Our cover this month was inspired in part by the interview we did with one of own photographers, Meagan Gumpert, whose story of committing to healthier habits you can read on page 85, and her prowess at yoga, as well as a Vogue cover featuring Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o doing stand-up paddleboard yoga in some serious couture get-up.
A quick conversation between our publisher, Jennifer Murty, and editor Nick Steele, went something like this, “Can we do something like this? Meagan could do it,” Murty offered. “Sure, we can,” Steele replied, without fully considering the mechanics involved or that he would soon be stitching a custom skirt on Gumpert on a Lake Weir beach.
On one of the last perfect weather days before “social distancing” became a thing, a small group, including photographer Dave Miller, graphic designer Brooke Pace, and our client services guru Brittany Duval, joined Gumpert and Steele for several adventurous hours that included three paddleboards in constant motion, several wardrobe changes and two dunks in the water for our intrepid model.
Miller and Gumpert did indeed manage to recreate that stylish Vogue shot, but, for this cover, we decided in favor of an unguarded shot caught between yoga poses. The reflective moment felt like a peaceful antidote to the stress and confinement that currently plague us. We hope it soothes you and reminds you of more picture-perfect days to come.
