We’re paying homage to a new era, where work is more than just our day job. It’s the causes, the people,
and the passions that propel us forward. Meet the changemakers that inspired us this fall.
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Sara & Rich
Combs
Designers & Founders, The Joshua Tree House
Sara and Rich met when they were 15 yrs old. After design school, they moved to San Francisco to pursue
their careers. While they enjoyed city life, they craved a creative space out in nature where they could
reset. This led them to Joshua Tree where they purchased a fixer upper, documented the renovation
process and began renting it out. Today, they have multiple homes in Joshua Tree as well as an inn in
Tucson.
Chloe has always been passionate about photography, food and interiors. In her book ‘Saisons: La
Table Vegane’ she explores not just food but the beauty of meals. Through the years, her
classical, timeless style has led her work to a more bold, feminine and elegant aesthetic.
A lifelong passion for the culinary arts has led Rōze through some of the world’s most
prestigious kitchens. Inspired by the different cultures and flavors experienced during his
travels, Rōze has perfected a distinct ability to translate elements of elevated fine-dining
into his private events.
Growing up on Rapa Nui, a remote volcanic island in Polynesia, a love for local, seasonal
ingredients was instilled in Ana from the start. After moving stateside, she parlayed that
passion into a career as a food stylist, restaurant consultant, and food editor. In 2017, she
founded It’s a Dinner, a pop-up dining experience that champions small farms and purveyors near
her home base in Upstate New York.
Being born into a turbulent urban environment didn’t define Andrew, instead, it fed his
adventurous spirit. As a climber, big wave surfer, and founder of The Between Two Worlds
non-profit, he shares his passion for the outdoors to bring the communities he advocates for
together. “There is nothing at the top of the mountain that isn’t inside you already.”
Terumi left a corporate job in San Francisco to push creative boundaries in New York. As a
stylist, she helps brands incorporate vintage and thrift-store clothing into their shoots. She’s
passionate about mentorship, volunteering for a non-profit in The Rockaways that provides water
safety education and surf lessons to the community. In her spare time, Terumi boulders, camps,
models, and has a dog named Pasta.
Brad Leone likes to riff on where he found the food he’s preparing, why he loves it, and how to
make it a meal. That easygoing nature helped propel him from kitchen manager to video host to
best-selling author with his book, Field Notes for Food Adventure. He might be a chef, but he
says he’s not. He hikes, hunts, forages, fishes, and ferments. He’s from New Jersey, trained in
New York, lives in Connecticut, and rarely measures anything.
A passion for design, street culture, and entrepreneurialism transformed Jeff Staple from a New
York City art student with an idea into a world-renowned brand unto himself. This year his
STAPLE streetwear label celebrated its 25th anniversary alongside the Reed Space retail store,
and Reed Art Department design agency. He continues to collaborate with some of the world’s
biggest brands and hosts of the popular podcast “The Business of HYPE” on HYPEBEAST radio.
Shantell’s commitment to putting positive messages into the world has led her from the UK to
Japan to Brooklyn and beyond. A textbook multi-hyphenate, she is perhaps best known for her
large-scale line drawings and live art performances that creates connections between fine art,
education, design, philosophy, and technology. She’s also an adjunct professor and fellow at Ivy
League universities, and earlier this year she premiered her first choreographed ballet,
“KITES,” at the Boston Ballet.
Atiba found a home in the skateboarding community from a young age. Infatuated not just by the
athleticism but the inherent self-expression, he became one of the sport’s foremost
photographers. Known as a documentarian of culture, his work captures not just action but
unfiltered moments of his subjects through portraiture. He is also a serial entrepreneur with
his hands in companies from bags to beverages.
Sophia Chang was born and raised in Queens, New York and credits her community with providing a
rich palette for her artistic aspirations. As an illustrator, her style deftly combines
hand-drawn skill and digital finishing, resulting in vivid depictions of people, products, and
word art. As the founder of UNDO Magazine, a biannual health and wellness publication, she
created a platform for artists, athletes and creatives.
When her modeling career was interrupted by the pandemic, she and fellow model and friend Jordy
Murray moved to Los Angeles and discovered a shared passion for vintage furniture. That
friendship led them to collect and curate pieces that they shared on Instagram. Their
passion—and following—grew, ultimately leading them to found Friends of Form—an interior design
studio (now in Brooklyn) that blends Nora and Jordy’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit into
a business designed to help beautiful objects lead to joyful living.
Joekennth shares his voice, hope, and journey through his work. With a multimedia approach, he
writes poetry that empowers and has published two intimate memoirs, the most recent one, “Days
After Your Departure,” has been adapted into a short film and is available on HBO. He also
performs spoken-word and captures the beauty and complexities of New York life with his
photography.
As a cultural ambassador for Peru, Juana has used her prominence as a model and actress to
advocate for the female artisans and hand-weaving culture of her homeland. She founded Nuna Awaq
(“Soul of the Artisan”) as a platform to promote the unique textiles, and to create
opportunities for the artisans to collaborate with international designers and brands, helping
them to grow their businesses and have independence.
A longstanding fascination with sneakers and clothes started Yang-Yi’s journey to help men live
more stylish, confident lives. A Canadian native who today calls New York City home, he writes
about fashion, sports, and culture for GQ, the “magazine that got him into magazines,” and
introduces readers to new designers, brands, and ideas.