WWW.BOATINTERNATIONAL.COMCombining wit and charm with
perfect framing and vivid colors,
this image of golden retriever Dream
piloting a Penn Yan boat perfectly
captures the essence of fashion
photographer Bruce Weber’s
work. The photograph was taken
on Spitfire Lake in the Adirondack
mountains, where Weber owned a
vacation estate, Camp Longwood,
and the image shows a different,
more homey side to Weber away
from the glitz of the fashion world.
While most owners (and captains)
would be loath to unleash their
dogs on board, animals do have a
colorful and illustrious history on the
oceans. In ancient times, cats were
welcomed for rodent management
and because of a superstitious
belief in their lucky powers. More
recently, notable ocean-going
felines include Blackie, who found
fame after Winston Churchill was
photographed stroking her as he
stepped off HMS Prince of Wales in
Newfoundland in 1941; Mrs Chippy, a
tabby who lost her life after Ernest
Shackleton’s Endurance went down,
and Unsinkable Sam, who survived
the destruction of no fewer than
three ships during World War II.
In modern times animals on board
are more likely to be living in the
lap of luxury rather than working.
Fashion designer Valentino Garavani
and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti
rarely take a trip on their 152ft TM
Blue One without pugs Maude, Mary
and Moon and Pomeranians Poppy
and Blu, while Atom and Humber,
the golden retrievers belonging
to soccer player Alexis Sanchez,
frequently accompany him on board
private jets and charter yachts.
When out at sea, it’s a dog’s life...
The story
behind
the picture
ItwascyclingthatbroughtSirPaulSmithtofashion,
the British designer explains, sitting in his cluttered
office in London’s Covent Garden. With every surface
piled high with books and toys, with every inch of
wall taken up by paintings and photographs, it’s
almost possible to miss the clues – the bikes stacked
against the walls and the piles of cycling jerseys.
Many of these machines and tops come from his
friends: UK cyclists Chris Froome, Chris Hoy, Mark
Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins. It turns out this is a
man who wanted to be a pro cyclist before he’d ever
contemplated creating a suit, shirt or tie.
“The start of my love of cycling was just the
purchase of a nice racing bike by my dad when I
was 11,” says Smith. “He bought it second-hand from
this man who asked if I wanted to join the local
cycle club. After a year people said I should race as
a schoolboy, and I did and realized I liked the thrill
and competitiveness. But also the freedom – beingCutting a dash
The cyclist’s dedication and the designer’s
flair are a winning combination for Paul Smith,
as Peter Howarth discoversFEBRUARY 2018
BOAT LIFEAbove: Actor
Matthew
McConaughey,
left, wears
Paul Smith40