ELYSIAN Women Inspiring Women
DISPLAY UNTIL AUG. 25, 2025
elysian /el-ee-sian/
{adj.} Greek
1. Beautiful or creative; divinely inspired; peaceful and perfect. 2. Relating to or characteristics of heaven or paradise. “Elysian visions”
danahareldesign.com
ABSTRACT BRICK COLLECTION
ABSTRACT TWEED COLLECTION
WWW.CLAIREFLORENCE.COM
124 Our Most Iconic Women
146
OUR FAVORITE BIOGRAPHIES.
an
Elysian 10 Year Anniversary Art Gallery
190 Land of Enchantment A GALLERY OF THE MOST MAGNIFICENT WORKS OF ART TO HAVE GRACED OUR PAGES.
FROM ELYSIAN SUMMER 2024 (THE WELLNESS ISSUE).
BY KATE McMULLEN
ELYSIAN VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 2 THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE / L’ÉDIITION DU DIXIÈME ANNIVERSAIRE ÉTÉ 2025
222 some enchanted
evening
238 252 WOMEN FROM ELYSIAN SUMMER 2021 BY SIMONE BAUDELAIRE-FARROW
windows to the SOUL
THE UNSETTLING MASKS OF THE ARTIST KNOWN AS DAMSELFRAU FROM ELYSIAN SUMMER 2020. BY DEBRA SPARK
The
Who Inspire Us TEN YEARS OF INSPIRING WOMAN INTERVIEWS
Entitled: I Am by Isabelle Van Zeijl, featuring herself, as model and artist. “The Passion Of Isabelle Van Zeijl” from Spring 2022 (The ART Issue). COURTESY OF THE ARTIST & RACHEL UFFNER GALLERY
20 anniversary feature
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Women Inspiring Women. - BY ASTRID WOLFE
fashion&culture Ten Years of “Fashion & Culture.”
art&history
72 architecture&interiors MUSE from ELYSIAN Spring 2022 (The Art Issue). - BY VERITY GALSWORTHY
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112
Ten Years of Magnificent Design.
food&dining Ten Years of First Class Reservations.
travel&adventure Written in the Stars. - BY CORDELIA LEAR
258 beauty&style
WAR PAINT from Spring 2024 (The Women & War Issue). - BY PEARL LUSTRE
health&wellness 266
Health First, Everything Else Will Follow: Revisiting A Decade of Wellness.
294 aspiring&connecting ELYSIAN’s Next Chapter - BY SINDIE FITZGERALD-RANKIN
308back story
From our first magazine launch outside the Elysian offices in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to issue release events in Napa Valley, California; Basel, Switzerland; Palm Beach, Florida; New York, New York; Nashville, Tennessee; and the Vatican City in Rome, Italy, to name a few.
on the cover
Ten Year Art by Christina Kesten. Christina’s studio, ‘Graceful Madness,’ created on the approach that artistic technique embodies the spirit of metamodernism, seamlessly blending the organic and digital, the traditional and contemporary.
From “A Ground-breaking Fashion Experience To Benefit Our Furry Friends,” ELYSAIN Spring 2023 (The Art & Prose Issue). PHOTOGRAPH BY CONRADO / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
ELYSIAN Impact: A Decade of Caring. BY CYNTHIA SIMMONS
philanthropy
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c r e at o r - i n - c h i e f
publisher
Karen Floyd digital marketing & newsletter
comptroller
Amber Edwards
Anna Christian
d i g i ta l i n n o vat i o r
philanthropy
& i m pa c t
Ryan Stalvey film
& video
production
Garrick Lane & development
writer
legal
Elliot Derhay
Jason Spencer
Eric Nodine
d i g i ta l s t r at e g y
events
o u t r e a c h c o o r d i n at o r
c o m m u n i t y a f fa i r s
Don Bailey
Carolyn Schoepf
Mary Helen Wade
Ann Bible
Joey Iannetta
Kimberli Scott Still
p u b l i c a f fa i r s
Boone Peeler
web design
Nicola Doring
lead photographer
e d i t o r i a l a s s i s ta n t
photographer
d i g i ta l s t r at e g y
social media
Michael Paniccia
Marcy Dubroff
Joy Smallwood
Christiana Purves
Michelle Young
audio production
office manager
liaison
p r o d u c t i o n a s s i s ta n t
Ark Tofan
Becky Kerr
Rita Allison
Aidan Stanton
contributing writers
Marcy Dubroff, Verity Galsworthy, Suzanne Johnson, Cordelia Lear, Kate McMullen, Christy Nielson, Samantha Paige, Sindie Fitzgerald-Rankin, Cynthia Simmons, Debra Spark, Astrid Wolfe copy editors
Nancy Brady, Monya Havekost, Diane High p u b l i c r e l at i o n s
printer
c i r c u l at i o n s p e c i a l i s t
c o n s u lta n t
Norah Lawlor
Joe Giuffrida/Mega Mailers
Greg Wolfe
Carmel Fauci
w w w . r e a d e ly s i a n . c o m ELYSIAN Magazine is published four times per year by Palladian Publications LLC., 113 W. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29306. For subscription information, call 864-342-6500. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
elysian is proud to feature our updated ios app, redesigned from the ground up to maximize your experience — download now in the app store to read and view exclusive elysian content, watch livestreams and participate in our special events.
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YOU CAN’T REALLY KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING UNTIL YOU KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN.” —MAYA ANGELOU
EN YEARS AGO, I wrote . . . ELYSIAN, our premise
Greek in origin, the word Elysian means beautiful, creative, divinely inspired, peaceful, and perfect. It is with this idea in mind that our magazine ELYSIAN is launched. ELYSIAN strives to serve the reader with both beautiful visuals and alluring content. I am forever grateful to the team of professionals that has come together in South Carolina to tackle such an endeavor. As a woman left motherless by breast cancer, much of my life has been spent searching for exceptional women to emulate . . . women personifying grace, intelligence, kindness, sophistication, inner peace, and beauty. As a young lawyer entering the workforce in the mid-1980s, it was challenging for me to find relatable female role models. So, too, were my findings in later years when I was recruited into the business arena. In light of these experiences, each edition of ELYSIAN will explore the private lives of four extraordinary women. Intimate interviews will delve into the intricacies and nuances of how these women came to achieve notable uniqueness. Excerpts from candid interviews will be published in the printed edition, while our digital presence will air the actual interviews. Most importantly, ELYSIAN is for the curious individual. While ELYSIAN is woman-centric, it also serves as a regional resource, spotlighting the arts, culture, beauty, style, dining, drinks, philanthropy, health, fitness, home, travel, and exploration. These extrinsic experiences build a breadth of knowledge that encompasses the authentic ELYSIAN reader.
TOMORROW, with focus . . . ELYSIAN, the future
As we celebrate the achievements of the past decade, we look to the future. Our ELYSIAN Circle of Women will expand as we grow our platform and its foundational components: exceptional content, connecting women, and creating change.
CONTENT: The sheer volume of articles and interviews in print paved the way for our organic digital presence (with a weekly eNewsletter boasting a pool of 10MM and 30% open rate from our house file of 35,000). But this is just the beginning. We believe that the innovation, creativity, and inspiration that fueled ELYSIAN will explode with new collaborations and strategic partners. As we work toward our 20th anniversary, ELYSIAN will also continue to produce unique and inimitable films, all crafted from a woman’s perspective. CONNECT: Building the ELYSIAN Circle of Women is an intrinsic part of our mission. We have traditionally focused on Inspiring Women—
those among us who have achieved great things throughout the world in art, business, entrepreneurship, professions, public service, technology, philanthropy, and more. However, in the future, the enigmatic and accomplished Dr. Christina Rahm will help us to grow our footprint to also include Aspiring Women, the next generation of female thought leaders. Our ELYSIAN Circle of Women will expand by embracing all Aspiring Women who can learn firsthand…from the trials, tribulations, and successes of prospective role models. It is our hope that through ELYSIAN mentorship, Aspiring Women will be empowered to unleash their creativity, innovate, and build in ways that surpass us.
CHANGE: Women are multi-dimensional and have complexity in their philanthropic breadth of interest. For that reason, ELYSIAN Impact will expand the perspective on fundraising goals from dependency to self-reliance. The concept “teach a person how to fish . . . and you feed her for a lifetime” is the core of ELYSIAN’s future philanthropic endeavors. The ELYSIAN Circle of Women will define its legacy by using resources to amplify individual and collective purpose. Finally, as we celebrate ten amazing years, the wise and eloquent words from author Maya Angelou resonate. I hope that by sharing the history of ELYSIAN, you will not only understand our vision but also join our movement. Thank you for making this journey possible. May we continue the walk together, “Women inspiring women.” With much love,
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Karen Floyd Publisher
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PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL PANICCIA
TODAY, with gratitude . . . ELYSIAN, the journey Throughout the years, we continued to carry forward a simple mission, “Women inspiring women.” We believe in the transformative power of curated content to connect women and stimulate positive change. Our purpose has always been to embolden, encourage, and provoke authentic communication . . . that builds and not divides. What began as a women-centric regional magazine ten years ago has today grown into a global, multidimensional ecosystem. Yet, the path was not always easy. Covid devastated the magazine businesses with the price of paper skyrocketing and the trepidation of touching any substance (paper) that could potentially spread the virus. Additionally, our sources for distributing the magazine were all closed, having been declared “non-essential” businesses. However, ELYSIAN quickly adapted, meeting the audience where they were in the digital realm, and simultaneously began integrating eight verticals into one cohesive platform spanning print, digital, film, television, e-commerce, apps, international events, and philanthropy. Today, our philanthropic arm, ELYSIAN Impact, focuses on charities across five key areas: women, children, service, pets, and the environment, and has disbursed over $16 million to organizations within these vectors. ELYSIAN’s focus continues to be its stellar quality and robust curation of content, as recognized in the award-winning global publication. ELYSIAN, too, solidified its place in the world of film with the launch of multiple international award-winning documentaries—covering such varied topics as philanthropy to the horrors of war. I am again overwhelmed with gratitude for our small team of professionals, headquartered on Main Street in Spartanburg, South Carolina, who have weathered unimaginable storms and built a deep trust and impenetrable loyalty to the vision and one another.
METAMODERNIST MIXED MEDIA gracefulmadnessstudio.com
anniversary special
WOMEN INSPIRING WOMEN: A LOOK BACK AT OUR FIRST TEN YEARS
BY ASTRID WOLFE
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“I was raised to think that anything and everything was possible—there were no limits to anything you could do as long as you worked hard . . . Even if you weren’t particularly talented, if you work hard, you can accomplish anything.” - ELYSIAN Publisher Karen Floyd PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL PANICCIA
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22 • été 2025 • l’édition du dixième anniversaire • readelysian.com aren Floyd just got back in town. At her desk in her running clothes, she hopes to take a break midmorning to go home, shower, and get ready for meetings staggered throughout the day. She has been working since pre-dawn. Floyd is double-booked at 3 p.m., but that will work itself out. She is working on the Publisher’s Letter for the next issue of ELYSIAN and hopes to finish it before heading out of town for business again this weekend. Oh, and another distribution company is interested in the latest ELYSIAN documentary. Who has time for lunch? Things move fast at 113 West Main Street in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina. The quiet mid-morning stillness of Morgan Square, just outside, starkly contrasts the controlled chaos inside—a cauldron of creativity and innovation that has seen a quarterly magazine grow into a global brand that curates content, connects women, and creates change. At any given time, the ELYSIAN team—led by Floyd, our founder and publisher, and Creator-in-Chief Ryan Stalvey, who oversees the design and production of each issue—is working four or five issues ahead on the quarterly magazine’s publishing schedule. Things change fast on that schedule, too, as Floyd’s long-term vision collides with the hectic day-to-day of the publishing world. “The dichotomy is what makes this so challenging,” she said between planning meetings for ELYSIAN’s 10th Anniversary celebration. “It is messy – not just the publishing component
“At only 15, I had the incredible honor of being featured on ELYSIAN’s first cover—it sparked my love for design and trends. Since then, I’ve earned degrees in mathematics and data science. My passion is using data-driven analytics to forecast what’s next and help brands stay ahead.” - Sarah Hunt
PHOTOGRAPHY BY U + A / UNGANO-AGRIODIMAS.COM
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but building a media ecosystem. You have to constantly produce. No disrespect to manufacturing, but there, they take the same widget and repeat it over and over and over again. If we do not have original, interesting content, people will not read us. So, you must be innovative and constantly learning—and, of course, making mistakes.”
NO LIMITS
A light rain fell on Spartanburg one evening in February 2015 when Floyd’s team, along with family, friends, and supporters gathered on the square outside The Palladian Building. Black-and-white umbrellas were handed out for the crowd to witness the unfurling of a 20-foot banner from the building’s roof, marking ELYISAN’s debut, which was celebrated with a toast. At the time, it was more common for new online startups to launch rather than a folio-sized luxury print publication. Ten years later, many of those startups have come and gone, while ELYSIAN is toasting once again—this time to the brand’s 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, long-form interviews with more than 100 Inspiring Women have been featured on our pages. One issue was even digitized and sent to the moon in the Lunaprise time capsule. “I was raised to think that anything and everything was possible—there were no limits to anything you could do as long as you worked hard,” Floyd said. “Even if you weren’t particularly talented, if you work hard, you can accomplish anything.” It’s hard to say the exact moment it all started. Floyd had been
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thinking about ELYSIAN for years; she began searching for a name in 2011 as her 50th birthday began to loom on the horizon. She was determined to be very focused in the second half of her life. “The birth of it? ELYSIAN did not just happen,” she said. “I remember we were doing a staff retreat at my house one day. And I walked in and said, ‘We’re going to do a magazine.’” There would be many more retreats at Floyd’s home, a toney estate in Spartanburg’s Andrews Farm neighborhood. And for the first several years, those retreats were all about building a foundation—and honing Floyd’s vision, like a blacksmith hammering metal in a forge. Along the way, Floyd decided to name the brand ELYSIAN, a word with Greek origins that evokes beauty, creativity, and something bigger than oneself. Floyd remembers people telling her ELYSIAN needed to be caustic—that conflict sells. But she would have none of that. She was adamant that ELYSIAN would be uplifting and galvanize around beauty. She would not compromise on the aesthetic, to the point of forgoing traditional advertising so as not to detract from the pages of ELYSIAN. This is where the idea of Signature Partners was formed—building a small cadre of advertisers to support the magazine rather than just accepting ads from anyone. “I was so deep in the weeds. We were literally learning a trade,” Floyd said. “I had no publishing experience. But I had a vision, and I had to learn everything from scratch. This ecosystem was built one stick at a time. There were never any leaps. You would make
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Elysian Publisher Karen Floyd and team board a private plane enroute to aywhere, and everywhere around the world, as the ELYSIAN journey has known no boundaries and endless miles. Above: Ryan Stalvey, ELYSIAN Creator-in-Chief, a hybrid title that combines both Art Director and Editor, is responsible for the redesign from ELYSIAN’s original concept. Since joining ELYSIAN in 2018, he has earned the publication five national awards for design and layout, including Best Art Direction, Best Overall Design, and in 2022 he was awarded Folio’s prestigious Magazine Designer of the Year.
OUR “ASPIRING” COVER MODELS
a mistake, fix it, and then make another mistake. We started locally, then we went regional, then national, and then we went global. So, the organizational buildout was truly a stairstep.”
INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
The first several issues of ELYSIAN featured younger women on the cover—women who were taking their first steps toward success. The idea began germinating to pair these Aspiring Women with accomplished mentors, guides, and confidants. It’s an idea ELYSIAN will fully embrace as it begins its second decade of publication. It is rooted in Floyd’s experiences as a young woman entering the worlds of law, politics, and business. After passing the bar at age 23, Floyd began practicing law in Spartanburg as a prosecutor for the 7th Judicial Circuit. As a woman, that was something of an anomaly. She remembers going into courtrooms where the only other women were court reporters. She felt naïve, having been raised that anyone who worked hard could achieve their dreams. It was a rude awakening. “I just was so unaware of everything,” she said. “And so, I had to learn everything myself because there were not a lot of women role models in the courtroom. And the ones that were there . . . they were pushing so hard; they became part of the men’s circle. In business, there were one or two exceptions, like Edna Morris, who recruited me from a judgeship to a restaurant conglomerate and who now serves as chairman of Tractor Supply. But overall, there were not women with a genteel/traditional/
Brandi Sherbert - Cover Model Fall 2018 “When I was younger, I really wanted to get into modeling. It kind of opened my eyes to the world of creativity and expressing yourself. And I think it kind of led me into what I’m doing today.” Rachel Castellani - Cover Model Winter 2019 / 2020 “I had never done anything like it. But I love trying new things! I’m in my third year of law school. The key that law school unlocks for you . . . you can do anything you want. I can make a difference.” Lilly Webster - Cover Model Winter 2018/19 “Being in New York, everything’s moving so quickly, and you really have to keep up with the pace or you’ll get left behind. I sat for the ELYSIAN cover, and now it’s kind of crazy to be behind the scenes of a fashion show, where there’s 30 girls in hair and makeup, and it’s a lot of hard work from so many people.” Cassi Sherbert - Cover Model Fall 2019 Being on the cover was a great experience. There’s so much I’ve been able to carry forward to today . . . just from all the amazing people I met. Just being around women who had made it so far in different industries really taught me how to interact with society on that level.” Caroline Comer - Cover Model Spring 2020 “It was such an honor being on the cover. It was my dream for so long. I remember being at ELYSIAN’s first launch party, and I watched this young girl on the cover. I admired her so much. I started out on the cover, and now I’m the one behind-the-scenes planning the launch parties and selling ads. I started off forward-facing, and now being behind the scenes . . . I love seeing all the parts.” Haley Hudson - Cover Model Winter 2020/21 “I was the very last “Aspiring Woman.” It was really exciting, and I was honored for the opportunity. Karen was such a mentor to me, and she still is to this day. I went to lunch with her, and she encouraged me in my career and to pursue going out on my own for the time being. Karen and the vision of ELYSIAN in general have had a huge influence on me.”
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Q: How do you know when you are driving the wrong road, metaphorically speaking? A: Many times, I don’t drive there because He’s gifted me with many things. I write music, so I gravitate to Christian-based music. I remember several times saying to myself, “Oh, God, you’ve given me this talent! What am I going to do with it?” Do you know what’s happened?
Award-winning actress, producer, singer-songwriter, motivational speaker and philanthropist, Karen Abercrombie with ELYSIAN publisher Karen Floyd. “Inspiring Women,” from ELYSIAN Winter 2018.
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balanced approach; there were not many feminine women. Just a certain type of women had broken through at that time. I did not know how to dress. I did not know what was appropriate. I knew what I thought was pretty, but there were few examples of professional women to emulate.” She added: “Literally, I had no tribe. I was very, very isolated.” Back in her office, Floyd is muting a Zoom call to take one on her cell. People are in and out, looking to get things approved. Eventually, there’s a lull—a full five minutes before the next meeting. She picks up a copy of Jackie O and says, “The reason I picked (author) Dawn Trip as the keynote for our 10th-anniversary celebration is because of the quote on the inside of the book.” She reads: “The world has divided my life into three: Life with Jack; Life with Onassis; Life as a woman who goes to work because she wants to. My life is all these things, and it is none of these things. They continue to miss what’s right in front of them. I love books. I love the sea. I love horses. Children. Art. Ideas. History. Beauty. Because beauty blows us open to wonder. Even the beauty that breaks your heart.” It is an idea that finally describes how she felt as that young woman at the start of her law career—the hidden complexity of women, to which ELYSIAN is a tribute. It is diminutive to put women into specific categories, ignoring the myriad potentialities that lay within them. Floyd sees part of her mission as inspiring women by showing them “their infinite possibilities” through interviews, beauty, and connection. “I hope I am not defined by one thing,” she said. “I wish I had resources when I was a younger woman that showed me the infinite possibilities.”
EXPANDING THE BRAND
ELYSIAN’s foundation was in place, and growth soon followed.
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Creator-in-Chief Ryan Stalvey joined the publication in June 2018, an intentional move to finally realizing the brand’s aesthetic as it was always meant to be. From sweeping beautiful photographs to the bold typography of the page numbers, Stalvey has nurtured the evolution of ELYSIAN’s design. “I redesigned the magazine cover-to-cover my first issue,” Stalvey said. “And then I redesigned that award-winning design in the summer of 2020, and we won more awards. It’s the design we have now. To my knowledge, I’m one of the few, if not the only, magazine designers who treat the folio/page numbers as design elements rather than static automation.” In the summer of 2019, ELYSIAN began pushing the boundaries of digital publishing by launching what would become our email newsletter. At first, this served primarily as a collection of links to articles on our website. But it evolved—at times, by necessity, as the COVID pandemic struck in early 2020—and the first incarnation of what would become the robust, thought-provoking newsletter our readers enjoy today launched on July 27, 2021. During that same summer of 2019, ELYSIAN hosted its first international event in Switzerland, bringing together female leaders from diverse industries for a week of recognition and collaboration. The journey began with a Women Entrepreneur Cross-Cultural Roundtable at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in Bern, co-hosted by Ambassador Ed McMullen, where Swiss and U.S. women in business, law, diplomacy, and other sectors engaged in meaningful dialogue. The event fostered potential partnerships and set the foundation for a network focused on mentoring and collaboration. The week culminated with a VIP tour of Art Basel 2019, showcasing female artists and galleries featured in ELYSIAN’s Summer 2019 issue, including works by Turner
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Prize-winner Lubaina Himid and others. It was a busy summer, as this was also when ELYSIAN launched its philanthropic arm, ELYSIAN Impact, focusing on supporting women and children. The initiative began with a partnership with Silent Tears, a nonprofit addressing the complex issues of violence and sexual abuse against women and children in South Carolina. ELYSIAN Impact committed $5 million to fund capital needs for statewide organizations, including 17 children’s advocacy and domestic violence centers, made possible by the Castellani family’s generosity. This effort was part of a broader plan to create ELYSIAN Impact partner initiatives, setting a model that could be replicated across the United States. The program aims to develop best practices in South Carolina that can be shared nationally. The formation of ELYSIAN Impact reflects the values of ELYSIAN, emphasizing impact giving and philanthropy as central to the mission. Today, giving focuses on five impact areas: women, children, animals, service, and the environment. The expanded focus is the direct result of the philanthropic priorities among women in the ELYSIAN Circle.
Chief Media Director Rob Springer captures the essence of the moment as Karen Floyd interviews Carla Groh. CHRIS JORIANN {FINE ART} PHOTOGRAPHY From ELYSIAN Autumn 2022 (The ART Issue). Below: ELYSIAN Publisher, Karen Floyd, with Jiha Moon at MINT Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia, where they recorded Jiha’s Inspiring Woman interview. Both kept an appropriate distance from one another as recommended by COVID-19 safety guidelines. From ELYSIAN Summer 2020.
“Oftentimes, women are so disconnected they can lose sight of the dream,” Floyd said. “It is like a knife that keeps cutting and cutting and cutting and eventually becomes dull. There has to be a way of building strength by connecting with women and seeing that what you are experiencing is not unique—that every other woman has in some form or fashion dealt with these kinds of things.” By now, ELYSIAN was in full growth mode, and the industry was starting to notice. Stalvey was named Magazine Designer of the Year at the 2022 Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards. The competition included entries from some of the world’s largest publishing houses, including Meredith and Hearst. In his acceptance speech, Stalvey said, “There’s an Edward G. Robinson flick where he is a publisher of a newspaper, he makes the comment, ‘I’m a blue blood, not by wealth, or merit, but rather by from printer’s ink coursing through my veins.’ I think all of us here tonight can relate to that. Here’s to doing what we love.”
LIGHTS! CAMERA! FASHION!
ELYSIAN has become known for its exclusive events, which are held quarterly to launch each new issue of the magazine. From New York to Palm Beach, Napa Valley to Bozeman, Montana— these events bring together all facets of the ELYSIAN ecosystem and provide venues for women to connect and inspire. For much of 2022, the ELYSIAN team worked hard on its biggest event yet: CatWalk FurBaby, a fashion show that teams models, designers, and animal rescues that has become a one-of-akind staple of New York Fashion Week.
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During this time, ELYSIAN developed a friendship with Dr. Christina Rahm and a partnership with The Root Brands and DRC Ventures—a true game-changer. The Root Brands and DRC Ventures became the title sponsors for the inaugural CatWalk FurBaby, and the partnership has burgeoned into a strategic alliance that changed the face of ELYSIAN forever. Beyond fashion, there has been a committed friendship between two women with diverse backgrounds but similar ethos. Rahm—a scientist, philanthropist, and humanitarian—brought ELYSIAN’s global outreach to new heights, having worked in 90 countries and with strong connections everywhere. Floyd says she credits ELYSIAN’s global scaling largely to Rham and her husband Clayton Thomas’ international bandwidth and footprint. The inaugural CatWalk FurBaby kicked off New York Fashion Week at the storied Sony Hall on a surprisingly warm day in February 2023, right in the heart of Broadway and Times Square. While the usual crowd of commuters and tourists hustled by, a few four-legged stars were making their way through the city, getting ready for their big moment on the runway. People couldn’t help but stop and stare as they saw a Great Pyrenees and a little dog in a back-leg wheelchair strut around before the show. Inside, the vibe was electric as a mix of celebrities, animal lovers, and advocates gathered to support animal welfare. The fashion show itself was a total standout. Designer Marc Bouwer stole the spotlight with his bold “Adopt Don’t Shop” message, walking down the runway with a Yorkie and showing off his animal-friendly designs. Rahm also wowed the crowd with the Merci Dupre Clothiers couture pet and human fashion line, which is designed to reduce harmful toxins. One of the most touching moments of the day was when two
puppies, Hannah and Hugo, found their forever homes right there at the show. This wasn’t just a fashion show but a heartfelt celebration of animals, love, and philanthropy. Fast forward to the second CatWalk FurBaby, which again kicked off New York Fashion Week—this time in September 2024—and it was clear that this would be even bigger and better. The runway was packed with 21 models, each paired with a dog in stunning outfits from designers like Tommy Hilfiger and Nicole Miller. The event was all about blending high fashion with meaningful causes, with each team representing a different charity focusing on one of the ELYSIAN Impact areas of giving. Things got off to an energetic start with a live performance by Chloe Jane, setting the tone for the day. Floyd welcomed attendees with a powerful speech about how “ripples create waves, and waves create change,” perfectly capturing the event’s spirit. The fashion itself was jaw-dropping, with each dog and model duo walking the runway to raise awareness for their respective causes. The show was a perfect example of how fashion can drive change and raise awareness for important causes, and it was another huge win for ELYSIAN Impact. These moments were captured in ELYSIAN magazine, in our newsletter, in two beautiful, oversized coffee table books, and in documentaries—the brand’s latest frontier. The original CatWalk FurBaby documentary was ELYSIAN’s first foray into filmmaking. It was immediately recognized by being named Best Documentary at the New York City International Fashion Film Festival in September 2023. The film premiered at the top-of-the-line Dolby Screening Room in Manhattan in the hours leading up to the
In each issue of ELYSIAN, we try to incorporate creative themes. One of our most wellreceived was “The WHITE Issue,” from Spring 2023 • Opposite: A breath-taking design by award-winning master designer and artist Ferris Rafauli. Rafauli conceives, designs, and creates ultra-luxury dwellings and lifestyle creations for an elite clientele worldwide. From “White Done Right,” ELYSIAN Spring 2023 (The WHITE Issue). PHOTOGRAPH ©YVAN GRUBSKI • OPPOSITE PAGE: © FERRISRAFAULI.COM/
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• été 2025 • l’édition dixième • readelysian.com • été 2025 • du l’édition du anniversaire dixième anniversaire • readelysian.com
The inaugural CatWalk FurBaby kicked off New York Fashion Week at the storied Sony Hall in February 2023 on a surprisingly warm day, right in the heart of Broadway and Times Square. While the usual crowd of commuters and tourists hustled by, a few four-legged stars were making their way through the city, getting ready for their big moment on the runway.
IF THERE WAS ONE RUNWAY SHOW THAT FELT WARM, INCLUSIVE—AND DARE I SAY IT, FUN—IT WAS ELYSIAN’S CATWALK FURBABY.” —NADJA SAYEJ, FORBES
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PHOTOGRAPH BY NATALLIA YAUMENENKA / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
I WAS RAISED TO THINK THAT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING WAS POSSIBLE—THERE WERE NO LIMITS TO ANYTHING YOU COULD DO AS LONG AS YOU WORKED HARD . . . EVEN IF YOU WEREN’T PARTICULARLY TALENTED, IF YOU WORK HARD, YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.” —ELYSIAN PUBLISHER KAREN FLOYD
awards ceremony. At the time, South Carolina Film Commissioner Matt Storm said projects like CatWalk FurBaby were “critical” to driving the film industry’s momentum forward in our home state. A portion of CatWalk FurBaby 2, ELYSIAN’s latest documentary, is being screened during our 10th-anniversary celebration at a private hanger at Spartanburg’s municipal airport—From the New York Runway to the Spartanburg Runway.
A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
ELYSIAN has also tackled more challenging subjects, this time on the world stage. Floyd journeyed to Ukraine with a small team of videographers and soldiers to film footage for a hard-hitting documentary about that country’s ongoing war with Russia. She announced she was going during a small staff meeting at ELYSIAN’s office. It was a little shocking, but not really, considering Floyd’s determination to see something through once she decides. Fight for Ukraine: 12 Women’s War premiered as the opening night screening at the 14th annual Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles in October 2023, where it garnered praise for its powerful portrayal of Ukrainian women enduring the horrors of war. Directed and produced by Floyd, this 81-minute documentary highlights 12 women from diverse walks of life, all exhibiting profound resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. From civilians living in safehouses near the frontlines to legal professionals working in the country’s Supreme Court, these women embody the unyielding spirit of Ukraine. The film won 10 awards at various international film festivals. Following the success of Fight for Ukraine: 12 Women’s War, Floyd returned to Ukraine to direct and produce the sequel, Ukraine: For the Children. Released in 2024, this documentary shifts focus to the children of Ukraine—those most vulnerable in the ongoing conflict. Inspired by a powerful mural in Kiev depicting three pairs of hands—symbolizing the protection of children—the film underscores the importance of Ukraine’s future, which Floyd believes rests with the nation’s children. The documentary explores the profound psychological and emotional toll of war on young people, from the trauma of bombings to the disruption of their education and sense of safety. Yet amidst the devastation, the film also highlights the incredible resilience of children and families who continue to hope for a peaceful future. Ukraine: For the Children—which so far has garnered an impressive 25 international film festival awards—held its European premiere in Rome in conjunction with the World Changers Ethical & Innovation Summit at the Vatican in November 2024, where it
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was used to spark critical discussions about the role of women in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Thanks to the relationship with Rahm and Sir Gabriele Pao-Pei Andreoli with the World Changers, ELYSIAN was able to lead a session on world peace at the summit, using the Ukraine film as a catalyst for discussion. It was a powerful way to close out a decade of innovation, creativity, and connection. The foundation has been built. At the ELYSIAN office, the team has been busy preparing for the upcoming anniversary—The Sky’s the Limit: Celebrating a Decade of ELYSIAN.. Floyd’s calendar, of course, is still bursting at the seams. At least she got in a run early this morning before coming into the office. Running, it turns out, helped shape her worldview, whether through high school cross country state championship, winning the female South Carolina marathon and Grand Father Mountain marathon, or claiming the top South Carolinian female spot at the Boston Marathon. “I gravitated to distance running because I could outwork most people,” she said. “And so, I never knew limits. I never thought there would be any difference between anyone as long as you worked hard and took care of yourself and others. You could accomplish anything.” For its next decade, ELYSIAN is shifting from building to scaling—taking advantage of technological advances, expanding our footprint with the formal introduction of Aspiring Women, and even more exclusive events and speaker series. Producing a magazine is still chaotic. Publishing always will be. But as we have seen, great things can come out of that chaos. “It’s messy. It’s chaotic. It’s exhilarating and exhausting,” Floyd said. “I can’t imagine anything greater than creating. It’s why I become so frustrated with what media spotlights, the division. If you took all that energy and focused on building and creating and yielding and defining and innovating . . . Can you imagine how great this world would be?” ■
Ukraine: For the Children. Released in 2024, this documentary shifts focus to the children of Ukraine—those most vulnerable in the ongoing conflict. Inspired by a powerful mural in Kiev depicting three pairs of hands—symbolizing the protection of children—the film underscores the importance of Ukraine’s future, which Floyd believes rests with the nation’s children Ukraine: For the Children – which so far has garnered an impressive 25 international film festival awards – held its European premiere in Rome in conjunction with the World Changers Ethical & Innovation Summit at the Vatican in November 2024, where it was used to spark critical discussions about the role of women in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
• été 2025 • l’édition du dixième anniversaire • readelysian.com
été 2025 • l’édition du dixième anniversaire • readelysian.com •
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