Here's to the creators

Winning Magazine's Editor in Chief Katarina Kroslakova reflects on our much-anticipated Creative Forces issue.

Photography by Pierre Toussaint.

Creativity means different things to different people. It can be an idea, a product, a performance, or even a concept. However you look at it, the act of creation is an overwhelmingly positive force that presents opportunities to try new things or see the world in a different way.

Our Creative Forces issue offers plenty of scope to tiptoe across fields of endeavour from stars of stage and screen, and music; through the cars we’ll next be driving and spirits we’ll be sipping; to features in the home we aspire to own, and luxe travel destinations done differently.

Our cover story (page 12) highlights the achievements of Scarlett Johansson, who not only has used her abundant creative talents to master Hollywood, she has also bested the likes of Disney and OpenAI by standing up for issues that matter to her. 

Yet she is also refreshingly normal, enjoying walks around New York and hanging out in Central Park, with what her husband, comedian Colin Jost, describes as her “fundamentally positive outlook”.

Creativity comes naturally to Post Malone (page 18), the musical chameleon who has once again reinvented himself with a pronounced swing to embrace the music industry’s style du jour: country. 

Not that he’s appropriating a sound or trying to ride coat-tails; by collaborating with other artists, he’s continually pushing conventional norms to find a sound that’s his alone.

Then there’s the stars – think Clooney, Washington, Downey Jr – who are trading a comfy existence as box office superstars for the thrill of live performance, hitting the boards on Broadway and beyond to breathe new life into a host of productions and bringing new interest to the stage (page 34).

Creative forces also shape the unique nature of Australian spirits (page 66), which go well beyond traditional gins and whiskies to offer intriguing liqueurs packed with locally foraged ingredients, and much more. 

And yes, there’s gin too. One is the creation of AFL legend and proud Larrakia man Daniel Motlop, and it’s made from, wait for it … green ants.

We also take a look at who’s moving and shaking in the food and beverage industry, which continues to innovate its way out of a pandemic-induced slump. 

There’s also inspiration for your next renovation, as we take a loving look through homes featuring stunning architectural achievements from the kitchen (page 98) to the home office (page 112), down to the basement (page 106) and outside to wonderful terraces that create another living space in which to relax (page 92).

Follow us to Turkey for a weekend in stunning Izmir, and start making plans to book one a truly one-of-a-kind travel experience (page 132) or a retreat that takes wellness to a new level (page 144).

I hope you find the creative inspiration you need here to embark on your own Post Malone-style transformation; or maybe it’s time to plan that gin distillery you’ve always wanted to start.

This is an extract from an article that appears in print in our thirteenth edition, Page 8 of Winning Magazine with the headline: “Here's to the creators”. Subscribe to Winning Magazine today.