For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. — T.S. ELIOT
As we mark new beginnings in 2019, we welcome an ELYSIAN that is redesigned and reimagined. We believe that next year’s words not just await but require another voice. ELYSIAN strives for relevance, constant change and adaptation. The decisions of our readers to live intentionally, make inspired choices and connect with and respond to the world-at-large are mirrored in the pages of our magazine. We credit our new Editor-in-Chief, Ryan Stalvey, for leading the cover-to-cover reformation. In his words, “Visually, a good magazine should scream at, as well as whisper, to the viewer. Or rather, there should be a contrast of in-your-face, bold and dynamic layouts interplayed with pages of subtle design where the artwork is allowed to speak for itself.”
Journey with us as we fold change into ELYSIAN while steadfastly encouraging our readers to find their unique path. Through the stories of Inspiring Women, we continue to spread examples of achievement, spark conversation and acknowledge the responsibility all women have to the next generation. With our Inspired Living features, defined by deliberate, spirited and bold living, we are able to bring to life the passions and pastimes of our readers and connect them with original viewpoints.
Inspiring Women. (Anecdotal stories)
At the crux of ELYSIAN is the power of storytelling. With the potency of narrative alive and vibrant throughout the magazine, four women share elements of complex lives through anecdotes of struggles and successes that truly inspire. These women herald from diverse backgrounds and careers-acting, business, not-for-profit and caregiving-and span distinct corners of the United States—California, Washington D.C., New York and Florida. Each shares her story, encouraging the reader through authentic life experiences.
Inspiring Women have grown to a veritable number, and thus, we have formed the ELYSIAN Circle, comprised of influential thought leaders, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, former and current Ambassadors, media personalities and beyond. Circle Women lift up the next generation through intentional acts. In this issue, our cover model Lily Webster is given profound advice by the Chairman of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Leasing, Marketing, and Sales Division. A former model herself, Faith Hope Consolo “pays it forward” by including Lily in Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars in New York. From Faith to Lily, it is a perfect Circle.
Inspired Living. (Deliberate, spirited and bold)
Our feature stories in this issue bring a greater representation of voices and women-centric perspectives to our readers. We explore the work of two contemporary artists who interrogate experience, memory, and identity. Amanda Boulos reconstructs stories from her Lebanese-Palestinian upbringing, and Xaviera Simmons examines and unpacks the threads that form African- American narratives.
With a nod to the past, this issue fuses the contemporary with the nostalgic. Laurie Bogart Wiles, the niece of Humphrey Bogart, writes about the life and career of Lauren Bacall, dazzling us with visions of old Hollywood; and at the Denver Art Museum, we delve into the Christian Dior retrospective and the origins of haute couture.
Finally, what would a winter issue be without the splendor and excitement of the snowy season? Read about the glamor and sophistication of the St. Regis World Snow Polo Tournament in Aspen and allow us to transport you to destinations from Lake Tahoe to Quebec City to the iconic Swiss town of Zermatt.
Let the new year and our new look inspire you to reframe your dreams and reset your goals.
Welcome 2019! Welcome a new ELYSIAN!
Read Past Letters from the Publisher