True creativity emerges from the intersection of people, ideas and worlds. Fashion, as a globalized creative field, demonstrates this with its commitment to forever looking outwards—often toward the world of art.

This issue’s cover story amounts to something of a manifesto for the magazine. Bringing to life the extraordinary photographer duo Inez and Vinoodh’s vision of capturing model and activist Anja Rubik with storied art dealer Jeffrey Deitch in his fabulously art-filled home was an ambitious goal, not least in scheduling. But it reflects our commitment to go out to the people making change happen, to visit their homes and to bring their perspectives to you firsthand.

In 1972, Deitch opened his first gallery in Lenox, Massachusetts, as a college student. He has not looked back since, forging a dealing and curatorial career stretching from New York to Los Angeles. His 1920s home in L.A.—once the residence of Cary Grant—is a testament to his commitment to young artists. It also served as a dream backdrop to hand the reins of The Artist Portfolio over to Inez and Vinoodh. Their pictures and the accompanying profile of Deitch by writer Lesley M.M. Blume were produced before the city’s devastating wildfires, which thankfully spared his home. Our hearts go out to the entire L.A. community as it works towards recovery, including its art and cultural institutions.

The commingling of fashion and art runs through the whole issue. We have a story on Ulla Johnson’s thoughtful collaboration with the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, detailing how the designer used three paintings by abstract expressionist Lee Krasner as inspiration for her new collection. There is a trip to the perfectly preserved Barcelona home of the Italian jewelry designer Elsa Peretti. Staying on that side of the pond, we learn how designer Victoria Beckham blends art and antiques into her life as she answers our signature collecting Q&A. Approaching the theme from the other side, we have images by photographer Tyler Mitchell from his new exhibition at Gagosian’s New York gallery.

We also have an exclusive excerpt from Blake Gopnik’s forthcoming book on pharmaceutical tycoon and visionary arts patron Albert Barnes. It is an incredible tale of commissioning a Matisse and insight into the making of a museum that has served as a place of inspiration for so many creatives. Elsewhere, we asked curator Paola Antonelli to share some objects in her new exhibition about everyday design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. “I included Crocs,” she explains, “because I would not be caught dead with a pair on.”

Kristina O’Neill, Editor in Chief
Instagram: @kristina_oneill

The still waters of beauty run deep

It is a coincidence of timing that many of our stories in this issue coalesce around the theme of American achievement, but we could not lead with a finer representative. Tom Brady is an icon of sporting excellence, unparalleled in his longevity and success as an NFL quarterback. Read our interview on the memories and memorabilia of his journey and learn about the watch collection that’s even better than you knew, ahead of his near autobiographical auction next month.

Michael S. Smith, the interior designer who received America’s greatest commission—to redecorate the White House for President Barack Obama—has now turned his talents to a home for himself and his partner James Costos, the former U.S. ambassador to Spain, on the Balearic island of Mallorca. The island reminds Smith of his childhood in Orange County, California, but when creating the villa’s interiors he surrendered to the local vernacular, employing Spanish craftsmanship throughout.

In other pages, read an excerpt from Lili Anolik’s new book, “Didion & Babitz,” and learn how writer Eve Babitz ended up playing chess in the nude with Marcel Duchamp. It was all arranged by photographer Julian Wasser, who shot the pair over the course of several games. Wasser allowed Babitz to choose the famous photo that made its way to the public. In that image, her hair covers her face, rendering her somewhat anonymous. But the contact sheet from that day, which runs alongside the text, reveals a different story: She is fully present, smiling and engaged in the game.

Elsewhere, one of our staff columnists, Sotheby’s 20th-century design expert Jodi Pollack, unpacks the contributions of Louis Comfort Tiffany to the American art and design landscape through the lens of a remarkable window. Having served as the first design director at the family company, Tiffany & Co., he went on to found Tiffany Studios and to master glass as an artistic medium.

Away from the U.S., we visit Christian Moueix at his new winery designed by his friends Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, and stop by the restaurant in London in which Lucian Freud ate breakfast nearly every morning for 15 years.

Claude Monet’s “Nymphéas” will make its auction debut this month, as part of the collection of the late beauty industry magnate and philanthropist Sydell Miller. The work marked a radical shift in Monet’s approach to capturing waterlilies, the subject that would become his magnum opus. The painting’s palette has informed the colors of our three editorial acts.

In a fusion of the above themes, we turned to veteran photographer Stephen Shore for the latest installment of The Artist Portfolio. Shot in his own garden in upstate New York, the images take their power, as Monet did, from the greatest inspiration of all—nature.

Kristina O’Neill, Editor in Chief
Instagram: @kristina_oneill

Nurturing new growth from old wood

It is an absolute thrill to introduce myself as the new Editor in Chief of Sotheby’s Magazine. As we mark Sotheby’s 280th anniversary, it is an honor to present a new vision, which celebrates our rich heritage while introducing fresh storytelling that resonates with our global audience.

As you will read over the coming weeks, our relaunch issue emphasizes our commitment to excellence, with features covering creative pioneers from Titus Kaphar to Lee Miller and cultural champions from Dorothy Miller to Reed and Delphine Krakoff. I am delighted to have Lucas Oliver Mill, Orna Guralnik and Ruby Guralnik Dawes bring their insights to new columns that will consider collectors as an almost anthropological type, unpacking walls and unpicking minds, respectively. We’ve also tapped our very own specialists to share their wisdom on the breadth of art and objects that pass through Sotheby’s salerooms. These articles, among others, showcase the dynamic content you can expect from us.

At Sotheby’s, we celebrate art, culture and luxury, while fostering a platform for dialogue and discovery. Our mission is to bring you closer to the artists, collectors and visionaries shaping our world. We are not just observers but active participants in the grand conversation of culture. My hope is that you will join our community and, from these stories, cultivate new ways of seeing.

I am excited about the journey ahead and look forward to sharing it with you.

Kristina O’Neill, Editor in Chief
Instagram: @kristina_oneill