When revelling in power and influence, unseen in decades, desperation and luxury are mortal enemies. Sometimes they fail, as fear and power do not peacefully coexist, aesthetically or otherwise. It follows, then, that they who wish to reach the most rarefied and potent ranks of business, must have certain serenity. There is evidence, that with power and a flat-out disregard for what others think, comes the occasional stroke of luck. Yet their work always transmits the unsentimental feeling of a business: it has its ups and downs. What sets them apart is their disregard -in some cases, their open contempt- for the dictates of business. I cannot in my memory remember a time when they have had more influence, but adaptability, more than anything else, is their gift. Not only is it their moment, it is a level of influence and power, that is literally unprecedented and symbolic to celebrities "twirling" down the red carpet in ethereal Prada-designed Oscar gowns. They variously ennoble a certain above-the-fray quality, just the right street trend; cribbed imaginatively from the ability to push through ambitious plans; which strike notes of erotic fetishism and spiritual contemplation. But one thing their unafraid of is a good fight. And more often than not, they win. If they handle it right, it could be their century!
Barack Obama:
Obama revelling in U.S. power unseen in decades- By Steve Holland
Miuccia Prada:
Fashion's Auteur, true to her own eye- By Belinda Luscombe
Madonna:
Introduction- By The New York Times
