For this episode I sat down with Ingrid Boulting, best known as the ‘Biba girl’ of early ‘70s fashion and Robert DeNiro’s paramour in The Last Tycoon (1976). A ballerina, a model, an actress, a mother, a yoga teacher, a business owner, a painter, an animal lover, a trauma survivor—Ingrid truly exemplifies the type of person I have sought to talk with in this series—someone who molds and creates the life they desire in the face of ups and downs and veers off the path.

This conversation is with fashion designer Anna Sui, who founded her company in 1980. Known for affordable clothes, Sui has created an “Anna Sui world” that is completely identifiable all over the world—from the red floors, purple walls and lacquered black furniture in her boutiques, to the ornate carved packaging on her eye shadows, Sui never stopped herself from fully following her passions. In this interview Anna provides an interesting insight into the inspiration, research, hard work and business behind fashion success.

This conversation is with renowned photographer and film director, Jerry Schatzberg, who at 90 years old is still creating and working hard. We discussed his path from the Bronx to Vogue fashion photographer, to celebrity photographer and nightclub owner, to acclaimed director.

For this episode I chatted with fashion designer Vicky Tiel, who truly exemplifies an ardor for life. Vicky Tiel started designing clothes as a pre-teen before studying fashion at Parsons in New York. Alongside her college friend, Mia Fonssagrives, she moved to Paris at age 20 in 1964, where they quickly became the toast of the town. Snapped up to be costume designers on the film ‘What’s New Pussycat?’, they met Elizabeth Taylor at the studio—she became a client, friend and investor in their company. Tiel married Elizabeth Taylor’s makeup man and spent several years traveling the world with the Burtons. She went on help establish the couture salon at Bergdorf Goodman in 1981. For the last few years, Tiel has focused on her perfume lines, which she primarily sells on HSN. Full of enthusiasm, Vicky is a delight—she’s an intriguing mix of a keen businesswoman, a hopeless romantic and a great girlfriend that you want to dish all your troubles to.

For this episode I sat down with Marilyn Cole Lownes, who is best known as the 1973 Playboy Playmate of the Year. A true woman of the 1970s, Marilyn was completely in her power then – owning her body, her sexuality, her decisions. This included enjoying a long on/off relationship with Playboy executive Victor Lownes. When they finally married in 1984 they had been on and off for 13 years, and they stayed happily married until his death in 2017. Their life together allowed Marilyn to learn and grow culturally—eventually becoming a journalist specializing in boxing.

The third conversation is with legendary television producer Russell Morash and his wife, Marian Morash. He’s been called the “father of reality television” and the “father of home improvement television” due to his work creating such iconic PBS shows as Julia Child’s The French Chef, The Victory Garden, This Old House and The New Yankee Workshop. Through his work with Julia Child, Marian learned to cook and became cofounder and chef of a restaurant in Nantucket, and then the on-air “Chef Marian” on The Victory Garden with her own cookbook.

For the second episode I sat down with Norma Kamali. A fashion designer with a career spanning fifty years, she is the perfect example of someone who has molded a life of intention and beauty.

The first conversation is with Duane Michals, a renowned photographer who has worked across a number of different genres—art, portraiture, interiors, fashion and advertising.