ParadisV19N48

INFLUENCERS AND NEWSMAKERS

BAD BUNNY THE RELENTLESS PULSE OF A GLOBAL STAR

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ISLAND LIFE TEACHES YOU THAT TIME IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CHASE — IT’S SOMETHING YOU EXPERIENCE. — UNKNOWN

CHRISTOPHE GUILLARME, EXTRAORDINARY TALENT WITH PERSONALITY

Editor-in-Chief PETER WILLIAMS

Chief Technology & Innovation Officer ALEX THOMAS

VP & Director of Operations JUNE MINTO

Executive Fashion Editorial Director BERNICE CHEZ NOEL

Chief Copy Editor DAWN DAVIS

FASHION

Editor-at-Large

PRISSILLA ZAMBONI TEJADA

Retail and Brand Editor

JUAN VILLAR

Fashion Editor Paris

PALOMA ABREU

Fashion Editors Milan

IVANA DUCA, ISELA SANCHEZ

Contributing Content Creators ROSALY ESCUETA

Style Editor Print & Social Media Blogger

VALENTINA RWIGIMBA

Asst. Style Editor Print & Social Media Bloggers

YASMINE ANANE, MARIYA ATWANI

Editorial Assistant TAYLOR NOEL

Special Feature Editor

RICHARD CROOKES

Asst. Creative Director CHAPEYAMA

Chief Beauty Editor BALI LAWAL

ART / VISUAL

Art Director & Digital JOEL ANDREW FOGA

Digital/Web Development ALEX THOMPSON

Web and Content Blogger

DMYTRO USATIUK

Photographers GUILLAUME GUIRIABOYE, ALESSIO MORO

Videographer ROMAN CONTE

Creative Director/Productions WAVERLY STUDIOS

FEATURE & CONTRIBUTING

Chief Feature Editor LAURA TANNA

Lifestyle & Culture Editor GIOVANNA VOLPE

Founder / CEO & Executive Creative Officer DERWENT DONALDSON

ADVERTISING / PUBLISHING

CEO/President GARRY DUELL, JR.

gduell@northsouthnet.com

Vice President of Advertising LUIS SARDINAS lsardinas@northsouthnet.com

Operation Director ROSANA ALFONSO DUELL

Editorial Director VANESSA MOLINA SANTAMARIA

Tel: 305-222-7244 | www.northsouthnet.com

PARADIS MEDIA GROUP, LLC

Founder, CEO/President DERWENT DONALDSON

PARADIS Magazine is owned by Paradis Media Group, LLC. For advertising inqires call 305.222.7244. Subscription inqiries email: subscription@jamaqueparidis.com. PARADIS Magazine is published by North South Net, Inc. under an agreement with Paradis Media Group, LLC, Palm Beach: Tel 561.510.8371, New York: Tel 561.506.5895, Caribbean / Latin America: 786.268.9461 jamaqueparadis. com, / paradisnetwork.com Reproduction by permission only. All rights reserved. ©Paradis Media Group, LLC

V19/N48

COVER: Christophe Guillarmé A/W26 Collection | Model: Elena Faliez | Director of Photography: Frédéric Pouzin | Makeup: Campus des Maquilleurs | Hair / Salon: Jérôme Levas, Laurence Grammont / Raphaël Perrier & Elysées Marbeuf | Staff Manager: Clémentine Durand

A look at alternative investments with Scotiatrust™

Jamaican-inspired décor graces the French Embassy in Kingston

UNCLE RONNIE A True Alchemist of Sound Systems

PIERRE’S

Brand63 Africa made its official debut at the British Fashion Council’s London Fashion Week Designer Showcase, launching a significant new platform dedicated to designers of African heritage within the global luxury fashion landscape. The debut coincided with His Majesty opening London Fashion Week and greeting the Brand63Africa team and inaugural designers. Featuring a cohort of designer brands from across Africa and the diaspora, Brand63Africa provides a unique global platform that champions small-batch production, traditional craftsmanship, sustainability, and community empowerment. Brand63Africa was supported by The Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, established by The King as Prince of Wales in 2020, who supported a feasibility study conducted in 2023 and 2024. The first brands featured on Brand63Africa includes: Christie Brown, Abiola Olusola, Sukeina, Studio Namnyak, The Cloth. https://brand63africa.com

P. Noted / EVENTS

The Setai, St. Maarten Introduction, Miami Event

The Setai, St. Maarten hosted two exceptional gatherings in Miami and St. Maarten to introduce The Setai, St. Maarten to invited guests, brokers, and industry partners. The evening captured the spirit of the project reflecting refined hospitality, timeless design, and an incomparable island lifestyle. thesetaistmaarten.com

Photos Courtesy of ©The Setai, St. Maarten

P. Noted / EVENTS

Canadian Women’s Club (CWC) of Jamaica

Wine & Whisky Soirée

The air at the Canadian High Commissioner’s residence in Kingston was thick with more than just the tropical breeze this past March; it hummed with the sophisticated energy of a community united by purpose. The Canadian Women’s Club (CWC) of Jamaica hosted its highly anticipated fundraiser event “Wine & Whisky Soirée”, an evening where connoisseurship met compassion in a seamless blend of connection and culture. Under the starlit Kingston sky, guests were treated to a sensory journey defined by chef-curated food pairings alongside premium wine tastings and an elevated whisky and chocolate sampling experience. The Canadian Women’s Club (CWC) of Jamaica is a non-profit organisation which has been active for over 60 years with an Outreach programme focusing on Health, Education, Children, and the Elderly.

P. Noted / EVENTS

Anguillita

Rum Launch

SPIRIT OF ANGUILLA - Born from a bold vision and meticulous craftsmanship, Anguillita Rum is a premium blend of rums from both column and pot stills. Each handcrafted batch is aged for up to 10 years in American oak barrels with a medium plus char, then finished in French oak casks that once held Oloroso sherry. The result - a rich, layered spirit with a nose and flavour as adventurous and distinctive as the sparkling blue seascapes that caress this island paradise. Launch celebrations kicked off under the stars at Santosha Villa Estate, where guests raised their glasses in honour of this new Spirit of Anguilla, filled with heritage, innovation, and passion that defines this island’s hospitality. Now it’s your turn to experience Anguillita Rum! IG: anguillitarum

P. Noted / EVENTS

Chef Andre Fowles Steps Back Into the Spotlight. And This Time, He’s Claiming His Table.

Andre Fowles Steps Back Into the Spotlight. And This Time, He’s Claiming His Table. A decade. after his Chopped championship, the Kingston-born chef’s debut cookbook My Jamaican Table foreworded by Bruce Springsteen, celebrated by Sting and Shaggy saw Kwame Onwuachi open his restaurant and Marcus Samuelsson do the same, with Chef Fariyal Abdullahi of Hav & Mar’s as its gracious host. This was the culinary world formally recognising Chef Andre Fowles as the rightful Ambassador of Caribbean cuisine. cheffowles.com

A World of Choice Awaits You!

For each edition of PARADIS magazine we travel through the Caribbean to bring you the vibrancy of the region’s culture, entertainment, sport, hospitality, residential, and professional services offerings.

No matter what the season of the year your travels take you to the Caribbean, you will be spoiled for choice, be it food festivals, fashion shows, games, regattas, relaxing boutique hotels, or meeting real estate agents and bankers to help you find that perfect home in paradise. In this edition of PARADIS we bring you the thrill of the RORC 600 Regatta in the Eastern Caribbean, indulge in gastronomic cuisine in the ‘Sailing Capital of the World’,

fill your soul with music performed by legends from Puerto Rico to artisanal boom boxes competing with the crashing waves at Wickie Wackie, while learning along the way how the Caribbean Culture Fund is working to preserve the region’s unique identity for future generations. We continue with elegant Caribbean decor gracing a recently built Diplomatic residence, then escape to the quiet of Baoase Luxury Resort where time stands still, while taking care of your financial health with wealth insights on Trust & Alternative Investments from one of the world’s most respected financial services providers with a long established presence in the region.

So we got you fully covered for your vacation or extended branded residential stay in the Caribbean — your preferred destination to relax, play, invest in, and celebrate life’s special moments.

With best wishes!

PETER BANCROFT WILLIAMS MBA | Master in International Affairs & Diplomacy Editor-in-Chief IG: jamaqueparadis

Editor’s PICK

GEORGES HOBEIKA

AW 2026 Collection

“Quiet confidence” and modern femininity, features a colour palette of black, ivory, and soft blush

C

ool air rushes in, images rise and fade. Waves of petals sweeps her into a dream. She dances at the heart of the flowers, carried by grace and light, and wakes blushing, renewed. Suddenly, nature takes over and you are drawn into a soft, flowering world. Colours grow softer, edges dissolve, silhouettes move to the rhythm of the earth's own breathing. Sheltered beneath the petals at last, their delicacy holds the world at bay. The flower is at the heart of language for Georges Hobeika 2026 Autum Winter collection, because nature exists in its most absolute form, unbidden, without concession. | P georgeshobeika.com

DIARYEditor’s

PATRÓN is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

PATRÓN® TEQUILA UNVEILS “THE PERFECT POUR,”

A Cinematic Collaboration With Acclaimed Director Guillermo Del Toro

Perfection isn’t rushed — it’s built frame by frame, pour by pour, — said Guillermo del Toro ” “

PATRÓN® Tequila, the world’s number one super-premium tequila, unveiled its new global campaign celebrating craft, intention and the pursuit of greatness with the launch of “The Perfect Pour,” a short film directed by award-winning and visionary Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro At the heart of the campaign the striking film transforms a seemingly simple act — the pouring of PATRÓN Tequila — into a cinematic moment. | P patrontequila.com

BRUCEGLEN SS26 Collection

Following their vibrant debut in Milan, designer duo Bruce and Glen Proctor, known for their brand BruceGlen, returned to the Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery Milano to unveil their latest collection. Celebrated for their expressive use of colour, bold prints, and joyful storytelling, BruceGlen brings a dynamic and inclusive vision to the fashion world. bruceglen.com

DIARY

PARADIS NATION

PEOPLE THE FINDS MUST HAVES THE FASHIONABLE

Cecilia Vicuña. “Quipu Gut”, 2017, dyed, unspun wool. Installation view: documenta 14, documenta Halle, Kassel, June 10 – September 17, 2017. ©2024 Cecilia Vicuña / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy the artist, Pérez Art Museum Miami, and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Seoul, and London. Photo: Feodora Pallas.

Quipu Gut

29 August 2024 — 1 November 2026

CECILIA VICUÑA: C

©MCQUEEN SS26

ecilia Vicuña is a poet and artist who grew up in the Chilean commune of La Florida. Born into a family of artists and intellectuals, Cecilia Vicuña has worked with Quipu since the beginning of her career in the late 1960’s to early 1970’s. These devices, made from knotted strings have been used by several cultures in Andean South America to record information that could be read with both fingers and eyes. Her poems, installations, performances, and sculptures are connected in the messages they share. Vicuña has drawn on her own indigenous heritage to create work surrounding the practices, myths, and understanding of the Incan and earlier Andean people. The indigenous groups live in the Andes Mountains, which stretch from Venezuela to the southern tip of South America. Vicuña uses these references to heritage to visually build connection between ancient memory and contemporary cultures.

Vicuña’s piece takes its name from the Quechua language, “quipu” meaning “knot.” A quipu is a special way of keeping records used by ancient people in the Andes, like the Inca. Each quipu was made of colourful strings that were knotted according to the number of objects being counted. This could be anything, like how many animals they had or how much food they grew. | P pamm.org

©MCQUEEN SS26

DIARYEditor’s

PEOPLE THE FINDS MUST HAVES THE FASHIONABLE

PARADIS CELEBRATION

ROLEX TESTIMONEES AT THE 64TH RUNNING OF THE ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA, ©Rolex/Jensen Larson; ENGRAVED OYSTER PERPETUAL COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA PRESENTED TO THE WINNER OF THE 2026 ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA, ©Rolex/Stojan

TMAKING EVERY SECOND COUNT

AT THE 2026 ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

he 64th running of the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA was decided by just 1.569 seconds as the small hand on the Rolex countdown clock completed its final rotation. Across 24 hours, day to night and back again, the North America premier endurance race demanded absolute precision from team, driver, and machine. Ultimately, it was the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport that prevailed to take the chequered flag and, in doing so, secured the car’s third consecutive overall win at the race. Ever-present at Daytona International Speedway® since the late 1950s, Rolex officially became Title Sponsor in 1992 , with the crown bearing witness to the competition’s greatest moments. | P rolex.com

Editor’s

DIARY

PEOPLE THE FINDS MUST HAVES THE FASHIONABLE

Unveils A New Chapter In Modern Demi Couture SABIRAH

Following a Private Atelier Experience at Somerset House, the London House Opens for Bespoke Commissions

As the global fashion industry turns its attention to Paris for Couture Week, London-based Demi-Couture house SABIRAH quietly asserts its place within a new generation of luxury brands redefining what couture means today. Founded by Deborah Latouche, SABIRAH, and following the success of the SABIRAH Atelier Experience at Somerset House, the brand announces that it is now open for bespoke commissions and private consultations, inviting clients into an intimate world of modern modest luxury — one shaped by craftsmanship, cultural depth, and conscious creation. In an era increasingly driven by speed and scale, SABIRAH aligns itself with a growing movement towards slow fashion and community-led luxury. The house works closely with its clients, offering private fittings, fabric consultations, and a deeply personal design journey . | P sabirah.co.uk

THE NEW OMEGA CONSTELLATION OBSERVATORY COLLECTION

This 39.4 mm polished-brushed model in O-Megasteel features the distinctive faceted “dog-leg” lugs accompanied by a bezel with clear-cut facets — presented on a dark grey leather strap on polished buckle. Driven by OMEGA’s calibre 8914, the world’s first two-hand watch to achieve Master Chronometer certification approved by METAS. The movement is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, revealing a rhodium-plated skeletonised rotor embellished by an applied medallion featuring the laser-engraved Constellation Observatory emblem in contrasting finish. The “Pie-Pan” dial is a reminiscent of the original 1952 Constellation with dodecagonal facets, with applied OMEGA logo and Constellation star. The revamped kite-form indexes are fully diamond-polished, matched with diamond-polished kite-form hands, crafted from 18K Sedna™ Gold. | P omegawatches.com

IN A RAPIDLY EVOLVING MARKET CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVE IN VESTMENTS

By — Dietmar Bauer, Scotia Wealth Management

AS THE FINANCIAL LANDSCAPE CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, INVESTORS ARE LOOKING BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL MIX OF STOCKS AND BONDS. ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS—SUCH AS REAL ESTATE, PRIVATE EQUITY, ART, HEDGE FUNDS, AND PRECIOUS METALS — CAN OFFER THREE MAIN BENEFITS: DIVERSIFICATION, INFLATION PROTECTION, AND A POTENTIAL FOR ENHANCED RETURNS.

TThis article explores the value of alternative investments compared to classic portfolios (stocks, bonds, cash) and examines key considerations for holding these assets in a trust. To learn more about trusts and their role in transferring wealth to the next generation, check out our previous article released in PARADIS V18/N46.

Comparing Alternative Assets to Classic Portfolios

1. Diversification Benefits

A Classic portfolio is what you may be recommended when you start off your investing journey. Classic portfolios tend to have a mix of equities and fixed income investments to balance risk and return. Alternative investments, on the other hand, have a low correlation with such traditional assets, which can reduce overall portfolio volatility and improve risk-adjusted returns.

2. Risk-Adjusted Returns

As explained in “Alternative Thinking: Enhancing Portfolios with Alternative Assets,” a report written by Scotia Wealth Management’s Global Investment Solutions team, increasing financial market volatility may impact portfolios composed of classic assets. For classic portfolios, taking on additional market risks may not be the best way to chase returns, instead, classic portfolios may benefit from alternative strategies that can “introduce different sources of returns” and soften market volatility.

3. Liquidity

Classic portfolios of stocks and bonds are highly liquid. In contrast, alternative investments are illiquid, as selling art, real estate or private equity stakes can take significantly longer.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR RISK APPETITE AND RISK PROFILE IS PARAMOUNT WHEN STARTING OR GROWING YOUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO.

4. Risk Profile

Understanding your risk appetite and risk profile is paramount when starting or growing your investment portfolio. Your tolerance for risks, especially those you can and cannot control, may come to define your investor profile.

When investing in a classic portfolio, your risk profile may be defined by your tolerance for market risk, interest rate risk, and inflation risk. With alternative investments, your risk profile differs, with a stronger focus on valuation risk (when assets are hard to price), concentration risk (for

example, the risk of having too much wealth concentrated in one asset type), and sometimes leverage risk. Rare alternative investments, such as art and collectibles, may also carry authenticity and market demand risk. In a trust without reserved powers, i.e. discretionary for investments, the responsibility for the outcome of the investment’s rests with the Trustee. The Trustee has the duty to prudently invest the assets and while doing so keep the needs of the beneficiaries in mind. Moreover, volatility and liquidity considerations must be tailored to meet the needs of beneficiaries when they arise. This depends

Discover more at ScotiaWealthManagement.com/intl

To read this article in Spanish, visit Scotia Wealth Management’s Spanish library: Scan QR code.

Para leer este artículo en español, visite nuestra biblioteca en español de Scotia Wealth Management: Escanear código QR.

Important Notice: This article is for informational purposes, and you should consult your financial advisor or relevant professionals before making any decisions regarding your wealth transfer, keeping in mind the specifics of your financial situation and applicable laws in your country of residence. This is not to be construed as mass advertising or as a solicitation to buy or sell any product or service. We recommend you seek independent tax and legal advice before making any financial decision. This article may not be reproduced in whole or in part, or referred to in any manner whatsoever, nor may the information, opinions, and conclusions contained in it be referred to without in each case the prior express consent of The Bank of Nova Scotia. ™Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license. Scotia Wealth Management™ in The Bahamas consists of a range of financial services provided by Scotiabank (Bahamas) Limited and The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company (Bahamas) Limited, which are entities licensed to operate within The Bahamas. Private banking and international investment advisory services are provided by Scotiabank (Bahamas) Limited. International wealth structuring solutions are provided by The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company (Bahamas) Limited.

A WEALTH OF RECOGNITION.

Scotia Wealth Management is proud to be recognised with these awards, reinforcing a commitment to supporting clients throughout their entire financial journey.

entirely on the type and composition of the beneficiary group and their individual needs, i.e. short-term needs require liquidity and minimised volatility exposure for parts of the portfolio (e.g. via fixed income strategies), whereas long term needs allow for a more diversified portfolio and alternative asset types.

5. Inflation Hedge

Classic portfolios and alternative investments, due to their respective natures, perform very differently during times of high inflation. Classic portfolios may be negatively impacted by inflation, as bonds tend to suffer during inflationary periods. Alternative investments such as real estate and commodities may be more resistant during times of high inflation. Additionally, art can also act as a store of value.

6. Accessibility & Expertise

It should be easy to access and track classic portfolios via brokers and ETFs. On the other hand, alternative investments require specialised knowledge, networks and connections, and potentially high minimum investments.

Bottom Line – Classic Portfolios vs. Alternative Investments

There is no clear winner between classic portfolios and alternative investing. Essentially, what to invest in and how to grow wealth is dependent on the individual’s goals, capacity, risk tolerance, and priorities. Alternatives can enhance diversification and potentially boost returns, but they introduce complexity, illiquidity, and valuation challenges.

Benefits of Holding Alternative Investments in a Trust

Now that the key differences between classic portfolios and alternative investments have been outlined, it is important to consider the benefits of holding alternative investments in a trust.

Trust structures can be employed for a wide range of investment goals. Due to their unique governance and operational characteristics, holding alternative investments in a trust can be favourable for beneficiaries of a trust. While there are key benefits of holding alternative investments in a trust, there are still very important considerations to keep in mind due to the nature of trusts. These are:

• Governance: Trustees must ensure compliance with fiduciary duties (e.g. insurance of real property), investment policy statements, and regulatory frameworks.

• Liquidity Planning: Alternatives are illiquid. Trusts should maintain sufficient cash buffers to meet beneficiary distributions and capital calls without forced asset sales.

• Valuation: Independent valuations are critical for private assets and collectibles. Valuation lags and appraisal frequency should be documented for transparency.

• Tax and Regulation: Trusts must consider cross-border tax implications, reporting standards, and anti-money laundering requirements. It is important to consult with financial and estate advisors, tax professionals, and attorneys when considering opening a trust. Depending on the country, tax and legal regulation can vary.

Alternatives can enhance portfolio resilience and long-term returns, but they require careful planning—especially in trust structures. By addressing governance, liquidity, and valuation challenges, Trustees can unlock the strategic benefits of these assets while safeguarding fiduciary responsibilities.

An important takeaway is that for most investors, alternatives should complement, and not replace, a core portfolio of stocks and bonds. Keeping a balanced and diverse portfolio is key when investing, especially as financial landscapes evolve. | P

This article was written by Dietmar Bauer, Head of International Trust at Scotia Wealth Management. With decades of experience as a leader in the financial field across Europe and the Caribbean, Dietmar is a specialist on trusts and wealth management. At Scotia Wealth Management, our team of specialists bring their local and global skills and expertise to the consideration of what our client’s have accumulated —and how best to administer it through life’s changes. It’s our client’s thinking, combined with our thinking, to create Enriched ThinkingTM

LIVING ROOM, FRENCH EMBASSY, KINGSTON, JAMAICA,WITH TRIPTYCH ON WALL OF JAMAICAN CHILDREN PLAYING ALONG THE REMAINS OF AN OLD PIER, AND CARPET WOVEN WITH PETROGLYPHS OF THE TAINO PEOPLE WHO FIRST INHABITED THE ISLAND

By LAURA TANNA

FRENCH EMBASSY ELEVATED

JAMAICAN STYLE

French Embassies change their décor only every twenty to thirty years, something I didn’t know. Imagine how incredible it was for the embassy staff in Kingston, Jamaica to find their new décor arriving entirely from France by sea just days before category five Hurricane Melissa hit the island on 28 October 2025. The new ambassador from France, Marianne Ziss, didn’t present her Letters of Credence to the Governor-General of Jamaica, Sir Patrick Allen, until 18 November 2025, after her arrival.

Part of the new decoration is a triptych made by French artist Marina Burnel “

”

Even though Kingston was spared the horrific damage that ravaged the western part of Jamaica, it was still necessary to wait until 5 December before Ambassador Ziss held an opening ceremony to share the new décor in the modern embassy built in 2002.

“I thank my predecessor Olivier Guyonvarch for initiating the project. He did all the work and could not enjoy it himself, but the legacy of his time in Jamaica is embodied in every piece of furniture around us.”

She explained: “We have a dedicated service in the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the ‘heritage and decoration office’. Mr. Emmanuel Bruyère, Interior designer, is the man behind the style of the new décor.” Working closely with the Ministry, Ambassador Guyonvarch describes his own influence in creating what we now see. He remembers:

“The new decoration was designed specifically for the embassy, taking inspiration from the bright colours of Jamaica, mixed with French ‘chic’ and elegance. I had lots of discussions with the designer regarding the choice of style, colours, ambiance. I wanted light furniture which we could move without effort to adapt the grand salon to all kinds of meetings. In the small dining room, I chose blue colours to recall the sea since Jamaica is an island. I wanted also “salons de jardin” to be able to be used outside in the garden.

This page (L-R): AMBASSADOR OLIVIER GUYONVARCH; AMBASSADOR MARIANNE ZISS, ©Photos courtesy of French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs Opposite page: SMALL DINING ROOM REFERENCES THE SEA AROUND JAMAICA WITH CARPET, ©Photo by Laura Tanna

“I put my heart in that project as if it was my own house, bearing in mind that I should chose a decoration which could be appreciated also by my successors.

“Unfortunately, after three years of work, the furniture arrived just three weeks after I left Jamaica, I could not see them in place, and I feel very sad for that. But through the accomplishment of this project, I say to myself that a part of my heart and love for Jamaica shall remain there for the next 25 years.”

On the occasion of unveiling the new décor,

Ambassador Ziss noted: “Tonight is a special night because this party has a window opened on Treasure Beach. Part of the new decoration is a triptych made by French artist Marina Burnel.”

Treasure Beach on the south coast of St. Elizabeth was badly hit by the hurricane, an area where Marina Burnel had been living for the previous three years. Born in the countryside of Normandy, France, she took up photography while in Ireland and then continued after her arrival in Jamaica in 2015. Without funds for printing and framing, she started projecting her work onto corrugated metal sheets, the zinc that some financially challenged Jamaicans use for their roofs, fences and even housing. She became known as a street photographer and artist. Indeed, several years ago I valued her taking me to Trench Town where she was involved with a workshop there. So, although Burnel has now moved to Irish Town in the Blue Mountains above Kingston, her exhibition “Window On Treasure Beach” was also meant with other artists to assist in raising funds for the Treasure Beach Women’s Group.

Ambassador Guyonvarch wrote to me: “The tryptic by Marina Burnel is for me a representation of hope and future for Jamaica, seen from a French photographer’s perspective. It was love at first sight for me. Children playing on the old pier represent the future taking stock of the past. The sea is a treasure for Jamaica, it brings tourism and the maritime economy is critical for the country. Zinc is used by the less fortunate

people of Jamaica to build their homes. To me it is an homage to the resilience of these wonderful people of Jamaica I love.”

“Window On Treasure Beach” dominates the end of the living room, to the right of the foyer as one arrives from the lawn at the residential front of the Embassy where receptions or even reggae concerts are held. Another striking piece in that room is a photograph of a dragon. According to embassy information, it was: “created by François Delaroziere and Compagnie La Machine in 2014 to mark the 50th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between France and China. The dragon is the emissary of the goddess Nüwa, who in Chinese mythology shaped and saved humankind.” Guyonvarch, who had been stationed in Wuhan, China prior to his posting as ambassador in Jamaica, brought the framed photograph with him from Beijing and left it for the embassy in Kingston.

Ambassador Ziss explained: “For the large dining room, the carpet is inspired by Taino petroglyphs, in reference to the island’s oldest inhabitants. The aim was to create an elegant ensemble representative of French craftsmanship while establishing a link with Jamaican history.”

“Mountain Lake”, a painting in the dining room by renowned artist Louise Bourgeois whose giant spider creation I first saw at Tate Modern, hints at Jamaica’s Blue Mountains and many rivers while French Singaporean artist Melisa Teo’s “The Bridge Alexander III” may make some diners wonder if they’ve had too much wine at dinner as the composition seems slightly out of focus, because it is viewed through rain drops.

Ambassador Ziss continued: “For the small dining room, the flowery carpet is inspired by a fabric from Braquenié, referencing French tradition of small dinner parties in a sophisticated setting,” said Ambassador Ziss. She ended with: “I have taken you on a long description, but I view it as a conversation which illustrates common interests of France and Jamaica: the art of storytelling, interest in culture and craft, and the art of hospitality.” |

Koudmen Across the Caribbean: The Caribbean Culture Fund

On a rainy evening in Santo Domingo’s historic Zona Colonial, a small courtyard begins to glow. Chairs are carried out cautiously, a screen unfurled, umbrellas folded with hope rather than certainty. When the clouds finally lift, the space fills — not with spectacle, but with anticipation.

The night’s feature is Sugar Island, Johanné Gómez Terrero’s award-winning film chronicling the lives of undocumented sugarcane cutters in the Dominican Republic. When the credits roll, no one rushes to leave.

This Page: EXHIBITION PAWÒL A MAS MAS TIME VOICES BY MAS2.0. ©Photo by Alvin Belrain; Opposite Page: NAME OF THE PROJECT LEADER AMANDINE SAINT MARTIN NAME OF THE SUPPORTING INSTITUTION, GLOBAL HIP HOP HAITI PROJECT NAME, ATIS FANM POTE AYITI (AFPA) ©Photo by

MMusic rises. An oversized painting by Dominican artist Taller Manuel becomes a backdrop as artfully dressed Dominicans, expatriates, and curious travellers move together to the techno beats of Mediumship Music. What unfolds feels intimate and unscripted — the kind of cultural moment visitors stumble upon only when they are truly tuned in to a place.

This creative convergence was no accident. It was the brainchild of several Dominican grantees of the Caribbean Culture Fund (CCF), an initiative quietly but decisively reshaping how arts and culture are funded across the Caribbean and its diasporas. Sparked by a visit from the CCF team in early 2026, Gómez Terrero and her fellow grantees organised the pop-up as both a showcase of Dominican creativity and an introduction to the fund itself.

Alongside Sugar Island, audiences encountered a Caribbean non-fiction film festival, a workshop supporting Dominican women writers, a creative writing residency, and a documentary exploring life along the Haiti–Dominican Republic border — projects that reflect the complexity, urgency, and ambition of Caribbean cultural work today.

“This is the kind of magic we see again and again,” says Krystalle Sheil, CCF’s Communications Manager. “From Haiti to Trinidad, Guyana to the Dominican Republic, these moments repeat themselves. We’re small in population, but vast in cultural output.”

Koudmen means “giving a helping hand”, and the work speaks powerfully to the Caribbean’s deep-rooted cultural system of mutual aid, communal labour, and solidarity amongst neighbours and family members

CARIBBEAN CULTURE

BEYOND THE BEACH THE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE, PROJECT LEADS CLISH GITTENS & DR CRYSTAL DRAKES; RICKEY CHASE & NEIL C MARSHALL FEATURING MUSICIANS KHALID & NAJUMA PERFORMING SONG TITLED “TRUE SONG”

©Photo by Ackeem Chandler Prescod

Past jurors have included celebrated Haitian writer Edwidge Danticat, Sonia Gill of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, and Natalie Urquhart, Director of the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

A Fund with a Panoramic View of the Caribbean

Launched in 2024 with seed funding from international foundations in the United States, the Caribbean Culture Fund (CCF) was created with a clear mission: to ensure that Caribbean artists and cultural organisations have sustained support to do work that matters, on their own terms, and rooted in the region.

Since its inception, CCF has funded 80 projects across 20 countries, supporting everything from Haitian jazz and Puerto Rican classical music to Barbadian children’s literature and Guadeloupean sculpture. Its grantees include internationally recognised artists such as A nnalee Davis (Barbados), Guy Régis Jr (Haiti), Camille Chedda (Jamaica), and Edrin Symonette (The Bahamas), alongside emerging voices whose work is only now reaching wider audiences.

What unites these projects is not a single aesthetic, but a shared commitment to storytelling, memory, and belonging. Many directly engage with the region’s most pressing questions — migration, gender justice, statelessness, climate change, and the preservation of Afro-descendant and Indigenous knowledge systems — using art not as ornament, but as witness.

“Our goal is to build a sustainable fund that is always focused on arts and culture, always focused on the Caribbean,” says CCF Executive Director Kellie Magnus. “Too often, both are treated as peripheral. We exist to make sure they are not.”

Art as Memory, Art as Legacy

Across the region, CCF-supported projects are quietly shaping how the Caribbean remembers itself.

Top L-R: IDRIS VEITCH ARTEFACTS OF JAMAICA WARD THEATRE; JOHANNÉ GÓMEZ TERRERO; Centre (L-R): SONJA DUMAS, ZUM ZUM MUSEUM. CARIBBEAN CHILDREN’S BOOK; LOUVENSON SAINT JUSTE, PROJECT LEADER FOR MON CORPS NON TABOU, ©Photo by Valencia Joseph; (Bottom) Left to Right: WATERLOO HOUSE BY IDRIS VEITCH; MARLENE MERCEDES MEDUIMSHIP MUSIC RSL, ©Photo by Khalina Herrera; Far Right (T-B): AMANDINE SAINT MARTIN NAME OF THE SUPPORTING INSTITUTION GLOBAL HIP HOP HAITI PROJECT NAME ATIS FANM POTE AYITI (AFPA) ©Photos by David Duverseau

Opposite Page (T-B): BLAQMANGO CONSULTANTS, TOUCHING THE WATERS EMBRACING OUR LAND; EXHIBITION WEIZEMAN SEIDE AWARDING ANOTHER CHEF, ©Photo Courtesy of Caribbean Culture Fund.

In Jamaica, Listen Jamaica, led by Dr Isis Semaj-Hall, records the sounds of rivers and coastlines under threat from climate change, inviting listeners into a more attentive relationship with land and water — one grounded in care and responsibility. In The Bahamas, Edrin Symonette’s Salt & Sand uses sculpture and life-casting to explore the connections between contemporary Bahamian identity and ancestral memory.

CCF also prioritises collaboration across borders, reserving its largest grants for projects that bring Caribbean creatives together. One such initiative, Mama Baranka a project of Wintertuin Curaçao, gathers young writers and migrant mothers from Curaçao, Venezuela, Haiti, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. Through guided writing sessions, participants replace stereotypes with lived narratives of movement, care, and home.

Food, too, becomes a site of connection. Chef Weizman Seide’s Caribbean Culinary Community traces shared culinary traditions across the English, French, Dutch, and Spanish-speaking Caribbean, creating exchanges that extend from the region into Europe — an edible map of Caribbean interconnectedness.

Some projects take on monument-making directly. In the Commonwealth of Dominica, Edward Collins’ Koudmen Across the Sea installed large public sculptures shaped like hands, facing neighbouring islands. Koudmen means “giving a helping hand,” and the work speaks powerfully to Caribbean solidarity. In Guyana, Janelle Persaud’s Before Us digitally records the voices of elders in the remote ecologically diverse region of the Rupununi, ensuring that ancestral knowledge about land, survival, and history remains accessible to younger generations.

An Insider’s View of the Region

“Working with the fund gives you a completely different view of the Caribbean,” says Magnus. “It’s a private tour, through galleries and museums, yes, but also through alleyways and reclaimed spaces, kitch-

ens, and caves. These are the places where culture is actually made.”

That perspective is shaped by CCF’s juries — rotating panels of respected creatives drawn from across the region. Past jurors have included Haitian writer Edwidge Danticat, Sonia Gill of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, and Natalie Urquhart, Director of the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Their task is a difficult one. While artistic ambition in the Caribbean is abundant, resources are not.

The fund’s 80 supported projects represent only a fraction of the more than 1,000 applications received to date. Many come from artists working outside capital cities, major institutions, or commercial markets — places where cultural work is most fragile, yet often most vital.

Why Support Matters Now

This year, the Caribbean Culture Fund plans to expand its reach: supporting more countries, increasing residencies and fellowships, and inviting companies and individuals to participate through its matching gift programme.

“Caribbean artists are already doing the work,” says Grants Manager Katharina Ehrmann. “What they need is sustained support to continue.”

To learn more about the Caribbean Culture Fund , the creatives it supports, and how you can be a part of our movement’s success to preserve and promote our Caribbean Identity to the world, visit caribbeanculturefund.org | P

CCF has funded projects that take place in more than 20 countries in the Caribbean:

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

ARUBA

BAHAMAS

BARBADOS

BELIZE

CAYMAN ISLANDS

CURAÇAO

DOMINICA

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

FRENCH GUIANA

GRENADA

GUADELOUPE

GUYANA

HAITI

JAMAICA

MARTINIQUE

PUERTO RICO

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

ST. LUCIA

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

SURINAME

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

MEET THE LEGEND:

THE SOUND ALCHEMIST OF WICKIE WACKIE UNCLE RONNIE

THERE IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE, JUST OUTSIDE OF KINGSTON, WHERE THE AIR IS FILLED WITH SURREAL MAGIC AND WHERE ART, SOUND, AND SURFING INFLUENCE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND — THE COASTLINE OF WICKIE WACKIE.

By GIOVANNA VOLPE

When I build a sound system I want it to be used for a spiritual connection.

” “

It is in this place, that Ronald ‘Uncle Ronnie’ Jarrett transforms wood and hidden physics into art. The universe of Jamaican sound systems is legendary, global and beloved. Uncle Ronnie is one of Jamaica’s most legendary sound-system builders whose custom rigs have vibrated not only dancehalls at home but also stages around the world. His systems have carried Jamaican bass across continents, from Kingston street dances to international bookings in cities like Dubai.

This is luxury with Jamaican soul.

He stepped into the art of sound system building in the 60s while still in high school.

And for decades

now, he has upheld the island’s sonic heritage — turning wood, wires, and acoustic know-how into vessels of culture, memory, and heartbeat. In this industry, Uncle Ronnie is not merely a craftsman. He is a luxury artisan.

Every speaker that emerges from his Wickie Wackie workshop feels like a limited-edition piece from a haute couture maison: rare, uncompromising, sartorial, and impossible to replicate.

With Uncle Ronnie, nothing is mass-produced. Nothing is ordinary. Nothing is ever the same twice.

The Architecture of a Whisper

Luxury, true luxury, is never loud. It whispers. In Ronnie’s world, that whisper takes the form of precision cuts, hand-tuned cavities, and acoustic chambers shaped like an

avant-garde sculpture. Each cabinet is individually conceptualised — never duplicated.

Each piece is an individual concept, engineered to breathe. The bass does not merely vibrate; it envelops. The highs do not just ring; they shimmer with the clarity of a vintage champagne. The result? A sound that doesn’t just fill a room — it owns it.

Wickie Wackie: His Riviera, His Muse

Most craftsmen run from environmental challenges; Ronnie embraces them like inspiration. The sea outside his door is not just scenery — it’s a collaborator.

“I love looking at the sea and listening to the waves” he expresses. The wind, the shifting sand, the rolling surf create a natural sound laboratory.

“When I moved to Wickie Wackie with my smaller systems, I realised that those sounded good in Kingston but here, with the wind and the waves, it just wasn’t good enough anymore. So that forced me to start to design and build systems that were very powerful but at the same time they were really good to listen to” When Ronnie tests a speaker, it must

cut through all of it. It must rise above the ocean’s authority. Only in Wickie Wackie could a sound system gain this kind of legendary clarity and force. The place is remote, almost sacred. One might say that the land itself inspires and participates in the tuning process. Indeed, where others heard noise, Ronnie heard music.

The Maestro Behind the System

Acommission is a slow, intentional conversation. It is a partnership between the seeker and the maker. However, don’t ask Uncle Ronnie to build a system that looks like another system. “I see myself as an artist”, he states also highlighting the crucial importance of the designing process. “The most important part of sound system building is in the design of that wood cabinet where the speaker sits into. If I didn’t design it I’m not building it”. Ronnie is a guardian of authenticity and of the “whenever it is perfect in his ears”. In a world obsessed with the “now”, he reminds us that excellence cannot be rushed, and that the most meaningful luxuries are those earned through patience. This is luxury with Jamaican soul. Authentic. Powerful. Undiluted.

Purpose and Culture

“I realised I can play a role to pass what I know onto young people”, he proudly states while adding he contributes his time to teach a class at Alpha Music School in Kingston, where they have a sound system course.

With his ambitious aim to bring ‘Street Dance’ culture abroad, Uncle Ronnie has been building his global reputation while remaining refreshingly enigmatic.

He shuns the spotlight. He avoids creative compromise. He protects the culture with the intensity of a guardian. The man is a philosopher disguised as an engineer; a mystic who hears the world in frequencies; a cultural archivist who shares his knowledge to build the future from the past.

Why Uncle Ronnie Captivates Me

Ipersonally consider myself blessed to have had genuine reasoning sessions with Uncle Ronnie, and be captivated by his calmness, contagious laughter and words of wisdom. In an era obsessed with convenience, speed, and digital shortcuts, Uncle Ronnie is a rebellion —

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a needed reminder that true luxury is tactile, emotional, uncompromising. He builds speakers the way great artists paint canvases: with patience, obsession, and devotion. “When I build a sound system I want it to be used for a spiritual connection, that can come in the form of a party where people experience oneness and love”. He understands that sound is not merely entertainment — it is memory, presence, seduction, transcendence.

A nd that is why, in a sunlit corner of Wickie Wackie, surrounded by wind, sea, salt, and genius, a legendary craftsman continues to shape Jamaica’s legacy one exquisite, thunderous masterpiece at a time. | P

By the SPORTS EDITOR

RORC CARIBBEAN 600

Precision, Power, and Passion

The 2026 RORC Caribbean 600, the 17th edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s classic offshore passage race, delivered a spectacle of tactical racing, technical seamanship and international competition.

The Caribbean 600 remains an enduring test of seamanship, strategy and sheer resolve

Leopard 3 secured overall victory under the IRC handicap system, earning the coveted 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy

Beginning on 23 February 2026, in English Harbour, Antigua, this year’s event brought together a fleet of more than 50 yachts and nearly 500 sailors from over 30 countries to tackle the 600-nautical-mile course weaving around eleven Caribbean islands.

From Fort Charlotte’s historic start line atop Pillars of Hercules to the final return to Antigua’s waters, crews faced variable winds, sharp currents, and complex land-induced effects that reshaped the expected narratives. The south-easterly trade winds set a tone of precision and adaptation — less about brute speed and more about consistent performance, nuanced navigation, and clean execution over every mile.

Consistency, strategic choices, and error-free sailing are often the deciding factors across such a demanding course ” “

Monohull Line Honours: A Classic Maxi Duel

In the monohull division, the 2026 Caribbean 600 offered one of its most compelling big-boat duels in recent memory. Two 100-foot maxi yachts, Black Jack 100 and Leopard 3, engaged in a closely fought battle throughout the course. Ultimately it was Remon Vos RP100 Black Jack 100, skippered by Tristan Le Brun, that clinched monohull line honours with a time of 1 day, 20 hours, 31 minutes and 36 seconds, edging Leopard 3 after a marathon race marked by alternating leads and shifting advantage across multiple tactical legs.

The drama unfolded in earnest around wind shadows and coastal effects near Guadeloupe FWI and other islands. Leopard 3, helmed by Dutch owner-skipper Joost Schuijff, excelled upwind in steady 15–20 knot breezes and at times held the advantage.

Black Jack’s success was a testament to tactical patience and exploiting wind angle shifts, as well as seamless crew work. “…It’s fantastic when you’re head to head with similar boats. Who wins? You don’t know. That’s important,” Vos commented after the finish.

IRC Overall Winner: Leopard 3 Claims Top Corrected Time

Despite finishing second in line honours, Leopard 3 secured overall victory under the IRC handicap system, earning the coveted RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy in what many described as a complete and consistent performance. The race’s variable wind conditions played into Leopard 3’s strengths on upwind and reaching legs, and meticulous teamwork ensured the boat maximised every favourable shift and maintained momentum where others faltered. The yacht was built by McConaughy Boats in Australia and launched in 2007, then refitted in 2017 to shed 10 tons of weight.

Skipper Joost Schuijff and his crew expressed elation at capturing the IRC title, dubbing it their most satisfying Caribbean 600 yet. For many competitors it’s not just about raw speed alone — consistency, strategic choices and error-free sailing are often the deciding factors across such a demanding course.

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Opposite page: OPENING AND CLOSING PARTY, photos ©Arthur Daniel

Multihull Thrills: Argo Prevails in Tight MOD70 Finish

The multihull division was no less thrilling.

Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo blasted through the course to secure multihull line honours in 1 day, 12 hours, 1 minute and 46 seconds, edging fellow MOD70 Final Final – Zoulou by just over three minutes after more than 36 hours of racing. The close finish emphasised how even in high-speed classes, strategic decisions and split-second timing — such as tack choices and route selection — can be decisive.

Class Battles and Seamanship: Stories Across the Fleet

Beyond the headline results, the 2026 Caribbean 600 was rich with compelling subplots in class racing that showcased both competition and character:

• In IRC Zero, the powerful Mach 50 Palanad 4 – E. Leclerc emerged victorious after a sustained campaign against strong opposition.

• IRC One saw RP42 Rikki take class honours, narrowly besting fierce rivals in a duel that came down to mere minutes on corrected time after nearly three days of racing.

• IRC Two — the largest class in this edition — delivered a memorable race for Grand Soleil 46 Belladonna, whose victory was a personal milestone for owner-skipper Richard Dilley and his crew.

• The MOCRA multihull division featured a narrative of resilience with Ocean 50 Calamity bouncing back from earlier season setbacks to take the class win.

• In the Class40 fleet, Solano’s victory was accompanied by a vivid demonstration of offshore solidarity: when the MOCRA catamaran Cata Sensation capsized in squally conditions, Solano and nearby competitors diverted to effect a rapid rescue, retrieving all six crew safely before completing their own race.

Team Martinique Horizon

Skippered by Jean-Yves Aglaë and crewed by Martinicans and Guadeloupeans, Martinique Horizon finished 4th in t he Class40 category. Early race tracking showed Martinique Horizon running fourth in the Class40 fleet after the St. Barts transit checkpoint. At that point the boat was 44 minutes 45 seconds behind Scowling Dragon, which was third in the class. While they did not make the podium, the team maintained competitive pace against newer Class40 designs and successfully completed one of the Caribbean’s toughest offshore races.

Tradition, Celebration and Looking Ahead

The 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 was capped with a prize-giving at the Antigua Yacht Club — a festive culmination attended by dignitaries, sponsors, and competitors alike. As the sun set on the island renowned for its 365 beaches, the awards ceremony not only celebrated winners across divisions but also the spirit and camaraderie that define this unique race.

As anticipation builds for the 18th edition set for February 2027, the Caribbean 600 remains an enduring test of seamanship, strategy and sheer resolve — a race that continues to attract the world’s best while honouring the classic values of offshore sailing. | P

The Lounge at Pierre’s on the ground floor of the grand plantation-styled building is a refined space re-imagined for your enjoyment, and seamlessly connects to Pierre’s Restaurant upstairs

The Lounge at Pierre’s, Islamorada Florida,

PIERRE’S RESTAURANT

— A Global Culinary Journey in the Heart of Islamorada...

By

At the heart of the Sports Fishing Capital of the World lies the village of Islamorada, nestled between Miami and Key West at mile marker 81.6.

HAn invitation into the hallowed halls of his kitchen for an intimate glimpse into his craft

ere, food lovers have long been discovering the refined gourmet menus of Pierre’s Restaurant, one of the Florida Keys’ most celebrated fine dining destinations. Showcasing French fusion cuisine with regional and global influences, Pierre’s has been praised by Zagat as “one of the top all-around dining experiences” in the Keys. Exquisite cuisine and crisp white linens are framed by magical sunsets, where silhouettes of swaying palm trees and sailboats glide across Morada Bay. The Lounge at Pierre’s, situated on the ground floor of the grand plantation-style two-storey building, offers a relaxed yet refined atmosphere for aperitifs and light bites, seamlessly connecting to Pierre’s Restaurant upstairs. Together, they create a harmonious setting where guests can enjoy both casual elegance and fine dining against the stunning backdrop of the bay.

Aperitifs at The Lounge at Pierre’s

We began our evening in the Lounge with aperitifs — fruit infused cocktails and spicy margaritas paired with savoury bites of seafood and braised meat tartlets. With the doors open wide, a fragrant tropical breeze drifted in from the shoreline, accompanied by the intermittent crow of Pierre’s famed mascot cockerels, proudly parading their colourful plumage. Their spirited presence competed playfully with the hum of well-dressed diners flowing in for an evening of curated haute cuisine in a sublime setting, accented by décor collected from around the globe.

An Evening with Chef Stuart Dove

Heading upstairs, we were warmly welcomed by Chef Stuart Dove, who leads both menu design and the culinary team at Pierre’s. As he guided us through the evening’s offerings, Chef Dove surprised us with a special treat — an invitation into the hallowed halls of his kitchen for an intimate glimpse into his craft. The dishes prepared that evening would take us on a culinary journey around the world, inspired by four of his favourite destinations.

Faroe Islands Salmon (Hot Smoked)

Our first course featured Faroe Islands hotsmoked salmon, a sushi-grade fish that is a favourite of guests, and farmed in the pristine, fast-moving, icy waters of this North Atlantic volcanic archipelago. The salmon’s firm yet silky texture delivered a luxurious, buttery freshness with a clean finish, ideal for gourmet dining.

Chef Dove gently smoked the fish over sweet applewood chips, enhancing its delicate flavour while preserving its signature velvety richness. It was accompanied by crushed fingerling potatoes with lemon oil, fresh tomato concassé and basil, a savoury briny puttanesca paste, and bursts of salinity from smoked trout roe, all finished with a classic beurre blanc brightened with citrus. The pairing: an Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Village Enseignères 2023, offering pear notes with a crisp citrus sparkle.

Sea Bass (Loup de Mer)

Our second course was European sea bass (Branzino), a prized Mediterranean fish known for its delicate, flaky texture and subtly sweet, nutty undertones. Chef Dove grilled the sea bass over cherrywood, achieving a moist, tender interior while crisping the skin to perfection.

Served on skewers, the dish was plated with a bright, lightly fermented fennel pikliz for acidity; caramelised ripe plantains for sweetness; a velvety

coconut crab bisque sauce delivering gentle heat; and locally sourced avocados pureed to a cool cream balanced the richness. The Caribbean-inspired flavours danced effortlessly on the palate, bringing island flair to the Keys. This vibrant dish was paired with a classic 2014 Sancerre from Domaine des Vieux Pruniers, offering refreshing brightness and minerality.

Lamb Tagine

The third course, my personal favourite, was a lamb tagine inspired by traditional Moroccan Berber cuisine. This dish showcased Chef Dove’s signature style of layering flavours to create a seamless fusion of cultures.

Dry-aged Colorado lamb, chosen to concentrate flavour, was marinated in warm North African spices and grilled over high heat to achieve a tender, pink interior. It was accompanied by fluffy date and almond couscous cooked in saffron water, delivering natural sweetness and crunch; slowbraised lamb neck to deepen the aromatic spice profile; a refreshing mint and lime dressing; and a sprinkling of colourful pomegranate seeds. Warm flatbread and cool zucchini tzatziki completed the dish, providing balance and contrast.

The pairing — a 2017 Argyle Pinot Noir Reserve from Oregon — offered layered raspberry and cherry notes that glided to a long, elegant finish.

Surf and Turf

The final course is Pierre’s most popular menu item: Surf and Turf, a classic American dish that originated in the early 1960s as a symbol of post-war affluence. Chef Dove presented this Eastmeets-West Coast “Continental cuisine” as an expression of America’s culinary melting pot, and its influence on global food culture.

A Creekstone Farm Prime fillet, prized for its exceptional tenderness and rich marbling, was lightly seasoned, expertly grilled, and seared to a caramelised crust before finishing at a buttery

Chef Dove’s signature style of layering flavours to create a seamless fusion of cultures.

Pierre’s is more than a restaurant—it’s a cultural experience. The architecture nods to colonial West African homes, while the interior weaves together design elements from around the world.

medium-rare. Florida lobster was gently butter-poached in seafood stock to preserve its natural sweetness.

The accompaniments included silky parsnip purée, wilted spinach, crispy truffle fries tossed with truffle aioli and grated truffle pecorino, and a rich red-wine Bordelaise, all contrasted by a bright, herbaceous chimichurri. This indulgent “best of both worlds” experience was paired with a 2018 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault, offering creamy, nutty notes with a delicate floral finish.

Closing the Evening

W(T-B): EXECUTIVE

e descended to the bay-view veranda of The Lounge at Pierre’s, where breathtaking vistas of Morada Bay unfolded before us. Amid lively conversation and hearty laughter, we savoured digestifs of exquisite French cognacs and smooth American bourbons. With hand-rolled Dominican cigars in hand, we raised our tumblers in a toast to renewed camaraderie and enduring friendships, celebrating a truly memorable evening of culinary excellence curated by Chef Dove against the stunning backdrop of the expansive bay.

About Chef Stuart Dove

Hailing from Brighton, England, Chef Stuart Dove discovered his passion for the culinary arts at age 17 while working in restaurant kitchens across Australia, rising from steward to prep cook to grill chef. Upon returning to the UK, he enrolled in culinary school, graduating in record time at top of his class, and went on to work with acclaimed Chef Mark Emmerson in Brighton.

Chef Dove later returned to Australia, refining his craft in the restaurants of northern Sydney’s scenic Hawkesbury River region. Eager to expand his repertoire, he returned to England and perfected his skills at Gordon Ramsay’s three-Michelin-star restaurant in London. Over the years, he has developed a masterful palette of flavour profiles, deconstructing and reassembling them with the finest ingredients to delight discerning diners from diverse backgrounds and tastes. | P

VILLA COACHELLA

Tailored to our guests’ needs, Coachella’s mission is to make your stay unique and memorable, and to give you the best possible experience. Coachella’s team is available at any time throughout your stay and is glad to help with any specific requests or additional service. A thoughtfully designed living space, Coachella designed living space — Coachella strikes the perfect balance between comfort and functionality. The private spa invites ultimate relaxation with a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, lounges, a nd cold plunge. For entertainment, a cinema room and Sonos sound system set the mood, while an iPad-controlled domotic system allows for effortless customisation of lighting and ambiance. highstay.com

PRINCESS SENSES THE MANGROVE JAMAICA Over Water Villas extends to guests a private escape into a world of refined curated details in a quiet setting enveloped by nature ©Photo Courtesy of Princess Senses The Mangrove

princess senses the mangrove jamaica overwater villas offers a sensual escape

Experience the epitome of Caribbean luxury at Princess Senses The Mangrove in Jamaica: 14 breathtaking overwater villas await you, featuring private infinity pools, ocean views, and glass sea view flooring. These villas feature thoughtful amenities such as indoor/outdoor rain showers for a true island-living experience, floating breakfasts served in your private pool, seamless in-suite check-in and check-out, premium airport transfers. Guests also receive exclusive access to the Platinum Club’s rooftop bar, fine-dining restaurant and infinity pool, priority à la carte restaurant reservations, a private beach area with butler service, and a private pool with an exclusive bar. princesssenses.com

Your luxurious accommodations at Princess Senses The Mangrove, Overwater Villas. Here, you can indulge in the opulence of a double rain shower and a private balcony, ensuring a perfect end to each exhilarating day.

offers a unique private experience complemented by the personalised services and amenities of a five star resort.

From the Lifestyle EDITOR’S DESK

BAOASE LUXURY RESORT

On a quiet stretch of shoreline in Curaçao, beyond carved wooden doors, there is a place where the world seems to stand still.

.

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BAOASE ENTRANCE; CULINARY BEACH RESTAURANT GAZEBO; ROMANTIC GAZEBO; INDIAN THEME NIGHT; TROPICAL POOL VILLA

©Photo Courtesy of Baoase Luxury Resort Curacao

IA place to step barefoot and feel grounded again. ” “

nspired by the serenity of Bali and grounded in the Caribbean landscape, the resort unfolds with intention. The faint scent of salt carried in from the sea. The gentle rhythm of waves folding into the sand. At Baoase Luxury Resort, arrival feels less like checking in and more like stepping into a softer version of time.

Each villa and suite feels like a private sanctuary. With a limited collection of accommodations, every detail feels considered, every gesture thoughtful. Outdoor showers open toward the sky. Private pools shimmer beneath the palms. Interiors extend seamlessly onto patios, creating a bridge to nature. This intimacy is deliberate.

Culinary expression reflects the same philosophy of balance and ease. At the oceanfront Culinary Beach Restaurant, dining is experienced as a fluid progression rather than a performance. Above the shoreline, Sunset Deck Restaurant offers a different perspective overlooking the calming waves, as the sky shifts from gold to indigo. Fresh local ingredients prepared with care, flavours layered yet balanced, plates composed with precision rather than excess. Meals are unhurried, service anticipates quietly, like a tide that knows when to approach and when to retreat.

Beyond the shoreline, Curaçao pulses with colour — pastel façades, hidden coves, vibrant markets, and a history shaped by movement and culture. After exploration, Baoase remains a quiet return. A place to step barefoot and feel grounded again.

There is a relaxed confidence here. Baoase’s beauty is not theatrical; it deepens over time, like light settling across the water at dusk. It is this rare balance — discretion paired with sincerity — that has earned Baoase global recognition. The resort was voted #1 in the Caribbean by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveller, an extraordinary distinction in a region celebrated for its iconic hospitality. Yet beyond accolades, what endures is the feeling itself: a quiet certainty that when stillness is protected and intentional, it becomes its own form of luxury.

Baoase offers not escape, but restoration. Not performance, but presence. And in that presence, stillness becomes food for the soul. | P

By GIOVANNA VOLPE

BAD BUNNY

The Relentless Pulse of a Global Star

From the Caribbean small-town vibe of Vega Baja to the biggest stages on Earth.

Debí Tirar Más Fotos — his sixth studio album, a deeply personal, political, and culturally reverent record that turned global attention into a lens focused sharply on Puerto Rico’s soul.

There are artistes, and then, there are cultural tectonic plates — artistes whose albums, performances, every public gesture seems to shake something deeper in the world’s consciousness.

BAD BUNNY, ©Photo courtesy of Nicole Sweet

Bad Bunny stands squarely in that latter category: not merely a musician, but a cultural force, a storyteller and a beacon of Puerto Rican identity. From the streets of Vega Baja to the biggest stages on Earth, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio — the man the world knows as Bad Bunny — has upended definitions of stardom, language, identity, and what it means to truly belong.

Born in 1994 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny’s story begins with a young boy singing in church choirs, absorbing the rhythms of salsa and merengue at home, and experimenting with words and melodies on SoundCloud. That early DIY spirit was not a stepping stone — it was a foundation. While working nights as a bagger in a local supermercado, he studied audiovisual communications at the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo and began recording tracks that blurred genre boundaries and defied easy categorisation.

His stage name, ‘Bad Bunny’ came from a childhood photo: dressed in a bunny suit with a grumpy expression, the image stayed with him — and so did the idea that playful name could stick. It did. And it became iconic.

The Sound That Captures The World

Bad Bunny didn’t just enter the reggaeton and trap music scenes — he reframed them. Long before global

superstardom, he was known as the ‘King of Latin Trap’, a title earned through his effortless ability to take the raw energy of trap, the rhythmic vibrancy of reggaeton, and the soul of Caribbean music, and fuse them into something wholly new and exhilarating. His breakout projects weren’t safe; they were adventurous, playful, and inherently Puerto Rican in spirit.

Albums like YHLQMDLG, Un Verano Sin Ti, and Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana didn’t just top charts — they embedded themselves into the cultural moment. They moved millions to dance, to feel, to reflect. They were summers, heartbreaks, rebellions, and celebrations — either through acoustic moments or club anthems infused with electronic beats and Afro-Caribbean flourishes.

Then came Debí Tirar Más Fotos — his sixth studio album, a deeply personal, political, and culturally reverent record that turned global attention into a lens focused sharply on Puerto Rico’s soul. The record blends traditional Puerto Rican sounds with reggaeton and urban beats, delivering an emotional resonance few mainstream albums achieve. In doing so, he didn’t just make an album; he wrote a love letter to his homeland.

Historic Wins and Global Acknowledgment

Bad Bunny’s influence isn’t just felt in the streets and dance floors — it’s been recognised at the highest levels of the music industry. In 2026, Debí Tirar Más Fotos made history at the Grammy Awards, winning Album of the Year — the first Spanish-language album ever to do so — along with Best Música Urbana Album, cementing his place as a global music titan. His acceptance speeches, delivered largely in Spanish and rich with acknowledgments of Puerto Rican resilience and immigrant struggles, stood as both celebration and statement. Across award shows and stages, critics and peers have taken note. Ricky Martin himself praised Bad Bunny for achieving global heights without erasing his roots, a testament to the artist’s fierce authenticity.

More Than Music: Activism, Identity, Self-Expression

What makes Bad Bunny monumental isn’t just his music — it’s the intentionality behind it. He is one of the few global stars who uses his platform to spotlight social issues, from LGBTQ+ rights to Puerto Rican political struggles, and immigrant experiences. Whether it’s wearing culturally symbolic attire or making political

statements in interviews and performances, he consistently centres voices and experiences often marginalised i n mainstream media.

His influence also extends into fashion: on stage he’s often blending high-fashion tailoring with “bold colours and rich textures, using style to assert identity, elegance, and self-expression”.

Record-Shattering Tours and Worldwide Reach

Beyond studio accomplishments, Bad Bunny’s live career has been nothing short of seismic. His Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour shattered ticket sales records, selling millions of tickets in days and expanding stadium runs across continents, drawing comparisons to historic tours by music legends.

When his concerts kick into full gear, they transcend mere performance. They become shared experiences: communities dancing together, generations bridging through music, and cultural pride displayed like a vibrant tapestry. In Puerto Rico, fans don straw hats, wave flags, and echo the rhythms that pulse from him — transforming arenas into cathartic celebrations of identity and joy.

The Super Bowl and Cultural Statement

In 2026, Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show crystallised the full arc of his global impact — an artist rooted deeply in Puerto Rican culture commanding one of the world’s most iconic stages. Fans across the U.S.A. have turned this moment into a cultural celebration with “Benito Bowl” watch parties that double as statements of pride and community belonging.

A Legacy in Motion

At 31, Bad Bunny is already a legend. But unlike many stars whose peaks burn bright and fade fast, his influence feels generational — catalytic, not consumable. He reflects a world that refuses to be boxed in by language or borders. His music speaks in Spanish, yes — but it also speaks to something universal: resilience, joy, complexity, identity, and unapologetic self-expression. In doing so, he has redefined what global pop stardom looks like in the 21st century.

Some see him merely as a musician; others know he’s a translator of cultural feeling — a voice that carries both the weight of history and the promise of tomorrow. And that, perhaps, is the true power of Bad Bunny: not only what he sings but why we feel it. | P

Models: Elena Faliez, Deborah, Blanca Blanco, Candice Gauch

Set Design: Gil Tardieu

Director of Photography: Frédéric PouzinVideo Reporter: Fisheyefilm; Photo Reporter: PressCrea – GoRunway by Launchmetrics

Spotlight; Makeup: Campus des Maquilleurs; Hair: Salon Jérôme Levas, Laurence Grammont/Raphaël Perrier & Elysées Marbeuf Staff Manager: Clémentine Durand

CHRISTOPHE GUILLARMÉ

Autumn /Winter 2026 Collection

Christophe Guillarmé drew inspiration from the iconic film Nine 1/2 Weeks—specifically Kim Basinger’s famous striptease scene behind the Venetian blinds—creating an interplay of irregular stripes that echoes the staccato, sensual rhythm of horizontal lines. Christophe presents highly contrasting silhouettes featuring raised, ribbed textures and cascading ruffles.

FiNAL LOOK

BERMUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

Named Official Tourism Partner of the U.S. SailGP Team for the 2026

Season.

The U.S. SailGP Team has named the Bermuda Tourism Authority its Official Tourism Partner for the 2026 season — bringing together elite high-performance sport and one of the world’s most iconic sailing destinations. Mike Buckley, CEO of the U.S. SailGP Team, noted, the collaboration reflects a shared passion for performance, innovation, and the ocean, while providing a powerful platform to bring Bermuda’s story to life around the world. This partnership will be activated across key moments in the U.S. SailGP Team calendar, including the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix (May 9–10) and the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix (May 30–31). Through integrated marketing campaigns, global digital storytelling, on-water branding, and fan engagement initiatives, Bermuda will be showcased to an international audience of passionate sailing and sport enthusiasts. This partnership represents a strategic opportunity to convert global attention into meaningful connection, positioning Bermuda not only as a host venue, but as a must-visit destination. | P ussailgpteam.com | gotobermuda.com

PREFERRED PARTNERS

Stocking PARADIS in their rooms, spas, and lounges.

ANGUILLA

Four Seasons Resort & Residences

Belmond Cap Juluca

Malliouhana

ANTIGUA

Jumby Bay Island, an Oetker Collection of Masterpiece Hotels

Tamarind Hills

ARUBA

The Ritz-Carlton Spa

Private Jet Terminal

BAHAMAS

The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort

The Rosewood, Bahamar

BARBADOS

Cobblers Cove, Relais & Chateaux

Port St. Charles Villas & Marina

Port Ferdinand Luxury

Residences

The Fairmont Royal Pavilion

BARBUBA

Barbuda Belle Luxury

Beach Hotel

BERMUDA

Rosewood Bermuda

Azura Bermuda

BONAIRE

Harbour Village Resort

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Rosewood Little Dix Bay

CAYMAN ISLANDS

The Ritz Carlton, Spa

The Westin Resort Spa

Kimpton Seafire Spa

CUBA

Gran Hotel Manzana

Kempinski, La Habana

CURACAO

Baoase Luxury Resort

Airport VIP Lounge

DOMINICA

(The Commonwealth of)

InterContinental Dominica

Cabrits Resort & Spa, an IHG Hotel

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

W Hotel Punta Cana

Tortuga Bay Punta Cana

Resort & Club

Casa de Campo Resort & Villas

GRENADA

Silversands Beach House

Silversands Resort Grand Anse

Mount Cinnamon Resort and Beach Club

GUADELOUPE

Hôtel La Toubana

Villas Chez Flo

JAMAICA

Round Hill Hotel & Villas

Half Moon Hotel & Villas

The Cliff Hotel Negril

Island Outpost Properties — Golden Eye | Strawberry Hill

The Caves

Jamaica Inn

MARTINIQUE

Le Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa La Suite Villas

MEXICAN CARIBBEAN

MAROMA, A Belmond Resort (Riviera Maya)

NEVIS

Four Seasons Resort

Montpelier Plantation Inn

PUERTO RICO

Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Dorado Beach Spa

The Plantation Residences, Dorado Beach

SABA

Queen’s Garden Resort

ST. BARTHELEMY

Le Guanahani Hotel

Le Toiny, Relais & Chateaux

ST. EUSTATIUS

The Old Gin House

Golden Rock Dive & Nature Resort

ST. KITTS

The Park Hyatt

Kittitian Hill Belle Mont Farm, Boutique Hotel

ST. LUCIA

Cap Maison Luxury Boutique Hotel

Ladera Resort

ST. MARTIN

Belmond La Samanna

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES

Mandarin Oriental Pink Sands Club, Canaoun Island

Petit St.Vincent Private Island

Sandy Lane Yacht Club & Residences

TOBAGO

The Villas at Stonehaven

TURKS & CAICOS

The Palms

The Shore Club

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Residences

AIRPORT LOUNGES

Barbados

Curacao Hato International Airport

Grenada

Kingston

St. Kitts

Miami (Am Ex, Latam)

Sint Maarten

Aruba