Prestige Hong Kong _ April 2019

HONG KONG APRIL 2019 HK$50

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NICHOLAS HOULT PLAYING FAVOURITES

KOMODO NATIONAL PARK’S NEW LAP OF LUXURY | ITALIAN GEMS THE MEN’S SS19 STYLE MEMO | JAMES SUCKLING ON BORDEAUX 2016 PLUS DAVID ALTMEJD | HORACIO PAGANI | KRIS VAN ASSCHE

UNDERCOVER

MAN OF THE MOMENT Dressed in Dior Men on the Oscars red carpet in February, Nicholas Hoult topped many a best-dressed list by taking an out-of-the-box approach to black tie in his wrap-around tuxedo. Yet you could say that Hoult’s career has been defined by his bold choices. He shot to fame, aged 10, in About a Boy before taking a punt on Tom Ford’s directorial debut, A Single Man. And last year we saw him gleefully powdered, coiffed and camp in The Favourite. Before he hits the road to promote two more mega films to be released this year, the 29-year-old actor sat for our cover shoot in London.

Unfailingly friendly and down-to-earth, Hoult arrived on time and even stayed late, on a Saturday no less, until we had the perfect shot. The new dad also shared stories of life with a newborn, impressing stylist Steven Doan with the fact that he and his girlfriend manage it all without the help of a nanny. What a man.

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© 2018 Harry Winston SA

Harry Winston Premier Precious Moon Phase Automatic

ELEGANT WATCH & JEWELLERY OCEAN TERMINAL +852 2735 8481

ORIENTAL WATCH 100 QUEEN’S ROAD CENTRAL +852 3470 0009 HARRYWINSTON.COM

YES WATCH 1-3 MODY ROAD +852 2366 3288

CONTENTS 12 UNDERCOVER 22

EDITOR’S LETTER

24 CONTRIBUTORS 26 DIARY 151

STYLE MEMO 208 BACKSTORY

AGENDA 28

EDITOR’S PICKS What’s on our radar

32

STYLE Rock your wardrobe

36

JEWELLERY A cornucopia of stone and metal

38

WATCHES Fine art for the wrist

40

BEAUTY Shades, salves and scents

42

DINING Tickling the taste buds

44

TRAVEL Goss for globetrotters

46

DISCOVERY Ones to watch

47

ART Masters old and new

48

TOYS Cool kit to covet

49

AUCTIONS Going, going…

50

54

VIP

EVENTS The month’s top parties

FASHION

WOMENSWEAR Sun Dazed

62

WOMENSWEAR To the Max

72

KRIS VAN ASSCHE Opposites Attract

76

GLEN MARTENS Street Smart

42 Unripe jackfruit, roti and pickles

by Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019 Garima Arora

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CONTENTS JEWELLERY 78

PIEDMONT Hidden Gems

BEAUTY 82

PRODUCTS On the Scent

84

DIOR BEAUTY Peter Philips

COVER 90

NICHOLAS HOULT A Man for All Seasons

PEOPLE 98

HORACIO PAGANI Man and Machine

CULTURE

102 SCULPTURE David Altmejd 106 ART Collezione Maramotti

DESIGN

110 KRAVITZ DESIGN

Rock the Residence

TOYS 114

CAR Mercedes-Benz S 500

RSVP

120 EVENTS On the town

INDULGENCE 136 WINE Bordeaux 2016 140 DINING Stockholm 144 RESORT

The Ayana Komodo

148 HOTELS

162 Style Memo OUTFIT DIOR

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ASHISH SHAH

The Bürgenstock Selection

HONG KONG

Tama Miyake Lung EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Gigi Lee

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jon Wall

Zaneta Cheng

SENIOR EDITOR

FASHION & FEATURES EDITOR

Stephen Reels

P.Ramakrishnan

COPY EDITOR

Michael Alan Connelly

Sepfry Ng

SOCIETY EDITOR AT LARGE

Fontaine Cheng

DIGITAL EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR

Jeremy Wong

SOCIETY EDITOR

Dara Chau

HEAD OF DIGITAL CONTENT

Jing Zhang

EDITOR AT LARGE

Aydee Tie

DIGITAL WRITER

Philip Chan

SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER

HEAD OF MARKETING

Janet Ho

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Kavita Daswani, Andrew Dembina, Alvin Goh, Nick Goodyer, Mark Graham, Divia Harilela, Theresa Harold, Gary Jones, Elle Kwan, Gerrie Lim, Tasha Ling, Stephen McCarty, Joanne Ooi, Mathew Scott, Stephen Short, Payal Uttam, Joe Yogerst CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Dino Busch, Until Chan, Lionel Deluy, Christiaan Hart, Chun Ho, Joe Kwong, Ruby Law, Ricky Lo, Gordon Lund, Marco Ponti, Mike Ruiz, Laurent Segretier, Samantha Sin, Calvin Sit, Giovanni Squatriti, Olivier Yoan

PRESTIGE ASIA

Grace Tay

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SINGAPORE

Chris Hanrahan

MANAGING EDITOR, INDONESIA

Steve Chen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, TAIWAN

Julie Yim

ACTING EDITOR, MALAYSIA

François Oosthuizen

MANAGING EDITOR, THAILAND

The Hong Kong edition of Prestige is published under licence from Burda Singapore Pte Ltd. Copyright © 2019 Hubert Burda Media Hong Kong Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of Hubert Burda Media Hong Kong Ltd. All opinions expressed in Prestige Hong Kong are those of the writers and are not necessarily endorsed by Hubert Burda Media Hong Kong Ltd. Rights reserved. Prestige is a trademark of Burda Singapore Pte Ltd. Hubert Burda Media Hong Kong Ltd accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials lost or damaged in the mail.

Address all editorial and business correspondence to: Prestige Hong Kong, Unit 1401-04, 14/F, Universal Trade Centre, 3 Arbuthnot Road, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 3192 7010. Advertising and Marketing: salesandmarketing@burda.hk | Editorial: editor@burda.hk Prestige Hong Kong is printed by C. A. Printing Co. Ltd, 9/F, Cheung Wei Industrial Building, 42 Lee Chung Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2866 8733.

Prestige Hong Kong is published monthly. Single copy price is HK$50. For local and overseas subscription information, please email: subscription@burda.hk. Tel: (852) 3192 7020.

JEUX DE RUBANS EARRINGS IN WHITE GOLD AND DIAMONDS MIKIMOTO

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HONG KONG

Petula S Kincaid

MANAGING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER

Perpetua Ngo

GENERAL MANAGER – SALES

Janet Wong

ASSOCIATE SALES DIRECTOR

Wendy Cheung

ASSOCIATE SALES DIRECTOR

Astor Chan

CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER

Talia Jackson

HEAD OF CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS

Brian Bailey

Linda Mak

PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR

CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER

Prudence Ng

Annie Yung

OFFICE MANAGER

Georgia Parungao CONTENT LEAD

Daisy Wan

ACCOUNTANT

ACCOUNT OFFICER

PRESTIGE ASIA

Lena Kwek

Ronald Liem

MANAGING DIRECTOR, SINGAPORE

PUBLISHER, INDONESIA

Steve Chen

PUBLISHER, TAIWAN

Steven Chan

PUBLISHER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, MALAYSIA

Waraporn Siriboonma PUBLISHER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, THAILAND

INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES BURDA COMMUNITY NETWORK Germany Vanessa Noetzel Tel: (49 89) 9250 3532 Email: vanessa.noetzel@burda.com Michael Neuwirth Tel: (49 89) 9250 3629 Email: michael.neuwirth@burda.com Austria / Switzerland Goran Vukota Tel: (41 44) 810 2146 Email: goran.vukota@burda.com France / Luxembourg Marion Badolle-Feick Tel: (33 1) 72 71 25 24 Email: marion.badolle-feick@burda.com UK / Ireland Jeannine Soeldner Tel: (44 20) 3440 5832 Email: jeannine.soeldner@burda.com USA / Canada / Mexico Salvatore Zammuto Tel: (1 212) 884 4824 Email: salvatore.zammuto@burda.com BURDA INTERNATIONAL Italy Mariolina Siclari Tel: (39 02) 9132 3466 Email: mariolina.siclari@burda.com

Martin Weiss

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER

Sven Friedrichs

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ASIA

JOSÉPHINE AIGRETTE IMPÉRIALE EARRINGS IN WHITE GOLD AND BRILLIANT-CUT DIAMONDS CHAUMET

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Chua Siew Gek

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR

EDITOR’S LETTER

YOU’VE GOT MALE As you’ll soon see when flipping through the pages of this month’s Prestige, April is all about men’s style, boys’ toys and much to do with masculinity. Although it wasn’t quite a calculated move on our part, it certainly grew out of our seasonal Style Memo, which this month turns its gaze to spring/summer menswear.

Fashion and features editor Zaneta Cheng has curated the essential guide to the season, highlighting the biggest trends, the boldest looks and the need-toknow designers. Stylist Bhisan Rai and photographer Ashish Shah also take us on a contemplative journey along the Ganges for a fashion shoot like few you’ve ever seen before.

And let’s not forget our cover star. Nicholas Hoult is one of the most successful actors of his generation. From his breakout role in About a Boy to appearances in blockbusters like the X-Men franchise and the critically acclaimed The Favourite, he’s proven himself to be a true leading man. Farhan Shah talks to him about his career, his craft and the – often sleepless – transition to fatherhood.

Elsewhere in the issue we meet a number of men who are equally exceptional in their chosen fields. Senior editor Jon Wall sits down with Horacio Pagani to learn how he turned a boyhood dream into a company that produces some of the most exquisitely crafted sports cars in the world. In New York, I visit sculptor David Altmejd at his studio as he prepares for his inaugural Hong Kong exhibition at White Cube. Editor-at-large Jing Zhang, meanwhile, catches up with Y/Project creative director Glenn Martens on his whirlwind visit to the Fragrant Harbour.

But that’s not to say we don’t have plenty more gender-neutral stories and shoots to keep you entertained and informed this month. Our travel section takes us from heritage hotels in Switzerland to the dining rooms of Stockholm and all the way to the pink-sand shores of Komodo National Park. Our party pages take us down the red carpet at the Oscars and the Asian Film Awards, and everywhere in between.

Finally, April marks the start of a very exciting new era for our magazine as we welcome renowned wine critic James Suckling as a regular contributor. Turn to page 136 to get his take on the incredible Bordeaux 2016 vintage, and be sure to check our website for added content and access to his legendary events.

Enjoy the issue!

Tama Miyake Lung | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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HONG KONG APRIL 2019 HK$50

prestigeonline.com

KOMODO NATIONAL PARK’S NEW LAP OF LUXURY | ITALIAN GEMS THE MEN’S SS19 STYLE MEMO | JAMES SUCKLING ON BORDEAUX 2016 PLUS DAVID ALTMEJD | HORACIO PAGANI | KRIS VAN ASSCHE

PHOTOGRAPHY RACHELL SMITH STYLING STEVEN DOAN SUIT AND SHIRT BROOKS BROTHERS POLARIS MEMOVOX JAEGER-LECOULTRE facebook.com/prestigehongkong @prestigehk

@Prestige_HK

CONTRIBUTORS Born in Nepal and now living in Hong Kong, bhisan rai styles menswear and womenswear photo shoots for publications such as the South China Morning Post, L’Officiel, NowFashion, Design Scene, The Peak and Zalora, and offers consulting services for young designers. In his spare time he focuses on working in a supportive role with the local Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention (SRACP). In this month’s Prestige he travels to India for our Style Memo shoot (“Blessed Are the Gentle, For They Shall Inherit the Earth”, page 162).

Intrepid Scotsman paul kay was bitten by the travel bug at a young age, sparking an incurable curiosity that has taken him to more than 70 countries, and into adventures that range from staring down hordes of marine lizards in the Galápagos Islands to running naked through the desert at the Burning Man festival in Nevada. Based in Hong Kong, his work has appeared in The Times, Forbes and The Independent, among many other publications. Find out how he fares when confronted with Komodo’s fearsome reptiles (“Here Be Dragons”, page 144).

Photographer ashish shah grew up in the northern parts of India, in the vast valleys around the River Ganges. His work is based in boundless landscapes, the traditions and culture of the land, in childhood reveries and heartbreak, always forming a wistful first-hand impression of the land and people he’s familiar with. See his work in our Style Memo photo shoot (“Blessed Are the Gentle, For They Shall Inherit the Earth”, page 162).

Australian photographer christiaan hart has travelled throughout Asia to cover international sporting events such as Formula 1, golf, tennis and rugby sevens. He also specialises in commercial and corporate events, and in 2015 was one of two official photographers to cover the behind-the-scenes and event happenings at the APEC CEO summit in Manila.

VIPs included Barack Obama, Jack Ma and Xi Jinping among many other world and business leaders. This month, he photographs vaunted automobile builder Horacio Pagani (“Man and Machine”, page 98) and wine critic James Suckling (“A Vintage to Venerate”, page 136).

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R A L P H L AU R E N

O U R S TO R E S AKR IS . ALEX ANDER Mc QUEEN . ALICE + OLIVI A . BALENCI AGA . BANDIER . BER ETTA GALLERY BRUNELLO CUCINELLI . CAROLINA HERR ER A . CARTIER . CELINE . CHANEL . CHR ISTI AN LOUBOUTIN CHR ISTOFLE . DIOR . ER MENEGILDO ZEGNA . ESCADA . ETRO . FENDI . FR AME . HARRY WINSTON . HER MÈS JAMES PERSE . JIMMY CHOO . LE LABO . LELA ROSE . LORO PI ANA . MARK ET . R AG & BONE . R ALPH LAUR EN ST. JOHN . THEORY . TOM FOR D . TORY BURCH . VALENTINO . VERONICA BEAR D . VINCE . WILLI AM NOBLE PA R T I A L L I S T I N G TaxFree Shopping Refund Location | Complimentary Valet Parking and Personal Shopping Gift Cards Available | Courtesy Car Service to and from Highland Park Village At Mockingbird Lane and Preston Road | hpvillage.com

DIARY ASIA-PACIFIC

Throughout April HONG KONG

April 5-7

HONG KONG SEVENS “Where the world comes to play,” declares the event website of the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, the annual jamboree of international sevens rugby at the government stadium in So Kon Po. And as Fiji and New Zealand stage titanic clashes on the pitch, the entire stadium rocks to one of the biggest parties on Earth. Don’t have a ticket? Then make your way to Central Harbourfront, where real-time big-screen coverage of the rugby is accompanied by live music, street performers and happy-hour-priced drinks. Entry is free.

HANAMI Follow the blooming of Japan’s sakura, or cherry blossom, as it sweeps northwards across the country through a succession of stunningly beautiful viewing spots, from Hiroshima and Kyoto in early April to Kakunodate and Hirosaki at the end of the month, with a hanami (cherry blossom-viewing) party. If you want to spread your hanami picnic sheet in Hokkaido, however, you’ll have to wait until May.

April 13

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS IN WELLINGTON Eight 2,300-year-old, 1.8-metre-tall terracotta warriors from imperial tombs in Xi’an, China, are on display at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington. This exhibition of Chinese national treasures also includes full-size horses, half-size replica bronze chariots and 160 other artefacts.

April 26-28

UBUD FOOD FESTIVAL Uncover the best of Indonesian cuisine — spicy, savoury and sweet — through cooking demos, food tours, masterclasses and film screenings at the Ubud Food Festival. This three-day fiesta celebrates the archipelago’s rich culinary heritage, diverse cuisines and up-and-coming chefs.

EUROPE & THE AMERICAS

April 24-May 5 April 13

SÓNAR HONG KONG Hong Kong Science Park is the venue for the third local staging of this arts, design and electronic-music festival, first held in Barcelona in 1994. Five stages across the Tolo Harbour park host live acts, DJ-spun tracks and experimental electronica, while audio-visual performances, new-media arts and creativity workshops make for a day of high-tech heaven.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL Co-founded by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff, the 18th annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York City is a showcase of debut works by emerging film talents as well as virtual reality and interactive installations, live-music events and various Tribeca Talks.

April 26-28

GALLERY WEEKEND BERLIN Experience Berlin’s creative contemporary-art scene, and uncover new and experimental creations by established and emerging artists in Germany’s capital, at 45 participating galleries throughout the city in this annual three-day event.

April 17-18

ED SHEERAN LIVE Having sold more than 150 million records, the British singer-songwriter is one of the biggest-selling musical artists in the world. The two gigs of the Hong Kong leg of his world tour take place at “Hong Kong Fantasy Road Outdoor Venue”. Think a mouse with a high-pitched voice…

April 27

KING’S DAY, AMSTERDAM Put on your finest orange outfit and join in with celebrating Dutch monarch King Willem-Alexander’s birthday, which is marked with dance parties, flea markets and entertainment throughout the city. Best party spot? On one of the many boats plying the city’s canals.

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AGENDA editor’s picks SUMMER’S JUST AROUND THE CORNER — AND TO JUDGE FROM JON WALL‘S WARDROBE WISH LIST, IT LOOKS AS IF IT COULD WELL BE A BUMPER ONE FOR HIS OLD PAL MR PORTER

GAZING LOVINGLY AT ISAIA’S FOREST-GREEN BLAZER IN WOOL, SILK AND LINEN, I KNOW EXACTLY WHY NAPLES IS THE GLOBAL EPICENTRE OF MEN’S SUMMER STYLE

BUCKET HAT? BOLLOCKS. THE ONLY HEADGEAR YOU’LL CATCH ME SPORTING COME SUMMERTIME IS A PANAMA, MUCH LIKE THIS STYLISH TITFER

BY FRESCOBOL CARIOCA

MIRRORLESS BODY, 24MP APS-C SENSOR, OUTSTANDING IMAGE QUALITY, 4K VIDEO AND BUILT-IN FLASH — WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT SONY’S α6500 CAMERA (AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES WITH PINSHARP CARL ZEISS GLASS)?

HOW CAN YOU BE BLIND AS A BAT YET STILL LOOK COOL?

BY SLIPPING ON BARTON & PERREIRA’S AALTO GLASSES IN TITANIUM AND ACETATE WITH CLIP-ON SHADES, THAT’S HOW

IF THERE’S A RESPECTED SWISS WATCH BRAND THAT GIVES A BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK THAN ORIS, THEN I HAVEN’T HEARD OF IT. WHICH MAKES STRAPPING ON THE NEW 80TH-ANNIVERSARY BIG CROWN POINTER DATE IN BRONZE SO VERY MUCH EASIER THIS SUMMER

Travelling Light For me, the warmer months mean road trips aplenty, so my packing watchwords will be: casual, comfortable and versatile

I’VE BEEN WEARING SOFT COTTON BUTTON-DOWNS SINCE MY TEENS, SO WHY STOP NOW? NO REASON AT ALL, WHEN THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL ARTISAN-MADE SHIRTS LIKE THIS ONE FROM GITMAN VINTAGE

MY OLD LOAFERS ARE CLEARLY HEADED FOR THE BIN, AND AS I’LL LIKELY BE RACKING UP THE KILOMETRES ON EUROPEAN HIGHWAYS IT’S TIME I SCORED MYSELF A PAIR OF DRIVING SHOES. AND THAT, OF COURSE, MEANS TOD’S CITY GOMMINO IN SUEDE

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SO COMFY I COULD SLEEP IN THEM: JEANS IN ULTRA-SOFT BLUE CORDUROY BY TOM FORD — AND WHOEVER SAID BLUE AND GREEN SHOULD NEVER BE SEEN WAS TALKING OUT OF THEIR WHATSIT

THE NAME DOESN’T BEGIN WITH “R”: SOUNDS LIKE YET ANOTHER GOOD REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS HANDSOME TUMI 19-DEGREE ALUMINIUM CARRY-ON IN GROOVY GREEN-METALLIC GECKO

AGENDA editor’s picks SOCIETY EDITOR P.RAMAKRISHNAN SWEARS HE’S NOT ENSLAVED TO DESIGNER ENGRAVINGS, AND YET HERE WE ARE

FENDI’S CAMERA POUCH MAKES ME NOSTALGIC FOR THAT GOOD OLD-FASHIONED NEAR-RELIC, THE CAMERA

WHEN TOM FORD ANNOUNCED HIS LINE OF WATCHES BACK IN JANUARY 2017, I WAS BREATHLESS WITH ANTICIPATION. WELL, IT’S FINALLY OUT IN HONG KONG — AND MEETS EVERY EXPECTATION

WITH THAT SIGNATURE RED SOLE, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN’S RUNNERS ARE AS COMFY AS THEY‘RE COOL

One-Man Brand In a fashion world dominated by the “Look at me” mantra, I’m responding with the entreaty “Ignore me, look at my accessories”

REVÉ BY RENÉ’S LATEST COLLECTION FEATURES THESE COOL SHADES WITH THE INSCRIPTION “BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR” — WHICH SPEAKS TO ME IN WAYS I CAN’T EXPLAIN

I’VE BEEN GAGA FOR GUCCI ACCESSORIES SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL. LOVE THIS ELEGANT SNAKESKIN-MOTIF BELT LOEWE’S DUMBO CAPSULE COLLECTION IS BEYOND ADORABLE — AND SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE MONIKER ASSIGNED TO ME BY OUR EDITOR-AT-LARGE

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OUR FASHION EDITOR DOESN’T KNOW WHICH IS MORE NOXIOUS, ME OR MY COLOGNES. BUT THEN I FOUND THIS SUBTLE LITTLE NUMBER, HERMÈS EAU DE CITRON NOIR

GOING TO AS MANY EVENTS AS I DO, PEOPLE OFTEN THINK I’M HALF IN THE BAG. I’M NOT. BUT I’M SO INTO THIS CHIC DIOR BACKPACK

AGENDA style

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER

If you paid even an iota of attention to the spring/summer men’s collections, you wouldn’t have been able to miss internationally renowned artist KAWS’s towering BFF, made of pink and white blooms and smartly garbed in a Dior suit.

Now, you can take the work of art home with you. Two sets of limited-edition BFF plushies are available, one dressed in denim trousers and jacket, and the other in a black wool suit with a white shirt.

Only 500 of each have been produced, which are available for pre-order until they run out. Each plush will come in a special plexiglass box.

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CARRY-ON CONCERTO

Having collaborated with artists and fashion designers, it seemed as though Alexander Arnault might have exhausted his options — and that’s where we’d have been wrong. The concert pianist and Rimowa CEO, who has a predilection for spectacular sound, has reached into the world of lifestyle tech by pairing the German luggage brand with Bang & Olufsen to create a set of headphones housed in a Rimowa case. Get in the queue now — you’ll thank us later.

Summer Holiday

Kris Van Assche is turning up the heat at Berluti this summer with a small High Summer Beach capsule collection using turquoise and neon accents and comprising a sunglasses case, bag tag, beach towel, bum bag, polo shirt and swimming shorts. The leather, of course, is unparalleled and has a slight patina, inspiration carried over from Van Assche’s first runway collection for the house.

WINNER TAKES ALL

CUT ABOVE THE REST For spring/summer 2019, Dunhill is introducing the Mayfair silhouette to its Made to Measure collection. Slimmer than its Belgravia cut, it’s also shorter in jacket length and narrower in the leg, with a tapered half bottom — perfect for the contemporary dandy on the go. Expect your suit to be with you in six to eight weeks, with two to three fittings along the way.

Loewe has announced the names of the 29 artists who’ve made it through to the finals of the 2019 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, which celebrates and promotes the importance of artistic excellence and newness in modern craftsmanship. The finalists range from recently graduated and emerging artists to well-known names in their fields. The prize also pays tribute to the brand’s beginnings in 1846 as a collective craft workshop. Each finalist’s work is to be exhibited at Heaven, Isamu Noguchi’s indoor stone garden at the Sogetsu Kaikan in Tokyo from June 26 to July 22. Brush up on their work now.

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AGENDA style

Deveaux

HOW DOES A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO SNAPS PEOPLE ON THE STREET TURN HIS EYE TO WORKING IN A STUDIO? TOMMY TON TALKS DESIGN AND THE DEVEAUX Tommy Ton (pictured centre) has long been a pioneer.

As one of the first street-style photographers to emerge on the fashion circuit, he’s become something of a legend.

Now, however, he’s pivoted into design, which he says he always wanted to do — “but fate kind of took me on the path towards being a photographer instead.

“I can’t sketch and nor do I have any of the technical skills,” he says. But as creative director of Deveaux, once strictly a menswear label, his eye for clothing, movement and the way light hits fabric — real movement on real people on the streets — has been enlisted to drive the brand’s foray into womenswear. “Seeing how real people on the streets put clothes together is in many ways the most important market research I can do. It provides me with the most modern and wide-ranging perspective on what people are actually wearing.”

The Deveaux women’s collection is rooted in classic silhouettes. “We’re always thinking about how to tweak and elevate essentials,” Ton explains. “While other collections might be more experimental and conceptual, making our collections seems simple in comparison. We do look at every silhouette and piece closely, elevating and reinterpreting the familiar and pushing the envelope with fabrications, while insisting on luxury and the best materials.”

Designed to be something of a palette cleanse, the autumn/ winter ’19 collection comprises muted and subdued tones.

“As it was our first women’s collection, we focused on how sexy or sensual the Deveaux woman would be, or how masculine or feminine the collection might be,” Ton says. “Sometimes I envision how I’d want my alter ego to dress (I call her Tammy), but I find that women tend to be more experimental and willing to embrace different silhouettes and proportions.”

GOT MY EYE ON

Alessandra Rich at Matchesfashion.com

IT’S TRUE, FASHION EDITORS LOVE TO SHOP. IN THE SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY, WE’RE GIVING YOU A GLIMPSE OF THE NEWEST PICKS TO MAKE IT ON TO OUR WISH LIST

Peter Do at Net-A-Porter.com

Danse Lente at Net-A-Porter.com Francis de Lara at Matchesfashion.com

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BRUNELLO CUCINELLI

GUCCI

VERSACE

AMBUSH

VALENTINO HOMME

Coming Up Roses

It’s been on the mind of every designer lately. Perhaps it was Dior that first got our attention — how could it not be?

Kim Jones’s first Dior Men’s campaign landed with a partnership with artist KAWS, in which the artist’s BFF character was made from pink blooms. On the runway, Jones sent out pale-pink suits, while Versace presented a rendition of rose as a neon bright.

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

LOEWE

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

DIOR MEN

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AGENDA jewellery PIAGET INTRODUCES THE NEXT CHAPTER OF ITS SUNLIGHT ESCAPE COLLECTION, A DAZZLING SELECTION OF 17 HIGHJEWELLERY CREATIONS

Vincenzo Castaldo, creative director of Italian fine-jewellery house Pomellato, takes Prestige inside his glittering world.

Growing up in Italy, did you always want to be a jewellery designer?

I knew I wanted to do something creative. When you do that, you transform whatever is in your mind into something real. [I enjoy] the process of it coming to life.

Pearls of Wisdom

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE

From unique wedding bands to opulent engagement rings, Graff has perfected the art of matrimonial jewellery. Its offerings are inspired by notable gemstones, with cuts ranging from oval and cushion to marquise and radiant. Bride and groom alike will #FallInLoveWithGraff if they opt for Laurence Graff Signature wedding bands, pictured, inspired by the facets of a round brilliant diamond.

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Mikimoto celebrates contemporary women and the versatility of pearls with a new film campaign titled The Spirit of Youth, Next Generation — The Timeless Original. The film captures models Kiko Arai, Celine Bouly and Anja blending street style with a glamorous array of white, black and gold pearls.

Visit exploretheoriginal.com to see for yourself.

Do you have a favourite Pomellato piece that you’ve designed?

I love them all equally. But in my opinion Ritratto perfectly embodies the Pomellato style — it’s very extreme in size and at the same time it has a little detail that makes it more spontaneous and not so rigid.

If you could create jewellery for anyone, who would it be?

I’d like to convince a woman who doesn’t wear Pomellato to begin wearing it. It’s very intriguing to seduce someone who isn’t a client into wearing our jewellery.

CANDY CRUSH

Harry Winston takes its commitment to exceptional jewels to sweet new heights with Winston Candy, a series of one-of-a-kind cocktail rings featuring fancy-coloured centre stones paired with diamonds and other complementing gems. Pictured here is a 6.15-carat ovalshaped red spinel surrounded by pearshaped purple and light blue sapphires as well as round, tapered, oval- and pear-shaped diamonds.

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AGENDA watches MISTER APOLLO

Hard to believe it’s 50 years since man first walked on the Moon, but to mark that feat, Omega has produced a commemorative version of the watch worn by Buzz Aldrin when he stepped on to Earth’s own planet on July 20, 1969. A gentleman of inestimable cool, the great Aldrin himself is shown here wearing the new hand-wound 42mm Speedmaster Apollo II Anniversary Limited Edition, which comes in exclusive Moonshine Gold alloy and is one of just 1,014 pieces.

PLUCKY BRIT OUTFIT BREMONT HAS JUST BEEN APPOINTED OFFICIAL LUXURY WATCHMAKING PARTNER TO THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

Princely Sum

Sold for US$75,000: that’s the price paid in an online Sotheby’s auction, in aid of the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation, for this unique engraved IWC Big Pilot’s Watch in gold, worn by Bradley Cooper at the 2019 Oscars awards ceremony.

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TIME AND SPACE

The first A. Lange & Söhne watch with a hand-engraved lunar disc made from solid white gold, shown above, the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase 25th Anniversary also features an Argenté dial in solid silver with printed numbers, indices and outsize date digits in blue.

Unusually, the moonphase indicator is incorporated in the main dial, which is offset at 9pm.

READY FOR TAKE-OFF Its patterned dial representing the riveted flanks of a classic aircraft, the 45mm Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Silver is an homage to the Swiss maison’s heritage as a manufacturer of aeronautical gauges.

Powered by an automatic Elite 679 calibre, the watch comes in a limited edition of 250 pieces.

Roll Out the Barrel

Limited to 99 pieces, the barrel-shape Heritage Corum Lab 01 in grey anthracite DLC features an open-worked dial that reveals a manufacture CO 410 skeleton calibre, with red accents adding a dramatic “pop” of colour.

STUDY IN SAPPHIRE Richard Mille’s ode to the colour blue, which is definitely the hue du jour in the world of watchmaking, comes in the form of the Gemset Sapphire RM 07-02, an expression of the brand’s novel approach to setting diamonds, which here are mounted in coloured sapphire.

MOTORING MILESTONE

Honouring 100 years of the British motor company, Breitling’s new Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition is a five-hand chronometer-certified chronograph available in red gold (200 pieces) or steel (1,000 pieces). This handsome beast is powered by the manufacture Calibre 01 and offers a power reserve of 70 hours.

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AGENDA beauty GREAT ESCAPE

Hong Kong’s largest outdoor fitness and wellness festival returns this month with a host of talks, classes, panel discussions and interactive performances.

Iris: Your Escape takes over the Central Harbourfront on April 27-28. See irisyourescape.com for more info.

On the Spot

Grapevine-powered skincare line Caudalie is adding to its popular Vinoperfect collection of brightening products with natural anti-dark-spot remedy Viniferine. In addition to a serum, SPF and brightening essence, the range now includes a night cream.

TREASURE TROVE To celebrate the 10th anniversary of its premium antiageing range, Shiseido has joined forces with Japanese textile house Hosoo to create a limited-edition treasure box. Each set contains the Future Solution LX Total Protective Cream E and Total Regenerating Cream E, beautifully wrapped in Nishijin fabric designed “to convey an eternal sense of future”.

Cult skincare brand Biologique Recherche has done it again, creating a boosting and brightening treatment with its PIGM 400 line. The Skin Perfector Facial is available exclusively at the Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.

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IT’S TIME TO SHINE WITH CHANEL’S LATEST LIP SERIES, ROUGE COCO FLASH. ALL 27 SHADES OFFER RICH HYDRATION AND A MIRROREFFECT FINISH

Eunis Chan has been one of Hong Kong’s top models for the past 20 years and recently partnered with Parfumerie Trésor for a unique collaboration.

FEEL THE POWER

Tell us about your brand, Primée.

I’ve always wanted to have my own line of clothes. Primée (a limited collection in cashmere) launched last year and now retails online.

Giorgio Armani has added two new products to its already popular Power Fabric foundation range.

The Power Fabric Foundation Balm, pictured, combines high coverage and a velvety finish while the Power Fabric Concealer boasts a “stretchable” formula that releases oils over time to remain comfortable and fresh on the skin all day long.

How did the partnership with Parfumerie Trésor come about?

Through social media! In just two months, we brought together the idea of pairing their signature perfumes with my cashmere collection.

Eye Opening

We all know the skin around the eyes is usually the first to show signs of ageing, but Clé de Peau Beauté’s latest launches may help delay the dreaded onset. The new Enhancing Eye Contour Cream Supreme, which comes with an exclusive platinum massage wand, works to recontour the eye area.

The Vitality-Enhancing Eye Mask Supreme, meanwhile, targets puffiness, wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes as well as across the forehead.

What are your favourite scents?

The first thing I notice is the design; I like beautiful, elegant bottles.

Then, it’s the initial hint of perfume; by day I love floral scents and in the evening I like more musky aromas.

And which remind you of the past?

Oddly, I don’t remember my mother wearing perfume, but certain aromas of tea — oolong or Pu’er — remind me of her.

What advice do you have when it comes to dressing and perfuming?

Just like clothes, your perfume should reflect your personality.

What your clothes say about you, your scent does too.

What’s next for you?

In the coming year, I want to have my own aroma skincare products.

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AGENDA dining CHEW ON THIS Contemporary French eatery Bibo has introduced a new weekend lunch.

Interior designer turned chef Nicholas Chew serves up a choice of two seasonal menus with optional wine pairing and free-flow champagne. The artful main dishes include this colourful octopus with beetroot, meringue and stracciatella.

HIGH FIVE

House 1881, the Tsim Sha Tsui landmark previously known as Hullett House, is now home to five new dining concepts.

Fortune Villa, Stable Steak House, Stable Bar, Café Parlour (pictured) and The Sergeant’s Bar cover the gamut from dim sum and premium steaks to local gin and craft beers.

Tea Party

Offering a playful take on the perennial classic, the new Popinjays Afternoon Tea is bursting with colour, flavour and fun. Highlights include Kristal caviar, créme fraîche, blinis and blue lobster, as well as the signature scones that are flambéed tableside. Drinks, meanwhile, range from tea-infused cocktails to exclusive tea blends.

In less than 12 months, Arbor has established itself as one of the city’s top dining destinations.

That’s thanks in large part to chef de cuisine Eric Räty and his fellow chef friends. Next up he’s joined by Hommage (Tokyo)’s Noburo Arai on April 11-13.

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MÌ OH MY

Chef Que Vinh Dang, of TBLS and Quest by Que fame, is back with his first Vietnamese concept. Nhậu offers authentic ingredients and flavours taken to the next level with “heart, soul and culinary finesse”. Don’t miss the bánh mì rice tacos (pictured) and 40n Fish Sauce dry-aged grass-fed striploin.

RISING STAR This year’s recipient of Elit Vodka Asia’s Best Female Chef award graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Paris before working at the legendary Noma in Copenhagen and Gaggan in Bangkok. Now owner of Gaa, also in Bangkok, Garima Arora is celebrated for her modern tasting menus using traditional Indian techniques. She’s also the first Indian woman to earn a Michelin star.

Dinner and a Show

Lan Kwai Fong Tower has welcomed Hong Kong’s first contemporary Japanese izakaya with a live entertainment twist. Silencio, from hospitality group Le Comptoir, is inspired by “Japan’s much-loved drinking dens”. The former executive chef of Nobu Hong Kong, Sean Mell, serves up reimagined izakaya favourites while Tokyo-born Tomoo Gokita supplies the works of art and jazz bands provide the entertainment.

WITH ART WEEK BEHIND US AND SUMMER JUST AROUND THE CORNER, NOW’S THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR WELLNESS GAME ON. HEAD TO OVOLO SOUTHSIDE ON APRIL 21 FOR ITS NEXT-LEVEL ROOFTOP YOGA BRUNCH #prestigewinedine | PRESTIGE

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AGENDA travel

AEGEAN IDYLL

Although the Greek island of Santorini seems likely to sink beneath the Aegean at any moment from the sheer weight of tourists, here’s the perfect place to escape the hordes.

A collection of luxurious private villas set high above the sea, Vora was painstakingly built almost by hand over several years and commands one of the most beautiful views on Earth. Hide away in minimalistic Cycladic elegance and relax in your own plunge pool, while the crowds outside cease to exist.

STARRY, STARRY NIGHTS

Yearning to slumber beneath the stars without having to swat away annoying, er, visitors at midnight? Then pack yourself off to Capertree Valley in Australia’s rural New South Wales, where Bubbletent — the name, as the photo shows, is self-explanatory — enables you to lie back and gaze at the heavens, uninterrupted and in comfort, all night long.

REJUVENATE IN CRISP MOUNTAIN AIR AND STRIPPED-DOWN STYLE AT FRUTT LODGE & SPA, A WELLNESS OASIS IN THE HEART OF THE MAGNIFICENT SWISS ALPS

YOUR SLOANE FROM HOME Belmond has enlarged its UK footprint with the opening of its first London pied-à-terre, on chic Sloane Street. With lavish Georgian interiors and access to secluded private gardens, the Belmond Cadogan is a characterful bolthole in the heart of Chelsea.

CAM DARCY

SICHUAN SOJOURN

If you’re headed to the capital of China’s Sichuan province, Chengdu, Swire Hotels’ Temple House not only stunningly combines traditional and ultracontemporary architecture, but also offers a three-night Discovery Experience that includes a tour by bamboo bicycle and time at the city’s Giant Panda Research Base.

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AGENDA discovery

STYLE WIZARD

THERE’S A DESIGNER DOWN UNDER WHO’S DOING FASHION FOR THE LEISURELY AUSSIE LIFESTYLE British-born but Melbourne-based, Christian Kimber brings us men’s tailoring with a relaxed Australian approach. Having started out designing shoes, he’s now known for pairing luxurious and tactile fabrications with a casual look and slow-fashion attitude.

“Everything is soft, washed and very relaxed — nothing’s too slim, it’s quite casual,” says the designer. “I also focus on attainable luxury in a sustainable way, but at a better price point.”

Just arrived at Lane Crawford, as well as being sold in stores in Kuala Lumpur, Sweden and New York, Kimber recently won the National Designer Award at the latest Melbourne Fashion Festival, where he also presented on the menswear runways.

“The main core of what we do is to redefine contemporary Australian menswear. Think about Ralph Lauren in America and how he’s changed that genre, or Paul Smith for the UK, or Bruno Cucinelli in Italy. I want to create that look for Australian men,” he says, dressed in a matching light linen jacket and generously cut, high-waisted trousers when we meet in Melbourne.

The designer now visits Hong Kong regularly because of his Lane Crawford connection, which stems from his claiming a runner-up slot in the luxury retailer’s Creative Call Out programme in Australia.

“They’ve been so supportive in our growth and helping us,” he says of the working relationship. “They’re very different from other department stores we’ve worked with, as they’re so interested in developing new talent. They want to nurture new brands.”

The designer was passionate about fashion from a young age, but went to an all-boys boarding school in England, where men didn’t usually pursue creative careers. Subsequently he studied economics and business, but persevered with short night courses in fashion-related subjects, such as design and pattern-making at the London College of Fashion, eventually landing a job in a small company close to London’s traditional tailoring Mecca, Savile Row. When he moved to Melbourne with his Australian wife, Kimber initially set up his brand as a men’s footwear label after spotting a gap in the Australian market. He did this for three years before launching a full clothing collection, which he says has been “like doing an MBA on the job”.

What he’s built into the brand is interesting, a concept of fashion as part of a broader lifestyle — and, specifically, “Australian lifestyle, which is so relaxed.

It’s about creating fashion for that lifestyle.”

Also important to that lifestyle is a more sustainable attitude to fashion, something that many Australian brands are ahead of.

“This is incredibly important to us,” Kimber says. “We call our clothes happy, because the people who make them are happy. That’s coined by my factory in Bulgaria, not me. We work with Italian mills, too. But we only work with small factories that my wife and I visit, know and spend time with.

“We also use materials sourced in mills that are more sustainable in the end-to-end process … The ultimate luxury in fashion is an item that’s not only well made but also sustainable. The way things are made is integral to our business.” Jing Zhang

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FROM TOP: THE SLOW-FASHION LOOK; CHRISTIAN KIMBER

AGENDA art CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF LI SHURUI AND JOHN DODELANDE COLLECTION; ADEL ABDESSEMED; UNGANO + AGRIODIMAS; COURTESY OF LARRY BELL AND HAUSER & WIRTH

VISUAL FEAST

Dining and cultural destination Duddell’s is showing works from the Chinese contemporary-art collection of French entrepreneur John Dodelande. The flagship exhibition, curated this year by Palais de Tokyo co-founder Jérôme Sans, features Wang Guangle and Li Shurui under the theme Enlightening Times. Until June 23

FRANCO-ALGERIAN ARTIST ADEL ABDESSEMED MAKES HIS HONG KONG DEBUT WITH UNLOCK , A NEW BODY OF WORK SHOWING AT TANG CONTEMPORARY ART. UNTIL APRIL 22

ART HOUSE

COMING AND GLOWING Glow Like That, the first contemporary-art exhibition at New World Development’s Victoria Dockside district, showcases 16 artists and artist groups exploring the myriad forms that light can assume. Until May 13

The Peninsula Hong Kong, official partner of Art Basel, has kicked off a multi-year Art in Resonance programme that will see the hotel host immersive installations by contemporary artists such as Iván Navarro, pictured.

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AGENDA toys State of the Smart

The latest in wearable tech from Samsung, the Galaxy Watch Active — which comes in men’s and (shown here) women’s versions — combines a range of sports and health functions, from stress tracking to heartrate monitoring. Made from military-grade materials, it’s also water-resistant to 5 bar.

BENETTI’S ELEGANT NEW 44-METRE DIAMOND 145 FLAGSHIP OFFERS UNPARALLELED OCEANGOING LUXURY FOR UP TO 10 PEOPLE

SUV FOR THE SKIES BREATH OF FRESH AIR

No, this isn’t the latest in Bluetooth speakers but rather an “indoor air solution” that goes under the name Olfinity. The gadget constantly monitors indoor air quality and, using a high-tech filtration system and dry essential oils, purifies it. Now breathe in, now breathe out...

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The first jet aircraft produced by Swiss manufacturer Pilatus, a company renowned for prop planes that can take off and land on mountainsides, the new PC-24 is a similarly rugged light business jet with almost go-anywhere capability. Able to carry eight passengers on flights of up to 2,000 nautical miles (making Jakarta an easy hop from Hong Kong) and altitudes as high as 45,000 feet, it’s also super practical, with interiors designed in cooperation with BMW that can easily be reconfigured — much like the sturdy SUV that’s parked in your driveway at home.

AGENDA auctions 1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SC COUPE April 11-12 Held during the Techno-Classica show in Essen, Germany, RM Sotheby’s auction of 150 diverse automotive lots includes this superb mid-’50s Mercedes 300 SC Coupe, which was first used as a test vehicle by the company. Part of a private Swiss collection and painstakingly restored, it’s estimated at €450,000-€550,000.

SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG SALE OF MAGNIFICENT JEWELS AND JADEITE ON APRIL 2 INCLUDES THIS RARE, MID-18TH-CENTURY EMERALD, RUBY AND DIAMOND BROOCH, WHICH WAS MADE FOR A MEMBER OF THE SPANISH ROYAL FAMILY AND IS ESTIMATED AT HK$3-$4 MILLION

NORMAN LEWIS, BLOCK ISLAND, 1973-1975

April 4 Swann Galleries New York’s auction of AfricanAmerican Fine Art includes this oil on canvas in magenta and grey that was inspired by Lewis’s summer stays on the New England island. Estimated at US$200,000-$300,000, it’s one of several offerings in the sale of abstract expressonist works painted by the prominent artist, scholar and teacher.

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VIP

MODEL’SEYE VIEW

Moving from in front of the camera to behind the lens, Yana Vilkina creates a mesmerising world of stunning portraiture.

Who’s your favourite photographer?

Elizaveta Porodina. I love how she creates hidden worlds in her images. The colours and shapes that she uses are definitely an inspiration.

Why do so many models make the shift to photography?

Models who turn to photography have gathered so much knowledge by being part of the creative process from the beginning — it leads them to want to explore the fashion world from behind the lens, as they have the advantage of experience.

PORTRAIT: SAMUEL SALVADORE

OPHELIA

GIANT STEPPE What? Model-turned-photographer Yana Vilkina hosted her first photo exhibition, Opiumized, at Ophelia, showcasing her artful and inspired imagery for the first time in the city. The Siberian siren invited Hong Kong’s Russian contingent, which turned out in full force, as did a wide array of collaborators, stylists, make-up artists, designers and, of course, her glamorous model squad.

You’ll recognise many of the faces here as they’ve featured in Prestige in the past.

Clandestine crew: Jam-packed as always, the venue in all its gothic gorgeousness was the perfect location to showcase Vilkina’s pictures, in which she depicts “a surreal secret elite club in the age of prohibition”. In keeping with the vintage 1920s theme, she requested her guests dress for the occasion and, as these colourful images show, they sure did.

Visit prestigeonline.com and our Facebook page for many more party photos

NINA RICARDO

OKSANA DRAGUN

Will you ever stop modelling altogether?

At some point, sure. When wrinkles start multiplying. I know how this industry works...

It’s a very competitive industry. How supportive have your photographers and former collaborators been?

My photographer friends have been very supportive. I don’t see any need to view the profession as competitive, as we all can inspire one another with our unique perspective. Pictures are like fingerprints.

Everyone has their own way of taking a shot.

What’s the most difficult part of the job?

Patience. I’m not very patient, so every day I try to improve that aspect of my personality.

Your images seem so contrary to your extrovert personality.

Life isn’t only about bright and vivid colours.

There’s a darker side to life that I deeply respect and want to portray in my photos.

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TZVIKA JANOVER AND GILLY STRAUSS

KIE KIRIIAVA

TIANA KOTTI AND CHRISTEN HALTER

ALEXIA RAUTTER

OLENA SMITH, ANNA YALANZHY AND VALERIE SYN YANA VILKINA AND ARTEM ANSHELES

GRETA PILIPAUSKAITE AND DAIVA VAICE

NIKITA TODOROVA

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VIP CHARLIZE THERON IN DIOR HAUTE COUTURE AND BVLGARI

MICHELLE YEOH IN ELIE SAAB AND CHOPARD

REGINA KING IN OSCAR DE LA RENTA AND CHOPARD OLIVIA COLMAN IN PRADA AND CHOPARD

MARK RONSON IN KYOSUKE KUNIMOTO AND CHOPARD CHRIS EVANS IN SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

BRADLEY COOPER IN TOM FORD AND IWC GEMMA CHAN IN VALENTINO COUTURE AND BVLGARI

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LADY GAGA IN ALEXANDER MCQUEEN AND TIFFANY & CO.

RAMI MALEK IN SAINT LAURENT AND CARTIER

THE ACADEMY AWARDS

JUST THE WON What? The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles unfurled the longest red carpet for a parade of stars at the 91st Academy Awards, who bedazzled in all their finery before a global audience of a billion. With notable winners (and shocking snubs – Glenn “so” Close, but no cigar) in their elegant best, the three-hour-plus ceremony was more “who wore what” than “who won? What?”

The good: Putting the pow in power couple, Jennifer Lopez and former baseball player Alex Rodriguez positively shone and shimmered in Tom Ford, while the surest win of the night, Lady Gaga, ruled in Alexander McQueen with blinding Tiffany & Co. diamonds. Olivia Colman in understated Prada (well, there was the long train and Chopard jewellery) sure as hell gave the best speech during her surprise Best Actress win, and the gents kept it classy in tuxedos.

The bad: Tommy Hilfiger in his striped suit was an eyesore all the way from LA to HK and musician Pharrell Williams in camouflage shorts – shorts! – couldn’t disguise the fact he was wildly off the mark. In this gorgeous spread, however, let’s just look at all the pretty people in their dazzling best, and forget the rest.

MAHERSHALA ALI IN ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA AND CARTIER

LAURA HARRIER IN LOUIS VUITTON AND BVLGARI

PAUL RUDD IN CANALI, DAVID YURMAN CUFFLINKS AND IWC

JENNIFER LOPEZ AND ALEX RODRIGUEZ IN TOM FORD

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FASH I ON

TOP MARISA BIKINI CALVIN KLEIN

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SUN DAZED HEAD FOR THE SHORE IN STYLE WITH CHEEKY ONE-PIECES, CHIC CUT-OUTS AND CHUNKS OF GLISTENING GOLD

PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING OLIVIA TSANG | HAIR AND MAKE-UP FRANCESCA POGGI AT VIVIENS CREATIVE USING M.A.C COSMETICS AND ELEVEN AUSTRALIA | STYLING ASSISTANT JAN LI | CASTING MARINA FAIRFAX | MODEL EMILY RINK AT CHIC BRISBANE

FASH I ON

SWIMSUIT PEARL DIVER SWIM EARRINGS LOUIS VUITTON

SWIMSUIT EMILIO PUCCI EARRING AND NECKLACE LOUIS VUITTON

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SWIMSUIT AGENT PROVOCATEUR AT NET-A-PORTER.COM

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SWIMSUIT BOND-EYE SUNGLASSES MYKITA + MAISON MARGIELA NECKLACE LOUIS VUITTON

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SWIMSUIT BOND-EYE HAT LORO PIANA EARRINGS LOUIS VUITTON TROUSERS DIOR

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SWIMSUIT AND SUNGLASSES LOUIS VUITTON WINDBREAKER RALPH LAUREN

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JACKET EMPORIO ARMANI JUMPSUIT VERSACE SHOES MANOLO BLAHNIK

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Big hair, don’t care. We got the beat, we got the power shoulders — plus the distressed denim, the daring colour, the shoutiest bling and all the very best of ’80s excess

DRESS GIVENCHY CUFF AND FAN GUCCI

PHOTOGRAPHY CHER HIM | FASHION DIRECTION JOHNNY KHOO | FASHION STYLING JACQUIE ANG | HAIR & MAKE-UP MARC TENG AT ATELIER, USING SEBASTIAN PROFESSIONAL & GIORGIO ARMANI BEAUTY | PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ZHAN HONG | FASHION ASSISTANT JESSICA KHOR | MODEL VIKTORIA KLONINA AT AVE

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JACKET AND BLOUSE MARC JACOBS

SWIMSUIT, JEANS, EARRINGS AND BELT CHANEL HAT MOSCHINO

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DRESS AND BOOTS CELINE BY HEDI SLIMANE

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DRESS AND RING GUCCI

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JACKET AND JEANS CALVIN KLEIN JEANS T-SHIRT MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION EARRINGS HERMÈS FRIENDSHIP BANDS DIOR

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JUMPSUIT BALLY EARRING AND BELT HERMÈS

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OUTFIT HERMÈS

OUTFIT MIU MIU

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OPPOSITES ATTRACT

The third designer to head the house of Berluti, KRIS VAN ASSCHE reveals to zaneta cheng the terrors of designing from a dearth of archive and how, in spite of that, he’s building an identity for the brand and himself

T

here’s a contrarian streak to Kris Van Assche – or at least that’s how it seems. As a teenager growing up in a small Belgian village he yearned for a pin-stripe suit; such items being more or less unobtainable, he asked his grandmother to make one for him. A few years later, having learned about fashion from designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler, and about pop music from artists like Madonna, he couldn’t help but join a dark, newwave underground subculture that had strict dress codes and rules.

As one of the youngest students at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts he opted for the creative world of womenswear – and then jumped into a career designing clothes for men. Perhaps it’s because of this contrarian quality that he’s now the creative director of Berluti, the lone menswear-only brand in the LVMH portfolio and one, moreover, whose heritage lies in shoes rather than ready-to-wear.

It’s a cold February day, though Berluti’s monochromatic showroom on Avenue Montaigne is bathed in golden Parisian sunlight. After the January show, in which Van Assche presented his first full runway collection for the brand since he took over the creative helm from Haider Ackermann, all is now calm at the brand’s headquarters, with everyone enjoying the slight breather.

I’m told Van Assche runs a tight ship that begins and ends on the dot every day. My meeting with him is slotted neatly between his work on the next pre-collection, which is due for completion in April, and a discussion with the team about accessories.

“It’s cool,” Van Assche says when I remark that he doesn’t have much time, given the pre-collection and the next show in June. Although there were seven months between his first day on the job and his first runway show, he produced a spring capsule collection in June and a precollection in November.

“It was a mostly off-the-radar way of stepping into the role,” he explains, “having a warm-up in June, another in November and really going out there in January, which was actually perfect. It was something I discussed with Antoine Arnault very early on in the process, that if we wanted to do this right, we needed to give ourselves time to do it right. It was a no-brainer for him and that made me comfortable. And though I very much like the first capsule, which is in the stores now, you can really see my own personal evolution from that and when you see the autumn/ winter show. There’s a natural evolution.”

Van Assche needed that time to familiarise himself with the brand because Berluti is hardly Dior Homme, where he spent 11 years at the helm. Unlike the latter, whose vast archives teem with references, Berluti’s heritage largely rests on two styles of shoe and Olga Berluti’s descriptions of the Berluti man – the vagabond de luxe, a rakish fellow with a bold sense of luxury and style.

“It was a nightmare,” Van Assche says. “It was really scary, I have to say. You have no idea how big the contrast is. Really. People don’t imagine that, because Dior is literally overwhelming with its heritage. It can be limiting too, but there’s a lot – embroidery, graphics, shapes.

PALETTE CLEANSER: A BAG FROM BERLUTI’S SS19 CAPSULE COLLECTION

“At Berluti, clothes-wise, there’s almost nothing – and shoe-wise, it’s really about two shapes and one idea. So when I got here, I said, ‘Take me to the archives,’ and people looked at me and said, ‘What archives?’ So they put a shoe on the table and I was like, ‘All right.’ And you literally just sit here at this huge table and go, ‘Right, now what do I do?’ So it’s scary.

It takes much more of your personal imagination and a lot more personal work to say, “OK, so if that’s the shoe, and if this is the attitude, then what’s the man going to look like?’ It’s so interesting but scary as hell.”

For his first capsule, given he had two months to work on it, Van Assche pared it back. “I thought, ‘Let’s keep things quite mathematical,’” he explains. “‘What are the needs of a man? A shirt, a suit, a T-shirt, a sweatshirt and a good sportswear jacket – let’s list all those basics.’ Then consider, ‘What are the basics at Berluti?’ You have the patina, you have the scritto [an 18th-century letter Olga Berluti bought at an auction, the text of which is engraved across all the brand’s leather goods and accessories], you have the Alessandro shoe and the Andy shoe. Those are the four most obvious ones. Then you start connecting them. It was almost a mathematical design that let me dive into it in the best way, but it was also a way of creating a clean slate – a fresh start with new good basics and getting to the DNA of the brand.”

The process also inspired Van Assche, whose previous experience only connected him with an in-house atelier. “It’s nice to go and visit the factories and the producers in Italy,” he says, “because, of course, the most

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innovation is there. They’re competing with the outside world because they work with other brands. So these producers are constantly looking for new research, redefining new and better ways of making things.”

Berluti’s manifattura in Ferrara ultimately became one of Van Assche’s key sources of inspiration in determining his take on Berluti. “When I got to the manifattura, I was blown away. I always like a good contrast – I feel like contrasts give more strength to both messages, and that place is full of contrasts,” Van Assche recounts enthusiastically. “It’s the most modern, contemporary factory you’ve ever seen. So it’s beautiful, totally modern, yet on the inside people work things by hand. It’s very artisanal.

So the shock between something really contemporary and something very traditional is super-inspiring.

“To have something really clean like the building and yet the patina on the tables – these tables get the colour from year after year of work and they ultimately became my show, but it’s another exigency, another level of luxury when you go there.”

Translating Berluti’s level of luxury into its new identity is something that Van Assche has enjoyed. “Olga Berluti told me that the Berluti guy was a vagabond of luxury – he knows about luxury but he has a freespirited way of handling those rules and codes. If you put that alongside Berluti’s reputation for made-to-measure – that a lot of famous artists came to Berluti for hand-made shoes – you know they didn’t come for something neutral, they wanted character,” he says.

“The tricky part working at such a level of luxury – and when we work leather garments, I’m really like, ‘Wow!’ – is that people tend to think at this level, pieces should be timeless, which means non-fashion, because the idea of fashion is that pieces change, so when Olga told me people didn’t come to buy invisible pieces, that liberated me from that idea.”

ITEMS AND LOOKS FROM KRIS VAN ASSCHE’S FIRST SPRING 2019 CAPSULE COLLECTION FOR BERLUTI. WITH TWO MONTHS TO CREATE THE COLLECTION, HE LOOKED TO BASICS TO WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN

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FOR AW19, VAN ASSCHE DREW RICH COLOURS AND PATINAS FROM THE MARBLE TABLES AT THE BERLUTI MANIFATTURA

The collection that came down the autumn/winter runway saw bright colours, patina, marbled coats and, most notably, a different silhouette – a departure from the slimmer couture cuts usually associated with Van Assche.

“Here, the man is a little more rugged, a little more rough,” says the designer. “He’s about adventure, more seduction and that then creates a silhouette, but it’s a lot of sleepless nights to make that connection.

“But this needed to feel really Berluti for me, otherwise I feel disconnected.

I don’t want to do my own brand here. So being able to take the marble table and extract the colours of it literally meant that at one point that colour was a Berluti product, otherwise there’s no reason why the patina would have penetrated the marble, so those are all ideas and colours that are part of the history of Berluti. And then I took those colours and they became suits and jackets and shirts and whatever. It’s a really big change for me because I’m not really such a colourful person, so that was super interesting.”

It’s also part of the reason why he chose to step into the role at the house.

“I’m 42,” he says. “I need to put myself at risk, I need to reinvent myself, get out there and learn something. If it’s about the same silhouette, the same logic, the same process, then there’s nothing to learn. It’s a very selfish reason, actually, but I’ve already learned so much.”

But learning requires work – and I learn that in order for everyone to get evenings and weekends off, Van Assche packs in a full schedule during work hours. “Especially with this brand, how do you convince an intelligent person that you made a truly luxury product if you worked only a month on it? You need to put in the time to develop stuff. That means I’m here every day on the dot – and people need to prepare their dossiers and they need to be super-sharp.”

Just as I’m getting the sense that I’m talking to an army general, Van Assche quips, “I didn’t go to the army but I’ve been in the army for the last 20 years.”

Fashion and the military – now how contrarian is that?

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STREET SMART GLENN MARTENS DRAWS ON HIS ARCHITECTURAL BACKGROUND TO TAKE A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO FASHION, WRITES JING ZHANG

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/Project creative director Glenn Martens has been spending a whirlwind 48 hours in Hong Kong with retailer Joyce, meeting press, customers and fans. As we settle down in the Upper House after his return from a quick cigarette break, the low-key, 35-year-old Belgian designer is reflective about his role at Y/Project, and about being hailed as part of the Paris new guard.

“Paris has changed so much in 10 years; it’s a totally different city,” he says. “Back then, you had one option when you went out; you had to go to Le Baron, otherwise you’re drinking wine on a terrace. Right now, there are lots of arts centres around the city and suburbs, and lots of young kids even moving back from Berlin.”

Despite protest and social unrest, Paris is a good place creatively, says Martens. This is in part why this new guard was allowed to flourish, along with a revival of its underground scene. “Paris has become young again, breaking out of the traditional luxury, typical French beauty. Five years ago was a very traumatising period … but because the attacks focused on the youth, I think many people really kicked back.”

Y/Project was founded as a men’s brand by Yohan Serfaty in 2010, but when Martens took over the label after Serfaty’s death in 2013 he began doing both menswear and womenswear – something that’s been a constant through most of his career. He also began gradually to shift Y/Project away from its original core black, leathery aesthetic towards something a little more colourful, humorous, street and diverse.

This was done “step by step” and captured a hungry millennial group that loves street fashion as much as luxury. Fans include Rihanna, Solange Knowles and Gigi Hadid, who’ve been taken with how Martens mashes up oversize hip-hop denims with ruched sleeves and couture details.

“Designing for men and women is very different,” he admits. “The starting point is always the same, from the concept and the constructive element, and we project that on to different products. For menswear, I have to be a lot more psychological – you constantly have to reflect on the person wearing the clothes. The man is much more about attitude, whereas the woman is much more playful and able go for what she dares – she’s definitely more experimental and out there, I suppose, but in the end it’s all one big collection.”

Indeed, Y/Project collections are often androgynous, textured and layered unexpectedly, and outfits are deconstructed with a sense of whimsy. Although still small, the studio has risen to prominence in fashion because it touched a nerve among a new clientele – but to pinpoint that

saw Antwerp Academy on an architecture trip and thought that it was a sexy school … I applied and got accepted – I don’t know how! But that’s kind of how it all started.”

He spent time at Jean Paul Gaultier as well as founding his own collection (which ran for three seasons) before joining Y/Project under Serfaty. Earlier this year, as the main guest designer at the world’s most famous menswear event, Pitti Uomo, the label put on a spectacular show at the Santa Maria Novella, “one of the most beautiful churches in Florence”, where the entire audience (around 3,000 people) lit the runway with torches.

“Pitti is super fun,” says Martens. “They’re really careful about the designers that headline. It’s great to be there, it’s nice to be part of the family and the list of great names that went before me. Basically when you get chosen you almost get the keys to the city, because they have contacts everywhere.”

Martens says he wanted to pay tribute to the essence of Pitti, “which is a showroom where everyone can come, and it’s super democratic. Of course, [the show was] also about Florence … and of course the Y/Project identity. I wanted to open up the collection to all sorts of people. That was cool because so many people follow fashion but not many can really enjoy a live show as it’s still very exclusive.”

What was also beautiful and rather poignant at this historic menswear event was the interactive nature of the torches and audience. Nowadays most people experience runways through their camera phones, so a nod towards the more analogue was meaningful.

“It was a bit stressful,” admits Martens, “as you can’t rehearse 3,000 flashlights … and the catwalk was so long and it took four minutes for models to walk the whole thing. But it worked really well. It was really pretty, just like starlight.”

“OUR THING IS OBVIOUSLY IMAGE-BASED BUT A BIG PART IS REALLY CONCEPTUAL”

nerve has been hard for many. And the sheer flexibility and range of some of Martens’s collections can confuse those who want to pigeonhole the brand. But that tongue-in-cheek attitude has also made Y/Project one of the most coveted tickets on the fashion-week circuit.

“Part of our thing is obviously image-based, but a big part is really conceptual,” he explains. “The conceptuality of the clothes, the construction of the clothes and finding ways of twisting the garments – something you can’t see directly.”

But if Martens had to distil Y/Project down to an essence, it would be the notion of diversity. “We really try to create diversity on our catwalks with each of the models and outfits,” he says. “And it’s always a bit difficult for people to grasp.”

People like definition – they want to know this is streetwear and that is something else. However, Martens keeps the brand decidedly eclectic, concentrating on garment construction.

That conceptual leaning is related to his architectural background (it was his first degree, before he began studying fashion at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts) and the fact that he lacks a pure-fashion background. Indeed, the instinctive 3D way of thinking in architecture informs him to this day.

“It’s how I started thinking creatively,” he explains. “I come from a very classic high-school background, some super-small provincial town near Bruges. Architecture was a good step for me to go into a creative field, but it was still quite serious. Obviously that’s how I started using my creative brain – with architecture.

“I actually really fell into fashion. I graduated at 21 and was way too young to go straight into architecture. It was a bit too restrictive for me. I

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Xxxxxxxxx xxxx confounding and reshaping the luxury jewellery business, writes JING ZHANG

HIDDEN GEMS

Italy’s Piedmont region is home to some of the world’s finest jewellery makers. TAMA LUNG gets an exclusive look inside a handful of its little-known but longestablished family-run businesses

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CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE PAGE: PIECES FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF GIOVANNI FERRARIS, ITS EXTENSION LINE MINÙ AND ANNARATONE JEWELRY

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an Salvatore Monferrato has all the hallmarks of a quintessential Italian town: a charming central palazzo, centuries-old cathedrals, brightly painted buildings with red-tile roofs and a restored hilltop tower used for military defence in the 1400s. And just a few blocks from the town centre, behind two high-security glass doors in an otherwise residential neighbourhood, a buzzing family jewellery business.

Giovanni Ferraris is in fact one of dozens of often generations-old jewellery businesses that carry on their trade in the Valenza district of Italy’s northwest Piedmont region. Each year about 30 tonnes of gold and 80 percent of the precious stones that are imported to Italy are processed here, with some €2 billion worth of jewellery products exported in 2017 alone. Despite the presence of major brands such as Bulgari and Damiani, the bulk of the jewellery produced here is handmanufactured by highly skilled artisans whose heritage dates back almost 200 years.

According to local lore, a goldsmith by the name of Francesco Caramora was the first to set up a workshop on the border of Piedmont and Lombardy. He’s remembered for creating a Maltese pendant for a local businessman’s wife in 1825, two years before his premature death.

Caramora’s protégé went on to run the business and joined forces with two other local families to grow and lead the local jewellery industry.

Over the ensuing years, the Italian government and economy would go through several cycles of boom and bust. It wasn’t until the early

1950s – after emerging from a wartime ban on buying and selling platinum, gold, silver, pearls and all other precious stones and metals – that Valenza would make its mark on the world stage.

“The beautiful jewellery and gold crafted in Valenza is a cornerstone of Piedmont’s craft industry and is appreciated worldwide for the quality of the materials used, and the skills of the jewellers who make it,” wrote Mercedes Bresso, a member of the European Parliament and former president of the Piedmont Regional Government, in a foreword to a 2010 exhibition of historic pieces from the region in Paris.

“Although Providence in the United States, Toledo and Barcelona in Spain, and Pforzheim in Germany, among others, are known for their

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well-crafted jewellery and gold, the workshops in Valenza’s jewellery district have also produced exclusive pieces made by hand using highly sophisticated techniques that are genuine works of art.”

After showing us hand-drawn sketches of a new collection of rings featuring swirling layers of gold and diamonds, company founder Giovanni Ferraris escorts us to a workshop where a few dozen men and women usher each piece through the production process, from mould to casting to polishing and gem-setting.

A single item requires an incredible range of expertise to reach its finished state, whether creating 3D models on a computer screen or selecting the perfect stones to sit in sometimes microscopic settings.

Ferraris himself worked as an apprentice for several years before completing a degree in jewellery design and establishing his company at just 21 years of age.

He began by specialising in the highly technical craft of producing jewellery watches, and eventually expanded to all types of jewellery with wife Katia as supervisor of designs. Today their children are also

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involved in the business, helping distil what Ferraris calls “a concentrate of Italian spirit” in every piece that comes out of their workshop.

“The most important thing is the people who work with us; each piece is infused with their soul,” he says as we leave the Ferraris workshop.

“Some of them have been with us for 25 years. They’re like family.”

Not far away, the Barberis family continues the legacy of their company namesake Carlo Barberis, who trained as a goldsmith before opening his own workshop in 1929. He joined forces with his wife Valeria in 1940, welcoming clients into their home and earning a reputation for creative, colourful designs. Now the company is helmed

by Barberis’s grandchildren, with four siblings working to showcase its designs around the world.

Valentina Callagher manages the business founded by her father, a gemsetter, in 1976. “Many brands from around the world come to Valenza to use the infrastructure and know-how we have here,” she says.

“It’s very important to keep these traditional methods alive, and to pass them on from generation to generation.”

Indeed, whether old or new, most companies in Valenza are a family affair. Husband-and-wife duo Arturo Bonaventi and Elisa Annaratone set up Annaratone Jewelry in 2014 to produce tailor-made collections made using modern technologies and sustainable materials. They are the brains behind EAlite synthetic gems, which are created in a laboratory before being hand-cut in the same way as a natural crystal.

“It’s still very unusual to use lab-created stones,” Bonaventi says. “Some jewellers use ethical stones, but this is better because we can create something beautiful without harming the Earth.”

“The most important thing is the people who work with us; each piece is infused with their soul” — Giovanni Ferraris

Luciano Tinelli, who owns a small watch shop in Valenza, also works with his wife to produce exquisitely handcrafted jewels inspired by art deco and art nouveau designs as well as award-winning jewellery watches. Bright Jewels, also based in Valenza, dates back to 1955 and specialises in hand-made classic pieces as well as innovative flexible spring bracelets set with diamonds and precious stones.

And we meet the son of 74-year-old Gabriella Rivalta, who is known for her unique, hand-painted enamel charms with floral and other nature-inspired themes. Rivalta can even create a personalised pendant of a client’s four-legged friend.

In addition to original designs and jewellery production, Valenza has also become a popular and trusted source for jewellery parts and fastenings. Deambrogio Fratelli specialises in clasps and closures, often set with diamonds or other precious stones. The 60-year-old family business is one of only two or three companies in Italy that produce clasps, which require considerable expertise to achieve the correct weight and proportions to pair with pearls and other beaded items.

“In Valenza, the word ‘tradition’ does not refer to an unchanging, unchangeable series of rules handed down from generation to generation,” explains Lia Lenti, a Valenza native and jewellery expert.

“Its tradition is built on a cosmopolitan body of knowledge in constant flux, which continues to find its raison d’être by reconciling the work of highly skilled craftsmen with state-of-the-art technology. A local treasure in a global world.”

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: PORTOFINO, ONE OF THE ITALIAN LANDMARKS THAT INSPIRED THE HUES OF ANNARATONE JEWELRY’S SYTHETIC GEMS; A SERIES OF PIECES FROM GIOVANNI FERRARIS AND MINÙ

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ON THE SCENT

The season’s newest fragrances will lead you down the garden path, in the best possible way. tama lung plucks a few favourites

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f April showers bring May flowers, then May flowers bring us a multitude of new spring/ summer fragrances. This year’s offerings include entirely new as well as reimagined formulas from global fashion and jewellery houses, as well as innovative blends from niche perfumers.

Of course, fragrances are all about ingredients. Flowers remain arguably the most popular, with rose making a frequent appearance in the form of the fresh and feminine Bulgarian rose. The bloom is the key element in Mon Guerlain Bloom of Rose Eau de Toilette and Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle Flowers of Happiness Eau de Parfum, and makes a supporting appearance in Tiffany & Co.’s Sheer Eau de Toilette and Parfums Christian Dior’s new Holy Peony.

Other evocative blooms in rotation this season include violet, heliotrope, jasmine and peony. Perhaps in a nod to the warmer season, most blends tend towards fresh, fruity florals with only a hint of headier woods and Orientals.

One aromatic that’s enjoying a resurgence, however, is musk.

Tom Ford has dedicated an entire collection to its various facets with White Suede, Jasmine Musk and Musk Pure. Each blend is enhanced by unexpected additions of rose, saffron, thyme or lily of the valley.

Fragrance is also an opportunity to show some personality, and have a bit of fun. Perfumers this season seem to be taking this idea to heart with some quirky takes on the traditional product launch. See Hugo Reversed, Byredo’s Unnamed and even Penhaligon’s Portraits series presented with short stories of the namesake characters.

PENHALIGON’S The British perfumer introduces Portraits, “an array of exquisite olfactive treats” with charming monikers like Cousin Matthew — an unexpected blend of mandarin, petitgrain and patchouli.

LANCÔME Spring sees the reinvention of the maison’s La Vie Est Belle. The new Flowers of Happiness Eau de Parfum features a bouquet of peony, rose, jasmine and lily of the valley.

TIFFANY & CO. A core of iris, a blanket of musk and notes of blackcurrant, vert de mandarine and rose oil come together in the elegant new Sheer Eau de Toilette from the jewellery house.

PARFUMS CHRISTIAN DIOR Dior’s perfumer-creator Francois Demachy has created a light, sparkling take on floral, with fruity peony and dazzling rose combined with the softest woods and musks in Holy Peony.

HUGO BOSS Hugo Boss invites you to shake things up and take a new path with the new Hugo Reversed.

The citrus aromatic woody scent zings with bergamot and grapefruit on a base of cooling Haitian vetiver.

GUERLAIN The core ingredients remain unchanged but the addition of neroli and Bulgarian rose brings Mon Guerlain Bloom of Rose to a whole new level.

JO MALONE The limited-edition Wild Flowers & Weeds collection includes five distinctive colognes, including Hemlock & Bergamot with hints of golden mimosa and heliotrope.

TOM FORD Representing the many facets of musk, the new Private Blend White Suede Collection comprises three fragrances including this sophisticated blend of musk, suede and Bulgarian rose.

BYREDO What’s in a name?

Whatever your heart desires, when it comes to Byredo’s Unnamed, a limited relaunch of a name-it-yourself blend of iris, violets, evergreen and balsam fir.

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ALL EYES ON YOU

PETER PHILIPS talks to zaneta cheng about the Dior autumn/winter look that everyone will want to recreate and how to adapt it for even the trickiest of canvases

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very woman and girl can be a rebel this upcoming season, according to Dior, whose models strutted down the runway decked out in white, green or red buffalo check, recalling the Teddy Girls from London’s East End in the 1950s. Amid the skirts and Bar jackets, every girl, regardless of garb, had a set of strong, heavily kohl-ed eyes, with graphic under-eye lashes.

In the hair and make-up tent, rows of mascara and Dior On Stage Liner were on hand at each station.

Peter Philips, Dior Beauty’s creative and image director says, “Maria Grazia [Chiuri] shared her moodboard for the collection, which was basically a combination of vintage mixtures of Teddy Girls, Teddy Boys, ’60s make-up graphics and Polly Maggoo-style make-up. She wanted me to focus on the eyes and do something rock ’n’ roll.”

The look that ended up on the runway was thick eyeliner and chunky lashes, but it’s one that Philips insists is universally applicable and that he encourages all to reinterpret for the everyday. “You can easily translate it to a wearable look just by fine-tuning it and narrowing down the intensity,” he explains.

“Instead of the big fat eyeliner I put on top of the eye, that becomes a fine eyeliner. The blunt eyelashes I drew under the eye can be fine-drawn lashes. And because there’s not really a colour statement – it’s all about beautiful glowy skin and eyeliner make-up – it kind of matches all skin tones. Everybody can do their own interpretation, from more elegant to more extreme to more avant-garde.”

Eyeliner is flattering when done well, but not every girl is a make-up artist – and among the plethora of beauty faux pas, eyeliner’s often at the top, all finicky and fussy, particularly in Asia where many eyelids are hooded. It’s difficult to strike the right balance or even just to perfect a single eyelid – the flick, the thickness, the length, the curve, even where to start. The Belgian make-up artist has seen his fair share of eyelids, though, and recommends that no matter the eye, everyone should consider their liner shape front-on rather than lowered.

“I get the girl to look straight at me like she looks at a

camera. When you do a catwalk look, that’s what you get,” Philips says. “She goes on the runway and looks into the cameras. So that’s when I draw the eyeliner on. Then I ask her to close her eye and I fill in the whole space. Because if I were to start off with a closed eye and draw the eyeliner on, the moment she opens her eye, it’ll disappear if it’s a hooded eye. This is not only a problem for Asian eyes. It happens a lot for Caucasian girls as well because not everybody has these arched eyelids.

“If the eyelid is too droopy or doesn’t give you the space to draw an eyeliner, you can always draw an under eyeliner where you focus on your lower eyelid instead of your top eyelid.”

But is kohl taking the top spot as this season’s hottest beauty trend? Not for Philips, who’s placing his bets on women and on colour. “I think we’ve gone through this phase of extreme contour and highlight, and women have found a kind of balance now so that it works for them in a flattering way. So now it’s time to play and experiment with colours on eyes, on lips, or both, as well as playing with blush combinations and contour. I think the expertise is there and once you master the basic skills, it’s time to play and experiment. Colours allow women to do that.”

RISE AND SHINE

DIOR’S NEWEST LIP COLLECTION EMBODIES ELEGANCE AND ATTITUDE

Inspired by what Christian Dior called “the colour of happiness and femininity”, the new Dior Addict Stellar Shine features an enhanced formula and case decorated in pink lettering. Beeswax and lightweight oils provide hydration, comfort and shine while micro-pearls reflect light for added radiance. The 24 shades, softly scented with vanilla, come in three finishes: Glazed, Sparkle and Mirror. “The star of all pinks”, #976 Be Dior is a universally flattering fuchsia that embodies the tagline “Be Dior, Be Pink”.

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PRETTY IN PINK

CARA DELEVINGNE, WHO STARS IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE NEW DIOR ADDICT STELLAR SHINE, TALKS BEAUTY, BOLDNESS AND WHAT SHE WISHES FOR MOST IN THE WORLD CARA DELEVINGNE WEARS DIOR ADDICT STELLAR SHINE LIPSTICK IN #976 BE DIOR

PHOTOGRAPHY JEAN-BAPTISTE MONDINO FOR PARFUMS CHRISTIAN DIOR | STYLING MARIEL HAENN HAIR BEN SKERVIN | MAKE-UP PETER PHILIPS | MANICURE AMA QUASHIE | SET DESIGN ANDY HILLMAN

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Modelling since the age of 10, British-born Cara Delevingne has long been one of fashion’s most recognisable faces. The 26-year-old has since added actor, author, designer, musician and muse to her CV, and appears next in the Amazon fantasy series Carnival Row. We catch up with her between takes for her Dior Addict Stellar Shine shoot and video.

WHAT’S YOUR FIRST MEMORY ABOUT BEAUTY? My mum told me never to touch my eyebrows and it turned out for the best!

WHAT’S YOUR DAILY BEAUTY RITUAL? On an everyday basis, I try to keep my skin clean, protected and moisturised. After that, my beauty ritual is very dependent on what I’m working on that day.

WHAT ARE THREE BEAUTY PRODUCTS YOU ALWAYS CARRY IN YOUR BAG? Moisturiser, lip balm and a hair brush.

FIRST DIOR CAPTURE YOUTH SKINCARE, AND NOW DIOR ADDICT LIPSTICK. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A DIOR BEAUTY MUSE? Dior has always been a brand that I admired, and I feel grateful to be included in the company of the other brand ambassadors I share the title with, like Natalie Portman, Bella Hadid and Charlize Theron.

WHAT VALUES DO YOU SHARE WITH DIOR? Creativity, high standards, audacity and above all, the desire to look forward and to go where no one expects to see us.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU THE MOST ABOUT THIS LATEST COLLABORATION WITH DIOR? I’m inspired by this collaboration because it inspires women to be bold.

WHAT ARE THREE THINGS YOU AND DIOR ADDICT STELLAR SHINE HAVE IN COMMON? Boldness, life, audacity.

WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHADE FROM THIS COLLECTION? It’s definitely Be Dior for day and night!

WHAT’S A NORMAL DAY FOR YOU LIKE? Literally every day is different. The one thing I do every day is meditate as soon as I wake up.

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH? Viral videos on Instagram.

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY? Sometimes the viral videos make me laugh so hard I cry.

YOU’RE KNOWN FOR YOUR ACTIVISM AND CHARITABLE WORK. WHICH ARE THE CAUSES YOU HOLD CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART? I’m currently feeling very passionate about youth and mental health. Both of those causes are extremely crucial to our future, so I really find it important to invest time into supporting them.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE DIOR ADDICT STELLAR SHINE CAMPAIGN SHOOT

IF YOU HAD A MAGIC WAND, WHAT WOULD YOU WISH FOR? I’d love to be able to teleport from city to city, so I don’t have to get on another airplane!

AND FOR THE WORLD? Acceptance.

FINALLY, WHAT’S YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY DESTINATION? Anywhere with a beach.

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SEEING THE LIGHT

Partnering with Art Basel Hong Kong for the second consecutive year, La Prairie proves once more that art and beauty are the perfect pairing

A TRIBUTE TO LIGHT AND ILLUMINATION, WHITE CAVIAR ILLUMINATING PEARL INFUSION (LEFT) AND WHITE CAVIAR CRÈME EXTRAORDINAIRE

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SEL ECT

LIGHT DRAWING: THIS WORK USES REFLECTION AND LUMINOSITY TO DEPICT THE BEAUTY OF THE MOST BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE UNIVERSE

TRANSPARENCY: LAYERS OF MIRRORS, REMINISCENT OF THE LAYERS WITHIN THE SKIN, REFLECT THE LIGHT WITHIN THE PIECE

THE WORLDS OF BEAUTY and art have long been intrinsically linked, and that connection is very much alive today in the continuing partnership between two leading Swiss brands: La Prairie and Art Basel.

While the cosmetics industry may be driven by science and innovation, beauty itself would not exist without art. La Prairie’s approach is to use science as an art form, uncovering the factors that contribute to our skin’s glow. It has developed a formula that reveals the relationship between light, luminosity and the ageing process: the Equation of Light, Decoded.

It’s precisely this formula that acted as the inspiration for an art installation displayed last month at La Prairie Pavilion at the Collectors Lounge during Art Basel Hong Kong.

The brand collaborated with South Korean artist Chul-Hyun Ahn to create a series of works exploring the science of light. Ahn was a natural choice – his practice employs colour, light, mirrors and geometric shapes to produce optically complex and highly conceptual installations that create the illusion of infinite space.

There is beauty in his work, though you’d be wrong to call it pretty. Ahn uses light and reflection to examine the nature of the void. Dark and limitless, this void might seem antithetical to La Prairie’s pursuit of luminosity. But Ahn’s notions of timelessness and his ongoing philosophical exploration perfectly align with the brand’s endless quest to help its customers halt the effects of time.

There is also a surprising synergy between Ahn’s work and the cosmetics brand’s products. La Prairie’s Equation of Light suggests that skin’s luminosity is disturbed by coloured pigments from sources such as dust, sun spots, oxidative stress and inflammation.

Through its White Caviar Illuminating Pearl Infusion and White Caviar Crème Extraordinaire, La Prairie too seeks to eliminate these errant colours and send them back into the void, leaving skin with the beauty imparted by pure, white light.

Each product has its own merits – the Illuminating Pearl Infusion with its exclusive Illuminating Compound and the Crème Extraordinaire featuring the breakthrough illuminating molecule Lumidose – but they also share Golden Caviar Extract and exclusive

Cellular Complex to contribute to firmer, youngerlooking skin that is better able to reflect light.

Any artist understands the importance of light and clarity, and while these products are surely a construct of science, their effects are pure art.

Softer, silkier and more luminous, your skin will look like it’s lit from within. laprairie.com ART INSPIRED BY LA PRAIRIE WHITE CAVIAR COLLECTION

COVE R

JACKET DUNHILL POLO SHIRT BROOKS BROTHERS POLARIS CHRONOGRAPH JAEGER-LECOULTRE

A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS FOLLOWING HIS RECENT TURN IN AWARDS-SHOW DARLING THE FAVOURITE, ACTOR NICHOLAS HOULT TALKS FATHERHOOD, FAME AND MASCULINITY WITH FARHAN SHAH

PHOTOGRAPHY RACHELL SMITH | STYLING STEVEN DOAN GROOMING CHARLEY MCEWEN AT FRANK AGENCY USING TOM FORD AND LIVING PROOF | PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANTS CAM SMITH AND CHARLIE WALKER | RETOUCHING LOVE RETOUCH

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NICHOLAS HOULT

calls me right on the dot at 9pm.

Punctuality from a Hollywood star is something you don’t expect. And unlike many other celebrity interviews I’ve done, Hoult isn’t accompanied by his agent or minder. It’s just myself and his British accent.

He tells me he’s just wrapped up filming for The Great, a Hulu exclusive drama series that details Catherine the Great’s rise to power in the 1700s. In the movie, Hoult plays Catherine’s husband Peter, who was Emperor of Russia for six months before being overthrown by his wife. It’s not new territory for the British actor.

Prior to putting on a wig for Peter, Hoult had also played the statesman Robert Harley in the historical period comedy-drama film The Favourite. “I put on a wig for that one too, and it was surprisingly quite comfortable even though it was massive. The only problem was that it was full of hairspray and there were many candles on set; they wanted to light the movie naturally. So I was a bit of a walking fire hazard,” says Hoult, chuckling down the line.

The Favourite has won a raft of awards, including a best actress Oscar, Golden Globe, Bafta and Volpi Cup for Olivia Colman, a further six Baftas, and a Grand Jury Prize at the 2018 Venice International Film Festival, as well as garnering five other Golden Globe nominations and a place on the American Film Institute’s list of the top 10 films of 2018.

But Hoult has never been the sort to chase awards or to choose a role based on the probability of being on stage to deliver a heartfelt thank-you speech. It’s an attitude that was wrought by close to two decades of being in the industry. He was a child actor who made his screen debut at the age of seven in a film titled Intimate Relations.

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“You can’t modify your experience you had on a film based on the end result,” says Hoult. In this case, the actor is referring to both awards and box-office results. He’s starred in numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, but he’s also appeared in a couple of flops.

The Briton admits that it used to bother him. Not any more. “As an actor, you have to learn to deal with that.

Acting is quite an odd game in the sense that there are waves. You catch a wave for a minute and everything goes well. But then, the wave stops and it feels like you’re back to square one. So, that’s something I’ve had to learn along the way.”

Hoult is playing a different sort of role these days after his partner, model Bryana Holly, gave birth last April. The relatively private couple haven’t yet put up a picture of their child on social media but, by God, Hoult is sorely missing his sleep.

“The hardest part about fatherhood? Isn’t it obvious?” says Hoult, laughing out loud. “Your energy levels are always low and your reserve tank is always empty.”

He’s loving every minute of it, though. “All jokes aside, I found it a comfortable transition. It’s all about finding balance at the end of the day, which is probably the most difficult thing about fatherhood.”

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“IN THE PAST, GOING AWAY FOR A FEW MONTHS AT A TIME FOR A ROLE WAS NO BIG DEAL. NOW, IN THOSE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, THIS LITTLE PERSON CAN CHANGE. YOUR TIME WITH THEM IS SO PRECIOUS”

Becoming a dad has also rejuvenated him on the creative front, ironically because of the lack of time. When he used to readily commit to jobs that would take him away for months on end, Hoult has now dialled it back. He doesn’t want to miss any milestones in his child’s life.

“In the past, going away for a few months at a time for a role was no big deal. Now, in those three or four months, this little person can completely change. Your time with them is so precious. So I’m more energised to create different work.”

Hoult’s solution was to return to television, where he first forged his career in the early noughties as a young boy. Besides The Great, Hoult is also starring in Crossing Swords, yet another historical period TV series, and Watership Down, which as a mini-series pays more attention to detail than the 1978 animated movie could. It’s about a colony of rabbits defending their new home. Yes, you read that right. Rabbits. Once again, not entirely new territory for Hoult, who’s most famously recognised as the mutant creature Beast in the X-Men film franchise. Hoult will be donning his blue make-up once again in the middle of the year, when he reprises his role for the fifth time in Dark Phoenix.

Hoult doesn’t have to worry about being typecast, but he reveals that for a period of time he grew jaded with acting.

As with any other job, the prospect of burnout is very real for actors, especially if you work as hard as Hoult did. Fiftythree acting credits across film and television in a span of two decades. That’s quite a lot.

“That’s why I try to do different characters and different genres of films. I try to never do the same thing again,” Hoult says.

He pauses. “I love acting. I love being on set ... the entire process. But there are moments when I’m not necessarily feeling it. That’s when you have to step back and tell yourself, ‘OK, remember how lucky you are.’”

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“I LOVE ACTING. I LOVE BEING ON SET ...

BUT THERE ARE MOMENTS WHEN I’M NOT FEELING IT. THAT’S WHEN YOU HAVE TO STEP BACK AND REMEMBER HOW LUCKY YOU ARE”

The actor also has the good fortune of not being plagued with the level of debilitating fame that has scarred some child actors. Think Macaulay Culkin and Lindsay Lohan, who both descended into a spiral of drug and alcohol abuse after enjoying early success in their careers.

“I have a fairly manageable level of fame. But grappling with fame is something I had to learn. Someone once told me that you have to learn to be famous and that’s true,” says Hoult. “It feels unsettling to be walking out and about, and have people look at you with a formed impression even before they get to know you. It’s a bit like being an animal in a zoo.”

Hoult credits his childhood for keeping him grounded.

He grew up around women – his mother and sisters. His father was a pilot who was away from home much of the time while his older brother left home when he was young.

“When I look back at my childhood, I feel lucky. You don’t typically know of it when you’re a kid, but then, when you become a parent, you suddenly realise all the sacrifice, time and energy your parents put in for you,” says Hoult.

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“I grew up in a feminine environment. I took dance classes, but I never considered them as feminine activities.

I was just a kid growing up and doing things that I liked.

So, I’m creating an environment where my child can also feel happy and safe.”

The concept of masculinity intrigues Hoult, especially today when the idea of the modern man is constantly in flux. Hoult raised money for a charity last year called CALM, which raises the alarm about male suicide and offers support to men who feel they’ve reached the end of the rope.

“The old idea of masculinity is that you’re supposed to be strong, silent and stoic, but there’s this lovely transition now where men can talk about their feelings,” says Hoult.

“I don’t think masculinity has to be a certain thing. It can be whatever it wants to be.” In some ways, it’s similar to Hoult’s approach to acting, a chameleonic process where Hoult is game to try on any role without being encumbered by expectations. You could say Hoult is the kind of actor Hollywood needs right now.

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MAN AND MACHINE

Even as he celebrates the 20th anniversary of his supercar company, HORACIO PAGANI has lost none of his passion. He tells jon wall about his journey from the Argentine Pampas to Italy’s motor valley

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s we chat over coffee at The Peninsula, Hong Kong, Horacio Pagani doesn’t look or act like the man behind one of the world’s rarest and most costly motor cars. Trim, bespectacled and casually dressed in a seersucker jacket and blue chinos, he’s friendly and approachable, smiling often and talking engagingly about his life, his company and his motivation. Although not tall, he’s a towering figure in the automobile world, and it’s easy to detect the passion that, in his quest to design and build motor cars, took him from the faraway Argentine Pampas to a bespoke factory near Modena at the very heart of Italy’s motor valley, a place that for Pagani was once of pilgrimage but today is his home.

Now in his early sixties, he’s celebrating the anniversary of the launch 20 years ago of the first production car to bear his name, the fast and fabulous Pagani Zonda, a two-door coupe made largely from carbon fibre and powered by a huge V12 engine purpose-built for it by Mercedes-AMG. Some 12 years later the Zonda was joined by the Huayra (both cars are named after South American winds), yet even after two decades Pagani Automobili SpA custom-builds fewer than 50 of these hypercars each year. Even the least-expensive Pagani – if indeed such a thing can be said to exist – is unlikely to cost less than US$1.5 million, but the man who created these stratospherically unobtainable machines still displays the infectious enthusiasm of a car nut.

Pagani was born in the 1950s into a family of Italian origin. “My father was a baker, and my background was as

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far from automobiles as it’s possible to be,” he says. “We weren’t wealthy, we were a very normal family, but my mother had very refined taste in the way she kept the house, the family and the children, and she inspired in me a taste for fine things.” That clearly rubbed off on her son, who says that as a child he was constantly making sketches and picking up every notebook he could find.

“I was very attracted to artistic things,” he explains, “but at the same time I was also becoming interested in engineering and more technical things – and what I saw in the motor car was a combination of the artistic and the technical. From the beginning I could see the beauty of the lines, but my eyes could also see through and into the body, and what a car would need for it to function. Then, when I became a teenager, I started trying to create model cars, playing with cheap materials – wood or even a Coke can, whatever was available.”

The young Pagani also discovered international motoring magazines, through which he soon learned of Modena.

Home to names such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, the small city in northern Italy fired his imagination.

“I was a kid,” he remembers, “far away in Argentina, just opening a magazine and dreaming. Even at the age of 12 I was telling my mother I was going to go to Modena and design and build my own sports car. Emotionally and professionally, it’s always been a magnet for me, my Mecca.

Now, if we go downstairs and a Ferrari or a Lamborghini pulls up out of the traffic, even ordinary people who don’t care about cars will turn around and look. And just that simple fact underlines the energy and the myth of Modena as this legendary, warm and passionate home of sports cars.”

Pagani talks of another inspiration, whom he also first learned about in a magazine. “In the Argentine edition of Readers’ Digest, which my father read, I saw an article about Leonardo da Vinci, and that was a turning point for me.

Reading about him, I discovered how art and science could work hand-in-hand, which opened up a whole new world for me.”

On leaving school he enrolled in design and engineering courses, but equally important to his professional development was the workshop he built with the help of friends. “I learned to be a builder,” he jokes. “In fact, if you want some new flooring, I can do the tiles.”

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It was there in his shop that he set about designing and building an open-wheel Formula 2 racing car – it’s now on display at the factory in Italy – a remarkable feat that led to a meeting with Juan-Manuel Fangio, the five-time Formula 1 world champion said by many to be the greatest racing driver of all time. Fangio was so impressed that when Pagani told him he wished to work in Modena, the Argentine ace immediately wrote letters of introduction to five motor manufacturers. “He told me,” adds Pagani, “that in his life he’d written plenty of letters of introduction, but for me it was going to be more a letter of endorsement.”

He travelled to Europe in the early 1980s and officially joined Lamborghini in 1983, the company’s 20th year.

“When I got there,” he says, “I was employee number 171.

If you compare that to Pagani today, this year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the company and we employ around 160 people – very similar.”

Beginning more or less at the bottom, the Argentinian quickly worked his way up, introducing as he did so the concept of carbon fibre to Lamborghini. But his ideas met resistance, and as the late ’80s also turned out to be hardly the best of times for the Italian company, he and Lamborghini parted company in 1991. “While I was

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working there,” he says, “everything was challenging – I wanted to push for some new technology, I had a number of ideas about composite materials and carbon fibre, but then suddenly having this crisis, it gave me a stimulus to perhaps start doing things on my own.”

Initially Pagani set up Modena Design, which made carbon-fibre parts for clients that included the Ferrari F1 team, while he worked on the design of what was to become the Zonda in his spare time: “I had a limited budget and a daytime job, so I was doing it at weekends and at night, whenever I could.”

His ideas for the Zonda were at the time ambitious: guided by da Vinci, he wanted to combine art and aesthetics with speed, but he also wanted to build cars that were safe and comfortable. “Until that time,” he explains, “sports cars were generally very uncomfortable and, driven fast, were safe enough but not extra safe. They also had very poor air conditioning – you’d be steaming inside the car because of your passion for driving fast. I wanted to bring something new and innovative to the sports car, starting with the composite materials in the chassis that would mean light weight, and higher safety standards, which have always been a major concern for me. I wanted to build a car that was also very comfortable.”

Today, from a small yet spotless glass-walled factory outside Modena, where Pagani and his two sons designed parts of the production area to resemble an Italian village piazza, he’s doing just that, creating automobiles that aren’t just fearsomely fast but also exquisitely crafted in almost every respect. And yet he remains adamant that his intention was never merely to outdo the competition.

“I never said I was going to build a better car than

Ferrari, Bugatti or all the others,” says Pagani. “I just wanted to create my own car, something with a strong identity, something that’s good, fun, safe, high-technology.

Pagani’s a late-comer to the automotive industry, and for sure we need Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini – these are the pillars of this industry, we need them and we need to respect them. But I just wanted to design my car.

“Over the years I’ve become a collector, buying cars that I always dreamed of, and that shows the respect that I have for other manufacturers. Other automobile magnates only drive cars that come from their companies, but it’s absolutely normal to see me going for a walk wearing a Porsche polo shirt or a Lamborghini hat. I have Porsches, I have Ferraris – and if you see me driving my Ferrari F12 Tour de France, that’s absolutely fine.”

And Pagani’s daily drive? “I’m so open-minded that I enjoy all these brands,” he says, “but day-to-day, my favourite form of transport is the bicycle. My house is three kilometres from our production plant, so I commute by bike.”

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HEAD SPACE

DAVID ALTMEJD EXPLORES INFINITY, ETERNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS IN HAUNTINGLY LIFELIKE YET FANTASTICALLY ABSTRACT SCULPTURES. TAMA LUNG VISITS HIM AT HIS NEW YORK STUDIO AHEAD OF HIS FIRST SOLO SHOW IN ASIA

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avid Altmejd’s studio lies behind a nondescript grey door next to a car-body shop on a quiet side street in Long Island City, just across the East River from Manhattan. The unassuming exterior is in stark contrast to the energy and activity inside the spacious, two-storey loft, a fact that just happens to mirror the sculptor’s approach to his art.

“I think that contrast is absolutely necessary in an object.

If you want something to feel alive, for something actually to exist, it needs to contain opposites. It has to have a tension for energy to circulate inside it,” he says. “I like this idea of contrast creating a tension that creates an energy that starts circulating. I just feel like meaning comes with energy, you know? The object has to sort of be alive with energy for meaning to even start existing.”

The 44-year-old French-Canadian is walking me through the art work, a series of heads and plaster panels in various stages of completion, that White Cube is presenting at its Hong Kong gallery as well as at the city’s Art Basel fair. Altmejd has only recently taken on representation by White Cube, and The Vibrating Man is his first solo show in Asia. It also marks the artist’s first visit to the region, apart from a trip to Tokyo.

“My experience is basically North America and a small part of Europe, so it’s going to be really interesting to see how people react,” Altmejd says. “Because I have no idea what the reaction will be, it’s giving me more freedom and then I get really excited. I find myself in a place where I can’t really predict or control reactions, so I might as well be completely experimental.”

Altmejd, who grew up in Montreal and has been based in New York since graduate school, was always interested in art, but initially pursued a career as an evolutionary

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: HEART LOOP (DETAIL), 2018; ART STUDENT, 2018; MAGIC LOOP, 2017; BAD NEWS, 2019

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: DAVID ALTMEJD, LANCE BREWER FOR ANDREA ROSEN GALLERY; DAVID ALTMEJD, LANCE BREWER; DAVID ALTMEJD, LANCE BREWER FOR GALERIE XAVIER HUFKENS; DAVID ALTMEJD, COURTESY WHITE CUBE

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biologist. The decade or so of study required, however, clashed with the budding artist’s true calling.

“I had this need to be creative; I couldn’t do anything else,” he says. “The study of sciences, you’re learning a specific language, a specific process, specific codes and it’s not until you finish your studies that you can do whatever you want. So I switched to art. It’s the encouragement of pure creativity. And I didn’t want to learn a language; I wanted to invent my own language.”

Altmejd started art school as a painter but switched to sculpture after a mandatory class in the medium. “I realised at that moment the object that exists in 3D space in the same way that a body does has potentially more power than anything else, than any other form of art, because it exists in the same space as the viewer. It almost breathes the same air,” he recalls.

“It feels like it has an interior, the same way a body has an interior that’s infinite. The layers, the history, the idea of transformation. Maybe that comes from my interest in

looking for infinity in a certain way. Infinity can be represented more visually, simply by using mirrors that reflect one another,” he says, pointing to a towering stack of mirrored cubes. “It can sort of be created, for example, through the accumulation of details. Some of the plexiglass box pieces I’ve made contain such a large number of details they feel like they’re never-ending.

“Also, the fact that infinity can be explored or created through the idea of transformation, that’s another thing I like about sculpture. The idea that the object feels or has the presence of something that’s continuously transforming.”

In the case of the panels he’s preparing for Hong Kong, Altmejd has taken this idea even further to the point where the object appears not only to be transforming but actually creating itself. “It contains the material and it contains the tools, which are the hands, so it’s sort reshaping itself. The hands are sort of taking material from one area and bringing it to another,” he explains. “I want it to be very intense here. I like the idea of the object struggling to raise its level of consciousness. As if there was consciousness in material, in matter, and it was actually trying to get out of that.”

In many ways, Altmejd’s work is a direct reflection of his own evolution as an artist and a person. “I used to make work and just wanted it to be me. Now I’m entering the studio and I want to feel like there’s a landscape, like I’m in the world and there’s all different sorts of people around me,” he says.

“I’m fascinated with this whole idea of consciousness right now. If I push it even more, I could say I’m nothing.

Internally, I’m nothing. The only thing that I experience is the outside. So in a certain way there’s something to say about the outside being defining in one’s identity. So maybe this diverse landscape is closer to what I am than a basic self-portrait.”

Altmejd describes how his explorations into infinity and consciousness have led him down intriguing paths, whether looking at how ancient Egyptians thought about eternal life or discovering connections between his own understanding of existence and that of Buddhism.

“In the last two years I’ve become exponentially spiritual.

I don’t know if it’s the work or the time in my life. Maybe I’ve reached a moment where I can almost feel the other dimensions. Somehow more and more I can understand how reality is just a sort of construction, in that truth is not what we think it is. It’s beyond,” he says. “I’m just opening up spaces in my head. It’s a really, really exciting moment for me.”

“WHEN I MAKE AN OBJECT, I’M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR INFINITY IN A CERTAIN WAY” evolutionary biology, but I have this fascination with the body as being the most extraordinary object in the universe – because of its potential, because of the fact that it’s infinite. Because of the fact that it contains a space that’s larger than its volume.”

It’s this idea that an object – and even a person – doesn’t have its own meaning but rather the potential of generating meaning that led Altmejd to use the human body and eventually the head as the basis for many of his pieces. He walks me over to one corner of the studio where a series of heads sit on individual blocks like guests standing around at a cocktail party. One has a flowing white beard and a column of smoke rising from a hole where its nose and eyes should be; another has two mouths, two noses and five eyes; while others’ features have multiplied even more to match the multitudes of cigarettes in their repeating fingers.

“I don’t know why there are so many smokers,” he says.

“I’ve never even tried to smoke. Maybe it’s because I feel like smoking a cigarette in a certain way can symbolise a moment. There’s something in that moment that’s disconnected from time in general.”

Time, eternity and infinity are recurring themes in Altmejd’s work, whether the heads or his other sculptures and installations. “When I make an object, I’m always

The Vibrating Man runs at White Cube until May 18

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THE MARAMOTTI PRINCIPLE ONE OF ITALY’S LEADING PRIVATE MUSEUMS UNVEILS ITS FIRST REHANG SINCE ITS OPENING — A SERIES OF SOLO EXHIBITIONS BY 10 ARTISTS IT HAS SUPPORTED SINCE 2007.

SONIA KOLESNIKOV-JESSOP TRACES THE LEGACY OF ART PATRONAGE UPHELD BY THE FAMILY THAT OWNS MAX MARA

UNTITLED, CERAMICS AND COLOURED WOODCUTS ON PAPER, 2009, BY GERT & UWE TOBIAS

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ungarian artist Mona Osman, 27, is still in the early stages of her career, and while the Royal College of Art student has had a solo exhibition at an artist-led contemporary gallery in London and was part of a group show at Saatchi Gallery last year, perhaps her biggest break will come later this year. The young painter will have a solo exhibition at Collezione Maramotti, one of Italy’s top private art museums, and one that presents the ever-growing art collection of the family that founded the upmarket ready-to-wear label Max Mara.

“To have this opportunity is a huge honour, and an amazing chance to expand and visually showcase my research,” Osman says, adding that her project for the Collezione takes inspiration from the Bible and existential philosophers.

In recent years, the museum has increasingly supported young talents, giving three or four emerging or mid-career artists carte blanche each year to create works that will later form part of the museum’s collection. Knowing that their work has a definite buyer “relieves the artists of economic worries, enabling them to engage in a purer artistic research rather than in a commercial one,” explains Sara Piccinini, senior coordinator at Collezione Maramotti.

In early March, the museum unveiled a rehang on its second floor to show the works of 10 artists whom the Collezione has supported since its 2007 opening. A room is devoted to each artist, a move that Piccinini notes “gives visual consistency to each room, and lets visitors really see every single project in a powerful way and discover each artist”.

Indeed, each room offers a very different experience. In one, for instance, Enoc Perez presents two large, colourful

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the Transavanguardia, of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

“Achille was interested in the latest art works being produced and one of the main qualities of the collection is that the works were purchased at the time of their production,” Piccinini says. “He liked to have a close and personal relationship with artists, and he would visit them in their studios and purchase the works from them directly, maybe not even finished yet, but showing they were at a very important point of new development in their careers.”

“From the 1960s, he mainly focused on Italian art, and then in the early ’80s, he started to look at American art, which he found more interesting,” she adds, sharing that he bought early pieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Julian Schnabel, Alex Katz and Ross Bleckner, to name a few.

Achille Maramotti’s children have continued to uphold his support of emerging and mid-career artists. “One of the family’s main ways of collecting is to invite young and midcareer artists to produce a specific work for the collection,” Piccinini says, adding that the family is directly involved in the selection of artists. “There’s no board or commission.

They’re very passionate about the arts, and they attend fairs and exhibitions. When they see something they like, they research the artist to see what point he or she is at – commissions then stem from that.”

In parallel, Max Mara, which is still run by the family, has collaborated with Whitechapel Gallery in London since 2005 to develop the Max Mara Art Prize for Women, a biannual award given to an emerging female artist working in the UK. Recipients, selected by the gallery and a panel of judges comprising art world personalities, are awarded a six‑month residency in Italy, culminating in exhibitions at Whitechapel Gallery and Collezione Maramotti, after which the museum acquires the works. Past winners include multimedia artist Emma Hart and video artist Margaret Salmon, as well as multidisciplinary artist Laure Prouvost, who went on to receive the 2013 Turner Prize and is representing France this year at the Venice Biennale.

ABOVE: COLLEZIONE MARAMOTTI OCCUPIES THE FORMER FACTORY BUILDING OF FASHION COMPANY MAX MARA ABOVE LEFT: THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE PRIVATE ART MUSEUM HAS AN OPEN EXHIBITION SPACE

ALISTAIR OVERBRUCK; JOSEPH DESLER COSTA; DARIO LASAGNI; CARLO VANNINI/COLLEZIONE MARAMOTTI

canvases – made using a complex, layered painting process, without the use of a brush – that interrogate the role of painting today, while in another, Jacob Kassay’s series of silvery and mirror‑like canvases hold the ghostly presence of the underlying painting while also absorbing and reflecting their surroundings.

“I think visitors are positively surprised by these changes from room to room,” says Piccinini. “There’s a changing rhythm, which is very interesting.”

Located in the fashion brand’s first warehouse in the northern Italian city of Reggio Emilia, Collezione Maramotti was initially set up to showcase the works of art collected by Achille Maramotti, who founded Max Mara in 1951. Though he died in 2005, two years before his long‑planned museum finally opened, his three children – dedicated art collectors in their own right – have continued to expand the collection, which now comprises roughly 1,000 art works, more than double the initial collection of their father.

Piccinini notes the common thread from father to children. All have been collecting works of their time, focusing primarily, though no longer exclusively, on paintings. Achille Maramotti, for instance, initially collected ancient art and Pittura Metafisica (metaphysical art) – a movement created in 1911 by Giorgio de Chirico and Carlo Carrà that uses sharply contrasting light and shadow to create dreamlike works that often have a vaguely threatening or mysterious quality – but turned his attention to contemporary art in the early 1960s.

The collection thus closely mirrors the developments of several art movements, including Art Informel, which began in France in the 1940s and flourished in the 1950s, and embraced abstraction and experimentation with new materials; Arte Povera, a radical Italian art movement of the late 1960s and ’70s whose artists explored a range of unconventional processes and non-traditional “everyday” materials; and Italian Neo-expressionism, known as

LEFT: PSYCHEDELIC SOLDIER, 2012, BY JULES DE BALINCOURT BELOW: CASA MALAPARTE (DAY), 2008, BY ENOC PEREZ

“ONE OF THE FAMILY’S MAIN WAYS OF COLLECTING IS TO INVITE YOUNG AND MID-CAREER ARTISTS TO PRODUCE A SPECIFIC WORK FOR THE COLLECTION” — SARA PICCININI, COLLEZIONE MARAMOTTI

ABOVE: UNTITLED, 2010,

BY JACOB KASSAY LEFT: BUMPTIOUS MANSIONS, 2014,

BY CHANTAL JOFFE

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KRAVITZ DESIGN MARRIES NEW YORK ELEGANCE WITH THE PRECINCT’S GRUNGY ARTISTIC PAST

ROCK THE RESIDENCE

gemma price steps into

75 Kenmare, a US$38 million New York development with interiors that draw on the artistic past and inestimable cool of celebrity designer Lenny Kravitz

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enny Kravitz is becoming as celebrated for his art and design accomplishments as for his Grammy Award‑winning music. Last year, the multitalented musician was named creative director of the champagne house Dom Pérignon and rolled out his first project for the brand in September. Titled Assemblage, it’s an exhibition of photographs he took during a dinner party at his self-designed Los Angeles home, attended by guests such as Harvey Keitel, Susan Sarandon and Alexander Wang.

Later this year sees the opening of Kravitz’s first New York residential interiors project, 75 Kenmare, a condominium that comprises 38 one- to four‑bedroom homes priced from US$1.7 million in Lower Manhattan’s NoLita neighbourhood. It culminates in a 1,850-square-foot penthouse with a further 700 square feet of private outdoor space that’s priced at US$7.5 million.

The project is led by Manhattan-based architect Andre Kikoski, winner of an American Institute of Architects Honor Award and the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant Design, who has also been applauded for his work at The Wright in the Guggenheim Museum. According to Kikoski, inspiration for 75 Kenmare’s highly articulated facade, which emphasises light and shadow, came from nearby buildings. Traditional hand-laid brick details were reinterpreted in cast concrete, with bronze-hued framing and fins gilding street-facing vertical panels that cast a warm glow evoking New York’s art-deco heyday.

In its first commission for the interiors of an entire project, Kravitz Design was responsible for the custom ensemble of all tones and textures, adding matt-finish white-oak floors as well as a neutral palette rich in wood and stone to complement the condo’s generous, almost floor-toceiling windows to create light, expansive interiors.

Kitchens, meanwhile, feature Gaggenau appliances integrated into the custom, matt-white lacquer cabinetry, complemented by an elm-clad refrigerator and elm breakfast bar. Bathrooms – bisected by walls and

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DE SI G N

WARM WOOD AND BRONZE ACCENTS COMPLEMENT THE PALETTE OF TEXTURED GREYS AND WHITES

“Music and design are very similar in that you’re making something out of nothing – they’re built on layers. In the end, you have a mood, a vibe – something that makes you feel differently than you did before you heard it or experienced the space” floors clad in grey-toned titanium travertine on one side and contrasting French vanilla marble on the other – offer sleek, custom floating elmwrapped vanities accented by polished Bianco Drama marble countertops and sinks, and deep-soaking tubs by the Italian brand Devon&Devon.

“Music and design are very similar in that you’re making something out of nothing – they’re built on layers,” says Kravitz. “In the end, you have a mood, a vibe – something that makes you feel differently than you did before you heard it or experienced the space.” He adds that his firm took multiple passes to develop well-appropriated floor plans that maximise every square foot.

Kravitz Design is headquartered just five minutes’ walk from the site.

Founded in 2003, it has a reputation for an edgy, cosmopolitan aesthetic, earned through collaborations with Miami’s Paramount Bay Condos and Paris’s L’Arc nightclub, as well as industrial design partnerships with CB2, Swarovski and Philippe Starck for Kartell.

Kravitz’s personal connection with this downtown area, though, runs much deeper. After returning to New York in the 1980s to work on his

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WORKING THE ROOM

LENNY KRAVITZ ISN’T THE ONLY CELEBRITY TO TURN HIS HAND TO DESIGN

Film director Francis Ford Coppola owns several resort properties, the best known of which is the 20-room, eco-friendly Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize, which he designed as a private family retreat until it opened to the public in 1993.

Thai-American musician and actor Krissada Sukosol Clapp, meanwhile, designed The Siam (below) in collaboration with Bill Bensley. In keeping with its royal Dusit district setting, the 39-room Bangkok hotel resembles a Thai temple, with rooms featuring decorative elements with an eye on mise en scène.

music following high school, his first Manhattan apartment was on Broome Street in adjacent SoHo, and he hung out in NoLita. “Those were the places where I felt most comfortable,” he recalls. “There were still a lot of mom-and-pop shops at that time. You knew everybody.

You knew the lady running the shop here, the shop there, the guy at this store ... it felt very cosy.”

Today, NoLita is home to international fashion labels such as Rag & Bone, which rub shoulders with luxury boutiques like Duncan Quinn, where you’ll find bespoke Italian shirts, handmade shoes and suits cut by hand in New York. On its blocks you’ll also find contemporary-art boutiques, extravagant venues – including the gold‑themed glam-gothic GoldBar – and long-running restaurants such as Emilio’s Ballato, where local artisans and celebrities sit side-byside to devour spaghetti alla puttanesca.

“It’s a good balance between old and new school,” Kravitz says.

“Besides having the new people who have moved there, you have a lot of folks whose families have been there for generations, so it’s a really great mix of people and energy.”

He’s already looking forward to other interiors and product-design projects in partnership with hotel properties and established brands.

“We’ll be creating limited-edition packaging and bespoke furniture pieces to integrate with the ritual that revolves around champagne,” he says. “I’m really looking forward to continuing the collaboration with Dom Pérignon and being inspired.”

Opened in Florida’s Vero Beach in 2008, Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa (above) is styled by its owner, singer Gloria Estefan, who selected warm, amber lighting for many spaces and porthole motifs to give it the feel of a luxury yacht.

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T OYS

THE LOVE BOAT Driving the now-mildly hybridised S 500, jon wall discovers yet another reason to fall for Mercedes-Benz’s luxo barge

C

all me fickle, but I’ve fallen in love again.

Possibly even worse, the current object of my affections has exactly the same name as my previous passion, which I’ve now unceremoniously dumped. I’ll leave it to you to decide whether that makes me an incorrigible old cad or simply a creep, but perhaps if I tell you she’s called Mercedes you’ll understand.

To be honest, this latest amour has been simmering for some time. It dates back, in fact, at least to July 2017 and a meeting in the rarefied surrounds of a heritage hotel above Zurich – and possibly the seeds were sown as long ago as January 2015, and a brief encounter in the coastal hills of Southern California.

I should now make it clear I’m talking about motor cars here and not females – and that in my further defence, the automobile in question is the mid-life-facelifted version of Mercedes-Benz’s sixth-generation S-Class, a car that many have said is the best in the world. Indeed, they’ve being saying that about the S-Class ever since the company unveiled the very first vehicle to bear that name – the W116 of 1972 – and they were saying it about its predecessors long before that.

There’s no great mystery as to why Merc’s luxurious land barge has been the choice of presidents, plutocrats, stars, socialites, gentlefolk and gangsters the world over for almost 50 years. It’s simply that few other cars have so effortlessly combined such luxury, elegance and presence – and nor (and perhaps most important) do they engender such feelings of sublime well-being among their passengers.

That’s partly because Daimler-Benz has continued to throw so much newfangled tech in its flagship’s direction since the early 1970s – over the years, it’s pioneered ABS anti-lock brakes, seat-belt pretensioners, airbags, double glazing, adaptive air suspension and active lane-keeping – that would-be competitors have a hard time keeping up with it. But it’s equally due to the fact that those innovations have been balanced with a conservative approach to design and styling, so that while each generation has represented a clear evolutionary step it’s also been instantly recognisable as an S-Class, a key consideration in a segment

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T OYS

MERCEDES-BENZ S 500

ENGINE: 3-litre turbocharged inline six TRANSMISSION: nine-speed multi-clutch MAX POWER: 429bhp, plus 21bhp EQ boost TORQUE: 530Nm @ 1,800-5,500rpm, plus 250Nm EQ boost MAX SPEED: 250km/h ACCELERATION: 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds KERB WEIGHT: 2,025kg

that values tradition. Factor value for money into the equation – and don’t forget you’d get two roughly comparable S-Classes for the price of even the most junior Rolls-Royce – and unless you’re determined to make a contrarian statement by choosing an Audi A8 or a 7-Series Beemer, the Mercedes looks a no-brainer.

You might be questioning why, as I already experienced the current W222 S-Class more than four years ago in the US and more recently in Europe, I’m so smitten by the S 500. For unlike the cars I’d driven earlier, which were plucked from press fleets and fully loaded with every conceivable option, the S that was recently in my charge was spec’d with more-or-less baseline trim (or at least what passes for such on the plush planet Merc). So, no clever Magic Body Control with Road Surface Scan, no full Level 2-autonomy driver-assistance, no First-class rear compartment with folding tables, and no individual rear-passenger entertainment or Burmester 3D stereo systems (which – to judge from a price list that, in barely readable 6-point type, fills an entire side of A4 – are just a short selection of the kit that could have been fitted to my test car, but wasn’t).

But what the S 500 does come with is Mercedes’s M256 six-cylinder engine, a 3-litre petrol unit whose introduction in 2017 heralded the gradual adoption of mild-hybrid technology across the brand’s entire range of passenger cars. That doesn’t mean this particular S is a hybrid in the normal sense: it has no electric motors that can power the car independently of petrol, it doesn’t need to be charged up when

not in use and nor does it have to lug around a hefty battery pack. But it is remarkable, nonetheless.

Because that engine, which marks the company’s return to the classic inline-six configuration after years of V6s, is an absolute crackerjack.

Not only does it feature an integrated 48-volt starter motor and alternator attached to the crankshaft, which offers brief EQ boosts of torque and horsepower as well as energy recovery during braking, but there’s also an auxiliary electronic compressor that kicks in on lowspeed acceleration, taking up the slack before the more conventional turbo spools up.

Moreover, it independently operates the air-conditioning, water pump and other key systems, leaving the petrol engine to do what it’s supposed to do, i.e., move the car. The results: 429bhp and, from 1,800rpm, 530Nm in normal operation, but with additional bursts of 21 horses and 250 Newtons respectively. Those impressive numbers, which hardly seem to tally with the engine’s modest 2,999cc capacity, are more than sufficient to move this 2-tonne motor car with astonishing rapidity, while the nine-speed multi-clutch transmission ensures gearshifts so smooth as to be nigh on undetectable. Yet my own experience also demonstrates that with a reasonably delicate foot on the loud pedal the S 500 can easily manage 8 litres per 100km.

These, however, are merely parts of the equation because the S-Class is arguably more about the serenity of a journey than it is about the speed – and whether you’re up-front driving or

The S-Class has become the yardstick by which every other luxury automobile is judged

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cocooned, semi-reclined, on one of the voluminous black-leather chairs in the back, few cars are more comfortable, silent or relaxing. When I say silent here, I’m not talking about the uncanny, near-anechoic quiet of a Rolls-Royce Phantom, in which you can almost hear your blood as it’s pumped around your body, but rather a contented, calm-inducing restfulness. Wind noise from the screen, pillars, mirrors and doors is virtually absent, while the active air suspension, creamily smooth and supple, is sufficiently pillow-like to lull passengers into a contented snooze. My only complaint concerns the hyper-sensitive proximity sensors that beep frantically whenever other vehicles come even marginally close – and on one occasion slam on the brakes alarmingly as I’m filtering into a tunnel through heavy traffic.

Built on a long-wheelbase chassis, the S 500 offers oodles of legroom both front and back, and the cabin build quality is largely superb. Unlike aboard the more costly Maybach S-Class variants, you will find the odd plastic surface here and there, but mostly it’s all beautifully made from superior hide, high-gloss lacquer and metals, as well as exquisitely put together and presented. Moreover, the LED ambient-lighting strips, which illuminate the interior in a rainbow-choice of colours, look especially classy after dark, as do the twin TFT instrument and infotainment screens that are increasingly replacing conventional

dashboards on Mercedes passenger cars and on the S-Class are paragons of cognitive clarity.

If the performance from the 3-litre engine is unusually punchy and the ride comfort verges on the superb, driving the S 500 is rarely more than somewhat entertaining. Yes, in spite of the gliding softness of the ride, the S’s body control is excellent and the steering precise and responsive, but as almost zero road feel is conveyed through the helm the sense of engagement is limited compared with other more sporting large machines.

Is that an issue? Hardly, because if the aim of a large sedan is to cosset its occupants with every luxury while wafting them swiftly, silently and safely from homes and hotels to airports and offices – as well as on much longer journeys that we might contemplate with trepidation in lesser vehicles – it’s hard to imagine a car that better meets these objectives than the S-Class. Indeed, after almost 50 years, it remains a genuine automotive pioneer, a technological tour de force that’s become the yardstick by which every other luxury automobile is judged – and with its ingenious new mild-hybrid power unit, the S 500 has even managed to endow the internal combustion engine with new life and relevance.

And if you really like motor cars, what, honestly, is there not to love about that?

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

BMW 7-SERIES “Aggressive” is one way of describing the styling of the new 7-Series, which arrives here later this year, packed with tech and driver-oriented dynamics. Grrr.

IF THE S-CLASS IS, WELL, JUST A TAD OBVIOUS, WE’RE GUESSING YOU’LL BE LOOKING AT THESE

AUDI A8 Packed to its aluminium roof with tech and brimming with luxury, the A8 poses formidable competition. But does it have the necessary presence?

LEXUS LS We’re really impressed by the attention to detail of Toyota’s luxury offering. Sadly, though, this otherwise serious contender is let down by so-so powertrains.

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SEL ECT

ETERNAL ELEGANCE With subtle fabrics and understated colours, Giorgio Armani’s fashion creations are a testament to enduring design

TAKE ANY CHAPTER in the rich history of Giorgio Armani and behold the timeless, seemingly effortless elegance that transcends the epoch his outfits were born into. In the ’70s he brought power dressing to leading ladies on screen (reflect on how he dressed Diane Keaton); in the ’80s he relaxed that silhouette with softer fabrics (sure, he worked the shoulder pads, but he made the jackets in velvet for Jodie Foster); in the ’90s, he singlehandedly transformed Oscar red-carpet dressing by eschewing Vegas-style-sequins, feathers and costume jewellery for aesthetically impeccable ensembles and diamonds. As he famously said of dressing leading ladies for the red carpet, “She will not regret what she is wearing when she looks at pictures of herself in the press the next day. Or even next year.”

Or even next decade, as hindsight now reveals.

Armani refrained from being trendy, opting for classic. Fads meant nothing to him as he focused on the eternal, putting the pow into power dressing with his signature style. This season however, he’s gone for a gentler, ethereal silhouette.

Enhanced by the use of “liquid” fabrics and aquatic colours, the latest collection is based on an abstract inspiration: a game of refractions created by a ray of light on a body of water. To that end,

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Armani uses fine lines and materials for clothing that envelops the body and flows with the silhouette, resulting in an impression of soft and gentle elegance.

The liquid effect is reproduced in organza and translucent materials, blended together and overlapping, with ruffles and layers in subtle, delicate hues: metallic greys, silky pastels, pale blues, with touches of pinks and bright greens.

The overall effect is one of iridescent and poetic elegance: fragility full of strength.

“Collection after collection, I hone the idea of soft elegance,” Armani says from his studio. “This season the challenge has been to transpose the mutability of the shape and colour of water into garments and accessories. I achieved this effect with subtle but firm fabrics, using linear constructions and a masterly play on lightweight overlays and glossy embroidery.”

On this journey, the Giorgio Armani woman finds strength in gossamer grace and apparent fragility.

Armani was about power dressing. Now, he dresses the empowered. armani.com

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RS VP KIM JAE JOONG

ASIAN FILM AWARDS

STARS IN THE EAST What? A celebration of cinematic excellence, the 13th Asian Film Awards were held at TVB City in Tseung Kwan O. Movie legends and rising stars from around the region attended alongside a glittering array of local celebs.

Ceremonial rights: Among the 21 awards handed out were ďŹ ve recognising special achievements in the Asian cinematic landscape: Korean director/screenwriter Lee Chang Dong was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award; Japanese actor Yakusho Koji took an Excellence in Asian Cinema Award; Korean entertainer Kim Jae Joong bagged the AFA New Generation Award; Korean actor Park Seo Joon received the AFA Rising Star Award; and the 2018 Top-Grossing Asian Film Award went to the Chinese action movie Operation Red Sea.

ANTHONY WONG YON FAN AND JOAN CHEN

RIVER HUANG YAKUSHO KOJI

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SAMAL YESLYAMOVA

KARA WAI

RS VP AMANDA STRANG

BVLGARI

ELLY LAM

BRIAN CHAN

WILD AT HEART What? Inspired by the extravagant 1980s, Bulgari hosted a flashy cocktail at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong to unveil its Wild Pop collection.

Colour chameleon: Vibrant colour combinations, grand dimensions extracted from pop art and the lavish display of precious jewels in a kitschy, fun environment made this a popular affair among the city’s celebrities and trendsetters.

Dressed to the hilt: Many of our fave fashionistas – including Elly Lam and Antonia Li (both beturbanned), Grace Wong, Jessica Jann and Ashley Lam – took the dress code to heart and arrived in their colourful best to match the equally flamboyant jewellery.

CHARLES LAM, VERONICA LI, GRACE WONG, ANSON ALU AND MAYAO

ASHLEY LAM

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RS VP FIONA MCLEISH

AIKO YEUNG

CARA G PONY PONG

GRACEY FOK JUDE TSANG

CARTIER

LITTLE RED BAG What? At the grand opening of Cartier’s new boutique at T Galleria by DFS at The Shoppes at Four Seasons, Macau, we spotted Hong Kong’s glam squad – in high style and stilettoes – checking out the stunning bling.

Ready to launch: In sync with the grand opening of the 3,600-square-foot store came the latest release of the Guirlande de Cartier bag collection – and, as expected, the bejewelled accessories were drop-deadgorgeous. In fact, speaking of gorgeous, we also spotted among the crowd Nat Kwan, Fiona McLeish, Angie Ng and mum-to-be, the ever-smiling Cara G. JENNIFER CHIU

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HILARY TSUI

ANGIE NG

MOKA FONG

JENNIFER YU

ISABELLA LEUNG GAILE LOK

CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ

EYE CANDY What? Clé de Peau Beauté invited a bevy of beauties to experience its innovative eye-care dual treatment (“backed by skin-renewal research”) and transformed the Pedder Building event space with art, videos, a performance stage and trial spaces for the new magic potions and lotions.

Pregnant pause: Cara G and Gaile Lok came in all their full-figured glory (the former carrying her third child and the latter her first). They missed each other at the event, but were both heard talking about needing the eye cream, as it promises to “rejuvenate for a youthful and lifted look”. Well, we all need a bit of that!

AMY LO

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SEL ECT

AT PEACE IN THE WORLD

Privacy, tranquillity and the beauty of nature come together in one luxurious package at 8 Deep Water Bay Drive, a new residential project developed by Nan Fung Group and Vervain Resources WITH OVER 80 percent of 8 Deep Water Bay Drive devoted to green space, this new development in the southern district of Hong Kong island offers a uniquely tranquil and beautiful retreat from city life.

“I think anyone who lives in a big dense city is looking for a sense of peace, especially within a certain proximity of their home, if not in their home.

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When your residence is in the middle of a city it’s so important to try and make your home your personal respite,” says acclaimed interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud, who worked on the property’s show flat. “And blessed with such a beautiful natural landscape, it was important for the developer and architect to build units that feel

INTERIOR DESIGNER ALEXANDRA CHAMPALIMAUD CREATED A COLOUR PALETTE TO MAXIMISE THE PROPERTY’S ELEVATION AND AIRINESS

like they are floating in the middle of it.”

Champalimaud, who is known for her work with Raffles Singapore and niche residential developments in New York, among others, designed the show flat to highlight the potential of 8 Deep Water Bay Drive’s 52 spacious apartments surrounded by the lush woodland of low-density southern Hong Kong island.

With a saleable area of 4,214 square feet and four bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, the show flat exemplifies the property’s “House Living in the Sky”concept. It features floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the panorama of greenery and let natural light flood in, resulting in a space that is open, light and airy.

“When we designed the place, we were very deliberate in our choice of finishes and materials in the hope that we would create a space that would encourage families to treat their home as an urban retreat,” explains Champalimaud.

This sense of comfort, serenity and togetherness extends to The Great Room, a multifunctional formal space ideal for entertaining at home. Family and friends alike can gather here to share precious moments while enjoying the breathtaking vistas from the full-height windows and airy double balcony.

The light that floods in through the windows and illuminates the surrounding hillside is reflected in the designer’s choice of furnishings and finishes.

“We wanted to maximise the light, airy feeling of living at that elevation, so we created a material and colour palette that responded to that,” Champalimaud says. “Inside you’ll find that light oaks, soft whites, and smoky veined marble are paired with understated custom millwork and finishes giving you a sense of lightness.”

Indeed, from the moment residents step into their beautifully appointed private elevator lobby they are transported to a world of light, luxury and exclusivity. 8 Deep Water Bay Drive provides mindful living at its very best in the most breathtaking sanctuary in the city.

8deepwaterbaydrive.com

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RS VP DORRA ZAROUK

ANGELABABY

CARA DELEVINGNE

DIOR

DOIN’ IT FOR THEMSELVES

VIOLA ARRIVABENE AND VERA ARRIVABENE BIANCA BRANDOLINI

What? As Maria Grazia Chiuri presented Dior’s ready-to-wear autumn/winter 2019 show in Paris, she revisited the 1950s, drawing attention to “Teddy Girls, the female counterpoint to Teddy Boys – one of the first British subcultures”.

Sisters in arms: Guests might have come for a fashion show, but ended up witnessing Chiuri’s feminist calling. Italian conceptual artist Tomaso Binga opened the show as she read a poem about victory over patriarchy. One of the first outfits that came down the catwalk featured a T-shirt with the slogan “Sisterhood is Global”, the title of Robin Morgan’s feminist book – while the author was in the audience.

Dressed to the hilt: Also in attendance, celebrities in Dior included actress Jennifer Lawrence and models Cara Delevingne, Karlie Kloss and Angelababy.

EVA HERZIGOVA

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ROBERTA ARMANI AND SERENA ROSSI

EMPORIO ARMANI

SIMPLY RED

LODOVICA COMELLO BEATRICE VENDRAMIN

AMI AND AYA SUZUKI FLANK GIORGIO ARMANI

What? The indefatigable Giorgio Armani – he turns 85 this summer – presented his Emporio Armani autumn/winter 2020 womenswear collection to a rapt audience in Milan. Setting aside his demure navy blues and stoic greys, the collection featured wicked splashes of colour with a predominance of red streaking along the catwalk.

Global presence: The VIPs in attendance were a mix of the rich and famous from around the world: Georgia May Jagger, 2015 US Open tennis winner Flavia Pennetta, Italian footballer Patrick Cutrone and the singing Japanese twins Amy and Aya Suzuki were among the cosmopolitan crowd.

EVA RICCOBONO AND AI TOMINAGA

RS VP

KENNETH FOK

AARON KWOK

LONGINES

ONE JUMP AHEAD

ALEN PALANDER, ILONA SMET AND MARCUS CHANG

KELLY FU, AMBER TANG, HERA CHAN AND SARA TING

What? The Asian leg of the Longines Masters equestrian series offered an eventful three days of competition at AsiaWorld-Expo over a long weekend that provided several nail-biting moments to thrill the crowd.

VIPs on the circuit: Among the guests invited by the brand were French model Ilona Smet, Canadian influencer and photographer Alen Palander and Taiwanese singer and actor Marcus Chang – not to forget the brand’s ambassador, Hong Kong star Aaron Kwok, who joined the event’s grand finale and presented the winners’ trophies.

JASON WU

IRISA WONG, MICHAEL WONG, JANET MA AND KAYLA WONG

JUSTIN THEROUX

JENNIFER CONNELLY

KARLIE KLOSS

INDYA MOORE, ZHONG CHUXI, SAMARA WEAVING, KELSEY ASBILLE, NINA DOBREV, URASSAYA SPERBUND EMMA STONE, ALICIA VIKANDER AND LEA SEYDOUX

LOUIS VUITTON

GLITTERING TURNOUT

MARK RONSON AND SIENNA MILLER

NOOMI RAPACE

What? Nicolas Ghesquière presented the Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2019 collection at the Louvre museum in Paris, an event thronged by so many celebs we don’t have enough room to list – let alone picture – them all.

Starry, starry night: Everywhere you looked, there was a top-tier celebrity from Hollywood, Europe or Asia. We spotted Oscar winners Emma Stone, Alicia Vikander and Jennifer Connelly in one corner, and in another we saw French legend Catherine Deneuve and British actress Thandie Newton. Smith siblings Jaden and Willow made their presence felt, as did Asian stars Doona Bae, Zhong Chuxi, Hidetoshi Nakata and Prestige’s February cover girl, Tao Okamoto.

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DISCOVER PRESTIGE ONLINE, OUR NEWLY REDESIGNED DIGITAL GUIDE TO THE VERY BEST IN LIFE STYLE, TRAVEL, PURSUITS, WINE & DINE, BEAUTY & WELLNESS AND PEOPLE & EVENTS MAKE UP THE SIX MAIN LIFESTYLE CATEGORIES WITH ADDED CONTENT RECOGNISING THE INDUSTRY LEADERS AND CULTURAL ELITE SHAPING HONG KONG TODAY

#prestigehk

prestigeonline.com

MARKUS KLINKO

OF MUSES AND MODELS

BOWIE TO BEYONCÉ

A celebrity photographer who’s a celebrity himself, Markus Klinko is at risk of becoming more famous than his subjects, though there is the odd exception…

What? Award-winning photographer and director Markus Klinko presented 2000s: Bowie and Beyond, an exhibit of his images of singers (including David Bowie, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga), at the Alisan Fine Arts Central Gallery and at MO Bar at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental. The exhibitions and sale of the rare prints were held in aid of the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Foundation.

Clickbait: During his stay in Hong Kong, Klinko met actresses, models and socialites over lunch and cocktails. He also found time to take a small number of celebrity portraits; the identities of his subjects will be revealed later this year.

For information on how to support the charity, please visit hkahf.org.hk

JESSICA C RAQUEL XU

KEVIN CHENG AND MARKUS KLINKO

You were a harp soloist for years and toured the world before you became a photographer. Is that why you like working with musicians?

That’s a good observation, but no. Originally, I only wanted to shoot female models and high fashion, but the music companies were after me to shoot their stars — they obviously liked my work. I reluctantly did one shoot — and it took off from there.

What was it like shooting Beyoncé and David Bowie?

I met Beyoncé just as she was leaving Destiny’s Child and I shot her first solo album cover. Her mother was her stylist and I told Tina Knowles, “Your daughter is something else” — this was before she became the Beyoncé.

I worked a lot with Iman, who was married to Bowie, and she introduced me to him.

I was very fortunate to have done the last studio shoot with him before he passed away.

CARL NG

IRENE WAN

Who’s been the most difficult celebrity to shoot?

I don’t have an interesting answer for you — they’ve all been great. Usually they’ve seen my work and want to work with me, so I’ve had it very, very easy. Even someone like Mariah Carey — who has a reputation as a diva — was wonderful.

It can’t all be glamour and gorgeous girls.

Which part of the job do you hate?

Not the stars, but their entourages.

ROSEMARY VANDENBROUCKE

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RS VP EDOARDO CAOVILLA AND ANA R

JESSICA JANN

DEBORAH HUNG

GILLIAN CHUNG

AMBER TSUI AND AYU LIN

RENÉ CAOVILLA

CINDERELLA STORY What? René Caovilla celebrated the opening of its luxurious boutique in Harbour City by staging a Heritage & Innovation Archive exhibition at the store, followed by a cocktail reception and dinner hosted by the brand’s CEO and creative director, Edoardo Caovilla.

Sole to sole: The city’s most stylish attended, including actresses Gillian Chung and Jessica Jann, models Amanda Strang, Ana Rivera, Angie Ng and Ankie Beilke, influencers René Chu and Cindy Ko, stylist Faye Tsui, photographer Olivia Tsang and socialites Stephanie Shek, Pearl Shek, Alexa Bui and Deborah Hung. All the ladies were towering in their René Caovilla heels as they strutted off to the private dinner after the in-store drinks.

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ANKIE BEILKE

PANTHER CHAN

MICHAEL LAU AND CARINA LAU

CHARLES LAM EVELYN CHOI

FENDI

SUMMER MENG

I SEE YOU What? To celebrate the Peekaboo bag’s 10th anniversary, Fendi staged an exhibition in Taipei of 10 designer bags handpicked from the worldwide Peekaboo Project established in 2014. Stars and celebrities attended the exhibition’s opening, which was held in Taipei 101’s Metropolitan Square.

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

BRAND ON THE RUN

FAYE TSUI

ROY CHIU ALYSSA CHIA

What? Christian Louboutin opened a pop-up store at Lane Crawford in ifc to celebrate the launch of Run Loubi Run, its first collection of luxury running shoes, featuring both men’s and women’s lines. The brand hosted a cocktail event at the pop-up at which Loubi fans – too many to list – previewed the footwear and shopped on sight.

ALICE KO

HILLARY LAU

SELENE CHEUNG

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RS VP DOMINI CHAN, MAY WONG EDWIN ING AND PAULINE CHAN

JOHNNIE WALKER

TAKEN TO CASK What? The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Bothy, a pop-up at Test Kitchen in Sai Ying Pun, was the venue for a whisky- and food-pairing experience, with the whiskies – all elements of Blue Label – drawn from the finest casks from Scotland’s whisky regions.

And the food? That was prepared and presented by two Michelin-star chefs from the Le Comptoir restaurant group. The toast of the night?

An incredibly rare 1975 Cambus single cask. Slangevar!

LAURA DERRY AND YOLANDA CHOY

ENRICO KWONG

MONIQUE HO

DENNIS CHAN AND ALAN CHAN

CARINA LAU

QEELIN

AMANDA LUI

ABOUT FACE What? To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the brand in 2019, Dennis Chan, founder and creative director of Qeelin, collaborated with artist Alan Chan for a new video titled Les Visages de Qeelin. At the screening we saw Carina Lau and Kathy Chow wear Qeelin’s distinctive Wulu collection.

JEREMY WONG

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KATHY CHOW

DORIAN HO

YAN CHAI HOSPITAL

THE GIFT OF GIVING What? Yan Chai Hospital held its Charity Ball for 2019 at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong to raise funds for the Yan Chai Various Services Fund.

Dr Law Chi-kwong, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, officiated at the event, and guests included VIPs from government, society, fashion and the film industry.

MAGGIE CHOI

ALFRED WONG, MARIA CAZES, CLEMENT FUNG, BESS TSIN, JEAN-CHARLES CAZES AND VINCENT WONG JOEY WONG

VERA HO, TAK-SUM HO AND AU-YEUNG HO

LAURINDA HO

FEIPING CHANG

ALISON CHAN EL AZAR

YSL BEAUTÉ

BLACK MAGIC What? YSL Beauté unveiled a leather version of its Le Cushion Encre de Peau at ifc mall, where we found a gaggle of celebrities and socialites – all dressed in black – at the brand’s counter, sampling the compact, gorgeously packaged in black crocodile-patterned leather.

ESTHER SHAM

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A VINTAGE TO VENERATE After tasting more than 1,300 bottles of the 2016 Bordeaux vintage, Hong Kong-based and world-renowned wine critic JAMES SUCKLING says it’s one of the best of this era

PORTRAIT CHRISTIAAN HART

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ome winemakers in Bordeaux are calling the 2016 vintage part of “the second coming of Bordeaux”. Combined with the superb 2015 vintage, they could be right.

I tasted more than 1,300 wines from 2016 a few weeks ago in Bordeaux, and spoke to at least 40 winemakers in the region. The freshness and structure of the reds and whites produced that year, as well as their purity and transparency, was impressive. They have a classicism that reminds me of the great wines of the 1980s, but much more precision and clarity.

Mathieu Chardonnier, head of the négociant house of CVBG, which also owns a number of top Bordeaux wine estates and sells millions of cases of Bordeaux each year, is one expert who talks of the so-called second coming.

“It takes confidence to do less to get more in your winemaking and to believe in what you do,” he says. “But that’s what many of us are doing in Bordeaux now. We made great wines in Bordeaux in 2015 and 2016.

They’re some of the best ever.”

I rated eight wines with perfect scores in 2016 and 14 in 2015. I think 2015 made more truly great wines than 2016, but the latter is very close and slightly more homogeneous in quality. This means you can buy just about anything bottled in Bordeaux in the 2016 vintage, from the simplest Bordeaux to the grandest of classified growths or trophy wines from the Right Bank, and be assured you’re getting a top-quality wine.

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THIS PAGE: TASTING AT CHÂTEAU PAVIE IN SAINT-ÉMILION OPPOSITE: GRAPES READY FOR HARVESTING

We gave 149 wines 95 points or more from 2015, while 2016 had 100 wines at the same level, and 927 wines scored 90 points or more from 2016, compared to 864 from 2015. We reviewed 1,256 wines in the 2015 vintage and 1,342 in 2016.

My 100-point rated wines from the 2016 vintage include Cos d’Estournel, Haut-Brion, Lafite Rothschild, Le Pin, Léoville Las Cases, Mouton Rothschild, Pavie and Pétrus. All these properties produced evocative and emotional wines, which show a beauty and structure that reminds me of some of the best wines of my 38-year career as a wine critic. (Only Le Pin, Pavie and Pétrus garnered 100 points in both 2015 and 2016.)

“The 2016 Pétrus is exactly the same number – alcohol, pH, tannin – as 2015; so you can’t tell what a wine is just from the numbers,” says Olivier Berrouet, winemaker at Château Pétrus. “But the 2016 is different. We had more freshness in 2016. It’s a difference in Merlot. It’s another face of Pétrus. I like to compare 2016 to the 1971 and the 2015 to the 1970.”

I’ve been lucky enough to drink a number of bottles of both the 1971

BEST OF THE BEST

JAMES SUCKLING DESCRIBES SOME OF HIS FAVOURITE BOTTLES OF 2016

CHÂTEAU COS-D’ESTOURNEL SAINT-ESTÈPHE 2016 SCORE: 100 This is muscular yet so well defined and toned. Full-bodied with deep and dense fruit on the palate, yet powerful and rich at the same time. So much sandalwood and blackberry character. Chewy and rich at the finish. This is a warm and generous wine, but the alcohol is just over 13 percent, not that high. Love the finish.

Extravagant. Magical.

Try from 2025.

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and 1970 Pétrus (albeit a long time ago) and they’re superbly balanced and beautiful bottles. It’s hard to say which is better, with the 1970 showing more richness and the 1971 more energy. Most winemakers use more recent comparisons such as 2010 and 2009. About half of those I spoke to said that 2016 was like 2010 and half like 2009.

What is clear is that the 2016 bottles have about 1 percent less alcohol than the 2015s and slightly more acidity. This gives the 2016 reds a slightly less ripe and more tannic mouthfeel than the 2015s. It suggests the 2016s will age slightly better than the 2015s, but I don’t think it matters much, as both vintages have a long life ahead.

“The 2016 is a history of blood and sweat,” says Baptiste Guinaudeau, winemaker at Pomerol’s Château Lafleur. “We weren’t sure how it would be at the beginning. We came out of 2015 and the growing season started cold and wet. We had so much trouble in the vineyard and so much work. And from June to September it was so dry and hot. We honestly couldn’t understand how it came together. We didn’t know that 2016 was a great year when we made it, but it is!”

2016 is a top vintage and, I think, more of a Cabernet Sauvignon vintage. The northern Médoc made the best wines, including those in

CHÂTEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD PAUILLAC 2016 SCORE: 100 Incredible aromas of crushed berries, sweet tobacco and wet earth. So perfumed and gorgeous. Hot stones and cement, too. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with lots of intense tannins and a never-ending finish. Juicy and flavourful. A muscular Lafite, not seen for a long time. Class! Try after 2025.

CHÂTEAU HAUT-BRION PESSAC-LÉOGNAN 2016 SCORE: 100 Stunning black fruit with plenty of forest berries in there, the whole picture cool and very delicate, also on the concentrated and highly structured palate. The tannins are very fine-grained, but decisively austere and, together with the vibrant acidity, they propel the finish out towards infinity and leave a breathtaking final impression.

A blend of 56 percent Merlot, 37.5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.5 percent Cabernet Franc.

Very long ageing potential, but you could try it in 2023.

“We didn’t know that 2016 was a great year when we made it, but it is!”

– Baptiste Guineaudeau of Château Lafleur in Pomerol the appellations of Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac and St Julien. However, some superb wines were also made in all the key appellations, regardless of whether they were Left or Right Bank.

When it comes to whether 2016 or 2015 was a better year, I can confirm that the 2016 is one of the best vintages since 2010. I would rate it ahead of 2000 and 2003, as well as every vintage in the 1990s except 1990 itself. The only modern vintages that rate better are 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2015 – the latter only by a hair.

Others may disagree, including at least half of the 40 or so vintners we spoke to. Some of this may be because the 2016 is the most recent vintage on the market. They want to sell it. But I understand the debate. Similar debates still go on regarding the 1989 and 1990, 1995 and 1996, and 2009

CHÂTEAU LE PIN POMEROL 2016 SCORE: 100 I’m spellbound by the aromas of crushed blackberries, liquorice, black tea and violets. It’s full-bodied yet so intense and linear. Powerful tannins with superb polish and focus give an amazing texture.

Complex and fascinating flavours of hazelnuts and dark fruit. The balance and strength is uncanny. Perfect wine. Very direct and superb.

Try after 2025.

and 2010. Prices don’t seem to be much of a factor as wine merchants in Bordeaux say that 2015 and 2016 wines are about the same price now, even though 2015 was significantly less expensive at the beginning.

To conclude, I want to buy a number of wines in 2016 just like I did in 2015. And I recommend you do the same if you love excellent Bordeaux.

These two vintages produced wines that are incomparable to other reds made in the world. And the wonderful balance, intensity and clarity of the wines are so, so Bordeaux today.

Visit prestigeonline.com for all 10 Best of the Best Bordeaux 2016. And for a complete list of the nearly 2,500 Bordeaux from 2016 Suckling and his team have tasted, see JamesSuckling.com

CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE LAS CASES SAINT-JULIEN 2016 SCORE: 100 Very complex and alluringly spicy aromas that bubble in and out of the nose, together with fresh tobacco, raspberries and iodine, moving into blackcurrants, blackberries and a gently gravelly, stony edge. The palate has incredible polish that’s a foil for the intense power and concentration of this wine. The texture is flawless, building smoothly with finegrained and focused tannins that sustain a long, fresh finish. The new 1986, which was a legend. This is probably better. A blend of 75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 percent Merlot and 11 percent Cabernet franc. Try from 2024.

CHÂTEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD PAUILLAC 2016 SCORE: 100 Dark ruby-purple colour.

Aromas of blackcurrants, black truffle, crushed stone, liquorice and hints of tar. Full-bodied, deep and vertical on the palate, drawing you in and down. The structure is very tannic and powerful, yet the tannins are folded into the wine. One of the most powerful Moutons ever for me. Try after 2027.

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REINDEER WITH BUCKWHEAT AND THREE VARIATIONS OF ZUCCHINI FROM OAXEN KROG

TASTE THE LAND

STOCKHOLM IS FAST BECOMING SCANDINAVIA’S CAPITAL FOR DELECTABLE INTERPRETATIONS OF FRESH INGREDIENTS, WRITES GRACE MA

NATURAL FERMENTED MOOSE HEART

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tockholm’s culinary prowess has often been overshadowed by those of its Norwegian and Danish neighbours, when in reality, it’s been quietly simmering in the background as a playground for talented chefs to whip up fresh dishes brimming with flavour and served with contemporary and experimental flair. Bolstered by a fertile hinterland that provides the sweetest vegetables and the freshest seafood and poultry, Stockholm’s time on the global culinary stage has come, with chefs championing sustainability and locavore practices not only in dishes that tantalise the tastebuds, but also through the cuisine’s provenance with local craftsmen and small producers. And it’s not white linen and stiff-suited settings that distinguish these gems; it’s the passion for preserving the land’s geography, history and culture that warms the heart as much as the stomach.

OAXEN KROG

MAGNUS EK AND AGNETA GREEN

Sustainability, history and craftsmanship have been the ethos of twoMichelin-star Oaxen since Magnus Ek and Agneta Green first opened the restaurant in 1994 on the island of Oaxen in Stockholm’s southern archipelago. Now located in a more central location in the new Djurgården shipyard marina, its 16-course degustation menu is paired with excellent European old-world wines and served on wooden crockery made by Chef Ek, including dainty spoons made from elderwood roasted in the oven and organic-shaped bowls hollowed out from tree branches.

Even the huge press used to crush crayfish heads was put together by Ek, and we watched in fascination as rich umami juice flowed out of its tap to be cooked as a sauce, and then drizzled over our plates of tender cod served with flowering dill purée and unripe plums.

Besides working with producers from all over Scandinavia, Ek and Green have their own vegetable plot, which yielded about 30 different crops last year including mustard sprouts, Jerusalem artichoke, green and black kale, and carrots (“the crooked ones usually outdo the straight ones when it comes to taste,” says Ek). Quality, taste, sustainable agriculture and humanely raised animals are important to the couple, resulting in nuanced flavours in dishes such as hay-baked beetroot with leek, cream of lovage and celeriac; scallop with fermented pear, gooseberry, horseradish and green juniper; and a thinly sliced strip of beef from a retired dairy cow basking in a broth of Alkvettern ham that was matured for three years. Next door is casual bistro Oaxen Slip, with sharing plates bursting with the same natural goodness, and the best place to enjoy a relaxing Sunday brunch with a house-made Swedish grog infused with ingredients such as sea buckthorn, lemon, ginger and burnt-honey cola.

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SUSHI SHO’S SIGNATURE SOY-CURED EGG YOLK WITH OKRA, TOASTED RICE AND TUNA CUBES

OYSTERS SEARED WITH DRIPPING BEEF FAT FROM A REDHOT FLAMBADO AT EKSTEDT

EKSTEDT

After stints at famed restaurants El Bulli in Spain and The Fat Duck in the United Kingdom, Niklas Ekstedt decided to go back to his forest roots. An epiphanic moment cooking over an open flame at his family’s summer cottage led him to open Ekstedt in November 2011, which harkens back to the days of traditional wood-fired techniques and natural smoky flavours. In place of electric griddles and gas ovens are cast-iron pots and pans over open flames in this one-Michelin-star dining room decked out with dangling bulbs and steel and copper panels, while chefs fire up a storm in blacksmith-style leather aprons.

We were fortunate to get seats at the communal table in front of the kitchen where we could see, hear and smell the flames cackling and coaxing out aromas from winter’s best seasonal produce. Ekstedt only has dinner service and our “small” menu included dried deer in the form of a crispy floss with smooth charcoal cream; an oyster roasted in beef fat dripping from a flaming conical funnel; a juniper-smoked pike in rich fish-bone broth; and a hay-flamed beef with kohlrabi (German turnip).

Rounding off the smouldering meal was a dessert of salted apple and caramel with an “ice cream” of cream cheese flavoured with baked apple. Ekstedt’s full menu includes dishes embracing a range of fiery techniques, such as blackened langoustine and birch-flamed greens.

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SUSHI SHO

You can easily miss this nondescript sushi bar located in the mostly residential neighbourhood of Vasastan where its pared-down interiors belie the one-Michelin-star status that it has held since 2016. Chef Carl Ishizaki and his team serve an omakase menu of small dishes, and Edomae-style sushi, where fresh raw fish and cooked rice seasoned with vinegar are combined together with a dash of wasabi, and placed in your hands straight away.

Each meal sitting is two hours with 12 seats at the L-shaped bar and four at a sofa next to the bar’s shorter end. No prizes for guessing the best seats in the house for front-row action, which I took even if I had to sit shoulder-to-shoulder between two gentlemen (tip: for a higher chance of snagging counter seats, go for less popular timings such as 5pm or 9pm on weekdays).

Sushi Sho recreates a wholly authentic experience with mostly Nordic produce. The freshness of the ingredients shines through in every course, such as squid caught off the Swedish west coast, French abalone, Greek sea bass and Norwegian monkfish liver cured in soy and citrus. The signature dish is an egg yolk cured in soy for five to six hours, and served in a bowl with sliced okra, toasted rice, scallions and cubes of raw Spanish tuna. Mix them together for a satisfying umami punch with crunch.

RESTAURANG AG

Steak lovers will find their Eden in this former silver factory (hence the chemical symbol AG in the name) transformed into an industrially chic lair with dry-aged meat hanging in refrigerated display cases by the entrance and meat sculptures sprouting in random spaces between tables. “We have the best porterhouse, club steak, entrecôte in Sweden,” says executive chef and co-owner Johan Jureskog proudly of his meats, which include local cuts such as an Östergötland sirloin dry-aged for two months and a 45-day dry-aged Angus entrecôte that has been grass- and herb-fed on a family farm in Bohuslän, alongside cuts from Portugal, Scotland, the US and Japan.

Working with partners that are mostly family farms that are big on natural feed and ethical practices means a provision of rich and fullbodied meats that are naturally tender. The menu changes with the seasons, with offerings of lamb in spring and game meat in winter. “Out of 50 cuts, we end up with maybe 10 on our list after tasting. Its origins are important, and we dry-age and tenderise the meat ourselves to get the flavour and quality we want.”

Work up an appetite with a preprandial drink at the bar followed by appetisers such as juicy wagyu sliders and vendance roe (Sweden’s first food product to be granted Protected Designation of Origin status by the European Union) before the final trophy of a steak.

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HERE BE DRAGONS

HOME TO ALL MANNER OF NATURAL WONDERS, INCLUDING THE GIANT REPTILE THAT SHARES ITS NAME, THE ALLURE OF KOMODO NATIONAL PARK HAS BEEN HEIGHTENED

BY THE OPENING OF ITS FIRST LUXURY HOTEL, WRITES PAUL KAY

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here’s an eerie stillness in the air as we make our way slowly through the forest, each of us intently scanning the undergrowth for signs of life in the early morning light.

Suddenly, our guide halts abruptly and hisses, “Stop!”, causing us to freeze in our tracks and focus our gaze in the direction he’s pointing his forked staff. For a moment, it seems like we’re looking at nothing but trees, but then we see it: the unmistakeable shape of a fully grown Komodo dragon making its way purposefully towards us.

In the 24 hours that have passed since I landed at Labuan Bajo – the gateway to Komodo National Park – I’ve seen enough pictures and statues of Komodo dragons to write a book, but nothing can prepare you for encountering one of these fearsome beasts in the wild. Stretching some three metres from nose to tail, and with a bulk that must easily top 80kg, the specimen making its way in our direction is a monster even by Komodo dragon standards, its long, snake-like tongue and powerful jaws dripping with thick strands of viscous saliva making it look every inch the cold-blooded prehistoric predator.

Given its surprising speed, razor-sharp teeth and venomous bite, we’re right to be cautious, but mercifully our fears are unfounded on this occasion as the world’s largest lizard strides past with barely a look in our direction before disappearing back into the forest.

It’s experiences such as this that have lured increasing numbers of visitors to this ruggedly beautiful corner of Indonesia during the past decade. Established in 1980 and declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1991, Komodo National Park spans more than 1,700 square kilometres and encompasses the islands of Komodo, Pasar and Rinca, as well as 26 smaller isles. In addition to being home to the only five islands to which Komodo dragons are endemic, the park also contains some of the richest marine biodiversity on Earth – a characteristic that led to it being voted one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature by a global poll in 2011. Since then, tourism has skyrocketed, with visitor numbers predicted to top half a million in 2019, an increase of more than tenfold since 2010. (Those planning to visit during 2020 should note that, to help revitalise dragon numbers as well as the wildlife they feed on, the island of Komodo itself will be closed to tourism for the entire year.)

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: KOMODO ISLAND’S RANGKO CAVE; THE LOBBY AT AYANA KOMODO; PINK BEACH ON KOMODO ISLAND; AYANA KOMODO PIER

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And yet despite its growing popularity, Komodo has been slow to cater to the luxury traveller, with private yacht charters and small-ship cruises hitherto the only choices for those unwilling to sacrifice creature comforts to meet the dragons. This all changed, however, with the opening last September of the Ayana Komodo Resort, Waecicu Beach, the first five-star base on terra firma from which to explore the archipelago’s natural wonders.

Situated on the western tip of Flores island, the Ayana is an ambitious symbol of the growing allure of the Komodo region. Occupying its own private stretch of beach on a sheltered bay north of Labuan Bajo, the hotel is a striking addition to the coastline, featuring a distinctive geometric design that gives it a futuristic look and a long wooden pier that snakes seaward before culminating in a daytime bar and sundeck. Each of the 205 rooms and suites takes full advantage of the resort’s enviable setting, with uninterrupted views of the island-dotted horizon, while two sizeable free-form pools provide ample opportunities for lounging.

In addition to six bars and restaurants, including the Japanese HonZEN, the beachside seafood grill Kisik and the Unique rooftop bar, the Ayana Komodo also features a secluded spa, an ocean-facing gym and a colourful kids club complete with model ship. Crucially, it manages to retain a boutique feel, partly thanks to the welcoming staff who mostly come from the nearby area and unfailingly greet guests with a gracious bow of the head and a sincere hand-across-the-heart gesture.

THE AYANA RESORT REALLY COMES INTO ITS OWN AS A JUMPING-OFF POINT FOR EXPLORING THE PARK With activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkelling, scuba diving and SUP yoga, there’s lots to keep guests busy here, but the resort really comes into its own as a jumping-off point for exploring Komodo National Park. Ferrying tourists to and from the area’s most notable landmarks is an ever-growing armada of pleasure cruisers, speedboats and converted fishing craft, but the quintessential mode of transport in these waters is the phinisi, a traditional Indonesian two-masted sailing ship.

Handily, the Ayana has its own luxurious version. In fact, at 54 metres long, the Lako Di’a is the world’s largest specially built phinisi, featuring nine cabins inspired by the golden age of travel (including a vast master suite with private balcony), as well as a plush dining room/lounge and a sundeck. Translating as “safe journey” in the local dialect, the Lako Di’a takes up to 18 passengers on two-night odysseys around the national park’s best wildlife-spotting, scuba-diving and scenic trekking sites, while the crew ensures guests want for nothing along the way.

The Ayana also has a 12-person speedboat, a catamaran that can hold up to 80 passengers and a whale-shaped glass-bottomed boat – and it’s on a voyage aboard the latter of these vessels, accompanied by the resort’s resident marine biologist, that I come face-to-face with a Komodo dragon for the first – but not the last – time, on the island of Rinca. Lying roughly halfway between Labuan Bajo and Komodo, Rinca is the most dependable spot for encountering these giant lizards, making it the ideal stop for those looking to minimise their time at sea.

The island is also home to Timor deer, water buffalo, wild pigs, crabeating macaques, spitting cobras and two species of viper, as well as the occasional salt-water crocodile. Since Komodo dragons, too, are capable of swimming to hunt prey, it’s highly inadvisable to swim in the waters around Rinca, but fortunately there’s no shortage of snorkelling and scuba diving sites elsewhere in the park. The coral gardens off nearby Menjerite Island, for example, are replete with tropical fish and even the odd turtle, while those who make it the extra few miles to Komodo itself will be rewarded with splendid dive sites, including some frequented by groups of giant manta rays.

Of all the animal encounters Komodo National Park has to offer, however, none is more spectacular than that which I experience at sunset off Kalong Island. Home to a large colony of Sunda flying foxes (large fruit bats with wingspans of up to one metre), this uninhabited islet bursts into life at dusk, when the nocturnal creatures awake from their daily slumber and make their way in their thousands to a neighbouring island to feed, silhouetted all the way by a sky ablaze with orange, pink and purple. It’s a truly breathtaking sight and one that seems to belong – like the Komodo dragons themselves – to a land that time forgot.

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SWISS, I PLEASE

What do you get when you combine Switzerland’s famed hospitality and Qatar’s abundant fortunes? tama lung finds out on a tour of the Bürgenstock Selection

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f there’s one country that’s set the standard for the hotel experience, it’s Switzerland. And if there’s one country that has the capital to raise that standard to even loftier heights, it’s Qatar, whose citizens enjoy the highest per capita income – albeit not evenly distributed – in the world. So when the Government of Qatar established a hotel-management company in 1970 that would later become known as Katara Hospitality, it planted the seeds for a series of incredible restoration projects in Switzerland called the Bürgenstock Selection.

My tour of the three completely renovated properties – housing a combined total of 678 rooms and 68 residence suites – began at the Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa in the lakeside city of Lausanne. The landmark

FEEL THE BERN

THE HOTEL SCHWEIZERHOF & THE SPA TAKES PRIDE OF PLACE IN SWITZERLAND’S CAPITAL CITY

building was built in 1909 in a style known as grand château aesthetic, with a castle-like exterior topped by a majestic central spire. Previous guests and residents have in fact included royalty such as the Spanish royal family, who made the hotel their home in exile, and the Thai king who spent much of his youth in residence here.

Today, many visitors seek out the Savoy for its proximity to Lake Geneva and the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee as well as its luxurious spa housed in an entirely new wing constructed at the rear of the original building. In my case, it was all this and more.

After checking into a deluxe terrace room with a view over the city to the lake below, I strolled down the quiet residential streets surrounding the hotel to Lake Geneva and along a green pathway to the Olympic Museum. As someone who once dreamed of working for the IOC, I felt as if I were on a pilgrimage of sorts as I made my way through every room and floor of artefacts, posters, uniforms and athletic gear.

Back at the hotel, it was time for a bit of pampering with a massage at the sleek and modern spa. Here, every indulgence has been considered, from the private treatment rooms and suites to the sauna, cold bath and traditional hammam. There are also indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a 24-hour fitness room and high-end hair salon.

Finally, the food. It’s clear that dining at the hotel is popular with locals as well as guests, whether at the upscale Brasserie du Royal with its traditional dishes given a creative twist, the cosy Lounge Bar off the painstakingly restored double-height parlour, or the rooftop Sky Lounge with its international cuisine paired with panoramic views of Lausanne and the lake.

After a tour of the city – including its 12th-century Gothic cathedral, quaint streets lined with chocolatiers and one world-famous chocolat chaud – returning to the Savoy felt a bit like coming home. That is, if I were a princess in a fairy tale who lived in a castle surrounded by all the finest things in life.

Reopened in 2011 after major renovations, the Hotel Schweizerhof was Bern’s first luxury hotel. Its history dates back to 1857 when it was known as Hotel Fetzer. Two years later, Daniel Vogel bought the property and merged it with the adjoining Zähringerhof to create the Hotel Schweizerhof Bern.

After being taken over by the Gauer family in 1939, the Schweizerhof became a celebrity hot spot attracting the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren and sporting greats Diego Maradona and Alberto Tomba. These names and many more now appear on small plaques along the walls and booths of Jack’s Brasserie, the restaurant (pictured below) renamed in honour of Jack Gauer and famed for its award-winning Jack’s Wiener Schnitzel.

The Schweizerhof’s popularity probably stems in part from its convenient location just steps from the railway station in the heart of the Unesco-listed city. All the major sites in Bern, including museums, the clock tower and Bear Park, are within walking distance.

Inside the hotel, acquired by Katara Hospitality in 2008, the rooms are surprisingly spacious for an urban hotel with options including two and three bedrooms. There are also five “art rooms” decorated with pictures from the city’s Galerie Béatrice Brunner.

But perhaps the biggest draw is the wellness area, complete with Finnish sauna, Turkish steam bath, two Jacuzzis and two underwater massage lounges. Guests can enjoy all manner of massages, facials and beauty treatments or simply refresh themselves with a tonifying shower or body rub at the ice fountain.

See our October 2018 issue or prestigeonline.com for a review of the third and largest property in the Bürgenstock Selection, the Bürgenstock Resort in Lucerne.

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ED I T O R ’S L E T TER

BABEL TO BEAUTY

Creation from chaos underpins the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, the first of the Hebrew bible, while at the time of its writing, at the other end of Asia, Sun Tzu espoused the maxim: “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”.

Those statements have always seemed to me to be quite frightening, concepts manipulated by strategists and opportunists. Recently, however, upon looking at the state of play in publishing and considering the landscape of fashion, its speed, its breadth, its ever-expanding mix of creators and design, I’ve come to find that these ideas carry within them something more akin to hope than anything Machiavellian.

Just as we were wearying of the constant switch of designers at superbrands, we’re offered a new match with Kim Jones at Dior and his friend Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton. The former surprised us all by exercising an incredibly deft hand at incorporating the brand’s haute couture heritage with his own predilection for the street, while the latter literally rewrote fashion’s vocabulary at LV, phenomena we examine in “From the Fashion Desk”.

In our “Moodboard” piece, senior editor Jon Wall takes a look at the breadth of trends available today. From body paint to tuxedos, anybody putting anything on their bodies is right on point these days. With diversity and respect at the forefront of this post-#metoo world, fashion is getting on board with letting you do you.

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“POV” highlights this season’s must-see cultural touch points, while for “Insider”, Makoto Toda at Japanese fashion powerhouse Beams & Co talks trends and incubating Japanese brands for the global market.

Our shoot, styled by Bhisan Rai in India, grounds us on the banks of the Ganges at Varanasi. It’s an exercise in muted colours, offering a contrast to the brights that one generally associates with the country and its people.

In “Trending”, editor-at-large Jing Zhang explores the prevalence of androgyny in fashion today and its role in expanding the boundaries of what it means to be male. She also talks to California cordwainer George Esquivel about slower production and craftsmanship, and takes us on a cultural journey to Melbourne.

Finally, we once again open the editor’s notebook for you to take a peek into our first takes in “Show Notes”. There is so much. Sometimes it’s a morass that we wade through, but other times, like this season, the clothes create a dream and, in turn, fill these pages with hope and possibility.

Zaneta Cheng | FASHION & FEATURES EDITOR

MO O DBOARD

Lounge Lizard Give it the full reptilian in slinky snakeskin.

Get your Wild at Heart (a film made so long ago that a hirsute Nick Cage even rocked a quiff) on in Hedi Slimane’s classic jacket for Saint Laurent, or visit Versace, which will be delighted to accoutre you as an alarmingly psychedelic boa constrictor in lurid red waistcoat and trousers.

EnTrenched

Alexander McQueen

There won’t be too many opportunities for this in Hong Kong this summer, but in less sweltering climes guys will be channelling their inner Sam Spade by donning the recently revived trench coat. The place to start – obvs – is at Burberry, which has revamped its classic look under head creative honcho Riccardo Tisci, but if you think you can convince as a gumshoe, take a look too at Alexander McQueen, Celine, Dior and Louis Vuitton.

Versace

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To Dye For

Here’s a look your old man was confidently rocking back in the day – though fortunately he wouldn’t be seen dead in it now. We’re talking, of course, about tie-dye, which roughly translates as the art of looking immaculate having just strangled and skinned a live ferret. Big with womenswear, tie-dye is also going to be huge for the fellas this summer, especially when the names Alexander McQueen, Comme des Garçons, Louis Vuitton, MSGM or Off White are on the labels. Or you could just bag some dye and a bucket and go for it.

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Louis Vuitton

Hermès

SHOW A LEG

Hated those excruciating three-quarter-length trouser-shorts a few summers back? Of course you did.

Now here’s your revenge: shorts this summer will be short. Really short. Bottom-of-the-buttocks short.

Whether it’s Dior, Dries Van Noten, Hermès, Kenzo, Louis Vuitton, Prada or Versace the trend appears to be unanimous – which is fine, we suppose, if you’re a 25-year-old athlete but otherwise … nah.

You’ll be wearing your short shorts with hiking sandals – ugly as ever, but now, apparently, massively modish.

Saint Laurent

Get a Grip

Empty out your pockets and leave that clunky old rucksack at home, because bags – anything from grips and clutches to hand- or cross-body-bags (and even tiny purses on chains) – are a thing this summer. The choices are bewildering and some (to be absolutely honest) we wouldn’t touch with a bargepole, but if you can’t find what you want at Berluti, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hermès or Louis Vuitton, then frankly you’re not looking.

Salvatore Ferragamo

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BUCKET LIST THE BUCKET HAT IS BACK. YOUR GRANDAD WORE ’EM AND YOUR DAD. YOU CAN FOLLOW YOUR FOREBEARS AND SCORE BONUS POINTS ON THE COOL-O-METER IF YOURS IS IN FEATHERS

BY VALENTINO OR FLORALS BY VERSACE

Valentino

ANYTHING GOES

Graphic prints are big for summer 2019, and mixing and mismatching them even bigger. Floral shirt and candy-striped trousers? No problem. Camouflage bucket hat, tie-dye T-shirt and bright pink suit? Perfection. If there’s any clash of colour and pattern you can’t get away with, we haven’t heard of it, but if you’re after a one-stop-shop, top-to-toe, er, “look”, you’ll certainly find it chez Prada, Louis Vuitton, Valentino or Versace. Or you could just try rummaging through your Mum’s old cast-offs.

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Prada

Zoot Reboot Suits – and indeed tailoring – are making a glorious comeback, though definitely not as you’d know it (unless you were born around 1925). This summer, then, say hi to “neo tailoring”, which in plain English means suiting that’s so relaxed as to be near-horizontal.

Tight, short single-breasted jackets and skinny trousers are so last year; instead you’ll be wanting long doublebreasted coats with peak lapels, pants wide enough to stuff a week’s grocery shopping into and colours – well, the wilder the better. Dior, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton and Ermenegildo Zegna will all more than likely suit you. Sir.

Ermenegildo Zegna

POV

EXHIBITION: SURROGATI – UN AMORE IDEALE Until July 22, the Fondazione Prada is presenting Surrogati – Un Amore Ideale (Surrogate – A Love Ideal), an exhibition of photography curated by Melissa Harris that explores ideas of familial, romantic and sexual love. Held at the Osservatorio of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, the exhibition comprises 42 photographic works by Jamie Diamond and Elena Dorfman that explore the ways in which women relate to inanimate objects in order to express an inner need – a collection of dolls, for example, being a manifestation of maternal desires.

Documentary: Yellow is Forbidden

No one’s likely to forget the moment when Rihanna rocked up to the Met Gala in a canaryyellow confection by Chinese designer Guo Pei, which must surely be counted among the event’s most unforgettable outfits – ever. So it’s timely that a documentary has been made about the designer and her struggle for success in the male-dominated world of haute couture. Directed by documentarian Pietra Brettkelly and titled Yellow is Forbidden, the film looks into Guo’s background as the child of two Communist Party members and takes its title from her mother’s diktat that only emperors – and not commoners – could wear yellow .

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Exhibition: Gucci Garden Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele’s dedication to the arts is exceptional, with the exhibits he chooses in support of his collections always reflecting the themes he explores in his designs. Until January next year, Gucci Garden is hosting a new exhibition, curated by critic Maria Luisa Frisa, in the Period Rooms of the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence. Drawing from the house’s archives, the exhibition, titled Il Maschile – Androgynous Mind, Eclectic Body, showcases the ways in which Gucci has interpreted and defined men’s fashion down the years.

MOVIE: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD RELEASED THIS SUMMER, QUENTIN TARANTINO’S NEW FILM STARS BRAD PITT, LEONARDO DICAPRIO, MARGOT ROBBIE AND DAKOTA FANNING. SET IN LOS ANGELES IN 1969, THE FILM DIVES INTO HIPPY HOLLYWOOD – AND IF THE POSTER AND TRAILER ARE ANYTHING TO GO BY, THE COSTUMES ARE GOING TO BE A DELICIOUS JOURNEY BACK IN TIME, AND CERTAINLY A FEAST FOR THE EYES.

INS I DE R

Looking out, Looking in MAKOTO TODA of Beams & Co talks to about the menswear trends that have caught the attention of the Japanese retail giant and why big business needs to have a stake in young design zaneta cheng

WHICH SS19 COLLECTIONS C AU G H T YO U R AT T E N T I O N ?

Jil Sander and Takahiromiyashita The Soloist set an incredibly high bar this season, creating a very complete, considered collection. I’m also excited by brands such as Magliano, Hed Mayner and Namacheko – all brands that International Gallery Beams carries. These brands really demonstrated a uniqueness and creativity that set the tone for SS19.

W H AT K E Y T R E N D S D I D YO U NOTICE COMING OUT OF T H E S E A S O N ? A N Y C I T YSPECIFIC TRENDS?

Luxury streetwear is a continuing trend that looks like it’s here to stay for a while yet. Nothing particularly city-specific but there’s a masculine-focused suit style that’s emerging from younger designers.

WHAT NEW DESIGNERS ARE YO U M O S T E XC I T E D A B O U T ?

The three designers I mentioned before, plus Louis-Gabriel Nouchi, are doing great things in tailoring. These designers work with their local craftsmen on very detailed and intricate designs, and the results are great to see.

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WHAT WERE SOME OF THE C O N S U M E R AT T I T U D E S YO U N OT I C E D I N AW 1 8 T H AT YO U ’ L L BE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN BUYING SS19?

It was warmer than usual last winter, so heavy outerwear wasn’t selling well until around November. For clothes that deal with global warming better, it’s become commonplace to carry items that can be worn through three seasons – spring, winter and autumn – made with suitable fabrics. I also think consumers are placing more importance on practicality and utility these days rather than just creating a look.

WHEN IT COMES TO EXCLUSIVE COLLABORATIONS WITH BRANDS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY CRITERIA A BRAND NEEDS TO F U L F I L B E F O R E YO U ’ L L C O N S I D E R IT FOR BEAMS?

Beams has more than 30 in-house labels, all with different concepts. Since each label has a specific target, these exclusive collections are made for their specific target customers. It’s not necessary for these to be well known or large business brands. Rather, we place our focus on whether the brand can make a strong impact or buzz. We’ve done many collaborations with obscure brands and artists in the past, which have resulted in greater popularity and awareness for these artists and brands.

AS BEAMS & CO’S INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS MANAGER, WHAT DO YO U L O O K F O R I N C O L L E C T I O N S ?

I always expect to see a strong philosophy in each brand’s collection, whether it be the designer’s identity, production process or designs. If they have even just one stronger point of difference that distinguishes them from others, there should always be customers that will gravitate.

I think it’s crucial for a brand to be able to communicate its narrative.

WHY ARE WE SEEING A PUSH TOWARDS INCUBATION AND A S S I S T I N G YO U N G TA L E N T ?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT EMERGING DESIGN?

I’ve actually been asked for an idea a couple of times from a tutor at a world-famous fashion and art university whether there might be any way to expand employment opportunities for fashion and art graduates.

It’s quite difficult now for students who’ve chosen to study the area of work they wish to specialise in. The majority are giving up on their dreams even if they have talent because there are limited or no opportunities for them to show their work. That’s why big corporations need to support them and give new talent an environment in which to improve themselves.

It’s a win-win situation for the corporation too.

The industry and businesses are becoming ever more global with the rapid evolution of technology. It’s natural for there to be a need for young designers, their designs and the way in which they see and think – for there to be a modern point of view.

TELL ME ABOUT BEAMS & CO’S INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS DIVISION. WHAT DOES IT DO?

We offer brands that are carried at Beams stores in Japan the opportunity to go overseas, with a focus on Japanese product with a heavy craftsmanship element. We want to represent what Japan has to offer, so we choose brands based on whether they have a strong Japanese aesthetic.

In addition to retail, Beams & Co UK, a subsidiary company, works to help Japanese brands find opportunities abroad and to establish their business overseas. Given the brand’s over 40 years of history developing fashion culture, we help brands and clients produce, plan and creative direct in order to more successfully expand their business overseas. P

Looks from Jil Sander SS19

T HE SH OO T

BLESSED ARE THE GENTLE, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH ON THE BANKS AND IN THE ASHRAMS OF THE SACRED GANGES, FIND PEACE IN THE RIVER’S MUTED COLOURS AND SERENE DRIFTING BREADTH

PHOTOGRAPHY ASHISH SHAH STYLING BHISAN RAI

PRODUCTION PARUL MENEZES

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT SUSHANT DESHMUKH

MODEL PRATIK SHETTY AT ANIMA CREATIVE MANAGEMENT (INDIA)

VARANASI ASHRAM LOCATION COURTESY OF YOGAMISSION.UK

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Outfit Fendi

T HE SH OO T

Outfit Giorgio Armani

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Outfit Hugo Boss

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Outfit Hermès

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Outfit Bottega Veneta

T HE SH OO T

Outfit Tom Ford

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Outfit Versace

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T R E N DI N G

Powerful Pull of

Androgynous Style takes a look at a changing paradigm and fashion’s role in it

JING ZHANG

PETER XU STUDIOS

The

t

he classic codes of menswear have long been disrupted by high-fashion trends. More recently, the athleisure and streetwear movement gave impetus for a further leap from the old rules of masculine and feminine dressing. The likes of Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, Haider Ackermann, Hedi Slimane, Alessandro Michele at Gucci, Glenn Martens at Y/Project, and Asian talents such as Xander Zhou, Yang Li and Ffixxed Studios have all pushed the agenda of androgynous dressing into the fashion consciousness. Young male talent Jaden Smith as the face of Louis Vuitton womenswear? A few raised eyebrows, sure, but there were more shrugs. Why not, in this day and age?

At its core, androgyny is part of the diversity paradigm. And diversity is one of the biggest macro trends in fashion over the last five years. The future-looking, digitally dominated worlds of urban millennials and Generation Z have been expressed in a synergy of designer creations and a powerful street-style movement. These younger generations are all about breaking free from old moulds and gendered social constraints.

This new freedom within both menswear and womenswear, while appearing confusing or even antisocial to more traditional types, generates fresh optimism for many – and it’s not just the super-edgy brands that are on board. The storied menswear tailoring house of Cerruti, under creative director Jason Basmajian, features both men and women on its runways, showing how a beautiful coat or suit can lend itself to both genders.

Far from the wave of normcore that gripped fashion a few years ago, this new global trend for individualism and expression has allowed fashion to be more experimental. Tilda Swindon as muse and Haider

Ackermann as designer perfectly express how androgyny can be exquisitely beautiful. Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy referenced couples (Lou Reed and Nico in this instance) who can swap wardrobes with power shoulders and slim fit, high-waisted trousers. As much as there’s impact in high-powered and very gendered sexuality, designers and fashionistas have rediscovered the joys of almighty ambiguity when it comes to masculinity and femininity.

Seasonal trends have included those that can be worn by both men and women: like fashion ponchos or skirts/tunics over trousers. Hedi Slimane’s slim-fitting, sanguine rock ’n’ roll menswear is a nod to androgyny, a powerful proposition he made all those years ago at Dior Homme, then Saint Laurent Paris and now at Celine. Whether you rate his style or not, there’s no denying the impact it’s had in the last decade

of high fashion. At his first show for Celine menswear, guests were told that all the menswear looks would be made available for women too.

Even traditionally ultra-glam and feminine Valentino has ventured into this territory under the leadership of the forward-thinking Pierpaolo Piccioli. And at Gucci, well, Alessandro Michele has proved unisex fashion is not just about simplification and neutralisation – his colourful maximalist approach has embraced some unisex ideals wholeheartedly: lace and huge florals for men, why not?

Of course, it’s not just the clothes but a wider aesthetic and the people who embody it. For models think Andrej Pejic, Jenny Shimizu, Jessica Espinosa, Finn Barrett and Casey Leglar as prime examples. They embody new and fresh modes of beauty, neither classically feminine nor masculine. Some might identify with their biological birth genders, others not. Chanel just launched make-up for men, targeted firmly at the Asian market for now. The Korean wave has further blurred the lines with the hottest male stars often in full make-up, eyeliner, shadow, foundation and lip gloss. Might this be too much for some? Most certainly. Does the younger, “woke” and non-binary-leaning generation care? Possibly not.

Beyond seasonal trends and big brands, fashion is essentially about expressing identity through clothing and style – a process of converting your inner to your outer. Might the unisex, gender-neutral or androgynous movement – whatever you choose to call it – just be a reflection of our identities being more mixed, less binary and less gendered? As the world tends towards greater social equality between genders (admittedly, there’s a looooong way to go to true equality), is it that fashion is leading the way, or just simply catching up? P

From opposite page: Celine; street style at Milan Fashion Week; Fendi

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e’s the go-to man for luxurious, quirky, handmade shoes in Los Angeles. From his Orange County atelier, George Esquivel and his small team craft exquisite creations for the likes of Armie Hammer and Bruno Mars, as well as sportsmen such as LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. The sports connection doesn’t stop there – he’s even done a collaboration with the Paris Saint Germain football team.

“We make shoes for Tyson Chandler and his wife, and we’ve become great friends over the years. He now plays for the LA Lakers – he’s a superstar, drafted into the NBA right after high school,” says Esquivel during our visit to his workshop. “Now I’m making shoes for Chris Bosh’s retirement party, and for [actor] Finn Whitrock. It’s been an honour. They’re really nice people, great guys – I love watching them doing their craft, playing their sports, it’s just been a treat.”

The fact that the brand is so beloved by sportsmen and entertainers, who work on their feet and are most discerning as to how shoes fit and feel, has been a powerful stamp of approval. While we walk around what looks from the outside to be a rather nondescript warehouse space, there’s a happy hum as the team hand-makes everything – from handcutting the soles to stitching the signature laces. There’s clearly passion and expertise behind every detail, all led by the charismatic founder.

Esquivel started his own brand in 1994, but his journey into shoemaking is as unique and unconventional as any in fashion. Growing up in a poor household, with a father who was in and out of jail, he was making a living driving trucks when the passion for shoe-making first struck.

Walking California Dreams From truck driver to custom shoe designer seems an unlikely career trajectory, though not if your name’s GEORGE ESQUIVEL. The Orange Countybased craftsman talks to jing zhang

Right: Passion and expertise lurk in every detail of this George Esquivel boot

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Left and above: “A little off and edgy”, Esquivel’s footwear embraces imperfection

“I was driving on a trip to Baja California in Mexico with my girlfriend – who’s now my wife – and I saw a sign that said boot-maker,” he explains, “I walked in, did a quick sketch and asked if they could make a shoe based on this. They said yes … I went back four or five months later and I was hooked. It was like a drug.”

At the time he was into the Southern Californian punk and rockabilly scene, buying a lot of vintage clothes and shoes, but never finding anything he really loved. After that first pair of boots, he was looking for more.

“I was driving a truck, five times out of six from San Diego to Bakersfield, and I’d stop by every shoe-repair place and ask if they knew anyone who could make me shoes, because I didn’t want to go back to Baja all the time to do it.”

When he finally found someone good, he eventually became his apprentice, working in a small operation from the guy’s garage. There, Esquivel learnt how to cut leather and mount shoes, and began making pairs for LA musicians in the 1990s. He then moved on to work under different shoemaking mentors, honing his craft before setting up his own studio and brand, starting with a small space and just a few machines.

Today, as creative director of a boutique but beloved American label, he still heads a close team in that Orange County workshop, but also travels around selling, promoting and engaging with a more national and global scene. “I come up with an idea,” he says, “and I design 90 to 95 percent of both men’s and women’s shoes, as well as the leather accessories.”

The pivotal moment for the brand was in 2009, when it was nominated for the Vogue CFDA Fashion Fund and came in among the 10 finalists.

The all-powerful Anna Wintour became a mentor, which soon led to top creative roles for Esquivel at Italian shoe label Fratelli Rossetti and luggage brand Tumi. There were also celebrated collaborations with French house Chloé and American legend Tommy Hilfiger. Today, Esquivel is sold around the US – among others, in Barney’s New York, and Fred Segal and Douglas Fir in LA. He’s also in stores in Italy Denmark, Switzerland and across Japan, where he’s found many fans of his handcrafted quality and leathers that age beautifully.

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“I think before that, I didn’t understand branding and international business. We were making shoes and had a good business, but it was a lot for celebrities and musicians – I was kind of a shoe guy.”

He wasn’t selling to stores and nor did he know how to expand his business in that manner – but through that mentorship, “they really sent me to school on all that. It was a massive education – I was truly able to see the direction of my brand and what I wanted for it. I’ve nothing but praise for them and for what they did for me.”

He might have started with men’s shoes, but his ultra-comfortable women’s collection has also hit a note with cool girls who want something that’s a little bit different. No tottering, uncomfortable stilettos here: Esquivel makes gorgeous boots, lace-ups, flats, loafers and, his most popular women’s model, an elegant yet edgy mule that’s already captured the attention of Emma Stone, Emily Ratajkowski and Janelle Monae.

Despite only making about 4,000 pairs a year in his workshop (everything’s done in-house), the media have flocked to cover this rather unlikely – indeed, unique – figurehead of American footwear. But what exactly makes a pair of George Esquivel shoes so special?

There’s that magnetic Southern Californian attitude, casual yet sophisticated, “where things aren’t perfect. They’re meant to be a little off and edgy,” he says. Once he embraced the imperfections and unique qualities of each piece of leather, how it could be hand-painted, patinated and treated to look better as each pair is worn and aged, Esquivel had found his niche and identity.

“It was the moment I realised my products aren’t meant to be perfect – that life isn’t meant to be perfect. When everyone was gravitating towards a beautifully patinated, aged piece of leather, or a folio and shoes that were just broken right, rather than the perfect and polished models, then I knew. There’s something about it when it already has a bit of character. It adds a bit of soul to it.”

Trying not to hide the flaws but putting them on display has also allowed him to create a huge point of difference from his competitors.

“It lets me be different from most brands,” he explains, “If we’re letting most shoes age properly and colouring them differently, I can make 30 pairs of the same one and each is little bit different. I love to say that – each pair is a little bit unique, just slightly.”

That hand-wrought organic attitude also goes for his business, where things are generally so methodical and machine perfect, and people are falling back in love with the human touch. To show more of this touch, Esquivel is opening a new showroom and atelier in the arts district of Downtown Los Angeles, where “people will be able to make appointments, come and shop and be able to watch our craftsmen at work. I want to put our craft on display, I want people to see how our product is made. It’s a beautiful, cool process.”

That’s “cool” as in California, with its freedom from the stricter dress codes and attitudes found elsewhere in the country – and, indeed, across the world. “We try to design that into the shoes, with the mixing of styles, fabrics and heel heights,” says the designer. “I don’t wanna say that we’re hippies, because that’s a term from decades ago, but it is a little bit rebellious. I’m just gonna do my own thing.” P

H OT SP OT

GONUL SERBEST’S

MELBOURNE

The Australian city is a vibrant centre of fashion, food and culture, according to the Global Victoria chief executive. jing zhang gets the low-down on the high life

O

ften voted the most liveable city in the world, Melbourne seems to have hit the jackpot in terms of balancing creative culture with quality of life. We visited during the Melbourne Fashion Festival and the inaugural Australian Fashion Summit, when the state capital of Victoria comes alive with style, diversity and that electric urban buzz.

Living right in the heart of the city is the fashion-forward Gonul Serbest, Global Victoria’s petite powerhouse CEO, who promotes and facilitates trade from the state to the rest of the world. Clad in a Nina Ricci jacket and Chanel heels, Serbest doesn’t seem like your typical Australian government official. Although she works across all areas of international trade, industry and economic development, the fashion industry is a particular passion point for her – she leads Global Victoria’s big fashion initiative that connects particularly well with the huge Asian market.

“I love the diversity of our city,” says Serbest. “It’s reflected in every aspect of daily life, from the food to the people. Everyone has a story and is willing to share it. Melbourne is genuinely connected to the world.”

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SHOP

Fashion and style have been long-time obsessions for Serbest, who once had her own boutique handbag brand called Etc. & Co. These days she loves visiting the famous Marais boutiques of Melbourne.

“It’s just a Mecca of beautiful international labels, including some of my favourites – like Celine, Alexander McQueen and Givenchy. It’s very luxe and an extremely sophisticated yet personal shopping experience.”

Serbest also recommends shopping along Collins Street, as well as roaming the floors of the David Jones department store. “But what I’m most excited about in fashion at the moment is the rise of some beautifully tailored local Melbourne labels,” she says.

“I have my eye on some edgy yet elegant pieces from Chris Ran Lin and Arndsorf. And, of course, who can go past the beautifully crafted pieces of Toni Maticevski?”

Clockwise from opposite, below left: Gonul Serbest; Pastuso Peruvian bar and grill; the National Gallery of Victoria; Federation Square and the Melbourne CBD; dining at Cumulus

EAT & DRINK

For breakfast, you can’t pass Cumulus, says Serbest: “I love the energy and buzz. It’s very airy and bright, and the industrial windows make you feel like you could be in New York. The shakshouka eggs and a freshly baked madeleine filled with lemon curd are delicious.”

“Another favourite is the very cool Pastuso down AC/DC Lane. It’s a Peruvian bar and grill, where all produce is sourced locally from Victoria’s Gippsland region. I’m a sucker for a good pom-pom and the restaurant is adorned with handicrafts from Peru that are as beautiful and colourful as its dishes,” says Serbest.

Here, she counts the smoked chicken and Gippsland premium Argentine beef cut (eye fillet) among her favourites, with Peruvian yellow potatoes on the side, ending with a pastel de choclo (sweet corn with whipped feta).

HANG

Known as a cultural melting pot for culture, style, fashion, arts and design, Melbourne isn’t short of cool spots for relaxing and people watching. The coffee shops here are famously good, but Serbest’s favourite spot is Bonnie on Exhibition Street in the CBD. For arts and culture, “the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) is hands-down my favourite place to visit. I love architecture, and the NGV is one of my favourite buildings in the city. I’m so excited that it’s added a Contemporary Design & Architecture arm that showcases both local and international content. The current exhibition (until July 14) is the must-visit Krystyna Campbell-Pretty Fashion Gift collection.”

On weekends, a stroll around the stylish yet bohemian Fitzroy area is a

must. Walk down Gertrude and Brunswick streets for shopping in the many independent fashion boutiques, but stop along the way at one of the cute cafes. Serbest grabs her weekly flowers from Flowers Vasette.

ESCAPE

Just outside the CBD area is the chill beachside town of St Kilda, where you can stroll the coast, hitting beach cafes along a charming promenade.

Being of Turkish origin, Serbest loves going to Lezzet, a modern Turkish restaturant in Elwood, a beachside suburb neighbouring St Kilda, where “the food is amazing and the atmosphere so welcoming … It’s just like I’m visiting one of my relatives.”

If she really wants to escape the city, in summer she might head to Mornington Peninsula with its beaches, galleries and relaxed vibe, or go for a long lunch at one of its beautiful wineries. She also highly recommends a drive down to Daylesford, Victoria’s spa country.

“It’s a romantic and charming town and very European in feel, with a beautiful lavender farm and luxurious spas. The main strip also has quaint antique stores, and is a hub for great eateries. It’s the perfect place to get in some good R&R and only 90 minutes from the CBD.” Fundamentally, Melbourne is a city you feel your way through, Serbest believes. “While it’s beautiful and picturesque, its real charm is in the emotion it conjures – it really lends itself to explorations in the laneways and cultural corners.” P

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FROM THE

FASHION DESK

Observations from the shows; the playlist you should download; and intel to drop on your friends so they’ll be clamouring for your fashion-insider goss This season at Valentino, Pierpaolo Piccioli embraced both old-world haute couture and street modernity, mixing them together in a bid to make the exclusive inclusive. While the clothes definitely embraced the melange — look to the feathered bucket hats, embroidered owls and peacocks on sweatshirts, and techno-fabric jackets — it wasn’t just the raiment that brought home the message; the soundtrack was a mix of “The Emperor’s Waltz” by the Vienna Ball Orchestra and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, played alongside hip-hop duo Kids See Ghosts and A$AP Ferg’s “New Level”. Because Piccioli isn’t a normal designer, he’s a cool designer.

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Celine

Menswear is on the up and up and the numbers show it, so it comes as no surprise that existing menswear labels are switching it up (think Kim Jones hopping from Louis Vuitton to Dior Men, Virgil Abloh’s appointment at Louis Vuitton and Kris Van Assche at Berluti). Womenswear brands, too, are surveying the landscape and throwing their own hats into the menswear ring. Hedi Slimane at Celine shook up the brand with his trademark skinny suits, sending Slimanites over to the once-women-only brand in droves. If you heard the bravos coming from rows of fans at the show, you know this is a collection that will sell well within the cult. Simon Jacquemus showed a southern French macho-man collection that sings of sun and sea, modelled on the designer’s own taste. And Clare Waight Keller sandwiched her first foray into the category into her spring/summer womenswear show, but as she’s Pitti Uomo’s guest designer, expect to see her collection for Givenchy in its first stand-alone runway presentation this June for spring/summer 2020.

Breaking new ground on a heritage brand is often hard. A designer must fuse originality with tradition while simultaneously defining the identity of his or her new tenure. How did Virgil Abloh set about doing this? He basically wrote a dictionary. In the show notes that accompanied his first runway collection for Louis Vuitton, titled “The Vocabulary According to Virgil Abloh”, the designer outlines his “3%” thesis — “the exact ratio needed to twist a normative object into something special” — which is Abloh’s way of acknowledging that, with so much product being created today, a slight touch (namely 3 percent) is enough to render something original and new again. It’s an interesting theory and one that’s sure to keep audiences intrigued for seasons to come.

Gucci

Italians have always had a clear-cut vision of the masculine ideal — this is the land of Roman gods, after all. Maybe that’s why key designers this season are exploring the breadth of modern masculinity, such as Riccardo Tisci for Burberry, Alessandro Michele for Gucci and Donatella Versace for, well, Versace. Tisci describes his take as one that looks at the garb of the father and son. Tailored, sober suits make way for reds and deer print, from Savile Row to underground grunge. Michele designs with “no boundaries” for men this season, depicting pussy-bow blouses and sequins as just another facet of masculinity rather than falling solely within the purview of womenswear. Sequins, fringing and accessories abound here.

Donatella looks at every subsection of masculine culture, playing with the traditional power suit in variations of street culture, suggesting ways men can assert identity without the need to ascribe to any one sect.

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Alexander McQueen Sarah Burton explored the realm of dichotomy this season, but the backbone of the show, said the show notes, was “tailoring”. And so we saw the necessary rigidity of well-proportioned shoulders offset by a painted sash or a suit on top of which sits a coat with a skirted bottom. Although the suit anchored the collections, the myriad ways in which Burton played around with the fixed scope of the traditional garment simultaneously explored the breadth of masculinity.

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Demna Gvasalia concerned himself with making traditional tailoring relevant for a new generation.

What did this look like? Something of a mashup between tailoring, the jogging suit and a liberal splash of sci-fi drama. Gvasalia thinks the modern man doesn’t wear a suit any more, so he reworked the shoulders in a sort of cocoon shape and shot the collars upward to shield the face.

Bally

Bally’s spring/summer inspiration drew on California’s Rose Bowl Flea Market for its sun-drenched, saturated tones of reds, fiery oranges and burnt yellows. Technicolor hues and relaxed desert-ready shapes, windbreakers and hiking shoes were all part of the parcel. Look to the bags, which had a hint of Pan Am running through.

Berluti

After a discussion with Antoine Arnault, Kris Van Assche decided that his spring/summer offer for Berluti should be a small capsule collection, given the limited amount of time he had to create it. As such, the designer decided to pare it right down to the basics — the essentials of a man’s wardrobe — a shirt, a jumper, a suit, a bomber jacket and so forth. The capsule began with an all-white palette before veering into patinas of deep reds, blues and purples.

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Boss

Lightness of being is not unbearable for the team at Boss after its anchor, Jason Wu, departed the brand last season. With that, the clothes lightened up. Folks, it seems, were less uptight with pressed fabrics — suits came crinkled, windbreakers were layered underneath suits, and instead of a suit jacket, cropped corduroy jackets topped shirts and trousers. The brand played it up a little, introducing stripes and, as always, playing with colour.

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Bottega Veneta Celine alum Daniel Lee made his ďŹ rst foray into menswear after serving as head of ready-to-wear at the French house prior to his current appointment.

Taking a few cues from his own simple uniform of T-shirt, jeans, knitwear and trainers, Lee looked to inject a sophisticated Italian put-togetherness into clean design. Think leather short-sleeve shirts, baggier trouser lengths and lightweight windbreakers paired with leather joggers.

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Brooks Brothers customers know the brand always has their back. This year, the spring/summer palette consisted of light grey and a muted navy. The colours were rendered across suits, chinos and bomber jackets. An easy canvas on which to work in pops of colour and print on ties. The brand chose a handful of perfect pastels — think lavender and turquoise — to give that exemplary grown-up pep to your step.

Brooks Brothers Menswear is also hopping aboard the beige train. Master of Italian elegance and luxury Brunello Cucinelli designed a stylish smart-casual wardrobe suitable for boardrooms and tennis courts in tones of panama, sand, caramel and tobacco. Lightweight fabrics were worked into suits with slub linen and silks, while traditional houndstooth, checks and pinstripes remained the patterns of choice to strike a classic balance. There were also safari jackets made of linen and nylon, as well as college bombers to contrast the brand’s classic leather offer.

Brunello Cucinelli

Calvin Klein

This runway collection was Calvin Klein’s last because, as it turns out, the house might not believe in the idea that catwalk shows sell jeans.

Nevertheless, we took a good look at Raf Simons’s final outing for the American brand, as cult followers needed to know what to get their hands on before it shuts shop. Masculinity is now a fluid concept in our modern society and Simons juxtaposed the rippling six packs peering above half-peeled-off wetsuits inspired by the classic film Jaws with the gentility of suits à la The Graduate, another canonical American cinematic favourite.

Riccardo Tisci’s first chapter for British house Burberry focused on the dynamic of father and son in menswear. The mammoth collection saw a gradual shift from traditional black trench coats and suits to more street-ready, grungy looks.

Shirts made way for T-shirts and trenches had the brand name emblazoned across them — because all youngsters now like a good dose of logo. It’s worth noting that craftsmanship still took centre stage as one particular jumper (shown above) was stitched out of the new Burberry “B” logo on top of the house’s heritage check.

Burberry

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Celine

Hedi Slimane’s much talked-about first collection for Celine incorporated men’s looks — which, as per his wishes, were all available for women as well, because Slimane believes in the unisex uniform.

Think sharp, slim suits with a dose of leather, stripes and sequins. It’s a party up at Celine and you know without a doubt who’s the host with the most (black suiting).

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Dior Men Kim Jones wrote Dior Men a new chapter this season and exceeded expectations by fusing his enthusiasm for streetwear with the women’s couture signature of the house. For starters, we took a look at the Oblique suit, with its wrapped jacket and buttons off centre. This cut referenced a 1955 couture collection, while the introduction of rosebud pink referenced Christian Dior’s own predilection for the colour. Of course, what would a Kim Jones collection be if not one that adds a soupçon of street?

Jones called on the help of his friends Matthew Williams at Alyx and Yoon Ahn at Ambush, with the former tweaking his own familiar buckle shape for use across Dior Men belts, bags and hats, while the latter created this season’s hottest jewellery, from chain chokers to earrings. Let’s not forget that Jones managed to rope in KAWS to recreate his famous BFF character in pink and white blooms, and kitted out in a sharp Dior suit. A perfect collection to cater to existing customers and one that’s sure to lure the street-style crowd.

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Emporio Armani Virile masculinity seems to have been at the forefront of the Emporio Armani spring/summer collection. While many looks were in soft windbreaker fabrics in a toned-down navy, the relaxed ďŹ ts allowed the men beneath to speak for themselves. There were ankle-length translucent windbreakers that frame washboard, exercise-toned abs, but even the doublebreasted suits in the collection were made from lighter, activity-friendly fabrics that accommodated the muscled form beneath.

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Fendi Men

Fashion tends to be a family affair, and it’s no different when it comes to Silvia Venturini and her brethren. This season she passed over the creative reins to her de facto son-in-law Nico Vascellari, who wore the mantle of artist-in-residence. Playing with words — fun, because Fendi is all about the logo at the moment — Vascellari transformed Roma to Amor and reworked the double-F monogram for a dash of spice. He also had illustrations of Karl Lagerfeld dotted around (the Jokarl) and Fendi is now temporarily spelt Fiend — fiendish indeed. But aside from pizzazz, the quality of the collection remained uncompromised with light-as-a-feather suits, buttery-leather bombers and tracksuits that hung just-so, making the collection as commercial as it was titillating.

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Giorgio Armani

This collection was a striking mix of Italian men’s style and relaxed Japanese savoir faire. The soft shoulders across the double-breasted suits and cardigan shapes spoke to a masculinity that needed no cut to give it shape, but could instead carry itself in casual cottons and linens.

A cross between light greys, pinstriped and plain and indigo denim reminiscent of Japanese workwear, it was a welcome sign that classic suiting has made its way back into the menswear vocabulary and designers are once again playing with classic proportions rather than dashing it all for the verve of the street.

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Gucci Gucci’s catch-all term for the men’s spring/summer collection was a very in-tune-with-the-times “No Boundaries”. Taking inspiration from the codpieces and bling worn by singer Larry Blackmon of the ‘70s-‘80s funk band Cameo, the collection flaunted a devil-maycare attitude yielding decadent jackets, tops in a riot of colours, trousers festooned with tiered party fringing and glitter and shine galore. This was definitely a collection with which to unleash the inner animal.

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Hermès What’s the difference between plain old sportswear and leisurewear? Look to Hermès for your answer. It’s all in the cut.

It’s all in the craft. It’s all in the material. And aren’t those the core tenets of the house of Hermès? The simplicity of the shape often concealed the technique required to achieve the effect of the piece. See the ombré tie-dye effect on the bags, the zipper detail at the cuffed hem of the trousers.

We also took a moment to appreciate the level of attention that went into creating a leather shirt out of four alternating strips of water snake.

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Loewe

Jonathan Anderson proved he can shake things up at an established brand like Loewe, playing dress-up in a boy’s bedroom strewn with rainbow pom-poms and decorated with candy-striped ribbon. The clothes themselves were as quirky and colourful as the setting, with modernised period pieces and matching separates coming to life in glazed python, ombré inkblot and watermelon stripes.

Jacquemus Simon Jacquemus has made his first foray into menswear, calling upon the brash machismo of the Marseille gadjo. What’s that, you ask?

Look to the collection. This was a big, spirited, seductive man of the Mediterranean, nurtured by sun and sea — and the collection, with its sunny periwinkles, olive greens, sand and indigo, reflected just that southern palette.

Think chinos, wide-collar shirts, mesh vests reminiscent of fishing nets, and tops and jackets that were made to be taken on and off rather than worn for very long.

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Loro Piana The indulgent Italian brand took classic pieces and gave them a modern spin for spring, whether a reinterpretation of the classic denim jacket in its new fabric Smooth Suede or the trench coat in waterproof Green Technowool. All the favourites were still there, too, including luxurious cashmere knits, lightweight stretch-cotton trousers and highly functional Storm System parkas.

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Louis Vuitton Virgil Abloh embraced his debut for LV menswear with an all-inclusive We Are the World must-see show at the Palais Royal.

The accompanying show notes, “The Vocabulary According to Virgil Abloh”, laid out his philosophy for life and the season, including the kaleidoscopic colours of The Wizard of Oz, a thorough use of layering, the wealth of tribal motifs inspired by Abloh’s Ghanaian tailor mother, and the transformation of streetwear elements into luxury goods.

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Ports 1961 Mix a former design director for Gucci Group, a pinch of Italian craftmanship and a mashup of streetwear and après-ski chic, and what do you get? Ports V, the limited-edition spring/summer menswear collection by Milan Vukmirovic. The eclectic pieces referenced mountaineering and old-school Britain with colour-blocked tartan, slogan Ts and hoodies, and Fair Isle intarsia sweaters.

Prada Miuccia Prada likes to keep people guessing and her spring menswear show was no different. Space-age trapper hats? Suede jackets and short shorts? Retro sportswear and psychedelic prints? Why not? The collection was apparently a call for a “youthful, contemporary elegance� and, if the combination of styles was anything to go by, that pretty much means anything goes.

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Ralph Lauren

Black, white and gold were the colours of the day at Ralph Lauren’s Purple Label presentation, with the designer’s ever-popular nautical references contrasting with streetwear-inspired colour-blocking and graphic logo prints. This season also sees the introduction of the Ralph Suit, a sharply tailored take on strong shoulders, wide lapel, contoured waist and shorter length with lower buttons à la Lauren’s own double-breasted suits.

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Cavalli creative director Paul Surridge tapped into his spirit animal for a spring/summer collection that veered from sleek all-white looks to neon-hued leopard prints and all the way to conďŹ dent, swaggering black.

Embellishment and craftsmanship were also on display, from perforated leather and macramĂŠ stitching to python-and-leather running shoes and hand-embroidered good-luck motifs.

Sacai

Roberto Cavalli

Chitose Abe is always one for original looks and interesting craftsmanship.

This season she collaborated with Pendleton for a series of blanketinspired prints that showed up on bags, coats, shorts and more. The hippy vibe also carried through the streetwearstyle tracksuits in plaid, and spliced and stitched denim-satin looks.

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Saint Laurent Inspired by the New York of the 1970s, Anthony Vaccarello brought glitz and glamour to life across the Hudson in New Jersey’s Liberty State Park. The celebrity-studded audience was dazzled by the high-waist trousers, boat hats and slim-cut blazers, not to mention the parade of models closing the show in disco-worthy silver body paint.

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Salvatore Ferragamo

“Innovation and high craft in light, effortless gestures” were the driving forces behind Paul Andrew and Guillaume Meilland’s spring/summer offerings for men and women. For the guys, that meant impeccably tailored suits and separates in warm neutral tones spiced up with touches of colour and pattern. Shoes and accessories were also out in force, showcasing the materials and techniques the Italian house has long been famous for.

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Tod’s

It will always be about Italian style at Tod’s, and this spring’s menswear collection is designed for the man who moves through life with ease and elegance. Mix-and-match separates were shown in a range of high-quality materials marked by “the perfection of detailing”. From head to Gommino-shod toe, the Tod’s man is a true classic.

Stella McCartney The British style icon continued her signature bohemian-chic styling for men this season, borrowing the popular tie-dye look she showcased on the women’s runway. For more formal occasions, the designer presented slouchy suits and military-inspired jackets for the man who’s “very comfortable in his own skin”.

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Tom Ford

There’s a certain swagger that one envisions at the mere mention of Tom Ford’s name, and his spring/ summer did not disappoint. Sharp suits, glistening fabrics and abstract prints created a sense of ’70s cool.

Colours were subtle but smart, while a clever use of patterns made for a totally mod look when layered.

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Valentino

Pierpaolo Piccioli has said he wants to bring couture to life, making Valentino a relevant brand for today’s generation. His latest menswear collection certainly took couture to the streets, mixing bombers and tracksuits with camo and high-voltage colour. Logos were likewise magnified, cut out and duplicated; sneakers were shaken up with feathers; and tropical prints clashed with animal motifs.

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Versace

Donatella Versace’s latest interpretation of the Versace man gave us a little bit of everything. Standouts included sleek pin-striped suits, over-the-top florals on edgy black backgrounds, patchwork tracksuits and in-your-face neon. Even the accessories brought something different, like the chain-link-soled sneakers and tabloid newspaper-inspired tote. As their designer said of her muses, “These are men who do not care about the rules.”

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Vivienne Westwood It was hard to know what to focus on at Andreas Kronthaler’s freewheeling spring show: the skater dude in an oversized patchwork T or the beefy bodybuilder types on scooters clad in barely-there knits? The crazy, kooky VW we know and love was on full display for both men and women, and one can only imagine that the clothes were designed to be worn by any gender.

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SEL ECT

STRIKING A BALANCE

Loro Piana translates exquisite materials into timeless silhouettes for its spring/summer collection EASE, ELEGANCE and excellence in materials are the hallmarks of Italian luxury house Loro Piana’s latest menswear collection. From weightless textures and innovative fabrics to ingenious details and sophisticated shapes, everything is designed with the modern man’s dynamic lifestyle in mind.

Cotton-silk blends, cashmere double and compact technical silk make for easy-to-wear layers while nautical-inspired jackets offer an elegant yet functional finishing touch.

Highlights of the collection include the newly launched sleek sunglasses and iconic Summer Walk shoes. The ultra-luxurious loafers, originally inspired by yachting and other nautical pursuits, are made from unlined suede with a technically advanced white sole that withstands changes in temperature while providing stability and grip. loropiana.com

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BACKSTORY

CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE When the young George Daniels first looked into the mechanism of a watch, he likened it to gazing into the workings of the universe. He then went on to become the greatest watchmaker of the 20th century, designing among other things the superlative co-axial escapement, now used by Omega. Daniels also hand-made 37 watches (not to mention many of the tools he made them with) during his lifetime, each of them utterly unique, and one of these incredibly rare and valuable timepieces – the Grand Complication Pocket Watch – goes on sale at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: Nine on May 11. Featuring an instantaneous perpetual calendar with retrograde date and minute repeater, as well as a co-axial one-minute tourbillon, it’s not only a horological masterpiece but also a work of art.

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