ODE TO MANHATTAN’S GILDED AGE

Alberto Campos & Ilber García

Fashion Photographers Making their doing shoots together and working with models from their homeland. Their talent was soon discovered by a well-known photographer who became a close mentor and advisor. He helped to introduce the duo’s photography to magazines and now they are ingratiated in the industry and working with a well-known agency. “Our main objective is to transform the look of our models and to capture the natural style while maintaining the diversity of the classic look,’ explains Alberto. “It’s not about BY LAUREN BENS ynamic duo Alberto Campos and Ilber García, both Venezuelan natives,have been taking over the fashion photography scene since settling in New York five years ago. After knowing each other for more than a decade and studying at the same university – Alberto, who has been a lawyer since 2014 and Ilber, a prior theater actor who was on his way to becoming an economist – wound up fleeing the political turmoil of Caracas, Venezuela for New York and now reside in Miami. It wasn’t long before they started Mark from Miami to New YorkD

“OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO TRANSFORM THE LOOK OF OUR MODELS AND TO CAPTURE THE NATURAL STYLE WHILE MAINTAINING THE DIVERSITY OF THE CLASSIC LOOK’’

sticking to strict ideas. We love working with new faces and models and always strive to stay classic while mixing things up with alternative accessories and outfits.”

Currently, the duo has exciting projects in the works including a collaboration where they will be pulling from their roots by showcasing models and brands from their home country of Venezuela in photographs around the US as well as in other countries. The unique vision of these two creatives, whose imaginations let loose through their lens, already work with fashion icon Nick Wooster and have been featured in international magazines including L’officiel, Grazia and L’officiel Hommes in addition to other outlets. Alberto and Ilber are even working on an upcoming cover with Wooster where they will be shooting icons in New York.

Since arriving in the US, these two talented and established fashion photographers, who continue to be inspired by Inez and Vindooh as well as Manny Roman, also work with talent from top agencies such as Wilhelmina, Next Models and LA Models. You will soon be able to find more of their work as they have multiple projects lined up with campaigns for brands between New York and Miami – and this is still just the beginning for them. P

Del Toro

Their Latest Fine Italian Fall Trends

BY BETTY TAYLOR

e might be heading into fall, but one thing remains constant regardless of the season: Del Toro shoes are always in style. This fine Italian shoe company’s Creative Director, Emma Greenbaum, gives us a glimpse into the latest S’S ’22 collection. “This collection introduced new colorways inspired by Claude Nori’s ‘An Italian Summer,’ dreamy Italian coastal hotels like the Splendido and Il Pellicano, and the joy and ease of days spent by the sea that end in three-hour-long dinners,” explains Greenbaum. “As soon as we saw the samples, we knew they had to be photographed in Italy, where they were born. We chose one of our favorite photographers and a dear friend of the brand, Alberto Chimenti, who has spent his whole life in Torino, Italy, to shoot the campaign. He traveled from Relais Villa Pomela to Varazze highlighting the Italian nature of the shoes.”

In addition to a new line based on the dreamy streets of Italy and the brand’s beloved bold colors, they are also working on creating a dog line called ‘Dogtoro,’ as they expand their lifestyle lines and continue the tradition of carrying out philanthropic efforts. “We’ll be partnering with ‘Love of all Dogs’ in Brooklyn and donating a portion of all sales from the new line to their rescue organization.”

Greenbaum also explains that Del Toro is committed to ensuring that they differentiate themselves from other shoe brands. “It’s important to me that we push the boundaries with unusual collaborations, unique colorways, and new styles that continue to uphold the elements and qualities that make them a wardrobe staple. We also want to create a community with our Del Toro customer base and strive to anchor our collections and campaigns to interesting references and inspirations that will resonate with our particular customers and serve as conversation starters.”

With quality at the forefront of everything they do, all of their collections are inspired by the rich heritage and timeless style of the Italian velvet slipper. Del Toro’s products are all handmade in Italy, in Naples and Milan, with an uncompromising commitment to craftsmanship and quality. Their customer is someone who is passionate about craftsmanship, art, and design and has an inquiring mind about the world around them, all the while pursuing effortless elegance when it comes to dressing, and they continue to evolve to appeal to all types of shoe wearers.

“While many people know us for our Velvet Tuxedo slipper, we love using our campaigns to showcase how we have something (sneakers, hats, and more loafers) for everyone and the everyday and giving our customers a jumping-off point to see how we believe our products belong in the world and add to their quality of life.” P

Ode to gilded age and the mega broker who sells it

BY JULIE SAGOSKIN PHOTO BY HENRY LOU

EW YORK, FOR AT LEAST AS LONG AS many of us remember, has always been the brightest star in the firmament of cities -- the center of finance, deal-making, commerce, art, fashion and more. While it may be true that recently there have been tough times for our N beloved home, things are changing for the better. And, so many New Yorkers have started to ask themselves if New York is finally having its glorious comeback moment, reminiscent of a more prosperous time. The answer may well be, Yes! This is particularly true when Manhattan’s real estate is in the equation. From a few remaining old mansions to a score of new uber-luxury high-rise condos, record sales are being broken in the high-end market. A case in point -- 854 Fifth Avenue, one of the last regal homes of the Gilded Age. Enter Tristan Harper, the mega-broker with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. After over 75 years in the same hands, Tristan recently sold this 20,000 square foot haute residence for a whopping $50 million. Additionally, and unusually, the buyer paid all the closing costs adding almost 12% to the total price, in this unique off-market deal.