Town & Country October 2018

THE RIGHT STUFF “What exactly is a collector?” we asked ourselves while assembling this issue on all things one-of-a-kind. We turned to Federico de Vera, a master on the topic who exhibits his eccentric finds in his eponymous NYC shop. (He designs jewelry, too.) Looking at this photograph of Peruvian tycoon Miguel Mujica Gallo and his animal trophies, de Vera said, “Collecting used to be a status symbol, a game played by the rich.” Now it’s more democratic. “There are many areas where we can focus,” he said. “Fortunately for wild animals, stuffing game isn’t so popular anymore.”…

As the son of a jeweler, Harry Winston developed a keen eye early in life. At 12 he recognized a two-carat emerald in the junk bin of a pawn shop, scooped it up for 25 cents, and then sold it for $800. In 1960, after doing business for 28 years in a prime spot on East 51st Street in Manhattan, Winston moved his shop to an even better location, at 718 Fifth Avenue. He eschewed the minimalist architectural trends of the era and built a salon fit for a French monarch. Now the house has released a limited edition, one-of-a-kind New York Collection celebrating the places in the city that influenced Winston throughout his life—starting with his Fifth Avenue kingdom. THE FLAGSHIP 718 FIFTH AVENUE How does one create a…

Bound by a strict insurance policy, Harry Winston was forbidden to show his face to the public—a requirement that led to a uniquely New York form of anonymity. He was the most famous jeweler of his time, yet countless people who sat next to him at Broadway openings, strolled by him on the streets of the Upper West Side, or observed him resting on a Central Park bench had no idea who he was. Nonetheless, the King of Diamonds left an indelible mark on the city. Let’s retrace his steps—with jewels. CITY LIGHTS BROADWAY After Winston married Edna Fleishman, in 1933, the couple quickly took to Manhattan’s social scene. Winston was especially enthralled with Broadway and had its stars model his jewels. The city’s bright lights, rendered here in a…

The question I am asked most often (after “What jewelry should I get my wife for Christmas?”) is “Where should I go in Athens?” I fell in love with the city about 15 years ago, when, after years of annual visits with my family, I went to report a story on shopping for gold and was shown a different side of Athens by my friend Tina Daskalantonakis (follow her at @DIACHRONIQUE, and see if you can stay at her brand new Grand Hyatt Athens, or at least have a drink on its roof). That was before the financial crisis, but Athens had an energy and a creative spirit—albeit one you needed an insider to tap into—that is coursing through the city now. Here’s what you should do: Wake up at…

ADAM SACHS In Tasmania for “FOOD’S NEW FRONTIER” (page 121), the former Saveur editor in chief found himself captivated by a James Turrell work—and an eel salad from Agrarian Test Kitchen. “If I could have both every day, I’d be very happy,” says Sachs. JUDY CHICAGO Next year Jeffrey Deitch’s new Los Angeles gallery will host a comprehensive look at Chicago’s early work. In “ONE-OF-A-KIND TALENT” (page 87) the Dinner Party artist describes Deitch’s unique place in the world of art dealers. TOM MUNRO For our cover story, “SIREN’S SONG” (page 140), Munro photographed Julianne Moore at the Barclay-Vesey Building in Manhattan. He has previously shot for Vanity Fair and Vogue Italia. RENEE FLEMING Fleming, who provided Julianne Moore’s singing voice in the film Bel Canto, talked to Moore for…

Even by the standards of eclectic Paris bookstores, the personal library in the back of Studio 7L is immense, about 80,000 volumes. The breadth of the collection offers a window into the mind of its owner, Karl Lagerfeld, who sits at the head of a table in an immaculate Dior Homme suit. Like all collectors, he has a zeal to acquire that knows no limits—the only satisfaction is the chase. In Lagerfeld’s case, what he craves is not a particular object—or not just—but its contents. “I get every catalog. I look at every magazine. I am the most informed person in the world,” he says, smiling and sipping from a glass of Château d’Yquem. “I don’t do the internet. I like print—on paper.” Lagerfeld is allergic to nostalgia, quick to…