What the Art World Can Learn From Luxury’s Return to Intimacy and Cultural Depth
The empire-building model that prioritized constant expansion over human connection hasn’t yielded the expected returns in either market.
The Privacy Economy’s Next Frontier Is Governing A.I.
Speakeasy’s Sagar Batchu examines the growing tension between connecting A.I. to proprietary enterprise data and protecting that data from misuse. Batchu argues that as models become interchangeable, visibility and governance will become the next critical layer of enterprise infrastructure.
Across the Islands of French Polynesia, Privacy Is the Real Luxury
French Polynesia’s most rewarding island-hopping route moves between sacred Raiatea, remote Taha’a and the private-island glamour of Tetiaroa.
Weekly Features
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What Heirs Need to Know to Establish a Lasting Inheritance
Passing down wealth without passing down the literacy to manage it is how a fortune becomes a cautionary tale. Charline Burgess, a Morgan Stanley Executive Director specializing in wealth education and family governance, argues that inheritance is less a legal transaction than an ongoing education built on shared values.
Banking’s Next Interface Isn’t an App. It’s an A.I. Agent.
Sygnum’s Thomas Frei examines how A.I. agents are reshaping banking, arguing that the industry’s next competitive battleground is secure, permissioned infrastructure that allows software to act safely on a customer’s behalf.
Age Verification Is Building the Internet’s Next Identity Layer
The rapidly expanding push for mandatory online age verification is really about the future of digital identity. Billions Network’s Evin McMullen argues that the architecture chosen for age verification today could determine whether the next generation of the internet is built around private, portable proofs or mass identity collection.
Wine, Wheat and Art Share the Same Acreage at These Out-of-the-Way Estates
Though often far from the usual cultural circuits, they reward the effort for serious devotees of contemporary art willing to make the trek.
In the Pages of These Books, Privacy Is the Ultimate Luxury
A century of fiction and reportage postulates that invisibility has always been wealth’s most precious currency.
Business
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The Creators at OpenAI’s Wildflower Farms Retreat—and the Backlash That Followed
OpenAI invited about 30 creators to a luxury retreat in the Hudson Valley. Attendees including Grace McCarrick and Nat Lucy faced criticism after sharing posts from the trip to the Wildflower Farms.
The Fight Over Tracking Elon Musk, Taylor Swift and Other Private Jets
Elon Musk, Taylor Swift and other public figures have challenged jet trackers, citing safety concerns and alleged harassment. Despite bans from major social media platforms, public flight data still allows trackers to follow the private jets of celebrities and CEOs.
As A.I. Agents Gain Authority, Governance Becomes the Primary Constraint
Dome Systems’ Dave McJannet unpacks why governance is emerging as the defining challenge of enterprise agentic A.I. Identity, access controls and auditability, McJannet argues, are becoming the trust infrastructure determining which organizations can safely deploy autonomous agents at scale.
Cultural Capital Is Luxury Hospitality’s New Competitive Advantage
Rosewood Hotel Group’s Joanna Gunn explores why luxury hospitality is shifting beyond exceptional service and design toward something more enduring: cultural capital. Gunn argues that the hotels creating lasting advantage are those investing in long-term relationships with artists, institutions and local communities.
Can Brandon Sanderson Help Apple Break Hollywood’s Fantasy Spell?
Apple is betting on Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe to build a durable fantasy franchise. The author’s direct relationship with millions of readers may offer Apple something more valuable than familiar intellectual property: a built-in audience.
Art
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Author Amy Chozick’s Favorite Character-Driven Reads
The former New York Times reporter’s eclectic list spans everything from David Foster Wallace’s tennis essays and Miranda July’s viral midlife romp to murder mysteries set in luxurious locales.
How an Idea Becomes an Institution or Exhibition That Outlives Its Moment
“It has to stand the test of time while remaining flexible enough to evolve as technology, research and audiences change. But if you do your job well, millions of people will experience what you’ve created,” Museum Studio’s Delphine de Canecaude tells Observer.
Honolulu Museum of Art Director David Odo On Centering Hawaiʻi in the Institution’s Mission
The incoming director discusses how stepping into the role represents a homecoming, the resilience of Hawaiian culture and his plans to turn the museum into an international platform for artists across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.
Fueled by Private Wealth, China’s Next Art Capital Thrives Off-Grid
“Artists choose to live in Hangzhou because the city nourishes their practice,” BY ART MATTERS deputy director Wu Tian told Observer. “They don’t want to spend energy on ineffective socializing.”
Fiction That Feels Like a Total Escape
Speculative fiction and psychological suspense sit side by side on our list of essential escapist titles for summer.
Lifestyle
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What to Eat at Marché Forville, the Oldest Market in Cannes
This charming local market is one of the biggest draws for visitors in the city, but a trip works best when you have a roadmap for the snacks and sips that are worth your euros.
Built for Rugged Duty in Harsh Environments, the Land Cruiser Epitomizes Automotive Stealth Wealth
After more than 75 years, Toyota’s classic SUV remains one of the most trusted names in off-road, off-grid travel.
At The Idle Rocks, a Refreshed Cornwall Classic Finds Its Rhythm
The century-old St. Mawes hotel pairs Cornish charm with a no-fuss approach to luxury, inviting guests to settle in, look at the water and stay awhile.
Stealth Wealth After Beige: The New Rules of Discreet Dressing
The logo stays off the chest, but personality has returned to men’s style. These are the 15 stealth-wealth upgrades that bypass the billboard trend.
From High-Tech Specs to 1970s Acetate: 15 Pairs of Men’s Sunglasses for Every Level of Vanity
These are the best sunglasses worth putting on your face this summer, whether you’re seeking folding frames or a lens that dims on command.
Interviews
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NowHere Bets On the Japanese Artists New York’s Gallery System Overlooked
Founder Kentaro Totsuka is intentionally focusing on Japanese artists who have committed to building their lives in New York to close the gap between those markets.
At the First Bienal del Agua, Demetrio Paparoni Makes Water Political
Featuring works by Monica Bonvicini, William Kentridge, Alexander Brodsky and others, the biennial confronts scarcity, displacement and ecological collapse.
Julian Schnabel On Showcasing the Essentials at Château La Coste
“I think that each of these paintings is emblematic of a particular moment. They encapsulate something; they represent a group of paintings,” he told Observer.
At Vraic, Nathan Davies Puts Guernsey’s Coast on the Plate
The Michelin-starred chef’s tasting menu draws from Guernsey seaweed, island dairy and Welsh grain at a restaurant close enough to London for an ambitious day trip.
Tran Luong Considers Vietnam’s Reality Through an Imagined Underwater World
As an artist rather than a politician or a dissident, he does not want to employ the languages of pop art, propaganda or violence as his own modes of expression: “I opt for metaphor and conceptual approaches.”
Power Lists
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Observer’s 2026 A.I. Power Index: Who Controls the Capital Flow in A.I
Power in artificial intelligence no longer moves through the channels everyone learned to watch.
Observer New Media Power List: Call for Submissions
Nominations are open for Observer’s 2026 New Media Power List
The 50 Most Powerful PR Firms of 2026
This year’s honorees are emblematic of a notable shift in public relations from responsive publicity to proactive leadership in the moments that matter most.
Wall-to-Wall Cultural Capital: Inside Observer’s Art Power Index Party
Under the dim lights of the Lower East Side’s Maison Nur, art world luminaries gathered to celebrate Observer’s Art Power Index—and each other. From the impassioned speeches to the sharp tailoring and Damien Hirst over the bar, the evening embodied our legacy of chronicling power with style.
2025 Nightlife & Dining Power Index
Humanity is still the most vital ingredient in hospitality, and that isn’t changing anytime soon.
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One Fine Show: “Peggy Guggenheim in London, The Making of a Collector”
Roughly 100 works shown at Guggenheim Jeune on Cork Street nearly a century ago are now on view at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice.
Elon Musk Projects $1T in SpaceX Revenue After Spending $16B on A.I. in 3 Months
In its first earnings release as a public company, Elon Musk’s SpaceX reported $7.8 billion in quarterly revenue, while heavy spending on xAI infrastructure sent shares lower after hours.
The 2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed Delivers Songs of Power, But Subtly
Despite its considerable power, this luxury SUV favors stately design over the flash of rivals like the Purosangue or Urus.
Where to See the World’s Most Remote Land Art
From North Wales to the South Pole, these are some of the more remarkable—and remarkably hard to reach—land-based interventions created by artists, with nature as both muse and canvas.
An Insider’s Guide to Ultra-Exclusive Private Museum Tours
For well-heeled travelers headed to the busiest cultural destinations, avoiding the crowds is not a luxury but a necessity.
The Private Chefs Hollywood Trusts Behind Closed Doors
From DNA-tailored meal plans to Kardashian family traditions, these ultra-discreet culinary confidants manage the elevated diets of the world’s most discerning stars.
The Business of Helping the Ultra-Wealthy Vanish From the Internet
A growing industry now sells executives and high-net-worth clients something increasingly difficult to secure on their own: a smaller digital footprint.
When Everyone Has the Same A.I., Leadership Becomes the Moat
Dane Hudson, former global CEO and leadership advisor, examines how the rapid adoption of generative A.I. is reshaping the sources of competitive advantage. Sustained success, he contends, will progressively depend on an organization’s ability to scale leadership, culture and execution.
Why Tech’s Richest Founders Keep Their Billion-Dollar Foundations Offline
Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Reid Hoffman and Jensen Huang run vast foundations with little public access. Privacy, security and efficiency help explain why some of the world’s richest donors avoid open applications and public scrutiny.
The Most Remote Private Island Resorts, Where Seclusion Is the Ultimate Luxury
From Fiji and French Polynesia to the Seychelles and Madagascar, these far-flung resorts turn a castaway fantasy into a five-star escape.
On a Remote Corner of Chios, the Art World Finds Room to Think
The art world has developed its own version of the privacy economy, a circuit of events where the serious thinking happens away from the main stages (and the absence of a waiting list for dinner reservations functions as a kind of quality signal).
The Remote Restaurants Worth the Journey, From Floating Fjords to Volcanic Grills
These restaurants make inaccessibility part of the experience, offering adventurous guests undersea dining, geothermal cooking, boat-only pubs, and Arctic tasting menus.