Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1087559
letter editor ANA HOP 22 O ne of my favorite quotes in this issue comes by way of my friend and former colleague, Bradley Agather, whose stylish home we feature this month. "I like classic, well-designed pieces, with unexpected color or an interesting print mix," she told home design editor Rebecca Sherman. "Bottom line, I only buy things I really love. I find that I never regret these purchases. Plus, surrounding myself with things I love makes me happy." For years, I have admired Bradley's unwavering commitment to style. She is not a slave to fast fashion or momentary trends, but instead carefully hones her own signature aesthetic. Bradley is famously discerning when it comes to quality — and she has an impeccable knowledge of fashion, design, and art that guides her decision-making when it comes to the clothing she wears or the furnishings she chooses to decorate her house. Like Bradley, the stories told and depicted in our March issue all represent an obsessive commitment to style — and to redefining what that word actually means. Whether through art, fashion, or design, the people profiled herein are creating work that is not only fun to look at, but also simultaneously reshaping traditional definitions of femininity. Gone are the days of frilly, stuffy luncheons, explains style/culture editor Billy Fong in his essay that explores the long-held phenome- non of ladies who lunch. "Unlike the scene in 1970s Wasplandia, the modern ladies-who-lunch club is no longer a lily-white membership," Billy writes. "Much like our city, the dining-room scene is diverse." Indeed. No longer are the ladies who lunch only paying attention to social climbing and outward appearances. Instead, these women are the decision makers shaping the realms of philanthropy, business, and beyond. They are the new power lunchers. (Sorry, gents.) Senior editor Lisa Collins Shaddock explored the artistic worlds of two distinctly different artists: Instagram phenom Julie Houts, whose hilariously honest illustrations define the modern woman through smart societal satire; and Austin-born, New York-based artist Natalie Frank, whose collaboration with Ballet Austin's artistic director Stephen Mills will flip our common understanding of fairy tales. Forget the damsel in distress who gets saved by a handsome prince and goes on to live happily ever after. This tale teeters on the edge of darkness. The ballet, a new work, premieres in Austin Friday, March 29, and should be well worth the trip. Even our spring fashion feature is subversive in nature. Inspired by the award-winning film The Favourite, our fictional fashion queen defines hedonism. Her look is one of layered opulence, and her world is glamorous and gluttonous. From the outside, she seems to have it all. But is she happy? We may never know. And in a true homage to the avant-garde, I catch up with fashion designer Jeremy Scott, whose installation at Dallas Contemporary (through Sunday, March 17) is extensive and thought-provoking. His work has nothing to do with being pretty — and everything to do with pushing boundaries. The women who wear Jeremy Scott — and there are many of them in our fair city — know that it's not for the faint of heart. With 22 years of design under his belt, it's people like Jeremy who have further expanded our collective idea of what it means to be feminine. So, here's to spring: the season of rebirth, reinvention, and to charting your own path. Christina Geyer Dallas Editor in Chief christina@papercitymag.com