Editor in Chief Jacqueline Terrebonne Shares Highlights from Galerie’s Collectors 2025 Issue
This special edition spotlights extraordinary collections and the people behind them
Touring the grounds of Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon’s Oak Spring estate with Tiffany & Co. on a recent visit to Upperville, Virginia, I was struck by the overwhelming number of categories she collected. Of course there were the Rothkos, the Impressionists, and Dutch Golden Age masters. But there was also a proliferation of other gems: woven baskets, rare books on flowers and plants, D. Porthault linens, and Jean Schlumberger jewelry. Over a decade after her death, her enthusiasm for and dedication to these treasures are still palpable, as is the joy they brought her. She was the epitome of what it means to be a great collector.
That same ardor is what ties together every story in our annual Collectors issue. For our special portfolio, Galerie’s editors spotlight a wonderful group with a diverse array of passions—architect Deborah Berke collects sculptural jewelry, while tastemaker Brunello Cucinelli amasses books. Design dealers Nacho Polo and Robert Onuska of StudioTwentySeven appreciate the craftsmanship of timeless Hermès bags, whereas gallerist Jack Shainman cultivates a lifelong obsession with ceramics. And that’s just the beginning.
On the cover, collector Laurent Asscher gives us an extraordinary look inside his
piano nobile apartment in Venice, an entire home based on his architectural needs
for hanging and reshuffling his jaw-dropping assortment of very large works. He offers the wisdom, “When you build a collection, you have to buy the best, not what’s the
easiest to sell” (“The Venetian Scheme,” page 134).
We also dive into what happens when a collector maxes out. One Porsche enthusiast
seemingly had it all, so he decided to enlist design duo David/Nicolas to customize
every detail of a 1990 Porsche 964 Targa, naturally in an enviable shade of green. And
that’s not the only wonder on wheels in this issue: We also share what it’s like to step
aboard La Dolce Vita Orient Express, which allows passengers to traverse Italy in the
utmost style in cars designed by Dimorestudio. It’s filled with exactly the kind of
attention to detail and absolute devotion that sets apart all great collectors—both the
ones featured in and those reading this edition.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Late Fall Issue. Subscribe to the magazine.