Monn’s path to success is a familiar story. He went through struggles during his childhood, but thanks to great sewing and design talents, he wove his tuxedo and his date’s prom dress in high school. Many years later and a few jobs inbetween, Monn realized that his passion didn’t lie in fashion but in interior design. But then a client from the diamond industry offered Monn a lucrative opportunity that he could not refuse. Monn spent the subsequent 12 years working in the diamond business. “I was very good at it, but I hated every day of it… during that time I was afforded a luxury to do a lot of things I love to do.” The most rewarding was the time he was able to spend entertaining at his home in Sharon, Conneticut. It was from this that his love of event planning grew. He says, “If you have been given some talent, and you are unhappy with your life, you need to stand up to the mirror and ask why… I knew I wanted to do something creative.”
So Monn took control of his life, and began David E. Monn LLC. “My goal and dream forever was to be the next Martha Stewart, and now I know Martha!” His goals have grown along with him; his new mission is to be the voice of luxury, and ambition he is filling, thanks to a monthly column in Departures Magazine titled “All in the Detail,” a form of guidance to luxurious things. He is also penning a book about event planning, with a primary focus on the reader’s five senses, which he feels is of the utmost importance in event planning.
“When we do an event,” he says, “all five senses must be engaged for the night to be magical. If your body is not using one of the senses, it overcompensates with another.” He believes that the sense of smell is the most important, and always uses fragrance at his events. For The Costume Institute Ball in honor of the legendary Coco Chanel, Monn had three thousand Gardenias-Coco’s favorite-flown in from around the country. The flowers delicate fragrance provided the idealic setting for the evening, one which guests remember to this day.
The fact that his home and office are in the flower district is no accident. “I walk my King Charles, Sammy, through the flower district every morning.” He is able to keep up with what is available and in season, but the district is in danger, due to the growing cost of real estate. “[The flower market] has been here for 50 years, and it’s needed… Every major city has a flower market, and New York’s is limited due to space… I put together a vision to present to the City of New York soon, which would create a retail outlet where studios and florists could work.” His passion for helping his city is inspiring.
Influenced by a high school art teacher who recognized Monn’s artistic potential, Monn also realizes the importance of art classes in high school curriculums. Therefore, Monn plans to create an empire vast enough to single handedly endow art programs in high schools across the country, a program that he would personally fund because he understands that budget cuts force schools to remove art classes that otherwise inspire youths throughout their entire lives.
All in all, Monn is dedicated to making virtually every aspect of life better, indulging all five senses. He is both inspired and inspiring at the same time. “I love what I do; that is a great gift,” he says. “If you can create it, you can do it.” He continues to create magic everywhere he goes.
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May 25, 2007Kerzner's Paradise Island: Sol Kerzner
