A Legendary Ball for Legends by a Legend

When Oprah wanted to honor 25 African American women in art, entertainment and civil rights—and to introduce a new generation of up-and-coming influencers she called “youngins”—she hosted a white tie event at Santa Barbara’s Bacara Resort. A two-colored hand calligraphed, bound suede book serves as the invitation that beckoned each honoree to be part of this historic event. So, too, did a book profiling the lives of the legends, which came in a slipcase studded with onyx-colored Swarovski crystals spelling out the event’s official name Legends - A Bridge to Now. At this very formal event, Oprah surprised guests by arriving in a stunning red gown. As a nod to that distinction, her foreword appears on the book’s only red page, while the legends were all photographed in dramatic black and white.