Ward Landrigan, Preserved the Work of Heritage of Jewelers Fulco di Verdura and Suzanne Belperron

Who could have imagined that a childhood internship with a local New Jersey jeweler—arranged by the Boy Scouts—would lead Ward Landrigan to Sotheby’s, Elizabeth Taylor, and beyond? A student of art history, Landrigan had been hired by Parke-Bernet/Sotheby’s when the unexpected death of a colleague propelled his career forward; at the age of 24 he became head of the auction house’s jewelry department in the US and was responsible for selling world-famous jewels. Eight years later, in 1973, Landrigan started an estate jewelry business; over the years he became especially interested in the work of Fulco di Verdura (whose cuffs Coco Chanel favored) and Suzanne Belperron, and acquired the companies in 1984 and 1999, respectively. In this way he became both a guardian and iterator on two important artistic legacies. A true gentleman, Landrigan, also preserved the art of chivalry.

Marina Yee, Reclusive and Hugely Influential Member of the Antwerp Six

She might have been the most elusive of the Antwerp Six, but there’s no denying Marina Yee’s influence on fashion. Her own fashion work was centered on function and deconstruction, often of traditional men’s garments. A woman of depth, Yee struggled with her positioning vis-a-vis art and fashion. She stepped away from design around 1989, moved to Belgium, ran a cafe, took up teaching, created costumes for theater, and worked for others. In 2018 she was approached by Tokyo boutique Laila to make some garments for sale. Three years later she started working again under the label M.Y. Collection.