Features
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Who Wore The Chicest Hats to The Derby?
Everyone’s a winner when it comes to receiving the best hat award at The Kentucky Derby right? We certainly think so, but with so many great choices to choose from, it soon becomes necessary to lay out the clear favorites. This year, a first on this blog, I’ve gathered more than a dozen hats from the celebrated horse race in honor of all the women (and men) who make the game worth playing for.
All images via USA TODAY
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The Triumph of The Wine Culture
Former French Prime minister and Mayor of Bordeaux Alain Juppé Last Thursday evening, the former French Prime minister and Mayor of Bordeaux Alain Juppé, and former Maitre of the Commanderie de Bordeaux in New York and Managing Director of Epstein Becker & Green, PC, George Sape, officially launched “The American Friends of the Cité des civilisations du vin” during an international wine tasting extravaganza at the United Nations Delegates Dining Room in New York. As a result, the best wines from more than 50 countries, from Lebanon to Mexico, from Australia to Jordania, and of course from several French regions, was available during an “around the world” wine tasting and food pairing. Created in the heart of France’s famous wine region Bordeaux, the Cité des civilisations du vin aims to share the ancient culture of wine with an international public, to light the way, to contribute to protecting and passing down this intangible universal heritage.
“This is the first fund-raising effort for the American Friends of the Cité des civilisations du vin (AFCCV). “We plan to raise one million dollars to fund the naming of ‘The Thomas Jefferson Auditorium’ at the Cité, which will be symbolic of the unique history of close relations between France and U.S.” George Sape
The Cité des civilisations du vin, is expected to open to the public in 2016. “[This landmark] cries out for creativity and futuristic thinking not just the presence of wine,” Sape explains. “This magnificent new landmark that will house a new world center for wine is destined to become an international focus on wine and its role in our lives, past, present, and future. Not a museum, but a living and evolving center of all that wine has and will embody in our lives!”
Fun Facts: Did you know that while Thomas Jefferson, the Founding Father and future President of the United States, was the U.S. Ambassador to France (1785-1789), he discovered the wines of Bordeaux, and later introduced them to the United States? He later grew vines and produced wine on his beloved property in Monticello, Virginia.
Sylvie Cazes and Elisabeth Wilmers 
Julien Farel, Kiera Chaplin, SuelynFarel 
Stephanie Labeille and Alain Juppé 
Benedicte de Montlaur, Olivia Flatto and Alain Juppé 
Philippe Delouvrier, Carole Holmes Delouvrier, Marie-Monique Steckel 
Julien & Suelyn Farel and Kiera Chaplin 
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Sotheby’s Kicks Off The Showhouse Seas
Dining Room by Russell Piccione Design with Russell Piccione This weekend is your last chance to visit the second annual Designer Showhouse at Sotheby’s. The much-anticipated showhouse opened to the public this past Saturday, and is scheduled to close on Sunday, April 20. Transforming the fifth floor exhibition space of Sotheby’s Manhattan headquarters into a home, thirteen interior designers and design firms curated a room, culminating in a dedicated auction on Monday, April 20, 2015. Each space, ranging from a bedroom and living room, to a dining room and library evoke the designer’s unique aesthetic, from classical to contemporary. Designers have selected nearly 300 items from an array of categories offered by Sotheby’s with estimates ranging from a few thousand to $250,000 – English & Continental Furniture, 20th Century Design, Contemporary and Impressionist Prints, African and European Sculpture, Carpets, Old Master Paintings, Latin American Paintings, Ceramics and Silver – all of which will be available for purchase by design and art enthusiasts alike during the 20 April auction.
Congratulations to all the participating designers!
Library by Capital C. Interiors with Juan Carretero 
Library by Capital C. Interiors with Juan Carretero 
Dining Room by Russell Piccione Design with Russell Piccione 
Dining Room by Russell Piccione Design with Russell Piccione 
Kitchen by St. Charles of New York and Gaggenau, Curated by Lindsey Schwartz 
Garden by Hanna Packer and Susan Cohen 
Sun Room by Meredith Ellis Design 
Master Bedroom by Trey LaFave Architecture and Interiors with Trey LaFave -
Hooked on Art
Fish Stories: Early Images of American Game Fish at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Fish Stories and the new acquisitions embody Crystal Bridges‘ mission to unite the power of art with the beauty of nature. “Game Fishes of the United States, one of the largest and most spectacular of American sporting books, was printed in 1879 -1880 at the zenith of late 19th-century American chromolithography. The work, which is included in the Crystal Bridges Library collection, features 20 color plates based on the original watercolor paintings by well-known sporting artist Samuel Kilbourne, with text written by ichthyologist George Brown Goode, head of the fish research programs of the US Fish Commission and the Smithsonian.”
“The collection in Fish Stories ranks among the most admired 19th-century color lithography and helps tell the story of American printmaking.” said Catherine Petersen, Crystal Bridges Library Director. “The exhibition provides a unique opportunity for art lovers, anglers, and families to explore distinctly American fish in their natural surroundings, many of which can be found in nearby rivers and lakes.”
The color plates capture a number of distinctly American fish in their natural surroundings, including the striped bass, sheepshead, bluefish, weakfish, red snapper, pompano, and brook trout. Each fish’s shimmering colors and delicate scales are amazingly vivid. This collection elegantly conveys the drama of sport fishing and highlights the exploration and celebration of nature in American art—one of the major themes in Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection.
Photo credit: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Library, Bentonville, Arkansas. Photography by Heugh-Edmondson Conservation Services, LLC.
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Castelfalfi: Italy’s Best Kept Secret
I’ve long been interested in the restoration and preservation of the Castello di Castelfalfi. This charming Italian chateau forms part of a long series of operations to which the village of the same name has been subjected over the centuries, without ever undermining the fascination of this estate sitting between the provinces of Pisa and Florence.
Built around 700 A.D. by Faolfi from Lombardy, hence the origins of its name, the village changed hands several times over the years until finally becoming the property of Giovanni di Francesco Gaetani, husband of Costanza de’ Medici, who restructured it in 1475 and transformed it from a defensive medieval fortress into a stately residence for entertaining and official functions. If you love Italy’s old chateaus, and picturesque landspaces, you will not be disappointed during your visit to Castelfani. And even though the vicissitudes of history changed the village and its destination, the surrounding countryside maintained its natural features.
The village of Castelfalfi, set on an estate of just on 1,100 hectares, spreads over a hilly area with woodlands forming part of the Torrente Carfalo Natural Reserve.
The Castle overlooks a panorama with unmistakable Tuscan features that can be enjoyed in all its calming beauty from both the viewpoint terrace – soon to house the outdoor tables of the restaurant – and the rooftop terrace on the southern side.
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Rediscovering Monet in New York
Le Palais Ducal 1908 Sotheby’s May evening sale of impressionist and modern art in New York will offer an outstanding group of six paintings by Claude Monet, spanning the 1870s through the 1910s and including many of his most celebrated subjects: water lilies, Venice, a snowscape, the Seine and the Normandy coast. According to the auction house, these works are emerging after significant time spent in their respective private collections, including a prime example of the artist’s iconic Nymphéas (‘Water Lilies’) series that was acquired by its present owner in 1955 (estimate $30–45 million*), and a Venice scene restituted to the son of legendary collector Jakob Goldschmidt in 1960 that is on offer from the collection of his grandson, the late Anthony Goldschmidt (estimate $15–20 million).
In total, the six Monet paintings are estimated to achieve in excess of $78 million. Each of the works will be on view in London from April 10 – 14, before returning to New York for exhibition on May 1st. Sotheby’s will hold the Evening Sale of Impressionist & Modern Art in New York in May 5, 2015.
Nymphéas 1905 
Bassin aux nymphéas, les rosiers 1913 “As new generations and new markets rediscover the master, the supply of strong examples remaining in private hands is shrinking fast.” Simon Shaw, Sotheby’s
Le Chemin d’Epinay, effet de neige 1875 
La Seine à Vétheuil 1901 
Au Val Saint-Nicolas près Dieppe, matin 1897 Images courtesy Sotheby’s
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Asia Week NY 2015
High End Weekly’s first YouTube video is here! Well, it is actually a movie trailer. Wait a minute, does that mean there’s more in the works here? You just have to wait and see, yes? In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this little “work of art”. VSP
Video image description: A large cast iron relief panel of Kui Xing, Ming Dynasty, 16th – 17th Century, J. J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art.
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Asia Week Guide
The Art of Collection Asian Vessels:
Wei Asian Arts Whether you have an interest in the Song Dynasty ceramics, a period between the 10th and 13th centuries that was the highpoint of Asian art history, where the esthetics were driven by the Chan Buddhist influenced literati, who held sway over the Imperial Courts, or you like to collect modern to contemporary ceramics from Japan, a country that leads the world in the important field of contemporary clay art, Asia Week New York (the week-long art extravaganza which is celebrating a 6th year anniversary), is the perfect time to explore ancient to contemporary Asian art, as well as extending your knowledge, collection, and discover new and long standing galleries that specialize in Indian, Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Japanese art to name a few . For this year’s post on Asia Week New York, I’ve gathered a number of exquisite Asian vessels from ancient China to modern Japan, but it’s important to note that all sorts of important Asian works, spanning over four millennia will be shown throughout the city by Asian art specialists, museums, and galleries. Tours and lectures in Asian art will be conducted from March 13 through the 21st. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is celebrating the centennial of its world-renowned department of Asian Art. On Monday, March 16, I will be attending a breakfast meeting at the Met Museum, where Thomas P. Campbell, the director and CEO of the museum will announce the launch of a capital campaign and year-long exhibition programming celebrating the centennial of the Museum Department of Asian Art.
Here’s what you can expect from over 100 top-tier Asian art museums, and galleries world-wide: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from Nayeff Homsi, Prahlad Bubbar, Carlo Cristi, Kapoor galleries, Susan Ollemans. Ancient and Contemporary Chinese Art from Andrew Kahane, Asian Art Studio, Ralph M. Chait Galleries, China 2000 Fine Art, The Chinese Porcelain Company, Gisele Croes, Michael Hughes, Kaidodo, J. J. Lally & Co., and Zetterquist Gallery. As for Ancient and Contemporary Japanese Art, visit Dai Ichi Art, Joan B. Mirviss, the Onishi Gallery, Scholten Japanese Art. Finally, if you have a desire to acquire Ancient and contemporary Korean arts, Koo New York is offering an array of extraordinary Asian art treasure at the Tambaran Gallery, located near the Metropolitan Museum.
For more information on Asia Week New York, visit: www.asiaweekny.com. More images of High End Weekly’s coverage on the 2015 week-long exhibitions can be found on our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/highendweekly.
Spring Snow, 2011, Glazed stoneware 
Left: Suzuki Sansei, Seiji tsubo; Celadon-gladed vessel, 1988, stoneware with celadon glaze 
Okabe Mineo, Shino Mineo; Shino Vessel by Mineo, 1954, Glazed stoneware 
Koo New York 
Koo New York 
Joan Mirviss Gallery 
Joan Mirviss Gallery 
2000 Year Old Chinese Pottery from Gisèle Croës 
Japanese ceramics from NAGAE Shigekazu, Dai Ichi Arts Dai Ichi Arts
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Q&A with Fashion Designer Claire Ortiz
With a background in fashion, that evolved into the active realm over the last few years, designer and co-founder of Ortiz Industry, Clair Ortiz admits that good design philosophy, color theory, fitness, social and cultural demographics and trends, as well as dynamic aesthetics are key to every product that she design. “The biggest differences in fashion versus active is in functionality, end use, and audience.” We caught up with Claire and her business partner, Heather Park, at the Ducati showroom in Soho during their time in New York to talk about her brand, her design philosophy and her design goals for the future.
High End Weely: The Ducati brand is well-known for its distinctive Italian style, as well as its power, performance and sensuality. A
fter designing a number of activewears, including a variety of lines for Serena Williams and Roger Federer, what kind of challenge did your latest project present?Claire Ortiz: There are always sensuality, sex appeal, visual beauty, form and fluidity in my work. After all, apparel is an about emotion, visual appeal, and personal expression. After more than 25 years in the business – jumping from fashion to sport, and back again – I found I love both worlds and am inspired by each differently. I have an extremely sound technical background, and am an innovation junkie, while remaining rooted in hands-on craftsmanship. This fact, coupled with my love of visual language, color and style make this collaboration with Ducati quite effortless, and incredibly inspiring. Ducati has always been a brand that I have held in the highest regard.
With Ducati, there have been no challenges at all. There are organic synergies between our brands. Early in my career, I began to study and love Ducati’s design language, philosophy, history and innovation platform. My visit to Ducati in Bologne as a young designer is still one of my most inspiring trips. I have always been more inspired by design in art, architecture, motor sports, automobiles, etc. The world of design is so vast, there is so much to look at and learn from. I’ve always loved the intrinsic power of these beautiful machines, and the company’s masterful attention to detail is something that I also believe in wholeheartedly. Like Ducati, we believe in finally bringing innovation to the forefront, and never settling for “good enough.” They, like us, are very clear about who they are and what they represent. We have a very disciplined approach to design – it must be designed to perfection with hands-on craftsmanship and advanced innovation for pure performance, be useful, not decorative. Every component is carefully considered, adding value as a force multiplier to its user, uncompromisingly strong, confident, and highly functional. I know that Ducati’s philosophy is very much in the same realm as ours at Ortiz Industry. Thus, this was very much a natural fit.
HEW: Do you own a motorcycle?
Claire Ortiz: No – not yet. Many friends and ex’s have. Thus, I have had the pleasure to be a backseat rider. As a kid, I was quite the maverick – riding dirt bikes, scooters, skateboards, skates, etc. And getting a motorcycle was always top priority. I thought I would grow bigger though. Oh well. Getting a Ducati has always been on my list of things to-do. As a Ducati fan, my dream would be to get a custom Daivel, or Monster, which would fit my smallish frame. If Kat Williams has a motorcycle, I’m pretty sure I can handle one. No problem.
Motorcyclists have a pretty well rounded life overall…the uniform isn’t just padded leathers. Ortiz Industry only adds to the ability to ride without limiting you based on your destination.
HEW: Motorcyclists generally have a fixed mindset when it comes to their clothing. How did you plan to win them over with your new fashion line?
Claire Ortiz: Designing for any sport or category and introducing a whole new look generally gets a question like this. I have no intention of changing any mindset. This isn’t about me, or our team, or our philosophy. Motorcyclists will change on their own. They tell us what they want and need. There is a different barrier we must break and it is usually not the end-user who is reluctant to change. More often than not, it is the industry, or business. My business partner, Heather Park, and I have worked together for more than 15 years. In that time, we’ve come up against many challenges with introducing a new concept within a group. At Brand Jordan, where we met in 2000, we set out to change the “uniform” of basketball, and to drive a premium luxury apparel concept that was befitting of Michael himself. Our first collection concept was called “urban country club.” At the time, we were told we were crazy and that the basketball community would not get the sophistication of the modern prep look of the collection. That collection catapulted Brand Jordan to the forefront of basketball culture. The consumer – the ball players got it immediately. It represented the élite sophistication and powerful performance of the brand. With MJ’s blessing and the retail community questioning, we transcended basketball apparel based on what we knew for fact was what the kids who played really wanted.
High End Weekly: In meeting with the safety laws of motorcycle clothing, did this in anyway restrict your artistic talents?
Claire Ortiz: The collection was not designed as a protective outer layer. The collection is a base layer. All of our products are ergonomically engineered with full range of motion in mind. We create products that are restriction-less. Thus, the end-user can do as he/she wishes in it. Our clothing is fully ergonomically designed, so that on its own or underneath protective layers, the wearer is unrestricted. Our “master-sculpt” and “heroine chic” design philosophy is based on biodynamic motion – limitless in range – and focused on response and recoverability, breathability and, just like the body, intuitive. This allows for anyone to wear products with full range of motion. If the outer protective layers are as motion dynamic as our apparel, the wearer is golden!
When we met with Ducati SoHo team, we immediately spoke the same language. There was a need, they confirmed this need, and we came ready to provide it. There is also a change in the air when it comes to motor sports in all areas – the “gentleman” is on the comeback. We love the return of James Bond classic styling, with badass Matrix futurism, and full-on ninja warrior on a mission. There is a superhero in all of us.
High End Weekly: Can you share with our readers any of your future projects or collaborations?
Claire Ortiz: We have a massive R&D strategy for the next two to three years. We will go far beyond the current collection in terms of function and style. Our projects include e-wearables in the form of organic institute structure and design (no wires, traditional batteries, etc.), solar energy, communication via our wearables to a multitude of devices and end use, biodegradable materials and bio-ceramics/minerals as part of a sustainable functional future initiative, second skin, robotics, infrared energy, safety/protective, and so much more.
Our partners include some of the industry’s best, both inside and outside of apparel. We have collaborative efforts in place with DuPont in several areas of business as well as branding and apparel partnerships with UberRush (the NYC Uber bike messengers), and more in the works with global brands that are currently confidential, but will launch to market in 2015 and 2016.
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Small Fairs for Big Budgets
Winter in New York doesn’t necessarily mean freezing temperatures, and talks of Snowmageddon, instead, it is a time to warm up your home, or imagination, with some of the world’s top antiques, from the most respected dealers in America. And so it was last month, even with the impending bad weather, thousands of people, including myself, flocked downtown to The Metropolitan Pavillion for the Metro Show, and many more went uptown to America’s most eminent art fair, The Winter Antiques Show. Since it’s all about business, and for the love of art, (and the sheer pleasure of feasting my eyes on an array of museum quality art and design) I drank a couple of double espressos, took my share of vitamin c, and head out to brace the cold.This time around, I was highly focussed on the ceramics (a shame I didn’t personally attend the New York Ceramics and Glass Fair, this year), as well as the outdoor pieces since I had a particular project in mind. I tend to go for the whimsy and divine, as most of my readers already know. But I was re-directed by the project at hand, and took note of other highly desirable objets.
To inquiry about these antiques, and various other pieces from The Winter Antiques Show, and The Metro Show, please contact our office.
