BRETT JOHNSON LINDA YACCARINO

The fashion designer started out at age 7— by customizing Nike sneakers with materials sourced during trips to New York with his father.

“I’ve been a sneaker collector since I was 6 or 7 years old,” says Brett Johnson of his precocious interest in all things sartorial. “By the time I was 11, I had my father take me from Washington, D.C., up to the New York City garment district to source a plethora of materials—grained, pebbled, nubuck and washed leathers; suedes; cashmere, wool, neoprene, corduroy, woven cotton, denim. Then, we would go to a cobbler and have them apply the materials I found to Nike Air Force 1s, which were a perfect canvas as a shoe, to create my own aesthetic.”

A decade and a half later, Johnson—who founded his own fashion brand at just 24—sees the tanneries, wool mills and workshops of Italy as his hunting ground when it comes to sourcing materials for the softly tailored suits, cashmere loungewear, snappy outerwear and (naturally) elegant sneakers in materials such as cashmere suede that are his stock-in-trade today. Johnson, in his own words, has a “multifaceted spirit which is a reflection of his own pursuit in redefining the American dream.” Coming from a prolific and ground-breaking family, he was surrounded by a dynamic mix of art, music and entrepreneurialism.

An avid collector of Audemars Piguet pieces, he refers to his own personal style, simply, as “casual and sophisticated”; Italy, therefore, remains a major influence. (In his earlier years, he even put in a stint at a Ferrari dealership, an experience that still has a notable impact on his designs.) But his spring-summer 2023 collection sees Johnson turn his attention to the Middle East: specifically, Dubai. “It’s a destination that resonates with me— me and my wife, Sarah, first went there in 2016, and it became one of our favorite travel destinations,” he says.

The garments are made predominantly from superlight linens and linen blends, silks, jerseys, cashmere and suedes, while the color palette (featuring a prominence of viridian and porpora) even refers directly to the Emirates city’s national flag, while the Van Dyck–brown, canary-yellow and other warm hues offer a nod to the desert landscape surrounding the city.

“As an African American designer in the fashion sector, I have to work three times as hard and be three times as good to be considered just as good,” says the eternally driven Johnson.

Describing fine living as “a superlative emotion that transcends a singular definition,” he is nonetheless partial to the odd Opus X Lost City cigar. “I don’t drink, so that’s my one vice,” he says. He does have, if not vices, personal rituals. “When I board a plane, I always have to touch the outside before I get on,” he told Robb Report recently.

Bio

Chairman, global advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal

This executive has been revolutionizing the entertainment industry since joining NBCUniversal in 2011.

“Behind every screen you watch is a complex, multi-billion-dollar business built on content, technology and partnerships—and my role sits squarely at the intersection of it all,” says Yaccarino of her role as chairman of NBCUniversal Media, LLC. “I’m always thinking about where audiences are going, what advertisers need and how our company— and the industry—can be better partners to both. In short, I prepare NBCUniversal for the future.”

Yaccarino is also chairman at the World Economic Forum’s Taskforce on Future of Work, a group that is, she says, engaged with “several initiatives that connect workers with jobs that align with their skill sets”: a mission that also influences her approach to her role at NBCUniversal. “We’ve done our part by upskilling our employees, revising our job requirements to look beyond four-year degrees and even launching a returnship program, which helps parents and caregivers come back to the workforce after taking time off. Because if we want to future-proof our companies, we must first future-proof our people.”

Yaccarino’s career began at NBC. “I already knew I loved content and entertainment,” she says. “The emotion, the power of what we do is undeniable—and inspiring. I mean, what other industry has the power to create and shape culture?”

Her business strategy in a single word—Yaccarino doesn’t hesitate: “Partnership. We’re living in a time of extreme convergence. Consumers have stopped making distinctions between Big Tech and Big Media. They just want great content, easily, on every screen. And partnership is how we continue to enhance our data, our distribution and our platform to deliver those experiences at scale.”

She’s similarly forthright about her broader philosophy. “Honestly, there’s no better feeling in life, or business, than being 100 percent yourself,” she says. “Early in my career, I felt pressure to change my leadership style—not to mention my literal sense of style—so I could blend in better. But this was a mistake. What some might call my feminine traits—empathy, attention to detail, adaptability—aren’t liabilities, but essential skills. Today, I’m at my best when I feel like myself, and that means owning my version of femininity— four-inch heels and all. Ultimately, fine living, for me, is about being me.”

As for why she makes such regular appearances on VistaJet aircraft? “We’re a global company—over a billion consumers engage with our content. That means travel is part of our job. We need to be able to touch down in any market, sometimes at a moment’s notice. Besides, you had me at Signature Wine List.”