.about {
  position: relative;
  background: #ede8df;
  color: var(--ink);
  overflow: hidden;
}
.about::before {
  /* hairline top edge transition from hero → about */
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  top: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
  height: 1px;
  background: linear-gradient(90deg, transparent, rgba(176,141,87,0.35), transparent);
  z-index: 1;
}
.about::after {
  content: '';
  position: absolute; inset: 0;
  background:
    radial-gradient(ellipse 60% 65% at 72% 40%, rgba(176,141,87,0.18), transparent 62%),
    radial-gradient(ellipse 45% 50% at 22% 70%, rgba(176,141,87,0.10), transparent 55%);
  animation: sectionGlow 24s ease-in-out infinite;
  pointer-events: none; z-index: 0;
}

/* ── Full-bleed two-column grid ─────────────────────────────────────── */
.about-grid {
  position: relative; z-index: 3;
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
  min-height: 78vh;
}

/* ── Photo column ─ clean full-bleed, centre-cropped, all resolutions */
.about-photo-col {
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
  min-height: 480px;
  background: #ede8df; /* matches section bg so mask fade blends seamlessly */
}
.about-photo-col img {
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
  object-position: 50% 38%;
  display: block;
  filter: sepia(6%) contrast(1.04) brightness(0.96);
  transition: filter 0.8s ease, transform 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
  /* Fade photo into the text column — same technique as &Bold section */
  -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(to right,
    #000 0%, #000 68%, rgba(0,0,0,0.85) 82%, rgba(0,0,0,0.35) 94%, transparent 100%);
          mask-image: linear-gradient(to right,
    #000 0%, #000 68%, rgba(0,0,0,0.85) 82%, rgba(0,0,0,0.35) 94%, transparent 100%);
}
.about-photo-col:hover img {
  filter: sepia(2%) contrast(1.06) brightness(1.00);
  transform: scale(1.015);
}

/* ── Text column ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
.about-text-col {
  position: relative;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  justify-content: center;
  gap: 28px;
  padding: clamp(72px, 10vh, 120px) clamp(48px, 6vw, 88px) clamp(72px, 10vh, 120px) clamp(36px, 4vw, 60px);
}
.about-heading {
  margin: 0 0 4px;
  position: relative; z-index: 1;
  font-family: var(--font-display);
  font-weight: 300;
  /* Fluid scale: readable on phones, expressive on wide screens.
     Min: 1.75rem (28px) · Pref: 4.4vw · Max: 3.4rem (54.4px) */
  font-size: clamp(1.75rem, 4.4vw, 3.4rem);
  line-height: 1.2;
  color: var(--ink);
  letter-spacing: -0.01em;
  /* Prevent the name/label from breaking awkwardly inside the heading */
  text-wrap: balance;
  hyphens: none;
  overflow-wrap: break-word;
  padding-bottom: 0.08em;
}
.about-heading em {
  font-style: italic;
  color: var(--bronze);
}

.about-bio {
  margin: 0;
  position: relative; z-index: 1;
  font-family: var(--font-body);
  font-size: clamp(15px, 1.3vw, 17px);
  line-height: 1.78;
  color: rgba(58, 53, 46, 0.85);
}
.about-bio p { margin-bottom: 16px; }
.about-bio p:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }

.about-signoff {
  display: flex; align-items: flex-end; justify-content: space-between;
  gap: clamp(16px, 2vw, 28px); flex-wrap: wrap;
  position: relative; z-index: 1;
  padding-top: 24px;
  border-top: 1px solid rgba(176, 141, 87, 0.20);
}
.about-cta {
  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 14px;
  padding: 14px 26px;
  background: var(--ink);
  color: var(--warm-white);
  font-family: var(--font-sc);
  font-size: 10px;
  letter-spacing: 0.42em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  transition: background 0.4s, color 0.4s, gap 0.5s var(--ease-out);
  white-space: nowrap;
}
.about-cta:hover { background: var(--bronze); gap: 20px; }
.about-cta svg { stroke: currentColor; }

.about-signature {
  display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 2px;
  font-family: var(--font-display);
  text-align: right;
  min-width: 0;
  max-width: 100%;
}
.as-name {
  font-style: italic;
  /* Fluid: stays readable on 320px phones without overflowing */
  font-size: clamp(1.1rem, 2.6vw, 1.5rem);
  line-height: 1.15;
  color: var(--bronze);
  overflow-wrap: break-word;
  white-space: normal;
}
.as-place {
  font-family: var(--font-sc);
  font-size: clamp(9px, 1.1vw, 10px);
  letter-spacing: 0.38em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--muted);
  margin-top: 2px;
  overflow-wrap: break-word;
}

@media (max-width: 960px) {
  .about-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; min-height: auto; }
  .about-photo-col { min-height: 420px; }
  .about-text-col { padding: 52px clamp(24px, 5vw, 52px); }
  .about-signoff { justify-content: flex-start; }
  .about-signature { text-align: left; }
  /* Switch mask to vertical when photo sits above text */
  .about-photo-col img {
    -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      #000 0%, #000 65%, rgba(0,0,0,0.70) 82%, transparent 100%);
            mask-image: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      #000 0%, #000 65%, rgba(0,0,0,0.70) 82%, transparent 100%);
    object-position: 50% 35%;
  }
}


/* ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
   5. CHAPTERS (selected)
   ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ */