On a hot, but no less festive August evening, our editors and sizable photography crew converged on Viceroy Palm Springs to meet the Coachella Valley’s new generation of movers and shapers — the Palm Springs Life 40 Under 40.

Does the desert have that many crackerjacks?

We wondered the same — before receiving nearly 90 nominations for more than 70 individuals. Our selection committee cherry-picked 40 leaders and influencers, doers, and visionaries who excel in their areas of specialty — art and culture, architecture and interior design, fashion and style, tourism and business, politics and public service, philanthropy, and the environment.

 Thirty-four of the 40 checked in at Viceroy’s Presidio lounge, enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvres, mingled and networked, and told us time and again that they had no idea the desert harbors so many smart, innovative, and creative people under 40 years old.

Well, it does. And the photo shoot revealed and celebrated the sophistication and vitality of a generation once broad-stroked as "slackers." Born to be wireless, this crop of coffee-addicted overachievers tells a story of a bright future in the Southern California desert.

Photography by Pat Krause