The Sophisticate

Love Is in Style

by Lisa Burwell

As VIE celebrates its tenth year in 2017, we thought it appropriate to refresh and repurpose our brand with this issue! We hope you notice that our editorial, complete with new theme departments, has been raised to new cultural and literary heights. “Stories with Heart and Soul” will continue to be centric to the magazine, as will more avant-garde and thought-provoking topics.

A fresh aesthetic heightens the design sensibility to enhance our visual storytelling. Since this is our first issue to bear the name “The Sophisticate”—which by definition means to have amassed experience and knowledge of the world, culture, art, literature, and fashion—this issue also helps to define a deeper sense of the word: using that sophistication to do good for others.

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).

Living in a small and somewhat insulated Florida resort community tends to make one forget that many people in cities across the nation are now homeless—an estimated 3.5 million, in fact, with women and children comprising the fastest-growing segment. The “out of sight, out of mind” adage has never rung more true, as many cities attempt to hide the homeless by warehousing them instead of taking steps to solve the epidemic. One of the biggest problems is that many of us who have homes walk on by while looking the other way so we don’t have to think about it. We think that the plight of the homeless has nothing to do with us—that they might actually want to live on the streets, or that we can’t change the problem because it’s too big. The powerful story told by Dr. Jeremy Reynalds, “LOOK. The Homeless Are Not Invisible,” is a painful, poignant reminder that charity must begin at home; a collective mind-set that “this problem is also our problem” needs to be adopted. Changing the way we think will help to spark change in reality.

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).

To whom much is given, much is expected. As we continue to celebrate people with a passion and a heart toward humanity and philanthropy, acclaimed Chef Emeril Lagasse and his eponymous foundation epitomize our definition of what it means to be sophisticated, as you’ll read in “Philanthropy Is Good” by Tori Phelps in our new Bon appétit! department.

As seen on our cover, sophistication can also be found in the world’s beauty. This past March, we traveled to the west of Ireland for an epic fairy-tale photo shoot at Ballynahinch Castle with fashion designer Christian Siriano. Ireland’s ethereal countryside provided a magical backdrop for his breathtaking gowns, photographed by Alex Hutchinson. Dublin-based fashion model Clara McSweeney graces our cover wearing a stunning Christian Siriano couture dress as she portrays a fanciful huntress. We also have a special Voyager section featuring Connemara, Ireland, with stories from our sister publication, Connemara Life, published from our office in the charming Irish town of Clifden. The world is full of beautiful places, and Connemara is truly at the top of the list. We hope you are enchanted by her beauty and the people who reside there, just as we are.

As much as we will continue to celebrate and weave beauty and goodness throughout VIE, we also want to start new conversations with our readers, even if they are difficult or unsettling. If love isn’t in style, it needs to be. Our world is not as simple as it once was—or as good for that matter—and the only path to redemption is to love one another passionately.

To Life!

—Lisa
Founder/Editor-in-Chief