It’s pouring rain in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but the fire dancers swinging flaming poi outside the warehouse party don’t seem to mind. They’re entertaining cryptocurrency industry executives, blockchain developers, and Burning Man types who’ve flocked to the island in December 2021 for Blockchain Week, in which the island’s crypto bigwigs rent out basement club venues, party-hop in gated communities with top-shelf liquor, mingle with some Miss World contestants (there for the pageant the following week, funded in part by local crypto billionaires), and catch COVID together.
I’d come from a dinner earlier that night where a different set of fire dancers twirled in the background while a founder of a “social impact” blockchain company explained how his team, despite tireless efforts, couldn’t find a qualified woman to fill their chief financial officer role. (They’d hired a white man instead.) Next, it was off to a house party with a driveway full of Tesla charging stations and bros leaning on the balcony. On the journey over, the thirtysomething woman riding with me, a director at an NFT (non-fungible token) music company, mulled over a question she’d been asking herself since joining the male-dominated cryptocurrency industry: “Is this a high point or a low point?” she said, recalling a moment during Art Basel Miami Beach when she’d found herself networking at E11EVEN, a 24-hour “ultraclub,” in the wee hours of the morning with industry colleagues. “I really don’t know....”
This story is from the August 2022 edition of ELLE Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2022 edition of ELLE Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Ahead Of The Curve
Dior's new backpack blends canny craftsmanship with innovative versatility.
The Real You
Set in a vibrant virtual universe, Coach's latest campaign tells a story about authenticity.
Girl Power
K-pop group STAYC embodies a "Teenfresh" appeal that sends an uplifting message of self-love and authenticity. We caught up with the six-girl band right after their concert in Singapore in this ELLE Singapore exclusive.
To The Château!
Roger Vivier melds classic heritage with contemporary flair for its spring/summer 2024 collection.
On The Road
TISSOT's new PR516 chronograph is a great gift for when your significant other has been a good boy.
Dancing With V-Reality
Creative visionary Blanca Li brings together dance, technology and fashion in a one-of-a-kind virtual reality live performance show-CHANEL couture included.
Destination VUITTON
Louis Vuitton transforms its new Bangkok store into an immersive lifestyle destination and multifaceted luxury experience.
ON THE Scent
The nose is a peculiar thing; fickle, peculiar, and hard to please. But when a delightfully enchanting scent radiates through the air, we can't help but follow its lead. Here are some fragrances that have us bewitched.
IN Conversation
Can poetry and romance thrive in our fast-paced digital age with three-second attention spans? Charmaine Ho finds out through her chat with Van Cleef & Arpels president and CEO Nicolas Bos that they can-and they have.
To the MOON and BACK
Omega's new Constellation Meteorite collection delivers piece of the universe into your hands.