Bal Harbour

W E L C O M E N O T E G R E G LOT U S (G I R A F F E); WO R L D R E D E Y E (S T E P H E N S O N A N D H A R R E L S O N ); CO U R T E S Y O F W H I TM A N FA M I LY A R C H I V E S My fondest, and perhaps earliest, memory from the Shops was the 1971 opening of Neiman Marcus—this was the first location to open outside of its native Texas. The store pro- vided a shopping experience unlike any other: an alluring wonderland of merchandise, artistic displays, and the Café's heavenly popovers, served with strawberry butter. It was an overnight success. It was right around that time that I had begun to envision being a part of the fashion space. While growing up, I was enchanted by the magical images in fashion and design mag- azines: My bedroom walls were a rotating exhibition of maga- zine pages, and I longed to be a part of this creative process. My oppor tunit y came decades later when my revered predecessor and friend, Enid Rosenthal, reached out to see if I might want to inter view for her position at Bal Harbour Shops: Director of Marketing and Public Relations. My first year working at the Shops for the visionary retail legend Stanley Whitman was a profound experience that I will always be grateful for. His unrelenting tenacity inspired me to achieve my ambitious dream of launching Bal Harbour magazine. Like all creative endeavors, launching a magazine is an exhilarating roller coaster of emotions, with brutal lows and the most joyous highs that keep you coming back for more. And here we are, celebrating 20 years of Bal Harbour. In addition to the wealth of talented photographers we've commissioned, Bal Harbour has also been a platform for showcasing illustration. As a longtime fan of the medium, it 's been truly fulfilling to present the work of some of my favorite artists—Jean-Philippe Delhomme, David Downton, Ruben Toledo, Jenny Kroik, and Victoria Tentler-K r ylov, Cheryl Stephenson and Sarah Harrelson Stanley Whitman at the opening of the Bal Harbour Shops Versace boutique in 1991. among them—and to launch the Creative Challenge contest, in order to discover and support new talent. When I reflect on all that goes into the making of a maga- zine, I think first about our team. I have been very fortunate to work with Editorial Director Sarah Harrelson and Executive Editor Tali Ja—e Minor for many wonderful years. We have a long history of shared memories and friendship. When it comes to enduring friendships, I have known Carolyn Travis the longest, as we first met while working in luxury hospitality. As publisher of Bal Harbour, Carolyn has been responsible for identifying dynamic opportunities for growth: most recently, the addition of two special editions in May and December. Understanding the deep roots our team shares makes this anniversary issue even more special. We hope you'll be enchanted by our fashion features by two of our longtime col- laborators, Ruven Afanador and David Roemer; be inspired by the creative talent we prof ile (ar t director Alexandra Zsigmond, Etro's new creative director Marco de Vincenzo, architect Manuel Cervante, writer William Norwich, among so many more); and finally, be transpor ted by the unforget- table ima ges of fa shion icons ta ken by the likes of Doug Ordway ( his photo tribute to Versace is a persona l high- light), Steven Meisel, and Arthur Elgort. The emotional connection that is at the hear t of Bal Harbour Shops is also what drives our e—orts each issue. We cher ish t he oppor t unit y to engage in a meaning ful dialog ue with our readership through these pa ges—and here's to many more years to come! BAL HARBOUR SHOPS HAS ALWAYS BEEN M Y HAPPY PLACE. I have so many incredible memories, but there's one that will always stand out as the most magical. After all, what could be more memorable than a shoot in the Everglades with a live giraffe, a fearless 6-foot model—who wasn't spooked by the giraffe's amorous attention…nor did she hesitate to climb out of our air boat and into the marsh for the perfect shot, captured by Greg Lotus. Cheryl Stephenson CRE ATI V E DI RECTOR Cheryl Stephenson Cheryl Stephenson Cheryl 50 BAL HARBOUR

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