Katarina Kroslakova. Photography by Pierre Toussaint. It’s a constant juggle for brands, whether local or global, to reinvent themselves, attract a broad audience and stay relevant while also honouring their heritage. This came to mind when I heard the winemaker Penfolds had tapped the cross-cultural force that is Nigo for its very first creative collaboration. Our writer Luke Benedictus spoke to the Japanese streetwear legend and music producer about the partnership, which happens against a backdrop of geopolitical challenges in the Chinese market, and aims to introduce the storied wine brand to a new generation (page 38).
The heritage brands in our Watch & Jewellery Special Report face a similar struggle: how to move with the times without betraying the handcrafted history that makes a company like Chopard or Bulgari unique. Will artificial intelligence ever have a place at Cartier? Only time will tell.
This theme of renewal extends to the four beauty entrepreneurs profiled by Alison Izzo in T Australia Faces (page 20). Not only do their botanical-rich products literally offer renewal of sorts, their brands are also rooted in sustainable ingredients, recycling and reusable packaging.
Meanwhile T Australia’s columnist, Lance Richardson, finds renewal in the rituals of relocation. In “On the Move” (page 32), he remembers the many (many) moves in his life — between studios, apartments, houses, cities and continents — concluding that, whether they’re practical or emotional choices, the buildings we live in come to define the stages of our lives, as we constantly regenerate in pursuit of our best selves.
Whisky is also undergoing a renewal of sorts, as producers challenge single malt’s reign with some fine (and affordable) blends. It may be one of the world’s oldest and most popular drops, but if whisky is to have a future, it needs to appeal to a new generation of cocktail and spirits drinkers. On page 44, Fred Siggins meets forward-thinking distillers who are collaborating and innovating to create exciting new whiskies for those who once wouldn’t give blends a second glance.
The cover shoot (page 52) is T Australia’s first collaboration with the photographer Georges Antoni, whose striking images we’re very proud to showcase here. Obviously, one location wasn’t enough for a project this momentous, so we shuttled the models, crew, clothing, catering and all the rest between a studio space in Sydney and the CBD’s secret laneways in order to contrast the luxury collections with some industrial grit — our own take on urban renewal.
Finally, the photojournalist Louise Coghill travelled to the tiny town of Churchill in remotest Canada, chasing the bucket-list spectacular that is the northern lights (page 66). Western Australia was recently treated to its own version, aurora Australis, but at the time, Louise was already touching down just south of the Arctic Circle to see the real deal. Her questions about the nature of her art — why do we feel the need to preserve forever a moment in time through a lens? Is an unmediated experience more visceral? — get to the heart of what we talk about when we talk about renewal. In essence, life goes on.
Enjoy the issue.
Katarina Kroslakova — Publisher, Editor-in-Chief
