Hecklers are my strength. I can deal with them. They say things that are so mean, but luckily, I grew up with a Chinese mom who said many mean things that were so much worse.”
SELF PORTRAIT METALLIC KNIT CARDIGAN, $410; STELLA MCCARTNEY DRAWSTRING VISCOSE SHORT, $695, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-4211
SUMMER 2022 2021 GENLUX 71 99 WINTER/RESORT
DITA’S FLIGHT OF FANCY
Like a dream from which she needn’t awaken, Dita Von Teese leads a life—as she dubs it— of fun, folly, and whimsicality. As our STEPHEN KAMIFUJI discovers, Dita’s successful burlesque career has afforded her to live in a genuine Wayback Machine.
Photographer: BEAU NELSON / BeauNelson.com Stylist: KAMERYN EVANS Hair: TONY MEDINA @hisvintagetouch Makeup: GREGORY ARLT using MAC Cosmetics / ForwardArtists.com Location: Special thanks to ISABEL MADISON Art Direction: STEPHEN KAMIFUJI @genlux
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DITA VON TEESE LINGERIE ‘CORA’ IN JUNIPER, $70, DITAVONTEESELINGERIE.COM BOUDOIR BY D’LISH DRESSING GOWN, $499, TEESE.US/CDL
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ALEXANDER MCQUEEN WOOL FRONT AND BACK ZIP-UP DRESS, $3290, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-4211 GOSHWARA ROCK CRYSTAL SQUARE-CUT EARRINGS, $1800; PEREZ BITAN MADEIRA CITRINE 18K GOLD, ‘SNAKE ON THE ROCKS’ RING, $6300; KARMA EL KHALIL 18K YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND RING, $10,088, ROSEARK, WEHO, 310-395-6706
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Last performance? New Year’s Eve in 2019 at the Orpheum Theatre was the last, and there haven’t really been any live performances since. My container full of brand new props and sets for my Glamonatrix tour is still sitting in a truck in Germany, but hopefully we will be able to start the tour again in February. Next show? I had planned a big New Year’s Eve show at The Orpheum here in LA again, but unfortunately, the new variant is making it impossible to produce the extravagant show. So right now, the new date is January 22nd, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll push it to Valentine’s Day. Your troupe? I’m starring in the shows, but I think what is more important is showcasing the best and most compelling performers from all over the world, of all genders. I’ve had diverse representation in my shows for 18 years. The most mind-blowing performers in burlesque who can hold their own on the 3000+ capacity theatre stage go far beyond being just pretty, or handsome. It takes so much more than that to hold your own on the stages we do. Private gigs? I haven’t done any private performances since the pandemic, but I’ve done many over the years for too many celebrities to list. I have many giant Swarovski-covered champagne glasses and will travel. For many years I did parties for one Russian billionaire.
Memorable performance? I was in Hong Kong performing for another billionaire’s birthday party. He had hired Lionel Richie, Rhianna, Jewel, David Blaine, JLo, and me. Just for his family and close friends. It was surreal. Charity work? I continue to support the MAC AIDS fund and amFAR. [Dita was MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam VI campaign, touting the collection of lipsticks where 100% of the proceeds went to AIDS charities.] I also love cats, and I make donations to people trying to pay for the medicine to save their cats dying with FIP. I saved my cat from this deadly disease last year. Your home? Well, it looks kind of fancy, but it’s more of a melange of my flea market treasures and art I love. It feels extravagant, but it’s more of a personal museum of the things I collect. I am a maximalist. My house is a nightmare for those who love stark modern interiors. Favorite drink? I love a savory dirty vodka martini, but this winter, I am drinking Sweet Gwendoline fig infused gin shaken with ice, with a garnish of lemon, or even better, fresh fig. Biggest fear? Well, besides death and fire? Maybe that’s too intense to chat about here, so let’s keep it light and chic, and so, for fun, I’ll say I’m afraid of not performing again. Since
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Your hideaway? I have a 1927 log cabin in the mountains, a time capsule decorated with my flea market treasures. I wear my dirndls while baking lattice-topped pies, put on a fire, and play cards with my friends. I grew up in Michigan with fond memories of snow, so I love it in the wintertime.
One year in Sochi, he set up these huge Louis Vuitton luxury tents for his guests and recreated the Crazy Horse Paris stage. He sent police escorts to the airport and six armed security with me everywhere—so all the theatrics. I went to a traditional Russian spa there, which was quite an unusual experience with the strange woolen elf hats, and I had beer poured over my body. There I was, naked in a barrel hot tub, out in the snow, and I spotted all the armed security guys in the snowy trees. I have a lot of wild memories. Bathing in a giant martini glass has taken me farther than I ever could have imagined!
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You’re wearing? A Lena Hoschek dress. She’s an Austrian designer, and I wear a lot of her vintage-inspired fashion. She also creates traditional dirndls and other Austrian clothes like ribbon skirts and wool jackets, which I love.
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By design, Dita Von Teese lives a kind of freeze-dried life—a sweet spot punched in a simpler period from the ’30s to the ’50s. Her winsome time warp begins with her fashion: tightly tailored-to-the-bodice dresses, cinched at the waist to accentuate her corset-tightened abdomen (think ’50s designer Charles James meets June Cleaver). Her signature hair and makeup quickly follows suit. Then there’s the house, decorated like a museum full of kitsch and tchotchkes (“maximalism,” as Dita calls it) INTER UX with nary a trace of modernism. In her care are three restored-to-original automobiles: A 1940 Cadillac LaSalle convertible, a 1953 Cadillac Fleetwood, and a custom, chopped-top 1950 Mercury Lead Sled that A VO N TE is, “The ultimate femme fatale mobile. It’s very loud and outrageous to drive,” admits Dita. “People are always shocked to see me stepping out of it. When it’s parked, there’s inevitably some guy lingering who can’t believe I can actually drive it.” What Olivier Rousteing is to fashion, Dita is to burlesque. Her top-of-the-game artistry is credited with bringing back the skill of burlesque to her predominately female fan base with a new sense of sophistication, performing for brands like Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Chopard. She authored the New York Times bestselling book, Your Beauty Mark: The Ultimate Guide to Eccentric Glamour, and soon to be released, Fashioning the Femme Totale. In this, our fourth GENLUX cover story with the “Queen of Burlesque,” she shares her latest news during our two-word interview. —SK
I was 25, people have put the fear of God in me, questioning what I will do when I’m too old to do burlesque. But let’s keep age out of this too, because there are a million reasons one might not be able to do what they love anymore. Every time I go on stage, I think to myself, “Nobody knows; this could be the last time—let’s enjoy it.” So I never take it for granted. I’m so lucky to do something as fun and unusual as striptease for a career. It was just a hobby, something that still shocks me that it turned into a career in modern times. I wonder if Gypsy Rose Lee was also surprised that striptease put her on the map, or was burlesque really more accepted in the 1940s? I don’t really know. Beauty secret? Lashify lashes. I put them on, and my lashes are fabulous for days. It’s like having lash extensions, but Lashify gives us the power to do it ourselves. You can get the control kit, and they’ll even offer you a Zoom lesson with one of their educators. I found them in 2020 when I was surfing the internet, and they changed my life! I got all of my friends hooked; and eventually met Sahara Lotti, the company’s founder, and we became fast friends. She’s a huge inspiration! My other obsession is Retrouvé skincare, developed by Jami Heidegger. She and her wonderful family have also become great friends. Car projects? I recently got a 1955 Woodill Wildfire. It’s a very rare sports car that I’m having restored to eventually take to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. I also got a 1953 Jewel “canned ham” trailer that I’m going to glamorize inside. I love glamping. Favorite drive? I like driving to the Griffith Park Observatory, overlooking LA. I go there all the time in my old cars. It gives you the feeling of what it would be like in the 1930s or 40s when my old cars were new, and there are lost of fun stops along the way, like the carousel, and the locomotive museum. (continued)
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“It’s kind of good to have a bit of jealousy. It’s good to remember that your partner is desirable to strangers. To tap into that energy, just a bit, can keep things fresh.” TV appearance? This year, I was on the French version of Dancing with the Stars. I was there for 12 weeks and scored in the top three each week. One of my friends, Jean Paul Gaultier, was one of the judges, but he was actually pretty tough on me compared to the dance professionals on the panel. And ultimately, I didn’t make it to the finals because one week, they scrapped the scoring altogether, and made it only about text message voting. I only have about 5% of my fan base in France, so I didn’t stand a chance against the French stars. I was pretty proud of being in the top three the entire show, competing against two men, both half my age. And I did it all while suffering with bouts of BPPV vertigo as well! DIY? I’d say pretty much everything but my nails. It’s one of the few things I outsource. I know how to do my own nails, but it’s sort of like washing your own car. I tried to wash my 1930s car once, and after I did it, I told myself I would never do that again. It was a nightmare. At some point, you learn to delegate. Dita collabs? Many. Sweet Gwendoline French Gin (sweetgwendolinefrenchgin.com), based on the 1940s era fetish art of John Willie. Dita Von Teese lingerie (ditavonteeselingerie.com), Wheels and Dollbaby cardigans at teese. us/wdb , and a costume jewelry collection with luxfaire.com. Self-improvement? I had chronic pain in my lower back for a few years, and I just thought I was paying the piper for all my years of wearing heels. Then, I read books about TMS, one by John Sarno, about how pain can sometimes be there to protect you from emotions you don’t want to face, or it can be about what you’ve told yourself it is. I’m introverted, so I process pain independently. I
have this fun, adventurous life, so I often feel I don’t deserve to complain when things aren’t well. I confronted some things, I stopped believing I was “hurt,” and it wasn’t long before my pain went away. Life lesson? When you make a mistake, it’s kind of good for someone to call you out on it. When you’re young, you can lack sensitivity toward older people. And then suddenly, you are the older person. I was on a plane to Paris, and Lionel Richie told me this story of when he was just starting out, and walked up to Dick Clark and said, “my mom and my grandma love you!” And Dick Clark said, “Fuck off, Lionel.” Years later, 50 Cent came up to Lionel and said, “Lionel Richie, my mom loves your music, and my grandmother loves your music.” So Lionel said, “Fuck off, 50.” Instead of letting it go, sometimes it’s good to give ’em the whip crack to let them know what not to say. So now when a teenager says I look good for my age or something, I say “Well, I actually, I look good for your age.” Psychedelic journies? Well, I am very pleased about the psychedelic science research being explored again like it was in the 1950s. One of my favorite autobiographies, by 1940s swimming movie star Esther Williams, starts off with a bang with a chapter called, “LSD, Cary Grant and Me.” I had some 1960s era LSD given to me by a famous Hollywood legendary drug dealer who had it in the freezer since the 60s. Someone cleaned my freezer out and accidentally threw it away. Your hobbies? I love bowling, roller skating, and I recently picked up skiing again. I used to snowboard years ago too. One year after a breakup, I decided to learn dressage horseback riding. I
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think it’s a great thing to take on a new hobby when your heart is broken; it takes the focus off the sadness and into the learning. After another split, I learned fencing, that is until I learned one leg could become bigger than the other. I took lessons with an Olympic silver medalist. When I asked if I could switch legs in the lunge stance, and he said no, and showed me his larger right leg— that was not going to work for me! Workout regimen? I do pilates and weight training a couple of times a week at Winsor Choza Pilates with Saul Choza. And I’ve also been doing a lot of ballroom and Latin dance. If I do a good job working out for a few weeks, I’ll reward myself with a massage. Jealous trait? It’s kind of good to have a bit of jealousy. It’s good to remember that your partner is desirable to strangers. To tap into that energy just a bit can keep things fresh. And to discuss desire for others can be exciting, and far better to talk about it than to make it a totally taboo subject. I like what Esther Perel says about desire in her book, Mating in Captivity. Go check it out. Saddest moment? Last year I lost my friend Mari Winsor to ALS. I can’t think of a more heartbreaking disease. And then, shortly after Mari left, I lost my soulmate, a Devon Rex cat named Aleister—my constant companion for 17 years. For those who don’t have children, losing a pet can be especially heartbreaking. Some people understand; some don’t at all. Someone was so angry that I posted on Instagram about losing my 17-year-old cat, when at the same time she had just lost her 90-year-old grandfather. The what-about-isms of social media are one of the most annoying parts. If you dare share something
meaningful or painful, there’s still going to be someone there to come for you. Favorite place? I like things that make me feel childlike, like beauty and nature, playing games, and feelings of connectivity—a playful, whimsical space that’s all about joy and pleasure. I love to have theme parties. I had a fun-do fondue party (wigs and fondue), and I had a party where people brought artist endeavors to share or teach. Taraji P. Henson came to one of my art parties and was doing nails. All these guys were running around with one long nail with dangling charms on them. It was hilarious. Aging wisdom? I’m 49, and someone older and wiser than me said when I’m 60, I will look back on my 40s and ask, why did you waste time judging yourself and worrying about that? And then, when 80, I’m going to think, why was I concerned about my appearance at 60? We will look back at our photos and realize it was a waste of time. As women, a fear of aging is placed on us from when we are very young. Who hasn’t heard a gal say, “OMG, I’m going to be 25, it’s SO old!!” And we’ve experienced those age 30 over-the-hill jokes and birthday cards they had in the 70s and 80s. I remember my mom getting these black cards with jokes about it, and she was maybe 32. But, hey, the alternative is dying. I am far more fearful of that. Wouldn’t it be great to be at the age where one is ready to go and not afraid of dying? My friend Ilona Royce Smithkin passed away recently at 101, and I loved talking with her; she was at ease about leaving. I do hope I get to see my life flash before my eyes because it’s been fun. It will be a fun movie to watch. G
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ALAÏA ROBE AU PIED PLEATED CRISSCROSS BACK GOWN, $3760, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-4211 HANUT SINGH MARION ONYX, RUBY AND DIAMOND EARRINGS, $10,000; HOUSE OF RAVN 14K GOLD RING, $3600 , ROSEARK, WEHO, 310-395-6706
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TNERUAL TNIAS ,TAOC HCNERT LYNIV HTFIF SKAS ,0953$ YLREVEB ,EUNEVA 1124-572-013 ,SLLIH KCOR ARAWHSOG TUC-ERAUQS LATSYRC ZEREP ;0081$ ,SGNIRRAE ENIRTIC ARIEDAM NATIB NO EKANS‘ ,DLOG K81 ;0036$ ,GNIR ’SKCOR EHT K81 LILAHK LE AMRAK DNA DLOG WOLLEY ,880,01$ ,GNIR DNOMAID ,OHEW ,KRAESOR 6076-593-013 NITUOBUOL NAITSIRHC NWO S’ATID ,EOHS
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SAINT LAURENT VINYL TRENCH COAT, $3590, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-4211 GOSHWARA ROCK CRYSTAL SQUARE-CUT EARRINGS, $1800; PEREZ BITAN MADEIRA CITRINE 18K GOLD, ‘SNAKE ON THE ROCKS’ RING, $6300; KARMA EL KHALIL 18K YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND RING, $10,088, ROSEARK, WEHO, 310-395-6706 CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN SHOE, DITA’S OWN
DITA’S ‘MY FAVORITE THIINGS’ VIDEO CLICK HERE
GIVENCHY GUIPURE TOP, $2590; DOLCE&GABBANA CROPPED HOUNDSTOOTH PANT, $1445; SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-4211 DITA VON TEESE ROSABELLE BRA, $85, DITAVONTEESELINGERIE.COM HANUT SINGH RUBY AND DIAMOND EARRINGS, $9700, ROSEARK, WEHO, 310-395-6706 BELT, DITA’S OWN
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ALEXANDER MCQUEEN EMBROIDERED LOGO PUFFER COAT, $3290, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-5700 GOSHWARA ROCK CRYSTAL EMERALD CUT EARRINGS, $1800, ROSEARK, WEHO, 310-395-6706
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DOLCE & GABBANA FLORAL PRINT TRENCH COAT, $3995, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, BEVERLY HILLS, 310-275-4211 DITA VON TEESE LINGERIE ‘CORA’ IN JUNIPER, $70, DITAVONTEESELINGERIE.COM GOSWARA TURQUOISE AND DIAMOND DROP EARRINGS, $24,000, ROSEARK, WEHO, 310-395-6706 DITA VON TEESE FOR DITA EYEWEAR, $650, DITA.COM
EDITOR’S PICKS
And, just like that, it’s 2022. Wishing all of you a very happy, healthy and productive year ahead, filled with L-O-V-E and Laughter! Bisous mes amours! —Samia Arslane
Harry Winston diamond bracelet, harrywinston.com
Balmain cuff, balmain.com Brian Atwood X Scarosso capsule collection, Carra gold highknee boot, $1195, scarosso. com
ALAÏA WINTER 2022, MAISON ALAIA.COM
Mykita Mylon collection Dew shades, $555, mykita.com Harry Winston diamond pendant, harrywinston.com Brian Atwood X Scarosso capsule collection, Fabi black bootie, $695, scarosso.com
ALAÏA WINTER 2022, MAISON ALAIA.COM
ERMANNO SCERVINO RESORT 2022, ERMAN NOSCERVINO.COM
samia@genlux.com / Insta: @samiagenlux / Twitter: @SamiaArslane
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JOYCE BONELLI COSMETIQUES FACE SERUM FOR DRY AND UNEVEN SKIN, FOR THE GODS, 1 OZ.
CHANEL.COM
ISABEL MARANT SS20 CHALAYAN W19/20
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AMANDA ELIASCH
Photo by Inesa De La Roche
FASHION EDITOR
SAINT LAURENT ‘BIANCA’ CORDUROY 5-INCH PLATFORM SANDAL, $945, YSL.COM
GO WESTERN! JESSIE WESTERN STAR BELT AND BUCKLE, $215, JESSIEWESTERN.COM
My head is in a spin again. It was party time for just a few short weeks in London. November had a touch of optimism, but now it is lockup and lockdown again. Thank goodness for Instagram and social media, where you can check-in, albeit virtually. This month I have at least managed to see a brilliant performance of Puccini’s Tosca at The Royal Opera House and the film, The House of Gucci, made brilliant by Lady Gaga. I just wish Tom Ford had been in it and had directed it. The fashion in the film were inspirational, and it brought back memories of when I lived in Tom Ford bell-bottoms during that time.
CHANEL CRUISE 2021/22
In the late 90’s, I was married and bringing up my sons. I was busy creating British Artists at Work with Kay Saatchi, a book on 45 British artists and their studios, the new and the great in a perspex book published by Assouline. Now, that family story continues with The Saatchi Gallery supported by my ex-husband. At the time, I loved chokers and bustiers, bell-bottoms, and fitted coats. I also loved the look of the tall and lean. It has always been my dream to be five inches taller than I am. Problem solved with five-inch platforms by YSL.
DIOR TRANSPARENT OBLIQUE TRENCH, $6600, DIOR.COM
Currently, I am enjoying courses from Master Class—a way to sharpen skills in almost anything. I am also checking out good new designers like Palomo Barceló from Spain and the simple elegance from Ludovic de Saint Sernin—the style for both men and women. Then there is the 20-year-old brand Jessie Western Brand— celebrating American Indians in Portobello Market London. I just love finding new/ old brands and putting everything together. With all these variants, there’s no shortage of time at home. Happy 2022 everyone! G
DOLCE&GABBANA CROPPED SWEATER, $1195, US.DOLCEGABBANA.COM
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DIOR 30 MONTAIGNE CHOKER, $950, DIOR.COM
CHANEL CRUISE 2021/22
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SERIOUSLY, I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT... BY LAURA DUNN LUXURY DIRECTOR @LAURADUNN
Follow me @lauradunn Visit lauradunnluxury.com
SWOOOOOOOONING!
Thank God I was sitting on a flight when I first laid eyes upon this massive chain-link crop top, as I would have fainted with delight when this hit my eyes! One of my alltime favorite designers, Oliver Rousteing, has stolen my heart (yet again) with this insanely gorgeous Balmain crystalencrusted dreamy crop top. Rock on you crazy diamonds!! Balmain, Melrose Place, LA, 323-230-6364
THIS VANITY The CHANEL Vanity Case for
Resort 2022 screams takes me away... far, far away, to a land so beautiful and so magical ... it takes your breath away. With CHANEL’s signature white lambskin and gold metal plating on the front, this stunning vanity will look perfect on anyone’s arm, closet, or yacht! $4800, CHANEL, Beverly Hills, 310-278-5500
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHANEL NO.5 CHANEL No.5 turned 100 and to celebrate this historic moment, Patrice Leguéreau,
the director of CHANEL’s high jewelry creation studio, created the very first collection dedicated to the perfume. Titled as the first perfume for women with the scent of a woman, CHANEL No.5 manifests a revolution and a symbol of an indestructible legend with 100 years of fame. If this collection does not give you goosebumps...nothing will! CHANEL No.5 Sparkling Bracelet Silhouette, and the CHANEL No.5 Abstraction Brooch, CHANEL, Beverly Hills, 310-278-5500
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GOING FOR THE GOLD Each season represents a color to
me ... something that sets the tone for the next several months. The new year is always white with a clean, fresh start to a brand new beginning. That is ... until I saw this outfit! Which hopefully is an omen that 2022 will be bright, shining, and filled with GOLD linings! This Resort 2022 short outfit from Carolina Herrera screams 2022 is going to set us free with gold and gusto!! Perfect to ring in a year that will hopefully shed light, love, and joy upon all of us. The long-sleeve, gold sequin embellished top with these spoton resort shorts is a great evening look with a pair of opaque tights, thigh-high boots, or a bare leg with a rocket high stiletto sandal. Happy 2022 and may all your days shine bright like a shiny gold coin! Carolina Herrera, $3000, Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills, 310-275-4211
ICEBERG FALL/WINTER 2021
JOYCE BONELLI COSMETIQUES FACE SERUM FOR DRY AND UNEVEN SKIN, FOR THE GODS, 1 OZ.
ISABEL MARANT SS20 CHALAYAN W19/20
HAND PAINTED WALLPAPER degournay.com | info@degournay.com
SAINT LAURENT AYLAH OVER-THE-KNEE BOOT, $1995, YSL.COM SIMONE ROCHA SPRING/SUMMER 2020
‘Wisteria’ hand painted wallpaper Interior design by Maria Filippova. Photography by Mikhail Stepanov
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22/02/2021 18:42
BEAUTY
GENLUX
Try my medical-grade, aesthetician-approved skincare products with valuable ceramides.
My Winter Skin Rescue Secret
We all experience the winter blues, aka dryness. In this issue of GENLUX, I want to introduce you to one of my favorite skin-loving ingredients...Ceramides, its science, and why your skin needs them. Let’s dive in! -Ninka B @ninkabskin
Babor Power Serum Ampoule: Ceramide, $49.95, neimanmarcus.com
WHAT ARE CERAMIDES?
Ceramides are found naturally in the skin, and they’re part of lipids found between skin cells in the outermost layer of our skin.
WHAT DO CERAMIDES DO?
Ceramides protect our skin from water loss and environmental aggressors. Imagine the skin as a barrier with beautifully arranged bricks (skin cells). Ceramides consist of 40-50% of the brick-holding material. The remaining “glue” is made up of cholesterol and fatty acids, forming the socalled intercellular cement, which is the water-lipid barrier of the skin.
WHY DO WE NEED PRODUCTS WITH CERAMIDES?
Winter weather conditions (low humidity, colder air) and indoor environments (heated homes) often make our skin feel dry, rough and aggravated. As a result, our skin must work harder to retain much-needed hydration.
SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:4, $130, dermstore.com
ZO Skin Health Recovery Cream, $106, zoskinhealth.com
CERAMIDES PART OF HEALTHY ANTI-AGING.
With age and the effects of stress, adverse external factors like pollution, free radicals, and UV rays, the number of ceramides in our skin decreases. The decrease of ceramides also occurs during hormonal changes for women experiencing menopause. Furthermore, when the epidermis lacks ceramides, it becomes thinner and less elastic, causing signs of aging to become more pronounced.
Skin Better Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream, $125, store. skinbetter.com
WHAT CAN WE DO TO REVERSE THESE NEGATIVE CHANGES?
By including ceramide-formulated products into your skincare beauty regimen, you’ll boost your skin’s firmness, elasticity, and smoothness!
Alastin Restorative Skin Complex, $195, alastin.com
❣ My mission is to create a beautiful future for your skin. Enjoy the hand-selected products that help to achieve your healthiest,
most radiant complexion. I wish you all a wonderful winter season! -Ninka B @ninkabskin
90 GENLUX WINTER/RESORT 2022
PHOTO MARC BAPTISTE
PLAN YOUR NEW YORK SHOOT AT UNION SQUARE LOFT
Our stunning and inspiring photography studio rental space at Union Square Loft in New York, NY provides an open and flexible loft space that nurtures creativity while bring your vision to life. Our facility director and his staff have the experience, knowledge and creativity to assist in any production as supplmental team members to your project. We also offer on-site video production and photography services along with expert technical support. Projects range from photo and video shoots, castings, voice-overs, test or preview screenings, and staging. LOADED WITH AMENITIES: RECORDING/STREAMING PODCASTS PHOTO/VIDEO STUDIO/DAYLIGHT STUDIO/SOUTHERN EXPOSURE GREEN SCREEN STUDIO RENTAL, GREEN AND GRAY 9’, WHITE 12’ CATERING ROOM GREEN ROOM FILM SCREENING AUDIO/VIDEO/FILM TRANSFERS
SOUNDPROOF VOCAL BOOTH PARTIES FOR 60 SOUNDSTAGE/SOUNDPROOFING CASTING SPACE AUDITION ROOM RENTAL NEWSROOM INTERVIEW STUDIO REHEARSAL SPACE 212-529-7570
IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT: 6 C-STANDS WITH 10 SLIDING ARMS 4 LARGE ACOUSTIC BLANKETS 3 IKAN RAYDENS W/BARN DOORS 2 LUXLI TIMPANIS W/SOFTBOXES HEAVY-DUTY BOGEN MANFROTTO TRIPOD SOUNDPROOF BOOTH ROUGH CUT MOVIE/TRAILER STREET LEVEL ACCESS
PASSENGER & FREIGHT ELEVATORS SCREENINGS WITH ONE-WAY MIRROR 1200-SQUARE-FEET OF SPACE 13’ CEILINGS HARDWOOD FLOORS LARGE SOUTH-FACING WINDOWS WITH BLACKOUT CURTAINS FLEXIBLE FURNITURE CONFIGURATIONS WWW.UNIONSQUARELOFT.COM
Island Escape
Float into 2022 in a balanced, calmer, and more measured way. The Aman Amanyara resort sits on a promontory on the western shore of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos—a welcome escape from life’s frenetic pace. In fact, Aman means “peace” in Sanskrit. —Samia
92 GENLUX WINTER/RESORT 2022
RESORT PHOTOS: COURTESY TERRANEA; FOOD PHOTOS: SEAN KAMIFUJI
GETAWAY TURKS&CAICOS
GENLUX
MUST STAY:
Lately, I like to call myself an Amanventurer! In fact, I’m determined to stay at all 33 Aman resorts around the world. Each offers the ultmate luxury experience. Take the lush tropical pavilions of Aman Amanyara Resort, where I stayed in the Ocean Cove Pavilion, with its private beach that overlooks a half-mile of white-sand beaches and turquoise waters. It is so secluded, I may or may not have sunbathed in my birthday suit. The comfy king-size bed, at the center of the room, is surrounded by a high ceiling and all-around glass doors. As soon as I laid my head on the plush pillow; I settled into Morpheus’ waiting arms.
MUST PLAY:
MUST ENJOY:
One morning, I ventured down to the pristine white sand beach to have a bit of fun diving, snorkeling, and speeding on the motorized sea bobs. It is pure delight!
Lounge in the Sunset Sala and admire the stunning sunset. Sip on the Amayara mojito topped with champagne and nibble on sunset snacks. The perfect celebratory backdrop or just to enjoy the moment and thank the universe for the spectacular view.
MUST CHILL:
At Amanyara, there’s a holistic approach to wellbeing. I booked the grounding massage, a Tibetan-inspired Ku Nye fullbody treatment, which honors ancient traditions of healing through grounding the body and mind. It was so relaxing; I felt I was drifting away without losing consciousness. I experienced an abiding sense of peace, and a calm state of mind.
GETAWAY AMANYARA
GENLUX
MUST DINE:
The Beach Club restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. The menu offers freshly caught seafood on the grill, exquisitely prepared sushi, and other delicious custom dishes, all while enjoying the panoramic ocean views.
MUST GIVE BACK:
Amanyara gives back by donating equipment, books and furniture to local schools. All hosted proceeds benefit the
Edward C. Gartland Youth Centre.
A local non-profit center offering a range of after-school activities, to advance learning, skills and, of course...fun.
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HOME+GARDEN
GENLUX
Plant your Strawberry Patch. By Kelly Emberg - The Model Gardener
Looking for something delicious and easy to grow in 2022? I see strawberries in your future! Much like a homegrown tomato, nothing tastes better than a homegrown strawberry! Commercial growers tend to choose strawberry varieties for their size, look, and shipping ability, forfeiting what we care about the most: the taste! Southern California is considered the world’s largest commercial strawberry belt. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we have the perfect climate for growing them in our backyard! Commercial growers start planting their fields in late October and November, but don’t panic! Right now is the perfect time to get your strawberry patch going for a late spring harvest. Nurseries are stocked with regional varieties. You just need to figure out which strawberry plant is right for you!
PICK YOUR PLANT
Strawberries are highly regional crops, so to suit the climate, make sure you select varieties that are best grown in Southern California. If you buy them online, you might end up with the wrong kind if you’re not careful. June-Bearing Strawberries The most popular strawberries are June bearers because they produce the largest strawberries over two to three weeks and are extremely sweet. Most varieties are harvested around June, hence the name. The June-bearing strawberry is grown in a matted row (spaced 18”–24” apart in rows 3–4 feet apart). In the first year, pinch off the flowers to stimulate the plants to send out runners that fill in the spaces within the row and between the rows. If you don’t want to wait a year and desire lots of strawberries right away, you must remove the runners. The energy will go into the mother plant instead of the runners and produce lots of large, tasty strawberries.
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Ever-Bearing Strawberries June-bearing strawberries only produce well in selected climatic zones, while ever-bearing varieties tend to produce in many zones. Everbearing strawberries are maintenance-free—you just plant and pick. However, the ever-bearing strawberries aren’t really “ever-bearing.” Per year, they produce two harvests: one in spring and one in late summer or fall. Some varieties can produce three berry harvests. Ever-bearing varieties put out fewer runners than the June-bearing varieties, so the plant’s energy is to produce multiple strawberry harvests. Plant them using the hill system on a mound 8” high off the ground and 24” across. Day-Neutral Strawberries Day-neutral strawberries will produce a good yield in the first year. They flower and set strawberries whenever the temperature is between 35-85 degrees. Plant early in spring and pinch off flowers for two months to let the plants get established, and then let them fruit the rest of the summer. Day-neutral strawberries are suitable for container production on a deck or patio, and produce fruit in October during mild weather. Their berries are smaller than the June-bearing and ever-bearing strawberry varieties, rarely exceeding one inch. Like the ever-bearing strawberries, they too are planted on a hill system. Alpine Strawberries This is a botanical form of the wood strawberry and is a tiny type of strawberry known for its delicious, aromatic wild strawberry taste. They are flavorful, luxurious, and extremely cute! These little beauties are all about the flavor! They won’t produce a lot of berries, but they are well worth growing in your garden. Plant alpines in a part-shade location. Favorite Strawberry Plant Varieties: Chandler, Douglas, Sequoia, Tioga, or Tufts.
Strawberry Varieties Summer-Bearing Strawberries (ALSO CALLED JUNEBEARING STRAWBERRIES) BEAR LOTS OF FRUIT AT ONE TIME IN JUNE
Ever-Bearing Strawberries (ALSO CALLED PERPETUAL STRAWBERRIES) TWO HARVESTS: GENERALLY JUNE & LATE SUMMER
Day-Neutral Strawberries (TYPE OF EVERBEARING STRAWBERRIES) PRODUCE AS LONG AS TEMPS ARE BETWEEN 3585F
Alpine Strawberries (ALSO CALLED WILD OR WOODLAND STRAWBERRIES) TINY BERRIES FROM JUNE UNTIL FALL
BERRY GOOD DEALS LIST
SITE SELECTION & SOIL STRUCTURE
PHOTO OF KELLY BY JODY PINCHIN; GARDEN PHOTOS BY KELLY EMBERG
After plant selection, look for a sunny spot for your strawberry patch. The absolute best location will have a slight slope to the land or on a mound. Try planting two to three dozen plants across a 4-by-8-foot garden space or raised bed. You will have plenty to eat fresh and some to freeze. Your soil should be rich, well-drained, and acidic. Mix large amounts of organic material such as compost or peat moss with the soil to help promote proper drainage. Amend native soil with high-quality organic compost: 50/50 with well-draining soil, 60/40 with clay soils. Add worm castings and granular organic fertilizer high in phosphorus (such as 3:12:12 or 4:7:4) to the soil. Follow label directions. Saturate soil before planting. Planting Using a trowel, make a shallow trench in the soil and bury the plant so that the middle of the crown is even with the soil line. If you plant them too shallowly, the tops of the roots will be exposed, and the plants will dry out; if you plant them too deeply with the crown covered, they’ll rot. Strawberries tend to produce best during their first year or two, then taper off. Clip all runners off in year one. In year two, allow some runners to root. In year three, discard the original mother plants and allow more new runners to root. Maintain this rotation to continuously grow productive 1- and 2-year-old plants. Water Give plants consistent moisture during the growing season; use soaker hoses or a drip-irrigation system to prevent disease. For a more intense strawberry flavor, cut back on watering once the blossoms become little green berries but keep the soil moist so that the plants keep growing. This helps the plant to focus on ripening the fruit. Mulch A healthy layer of straw serves as mulch, keeping the vulnerable parts of the plant from getting coated with contaminants. The straw provides a barrier between the dirt and fruit and also
keeps the plant dry. As rain falls, puddles form in gardens without mulch, causing contaminated dirt-permeated water to coat the plant. Fruit and leaves need to stay clean to prevent pathogenic fungi from infecting and damaging both fruit and plants. Straw also deters slugs, snails, and other pests who think strawberries are delicious too. Harvesting Choose plump and firm strawberries that are completely red. Strawberries stop ripening the moment they’re picked, so wait till the tip is red. That’s when the berry is ready to eat. If you will be using or eating them right away, pick your berries at any time. However, pick them in the cool of the morning or on a mild, cloudy day if you wait to use them. Harvesting on sunny days will make them soften and spoil quicker. Storing After picking, throw away any rotten strawberries and then immediately chill the remainder in a refrigerator in a shallow container. Don’t wash your strawberries until you want to eat or use them. This way they will last longer. Be sure to eat the refrigerated strawberries within a day or two before they lose their flavor or color or get moldy. Hopefully, by now, you know enough about strawberries to figure out which varieties are the ones for you. Kick off January by preparing your garden and planting your berries. In the spring and into the summer, you’ll be blessed with a wealth of tasty berries from your very own patch. Everyone loves homegrown strawberries, and you will have plenty to share throughout the year! Happy New Year and God bless you and your garden,
Kelly Emberg, the model gardener For more gardening tips, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & Twitter. kellyemberg.com
Espoma Organic Berry Tone Fruit & Berry Food, 4lb, $12.02, amazon.com Chef’n HandHeld Slicer Strawberry Slicester, Cherry/ Meringue, $13.43, amazon.com Kilner Store Strawberry Fruit Preserve Jar, 0.4 Litre, $11.42, amazon.com Winchester Gardens Select Organics Berry fertilizer, 3lb bag, $9.95, gardeners.com Fox Farm Strawberry Fields Fruiting and Flowering Potting Soil 1.5 cu ft, $44.89, walmart.com Chef’n Stem Gem Strawberry Huller, $9.95, Sur La Table White Flower Farm Strawberry Jar 6 pack, $49, whiteflowerfarm.com Style Selections 19.3-in W x 12.13-in H Whiskey Barrel Oak Resin Planter, $14.98, lowes.com
WINTER/RESORT 2022 GENLUX 95
122 GENLUX FALL 2021
GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - APRIL 5, 2020 TRUST-FASHION.COM