Born to give – the philanthropic urge of Phoebe Gates
My personal style is eclectic and imaginative. Depending on my mood and the occasion, I might wear contemporary, vintage, masculine or very feminine clothes. If I’m on the rostrum, jackets are everything. My go-to is a navy wool double-breasted YSL jacket with gold buttons – very military-style – and I also love the silver Armani jacket that I wore for the sale of Apex, an 11ft-tall stegosaurus skeleton, in 2024. I always want to be sensitive to the items in the sale – the clothes I wear for a Modern & Contemporary auction are different to those I’ll wear for fossil or manuscript sales. One exception is my hair, which I always wear in a ponytail. When I was auditioning to be an auctioneer at Sotheby’s in 2016, Hugh Hildesley, who was then a senior auctioneer, advised that my hair was hitting the microphone and was a distraction. I’ve tied it up ever since and never have to think about it during a heated auction.
The youngest member of the Gates clan is following her family’s calling. But her healthcare mission comes with a uniquely Gen Z edge
Born into one of the most philanthropic families in the world, Phoebe Gates has inherited more than just wealth. Her parents, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, have distributed more than $100bn to address global health, equity and education issues since launching their Foundation in 2000. French Gates has since committed a further $1bn to bolstering women’s rights through her investment company, Pivotal Ventures. When the US Supreme Court ruled to overturn abortion rights in 2022, French Gates asked her youngest daughter a critical question: “What are you going to do about it?” Three years later, Gates, 23, has used the crisis to try to find the answer. Her most public focus is Phia, the AI‑powered shopping app of which she is co-founder and co‑CEO; behind the scenes she has donated millions of dollars to charities that support women’s reproductive health (although, when asked, her team do not disclose a precise amount). Last year she was recognised as a Rising Reproductive Freedom Champion by pro-choice non-profit Reproductive Freedom for All (RFFA).
Gates was on a pre-med track at Stanford University when she graduated a year early to pivot to a career in tech. The youngest of three, she grew up outside Seattle in a home with more square footage than the White House. Gates was always interested in fashion: when she was 20 she interned at British Vogue, and was a regular on the international show circuit. On Phia she partnered with designer and sustainability advocate Stella McCartney (until recently Gates was in a relationship with McCartney’s nephew, Paul’s grandson). Even at 7.30am and battling a cold, she is fresh-faced, perfectly coiffed and talks at 110mph.
“Being a CEO takes up 99 per cent of my time, six days a week,” says Gates from her light-filled office near New York’s Union Square. She wears a second-hand Prada jumper and generic sweatpants – both purchased on Phia, which she founded with her Stanford roommate, Sophia Kianni, earlier this year. Kris Jenner and Spanx founder and part-owner Sara Blakely were early investors, and the app, which aggregates searches from 40,000-plus sites globally, has had more than 700,000 users and – as of December – a $180mn valuation. “The throughline for my work,” says Gates, “is democratising access – to sustainable shopping options, to accurate information and, most importantly, to healthcare.” The pair’s “career survival” podcast The Burnouts has had more than 100mn views and guests including Jenner, Paris Hilton and biohacker Bryan Johnson. The tone is ambitious, aspirational and, at times, irreverent: in one episode Gates recalls a friend who flew to San Francisco to drop off a proposal telling a company how to improve their business after being “ghosted” following a job interview. In another, she tells Morgan Housel, author of The Art of Spending Money, that women her age call Ferraris “little-dick cars”.
Gates has been involved with the Gates Foundation for as long as she can remember, travelling as a child with her mother to Ethiopia and Rwanda, where she returned as a teenager to volunteer at a pre-school. While at college, she also spent three weeks with the non-profit Partners In Health at a health clinic. After the decision to overturn Roe vs Wade was first announced – thereby imperilling the right to an abortion for millions of people – she sought out organisations including the Repro Legal Defense Fund and Just The Pill, a Minnesota-based non-profit that provides access to medication abortions with home pill deliveries and mobile clinics. “Reproductive freedom underpins everything,” says Gates, who lives with her two ragdoll cats in a lofty Manhattan apartment with stark walls and white bouclé seating. “Having choice is foundational to successful communities,” she continues. “It allows for educational and financial opportunities.” According to the Guttmacher Institute, 58 per cent of women of childbearing age in the US live in a state that is now hostile to abortion rights, with 74,490 women – many living below the poverty line – forced to travel out of their state in the first six months of 2025.
Auctioneer Phyllis Kao talks taste
The Sotheby’s star on stage presence, the San Francisco Giants and selling a $45mn stegosaurus.
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My personal style is eclectic and imaginative. Depending on my mood and the occasion, I might wear contemporary, vintage, masculine or very feminine clothes. If I’m on the rostrum, jackets are everything. My go-to is a navy wool double-breasted YSL jacket with gold buttons – very military-style – and I also love the silver Armani jacket that I wore for the sale of Apex, an 11ft-tall stegosaurus skeleton, in 2024. I always want to be sensitive to the items in the sale – the clothes I wear for a Modern & Contemporary auction are different to those I’ll wear for fossil or manuscript sales. One exception is my hair, which I always wear in a ponytail. When I was auditioning to be an auctioneer at Sotheby’s in 2016, Hugh Hildesley, who was then a senior auctioneer, advised that my hair was hitting the microphone and was a distraction. I’ve tied it up ever since and never have to think about it during a heated auction.
The Sotheby’s star on stage presence, the San Francisco Giants and selling a $45mn stegosaurus
My personal style is eclectic and imaginative. Depending on my mood and the occasion, I might wear contemporary, vintage, masculine or very feminine clothes. If I’m on the rostrum, jackets are everything. My go-to is a navy wool double-breasted YSL jacket with gold buttons – very military-style – and I also love the silver Armani jacket that I wore for the sale of Apex, an 11ft-tall stegosaurus skeleton, in 2024. I always want to be sensitive to the items in the sale – the clothes I wear for a Modern & Contemporary auction are different to those I’ll wear for fossil or manuscript sales. One exception is my hair, which I always wear in a ponytail. When I was auditioning to be an auctioneer at Sotheby’s in 2016, Hugh Hildesley, who was then a senior auctioneer, advised that my hair was hitting the microphone and was a distraction. I’ve tied it up ever since and never have to think about it during a heated auction. The last thing I bought and loved was a lime-green vinyl Prada purse. It’s lightweight and harks back to the ’90s, though it’s from a recent collection. I use it for everything, from running errands to an evening out.
The place that means a lot to me is my family home in Berkeley, California, where my parents emigrated to from Taiwan in the early ’80s. I had such a happy childhood – safe, educational and full of intellectual stimulation. I was also surrounded by natural beauty: the nearby Berkeley Hills are beautiful for hiking and views of the San Francisco Bay, and the food scene is an embarrassment of riches, with greats such as Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse. The best souvenir I’ve brought home is a 19th-century carving of the Hindu god Garuda. It was made in Tibet, but I bought it from a shop on Portobello Road in London that’s now closed. The figure is winged and has talons but also has beast-like elements. He’s fierce but good.
I’ve recently rediscovered how fortunate I am to be an auctioneer. I get to work with Old Masters, contemporary sculptures, photographs, jewels, books, rare fossils and more every day. And I am paid to learn about so many incredible things. I fell into the auction world by accident: the owner of the auction house where I got my start working as a cataloguer asked if I wanted to take on the next sale. I immediately said yes. I enjoyed it and just kept going.
There is no set formula for being a good auctioneer, but there are a few elements that will make it easier – having a stage presence, a facility with numbers and a quick reaction time are all helpful. I change my auctioneer style depending on the type of sale – an Old Masters auction at the Breuer, the Sotheby’s outpost on Madison Avenue, requires a different finesse to a charity auction with a partying crowd. That said, I always try to be entertaining. I’m there to raise the hammer price, and I want everyone to enjoy the process.
The auction lot that changed everything for me was the Apex stegosaurus skeleton [which sold for $44.6mn]. That sale got so much attention, it blew the auction world open. The general public is now more interested in different kinds of art and the sale process. As with any sale, it was a dance of applying pressure to keep it moving but not too much. You want to keep the rhythm going for as long as possible, to keep everyone in the groove. I prepare by learning as much as I can about the works beforehand. I also think about the personalities of the category’s sellers and bidders before I enter the saleroom. We knew Apex would do well, but we didn’t know it would do that well.
Track Star’s Jack Coyne leads a musical tour of New York
I was born and raised in the East Village, not far from the home of Track Star, the online game show I play with people on the street. It stars strangers as well as musicians: I’ve had Lily Allen, Charli XCX and FKA Twigs on. Basically, I play a song and the contestant has to identify the artist who recorded it. The prize money starts at $5 for the first song and doubles with every correct answer until my guest either gets one wrong and loses it all or decides to stop playing. (The cash “prize” is often donated to charity.) Our office is on Great Jones Street, in NoHo, because this area is perfect for casting creative, willing participants who love music trivia.
The TikTok host takes us to the jazz clubs, concert venues, bars and record stores that keep the city swinging
I was born and raised in the East Village, not far from the home of Track Star, the online game show I play with people on the street. It stars strangers as well as musicians: I’ve had Lily Allen, Charli XCX and FKA Twigs on. Basically, I play a song and the contestant has to identify the artist who recorded it. The prize money starts at $5 for the first song and doubles with every correct answer until my guest either gets one wrong and loses it all or decides to stop playing. (The cash “prize” is often donated to charity.) Our office is on Great Jones Street, in NoHo, because this area is perfect for casting creative, willing participants who love music trivia.
A Sundance insider guide to Park City, Utah
I was introduced to Park City, home to the Sundance Institute, in 2016 by Darren Walker, the former president of the Ford Foundation. I had studied film and theatre at Northwestern University and was on the board of the Steppenwolf Theatre, so with his encouragement I joined Sundance’s board of directors in 2017. I became the chair in 2021 and it has been a magical experience ever since.
Director Ebs Burnough came to Utah for the film festival and found a haven for coffee, craft beer and chicken wings
I was introduced to Park City, home to the Sundance Institute, in 2016 by Darren Walker, the former president of the Ford Foundation. I had studied film and theatre at Northwestern University and was on the board of the Steppenwolf Theatre, so with his encouragement I joined Sundance’s board of directors in 2017. I became the chair in 2021 and it has been a magical experience ever since.
There is a raw energy here, surrounded by the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. It’s easy to see why Robert Redford chose this place to support diverse and unexpected voices, founding the Sundance Institute and Film Festival in the late ’70s and early ’80s. You’ll find all kinds of creatives here – from a 19-year-old first-time filmmaker from Alabama to a Ghanaian farmer-director, as well as studio heads and development executives. It’s that mix of perspectives that makes it such a powerful cultural force. The air is different in Utah, and being free from the hustle and bustle of urban centres fosters a lively exchange of ideas.
Main Street, the centre of Park City, has a special place in my heart. I love it in both summer and winter, when the snow is pristine and – unlike New York City or London, where I live – it doesn’t turn into a slushy brown mess. There are casual restaurants, theatres and shops throughout what was once a silver mining town, and the people are warm and welcoming. I’ll go to High West Saloon for burgers, The Spur Bar & Grill for chicken wings and Tekila for Tex-Mex. I like to take meetings at the latter – possibly with a secret Margarita. Everything is relaxed and casual.
Tim Cadogan talks taste
My personal style signifiers are well-worn Birkenstock Arizona sandals, Joe’s Jeans and black Lululemon 5 Year T-shirts. I am perhaps the least stylish person ever, but I do have a distinct uniform. My bald head has also been a signifier for some time now. The last thing I bought and loved was a Mammut Trift long-sleeve shirt in dark navy. It’s light, packable and warm. I love visiting the area surrounding Banner Peak and Mount Ritter in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where I go backcountry running, hike the Thousand Island Lake Loop and camp out in the solitude. A base layer is a key wardrobe item.
The GoFundMe CEO on Henry V, Yorkshire Tea and how to raise $30bn for charity
Tim Cadogan talks taste
My personal style signifiers are well-worn Birkenstock Arizona sandals, Joe’s Jeans and black Lululemon 5 Year T-shirts. I am perhaps the least stylish person ever, but I do have a distinct uniform. My bald head has also been a signifier for some time now. The last thing I bought and loved was a Mammut Trift long-sleeve shirt in dark navy. It’s light, packable and warm. I love visiting the area surrounding Banner Peak and Mount Ritter in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where I go backcountry running, hike the Thousand Island Lake Loop and camp out in the solitude. A base layer is a key wardrobe item.
The best souvenir I’ve brought home is a compressed-wool rug from Mongolia. My teenage son and I went last year and we stayed with eagle hunters who are semi-nomadic. It was made by the woman we stayed with, which makes it extra-special; I have never seen a weaving technique like it elsewhere. My interest in philanthropy started with my parents, who supported Oxfam, Save the Children and Amnesty International, among other charities. I grew up in Dorset and went to university in the UK – first the University of London, then Oxford – before heading to California for my MBA at Stanford. I started my career at the Boston Consulting Group, before moving on to OpenX, an ad tech company, then running the consumer search division at Yahoo. When I turned 40, I decided to try a more hands-on way of helping people. I trained for a year and a half to join Sierra Madre Search and Rescue, a 40-person volunteer group funded solely by donations, which helps people anywhere, anytime, in the wilderness.
One of the best things about humans is that we are hardwired to help each other. Nothing feels better than making someone feel safe on the worst day of their life. It was looking for ways to make that kind of impact that I found my way to GoFundMe, the community-powered fundraising platform, which I joined as CEO in 2020. Much of my focus is on making it easier for people and organisations to ask for help and fundraise successfully. That means a constantly shifting mix of customer meetings, product discussions and operating reviews.
My biggest achievement has been helping people and non-profits use GoFundMe to raise more than $30bn since I joined. We often see generosity demonstrated in moments of major crisis – like the 2025 LA wildfires, when GoFundMe raised $265mn to help people access food, temporary shelter and other essential supplies. But the majority of donations centre around the cycle of life we experience in our communities – acts of generosity that help families through difficult times, fund local art projects, help local businesses stay open or enable students to pursue higher education.
The best book I’ve read in the past year is Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England’s Greatest Warrior King by Dan Jones (Bloomsbury). It shows how incredibly challenging it was to be a king: constant political uprising, discontent, arguments with parliament. It’s never-ending. He was hit in the face by an arrow in battle aged 16 and died of dysentery at 35. Being a royal is not all it’s cracked up to be. My philanthropic heroes are Avril Benoît, the former head of Médecins Sans Frontières, who has done outstanding work all over the world, and Australian community leader Zena Armstrong. She did so much to help rebuild the New South Wales community after the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20. She set up a GoFundMe to establish a tool library for locals to borrow and rebuild with. The best gift I’ve given recently is a painting I bought for my wife on a recent trip to New South Wales. It’s a traditional painting in the Western Australian style – very abstract and in varying shades of brown, like the land there.
New York’s hottest new restaurants
The tables to book now, from a haute fried-chicken joint to an ultra-cool art destination, classic French cuisine revived and more.
Remember the spate of Covid-19 restaurant closures? Well, those days are long gone, and New York’s top tables are more plentiful — and more difficult to book — than ever before. From new neighbourhood gems in Brooklyn to a reimagined French dining institution on the Upper East Side (and virtually everything in between), the city’s diverse culinary energy is palpable. And while the statistics aren’t favourable for new restaurants (approximately one in three will close in the first year after opening), these establishments are sure to be longer-term winners.
The tables to book now, from a haute fried-chicken joint to an ultra-cool art destination, classic French cuisine revived and more
Remember the spate of Covid-19 restaurant closures? Well, those days are long gone, and New York’s top tables are more plentiful — and more difficult to book — than ever before. From new neighbourhood gems in Brooklyn to a reimagined French dining institution on the Upper East Side (and virtually everything in between), the city’s diverse culinary energy is palpable. And while the statistics aren’t favourable for new restaurants (approximately one in three will close in the first year after opening), these establishments are sure to be longer-term winners.
Coqodaq 12 East 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010
Old-school fine French cuisine has been given a new life by chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson of Frenchette and Le Rock fame. Bringing the winning mix that they started at Balthazar back in the 1990s (perfect steak frites and île flottante), the original institution that was opened in 1937 has been left largely intact with its low-ceilinged, cherry red banquettes-and-checkered tablecloth swagger. The menu — heavy on organ meats, duck and escargots — isn’t for the faint of heart (or the health-obsessed), but it is for those who crave a sense of occasion, a perfectly executed pâté en croute with natural wine pairings and a vibrant atmosphere that is finally bringing the downtown crowd to the Upper East Side. Three-course prix-fixe menu, $125. lvdnyc.com
The ultimate haute fried-chicken restaurant from award-winning restaurateur Simon Kim and the team behind Michelin-starred Cote Korean Steakhouse, Coqodaq has been a runaway success since opening in January thanks to its vibrant scene, sustainability focus and perfectly crispy soy-sauce, garlic-glaze chicken. Vegetables are celebrated here too, with chilled pickled sides adding zesty flavour and crunchy texture. The opulent Flatiron District location, designed, by the Rockwell Group has Korean-American as well as Art Nouveau design touches, with deep-green leather banquettes, walnut finishes and bronze fixtures all enticing hungry guests to linger in 8,000 sq ft of luxury. Mains, $28–$38. coqodaq.com;
SEA West 30th Street, New York, NY 10001
Chef Jungsik Yim — of the eponymous Korean fine-dining restaurant Jungsik, in Tribeca — has turned his talents to SEA, a modern, casual south-east Asian restaurant near Koreatown that is inspired by many different regions, countries, techniques and ingredients. The 80-seat, low-lit space by Kimoy Studios features wooden banquettes and an intimate bar area for walk-ins and is the ideal backdrop for chefs Yim and Jun Hee Park’s inventive, delicious takes on traditional dishes such as crispy pork, informed by Singaporean and Vietnamese preparations of fried pork belly. Other savoury highlights include dry tom-yum noodles (a Korean/Thai mash-up), delicate Vietnamese prawn rolls made with spring-roll papers imported from Ho Chi Minh City and crab fried rice, which fuses crab omelette with Indonesian nasi goreng. The cocktail list is impressive too, with signature the Dirty “Cha Yen” (Thai iced tea meets a strong Old-Fashioned) and the Baby Banana Martini served well into the night. Mains, $34–$54. ny-sea.com
BORGO 124 East 27th Street, New York, NY 10016
From chef Andrew Tarlow (Marlow & Sons, Achilles Heel, Diner), who is widely credited with putting “New Brooklyn” on the foodie map, comes Borgo, a trattoria in NoMad with a welcoming great hearth at its centre. The menu includes vegetable-driven starters and contorni, antipasti (Sicilian garlic dip with Italian almonds), house-made pasta (ancient-grain spaghetti with Calabrian anchovies and chiles) and meat (fennel pollen-infused pork ribs), fish and seafood roasted in the wood-burning oven. The wine list is extensive and, much like those found at his other restaurants, highlights low-intervention wines from Europe’s most sustainable and noted producers. Tableside martinis and a cocktail cart stocked with an assortment of amari add to the festive vibe. This kind of epicurean brilliance takes a village and Borgo has enlisted its own: Jordan Frosolone will head the kitchen; Tarlow’s eldest son, Elijah (formerly of his family’s restaurants Diner and Roman’s), will serve as sous-chef; and Kate Huling — Tarlow’s wife and business partner in Marlow Goods and Shop Collective — has designed the uniforms. Mains, $30–$60. borgonyc.com;
CAFE MADAO 791 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Prospect Heights has a new player in Cafe Mado, an all-day dining establishment that starts with freshly baked goods from its sibling establishment, Laurel Bakery, in Brooklyn Heights, and transitions into tartines and small plates for lunch. Housed in the former Michelin-starred Oxalis space, it is exactly what the neighbourhood needs: a hub for fresh French-, Italian- and Californian-inflected cuisine served in a bright and bustling space. Light and inventive salads including pea shoots with sugar snaps, and bamboo and littleneck clams pair perfectly with mains such as pici with pesto Genovese and Smoke In Chimneys trout garnished with sungold tomatoes. Crispy baguettes and butter, sides of harissa, craft cocktails and a decadent chocolate sponge with vanilla and raspberry pudding all make for a perfectly casual night. Mains, $25–$32. cafemadonyc.com
CAFE ZAFFRI
16 East 16th Street, New York, NY 10003
From the acclaimed team behind New York hotspots Raf’s and The Musket Room comes Cafe Zaffri, a restaurant fusing Mediterranean and Levant-style cuisines. Situated on the ground floor of The Twenty Two New York hotel (a new sibling property to The Twenty Two London) in Union Square, it will be helmed by executive chef Mary Attea, who brings her Lebanese heritage to the kitchen through such dishes as shakshuka, labneh, meze and more. Set in a former women’s home built by heiress Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt in 1891, Cafe Zaffri — aka “Zaf’s” — promises farm-fresh cuisine (much of it from neighbouring Union Square Green Market) in an old-world setting by London-based Child Studio and local design firm Post Company. Luxurious velvets, custom rattan furniture and marble elements, as well as a stunning garden atrium all add to the theatrical scene — one where a “skewer service” with Lebanese rice, lamb tartare and spaghetti with crab and saffron are all served in jolly family style. Mains, $28–$65. thetwentytwo.com/newyork
MANUELA 130 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012
From hospitality group Artfarm (which is also behind The Audley Public House and Mount St Restaurant in London and The Fife Arms in Braemar) comes the art-centric Manuela in historic SoHo. The first east-coast project for the group, so named for gallerist and partner Manuela Wirth, this seasonally driven restaurant is a celebration of Tri-State and New England producers. Half the menu is dedicated to plant-focused dishes such as turnips with royal corona beans and grilled brassicas served alongside spiced monkfish skewers with lovage and guindilla peppers. The open kitchen with its wood-fired oven adds to the overall energy in the see-and-be-seen room. Given the restaurant’s ties to Hauser & Wirth, art takes centre stage with specially commissioned artworks by Mika Rottenberg (whose bar is a playful construction of discarded plastic and invasive vines), Rashid Johnson (a bespoke seven-metre dining table that seats 24), Mary Heilmann (colourful tabletops), as well as Lorna Simpson, Pat Steir and Uman (murals), among others. The work of artists who have lived in or been inspired by Soho decorates the vibrant walls, with Louise Bourgeois’ “Spider” paired with pieces by George Condo, Nicolas Party and Cindy Sherman. Designed by Russell Sage Studios (The Fife Arms, Fish Shop Ballater), the buzzing space is full of eco-friendly materials that are vintage, recycled or unused scraps. The result is a perfectly lit, convivial setting that is sure to be downtown’s top table this season. Mains, $25–$127. manuela-nyc.com;
Fashion designer Ulla Johnson talks taste
The founder of the clothes brand loves Ruinart champagne, loathes minimalism and ‘lives for Christmas’
My personal style signifier is my jewellery. I possibly wear too much, but I change it all the time and have an ever-evolving group of favourites. I collect antique Belperron, Verdura, Cartier, Hermès, Edwardian rose-cut diamonds, angel skin coral, snake rings, tennis bracelets and anything in the shape of a heart or a shell. I like to mix fine jewellery with pieces from my costume collection that features baroque pearls, sea creatures, turquoise, carved wood and gemstones. I wear my jewellery all the time and don’t consider anything “special occasion” or precious. I joke with my family that I want to be buried with all of it.
The founder of the clothes brand loves Ruinart champagne, loathes minimalism and ‘lives for Christmas’
My personal style signifier is my jewellery. I possibly wear too much, but I change it all the time and have an ever-evolving group of favourites. I collect antique Belperron, Verdura, Cartier, Hermès, Edwardian rose-cut diamonds, angel skin coral, snake rings, tennis bracelets and anything in the shape of a heart or a shell. I like to mix fine jewellery with pieces from my costume collection that features baroque pearls, sea creatures, turquoise, carved wood and gemstones. I wear my jewellery all the time and don’t consider anything “special occasion” or precious. I joke with my family that I want to be buried with all of it.
The last thing I bought and loved was a museum-quality antique Serbian folk dress made from hand-loomed silk and covered in embroidered bullion thread, sequins and lace. I bought it in Belgrade, where my mother is from. She collected folk costumes and Victorian lace, and I inherited her passion. I get palpitations when I find something uniquely beautiful. I believe in the emotional weight of objects that have been made by hand, as they carry the spirit of the maker.
The best souvenir I’ve brought home is a Carlo Bugatti chair from the Paul Bert Serpette flea market in Paris. I had been looking for one for years and this one was perfect for me; it’s upholstered in parchment and illustrated with a bird, and it has his signature inlaid pewter and hammered copper with a silk fringe. A dream!
The best book I’ve read in the past year is Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata. I don’t typically go for science fiction, but I love Japanese sci-fi. This book was excellent. It’s a dystopian novel about a future with controlled reproduction, and an upended vision of marriage and family. It left me feeling something I hadn’t felt before – that’s the hallmark of a great book.
My style icon is my mother, Jasmina Draskovic-Johnson. She had a very personal and recognisable style – mostly black or camel tones, a strong shoulder and chunky silver jewellery that she collected in the Near East when she was working on archaeological excavations. She was also a fan of opulently embroidered shawls – and always a red lip. She knew what she loved and was committed to it. Having a singular point of view and confidence without arrogance are the things I admire in other women.
The best gift I’ve received is a Victorian bloodstone locket with a trifold pullout – very rare as they mostly have space for just one or two images. My husband gave it to me with baby pictures of our three children. It is my most cherished possession. The best gift I’ve given recently was an embroidered sweatshirt, to my son, the night before he left for college. He was always sketching weird characters as a child. I recently unearthed a detailed drawing he had made of a headless boy holding a large balloon and a drooping lollipop. I had the image embroidered on the sweatshirt. He was quite surprised.
Jeremy O Harris’s guide to Williamstown Theatre Festival
I came to the Berkshires in the most millennial-Gen Z way possible. Today’s CV is an Instagram account, and the managing director of Williamstown Theatre Festival DM’d me to ask if I’d like to get involved. I’ve been working in theatre for 15 years and have never been approached by a festival, let alone Williamstown, which is legendary. Fast forward a year or so and I am spending the summer in Williamstown as the festival’s creative director, and my latest play, Spirit of the People, has its world premiere here in July.
The playwright and actor tours the event’s ‘hallowed’ Berkshires home
I came to the Berkshires in the most millennial-Gen Z way possible. Today’s CV is an Instagram account, and the managing director of Williamstown Theatre Festival DM’d me to ask if I’d like to get involved. I’ve been working in theatre for 15 years and have never been approached by a festival, let alone Williamstown, which is legendary. Fast forward a year or so and I am spending the summer in Williamstown as the festival’s creative director, and my latest play, Spirit of the People, has its world premiere here in July.
Williamstown is a hallowed space in regional theatre: James Cusati-Moyer cut his teeth here, as did Andrew Burnap. For a young theatre obsessive, this was always the gold star. Tennessee Williams visited the festival many times, and Edward Albee and Sam Shepard spent time here, too. There is such a rich artistic community in the Berkshires: you have filmmakers, musicians, dancers, painters and writers within a 30-mile radius, so there is creativity everywhere.
The great HTSI guide to luggage
Defining features These sleek brushed aluminium cases feature reinforced corners, three closures to keep contents secure, an ergonomic, four-height adjustable handle, speedy wheels and a quilted taffeta lining for extra luxe. Perfect for Chronic over-packers, and anyone who won’t mind inevitable scrapes and dings from the cargo hold. See also The North Face Base Camp Rolling Thunder bag (£360).
What bag to carry, wherever you’re going, whatever you’re doing
FOR THE LONG HAUL
Defining features These sleek brushed aluminium cases feature reinforced corners, three closures to keep contents secure, an ergonomic, four-height adjustable handle, speedy wheels and a quilted taffeta lining for extra luxe. Perfect for Chronic over-packers, and anyone who won’t mind inevitable scrapes and dings from the cargo hold. See also The North Face Base Camp Rolling Thunder bag (£360).
FOR WEEKEND GETAWAYS
Defining features Lightweight and durable, with a multi-wheel system that assures agility when running late. Perfect for Art-world heavyweights, C-suiters who don’t want to overthink it. See also The Vérité weekend bag by Métier (£3,850) in double-faced water-resistant linen has multiple pockets for SPF, books and a 16-inch laptop. See also the Bennett Winch Weekender (£975): waterproof cotton canvas, leather trim and brass finishes.
FOR THE BEACH
Defining features A soft structure as well as interior and exterior pockets make it ideal for organising drinks and towels. Each bag is made in a factory in the Philippines that’s committed to fair labour and environmentally sound practices. Perfect for Extroverts who enjoy a little virtue signalling. Bonus: the fabrics are del día – chosen from what’s available “of the day” – so every bag is one of a kind. See also Loewe Large Basket bag in palm leaf and calfskin (£495).
FOR BOATING
Defining features The ultimate dry bag for sailors and yachtspeople due to its airtight seams, a protective roll top and a removable shoulder strap. Perfect for Practical seafarers who care about protecting devices from salt air and prefer a streamlined aesthetic. See also LL Bean’s Boat and Tote (from £42) is a classic made of thick canvas, with a genius flat bottom that keeps everything upright – whether on deck or in the office.
FOR ALPINE ADVENTURES
Defining features A minimalist pack for summer hiking with an ultra-light frame, easy-access pockets, compression straps, trekking pole loops and a whistle. Perfect for Shorter treks – think rifugio to rifugio in the Dolomites as opposed to summiting Everest. See also Alpine Luddites, a one-man shop in Vermont with an 18-to-24-month waiting list, makes the ultimate colourful climbing packs and expedition luggage.
FOR THE FLEX
Defining features A rolling, old-school objet d’art, with bold colourways, hand-moulded corners and polished- chrome carbon-steel locks. Perfect for Anyone who appreciates fine craftsmanship. See also Berluti’s Formula 1005 Scritto rolling leather suitcase (£6,850) is Italian perfection, while the Louis Vuitton Horizon 55 suitcase (£3,300) by Marc Newson in Epi cowhide is the height of functional design.
FOR THE ECO CONSCIOUS
Defining features This carbon-neutral roller made of recycled materials is both fashionable and feelgood (the company offsets its emissions). The lining has multiple pockets and a laundry bag. Perfect for Hamptonites and the Hawaii-bound who favour the brand’s collabs with pro packers like Marie Kondo. See also Berlin-based Horizn Studios makes 97 per cent recycled hard shell luggage and accessories and offers a lifetime warranty (worth it for that alone).
Met Gala maestro Andrew Bolton talks taste
The head curator of The Met’s Costume Institute loves dachshunds, The Vicar of Dibley and Villa d’Este
My personal style signifiers are pretty casual and consistent: my tortoiseshell glasses – I’ve worn various brands over the past 20 years – and a navy cashmere four-bar cardigan, chino trousers, white cotton Oxford shirts, a rep tie and classic wingtip brogues, all by my partner Thom Browne. The last thing I bought and loved was a painting by Ewa Juszkiewicz, the Surrealist Polish artist. She recreates paintings from the renaissance to the 19th century, but obscures their faces with fabrics or phantasmagoric wigs. Ours references the 17th-century portrait of Maria van Strijp by Dutch golden age artist Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck, which belongs to Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. We’d been looking for one of her paintings for a long time and were lucky to get it in a Sotheby’s evening auction.
The head curator of The Met’s Costume Institute loves dachshunds, The Vicar of Dibley and Villa d’Este
My personal style signifiers are pretty casual and consistent: my tortoiseshell glasses – I’ve worn various brands over the past 20 years – and a navy cashmere four-bar cardigan, chino trousers, white cotton Oxford shirts, a rep tie and classic wingtip brogues, all by my partner Thom Browne. The last thing I bought and loved was a painting by Ewa Juszkiewicz, the Surrealist Polish artist. She recreates paintings from the renaissance to the 19th century, but obscures their faces with fabrics or phantasmagoric wigs. Ours references the 17th-century portrait of Maria van Strijp by Dutch golden age artist Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck, which belongs to Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. We’d been looking for one of her paintings for a long time and were lucky to get it in a Sotheby’s evening auction.
The work of art that changed everything for me is Francis Bacon’s “screaming Pope”, after Diego Velázquez’s 17th-century Portrait of Pope Innocent X. It’s such a depiction of postwar existential angst and I tend to gravitate toward artists who reinterpret history in different ways. The best book I’ve read in the past year is Alan Hollinghurst’s Our Evenings, a social comedy about gay life in England from the 1960s to the pandemic. I’ve always loved his operatic writing style. It’s told through his lived experience, and I think it resonated with me because I was also reading Monica Miller’s Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity at the same time. Both examine issues of race, gender and sexuality and are rooted in history, and Miller’s book inspired our upcoming exhibition at The Met.
The place that means a lot to me is Villa d’Este in Lake Como. It was the first place Thom and I went on holiday together and we still go two or three times a year. It’s become a home from home. We tend to go right after the Met Gala in May, after the fashion shows in Milan and for three weeks at the end of August. Lake Como has such a microclimate: one day it’s sunny, one day it’s hailing, one day it’s snowy, so it’s a very biblical place in terms of the weather. We used to explore the lake more, but now we just stay put and catch up on reading.
Kartell’s Claudio Luti on skis, sculpture and slim-cut suits
My personal style signifiers are custom Caraceni slim-cut suits – very English – in classic colours such as navy and grey. My shirts are custom E Marinella. I’m a typical Milanese man and I like to work so I’m very comfortable in a suit, though my style has changed over the years. In my previous career I worked with Gianni Versace as managing director to help build the brand, and I only wore his clothes. Today’s dress is more traditional.
The CEO of the Italian design company talks taste
My personal style signifiers are custom Caraceni slim-cut suits – very English – in classic colours such as navy and grey. My shirts are custom E Marinella. I’m a typical Milanese man and I like to work so I’m very comfortable in a suit, though my style has changed over the years. In my previous career I worked with Gianni Versace as managing director to help build the brand, and I only wore his clothes. Today’s dress is more traditional. The last thing I bought and loved was a light-blue hand-knit cashmere sweater at the weekend market in Forte dei Marmi, a seaside town in Tuscany. It’s an excellent spot for high-quality shopping because it caters largely to tourists. It’s nice walking there – there are beautiful flowers and excellent vendors selling everything from ceramics to local leather goods.
The place that means a lot to me is the Mediterranean Sea, aboard my 80ft Wally sailboat. It was built in 1999 and stays in Genoa during the winter. From May until September, though, it’s easy to explore the islands of Italy and Greece. I especially love Bolza and Capri and the Aeolian Islands in July, and the island of Symi – just off Turkey – in August when Italy is crowded. There are so many beautiful bays and places to anchor in this part of the world. The waters off Rhodes are very special too.
The best book I’ve read in the past year is The Count of Virtue: Giangaleazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan by ER Chamberlin. It’s a biography of a fascinating man who took Milan to the pinnacle of power in terms of politics and culture at the beginning of the Renaissance. It is also a story of a despot who ultimately succumbed to the plague that decimated so many at the time. And the best souvenir I’ve brought home is a warrior sculpture from a recent sailing trip through the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. Local people arrived by canoe to sell us crafts and trinkets, and I bought this sculpture in black wood. He resides in my living room in Forte dei Marmi.
My style icon is Beppe Modenese, the former honorary president of the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, a non-profit that helps promote the Italian fashion industry. When I worked in fashion as a young man out of university, I thought he was the epitome of elegance, good manners and good taste. He was known as “The Gentleman” and “Italy’s Prime Minister of Fashion”, and his suits, ties, pocket squares – everything – were perfection. The best gifts I’ve given recently were 20 Christmas presents to my wife last year. It’s a family tradition and I pick them out with my children and grandchildren. From jewellery and clothing to art books, there are gifts from every category, at all prices. One of the best was a gold floral necklace; I went to the store to buy a small necklace for my granddaughter and ended up getting a much grander version for my wife. Another favourite was a sculpture by the Calabrian artist Pino Deodato, inspired by Giorgio de Chirico’s Mysterious Baths sculpture.
The best way to spend €20 is on a stack of newspapers – preferably to read first thing in the morning. I still like to touch the paper versions. And the best gift I’ve received is a “patino” rowing boat from my wife. It is a simple, traditional boat that is typical in Forte dei Marmi and I love it for casual paddling. It says “Claudio & Maria” on the side and was the perfect present. I have a collection of skis and also tennis rackets. I started doing both of these sports when I was very young. Back then, we had really long skis, so those are like antiques now. I also have short skis that turn much more easily, and a rotating selection of newer, high-performance demo skis that I trial, all for downhill skiing, not Nordic, where the terrain is flat. They are all different colours and brands, but my favourites are Atomic. It’s the same for my rackets; I love to play and I always like to try new models.
A way to make me laugh is my golden retriever, Jack. He is always amusing. He goes everywhere with me – to the office, to Forte dei Marmi in summer, to St Moritz in the winter – everywhere but the boat. In my fridge you’ll always find fresh pasta and ragù, some type of fish, herbs, cheeses, aubergine, all kinds of berries and freshly squeezed orange juice. I also have tea and brioche, but not in the fridge, of course. To be honest, I don’t do much cooking.
I’ve recently discovered Laos. I spent my last vacation there and found it to be so beautiful and different from other countries in that part of the world. The people were so kind and well educated, and the trip was full of culture. Amantaka is a spectacular hotel in the Unesco-protected town of Luang Prabang. Being near the Mekong River, the Buddhist temples and the famous night market made for an incredible visit. I don’t know if I believe in life after death because I went to Catholic school and Catholic university, where I studied ethics. It’s difficult to say, so I’ll go with maybe.
The last items of clothing I added to my wardrobe were several ski jackets – a grey Moncler one and two from the Norwegian brand Kjus. They are in brighter colours – cherry red and blue – and I keep them at my home in St Moritz. I choose a jacket according to the weather. An object I would never part with is a vintage blue Porsche Cabriolet that my wife gave me 24 years ago. I’m too old for this car, but it’s such a dream – and it’s special because she purchased it with her own money. It lives in our garage here in Milan and no one else is allowed to drive it. My other cars, yes, fine. But this one? Never.
Musician Leon Bridges: ‘There’s a specific Texas pride in Fort Worth’
I moved to Fort Worth when I was two years old, so I’m Texan through and through. I love the slower pace here and that the people are so salt-of-the-earth. I’m always on the move – to Los Angeles, to New York, on tour – and I sometimes find people a little superficial or pretentious. There is a simplicity to life here. My parents still live in Fort Worth and my inner circle – people I met on the cusp of fame, including my security – are all based here too.
The Grammy Award winner loves his hometown for its tacos, dive bars and custom-made cowboy boots
I moved to Fort Worth when I was two years old, so I’m Texan through and through. I love the slower pace here and that the people are so salt-of-the-earth. I’m always on the move – to Los Angeles, to New York, on tour – and I sometimes find people a little superficial or pretentious. There is a simplicity to life here. My parents still live in Fort Worth and my inner circle – people I met on the cusp of fame, including my security – are all based here too.
Fort Worth isn’t as progressive as Austin, but the food scene and population are both evolving. There’s a specific Texas pride here – in our roots and in our culture – and I think my music reflects that. It’s Texas twang meets R&B and the whole Western aesthetic that goes along with it.
The city has seen the addition of many cool smaller hotels recently: Bowie House is one of the best. It’s a great environment to meet people, and it’s also near Dickies Arena, so people are drawn there from all over to see musicians such as Paul McCartney and Janet Jackson. I’ve played there, too. Hotel Dryce is another cool option – it’s set in an old industrial warehouse – and I like Hotel Drover in Fort Worth Stockyards for its great bar and true Texas spirit. The Stockyards is where cowboys historically traded cattle, and it still has that classic Western vibe, right down to the rodeo. There are so many dope places to stay.
I cut my teeth on Magnolia Avenue, an artsy part of town with lots of music venues and restaurants. Sadly some of the staples have closed as musicians have moved on to Nashville and LA, but there is one dive bar – The Boiled Owl Tavern – that’s particularly significant as it’s where I was discovered. I still like to go and play impromptu shows with the original musicians from back in the day.
Ini Archibong’s guide to the quiet cool of Neuchâtel
The industrial designer on finding peace – and pizza – in his adopted home.
I grew up in LA and went to Singapore after school to learn about the worlds of luxury and watches. I had always wanted to see Switzerland, so in 2014 I applied for a luxury programme in Lausanne and I fell in love with the country from that very first trip. I took the train everywhere – to school, to other cities, to the lakes – and experienced my first real winter. I love the orderliness, cleanliness and the natural beauty here.
The industrial designer on finding peace – and pizza – in his adopted home
By Christina Ohly Evans
I grew up in LA and went to Singapore after school to learn about the worlds of luxury and watches. I had always wanted to see Switzerland, so in 2014 I applied for a luxury programme in Lausanne and I fell in love with the country from that very first trip. I took the train everywhere – to school, to other cities, to the lakes – and experienced my first real winter. I love the orderliness, cleanliness and the natural beauty here. I now live in the small town of Neuchâtel, which reminds me of my hometown, Pasadena.
There are many parks; everyone is either walking, cycling or hiking; and you can hear the birds sing. I love the small-town vibe. I live on Lake Neuchâtel in a flat with a private beach, and with woods and a stream nearby. The only challenge has been the language; I studied German in high school, but Neuchâtel is French-speaking. I have just enough words to get by – but I’m learning.
Alex Eagle: ‘It’s cosy, which really works with the gothic vibe’
“A great party is when genuine friendships are ignited,” says creative director Alex Eagle. “I don’t know if I’m good at much, but I do feel I’m good at bringing people together, and them becoming friends.”
The creative director opens the stately Oakley Court to a wide circle of friends
“A great party is when genuine friendships are ignited,” says creative director Alex Eagle. “I don’t know if I’m good at much, but I do feel I’m good at bringing people together, and them becoming friends.”
Tonight’s guests are “some old friends, some new”: family, school friends, creative partners, and resident artists at 180 The Strand, the brutalist London building where Eagle has her Sporting Club. They include poet and artist Julianknxx; Eagle’s 21-year‑old stepdaughter Libby Joy; Andrea Gelardin, former creative director for Lady Gaga; and yoga powerhouse Adrienne Everett.
The setting is Oakley Court, the 19th-century neo-gothic mansion house on the River Thames (The Rocky Horror Picture Show was filmed here), where Eagle is creative director. “It feels more like a home, even though it’s a hotel,” she says. “It’s nothing too formal; more help yourself.” Inside the drawing room – arts and crafts with a Japanese twist – the two fires are roaring, the moss velvet-edged curtains drawn tight, and the mantels covered in clusters of candles. “It’s cosy, which really works with the gothic vibe,” says Eagle.
Cosy definitely does not mean dressed-down. Eagle is in a signature own-brand black tuxedo; Lithuanian artist Indrė Šerpytytė and journalist Osman Ahmed are in its white counterparts, Libby Joy is draped in a scarlet velvet cape coat and Geldarin is in a swathe of gold brocade. The handbags are almost worthy of their own invitations.
Negronis, whisky sours and champagne are served in Eagle and Hodges handblown glasses. “If you have a really nice glass, everything tastes better,” says Eagle. And “nothing too matchy-matchy,” she scoffs. “And lots of different kinds of glasses – I don’t necessarily use a wine glass for wine or a Martini glass for a Martini.” Eagle herself is sipping a (non-alcoholic) Tanqueray Zero and tonic with a sprig of rosemary from the kitchen garden. “Enough bloody elderflower and fizzy water! Now lots of people don’t drink, it’s important to have really good mocktails.” Non-alcoholic Palomas, with fresh grapefruit and soda, are also a “delicious” substitute.
Canapés decorate low tables around the room; small in number but substantial in size. “I’d rather have a plate of less, but where each one is generous. That feels really sumptuous and luxurious,” says Eagle. Tonight’s snacks are jewel-like Japanese bites from Oakley Court’s chef Akira: slivers of salmon and tuna tied with edible ribbons. Each could be one course from the omakase menu he leads in the dining room.
In the corner is a stack of records. “We never have music piped out of the speaker,” says Eagle, “My husband owns the old EMI vinyl pressing plant; he’s mad about vinyl, it’s always records playing. Vinyl makes a big difference; people always interact, choosing records.” It’s one more way for new friendships to begin.
Ryan Chetiyawardana creates a ‘house party’ mood at his Thameside bar
One of the first alcoholic drinks Ryan “Mr Lyan” Chetiyawardana tried was a Snowball, a cocktail made from lemonade, advocaat and lime, that he sneaked at a Christmas party as a kid. “It’s minimally boozy,” says the mixologist, “but there’s something about the set of flavours – creamy, citrusy and bubbly – that feels festive.”
‘Serving Martinis to a big group loses its finesse quite quickly’
One of the first alcoholic drinks Ryan “Mr Lyan” Chetiyawardana tried was a Snowball, a cocktail made from lemonade, advocaat and lime, that he sneaked at a Christmas party as a kid. “It’s minimally boozy,” says the mixologist, “but there’s something about the set of flavours – creamy, citrusy and bubbly – that feels festive.”
That memory is the inspiration behind Chetiyawardana’s welcome drink: a Snowball “base” topped up with Laurent-Perrier champagne. It’s the first of many kitsch treats offered throughout the evening at his Thameside bar Lyaness, which also includes punch, parsnip “sausage” rolls and prawn-cocktail tarts.
An enthusiastic host, as happy at home as he is in one of his professional spaces, Chetiyawardana sets the mood with candles, plush sofas and moveable stools. He likes to keep things intimate: like “a great house party”, albeit one with a free-flowing and abundant bar. Guests – a mix of Chetiyawardana’s friends, colleagues and creative collaborators – include photographer Christina Kernohan, Mr Lyan co-founder Alex Lawrence and Chetiyawardana’s sister Natasha, who arrives six months pregnant in an emerald green dress. The punch is “boozeless”, a citrine-toned liquid – made up of Seedlip Garden 108, white tea, pine sherbet and sparkling kombucha – that takes centre stage in a large silver basin.
A selection of spirits and garnishes are on hand for those looking to up the ante: Glasgow Blend whisky and thyme sprigs to compliment the “fuller notes” of the punch; Porter’s Orchard Gin and cucumber to bring out the “green”. “Any preferences? Any aversions?” Chetiyawardana asks the group, a tea towel hanging out of his back pocket. All are happy to go with his suggestions.
Group serves and customisable drinks are key features of a Chetiyawardana party. Snacks, inspired by Sri Lankan “short eats”, range from homemade pastries and cod croquettes to chips and padrón peppers. His music choices are eclectic, spanning R&B, hip-hop and 2000s French rock. The goal is to be “as real as possible”, he says. Not that Chetiyawardana is a careless host – rather, a quietly fastidious one. “The idea is to map out an evening,” he says. “You want to be able to give a framework – with the idea that things will take their own path as you get into the drinks and conversations.”
The final stage of Chetiyawardana’s plan is the arrival of his “Nuked Negroni”, a seasonal take on the cocktail that he infuses in a microwave and then cools before serving. The drink is designed to be drunk slowly; large cubes of ice are in order. “Serving Martinis to a big group is a) lethal and b) loses its finesse quite quickly,” says Chetiyawardana. “This is something that has breathing room.” At this point the host can finally take a seat. A batch of croquettes have been served; more bottles of Nuked Negroni are in place. Guests pour freely throughout the rest of the night.
Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch ‘We never want people to feel like they have to leave’
One person’s cocktail party is another person’s feast. This is certainly the case at Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch’s home in Montauk, Long Island, where the holidays begin with “Friendsgiving” in late October, followed by a harvest celebration in November, and culminate in festive gatherings throughout December. “The holidays challenge the status quo of entertaining; you have to make it more glamorous and bountiful,” says Alesch of the rustic yet refined tableau that he and Standefer create outside, regardless of the season.
The founders of Roman and Williams and RW Guild take the festivities outside at their Montauk home
One person’s cocktail party is another person’s feast. This is certainly the case at Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch’s home in Montauk, Long Island, where the holidays begin with “Friendsgiving” in late October, followed by a harvest celebration in November, and culminate in festive gatherings throughout December. “The holidays challenge the status quo of entertaining; you have to make it more glamorous and bountiful,” says Alesch of the rustic yet refined tableau that he and Standefer create outside, regardless of the season.
The group assembled represents the duo’s wide creative world: Alex Crowder, a florist, made a garland of pillow, bayberry and clematis foraged from the Montauk property, while Alison Attenborough and Colin King – both stylists – bring their creative sensibilities to the presentation. Speciality cocktails, including a Calvados and champagne coupe garnished with lemon verbena, and hibiscus rosehip spritzes with rosemary, pomegranate and cranberry-infused ice cubes, get the party started in unexpected ways.
A spectacular slab of white oak, designed by Standefer and Alesch, serves as a centrepiece – one that’s “an artistic installation piled high with apples, hydrangeas and sedge – all from our land”, says Standefer of the “green room” she oversees. Offerings include sharp cheeses from Vermont, a honeycomb from a local beekeeper, figs stuffed with mascarpone and drizzled with honey, bountiful shellfish towers served on an RW Guild platter designed by Heami Lee, and pistachio-garnished rose-vanilla poached pears.
An open fire pit is not only atmospheric – with the scent of juniper logs permeating the air – but is also functional for Alesch, who is a fan of open-flame cooking. “We want any party to be immersive,” says Standefer. “And we never want people to feel like they have to leave, so even if it’s billed as a cocktail party we’ll have the makings of a four-course dinner, right down to the tarte tatin flambée that Stephen cooks on a tile,” she says.
Nothing goes to waste at the end of the evening. “We divvy up everything that’s left over – especially the cheeses, which we wrap in parcel paper – and send our friends on their way,” says Standefer. “We’re sustainable from the food to the setting and that’s important to us. For example, the magnificent garland… I’ll keep that until the squirrels devour it!”
Ashley Longshore ‘All the real magic happens after midnight’
“I’m from New Orleans, where we don’t need a reason to celebrate,” says the artist Ashley Longshore of her more-is-more philosophy. “And while I find the Southern rituals that I grew up with too stiff, I do like to host fantastic – but not pretentious – gatherings at my SoHo gallery.”
The multimedia artist brings elevated kitsch to a New York gallery gathering
“I’m from New Orleans, where we don’t need a reason to celebrate,” says the artist Ashley Longshore of her more-is-more philosophy. “And while I find the Southern rituals that I grew up with too stiff, I do like to host fantastic – but not pretentious – gatherings at my SoHo gallery.”
For her party for HTSI, Longshore opts for a technicolour setting: paintings of pop-art icon Andy Warhol are juxtaposed with vibrant, profanity-laden melamine plates and bejewelled purses. The results are jaw-dropping – “where anime meets mild perversion meets comedy”, says Longshore in her Southern drawl.
Hers is a tight-knit crew that includes the shoe designer Brian Atwood, fashion dynamo Christian Siriano and the MSNBC producer Ron Dodd. “The best part is conversation – madness always ensues with this group,” she says. The stage is set with ice buckets full of Champagne À L’EST Rosé, dramatic candelabras and fuchsias – arranged by Longshore and the fashion photographer Harol Baez – atop an ebony centre table, and with a Spotify playlist that includes Róisín Murphy and Ella Fitzgerald.
In a nod to her roots, Longshore loves to use “proper” linens such as embroidered cocktail napkins and tea towels. She carries a Polaroid camera to create a portrait series throughout the evening, and wears a bespoke red satin-damask cape by Jonathan Cohen, which is itself a dramatic conversation piece. The tattoo artist JonBoy is unable to attend this party, but permanent mementoes in ink are often part of a Longshore event.
Alongside the rosé champagne, Longshore serves tequila, caviar with crisps and crème fraîche, and jelly shots in Aperol Spritz and Lychee Martini flavours (“a real crowd-pleaser,” she says). She also serves crostini, oysters, pigs in blankets, and decadent cakes and sweets. “When I have a drinks party it’ll often go until 4am; all the real magic happens after midnight,” says Longshore, adding: “My general approach to a party is ‘carpe fucking diem’.”
Author Min Jin Lee: ‘Dua Lipa and Beyoncé give me hope for the next generation’
The Korean-American author on her love for the Neue Galerie, Thom Browne and Kerrygold
My personal style signifier is a vest, or a jacket over a white dress shirt and jeans. Sometimes, I wear both a vest and a jacket. Like a lot of women, I have mild body dysmorphia. Like most writers, I live in my head, and I try to forget my body by padding it with layers. I also wear Gabriella Kiss earrings or a pair of Ted Muehling hoops.
The Korean-American author on her love for the Neue Galerie, Thom Browne and Kerrygold
My personal style signifier is a vest, or a jacket over a white dress shirt and jeans. Sometimes, I wear both a vest and a jacket. Like a lot of women, I have mild body dysmorphia. Like most writers, I live in my head, and I try to forget my body by padding it with layers. I also wear Gabriella Kiss earrings or a pair of Ted Muehling hoops.
The last thing I bought and loved was a charcoal-grey pinstripe Margaret Howell blazer. When I am in London, I buy her clothes at Liberty.
My favourite building is the Neue Galerie on the Upper East Side. What I like is the interior by Annabelle Selldorf. I can’t figure out why exactly, but what I yearn for is how I feel in that building. I live in a large, creaky old house in Harlem, which I adore. However, if I won the lottery, I wouldn’t mind having a second home designed by Selldorf, which I imagine might feel like how I feel in the Neue Galerie – calm, restrained and light.
And the best souvenir I’ve brought home is from my honeymoon in 1993. In Venice, Chris [Duffy] and I spent what seemed like a king’s ransom on Faenza-Garofano handpainted ceramics from a small shop near the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. At great expense, we had them shipped to New York. Every time I set the table and use our dishes, I remember my first trip to Italy as a newlywed.
The best book I’ve read in the past year is The Persuaders by Anand Giridharadas, which I loved. I was moved by these real-life profiles of iconoclastic individuals who were willing to cross the aisle and engage a person who seemed directly opposed to their point of view. As the world appears more frightful, I am drawn to this idea of reconciliation. The best gift I’ve given recently was a birthday pick-me-up I sent to a good friend, the Westman Atelier Lip Suede in Les Nudes with a lip brush, which I also have myself. And I like to give Vosges caramel marshmallows. Vosges Caramel Marshmallows, $34 for box of nine. Westman Atelier Lip Suede, £78, cultbeauty.co.uk
Master pâtissier Cedric Grolet talks taste
The pastry chef Cedric Grolet loves his tattoos, snowboarding in the Alps and Tahitian vanilla
My personal style signifiers are tattoos, Nike sneakers, and oversized T-shirts, often with a lot of colour because that reflects my personality. I think a casual style – and being comfortable in the kitchen – is the way to go. The tattoos serve as special souvenirs from the places I’ve been. I started getting them when I was younger whenever I went on a trip – such as my sleeve, which is in the Māori style, from Tahiti. I also have tattoos that reflect my work, such as the rolling of dough or the fruit trees that inspire my creations.
The last thing I bought and loved was a special birthday dinner for friends in Bali. We ate delicious burgers on the beach with our feet in the sand. The best souvenir I’ve brought home are vanilla beans from Tahiti. These beans are so floral, and I’ve developed several new pastries for my bakery Cédric Grolet Opéra and Le Meurice. I like to use one main ingredient – for example, my Vanilla Flower cake is a mix of vanilla ganache, vanilla almond biscuit, vanilla milk jam and vanilla cream. And my Vanilla Bean is a trompe-l’oeil pastry that you cut into to reveal a variety of textures.
The best book I’ve read in the past year is Les Lapins Ne Mangent Pas De Carottes (Rabbits Don’t Eat Carrots) by journalist Hugo Clément, which looks at climate change and biodiversity. I also published my own book this year, Flowers. It took me more than a year to complete, so it’s been incredible to see it come to fruition. In my fridge you’ll always find water and fresh fruits and vegetables. I’m very careful about my health and what I eat, so I tend towards unprocessed things. I like to have fresh juices in the morning, especially pineapple juice, so I always have that on hand. If I’m in London, working at my patisserie at The Berkeley, however, I’ll usually just wait until I get to their kitchens, as the juice there is amazing.
My style icon is the New York-based artist Daniel Arsham. I love his art, film and architecture work – and his subject matter, which is often in a state of decay. And then his personal style – the way he wears workwear clothing, and even his sneakers… it all just works. The festive tradition I most look forward to is returning home to my family for the holidays. Once we’re all together again, we just chill out for four straight hours and eat bread and drink hot chocolate. It’s a delicious and simple time, but it’s about connection. It’s also when we like to have the special bûches de Noël cakes of my childhood.
I don’t listen to podcasts because I am very focused on my work and, although I know that TV, social media and podcasts are great sources of knowledge, I prefer not to be influenced by other people’s ideas.
Moncler chief Remo Ruffini talks taste
The chairman and chief executive of Moncler on motocross, brutalist architecture and always wearing navy.
My personal style signifier is navy, navy and more navy clothing, though with different fabrics, fitting and stitching depending on whether I’m at the office or it’s the weekend. My bespoke double-breasted jackets by Umit Benan hide those extra kilos and never need to be ironed. I am also a fan of long-sleeved James Perse T-shirts.
The chairman and chief executive loves motocross, Bloody Marys and his monochromatic wardrobe
My personal style signifier is navy, navy and more navy clothing, though with different fabrics, fitting and stitching depending on whether I’m at the office or it’s the weekend. My bespoke double-breasted jackets by Umit Benan hide those extra kilos and never need to be ironed. I am also a fan of long-sleeved James Perse T-shirts. The last thing I bought and loved was a Specialized Turbo Levo e-bike. I love mountain biking – and particularly downhill – but this e-bike makes the uphill a little easier. I’ve used it in Chamonix, St Moritz, Sardinia and Ibiza, though I am always very careful because you can get up to really fast speeds.
The place that means a lot to me is St Moritz. I’ve been going since childhood, and I love to spend time there in any season. I used to come only in winter for skiing, but now I come for the hiking and biking too. It’s where I can get out of the office and be creative. In fact, the trees there were the inspiration for the Human Forest show we created for New York Fashion Week in 2013. I never travel without navy-blue New Balance sneakers that I can walk around in for an hour before heading to a dinner. Also, I always have a blue blazer that doesn’t wrinkle, and charging cables for my devices. I carry it all in an assortment of Valextra bags.
In my fridge you’ll always find the makings of a Virgin Mary – tomato juice, spicy Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce. You’ll also find specialty ventresca tuna – or red tuna belly – from Sardinia. I like to have very cold sake and Kurni, a red wine from the Marche region. And, of course, my favourite: Gorgonzola cheese.