I met ELYSIAN’s publisher, Karen Floyd, at the Cannes Film Festival, where she was screening the trailer for her powerful documentary, Ukraine: For the Children. Celebre Magazine World and Luxury Investment Magazine were the media sponsors of the Sustainable Responsibility Gala, where Floyd received the Âme de lumière (Soul of Light) Impact in Cinema Award. This prestigious honour celebrates visionary storytellers who create meaningful change through film and humanitarian outreach. In a year dominated by spectacle, her work stood out for its quiet, truthful, devastating grace, a woman’s lens on war, loss, and the stubborn persistence of hope.
Karen is not just a publisher and filmmaker, but also a former prosecutor and judge, and the founder of ELYSIAN, a media platform dedicated to elevating the voices of extraordinary women around the world. With more than 30 international film awards and a soul that seems to burn with purpose, she represents a new kind of global storyteller , one who blends purpose with urgency, vision with action.
I am honored to share this conversation with her for Luxury Investment Magazine.
Massimo Basile
The name ELYSIAN evokes beauty, peace, and divine inspiration. What does that ideal mean to you now, a decade later, having built a brand with global reach?
While I love the Greek definition of ELYSIAN — beauty, peace, and divine inspiration — I have always been fascinated by Greek mythology, where the Elysian Fields were the equivalent of heaven, eternal paradise… a place where the souls of the enlightened live. As I approached the second half of my life, I revisited the concept of the Elysian Fields. Could we, here on Earth, create a sanctuary, a safe place for women? A resting place for souls who are seeking and accomplishing exceptional things? It became abundantly clear that ELYSIAN resonated with women worldwide, women who seek inspiration, solace, comfort, rejuvenation, and a purpose larger than themselves.
From Spartanburg, South Carolina, to Art Basel in Switzerland, ELYSIAN has grown from regional roots to a truly international platform. Did you always imagine such a reach?
Yes. I always knew that women could be galvanized through inspiration, whether through print, film, or digital stories. Geography does not matter. The struggles of women are universal. The fact that ELYSIAN’s headquarters is in a small town in a southern state does not preclude women from being attracted to similar things: peace/love, excellence/luxury, and legacy/purpose.
The transition from a luxury lifestyle magazine to an international multimedia brand is not typical. What were the risks — and the rewards – of expanding ELYSIAN so boldly across continents and platforms?
The quest for excellence will never stop. Expansion — bold expansion — will never stop, whether through new platforms or new relationships. Our intention is to grow, because every woman should be inspired, and every woman can inspire. It was risky. We built it one step at a time, with 12 women from the state of South Carolina investing in a dream. During the past decade, we faced COVID, a downturned economy, wars, political divisions, and more. Yet the concept was strong enough to withstand all of it. We would try something and, if it failed, we would “pivot” (my favorite word), and attempt something different. Women understand hard work, multitasking, and pulling together. The rewards were many: from building a strong, vibrant team to increasing global awareness, we built a brand around our storytelling and our ability to make a difference, bringing awareness with hope.
“Women inspiring women” is the foundation of ELYSIAN. How do you keep that mission both timeless and responsive to a rapidly changing world?
Our diverse team of women inhabit the entire globe, from Great Britain to Australia, from New York to all corners of the United States, from Asia to the Middle East, from South America to Canada. We actually believe in this mission. Let’s face it: people have changed dramatically over the past decade. There is an emotional detachment that permeates humanity, whether from the aftereffects of COVID’s isolation, the intensity of digital/social media, global division, or war. We are different today. ELYSIAN’s mission is simple: Women Inspiring Women. No matter how humanity changes, inspiration brings hope, and without hope, life has no meaning.
From fashion documentaries to films on war and resilience, ELYSIAN’s cinematic branch has gained international acclaim. What drew you to film as a medium for storytelling?
Our filmmaking began in an unexpected way. As a lawyer, I was nervous that something written might be taken out of context when interviewing women. Think about it — the editor takes 26,000 words and narrows it down to approximately 3,000. Candidly, I started filming to memorialize the interviews. As it turned out, people were mesmerized by the filmed versions. So, we pivoted. Over a decade, we found our path and learned the trade.
What has the process of producing these award-winning documentaries taught you about influence, perspective, and responsibility?
Filmmaking is very granular. It forces you to focus on the “why.” Whether it’s building awareness or bringing hope, ultimately, filmmaking is a responsibility. It’s about your duty as a human being to make this world better.
How does the ELYSIAN aesthetic — elegance, self-actualization, depth — translate across different formats, whether it’s film, print, or a conversation at the Vatican?
Have you ever been to a concert where, as you listen to the music, something speaks directly to you? The experience transcends into your soul. Yet, as you leave the concert, your colleague describes the same feeling, but with a completely different perspective. In other words, we are all hearing the same thing. One hears it one way; the other hears it differently, same music, differing perspectives. This is ELYSIAN’s objective: to translate exceptional and inspiring content across different formats so that everyone has a unique experience and is somehow touched or inspired, though not necessarily in the same way.
You’ve held events during Art Basel and opened New York Fashion Week. How do these global moments reflect ELYSIAN’s values, and how do they shape your future ambitions?
Events are a component of a bigger picture, part of a strategic plan to inspire women globally and connect women in a disconnected world. Events allow us to gain exposure and awareness, and they also give us the opportunity to connect, galvanize, and coalesce women who are interested in purpose and philanthropy. Women are complex beings, and we represent that through the diverse events that we host.
At the Vatican, you moderated a panel on world peace. What was that experience like, and how does peace, as a concept, intersect with your work?
Peace is a foundational component of anyone who is self-aware. Without peace, our world is crippled. We have evolved into a very divisive planet; love and peace are the antidotes. When we talk about peace, it is not just the idea of world peace, but also the concept of reconciling peace within.
The ELYSIAN Circle of Women includes leaders in art, business, public service, and philanthropy. How do you cultivate trust and authenticity in this rarefied space?
Our nonpartisan, curated content does that. I wish it were just one person. But it’s not. We cultivate trust and authenticity through the work we create, in our stories, in print, on digital platforms, and in film.
In your experience, what is the greatest untapped potential of women-led networks on a global scale?
Sadly, women are underrepresented in boardrooms, politics, and areas of influence. The greatest untapped potential of women-led networks on a global scale is their value proposition , voiced and amplified. Their point of reference. Their perspective.
With the inclusion of Aspiring Women alongside Inspiring Women, ELYSIAN is creating a living mentorship model. What do you hope these younger women will take away from this intergenerational exchange?
In a world where younger generations have endured unprecedented struggle, we want to give them a voice and access to other women who can mentor and guide them on their journey. This is fundamentally about bridging generations of women, and the Aspiring Women are really the next chapter. This is not about judging, it’s about honoring younger women. Hopefully, they will feel empowered through real-life examples of women who have gone before.
If you could sit down with any woman — living or dead — for the next ELYSIAN cover interview, who would it be, and what would you ask her?
Mother Teresa. I would ask her about the loneliness of leadership and the struggles of faith.
How do you envision the ELYSIAN legacy ten years from now? What would make you feel that the platform has lived up to its name?
This next generation — our Aspiring Women — will be at the helm. They will be the tip of the spear, and the baton will be passed. Ten years from now, looking back, I hope ELYSIAN will have provided inspiration and thoughtfulness through its content, connections, and ultimate impact. In simple terms, ELYSIAN is for those who are curious and seek knowledge, peace, purpose, legacy, and mentorship.
It is a small piece of heaven on Earth.
Article edited by Massimo Basile
Editor & Founder
