COTY + James Weber + Joe Lombardo = Philosophy’s “Hope and Grace” Initiative
How Are You, Now?
We know that skin health and mental well-being are deeply connected. When one suffers, the other often reflects it. At Philosophy, the belief has always been simple: care for the skin, care for the spirit. Our shared goal was to create a moment where people could experience the best of both.
Through the HOPE and GRACE initiative, Philosophy continues to support community-based efforts that improve mental health awareness and access to care. When we partnered with Philosophy and Coty on this campaign, the timing felt especially meaningful.
As a nation, we were just beginning to emerge from the depths of COVID isolation. The country had moved through a turbulent election cycle, and many people were experiencing a deeper shift in consciousness about who we are, how we live, and how we care for one another.
Director James Weber and Curated Artists Inc. took to the streets of New York City with a simple question:
“How are you, now?”
And, as New Yorkers tend to do, people answered honestly.
Strangers opened up about grief, resilience, uncertainty, and healing. Stories surfaced in spontaneous conversations on sidewalks and in passing moments that revealed something universal: beneath the pace and noise of the city, people were quietly processing enormous change.
What unfolded that day was something special.
New faces appeared. Unexpected stories were shared. Moments of vulnerability and strength surfaced between strangers. It became a reminder that healing doesn’t always happen in grand gestures—it often unfolds quietly in the in-between spaces of everyday life.
It was, in every sense, a magical day.
This project would not have been possible without the incredible team that brought it to life. Special thanks to Jon Bewley for editing, and to Karla Hirkaler and her team of skin magic assistants for their work on set.
Executive production, casting, and line production: Joe Lombardo
Basecamp: Hudson Yards Loft
Grateful to everyone who showed up, shared their truth, and reminded us that asking a simple question can open the door to something much deeper.
Because sometimes the most important question we can ask each other is still the simplest one:
How are you, now?
Sequoia Emmanuelle + FOLX Health for the LGBTQIA+ Community
Once again, artist Sequoia Emmanuelle works with the beautiful communities served by FOLX Health. At FOLX, the caregivers provide compassionate and comprehensive healthcare designed for the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ community. Their mission is to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment where one can receive the highest quality of care without fear of discrimination. They’re not just elevating LGBTQIA+ health; they are redefining what great health care can look like for everyone. Join them and experience the care you deserve, from those who understand. For more, take a look at the FOLX Website at: https://www.folxhealth.com/about
Sequoia Emmanuelle + PhotoBook Magazine Celebrity Gallery
Artist, Sequoia Emmanuelle loves the transformation which can happen inside the decorative colorful world of fashion and her collaboration with Mike Ruiz in PhotoBook Magazine was sheer delight for her. A playground for celebrities to show off their other shapes to the world, PhotoBook is an online destination based in New York City. Its goal is to curate and commission creative work with a conscience from around the world. Their focus is always on emerging talent in the worlds of art, film, fashion, beauty and music. Celebrating diversity and highlighting ethical and sustainable brands are also paramount at PhotoBook Magazine.
Who We Are
PhotoBook was founded by Editor in Chief, Alison Hernon who’s a Celebrity Stylist and has honed her vision for PhotoBook over the course of ten years working at different magazines. Creative Director Mike Ruiz, brings 27 years of career experience to PhotoBook. Both Alison Hernon and Mike Ruiz share a powerful work ethic and an intense desire to impact the world in positive ways that goes beyond visual aesthetics.
Creative Retreats by Curated + California Vibes
This summer, I immersed myself in the world of career and life-driven trauma, collaborating with experts who navigate these complex spaces. As I explored the travel and luxury/healing branding sectors—having worked extensively with travel photographers in the post-COVID landscape—I came to a profound realization: travel serves as a powerful healing mechanism for many seeking respite from their daily lives.
The creative workplace is undergoing rapid transformation due to the rise of AI and the current political climate. This turbulence has created significant trauma and upheaval among creatives, resulting in a notable exodus from various industries.
During my journey, I connected with a remarkable group of healers on the West Coast who are dedicated to supporting estranged and often-isolated members of society. Through diverse healing techniques, their stories of recovery resonate deeply, and together we’ve begun developing projects that transform trauma into purposeful initiatives. Below, I share some of our strategic insights and a short video that captures this interactive exploration. If you are interested in working in any way with us in this space, feel free to call Joe Lombardo at 347-836-3576.
Introducing “CURATED RETREATS by Joe Lombardo”
SoulHaven was established with a singular mission: to confront humanity’s most pressing crises—trauma, addiction, and unresolved suffering. We bridge the wisdom of ancient traditions with the credibility of modern clinical science. Our flagship sanctuary in Southern California, conveniently located just an hour from major urban centers and over 22 million people, acts as both a refuge for profound healing and a prototype for a global network of SoulHaven sanctuaries.
At SoulHaven, the environment itself serves as medicine. We intentionally design sacred spaces and integrate natural beauty to create immersive settings conducive to transformation. Participants engage in integrative programs that blend evidence-based therapies, somatic and trauma-informed practices, culturally respected Indigenous methodologies, and cutting-edge technologies like Sophia AI and our Member Portal. These innovations ensure ongoing personalized support and measurable outcomes, allowing each individual's journey to continue long after they leave the sanctuary.
What sets SoulHaven apart is not only the variety of modalities we offer but also the collaborative ecosystem we’ve built. Our multidisciplinary team, comprising MDs, PhDs, professors, Indigenous healers, and impact-driven leaders, shares a unified mission: to scale healing with integrity, credibility, and compassion.
Cultural Partnership with Indigenous Elders of Hawai‘i
Our emerging partnership with the Indigenous Elders of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i exemplifies SoulHaven’s commitment to cultural alignment and right-relationship. By collaborating directly with the Royal Council and Elders, we are co-creating programs to address the significant impacts of the COVID vaccine on Native Hawaiian and broader Indigenous communities. This initiative incorporates traditional practices and Amazonian medicines, such as kambô—often referred to as the “vaccine of the forest”—while honoring cultural sovereignty, ethical reciprocity, and community benefit-sharing.
By aligning ourselves with the wisdom of Indigenous leaders, SoulHaven not only enhances our capacity to address toxins and trauma but also models a new paradigm of partnership—where modern research and ancient traditions coexist harmoniously.
The Critical Role of Philanthropy and Foundations
The crises we confront—veteran PTSD, addiction in Indigenous communities, and post-pandemic neuroimmune challenges—are escalating beyond the reach of traditional systems. Veterans continue to face alarming suicide rates, and Native American communities are disproportionately affected by substance abuse and intergenerational trauma. Millions endure lingering health challenges post-pandemic, often receiving little support or recognition.
Philanthropy and foundations are crucial at this moment in history. Government systems are slow to respond, and traditional healthcare pathways remain fragmented and underfunded. SoulHaven presents a scalable, ethically grounded model that can deploy resources immediately to those in need. Every philanthropic dollar accomplishes two vital goals: it grants access to those who cannot afford care and generates rigorous research that informs the broader field of trauma recovery and integrative medicine.
By supporting SoulHaven today, philanthropists and foundations can help shape a transformative movement that not only changes lives now but also sets a global standard for healing in the future.
The Urgent Crises We Address
Veterans with PTSD and Trauma
In the United States, an estimated 17–22 veterans die by suicide daily. PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, depression, and substance use disorders are rampant among our servicemen and women. While traditional treatments have value, they often fail to tackle the root causes of trauma or restore a meaningful quality of life.
The Scope of Suffering: Nearly one in four veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has been diagnosed with PTSD or depression. Many more suffer in silence, leading to broken families, homelessness, unemployment, and tragically, suicide.
The Treatment Gap: Veterans Affairs resources are overextended, and current therapies often rely heavily on pharmacological approaches with limited long-term efficacy. Alternative solutions, like psychedelic-assisted therapies, show profound promise, yet access remains extremely restricted.
Why SoulHaven? We offer safe, trauma-informed, evidence-based pathways that integrate psychotherapy, somatic healing, and legal access to psychedelic-assisted modalities. With philanthropic support, we can expand access and generate the rigorous outcomes data necessary to drive systemic change in veteran care.
ASMP + Joe Lombardo produce exhibition for black lives : Uncovering The Laws of Perseverance
Featuring the work of:
Lou Jones, Chester Higgins, Jamel Shabazz, Cornell Watson, Josuè Rivas, Denisse Ariana Pérez, Malick Kebe, Harper Bella, Jacques Manga, Seleen Saleh, Nyasia Sylvester, Cinthya Briones, Ronald Santos Cruz, Awuku Darko Samuel, Tracy Vásque, Andie Clarkson
Special performance by Sir Gregg
This exhibition explores alternative forms of protest in the wake of systemic oppression. The photography-centered exhibition gives glimpses of reclaiming inner peace despite harrowing circumstances. The fight for better for vulnerable communities takes many forms. The visuals shared hold space for resistance in softer, more understated ways.
Uncovering The Laws of Perseverance is an exhibition predicated on altering perceptions of protest as a holistic, non-linear process. Together, we explore the notions of success, liberation, and resistance. The exhibition, unearths interdisciplinary methods of achieving self-actualization, self-acceptance, and power. This exhibition engages capitalistic societies with critical subversions, allowing us to one day realize realms of utter peace.
The exhibition presented by ASMP NY has been conceived, produced, and curated by two prominent women of color; NY artists Gabrielle Vazquez and Harper Bella. This would also not be possible without our generous sponsors and supporters.
Executive Producer: Joe Lombardo Curated Artists, Inc.
Dedicated Contributors:
Seminara Artists
AtEdge
The Workbook
Frank Meo
Untourage, The Label
Signs 365
Daelyanna Benson
Cool Benson
Curator: Harper Bella
Harper Bella is an award-winning photographer and recipient of the 2020 Decentralization grant. Born into a rich Caribbean heritage (Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados), her work often explores the experiences of African descendants in the United States of America. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, Harper holds a Bachelor’s in Advertising and Marketing Communications. Harper has excelled in her photography career with work featured in Rockefeller Center, the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Long Island, and Miami Art Week, as well as other artistic cultural institutions in the US and abroad. Today, Harper works for the Department of Education to inspire students to develop their perspectives as artists and through public-funded grant projects.
Curator: Gabrielle Vazquez
Gabrielle “Gabby” Vazquez is a Nuyorican and Dominican-York textile artist, researcher, and organizer from Brooklyn, New York. A Parsons: The New School graduate tackling Indigenous politics-focussed work, Vazquez continually expands upon her fashion-as-art approach to design with intentions of bridging gaps between creative mediums and anthropological research. She has showcased work at several art spaces— among them The Joan Mitchell Foundation and El Museo de Los Sures— has formally delved into curatorial work as a fellow at BRIC Arts Media, and has engaged in both electoral and mutual aid work across multiple organizing spaces.
GUCCI + Curated/ Fine-Artist Paulette Tavormina
When Paulette Tavormina, fine artist, called ASMP to tell the board she had been contacted by a very big fragrance brand and needed an agent to help her negotiate the details, the organization turned her onto me and we got straight to work! Pleased to announce we not only got to shoot this campaign together, but he’s also been maintaining the relationship with Gucci and continues to shoot for the Alchemist’s Garden brand. Have a look!
Creator Sequoia Emmanuelle - director’s reel for REAL!
Photographer/Director Sequoia Emmanuelle invites you into her colorful world of the fantastic as she releases her debut director’s reel - filled with narrative music video work, the likes of which, I’m sure you’ve never seen. Enjoy!
Sequoia Emmanuelle - director’s sizzle-reel.
Sundial: Art Director Maurizio Grammatico makes it to the other side
During the Covid epidemic, I started a consulting business helping artists to dial into their unique messaging and marketing skills. Maurizio Grammatico, an art director that I met years earlier at Grey Advertising, hit me up on Instagram and said he might be thinking of a career as a fine artist/commercial photographer. Several ideations of his portfolio edit later, we decided to also produce his first motion piece reflecting a bit of the times we were in, and Sundial was the end result. This is an edited version of the film that took us on an adventure into the streets of NYC to capture moments where the light just hit right. SUNDIAL at its core is about pushing us to reimagine our relationship with time. The time spent nurturing ourselves isn’t about indulgence but rather a transformative practice of self-love. It’s about carving out and honoring the time we set aside each day to nurture our mind, body, and spirit. Whether it’s going for a walk, listening to music, meditating, creating art, journaling, exercising or just giving your thoughts time to wander, that time is helping to restore the energy we need to show up fully in our lives.
For more of Maurizio’s work, come find him at: https://www.mauriziogphoto.com/sundial
Urban League Of Essex County - Creative Agency Directorial Debut
At the Urban League of Essex County, it’s why flows from the belief that every person deserves equal access to the resources they need to achieve their potential. I am so pleased to announce my personal directorial debut for this organization. When I was approached by program director, Kevin Jones to help create a film that was not the traditional capabilities piece that would show at their annual Red Gala to help raise funds as a donation/inspiration film, I said as Curated’s agency director - “this is right up my alley.” I tend to not follow traditional paths in almost everything I do. Sometimes it gets me into trouble, but the payoff and the impact is often better than I could dream of. A little angel sat on my shoulder that day and said, “well kid, you’re now a director - figure it out.”
From there, we chose to dig into the human lived experience in each of our subject’s stories. We didn’t create a film that was a traditional deck of dreamy music and long pans over locations and testimonials by the senior officers of the organization. We didn’t create poverty-porn. We knew that If the goal was to raise money for the underserved communities of Newark, NJ, from both individuals and corporations, we had to aim for the heart and showcase the efforts produced by the servants of the organization and then feature the impact and gratitude of those they serve.
From creative concept and art direction to the pre-production interviews of these very special case studies and the heartfelt execution at the homes and community spaces of these incredible humans, we got it done. The Urban League https://nul.org and https://ulec.org reached their fund-raising goal and I got to - for the first time in my life, call myself a creator.
Curated Artist's: Clayton Boyd for Hugo Boss X Spencer Phipps
German fashion house Hugo Boss is getting environmentally friendly with US designer Spencer Phipps on a new gender-less campaign and capsule collection shot by Curated’s Clayton Boyd and we couldn't be more excited for this work. Clayton spent a day hiking on the mountaintops of California’s Roof Crack in Box Spring’s Mountain Reserve Park with Spencer to test his endurance on these cliffs and held up pretty well from what we can see. Thanks to Studio Lou for the tireless production efforts to see this up-cycled, sustainable and culturally diverse campaign brought to life. Here is a little link to the fashion film.
From the pages of Vogue
The diversely cast, desert-shot, and digital hit fashion show—with over 30 million YouTube views and counting—that was Boss’s recent Dubai activation featured one especially surprising model: Spencer Phipps.
Now menswear’s most progressive peak-climbing pogonophile has partnered with the German giant once again, this time on a two-drop collaborative collection that launches today. According to Boss, it marks the first time the company has partnered with another fashion brand. True to the smaller brand’s practice, the collection is chiefly upcycled from existing garments and deadstock fabrics and where not—as in the pineapple leather retro climbing sneakers—uses sustainable materials.
Boss-wise, the chief architect of the collection was Marco Falcioni, who recently assumed the mantle as Senior Vice President Creative Direction at the brand. Falcioni, whose beard is every bit as big as Phipps’s, said: “I love what we’ve managed to create. Our clashing aesthetics create a beautiful contradiction—one that has environmental responsibility at its heart.”
Photographer/Director Clayton Boyd for "One Plus" High-Desert Handset Campaign
Recently, photographer/director @_claytonboyd_ was contracted by @oneplus to produce a two-week loop through the Mojave desert in California and Nevada for their latest handset to demonstrate the beautiful images it can capture! Clayton being a formidable rock-climber and nature enthusiast was jazzed by the idea of creating a high-desert narrative that took us all on a journey of incredible sights to be found in our nation’s west coast! #ad #shotoneoneplus @oneplus #naturephotography #desertphotography #highdesert #mojavedesert #oneplus10pro
Pete Muller Makes It To The Finals At London's Prestigious AOP Awards
The Category is: Sports Personal Work (said in his best Pose Voguing Voice) We are so proud of Pete Muller for becoming a recent finalist in one of 9 categories of the 2021 AOP Photography Awards. The Panel of Judges were blown away by this year’s submissions and will hold a live showcase Wednesday, April 20th where gold and silver winners will be announced on the night of the event at what will be an exciting and long-overdue opportunity to meet in person again! The nine categories include; lifestyle, documentary. portrait, environment, still life and object, food and drink, sport and project. To those of you who don’t know, the AOP awards are like the Oscars of Photography. The Association of Photographers was first formed in 1968 as the Association of Fashion and Advertising Photographers and is one of the most prestigious professional photographers' associations in the world. The Association's aims are: to promote and protect the worth and standing of its members, to vigorously defend, educate and lobby for the interests and rights of all photographers, especially in the commercial photographic industry.
Pete Muller for THE AOP AWARDS
Tom Kubik - More From The Visit Florida #lovefla Campaign
“Whatever you're imagining, you can make it real here.” That is the tag line from the new Visit Florida campaign urging people from across the country and the globe to come visit and indulge their wanderlust within the cultural riches of this wonderful state. Explore the wide-open beauty of Florida with the exceptional cinematography of Tom Kubik in his #visitflorida #lovefla campaign. Tom spent about a week in the Florida panhandle photographing everything from wolf preservation parks to lakes, rivers and streams. We couldn’t be more excited for him as he got to take out his drone for a spin and the results are fantastic!
Photographer/Director Tom Kubik for Visit Florida
“Whatever you're imagining, you can make it real here.” That is the tag line from the new Visit Florida campaign urging people from across the country and the globe to come visit and indulge their wanderlust within the cultural riches of this wonderful state. Explore the wide-open beauty of Florida with the exceptional cinematography of Tom Kubik in his #visitflorida #lovefla campaign. Tom spent about a week in the Florida panhandle photographing everything from wolf preservation parks to lakes, rivers and streams. We couldn’t be more excited for him as he got to take out his drone for a spin and the results are fantastic!
Welcoming Photographer Clayton Boyd to the Roster
There comes a time in a rep’s life when the universe aligns and you joyfully meet a person who just gels with everything you love about photography as it intersects his personality, commitment, and attitude. Such was the case with photographer/director Clayton Boyd. Clayton was camped out over at @thenorthface for a few years and we were so lucky when he decided to take his professional career to the next level with us. Based in Los Angeles and NYC his travel, active outdoor lifestyle and portrait work are sought out nationally and internationally by some of the world’s most respected athletic brands because of Clayton’s ability to work with the environment, beautiful architectural lighting and a real human connection. He’s a rock-climber, humanitarian and environmental enthusiast and he digs dogs, so he’s a triple win for us! #losangelesphotographer#rockclimbing #outdoorphotography#naturephotography#landscapephotography #portraits#athletics #carphotography#automobilephotography#thenorthface #arcteryx #athleta#asics
Parallax by Philip Edsel - A New Sony RX0 Film
Photographer and director Philip Edsel was commissioned by Sony to create a motion piece that put their all-new RX0 camera through it’s paces. The result is Parallax, a reference to both the physical perspectives with which the camera was used and the frenetic nature of relationships between two people.
This film was shot entirely on the new Sony RX0 camera to demonstrate it's ultra-compact form factor. The camera was used handheld, on a gimbal, in its underwater housing, crammed into tight corners, and in a group of 8 cameras on a bullet time rig.
We also created a BTS "Making of Parallax" video here: vimeo.com/245035785
CREDITS:
Concept & Direction - Philip Edsel / edselphoto.com
Director of Photography - Peter Longno / peterl.tv
Producer & BTS - Moyo Oyelola / melements.me
Choreography - Jacob Jonas
Talent - Nic Walton & Joy Isabella Brown of Jacob Jonas the Company
Song - “Into” by Aten Rays
Kate Woodman: Gender Equality and All Things "Woman-World"
When I first met Kate at a restaurant in midtown Manhattan determining whether I would like to represent her, I thought to myself; quiet, un-assuming, deceptively fragile in a very lovable shy exterior. I couldn't believe the power in the visual content and that it was juxtaposed against this otherwise soft-spoken artist. After some discussion about her career in Portland (where she hails from) and a discussion about her commitment to showcasing a fantastic version of reality, I was pretty hooked. I knew the work I saw printed in the book was only half-representative of the woman that stood before me, and I must say that a few months later, I'm happy that my intuition was correct. In her latest series, "This Is A Woman's World", we get to see this creator bring forth her vision of a better world using sets and props (probably all sourced for under 50$ as is her usual ethos of creativity meets ingenuity/thriftiness model) and characters she cast herself. She makes a statement to the workforce that women for far too long have been doing the work of men and have endured the unconscious behaviors of sexual harassment, pay inequality and a host of other shadows that, left un-addressed, will surely mean the death of a compassionate, sensible workforce with a vision toward a better future for all. Kudos to you Kate for your boldness and commitment to support womenfolk everywhere.
Artist Statement
This Is A Woman’s World is a conceptual photographic essay which focuses on women working in traditionally male dominated fields. The series aims to both celebrate and empower women by defying the gendered stereotypes of labor. I believe this message is more powerful than ever in today’s climate where, despite overwhelming displays of solidarity amongst women, challenges in the working world continue to manifest. These challenges include gender pay gap, sexual harassment and abuse within the workplace, exploitation of women of color, the perpetuation of unpaid domestic work solely being female as well as a myriad of other oppressive forces working against women.
The series also seeks to challenge the societal expectation of what a “working woman” looks like. Though models have always been used for creating idealized realities, by deliberately utilizing stereotypically attractive women, we draw attention to their femininity as well as create a strong juxtaposition against their perceived masculine roles. We thereby challenge the notion that a woman has to be plain to be strong; moreover, we acknowledge and celebrate the beauty of women in these industries—an attribute which is often perceived as detrimental to a woman in a male dominated field.
HANA WEARS NIKE
Fun new motion spot by Philip Edsel inspired by Nike and the joy of movement. Enjoy!
Philip Edsel Creates Dynamic Content For Kate Spade
To celebrate the launch of their new summer line, Kate Spade commissioned Philip Edsel to create a series of short motion loops for their Instagram feed. Enjoy!
#Summerfeels: Philip Edsel for CB2
Recently, CB2 asked photographer and writer Philip Edsel to help them usher in the First Day of Summer with his series #captionsbywriters for their Instagram feed. Philip wrote pieces to accompany images he shot in Los Angeles that encapsulated the idea of #summerfeels by documenting not people, but light.
Read the posts below.
