Gina Sanders’s New Book, The Spark, Draws a Purpose-Driven Crowd

“See—it makes for a great clutch too.” Proudly tucking her newly published tome, The Spark: Portraits of Purpose, under her arm, Gina Sanders greeted those who had gathered at Bibliotheque in SoHo to celebrate her latest endeavor.

Some seven years after the media powerhouse launched Gina’s Collective, her purpose-driven advisory firm, she figured it was time to collect and publish the inspiring stories of the nonprofits she works so closely with. While yes, the result is beautiful and ornamental—thanks to its orange facade and page designs inspired by the work of 1940s Italian artist Lucio Fontana—it’s not just another coffee-table book designed by Print NYC. Inside, the pages are filled with the moving mantras and personal mission statements of the founders who make up Gina’s Collective. Halfway through, the color palette shifts to hot pink, and it’s time for some hopeful “Gina-isms,” penned with encouragement by the woman herself. There’s also a DIY workbook to help readers ignite their own spark.

At an intimate reception at the library-like wine bar on Mercer Street, Sanders, a 29-year veteran of Condé Nast, was commended by Anna Wintour. “I presume Gina produced a draft during a ‘quick breather’ between launching tech start-ups, showing up to equestrian competitions, and her daily meditation sessions. She’s one of the world’s foremost multitaskers and a creative dynamo. We have all benefited enormously from her talents, and she has been a dream partner for so many of us here.”

A visibly moved Sanders graciously thanked the evening’s co-hosts—editors Samantha Barry, Jamila Robinson, Versha Sharma, and Fran Tirado—and her collaborator on the book, Jezz Chung, before welcoming four members of her Collective to join her in a fireside chat. “The reason I wanted to create this book is that I believe passionately that the most important gift we can either give or receive is the spark of inspiration,” she told the room.