VOLUME IV / ISSUE III / MARCH 2020
G AU N T L E T O F P O LO FISH CREEK CUP
C .V. W H I T N E Y C U P · G R A N D C H A M P I O N S P O L O D U B A I S TA N D A R D G O L D C U P
GET YOUR WINGS AUTONOMOUS HUMAN FLIGHT IS HERE
IS URBAN POLO THE FUTURE?
FUTURE THE
OF
MONETIZING INFLUENCE DELICACIES & INDULGENCES RETAIL, FASHION & STYLE PERSONAL SECURITY FILM & TELEVISION PERSONAL LUXURIES UNPLUGGED TRAVEL INDUSTRY LEADERS DEBATE HIGH-TECH, LOW-TECH OR NO-TECH
THE FUTURE OF... YOU
MENTAL & SPIRITUAL WELLNESS CHRISTOPHER JOHN ROGERS' INSPIRED RUNWAY
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Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand
Kenneth Carrion de los Condes
Joshua Jakobitz
Lifestyles Contributor
Publisher
Contributing Photographer
Michael J. Snell
Brand Representatives Anne-Isabelle Saint-Pierre - Dubai Rudy Volel - New York City Michael J. Snell - The Hamptons Stanley Pierre-Etienne - Caribbean Sara Ali - London Jessica Foret Wax - Santa Fe Charles Ward - Montecito K & Co. Media - Los Angeles
Editor-in-Chief
Joey Velez
Wellness Columnist
Cezar Kusik
Wine Contributor
Raphael Dapaah Art Contributor
Jyoti Paintel
Spiritual Contributor
Stanley Pierre-Etienne Style Contributor
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Eva Espresso
Lifestyles Contributor
Anne-Isabelle Saint-Pierre Style Contributor
William Smith Philanthropy Contributor Gregory Bertrand Copy Editor
Sara Ali
Luxury Contributor
Claire Barrett
Head of Photography
Content Copyright Š Polo Lifestyles 2020 All Rights Reserved. For information or to advertise Contact editor@htpolo.com Read online at www.pololifestyles.com Cover photo courtesy Jetman Dubai
Contributing Photographers
Reed Davis US Polo Assn. Polo Lifestyles is a publication of HT Polo Publishing Co. 995 Detroit Avenue, Suite A Concord, CA 94518
Pictured this page is Christopher John Rogers' SS2020 Collection
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INTERNATIONAL POLO CLUB USPA Gold Cup U.S. Polo Open U.S. Open Women's Polo The Gauntlet of Polo PORT MAYACA POLO CLUB Heritage Cup SANTA BARBARA POLO CLUB Rossmore Cup THAI POLO & EQUESTRIAN CLUB Stephan Chimfunshi Cup AL HABTOOR POLO CLUB Emaar Masters Cup HH Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Cup VAL DE VIE ESTATE Pink for Polo GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB / WORLD POLO LEAGUE WPL Palm Beach Open WPL Triple Crown WPL Beach Polo World Cup DELHI POLO CLUB Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh Cup India Masters EL DORADO POLO CLUB Pacific Coast Circuit Constitution EMPIRE POLO CLUB Lions Cup Champions Cup
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SCOREBOARDS & COCKTAILS
AMERICA'S POLO SEASON page 36
POLO LIFESTYLES EDITORS & CONTRIBUTORS
Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand
Publisher Polo Lifestyles @haiti_polo_captain
Kenneth Carrion
Josh Jakobitz
Editor-in-Chief Polo Lifestyles @joshuajakobitz
Eva Espresso
Claire Barrett
Head of Photography Claire Barrett Photography @clairebarrettphoto
Stanley Pierre-Etienne
Jyoti Paintel
Spiritual Contributor Polo Lifestyles @jyotipaintel
Joey Velez
Raphael Dapaah Art Contributor Dapaah Gallery @dapaahgallery
Michael J. Snell
Lifestyles Contributor Contributing Photographer Style Contributor Mental Wellness Columnist Lifestyles Contributor De Los Condes Eva Espresso Photography Lanmou Pou Ranyon Velez Mental Performance MJS Groupe @deloscondes_inspired_living @eva.espresso @stanleypierretienne @velezmentalhealth @agnello_1
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Cezar Kusik
Wine Contributor Polo Lifestyles @cezartastesearth
Gregory Bertrand Copy Editor Polo Lifestyles @bertrand7367
William Smith
Philanthropy Contributor Santa Fe Comm. Foundation @willismith_2000
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Delicacies and indulgences Oscars grab attention for targeted page 96 Best Picture nod pg 68
Experiential retail experiences by 54kibo page 146
Unplugged travel at top of luxury wish lists page 114
THE FUTURE OF HUMAN FLIGHT
With a prince's support, the Jetman of Dubai took an inaugural flight powered by jetpacks
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR We all think about the future – constantly. From the basic, What time are we riding this week? To the more complex, Where am I investing, saving, buying or selling? And, Which of the finer points of meal prep am I forgetting from my cooking class again? This extremely specific question is one that’s quite personal to me. When I moved to Northern California from the Caribbean two-and-a-half years ago, I had very few skills in the kitchen. I quickly realized that the dishes I felt confident in preparing were basically full of carbs and creams that provide very few nutrients. Sure, I could turn the oven on (technically), but I lacked a feel for how-high-and-how-long one might bake a sweet potato. I infamously prepared a pasta dish for dinner one evening using fresh ravioli purchased at Trader Joes (boil water, add pasta). After boiling the appropriate length of time, I strained the pasta and served it in beautiful pasta bowls. I may have salt and peppered it, but I honestly can’t recall because the reaction from my dinner companion was one of horror and disgust. There were a lot of, What is this? Where is the sauce? This isn’t edible! His horror turned into my horror as a realized I was a 35-year old eating like a college student. Very suddenly, there was a saucepan on the stove top with butter, onions, garlic, cream and cheese all going in at incomprehensible intervals and quantities. My shame aside, it turned out to be the first of many cooking lessons. Cooking was in my future (though I never would have guessed) and has turned out to be something I enjoy nearly every evening. When I’m in the kitchen, I get to put everything else aside for a few minutes and concentrate on flavor combinations, complementary side dishes, balance of proteins and carbs and (still my favorite) presentation. As we looked to the future for the March issue, we wanted to address impactful issues balanced with innovative technology. Over the course of planning, we went back and forth on whether this would be the Future issue or the Tech issue. It was important to us that the future is about more than fluff (albeit cool) tech. It’s about security, devices, economics, travel preferences, retail and entertainment. I had the pleasure of penning the piece about the future of retail that includes a profile of the online artisanal curator 54kibo. Their platform, dedication to craft and support of artists has quite possibly won my skeptical soul over. You can read about 54kibo and the rest of our Future features in this issue of Polo Lifestyles. Josh Jakobitz josh@pololifestyles.com
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alluring_venice The weekends leading up to Carnival's Mardi Gras are grandiose displays of ingenuity and craft
f3 Team UAE wins Saudi Arabia's Endurance Race with @faz3
robbreport Supreme's Oreo is already sold-out with only pre-sale options available page 24
annakournikova Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova Iglesias surprised the world with the birth of their first child
gabunion Going for father of the year and husband of the year, @dwaynewade protects wife Gabrielle Union
sothebysjewels Verdura's iconic 115 carat Aquamarine "Wrapped Heart" is inspired by jewels worn by the Elizabethan court
ant1friend Riding horses on the black sand beaches of Bali
instylemagazine
@moncler and @richardquinn present at Milan Fashion week #mfw
the_connected_rider Curating high-end, beautiful equestrian products and accessories
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Click and comment on our choices... tag @pololifestyles. We will share noteworthy comments with you next month.
audi The new center of the solar system #AudiTTRS #speedgoals
ladolfinapolobar La Dolfina Polo Bar in Buenos Aires welcomes diners and groups to enjoy polo year round
worldcitizenclub Worldwide Carnival celebrations start early and last through Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday
bhofficial Summer dreaming in the Dolomites at Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus in Italy
maisonvalentino For the launch of #valentinoleblanc friends of the house were invited to a made-to-order experience in Milan
youngandrichlifestyle Gold Lamborghini Urus looks amazing in your driveway
carlos_domord PuroEGO SS2020 Fashion Show by Madrid-based designer Carlos Dominguez
onlyforluxury Inside of the Boeing Business Jet from @lux.interiors by @boeing #onlyforluxury
yourbagandshoes Let your shoes shine bright with @renecaovilla creations sure to make an impression page 25
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THE GAUNTLET OF POLO
C.V. WHITNEY CUP INTERNATIONAL POLO CLUB PALM BEACH LAS MONJITAS 11 / 10 LA INDIANA
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ALM BEACH, Fla. – In the packed U.S. Polo Assn. Stadium at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC), Las Monjitas defeated La Indiana, 11-10 to win the C.V. Whitney Cup, the first event of the 2020 GAUNTLET OF POLO. With the victory, Las Monjitas earned the $100,000 first-place prize. La Indiana earned $25,000 for the second-place prize totaling $125,000 in prize money for the first leg of the GAUNTLET OF POLO. Now in their second year playing in the GAUNTLET OF POLO, team Las Monjitas went to the C.V. Whitney finals last year against
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2019 GAUNTLET winner. This year, the team features returning players Camilo Bautista, team owner, and Francisco Elizalde as well as new team members Pelon Stirling and Mackenzie Weisz. “The competition is always tough, but the horses are getting better with each game and they will be perfect for the final,” noted Elizalde after his team’s semi-final win. “The last two weeks have been tough. We are going to have fun and start thinking about the USPA Gold Cup tomorrow.” said Team Owner Camilo Bautista
Also in their second year participating in the GAUNTLET OF POLO, team La Indiana changed the trajectory of the Gauntlet series by defeating Team Pilot in the semi-finals of this year’s C.V. Whitney Cup. This was vindication for the team who lost in the semi-finals to GAUNTLET winner Team Pilot in 2019. La Indiana’s 2020 team consists of returning players Jeff Hall and team owner Michael Bickford, as well as new players Polito Pieres and Santiago Gomez Romero. “It’s going to be a great competition going forward and we will do our best!” said Romero after finishing the semi-final match.
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In addition to the C.V. Whitney Cup, which commemorated its 40th year of competition and was presented by C.V. Whitney’s Great Niece Whitney Munn Miller and, her son, Royal Douglas III, the USPA Gold Cup® follows February 22-March 22, and the GAUNTLET concludes March 21-April 19 with the U.S. Open Polo Championship®. All three tournaments, which are owned and sanctioned by the United States Polo Association (USPA), will be contested at the International Polo Club Palm Beach on the U.S. Polo Assn. Stadium Field with live game coverage on globalpolo.com.
“This tournament series encapsulates the very best of polo competition in the United States,” said Robert Puetz, CEO of the United States Polo Association. “The eyes of the polo world are on the International Polo Club Palm Beach watching some of the world’s best players and teams battling to win the prize purse and be named the GAUNTLET Champion.” The GAUNTLET OF POLO is an elite three-tournament series, and this year features 14 of the world’s best polo teams and five 10-Goal Players, the top level for polo players. The 10-Goal players competing this year include Sapo Caset, Facundo
Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres, Pelon Stirling and Polito Pieres. Facundo Pieres and Gonzalo Pieres were part of Team Pilot’s 2019 GAUNTLET Championship team. David Cummings, President and CEO of Global Polo Entertainment said, “With the launch of the GAUNTLET OF POLO just last year, the sport of polo is gaining more momentum every day on site in Wellington, online at globalpolo.com and in the hearts of polo fans all over the world. Now polo fans everywhere can live stream the game and even relive the action online whenever and wherever they want.” page 31
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C .V. WH I TN EY CU P
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A RACING MACHINE ON THE WRIST
RM 70-01
Manual Winding Tourbillon Alain Prost Alain Prost is an artist in the realm of speed. The collaboration between the brand and the four-time Formula 1 World Champion is based on unshakable loyalty. This time, a shared interest in cycling provided inspiration. Much like the aeronautics and automotive industries, where R&D plays an essential role, cycling is constantly evolving from a technical perspective.
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FISH CREEK CUP
EL DORADO POLO CLUB INDIO FINAL: TWIN PALMS 6.5 / 7 HIGHWOOD
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E L DOR AD O POLO CLU B
Photos by Deji Atte
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BEN DU R A B AN K S N OW POLO
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The creation of this exceptional clock draws its inspiration from the concept "tempus fugit" (times flies), providing an endless source of fascination. Whether long or short, friend or foe, time runs wild and free. The idea of "taming" it - not to gain mastery over it but rather to better appreciate it - this was the starting point of the amazing adventure which gave birth to the mare and her foal, an automaton and exceptional clock baptized “Hippologia.� The Parmigiani Haute Horlogerie Manufacture has mastered the fine art of creating beautiful timepieces shrouded in mystery. Through its restoration work, Parmigiani is intimately acquainted with historical masterpieces, enabling it to hone its own creativity. This manifests itself in the form of unique timepieces, each a real piece of watchmaking bravura. In the past, the manufacture has already created many table clocks decorated with sculptures reproducing a dynamic movement. This year, Parmigiani Fleurier wanted to dream bigger and go further.
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DUBAI STANDARD GOLD CUP
ABU DHABI POLO 10 / 9 GHANTOOT POLO FEBRUARY 2020 DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
DUBAI, UAE: The most prestigious polo tournament in the region opened with two exciting games: Abu Dhabi Polo versus Ghantoot Polo and Dubai Wolves versus AM/UAE Polo teams. The first goal was scored by Martin Donovan, an angled shot that gained Abu Dhabi Polo its one-goal advantage at the end of the first chukker. Marcos Panelo Jr. raked in the first page 44
goal for Ghantoot Polo, which was matched by Alfredo Cappella during the second chukker. The advantage was still in favor of Abu Dhabi Polo by half time, and Faris Al Yabhouni, the patron of the team, scored a goal during the penultimate chukker. Pablo Llorente of Ghantoot Polo was able to steal the lead briefly, but Abu Dhabi managed to end the fourth chukker with a two-goal advantage. The determining chukker had Ghantoot Polo
close in on its opponent, but there was not enough time, and the game ended 10 - 9 in favor of Abu Dhabi Polo. Match Progression: 1 - 0|2 - 1|4 - 3|8 - 6|10 - 9 Top scorer: Marcos Araya, Ghantoot Polo, five goals. The second match between Dubai Wolves and AM/UAE Polo was a close one from start to finish. Juan Gris Zavaleta delivered the first goal for Dubai Wolves, and the teams were tied
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by halftime due to a goal by Habtoor Al Habtoor. Dubai Wolves and Am/ UAE defended their position with a goal each from Juan Gris Zavalet and Santiago Cernadas respectively. The win was imminent for Dubai Wolves at the fifth chukker; however, Jacinto Crotto scored two fast goals that paved the way to victory for AM/UAE Polo that resulted in a final score of 5 - 4. Match Progression: 0 - 1 | 2 - 1| 2 - 2 | 3-3|5-4 Top scorers of the match: Santiago Cernadas, Jacinto Crotto, Habtoor Al Habtoor and Juan Gris Zavaleta, with two goals each. The Standard Chartered Gold Cup will continue on Wednesday, February 19, with a match between Habtoor Polo and Zedan Polo at 2:00 p.m., and at 4:00 p.m., UAE Polo will play against Bangash Polo. Catch the action live in Field 3 at Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club or watch it online on Pololine TV’s live-stream.
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Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series was founded in 2009 by Mohammed Al Habtoor, patron of the Habtoor Polo team. The Gold Cup (Dubai Open) was recognized by the World Polo Tour (WPT). In January 2014, the WPT committee credited the Gold Cup tournament as the highest competition in terms of points within the WPT Challenge Cup category, elevating it to 50 points for the winner. 2015 marked the first time that the WPT upgraded the Gold Cup Tournament from “Challenge Cup” to the highly coveted “WPT
Cup”, resulting in winners receiving 60 points. In 2017, the tournament was moved up to WPT Championship Cup, the highest competition point-wise, awarding its winners with 125 points. The Silver Cup is ranked under the WPT Cup category, with 50 points for winners, and the Dubai Challenge Cup falls under the WPT Challenge Cup Category, awarding its winners with 20 points. Dubai Gold Cup Series is proud to be the only tournament series with this exclusive accreditation in the GCC and MENA Region, ranking it among the best polo tournaments worldwide.
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UA E S TA N DA R D G O L D C U P
Multiple ticket levels and VIP experiences combined to create a personalized experience for polo attendees at the Magic Millions event. page 47
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UA E S TA N DA R D G O L D C U P
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2020 F8 TRIBUTO
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WORLD POLO LEAGUE GRACIDA WINE 12 / 7 DUNDAS POLO GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB
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ELLINGTON, Fla. - Gracida Wine rallied in the final chukker to win the $100,000 World Cup Saturday at windswept Jan Pamela.
In front of a good crowd, Gracida Wine (Carlitos Gracida 4, Juan Monteverde 5, Peco Polledo 6, Sterling Giannico 4) defeated Dundas Polo (Santos Merlos 2, Isidro Strada 7, Salvador Lockey 2, Jejo Taranco 8), 12-7. page 52
The lead changed hands six times in the rainy and windy conditions, with the teams battling to a 2-2 tie at the end of the first chukker. Gracida Wine then pulled ahead 3-2 on Gracida’s 60-yard penalty conversion and pulled away 5-2 on another Gracida penalty conversion before settling for a 5-3 halftime lead. Dundas Polo started reeling them in late in the fourth chukker and
scored back-to-back goals in the fifth chukker to tie the game at 6-6 before Gracida Wine’s heroics in the sixth and final chukker, winning the team its first major tournament. “We have been working so hard, hard work pays off,” said Carlitos Gracida, son of Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida. “This is a great way to end the tournament.”
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A L U L A D ES ERT POLO
Gracida, Monteverde and Polledo were members of the 2018 Palm Beach Illustrated champion team. Giannico, making his winter season debut at Grand Champions, filled the vacant spot left by Tommy Collingwood playing at IPC. “This is the second time we win with the same team with Sterling playing for us this year,” Polledo said. “He is a very good teammate and a very good page 54
player. It was an amazing game, very fast.”
nament. I am a little in shock. This is big.”
Team newcomer Sterling Giannico, who turns 27 in March, was named Most Valuable Player. Evancha, played by Giannico, was Grand Champions Best Playing Pony.
“I had a lot of pressure playing with these guys. They won it two years ago. I had to step up my game, and luckily the boys helped me out and gave me the confidence, and we won the game by a big difference.”
“This was a big win for this team,” Giannico said. “To be honest, I don’t know what it means to win this tour-
“We’re young, and we grew up together in Argentina,” Giannico said. “I
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know Juan and Peco, we used to go to school down there, and we have known each other for a long time. I used to work with Memo and Carlos, and I knew Carlitos. Just going out and winning it for Carlitos and everybody, it just means a lot to the family.” Vicki, played by Gracida and named after Fort Lauderdale-born Vicki Armour, was American Polo Horse Association Best Playing Pony. For Gracida, the win was emotionally charged. Gracida’s team practiced only once before the tournament, and Gracida has practiced only three times because no high goal team has picked him up, and it has been hard finding practice sessions. “The emotion is coming from every day working, every day not having a job for two years in the high goal,”
Gracida said. “Everyone that helped me play this tournament is huge. It’s exposure for me, and this is what I work for, the chance to do what I love to do.” “I am very happy to win it again,” Monteverde said. “It’s a great feeling and [a] great team. I still don’t understand what happened. The guys played amazing in the sixth chukker. They connected in every way. I think we just match in the field. Everyone plays their position, and it works. We just changed the back this year, and you saw him scoring five goals. This is amazing.” Gracida and Giannico both shared scoring honors with a game-high five goals. Monteverde and Polledo each had one goal.
Strada led Dundas Polo with four goals. Merlos, Lockey and Taranco each had one goal. In the semifinals, Dundas Polo defeated Audi, 9-7, and Gracida Wine eliminated Beverly Equestrian, 13-10. The single-elimination, winner-takeall tournament, coming off a year’s hiatus in 2019, is the richest prize purse offered in club history. The tournament showcased the sport and its players at every level competing for one of richest prize purses in the nation. Each player on the winning team received $25,000 in prize money. The six-day tournament featured ten teams from a 12 to 27-goal rating. page 55
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CARNIVAL AROUND THE WORLD LOOKS FROM THE WEEKEND LEADING UP TO MARDI GRAS
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CA R N I VAL 2 02 0
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CA R N I VAL 2 02 0
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THE OSCARS FILM'S BIGGEST NIGHT AND THE FUTURE OF INCLUSION, EQUALITY & MERIT IN HOLLYWOOD page 68
Brad Pitt, Elton John and Rene Zellweger were early winners in the evenings program.
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TH E 2 0 2 0 ACA D E M Y AWA RD S
South Korea's satire on classism, "Parasite," was the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture. page 71
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SN OW POLO WO RL D CUP ST. M O RIT Z
Left: Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas; Above: Cynthia Erivo from "Harriett;" and Right: Natalie Portman's red-carpet caped look was a best-dressed moment
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TH E 2 0 2 0 ACA D E M Y AWA RD S
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TH E 2 0 2 0 ACA D E M Y AWA RD S
The evening didn't end when the awards were all presented. Celebs proceeded to the Vanity Fair Party that followed the 2020 Academy Awards show. Vanity Fair Party photos courtesy Vanity Fair.
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S N OW POLO WO RL D C UP ST. M O RIT Z
The evening didn't end when the awards were all presented. Celebs proceeded to the Vanity Fair Party that followed the 2020 Academy Awards show. Vanity Fair Party photos courtesy Vanity Fair.
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Laura Dern is congratulated by her mother for her win in the category Best Supporting Actress for "Marriage Story"
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IS URBAN POLO
THE FUTURE OF
THE SPORT OF KINGS?
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Urban Polo brings the action closer to the fans on a reduced field size like this one in Australia.
URBAN POLO: IS THIS THE FUTURE OF POLO?
Urban Polo, once the bane of polo purists and traditional tournament organizers, keeps finding its way into conversations from West Palm to West Africa.
Other celebrated variations of polo – Snow, Beach and Arena – haven’t suffered from the initial nose-snubbing and eye-rolling casualness with which Urban Polo was written off. But it can’t be written off, and all around the world, particularly in Australia and Singapore, Urban Polo is almost the new norm, if not the fans’ favorite. page 84
Australia’s five-week, five-city Urban Polo series was met with such resistance in 2005 that one critic likened the concept of bringing 60 horses into Sydney’s Centennial Park as “pie in the sky,” according to Urban Polo Association (UPA) President Janek Gazecki. Eventually Gazecki convinced city officials in five major Australian capitols: Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide. None of these cities had polo fields in urban centers, so parks and green spaces were retrofitted, with installations of VIP tents, grand stands, tailgating areas, and a playing field – reduced in
size from regulation (990x330 feet) to 460x180 feet, bring spectators much closer to the players, horses and action than usual. To accommodate the proximity to fans, the Urban Polo ball is also larger and lighter than a regulation ball. It doesn’t shoot as far, posing less of a risk of contact with spectators, although it flies straight, unlike arena polo balls. In veritable defiance of critics, people show up to party and watch Urban Polo. During each of his five weekends in Australia, thousands of fans packed
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Singapore's Urban Polo is played from 4 to 8 p.m. with the silhouette of Marina Bay in the background. page 85
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Temporary VIP marquees are assembled to host guests at Urban Polo events in parks and urban green spaces.
lounges, elaborate VIP marquees and bars; it is a hands-on learning experience and introduction to the game for the majority. Fans come for the champagne, but leave having stomped divots, witnessed the athleticism of players and ponies and gained a new perspective on the Sport of Kings. Singapore’s version of Urban Polo kicks off at 4 p.m. to capitalize on the Marina Bay’s dramatic city scape and silhouette it provides as the sun sinks to dusk, then dark. As well as witnessing the skill and pace of some of the world’s best polo players, Singapore’s Urban Polo also features a musical line-up, that has included the likes of Kilter and Miami Horror in years past. In this sense, Urban Polo is bringing polo to the people. But like all movements, there is continued resistance. The reduced field size and party-over-polo aspect are page 86
Urban Polo’s most vulnerable traits. “Why would you want to play polo on a tiny field in the middle of the city when you can play on a regulation size field at a polo club just outside of town?” a polo circuit governor asked me when the topic came up recently. “Parks aren’t watered, the grass isn’t sanded; there’s so much field prep that must be done prior to putting ponies and players on it. The costs would be enormous… you’re going to throw tens of thousands of dollars at a temporary set up? Just support your local polo club.” Polo clubs and equestrian centers; however, remain largely out of reach of ticket holders who come to drink champagne at Urban Polo. When questioned, most of them couldn’t name a polo club in the immediate vicinity. Beyond the perception issues of Urban Polo, an equally large challenge exists:
ponies. Vital to the matches, ponies and urban settings no longer go handin-hand in the developed world. In Australia and Singapore, their respective UPAs coordinate horses from city to city and location to location from outlying ranches and stables. Temporary structures, at least those allowed within zoning regulations, must be built on-site to house ponies for the duration of the weekend. “Having a really thorough production and installation team who knows how to work with permitting is key,” said Gazecki. “You don’t want to be in a stand-off with city officials on Friday afternoon.” The question remains, is Urban Polo the future of polo? If it is, then it is smaller, faster and every bit as modern as the world we live in. By Josh Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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Critics of Urban Polo point to the party-over-polo mentality of attendees who are drawn to the party aspects over the demonstration of athletism. Urban Polo organizers say any exposure to polo is exposure to polo, pure and simple.
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URBAN POLO: POLO IS THIS THE FUTURE OF POLO?
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DAVOS 2020
THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD IN THE HANDS OF INSTAGRAM "INFLUENCERS"
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THE YEAR INSTAGRAM INVADED DAVOS How the World Economic Forum became the backdrop of choice for socially conscious IMFluencers
What do you do if award-winning journalist Tina Brown invites you to a dinner full of finance leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos—on the night of your birthday, no less? When it happened this week to Bozoma Saint John, chief marketing officer of the powerhouse entertainment agency Endeavor, she posted on Instagram: “Hold up. This gathering requires a lewwwk. Lemme slay in my @ cushnie…. power suit.” And there she was in her blue velvet glory, standing on the plinth of a statue in a snowdrift, in a series of photos and videos that also showed her hobnobbing with power players from Credit Suisse and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the influencer algorithm of style x location x powerful friends, Saint John not only nailed it but may have created an entirely new category: the IMFluencer. Now that Burning Man has peaked. Some attendees find it “self-congratulatory” and “insufferable,” accord-
ing to the New Republic of all places. Meanwhile, the Sundance Film Festival is “losing its luster with brands and stars” (per the New York Post), Davos is the new pit stop du jour for socially conscious Instagrammers. The annual four-day summit in a small Swiss town attracts 3,000 of the world’s most powerful leaders in government, business and industry—and the scores of activists who protest them. It is where President Donald Trump hangs with German chancellor Angela Merkel and Charles, Prince of Wales, and where Amazon’s Jeff Bezos swaps numbers with the likes of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This year at Davos, though, the kinds of personalities who are usually Instagramming from Burning Man, Coachella, or haute couture shows, were also in town, eagerly geo-tagging the Davos Congress and broadcasting their engagement with social causes. Consider this another sign of the ubiquity of the wellness aristocracy. The Russian blogger,
Miroslava Duma, who
canceled two years ago over offensive comments on
Priyanka Chopra Jonas' Instagram glamour shot used the Swiss Alps as a backdrop to promote the work of the Global Citizen initiative.
social media, hit the slopes, and attended some panels, flexing climate awareness for her nearly 2 million followers. Priyanka Chopra Jonas burnished her brand
with a glamour shot using the Swiss Alps as a backdrop, along with a caption promoting the good work of the Global Citizen initiative.
Like Chopra, Julianne Hough stopped by the Equality Lounge, a popup that hosts panels and conversations, posed for a picture, hash-tagged the hosts and credited her outfit to Tom Ford. Natalia Vodianova was
there to speak on a panel about women’s health with fellow model-hyphen-
ate, Lily Cole. She posted pictures in the snow, which looked like they came from a very chic ski vacation. Lest anyone mistake the Russian model’s motives, however, her official bio on the WEF Web site states clearly, “Natalia is famous philanthropist.” Celebrity is capital, of course, even if it is harder to quantify than the funds that put the F in IMF. But it is invaluable in raising awareness for important world causes, and the publicity provided by these Instagram posts would cost millions to buy through other media outlets. This article originally appeared in Town & Country. Reprinted with permission. page 93
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THE FUTURE OF FOIE GRAS FURS & EXOTIC SKINS THREE OF OUR FAVORITE LUXURY ITEMS ARE BEING OUTLAWED AND THE WE ARE LESS THAN PLEASED
A
s states crack down on the sale of their favorite products, customers will have to either give them up or get creative.
Virgilio Martínez, whose restaurant, Central, in Lima, Peru, is ranked among the world’s best, claimed to be unfamiliar with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection list of restricted species. And who can blame him?
At LAX recently, the chef of a Michelin-starred restaurant was detained for trying to bring in some unusual cargo: 40 frozen piranhas. In a duffel bag, no less.
The number of prohibited imports is so vast—from sublime delicacies like poulet de Bresse, widely considered the Rolls-Royce of chicken to the ridiculous, such as Kinder Surprise Eggs—
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that it is easier to keep up with the drama of your favorite Housewives. “What’s next?” asks American fashion designer Josie Natori. “You almost need a road map to find out what’s allowed and not allowed. It’s so hard to keep track.” It’s a state of affairs that is likely to continue being even more of a head-scratcher in 2020 and beyond. While some states, like Illinois, have
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rolled back laws on, say, recreational marijuana, others are taking the opposite tactic on more extravagant highs. Beginning in 2022, the sale of foie gras will be illegal in New York City; transgressors could face up to $2,000 in fines. Motivated by concerns over animal cruelty (mostly over the process of gavage, which is how most but not page 98
all foie gras is produced), the ban by the city council has chefs—especially those working in upscale French kitchens—up in arms in a way not seen since beluga caviar was banned 15 years ago.
bleu–level indignation (Will they come for veal next? Not my truffles!) is nothing compared to the fits of anger gripping California as the state readies itself for a possible ban on exotic skins.
The proposed ban will undeniably affect upstate duck farmers and the thousand or so New York City restaurants that serve foie gras, but the sacré
Having outlawed the sale of all new fur products statewide (beginning in 2023), governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill enforcing a ban on the
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import or sale of crocodile and alligator skins effective January 2020. “It’s ridiculous,” says Farah Makras, a San Francisco socialite and fashion plate. “The ways that animals are raised or whether they are treated well is the problem, not customers.” That is an opinion shared, not surprisingly, by Jason Stalvey, a New York designer of high-end accessories made from alligator hide. He sees exotic skins as collateral damage in fashion’s race to embrace more ethical production practices. “Unfortunately, taking a stand against exotics actually works against sustainable efforts that have been in place and overseen by the government for the last 40 years,” says Stalvey, whose namesake line counts Beyoncé and Gigi Hadid as fans. A federal judge appears to agree, having issued a temporary restraining order against the ban after the state
of Louisiana sued California, claiming that the regulation could hurt its economy. A hearing will not be held until late April.
as a last resort, we could just bring in everything, from absinthe to Cuban cigars to under-aged raw-milk cheese, on private jets.
Should animal rights activists prevail, it is safe to assume their patrician adversaries everywhere, from Pacific Heights to Pacific Palisades, will find a way to bypass regulators.
And it is not as though repercussions run any deeper than the odd fine. The onus, after all, falls mainly on the retailers. “There is no exotic skin or fur fashion police coming after you,” quipped Emily Holt, a former Vogue editor, and owner of the tony Bay Area boutique, Hero Shop.
“When they originally banned fur in San Francisco, everyone was going to Los Angeles—or even just 10 minutes outside San Francisco,” Makras says. “And we’re so close to Nevada. People will just go to Reno or Vegas. Someone will make millions opening a little fur shop just over the border.” Imagine the lengths to which we might go to acquire our decadent but outlawed goodies—grandes dames going through customs with Birkins stuffed with tins of beluga! Snakeskin mini bags concealed under wigs! Third or fourth homes in Idaho! Well,
The viability of the California skin ban is unresolved, but if the 1990s’ shahtoosh shawl (that gossamer-thin, mylar-warm, status-conferring, handwoven scarf from Kashmir that went from nowhere to everywhere in the late 80s and early 90s) smack down taught socialites anything, it is that they need to be creative if they want to save their skins. Says Makras, “If there is a will, there is a way.” Adapted for Polo Lifestyles from T&C. page 99
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ADVANCES IN SECURITY & DETECTION THE FUTURE OF PROTECTING YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY YOUR BUSINESS & YOUR EVENT
While leaders in global security pinpoint Active Shooter Situations as a premier security threat, "Gunshot Detection Systems" are becoming more efficient.
T
he Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud platforms, combined with more cost-effective Artificial Intelligence (AI) engines, are paving the way for a new generation of indoor gunshot detection. Statistically, the probability of an active shooter event occurring at any given location is low. But being prepared for such a horrific event requires a large number of resources — especially for the commercial venues that are often the site of such attacks. Although somewhat rare, the fear persists. A 2019 survey by Securitas asked top security decision-makers representing a wide range of workplaces, including schools, offices, retail spaces, places of worship, manufacturing facilities and utilities, which physical security threat concerned them the most. Their answer? An active shooter situation. As today’s security dealers emphasize the value of technologies like video
surveillance, access control, security screening, emergency communication systems and visitor management, they now increasingly include information about how these solutions can perform in an active shooter scenario to help mitigate risk and reduce harm. Historically, conversations regarding indoor gunfire detection solutions have been reserved for highly funded customers. Since their inception, gunfire detectors have been considered an expensive and somewhat unattainable add-on to more traditional security systems. But the market is changing, paving the way for security dealers to sell as many gunfire detectors as they do smoke detectors. With converging market forces and increasing security concerns over mass shootings, these systems are quickly becoming a vital must-have in a dealers’ product portfolio. NEXT-GEN GUNSHOT DETECTION The historically high price for such systems is multi-faceted. For effective
coverage, a company must deploy many detectors throughout a property, which can be costly. Plus, the labor-intensive monitoring and alert notification services that support these systems are expensive. Unlike many security technologies whose cost can be justified for the many day-to-day use cases in which they deliver value (like surveillance), most gunshot detection systems will never, hopefully, need to alarm and notify. Now, the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud platforms, combined with smarter, faster and more affordable AI engines, is paving the way for a new generation of indoor gunshot detection. This next generation of gunshot detection solutions redefines the pricing of system hardware and sensors, software, installation costs and monitoring services. Why the sudden shift in pricing? This new wave of detectors, as small as the smallest of smoke detectors, can be sold for hundreds, rather page 103
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than thousands, of dollars each. For starters, gunshot detection systems are now Cloud-based. By leveraging the Cloud to process and analyze detected sounds, hardware costs are dramatically reduced. The Cloud facilitates robust mobile and web-based management software and installation tools, offering all the advantages of a SaaS model with minimal upfront costs and reasonable annual service fees.
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This also lends itself to decreased installation costs; simplified network requirements and “plug and play� connectivity of IoT sensor devices can be programmed and mapped from a phone or browser. Self-learning AI, powered by Cloud servers, continually improves the accuracy of gunfire analysis, reducing or eliminating the need for human involvement for monitoring and throughout the alert notification sequence.
This evolution in market technologies is allowing commercial venues to purchase gunfire detection systems with the same ease as adding smoke detectors. Given their ability to help save lives, gunfire detectors, with only a small incremental increase in security budgeting, will soon be an indispensable element of every active shooter technology plan.
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A 2019 survey by Securitas asked top security decision-makers representing a wide range of workplaces, including schools, offices, retail spaces, places of worship, manufacturing facilities and utilities, which physical security threat concerned them the most. Their answer? An active shooter situation.
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CASA
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HUMAN RACE
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TAKES FLIGHT THE FUTURE OF FLIGHT
AS ILLUSTRATED BY DUBAI 2020 & THE JETMAN I t’s a bird; it’s a plane, t’s … Dubai’s Jetman.
The Crown Prince of Dubai Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum shared a video to his Instagram account showing the first autonomous human flight in the city via a vertical takeoff.
“A major milestone in the quest to achieve 100% autonomous human flight. Well done boys,” the sheik captioned the post. The video shows Jetman stuntman Vince Reffet, outfitted with a carbon fiber wing powered by four mini jet
engines, taking off like Super Man over Jumeirah Beach Residence. The latest mission was the first time the pilots have taken off vertically. Typically, as in the last Jetman mission—over China’s Tianmen Mountains—the Jetmen must jump out of a helicopter before engaging their engines.
Within seconds, Reffet reached more than 325 feet and within 30 seconds reached a height of 3,280 feet at an average speed of 130 knots, according to Gulf Today. By the end of the three-minute flight, reaching an altitude of nearly 5,000
feet, Reffet opened a parachute and landed safely back at Skydive Dubai, according to the newspaper. The Jetman Dubai project aims to demonstrate what can be done when technology and nerves of steel combine. The Jetmen, Reffet and Fred Fugen, are currently working with Emirati skydive pro Ahmed Al Shehhi. The project is also supported by Swiss former military pilot Yves Rossy, who invented the carbon-fiber Jetman pack.
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The latest mission was the first time the pilots have taken off vertically. Typically, as in the last Jetman mission—over China’s Tianmen Mountains—the Jetmen must jump out of a helicopter before engaging their engines.
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Within seconds, Reffet reached more than 325 feet and within 30 seconds reached a height of 3,280 feet at an average speed of 130 knots.
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ST E P IN S ID E LA P RE MIÈ RE CAB IN
Enjoy La Première cabin experience between Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and these destinations: North America: Atlanta ■ Houston ■ Los Angeles New York ■ San Francisco ■ Washington ■ Mexico South America: Sao Paulo Asia: Beijing (Peking) ■ Hong Kong ■ Shanghai Singapore ■ Tokyo Haneda Africa: Abidjan ■ Johannesburg Middle East: Beirut ■ Dubai
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NO-TECH TRAVEL
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THE FUTURE OF VACATIONING, UNPLUGGING & GETTING AWAY LUXURY EVOLVES AS DIGITAL DETOX TAKES LEAD IN TRAVEL PREFERENCE A
s we enter a new decade, Tom Marchant, co-founder of the bespoke luxury travel company, Black Tomato, shared his insight on the technology trends that will be shaping global travel experiences of tomorrow.
Black Tomato, in partnership with Euromonitor International research, recognizes that the definition of luxury is evolving, and the experience is becoming ubiquitous, something consumers are becoming increasingly de-sensitized to. Their report, instead, charters a deeper course, where experience is synonymous with “personal fulfillment”, and creating lasting change is seen as the new currency for the luxury travel market.
TECH DISCONNECT AND DETOX Travelers are embracing JOMO (the joy of missing out) rather than falling victim to nomophobia (the irrational fear of being without your cell
phone). They are letting curiosity guide the way and relishing each moment as it happens — even if that means going joyfully off the worn path. You cannot stage-manage a moment of budding beauty, but you can create the conditions for its ripening. According to their report, travelers are not looking for total disconnection; rather, windows of connectivity, especially when nearly 70% of consumers admit to staying connected to work on their holiday. Therefore, they are talking about a realistic digital detox; people are hoping to find time for themselves, allowing for more breathing and thinking space within their itineraries. Marchant commented: “Part of travel should be about learning and engaging with a place you are inspired by. Whilst technology may help inform us, I don’t believe it will be central in how or where we travel. We’re likely to start seeing places and experiences encouraging people to put technology to one side. When you’re there in the moment, you have room to properly
think.” Ultimately, there is a growing appreciation for personal reflection and finding a breathing space in a world that is always on and never off. Opportunity to disconnect and renew your mind can be rare and sporadic, trips such as ‘Get Lost’ help you to disconnect and engage in the moment.
PURSUIT OF PURITY When it comes to finding breathing space, travelers do not just mean metaphorically. 80% of the global population lives under light-polluted skies. Taking time outside of densely populated areas to enjoy some breathing room is likely to be a growing movement, especially with research finding 34% of people want nature and outdoor activities on their holiday. Luxury travel experts have seen an appetite for experiences and destinations that help to achieve calmness, clean air and nature unbound. page 115
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OVERSATURATION A
ONCE A STATUS SYMBOL THE SMARTPHONE'S FUTURE IS BANAL UTILITY
rek Wylegalski, who invests in technology for a living, doesn’t know what version iPhone he owns. He’s not sure if it has FaceID, but he thinks it might. He’s a partner at the tech investment firm FirstMinute Capital. When we met in August in San Francisco at a startup pitch fest, it looked like an iPhone 7 or 8 to me. Its screen had cracked.
As most of the world arrives at a smartphone-saturated future, the United States’ Silicon Valley is neckdeep in a backlash against it. Perhaps more than anyone else, those who work in technology are doing their best to back off in their personal lives. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted in March that he uses his phone a bit more than 6 hours a day to simultaneously helm two companies worth nearly $30 billion each. And yet Dorsey has also chronicled his affection for monastic, low-tech vacations like silent meditation retreats. Blackberry devotees have written long articles about why they’ve switched back to their dumbphones from the more addictive alternatives. page 118
Silicon Valley parents are contractually obligating their nannies to police children’s phone habits.
year that desktop and laptop ownership has remained flat over the past 10 years.
Apple investors begged the company in January of last year to research what phones are doing to young brains. The Screen Time feature appeared six months later. The man who wrote the handbook on how to addict users to your products has a bestseller out titled Indistractable. Considering the modern dearth of face-to-face interaction, a column in The New York Times declared human contact “a luxury good.” Still, old gadgets are somehow cooler: the right kind of old computer equipment might be worth 10 times more than its newfangled counterparts to rich collectors.
Contrast those figures with smartphone ownership. Most people in the U.S.—81 percent, according to Pew figures from June 2019—have a smartphone, more than double the percentage the company found in its first survey on the topic eight years ago.
The shift in attitude, according to multiple experts who spoke to The Daily Beast, starts with smartphones. They are the essential uber-gadget, a do-it-all device that made uni-tasking obsolete. A smartphone is a Sony Walkman, a Garmin GPS, a MacBook, a Nintendo Gameboy, a Nikon CoolPix, a Palm Pilot, and a credit card all in one. In 2015, Pew Research found that ownership of MP3 players and game consoles had declined since the late 2000s, and the survey firm seems to have stopped asking about those devices since. Pew found this
We use our phones for everything, so they’ve become a utility we’re obligated to have rather than a luxury we can indulge in. The essential capabilities of most of them are the same. “As our phones stack up more and more uses, the paradox is that we’ll take more and more of them for granted. That euphoria will fade into commonality,” said Milton Pedraza, CEO of The Luxury Institute, which studies the spending habits of the wealthy. The change has been a long time coming, and it arrived sooner for some than others. White collar workers told The New York Times 10 years ago that smartphones had already become necessities for job hunting. Even then a man in San Jose called his iPhone “a part of me now, an appendage.” But today, unlike in 2009, the iPhone isn’t much of a rarefied object.
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“The iPhone doesn’t mean what it did before—I’m creative, I’m innovative, I belong to a tribe. Now there are so many,” said Pedraza. Smartphones are everywhere, and the surprise and delight of them has waned with each update. And nothing pushes the rich and powerful away from something faster than everyone having it. “Gadgets just are. They’re pervasive across billions of lives now,” Pedraza said. “The innovation has slowed down, and that has an effect. We view them as commodities.” He said his clients are gravitating to experiences—think travel and fine dining—more so than gadgets or designer clothes. Detoxing from devices has entered the mainstream and people we might not associate with the tech industry—Joe Rogan, Mayim Bialik—are producing videos on how to spend less time with your tech. Breaking your phone addiction has spawned at least half a dozen TED Talks. The New York Times’ series on its reporters’ personal technology often showcases how they don’t use it. The advice to “put page 120
your phone down” is so accepted and uncontroversial it’s showing up in graduation speeches. The popular economics radio show Marketplace recently asked, “Can You Tell The Difference Between A $300 Phone And A $1,000 one?” Participants in the show’s testing rated a $300 Motorola phone higher than the $750 iPhone XR. Part of the decline in phones’ social cachet is the convergence of their design, according to Nicole Nguyen, a personal technology reporter at BuzzFeed News. From a distance, it’s not easy to tell what kind of smartphone someone has, whether they’re up with the latest or lagging. “If you go to any phone shop today and look at the wall, they’re slabs of glass with two or three buttons on the side,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said she wishes she could live with a dumb phone, but she believes she would have difficulty communicating with her family members, all of whom use Apple phones and apps. The differences between the form factors of our hardware—recall when a phone’s fold determined its quality—
are small compared to what they once were. “When I started writing about tech in 2012, gadgets were news,” Nguyen said. “Now phones are less different from each other than they used to be. They’re like cars in our lives. You buy a car to get from point A to point B, and the differences among a certain class of car aren’t big.” Like Pedraza, Nguyen said luxury has moved away from technology toward lifestyle, which you might display via the software on your phone, “The personal brand has replaced the phone as a luxury good. Your ability to go on vacation and show pictures of your apartment on Instagram, the clothes you wear—that whole aesthetic piece represents luxury more.” B.J. Fogg, a Stanford behavioral scientist who studies how people can change digital habits, summed up the relationship between digital devices and status more coarsely. “We will start to realize that being chained to your mobile phone is a low-status behavior, similar to smoking,” Fogg said.
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THE FUTURE OF SERVICE ISN'T AS SIMPLE AS EITHER AI OR HUMAN
A
utomation and artificial intelligence are transforming the customer service industry and raising difficult questions about the role that humans will play in the workplace of the future.
For years, pundits have been largely relegated to one of two camps: mass unemployment predictors and budget-minded capitalists. But recently, more and more thought leaders have shifted into a third camp, which argues that the future of customer service and business in general will be rooted in AI-human collaboration.
SHARED INTELLIGENCE Today’s customer service leaders are divided about how best to integrate AI into their organizations. However, there is one thing that I think we can all agree on: When implemented correctly, virtual agents can help their human counterparts more efficient and effective. For example, they can make humans smarter with automated suggestions and intelligent search capabilities. They can also help humans save time by taking over data entry and other simple tasks. We also know that the converse is true: Humans can do a great deal to help their virtual counterparts. Today’s generation of bots are easily confused, and humans can jump in when they get something wrong. They can also provide feedback so that the AI system can learn from its mistakes. page 122
Many business leaders fail to see that humans have much more to offer their AI-powered counterparts than supervision. Indeed, the future of AI-human collaboration won’t just be rooted in shared tasks and projects; it could also be rooted in shared intelligence.
THE VALUE OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE There is no doubt that bots can make humans smarter. However, the sharing of intelligence can and should be a two-way street. Virtual agents have much to gain from humans’ supervision, occasional intervention and training. I’m not talking about just any training. I’m talking about the intensive and ongoing transfer of subject-matter expertise from people who have deep wells of knowledge and experi-
ence with your organization’s products or services.
Training from your human experts should give virtual agents the tools they need to reach a whole new level of functionality. If your experts are constantly reviewing and refining the AI’s responses to customer inquiries, those responses can become more thoughtful, informative and ultimately useful. If AI-human collaboration in customer service is to succeed over the long term, it is vital to develop more nuanced systems that enable humans and AI to continuously share their intelligence.
BETTER TOGETHER I believe the future of human-AI collaboration in customer service will be more than a simple binary with humans tackling certain types
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
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of requests and AI handling others, with an occasional hand-off happening between the two. That’s because, as AI technology progresses, the line between human and artificial intelligence could become increasingly blurred. In the future, AI-assisted humans could be the norm rather than the exception. We have already entered the age of augmented human intelligence, as Pew estimates suggest that smartphone ownership now extends to more than 2.5 billion people worldwide. Before long, any company that assigns human agents to certain types of tasks could, by definition, be assigning AI-assisted human agents to handle those tasks. The converse is also true: A company may assign AI-powered virtual agents to many types of customer service requests. However, the most effective AI will likely be those that the company both trains and continuously “coaches” through human experts. The future of customer service could indeed be human-AI collaboration. However, we should escape the simplistic binary thinking that positions page 124
humans and AI as diametrically opposed entities. To achieve its full potential, we should bring expert-trained AI systems together with AI-assisted humans. We should continue searching for new ways to integrate the two until we are truly able to deliver the best of both worlds. By embracing this partnership, we can help ensure an enduring place for the human worker in the customer service economy.
HOW TO MAKE AI-HUMAN COLLABORATION A REALITY? Business leaders who wish to bring AI-human collaboration to life in their customer service organizations need only ask themselves a few key questions to get started: 1. Have you chosen the right VA vendor for your needs? Unless your company has the resources and expertise to develop its own virtual assistant, you’ll need to work with a VA vendor. This decision is generally driven by the level of feature-richness you need, as well as your preexisting vendor relationships.
2. Who is training your AI? Assuming you have a basic virtual assistant running, you’ll need to think about who is training your AI. Are you merely asking reps to flag the system when a virtual assistant answers a question incorrectly, or are your organization’s experts who are passionate about your product creating new content and reviewing the AI’s output? 3. How do you make expert knowledge available? How will you tap your expert users to identify gaps in your self-service content and solutions and to create support content that improves AI performance? Leverage existing customer support teammates with the greatest product knowledge or consider hiring representatives who are already experts in your industry. 4. What happens when AI isn’t enough? The most effective virtual agents are just one part of a comprehensive customer experience strategy. Make sure you’ve created a defined path of escalation so that the AI can seamlessly hand off to human support as needed. By Antony Brydon Special Contributor Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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FASHION & STYLE NYFW F/W 2020 INSPIRATION CHRISTOPHER JOHN ROGERS
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PRABAL GURUNG
PRABAL GURUNG
PRABAL GURUNG
PRABAL GURUNG
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NYFW F/W 2020
DESIGNERS SERVE FUTURISTIC INSPIRATION
Above: Marc Jaobs' collection MARC JACOBS
MARINA MOSCONE
Marc Jacobs never fails to cap off New York Fashion Week with a bang, and this collection was no exception. The show at the Park Avenue Armory began with a performance from dancer and choreographer Karole Armitage, which ushered in a crew of dancers in Marc-designed bras and hot pants or skirt sets. Then Jacobs went back to basics, literally. A collection more evocative of old school Marc—mod clothing like simple A-line coats and mini shift dresses—walked the runway. Miley Cyrus joined the ranks later on in the show with a simple black bra and trouser, and there were displays of statement dressing inspired by American fashion icons, like Jackie O and Audrey Hepburn, who was interpreted in a sultry Breakfast at Tiffany’s version by Bella Hadid for an evening look. It seems that between artfully crafted evening wear and easy options for day, Jacobs fans both old and new will have much to covet come Fall.
This just in: Marina Moscone is not a minimalist. It seems that we’d mistaken her sharp tailoring, which still sits at the core of the brand’s DNA, with a completely understated aesthetic, but her Fall 2020 show drove home her many facets. A brocade suit, some sexy options for evening, leopard print, and an array of animal-printed fringe gowns for evening that closed the show were just some of the signs of her not-so-minimalist leanings, but the suiting still stood out, as did the plush outerwear. MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION
Equestrian vibes have been all over the New York Fashion Week runways, but they are nothing new to Michael Kors. The all-American supernova has been dabbling with great-outdoors themes throughout his career, and this season he hearkened back to them but stretched their masculine and feminine sides. Kors showcased men’s and
women's wear versions of almost the same head-to-toe looks, and there was not a high heel to be found on his runway. There were, however, looks that looked back to some of his career’s best looks, like a red and camel poncho look donned by Kaia Gerber, and some fresh takes on tailoring that felt like a continuation of classic Kors themes. For evening, riding boots and knitwear were paired with pleated lamé gowns. While this season felt more like a continuation and an evolution on the past for Kors than something brand new, we’re buying everything he is selling come Fall 2020. PRABAL GURUNG
Black might always be the first thing one thinks of in connection with New York style, but there is so much more than that. New York City women love fashion truly and embrace madcap flights of fancy better than any other tribe around the globe. Prabal Gurung declared his fall 2020 collection a love page 131
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NYFW FW 2020 letter to the city and packed it with silhouettes and prints that capture eccentric glamour. Standouts: light-as-air feathers that covered a jacket for movement bottling the energy of Manhattan and luxuriously folded taffeta that built for a perfectly disheveled peplum. From suits to gowns, everything one needs for a New York moment was there. RODARTE
Rodarte would be forgiven for tacking a sign to the door that said, “Minimalists, go home.” Kate and Laura Mulleavy have never been afraid of dramatic maximalism, and for their return to New York Fashion Week, they turned the dial up to 11. It was a fashion fantasyland with spangles, spiderwebs, garlands of blooms and billowing trains. Even the most subdued pieces were hardly that, including retro-inspired suit jackets and dresses. Though not a collection one
could call wearable, that is hardly the point. Fashion like this is intended to make us dream. COACH
Beyond Debbie Harry and Blondie’s surprise performance, there was a lot to pay attention to on the Coach runway. Colors, fabrics, extreme layering, stripes on stripes. It was an intentional sensory overload. Creative director Stuart Vevers envisioned a downtown art scene from the ‘80s while working, and he succeeded in bringing the various members of that tribe to life. Striped separates would help an abstract painter camouflage errant paint, while crisp lapels and pleated trousers surely belong to the person with aspirations to become an art dealer. It was not all imaginary characters either. The brand collaborated with Jean-Michel Basquiat’s estate on a series of limited-edition pieces.
VERA WANG
Per the show notes for Vera Wang’s fall collection, there was boudoir and body, but also a bit of bondage via leather harnesses and straps. Another B-word to add to the list: bubblegum, as shown by the brights she mixed in among her standard noir. It was a study in scale, too, as layered, tucked, and draped tulle floated behind models as they walked. Thigh-high socks with platform sandals made legs appear endlessly long, and oversized outerwear was made to look even larger by wooly trims and hand-hiding sleeves. While tiered tulle gowns spared nothing when it came to volume. GABRIELA HEARST
One gets the feeling that Gabriela Hearst pulled from all parts of her life when putting together her fall 2020 collection. Fringe, tawny suede and richly woven
Above: Gabriela Hearst's collection page 132
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NYFW FW 2020 fabrics all belong on the Uruguayan ranch where Hearst grew up. It is easy to imagine her spending childhood hours studying similar styles, absorbing their inherent glamour while waiting for the day she would become a “grownup.” The sleekness of her adulthood in New York City is represented by beautifully cut coats, chic dresses, and offthe-shoulder cashmere. Every designer approaches the idea of sustainability differently, too, and Hearst’s take is to look to the past. Hand-painted designs turn
leather coats and accessories into pieces that will be kept for generations, and Manos Del Uruguay, a nonprofit cooperative of female artisans, did much of the knitting. Style plus substance, truly. KHAITE
While some names flash and burn out quickly, others track steadily upward. Khaite’s Catherine Holstein decidedly belongs in the latter camp, and Fall 2020 confirmed that we will continue to hear Khaite on the lips of cool girls
everywhere for years to come. The newest collection presented as a tale of two women. The first, embodied by opener Bella Hadid, has images of Mick Jagger dancing in her head, a sprinkling of louche fairy dust in her back pocket, and a mood board tacked with ruffles, animal prints and hot pants. The second? A modern swan borrowing sartorial elements from gilded ‘80s wardrobes (think tulle, ruched taffeta, dropped waists, and puffed shoulders). Holstein does not make us pick a side
Above: Khaite's collection; Below: Oscar de la Renta's collection
either. Elements from both were mixed together to show that it is possible to have your cake and eat it too. After all, what’s more modern than being impossible to categorize? OSCAR DE LA RENTA
A night at the museum—or rather, the New York Public Library—drew fashion’s It-crowd at almost-10p.m. on a Monday night for Oscar de la Renta’s Fall 2020 collection. Had it been a weekend, it would have been just the right time for a party—and rightly so, given Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia’s page 133
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quick transition from tailored, high day wear to a display of party frocks. Crystals, beaded fringe, feathers and full skirts were just a few of the dance-floor ready details on show. Highlights included the finale feathered looks, donned by Cara Taylor and Bella Hadid, and riffs on Scarlett Johanssen’s draped, corseted Oscars gown of beaded fringe. For those longing for the de la Renta DNA, that also came in droves—mostly in the form of gathered taffeta skirts on bodices, fishtails and high-low ballgowns. PROENZA SCHOULER
Many of the looks at Proenza Schouler’s Fall 2020 show were a bit askew, whether it was a jacket falling off the shoulder or an asymmetrical bodycon, cut-out dress. Jack and Lazaro were not afraid of a little sex
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appeal this season, leaning into little frocks made for after dark. Those glittering creations walked alongside cool suiting, and a multitude of scarf details—strewn over the shoulder or billowing behind a leather slip dress. All of it was topped off by giant bags, fitted over-the-knee boots and white sandals—all the better to make an entrance. CAROLINA HERRERA
Carolina Herrera’s Fall 2020 collection debuted at the newly opened The Shed in Hudson Yards, a glass-walled bit of modernity in the middle of the city. Creative Director Wes Gordon’s designs, however, contrasted nicely with so much glass and steel—these were soft, pretty things for ladies who aren’t in too big of a hurry to get anywhere. From sheer lace whites
to bold, voluminous gowns in blues and all shades of yellow, from golden to lemon. A black column gown was a bit more austere, but nonetheless lovely. Flat lace-up brogues accompanied many of the looks for another bit of contrast. It was an assured collection that was a lesson in balances. JONATHAN SIMKHAI
Simkhai was inspired by the photographer Julius Shulman for his fall offering—Shulman shoots architecture on the West Coast. It is a bit of a love story to L.A., Simkhai’s home base after so many years in NYC. This trans-
lated to tailored pieces, like trench coats, jumpsuits and suiting. These pieces gave way to softer fare, silk dresses in scarf prints with fringe inspired by Simkhai’s family heritage in Iran before the 1979 revolution. There was also a collection
Above: Carolina Herrera's collection
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of knits, from dresses to sweater sets. All quite personal and very wearable. ZIMMERMANN
Zimmermann’s show notes announced the brand’s dedication to helping Australia recover from recent wildfires. The brand is inherently Aussie, showcasing that laid-back seaside vibe so many Sydney natives share. The fall offering was a bit less boho beach girl and a bit more tailored, with bold, printed suiting. There were ruffles upon ruffles and a poncho for those chilly Indian summer nights. JASON WU COLLECTION
Jason Wu knows his way around a pretty look for a special occasion, and his secret garden of frothy, feathered frocks will not disappoint romantics looking for an uptown polish, or some downtown edge. In an industrial space adorned with an overgrown Dutch
Above: Christopher John Rogers' collection
Masters-inspired garden, Wu sent his legion of socialites, suits, and party girls down the runway with unique finishes like hand-drawn florals and quilting. Come the Fall/Winter gala circuit, lovers of all things ladylike and ultra-femme should add Wu to their wish lists. TORY BURCH
There is nothing like a cup of coffee and a visit to a gallery on a lazy Sunday morning in New York. And while a New York Fashion Week Sunday morning is anything but lazy, Tory Burch welcomed attendees to her show at Sotheby’s with a cup of piping hot Sant Ambroeus brew and an art-meetsfashion show. Sculptures by artist Francesca DiMattio, 11 of them to be exact, scattered the runway, serving as the backdrop to Burch’s latest array. The designer describes DiMattio’s work as pieces that “imbue the decorative with
strength and power.” Expectedly, Burch’s collection did the same, softening the power of suiting with more fluid cuts, and smattering wear-to-work dresses with DiMattio’s ladylike prints. CHRISTOPHER JOHN ROGERS
There has not been a new, true evening designer of note out of New York in recent memory, and Christopher John Rogers is staking his place in the realm of taffeta and full skirts. The CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund winner is here for the drama, turning out a collection of boldly hued suits, glimmering column dresses, and truly voluminous gowns for ladies who want to make a statement on the black-tie circuit. From his head-turning collection to his pirouette on the runway, we want to watch pretty much everything this designer has to offer.
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TOM FORD
The fall 2020 season did not actually kick off at NYFW. Instead, Tom Ford stayed close to home to showcase his latest in Los Angeles—complete with a star-studded front row that included Jon Hamm in a silver suit. But onto the runway, where full glamour was on display for Oscars weekend, with a little grit by way of patchwork jeans, sweatsuits, and logo tees thrown in for the Chateaux Marmont crowd. What really brought down the house, however, was Bella Hadid in a sheer sequined dress that looked to be tied onto her body with velvet—and just as easily removed. If there has ever been a designer who understands the power of suggestion, it’s Mr. Ford.
Above: Tom Ford's collection; Below: Jonathan Simkhai's collection
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CHRISTOPHE JOHN ROGERS RUNWAY INSPIRATION
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New York Fashion Week calendar, Rogers has easily risen to the top of the heap as one of the most anticipated shows of the season.
After all, with the recent departure of big-name designers like Jeremy Scott, Telfar, and Pyer Moss from the CFDA
I speak to Rogers backstage after the show, and his professed inspiration for the collection surprises me: “Garbage bags, trash bags, carryout bags, electrical tape on the street, debris, etcetera.” Initially, I had trouble connecting that inspiration with what ultimately ended up on the runway, as the stunning clothes were anything but trashy. Instead, they were the epitome of glamour, the kinds of garments you can imagine celebrities
t’s 5:00pm on a particularly dreary Saturday in New York, but you wouldn’t know that from the energy buzzing in Gallery I at TriBeCa’s Spring Studios. Christopher John Rogers, the 26-year-old designer who just won the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award in November, starts his Fall/Winter 2020 ready-to-wear show in a half hour or so, and there’s a palpable sense of anticipation for what we’re all about to witness.
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immediately calling their stylists to be dressed in. (And Rogers is no stranger to dressing celebrities. In the past few months alone, he’s dressed everyone from Gabrielle Union to Rowan Blanchard to Lil Nas X.) The more I thought about it, the more it started to make sense: the silhouettes were big; dresses came in crinkled fabrics and artfully draped the body, like a periwinkle top with sleeves that ballooned around the arm or an iridescent gown that gathered at the waist. I understood the inspiration even more when Rogers also cited the work of Alexander Barton, a visual artist
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who has made a career out of turning debris into art. Suddenly, it all became clear: Rogers had turned trash to treasure. And what a treasure it was. Though he experienced some difficulties while designing the collection — “A lot of the muslins for these looks came back from the factory completely f***ed up. It was a mess,” he told me — you would be hard-pressed to figure as much. At several moments, there were even garments that literally dazzled on the runway. Through a partnership with
Swarovski, Rogers had accented a number of items — a strapless gown, a shirt-and-pant set, a dress — with glistening precious crystals. It brought an added dose of high-end allure to his collection, something Rogers was enjoyably playful about. When I mentioned that his CFDA win had clearly shot certain elements of his clothes into a new stratosphere, he yelled back, “Exactly!” while stifling some laughter. “The coins!” As to whether this elevated platform stressed the designer out at all, he says no. “I knew that it was there, but I tried not to feel it,” he tells me.
“I know that people liked what I did before, so I was just going to continue to do that thing.” “That thing” has mostly been about color. In a world of neutrals, Rogers’ designs have always stood out, with many garments coming in fanciful shades of pink, purple, orange, and yellow. Which is why one of the most notable aspects of this collection was the introduction of a few neutral-colored pieces. Of course, this is still Rogers we’re talking about, so they mostly came accented with the bold hues for which he’s known. A big-shouldered black cropped suit was page 141
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offset by a bright green silk shirt worn underneath. A black gown had thousands of teal-colored crystals zig-zagging across its surface. His philosophy for this particular detail of his clothes is simple: “Black is a color. Grey is a color. Hot pink is a color. Wear the thing! Stop being scared.” Yet all in all, what amazed me most was the free-wheeling spirit pouring from the models on the runway. On at least three different occasions, a model took a dramatic twirl in the middle of the catwalk. It was a callback to the fashion shows of yore, back when “supermodels” still reigned supreme, when editors and buyers came out for the clothes just as much as they did to see Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss entertain the attendees. It’s a tradition that has since mostly been abandoned. Now, models are encouraged to stoically traipse down the runway with page 142
deadpan faces — the understanding being that, at fashion shows, the clothes should be the primary focus, and model antics should not distract from that. But when your clothes are as naturally attention-grabbing as Rogers’ are, you don’t really have to worry about a model distracting from the garments. When Nikita M’Bouroukounda took her spin as SOPHIE’s remix of Sonikku and Liz’s “Sweat” blared from the speakers, the audience immediately erupted into cheers, but just as many mouths were agape over the garment itself — a sprawling plaid pink long-sleeve taffeta gown that cascaded down the runway as she glided by. Rogers indulged some himself, too. After his diverse crew of models took their final lap down the runway, the designer, like many before him, came outside to take his final bow. But while most in his position would settle for
a short walk, barely taking a few steps past the curtain, Rogers emerged in a full strut. With a deliberately dramatic gait and a playful swish, the CFDA winner sashayed down the catwalk to rapturous applause. His hands waved around and his feet, which were inside a pair of cream-colored heeled Maison Margiela Tabi boots, stomped down the runway. It was a show in and of itself. I thought back to this moment when, at the end of our backstage chat, Rogers offered an answer to my question about what message he hopes his shows can send to the CFDA now that so many other designers have left. Without thinking twice, he looked at me and simply said, “That you guys need to be putting people that do actual shows on the calendar. Period.” And if anyone knows how to give a capital-S Show in 2020, it’s Christopher John Rogers. By Michael Cuby Special Contributor
VERNISSAGE {PRIVATE VIEWING}
ft
NANA QUAGRAINE & 54kibo
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THE FUTURE OF RETAIL
Ndebele Necklace Pendant Light
ONLINE CURATOR 54kibo COURTS AFFINITY COLLECTORS OF FINE AFRICAN DESIGN
T
ucked away half a block from a busy intersection on the U.S.’ East Coast is an approximately 10’x14’ storage unit filled to bursting capacity with a near-global marketplace of items purchased from over 20 years of globe-trotting travel. Artisan creations and authentic pieces that double as décor and souvenirs have always page 146
been a big draw to me when visiting somewhere new. I am known to ask the driver to pull over on the side of the road to talk and barter with merchants and vendors. I have bought a new pestel and mortar for a cook in exchange for her decades old, smoothed and deconstructed one, cast-off into a corner to collect dust. I have decorative rice scoops from Liberia and waxed fabrics from Cote d’Ivoire, accent pillows cut from hand-woven rug patterns of Slovenia, brass coffee spoons from Bali, horn and bone accessories from Haiti and gold-leafed tobacco leaves
from Tanzania. Every item is a shining memory from a beloved adventure. I remember clearly when Macy’s began selling papier-mache from Jacmel and West Elm carried a line of horn and bone accessories closely resembling what I purchased from an atelier in Petion-Ville. My pleasure from finding artisan products I recognized was offset by a bit of disappointment that the customer purchasing horn and bone napkin rings in West Elm’s 14th Street location in Washington, D.C. would not share my own
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Above: The Philodendron salad plate and turquoise appetizer plate; Below Left: The Gore Raffia Tote Bag; and Below Right: The Tana Bath Towel
experience of meeting the artist, exploring her workshop and identifying a place with a name, a craft, an experience. How could a customer connect with an artist or artist colony and the local traditions manifested in a piece? How could a customer understand the labor of love sewn, molded, painted, or woven into a garment, accessory, painting, or tapestry? My penchant for online shopping is nominal at best, but when 54kibo.com was introduced to me by Haitian depage 147
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signer Valerie Louis, of Yaël et Valerie, who sells a selection of her prints and designs on this online retailer’s collection of luxury designs infused with stories of Africa and its diaspora, I wondered if this site would change my mind? In fact, it did – 54kibo’s online retail space is a dynamic space where shoppers engage with the artists and their lands of origin.
and skillfully crafted aesthetic of each piece, but also because we take our customers on a journey, the artist’s journey. We are all storytellers; our medium is art and design work – to share in the discussion of time-honored stories from Africa and its diaspora seen through the lens of design,” she said.
Over the course of multiple calls and e-meetings with the team from 54kibo, Nana Quagraine, founder and CEO, explained the intention behind the online platform in relation to the shopper-artist experience that won me over.
“We do this through including the designer’s story on each product page and regularly profiling the product designers. We build connections beyond that by asking our designers to curate trips for our customers, providing them insider tips on how to travel in their homelands – much like the ideas you’d get from a close friend.”
“Our goal is to bring products to the market that will connect with our customers, not only because of the time-honored beauty
This is reflected in the travel blog section of 54kibo’s online store. For example, there is a travel guide to Jamaica based on recom-
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mendations by Baughaus, the designer of the philodendron salad plates, just one of the many products on the site created using time-honored handmade techniques and respectful and sustainable design practices. “A key moment for 54kibo was a conversation addressing the future of our world and doing our part to consume less, produce less waste and decrease disruptive manufacturing processes,” said Quagraine. “We build relationships with designers who incorporate sustainable practices in their work, and we continue to partner with artists who keep sustainability and the health of our environment top-of-mind as we develop new collections down the road. The Ndebele Necklace Lampshade, for example, uses upcycled wood as the base material. Woven
Top Left: Pyramid Earrings by Simone Brewster; Above Left: Ndebele Necklace Lampshade by Modern Gesture; Above Right: Milo Arm Chair and Ottoman; Opposite: Infinity Navy Gold Panels by Lisa Hunt
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towels by Sabahar use locally sourced and grown cotton and silk.” While 54kibo can and should celebrate its commercial success – their products are featured at the Design & Decorating building in New York City as well as in the Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse – Quagraine and her team consider gaining the trust of the original 30 inspirational product makers who believed in the vision and entrusted their products to the online retailer/storyteller very early in the process. There is now a long list of product makers interested in participating in the next 54kibo collection. I wondered aloud how Quagraine and her team choose who will make the cut for the next collection?
“An artist does not necessarily need to fall into any specific category in order to partner with us. It is most essential that their work be based on beautiful design and quality craftsmanship. Our customers share their individual stories with us as they decorate their homes with our special heirloom pieces. There is a resonation, for example, between the work of Candice Lawrence, who created the Ndebele Necklace Pendant Lighting, named after the traditional female neck jewelry worn by Ndebele people, whose dress signifies age and status, and the customer who installs it above their kitchen island or work space. Recycled wooden rings form the shape of the lighting and the color wax cords specify its design, and to the customer, is a special heirloom piece, a
conversation-starter with meaning, tradition and history.” In addition to 54kibo’s online retail platform, the brand offers a trade program to interior designers, allowing them to shop for one-of-a-kind pieces for clients seeking the exceptional, like designer Lisa Hunt’s original motif work, deeply rooted in Africa, that is signed and dated by Hunt. Looking forward, 54kibo’s next collection with add more product designers and categories that deepen their online offering in existing categories, such as lighting, decorative pillows and wall art. Keep up with @_54kibo on Instagram. By Josh Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
“A key moment for 54kibo was a conversation addressing the future of our world and doing our part to consume less, produce less waste and decrease disruptive manufacturing processes.” - NANA QUAGRAINE founder and CEO of 54kibo
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THE BILLIONAIRES CLUB AMERICA'S WEALTHIEST GIVE AWAY MORE THAN EVER
Michael Bloomberg BILL SMITH @willismith_2000 Philanthropy Contributor
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very trade has its go-to publication. If entertainment happens to be your bailiwick, The Hollywood Reporter holds its own since inception in 1930. If business is your game, perhaps it is Forbes or, after reading this month’s column, the wisdom of Bloomberg Businessweek (the man himself figures prominently below).
In philanthropy, our go-to is the monthly publication The Chronicle of Philanthropy. It covers the ins-and-outs of the philanthropic world and once a year, for the past two decades, the Chronicle compiles the Philanthropy 50. This annual list of the heavy hitters in philanthropy differs this year in one very page 152
The late Barron Hilton
Eric and Wendy Schmidt
important way — for the first time ever, the top five donors on the list gave away over $1 USD billion a piece to philanthropic interests. Over the past 20 years, the list has included donors who’ve collectively contributed more than $255 USD billion to philanthropic interests of every possible ilk. The top five this year includes many wellknown names whose philanthropy has, well, become legend in many quarters.
to give away most of his fortune within his lifetime and his level of giving suggests he’s taking his commitment seriously. According to the Chronicle, Bloomberg has committed more than $9.5 billion USD to charity to date.
Topping the 2019 list is Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of the United States’ biggest city, number nine on Forbes’ most recent list of the richest people in the world and currently putting his wealth to work in seeking to unseat the current occupant of the White House in Washington, D.C. With a reported net worth of over $53 USD billion, Bloomberg is no stranger to the Philanthropy 50 list, having appeared on it no less than 15 times. In 2019, his contributions to philanthropy totaled $3.3 billion USD. As a signer of the Giving Pledge, a compact covered previously in the pages of Polo Lifestyles, Bloomberg has pledged
Bloomberg’s largest gift in 2019 reached nearly two million dollars and was directed to his alma mater, Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University. Like many of the gifts to universities made by those on the list this year, Bloomberg’s gift was focused on making a college education accessible to those who may not be able to afford it. This trend in philanthropy is designed to address the rising costs of a college education that puts the degree beyond the reach of many or saddles them with crushing debt in the process. Following this trend in education, Number 35 on the Philanthropy 50 this year is private-equity investor Robert Smith. Smith may not be a household name, yet, but the billionaire gained much attention in 2019 when, during the commencement speech at
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Philanthropist in Focus JEFF BEZOS
Robert Smith
Pierre Omidyar
the prominent historically black institution, Morehouse College, he announced he was paying off all student debt for the entire graduating class – a gift worth $34 million. The number two spot on the Philanthropy 50 list this goes to Barron Hilton, heir to the Hilton Hotels empire founded by his father Conrad Hilton. Barron Hilton died in September of 2019 triggering the pledge he made in 2007 to give 97 percent of his fortune to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The total gift amounted to $2.4 USD billion and raised the endowment of the Foundation to a whopping $6.3 billion USD according to Business Insider. As you no doubt noticed, this month’s edition of Polo Lifestyles focuses on future and technology. Philanthropy has benefited immensely from the latest technological revolution. To the point, third on the list of those giving more than a billion in 2019 is former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. He and his wife, Wendy, have established diverse platforms for their giving and last year it amounted to $1.3 billion USD. Their grant
The richest man in the world announced he will commit $10 billion USD to start launching the Bezos Earth Fund. Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, made the announcement via Instagram and called climate change “The biggest threat to our planet.” In his post, Bezos wrote that the Bezos Earth Fund will be a global initiative and fund “Scientists, activists, NGOs [non-governmental organizations] – any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world.” Grants will start this coming summer. Bezos and Amazon have come under scrutiny, including by Amazon employees, for not doing enough on environmental action given the carbon footprint of Amazon as the world’s largest retailer. The Bezos Earth Fund comes on top of additional commitments by Amazon to address climate change, including a pledge to achieve being carbon neutral by 2040 and deploying 100,000 electric vehicles into their delivery fleet by 2024.
Jeff Bezos
investment is equally diverse but focused on progressive causes and continue the couple’s long-term strategy to invest in and bolster the pipeline for young and emerging societal leaders.
USD in gifts to the University of Southern California, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University, and programs at the Cleveland Clinic, according to the Chronicle.
In 2019, Amazon may have bested out Walmart as the globe’s leading retailer for the first time, but that fortune in brick and mortal retail boosted a Walmart heir to the league of billion-dollar plus philanthropists all the same. Jim Walton, heir and head of the Walton family interests, gave away $1.2 billion USD in 2019 to a diverse group of causes and nonprofits. He was number four overall on the Chronicle’s Philanthropy 50 for 2019.
All combined, the top five this year contributed $9.3 billion USD to philanthropy, an amount that exceeded the entire giving of the top 50 in 2018. Without doubt, it was a mammoth year for philanthropy for America’s richest individuals.
Finally, another planned gift, like that of Barron Hilton, created the fifth and final philanthropist giving more than a billion dollars in 2019. Rather obscure in life and definitely opaque in terms of his philanthropy, Thomas Lord, longtime leader of the family’s Lord Corporation, died in 1989 and the sale of the company in 2019 led to the distribution of $1.04 billion
And in case you were wondering where some other notables were on the list – Bill and Melinda Gates came in at number seven with gifts of $589 million USD, Pierre and Pam Omidyar came in at number nine with charitable giving of $470 million USD and Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg was at the number 17 spot with $128 million USD in philanthropic dollars. May 2020 yield as much giving to solve problems and strengthen our people and places. page 153
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Lake Como & Northern Italian Wine
NEBBIOLO
PIEDMONT'S FOG-GROWN GRAPE BLINDLY TRAVELING THE ITALIAN COUNTRYSIDE
CEZAR KUSIK @cezartastesearth Wine Contributor
I went on my first wine trip to Italy in the mid-2000s. I visited the country before, but it was not wine-related. I had just landed a prestigious job as a wine director at Rubicon Restaurant in San Francisco, and with it came abundant opportunities for wine travel. page 156
A friend of mine from Seattle, Maggie Hoyle, recently moved to the small town of Como in the Northern Italian region of Lombardy with its fashion- and opera-famed capital city, Milan. Como, Como, Como... I kept thinking. It rang a bell. “You can stay with us. We have a small guest room”, Maggie offered, and I accepted. I picked the middle of May for my trip, the best time to visit Northern Italy according to frequent visitors of the region.
Lombardy is bordered to the west by Piedmont, where the towns of Barolo and Barbaresco are situated. But, more importantly, it is also where The Holy Trinity of Nebbiolo, Alba Truffles and my favorite dessert, panna cotta come originate. Out of the three, it’s Nebbiolo I want to focus on first. Often compared to Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo is a finicky and challenging grape to cultivate. It flowers early, ripens late and unevenly, and is extremely terroir sensitive and expressive, meaning that even
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Gaja Winery, and its namesake Angelo Gaja, are arguably the most influential and recognized names in wine making in Italy.
the slightest nuances in micro-climate and soil will affect the quality and flavor of the grapes and ultimately the wine. Unlike Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo wine, especially in its youth, can be aggressively tannic, which in the context of its light, wan, seemingly diluted color, makes it deceptive. At its best, Nebbiolo wine smells of red cherries, plums and rose petals with notes of anise, leather, mushrooms and a forest bed after a fresh rain. The grape seems to belong intrinsically to Piedmont’s Barolo and Barbaresco regions. There have been attempts to grow it outside these areas, but the results have rarely been even remote-
ly comparable. Its name “Nebbiolo” derives from nebbia, Italian for “fog”. A fog which often lazily rolls over the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco, cooling off the vines. I did not know much about Como before arriving there. I was stunned. It was breathtaking. The old town of medieval architecture was plastered to the steep shores of the Como Lake, and it hardly seemed real. Its landscapes looked like an intricately painted postcard of dreamy scenery, which would inspire even the most jaded traveler. Narrow, usually one-way traffic roads carved in the rock meandered around the lake, often disappearing and reap-
pearing again in numerous tunnels. “We have a spare car in the garage,” said Maggie. “You can use it whenever you need it.” It was a blue, two-door Mini Cooper. The Italian Job was on! “By the way,” Maggie added, “George Clooney’s house is a block away, down the road.” That’s why Como rang a bell. Before departing for Italy, I arranged for a few winery visits and tastings. The first on the list was the Gaja winery in Barbaresco. Angelo Gaja is arguably the most influential and recognized wine personality in Italy. He is the godfather of Nebbiolo, a man who single-handedly revolutionized and modpage 157
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ernized the wine making of Piedmont, Italy, and beyond. His top wines are some of the most coveted and expensive in the world. Personal visits and tastings to the winery aren’t easily obtained and are very exclusive. Some strings had to be pulled. It is about a three-plus hour drive from Como to Barbaresco.
on one of his business trips. But I was informed his daughter Gaia Gaja would show me around. After being knocked out by disappointment at not being able to meet the man himself, I was quickly resuscitated by meeting Gaia. She was gorgeous! Italian gorgeous! And for the rest of the visit, I had a difficult time concentrating on wine. But I did.
I arrived barely on schedule after seemingly honest but completely contradictory direction from numerous locals (expectedly, my GPS had a nervous breakdown).
Over a couple of hours, we tasted dozens of different bottles spanning decades, walking through the winery where the old architecture seamlessly blended with the modern. We walked through the famed vineyards of Sori San Lorenzo, Sori Tildin, and Costa Russi, crumbling their soils between our fingers and talking about the importance of heritage and tradition.
I rang the bell outside of an impressive gate on the Gaja property and was let in. Angelo was unfortunately away
When all was said and done, Gaia asked if I was hungry. Of course, I said, “Yes.” She handed me her business card and
Knowing how mysteriously difficult the navigation of rural Italian roads can be even with GPS (which often fails), I gave myself two hours of extra time.
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gave me directions to her favorite trattoria in town. “Tell them I sent you,” she said, and we exchanged customary cheek pecks. After a 10-minute walk through narrow streets of Barbaresco, I came to an old, stone chapel converted into a small restaurant. After handing a hostess a Gaia’s card, I was greeted with extra hospitality and seated at a corner table. I looked at a handwritten menu in Italian and pointed to a few random items. After a while, the food started arriving, followed by small pours of wine. Time seemed to stop. At the end—after six savory courses—panna cotta was brought to me with a glass of Moscato d’Asti. I took a bite of the dessert, a sip of the wine, and... I broke down sobbing. Everything was harmoniously divine. A must-try: Barolo Chinato is a unique
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wine that originated within Barolo DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). It is considered an after-dinner digestive infused through slow maceration with cardamom seed, cinchona bark, rhubarb, gentian root and orange peel among others in neutral grape spirit and added to Barolo wine. The towns of Barolo and Barbaresco are across-the-fence neighbors. As a matter of fact, Barolo wines were first on the wine stage with their roots (no pun intended) going as far back as the late 13th century. Back then, the grapes from Barbaresco vineyards were used in Barolo bottlings. It was not until the late 19th century when Barbaresco made a name for itself as a wine making area. Wines labeled DOCG Barolo or Barbaresco have to be made from 100 percent Nebbiolo grapes. Despite their
proximity and basic similarities, the wines of both areas differ noticeably in some subtle aspects. Barolos tend to be denser with firmer structure and more intense, savory flavors. They also have longer aging potential. The Barbarescos are more floral and fruitier, with a softer structure, which makes them more approachable in their youth. These differences are due mainly to topographical, geological, and some wine making variations. The soils of Barbaresco are more fertile and denser while Barolo offers slightly looser and rockier soil composition. The micro-climate of Barbaresco is a bit warmer than Barolo’s because of its slightly closer proximity to the Tanaro River and the Ligurian Sea, allowing the grapes to ripen earlier. Another factor contributing to later ripening of Barolo grapes is the elevation. The vineyards
of Barolo are situated about 200 feet higher above the sea level than those of Barbaresco. The area of Barolo is much larger than that of Barbaresco, making the style of Barbaresco more uniform and the wines of Barolo more diverse. Finally, because of their gentler structure, the wines of Barbaresco have shorter aging requirements, 24 months versus 32 months for Barolo. In the case of reserve bottling, it is 48 months for Barbaresco versus 62 months for Barolo. Barolos, on average, are slightly higher priced. Did you know? There are dozens of different truffle species, but the most sought after and automatically the most expensive of them all is the tuber magnatum pico, the white truffle, known as the Diamond of Alba. It can be found almost exclusively in the Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato areas of Piedmont near page 159
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Barolo and Barbaresco. In scarce years a pound of these little nuggets can cost up to $3,000. Food and wine have been inherently bound together since the inception of civilizations, and over the centuries, that bond has worked itself into an organic matrimony. In Piedmont, the symbiosis of that relationship is, at its best, most profound. The diversity of the land and its seasonality offer a plethora of ingredients resulting in boundless culinary creations. Classic dishes like Bagna Cauda (fondu style dish of anchovies, garlic, heavy cream, and olive oil), Vitello Tonnato (thinly sliced roasted veal topped with tuna sauce), Brasato al Barolo (slowly cooked beef in Barolo wine) and numerous preparations of local pastas and gnocchis with Tajarin are among my
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favorites. Then you have dozens of local cheeses: Rocchetta, Toma, Castelmagno, and desserts: Bunet, Torta di Nocciola con lo Zabaione di Moscato, and Panna Cotta leading the way. And there is always a wine to go with them. Piedmont isn’t just about Nebbiolo grape. Other reds like Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Croatina, and Pelaverga, to mention a few produce quality wines, offer alternative flavors and body types to the serious Barolos and Barbarescos. There are whites as well: Arneis, Cortese, Malvasia, and of course, the hauntingly aromatic Moscato.
hangs there teasingly like a soccer ball at the tip of the Italian boot and I knew that Piedmont was only the beginning of The Italian Job I had embarked on. Thirteen years and four visits to Italy later, I still have a long way to go.
My five days in Piedmont were the most memorable wine and food experiences of my life. However, it was time to go, time to thank my generous hosts, and move on. I looked down the map, all the way south, to the island of Sicily, which
Did you know: The town of Alba, near Barolo and Barbaresco, is known for its hazelnut production and it there, in Pietro Ferraro’s bakery in the 1950s where Nutella was born.
My favorite Barbaresco producers, aside from the above mentioned Gaja, are: Marchesi di Gresy, Ceretto, Pio Cesare, Fontanabianca and La Spinetta. My favorite Barolo producers are Michelle Chiarlo, Aldo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, Renato Ratti, Paolo Scavino and Roberto Voerzio.
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SPIRITUALITY DEFINING THE DIVINE
THE COMMON INDESTRUCTIBLE THREAD:
THE HUMAN SOUL "I am the Master of my fate, I am the Captain of my soul." "Invictus" WILLIAM EARNEST HENLEY
JYOTI PAINTEL @jyotipaintel Spirituality Contributor
2020 is starting to be Hell of year already, and I mean that in an almost a literal sense. It has been difficult to watch footage of the complete annihilation of the Australian landscape—due to the bush fires—and not have a heavy heart. But the inherent goodness and compassion of people still have the power to give others hope. It has been inspiring to see emergency rescue teams and even ordinary civilians risking their lives to save animals. It rouses the heart to see that emergency units are working around the clock in shifts to care for all the injured: humans and animals alike. The Irwins, the surviving family of the much-loved Australian animal personality Steve Irwin, have taken in close to a half-million animals to shelter and rehabilitate. Actors, musicians, NBA players, billionaire social media megastars (Hi Kylie Jenner!), and even crypto-currency companies alike have donated millions of dollars to relief funds, and the donations appear to keep coming in from all over the world. Last year was also filled with extreme personal hardships for many people I
know, and some of my friends admitted that the challenges were so great that they felt they had hit rock bottom. I, too, could certainly relate. After much inner conflict, heartache and confusion, I decided last year that it was time to end my marriage. But the decision to do so came at a heavy price, and the aftermath left me feeling raw, empty, and anxious about my now uncertain future. While I was in an unhappy marriage, I was too afraid to take the step and face the difficult journey ahead, but then circumstances plunged me into divorce and a scary new world where I had many dragons (fear-based insecurities) ahead of me to slay.
sent a test. Though the Hero must make difficult decisions, and even deal with failure, the Hero emerges victorious, having learned the greatest lesson in life: that we must all pass through darkness to find our light.
The Hero’s Journey
A crucial part of the myth is that the Hero receives support from a mentor to help with the ordeal. In non-mythological terms, the mentor can also be symbolized as the strength of our spirit, which guides us through the dangerous and troubled waters to safe land. When we lose our faith in our ability to overcome the challenges ahead, the power springing from the spirit becomes our elixir.
Joseph’s Campbell’s book The Hero with a Thousand Faces is the mythological structure used to relate stories of finding our inner hero during the perilous journey of life. It has 12 stages, but the main point of the text is that the Hero must eventually leave some comfort zone of the ordinary world and enter into the unknown- a world filled with unforeseen challenges. At first, the Hero refuses to act when called upon to slay the monsters (symbolizing our fears) that threaten happiness and peace. The Hero must pass through thresholds and face the conflicts head-on because they repre-
The chapters in our life stories that contain the painfully written passages of our biggest defeats and tragedies can feel like the longest and most unbearable parts of the journey. But somehow it all has a divine purpose; after all, if I am trying to define what the divine is in practical terms, then what better place to start than the resilience of the human spirit?
During times of personal crisis, people often seek out some form of spiritual guidance to help them, and in doing so we make an important discovery: the path that appears to be leading us out of our misery, is actually showing us the way back into our heart and our page 165
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THE COMMON INDESTRUCTIBLE THREAD:
THE HUMAN SOUL
souls. There we find the elixir. The proof that we are valid, worthy, and ultimately our “truth” is worth defending. Getting to this place inside and confronting our fears (the mythological monsters) is when our road to victory has begun because just arriving there takes a tremendous amount of courage- courage worthy of a Hero!
The Emotional Guidance System: Our Fiercest Protector and Loyal Mentor Our feelings don’t lie to us; they let us know the second when something is not resonating in our hearts, we just suppress them because we do not know how to deal with the “truth” they are echoing inside. If we want to find our spiritual center, then we must tune our frequency to our spirit, the place where we know truth resides. Often the most catastrophic life events involve confronting an ugly truth we have been trying to hide. Abraham Hicks, a self-help guru, always emphasizes the importance of recognizing our “emotional guidance system”, much in the way very young children also utilize it. Small children know what they are
feeling without having to explain or analyze their feelings, and the emotions are very general: happy, sad, angry, scared, etc. They know that their hearts are speaking out loud. Our feelings are the iterations of our soul. As we grow into adults, we try to reason with our hearts but try as we may, we cannot escape the gentle, soft truth that our heart will always try to guide us to. Native Americans also recognize the importance of our raw emotions. I sat a four-hour-long traditional Sioux sweat lodge ceremony alongside small, fearless children, and I was advised to observe their feelings and emotions as a guide back to my own inner child. What our minds tell us to do is simply a distraction because the heart takes time to heal, and nothing except love (especially self-love) can treat the heart. The Heart is deeply connected to the soul, and to my knowledge, the depth of both are what can be called Infinite. This month’s column is about our connection with the heart and the importance of living in this true place of worship, joining the place where God chooses to reside, too.
If we find a way inside when the fires of our lives threaten to engulf us, if we find a way to hold steadfast to the goodness, and to the belief that the best chapters are yet waiting to be written, then we are practicing our true faith in a place that needs neither location to worship nor moral doctrines or rules to govern our souls. Something poignant happened once I accepted my decision to divorce and face the impending upheaval: I felt victorious – I somehow had saved my own life! The courage it took to walk through that fire and arrive at self-love and admiration was my hero’s journey to a place in my soul I had never been to before, but had always known it existed. I once read that at some point near the end of our lives, once we passed through the numerous common thresholds of the human experience, we will see that the chapters written while overcoming our darkest moments will somehow become our most achingly beautiful- and our proudest.
Our feelings don’t lie to us; they let us know the second something is not resonating in our hearts, we just suppress them because we do not know how to deal with the “truth” they are echoing inside. page 166
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B O S S / H UGO
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Welcome Home
HOLLYWOOD GLAMOR & NEW YORK ELEGANCE 828 MOAIALA STREET HONOLULU, HI 96821 $11,888,000 USD
One-of-A-Kind Luxury Residence in Honolulu, Hawaii! PANORAMIC OCEAN & MOUNTAIN VIEWS! Designed/built by Al Masini, famous TV producer and creator of “Entertainment Tonight”. Two-story hillside home offers unmatched
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quality in every detail. 5-star Resort atmosphere with tropical waterfalls, outdoor spa Jacuzzi, Biometric entry elevator, personal gym & 4-car garage. Hand selected exceptional stone, marble and elegant finishes of the
highest standards. Facing east and south, this spectacular dream home offers security in a prestigious gated community. Seller may consider trading for a smaller home/condo plus cash.
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Welcome Home
HIGHEST RIVER HOUSE DUPLEX WITH TERRACES
435 EAST 52ND STREET, 18/19C NEW YORK CITY, 10022 USA $15,750,000 USD
High atop the storied River House, this majestic duplex residence features expansive outdoor space from two southern-facing terraces and panoramic river views over the East River and into Midtown. Exquisitely designed with historic elegance and graceful flow, the residence boasts four exposures, welcoming sunlight into its 17 rooms, including a stately great room and dining room, library, sun room, page 174
six bedrooms, seven full bathrooms, and four wood burning fireplaces. Through a gated drive court, and attended lobby, one arrives at the private elevator landing and onto a double-height entrance foyer featuring a sweeping staircase leading up to the living quarters. A noble great room, with wood-burning fireplace, looks directly out and over the East River
through multiple picture windows. Full-height double doors lead to a grand corner dining room accommodating seating for 16. To the south of the great room is the corner library, a regal hideaway with a wood burning fireplace, mahogany millwork throughout and sweeping riverfront views looking east and south. A sunroom provides open access to the two large south facing terraces. The scale, depth and
flow of this floor, inclusive of a chef’s kitchen with butler’s pantry, breakfast room, laundry, powder and double staff rooms, is a testament to the original architects Bottomley, Wagner & White vision of grand luxurious living at its absolute finest. The second floor of this expansive duplex, also accessible by elevator, is exclusive to the living quarters. It spans six bedrooms, all with
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en suite baths, including the corner master suite wing, with a wood burning fireplace, and a sitting room, also with wood burning fireplace.
provide immediate service and security at all times. Privacy is unparalleled and is further ensured by state-of-the-art security systems.
Elegant and timeless, River House was designed by architects Bottomley, Wagner & White and built in 1931 by James Stewart. Located at 435 East 52nd Street, River House is situated at the enclave of a quiet cul-de-sac with a gated and cobblestoned Palazzo courtyard. The Art Deco lobby overlooks lush gardens with a fountain nestled along the East River. Multiple doormen, lobby attendants and concierge
Apartment ownership now comes with automatic membership to the River Club (with separate membership fees), one of the city’s most exclusive members-only athletic clubs featuring a swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, garden, gym, and a restaurant. A private storage unit is assigned to this property and includes a temperature-controlled wine fridge.
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Welcome Home
PALM BEACH POINT EQUESTRIAN PROPERTY 15725 SUNSET LANE, WELLINGTON, FLORIDA $14,900,000 USD Palm Beach Point on one of the largest contiguous tracts available (3 Lots). An incomparable professional facility completed in 2016 on over 16 acres. 20 stall center aisle barn has 4 grooming stalls, 2 tack rooms, hot and cold water wash stalls, extended laundry room with double set of machines and extensive storage space, oversized feed room, and 2 staff apartments. Three arenas including covered, outdoor and derby field. Palm Beach Point is an exquisite estate home, fully renovated in 2016 offering captivating views of the expansive property floods the interior with natural light from its floor to ceiling windows, Snaidero kitchen design, indoor and outdoor Porcelanosa Urbatex tile, private master retreat and additional five bedrooms with en suite bathrooms.
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Welcome Home
JACKSON HOLE PROXIMITY RANCH ON 6,000+ ACRES 640 CLEARWATER LANE, THAYNE, WYOMING $24,450,000USD Set amongst 300-acres of stunning Wyoming landscape, with proximity to Jackson Hole, The Ranch is comprised of a magnificent 6,000+ square foot residence - harnessing breathtaking views from every room, the day lodge with a full commercial kitchen, hay barn and pasture, equipment barn and apartment, farm and 120-acres of fenced in pasture with the opportunity and infrastructure to develop even more! This Thayne ranch/farm is for sale and has 6 bedrooms, 12 full baths. This ranch/farm is listed on the Christie’s International Real Estate website in zip code 83127 and it boasts 6,414 Sq. Ft. of interior space on a lot of 299.1 Acres.
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POST-WORKOUT
RECOVERY FIVE PROTEIN BENEFITS
The entire balance of your bank account and all the tips on the Internet can't help if you don't follow some basic guidelines.
If you’re living the modern lifestyle and taking care of yourself physically, emotionally and psychologically, then you have been adhering to a healthy fitness routine, among other healthy habits. Now that you’re putting the hours in the gym (or on the track depending on your preferred training method), it’s time to optimize your nutrition to give your body the fuel it needs to recover, get stronger, more muscular, and even leaner. After all, fitness is half working out and half adhering to the right diet plan. Specifically, your focus should be to meet your daily protein requirements, because we all know that protein is one of the key drivers or muscle growth, as well as total-body recovery, especially in the hours that follow a rigorous workout. Not to mention that eating a protein-rich diet is just a healthy habit overall, so let’s help you take charge of your health while optimizing post-workout recovery to
take your fitness game to the next level.
HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU NEED?
cle mass. So, that means that you would ideally hit a daily target of 200g of protein if you’re a 200-pound gentleman, to make things simple.
First and foremost, let’s talk about an ever-popular topic surrounding protein – how much of the stuff should you eat daily. This information will be invaluable for your fitness journey in the long term because the sooner you figure out how much protein you need daily, the sooner you can start optimizing your nutrition and supplementation to reach your goals.
Keep in mind that going higher than 2.5g of protein might not yield any significant benefits, other than the added calories that come with it. That said, protein is perfectly healthy for you, so you shouldn’t worry about any adverse side effects if you eat more protein daily.
Remember, as a natural athlete; you must make every step of your fitness journey count, so don’t waste it on making bad decisions. Start by calculating your unique protein requirements. Your goal should be to consume no less than one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight in order to maximize your muscle-building potential.
As you might have learned by now on your fitness journey, your body is most susceptible to muscle breakdown after strenuous resistance training. After working out is when your body can soak up all of the nutrients you throw at it to replenish its resources and kick-start the recovery process.
That said, you can go even higher if you’re in a caloric deficit because you’re trying to lose fat, but don’t want to lose your hard-earned mus-
SUPPORTING THE MUSCLE-BUILDING PROCESS
Even though consuming carbohydrates after a workout is also essential, it’s much more necessary to consume a protein-rich meal, snack, or shake to take advantage of the body’s heightened sen-
sitivity to protein absorption. That said, always remember that post-workout nutrition (which we’ll talk about in a moment), while important is not the only contributor to muscle growth and total-body repair. You must space out your protein consumption throughout the day over multiple meals to ensure a steady intake and support muscle building, muscle preservation, and general health. What’s more, eating protein is the best way to feel satisfied for longer because it takes more time for your body to digest protein than other macro-nutrients. That means that if you calculate your calories and your protein requirements, you can easily adhere to your diet plan without overeating because the protein will keep you satisfied throughout the day.
THE IMPORTANCE OF POST-WORKOUT NUTRITION Okay, on to the most crucial part – post-workout protein consumption. Keep in mind that even though science page 181
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has long debunked the myth of the anabolic window, that doesn’t mean that some window of heightened protein absorption and muscle-building potential doesn’t exist. As you might have guessed, this is right about the time when you finish your workout, but it doesn’t last half an hour. Instead, it lasts several hours. Meaning that you have a window of opportunity to maximize the recovery potential. For those of you who train fast or train hard in general, it’s important to eat protein-rich snacks such as ATP Science protein bars to stave off hunger, prevent catabolism, and fuel your body with a rapid surge of protein before you get to your main post-workout meal of the day. Ideally, you would want to supplement with a protein snack or shake immediately after your workout, let it digest for an hour and a half, and then proceed to eat a hefty meal consisting of complete protein sources.
RECOVERING FROM ENDURANCE-BASED TRAINING Many people like to think that eating a protein-rich diet or supplementing with protein is only essential for those athletes who partake in resistance training such as bodybuilding or power lifting, but that’s not the case. Aside from the fact that all age groups and genders (except people with unique medical conditions) would benefit from a higher protein intake, it’s important to note that endurance athletes should consume ample amounts of protein as well. Now, if you’re an endurance athlete, meaning that you do aerobic-style training such as running or cycling, you need to prioritize your macro-nutrients a bit differently. Runners tend to shred fat faster, but still need to pay attention to their protein intake. Endurance athletes should aim to get up to two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily to prevent muscle loss. Always remember that, even though
carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for endurance athletes, you will lose your precious muscle mass if you don’t eat enough protein as well.
SHOULD YOU TAKE PROTEIN DURING YOUR WORKOUT? There’s another critical question that we need to answer, and that is the question of inter-workout protein consumption. Old-school bodybuilders and professional athletes love to preach the idea of protein intake during training. It’s important to note that as a natural athlete, you shouldn’t worry too much about intra-workout nutrition. By and large, it’s far more critical to keep your energy levels topped-off during your workout by sipping on a sports drink that’s rich with fast-digesting carbohydrates to keep your blood glucose level in check for optimal energy output. That said, if you’re training in a fasted state, meaning that you’re exercising on an empty
stomach, you should consider snacking on a protein bar or sipping on a protein shake while working out. Because your body doesn’t have the protein stores it can use to prevent muscle breakdown; you might need to supplement during your workout if you’re exercising rigorously, or if the workout lasts longer than an hour.
WRAPPING UP Protein is the most critical macro-nutrient if you’re a gentleman who sticks to a strict workout routine – which you should. That said, it’s not just about consuming protein after a workout, but also about knowing how much protein you need, when you need to take it throughout the day, and how to combine nutrition with supplementation to make sure you’re reaching your goal daily. Use these tips to develop a smarter diet plan and allow your body to use proteins to become stronger, leaner, and more muscular. By Jason Levy Guest Writer Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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MOLD YOUR MIND
MOTIVATION PART 1 / WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION
I heard a phrase a while back that has since stuck with me: “You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.” When things are going well, it is easy to get up every morning and compete, but what happens when you do not feel good? How are you going to accomplish your daily tasks? How do you avoid hitting the snooze button at 5 a.m. so you can run three miles like you said you would? This is where motivation becomes an important factor. Part of what keeps us going is not only understanding why we do what we do but understanding the motivations behind what we do. Discovering your motivation can help you push through those mental barriers and instill a feeling of accomplishment. Motivation can be defined as the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. In essence, it is the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. There are two different types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. INTRINSIC MOTIVATION Intrinsic motivation refers to ones’ participation for the pure enjoyment of the activity. For example, it might be getting up at 5 a.m. to go on a run because of the euphoric feeling you experience. page 186
Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, refers to ones’ participation for the rewards of the activity. For example, choosing to stay late at work to receive recognition from your superiors. It is essential to understand your motivation because it enhances your focus and directs your attention to the task at hand. Your motivation helps you see the bigger picture of your daily tasks because it shows that your efforts are building towards something greater. When you are faced with adversity, your motivation will reemphasize why you do what you do and ultimately help you push through to the end. Life will always present you with challenges, and you are going to make mistakes. Your motivational factors are what is going to help you handle these moments more effectively and with a clearer perspective. Finally, it can increase overall well-being. A 2015 study about high-performance coaches found a negative relationship between self-determined motivation and burnout. The more you do things for yourself, the enjoyment of whatever you are participating in decreases the likelihood of reaching that burnout stage. The coaches in this study consistently worked with elite athletes. During this time, these coaches would typically work long, irregular hours, burdened by a heavy travel load, short contracts and low job security—all of these factors
attributed to the conditions that are believed to increase the risk or burnout. Being a part of a daily grind like the coaches in this study can have damaging emotional effects on the human body. Your stress levels increase, you become more mentally and physically exhausted, all of which can decrease your motivation. You have to truly enjoy the grind, embrace the struggle, and understand your motivation to manage these types of demands successfully. PERSONALLY Understanding my motivation has had a significant impact on my life. I have told and retold the story of my high school basketball playing days, when I was voted most inspirational twice, but viewed the award negatively. Frequent readers will also be familiar with how my graduate school experience helped me realize that I am someone who wants to motivate, inspire and care for a younger generation. Over the past few years, I have made some decisions that have significantly impacted my financial situation, in which, to this day, I find myself in an extremely tough spot. In April of 2019, I decided to leave my real estate job, that, contrary to popular belief, actually paid very little, to work as a Staffing Associate for a temp agency. I had worked at the real estate company for close to five years. It was easy work, and fit in great with my graduate school schedule, but as time went on, I noticed
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myself spending more and more of my time on-the-clock stressed out, irritated that I was wasting away valuable time. During this time, I realized a few things: first, I did not want to spend the first six hours of my day in this negative mental state anymore. Second, I felt comfortable where I was. Not the good kind of comfortable where you are sitting on your back porch in beautiful 75-degree weather with a nice glass of Nebbiolo in your hand, but the type of comfortable in which you do not want to experience change due to the unknown. I was so accustomed to this role and this life that I was too afraid to find a better situation. Once these two things really hit me, I decided to take control of my life and seek other employment opportunities. My salary doubled at this new employer, which was nice, but after about four months, I realized that I had no passion for what I was doing. First, I was working in the Accounting and Finance division, which I knew nothing about, so creating or finding individual work in that field was not interesting to me. Second, I have never once considered myself a “salesman”, especially in an industry that did not satisfy my need for motivation. I was not good at what I was doing, nor did I care, because it was not something that inspired me. Therefore, after six months, I knew it was time to find employment elsewhere. PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE Flash forward to the start of 2020. I had a conversation with a colleague of mine in the Sport Psychology field, who works with a lot of NBA players, ask me,
“What are you passionate about? What do you like to do?” These were questions the handful of temp agencies I reached out to asked me and my answer was the same: coaching and consulting. I said I wanted to coach athletes to help them improve their oncourt skill set and off-court well-being. I wanted to work with athletes on their mentality and to give them the confidence they need to achieve their wildest dreams. My colleague plainly said, “Then you gotta do it!” He was right. I made the commitment that day to focus my motivation on what made me happy, and that was helping a younger generation improve both on and off the court. Before, I was only motivated to pay my monthly bills. I had lost sight of my true passion. However, once I rediscovered what inspired me, I felt an enormous weight lift off my back, even though my financial situation stayed the same. YOUR MISSION One aspect of understanding your motivation is coming up with a mission statement. Any business, organization, or professional team has a mission statement that includes their purpose, goals and values. We can use this same concept and apply it to ourselves. First, you want to ask yourself a series of questions to get your mind thinking. What are you passionate about? Why do you get up every morning? What legacy do you want to leave? How do you want to be remembered?
Take into account feelings, people, words, images and thoughts that may answer these questions. Once you complete this step, ask yourself a couple follow up questions. Which ones were the most important? Which answers stood out? Take the most meaningful concepts from those questions to help begin the process of creating your mission statement. It is important to understand that mission statements can take a while to craft, and it can be difficult to narrow down what you are passionate about in one or two sentences. Therefore, if you cannot think of anything right away, then that is okay! You do not want this to be forced, and you want it to be meaningful, so do not hesitate to take your time on coming up with this statement. There are many ways to stay motivated, and I am sure a lot of us have had that one individual who we can always count on to push us through to the other side, but if that person is not there, you have to find ways to self-motivate. Understanding your motivation and why you participate in the activities you do makes even the mundane tasks enjoyable. Understanding your motivation gives you purpose and can help you through those tough times. My challenge to you is to find out what motivates you! Ask yourself why you do things, why you compete, why you participate, why you want what you want, who you are, etc. and watch your activities, your everyday life and your mental well-being improve. page 187
VOLUME IV / ISSUE III / MARCH 2020
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