In Honor of All the Men

Let’s Hear It for the Men in Our Lives

By Lisa Marie Burwell

In 2013, VIE made its first exclusive toast to the men in our orbit with an issue helmed by photographer and artist Carlo Pieroni. The intention was never to step away from the women whose stories have long graced our pages, but to broaden our focus. In reality, men have been part of the story all along. We were honored, and more than a little delighted, when ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and the legendary Robert Redford graced our second and third covers in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Those early moments helped define something essential about VIE—though often described as female-centric, we have always been devoted to stories celebrating the Everyman with breadth, beauty, and humanity.

Eighteen years and 160 issues later, that belief is more resounding than ever. Across those editions, more than thirty covers have featured men and power couples working in tandem, reminding us that the power of influence rarely belongs to a single person. It is shared, amplified, reflected, and made richer through partnership.

My husband and I at the 10th anniversary gala of Sinfonia Gulf Coast in 2015 with headliner and VIE cover girl Kristin Chenoweth taking the stage to celebrate the momentous occasion. This photo is one of my favorites because Jerry channels a classic Hollywood movie star. And, in the words of ZZ Top’s smash hit “Sharp Dressed Man,” “…’Cause every girl crazy ‘bout a sharp-dressed man!”

This issue is especially poignant because our cover gentleman is Robert Ascroft: photographer of iconic celebrities, musician, designer, producer, and a creative force whose life inspires admiration. Revered as one of the finest photographers working today, Robert moves between New York and Los Angeles with the ease of someone who has learned to make the world itself a studio.

We first met Robert while searching for the best of the best to photograph Julian Lennon for our 100th-issue milestone five years ago. The assignment came with the kind of timeline that makes most people graciously decline. Julian had only the day before Thanksgiving available while he was in Los Angeles, and our first call to Robert came just five days earlier. He was in New York when we reached out to him. Robert said yes anyway.

That yes became the difference between an idea and a success. Robert orchestrated the entire shoot with a conductor’s conviction: hair, makeup, styling, and a location in Los Angeles that felt as groovy and effortlessly cool as the subject himself. The photographs were perfection. Even more, they marked the beginning of a friendship and creative partnership between Robert and Julian that has continued to this day. To say Robert was the only person who could have made it happen may sound dramatic, but it’s nothing short of the truth.

In this issue, read “The Many Lives of Robert Ascroft: From Behind the Camera to Front and Center” by Jordan Staggs, with brilliant photography of Robert captured by his wife, Luz Gallardo. It is a fitting portrait of an artist who has spent his career looking closely at others and now, at last, steps into the frame.

And to all the dads—and to the male mentors, father figures, teachers, coaches, brothers, uncles, husbands, friends, and steadfast souls who show up in ways both noteworthy and unseen—Happy Father’s Day. A strong male role model can be a life-altering experience for children and adults alike. The right man at the right moment can offer courage and example. In a world that often forgets to say it plainly, so we will: You matter!

—To Life!

Lisa Marie Burwell

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