HONG KONG MARCH 2019 HK$50
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NEO RAUCH SURREAL DEAL
HONG KONG
THE ALL-NEW STYLE MEMO FOR WOMEN’S SS19 | EAT, PRAY, LOIRE LIVING LARGE WITH A CAYENNE S | THE ASCENT OF LOWER MANHATTAN PLUS LIU HEUNG SHING | HONG KONG E-PRIX | KEVIN GERMANIER
UNDERCOVER
PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST
UWE WALTER
We visited artist and cover personality Neo Rauch on a cold, rainy day in February at his studio on the outskirts of Leipzig, about an hour from Berlin. The warm and welcoming space sits among a number of art studios and galleries, including Eigen+Art, Josef Filipp Galerie and Tobias Naehring, in an old cotton mill called the Spinnerei. A little pug ran up to the door as we entered, finding photographer Uwe Walter and his daughter-turned-assistant Josephine Tischer wandering around comfortably. Walter has known Rauch for almost 40 years, having attended the same school, and Tischer has been visiting Rauch’s studio since she was a child. Their close connection was evident as Walter and Rauch shared a whisky, and the artist revealed that Walter is the main one of a very few to have photographed his work since 1993. As Walter moved around his subject, framing his portrait, it was as if he was one of the figures peering out from the canvases that crowd the room.
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CONTENTS 14 UNDERCOVER 24
EDITOR’S LETTER
28 CONTRIBUTORS 30 DIARY
31 FAIRGROUND 161
STYLE MEMO
224 BACKSTORY
AGENDA 32
EDITOR’S PICKS What’s on our radar
33
DISCOVERY Ones to watch
36
STYLE Rock your wardrobe
42
JEWELLERY A cornucopia of stone and metal
44
WATCHES Fine art for the wrist
46
BEAUTY Shades, salves and scents
48
DINING Tickling the taste buds
50
TRAVEL Goss for globetrotters
52
ART Masters old and new
53
AUCTIONS Going, going…
54
TOYS Cool kit to covet
56
62
VIP
EVENTS The month’s top parties
FASHION
WOMENSWEAR Hula-Baloo
76
HAUTE COUTURE Off the Leash
84
DIOR House of Style
88
KEVIN GERMANIER Independent Streak
42 Les Galaxies de Cartier
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CONTENTS BEAUTY
96
PRODUCTS New foundations
98
SPRING/SUMMER TRENDS Ready for Take-off
102
NEO RAUCH Absence of Gravity
110
WILL GEDDES The Bodyguard
114
PHOTOGRAPHY Liu Heung Shing
118
ART Artificial intelligence
122
CAR Porsche Cayenne S
126
FORMULA E Clean Machines
130
EVENTS On the town
146
TRAVEL New York’s Lower Manhattan
COVER
PEOPLE
CULTURE
TOYS
SPORT RSVP
INDULGENCE
150 TRAVEL France’s Loire Valley 154
RESORT Shinta Mani Wild
158
HOTEL Signiel Seoul
“I’ve found it is about creating openings on the canvas that allow the human mind to sink into them” Neo Rauch 18 PRESTIGE
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UWE WALTER
102
LE CADRE GALLERY Hong Kong tel. +852 25261068 lecadre@netvigator.com
FOR INQUIRIES Antonio Tien Loi Tel. +65 91865033 info@tienloi.it
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
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DIGITAL EDITOR
ART DIRECTOR
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SOCIETY EDITOR
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HEAD OF DIGITAL CONTENT
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EDITOR AT LARGE
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DIGITAL WRITER
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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
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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.
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B A L E N C I AG A
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GENERAL MANAGER – SALES
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HEAD OF CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
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PRESTIGE ASIA
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MANAGING DIRECTOR, SINGAPORE
PUBLISHER, INDONESIA
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PUBLISHER, TAIWAN
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PUBLISHER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, MALAYSIA
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EDITOR’S LETTER
MATTERS OF THE ART March is a big month at Prestige and this year all the more so. As media partner of Art Basel Hong Kong, we delve into the wild world of modern and contemporary art for our annual ABHK supplement. This year’s edition is our biggest yet, and is packed with highlights of the fair and the action surrounding it, insightful features on Andy Warhol and women in art, and even an inside look at the major collectors taking the bold step of setting up their own private museums. In addition to the comprehensive contemporary-art coverage in the supplement, our Prestige cover personality this month is also a towering figure in the field. Neo Rauch – who is represented by David Zwirner and whose exhibition of new works opens at the gallerist’s H Queen’s space on March 26 – paints extraordinary narratives that defy definition or interpretation. Berlin-based art writer Penny Rafferty visited Rauch at his Leipzig studio and her fascinating conversation with him begins on page 102. Elsewhere in the issue, and continuing in the creative vein, editor at large Jing Zhang meets Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Liu Heung Shing ahead of the publication of his latest book, a monumental compilation of images detailing life in Russia and China between 1976 and 2017. And we consider the growing phenomenon of fine art produced using artificial intelligence. But March isn’t just about art. It’s also a month dedicated to fashion, and in particular the women’s spring/summer collections. Fashion and features editor Zaneta Cheng has taken apart and rebuilt our seasonal fashion supplement, henceforth known as Style Memo. Turn to page 161 to see the stunning transformation and discover everything you wanted to know about the collections from the perspective of a fashion editor on the front lines. Speaking of transformations, eagle-eyed readers may have noticed our website is looking a tad different. After months of behind-the-scenes effort, our awesome digital team has unveiled the new prestigeonline.com. The enhanced site is better in every way, from the slick design to the engaging content, and we hope you’ll spend some time exploring it. And, finally, let’s not forget some of the other incredible events taking place around the city this month. Whether it’s the Hong Kong International Film Festival (see page 31) or the Hong Kong E-Prix (see page 126), we’ve got it covered. Prestige will be out and about for all the action, so be sure to say hello!
Tama Miyake Lung | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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HONG KONG MARCH 2019 HK$50
prestigeonline.com
NEO RAUCH
SURREAL DEAL
THE ALL-NEW STYLE MEMO FOR WOMEN’S SS19 | EAT, PRAY, LOIRE LIVING LARGE WITH A CAYENNE S | THE ASCENT OF LOWER MANHATTAN PLUS LIU HEUNG SHING | HONG KONG E-PRIX | KEVIN GERMANIER
PHOTOGRAPHY UWE WALTER
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@Prestige_HK
CONTRIBUTORS
PENNY RAFFERTY is a writer and visual theorist based in Berlin. Her essays and creative texts have been commissioned for Cura, Kaleidoscope, Keen On, NRW Dusseldorf, Flash Art and Elephant, among others. This month, in her debut piece for Prestige, she takes on our cover story on the enigmatic German artist Neo Rauch (“Absence of Gravity”, page 102).
MELISSA TWIGG is a freelance fashion, arts and travel journalist who recently returned to London after years of moving among Paris, Cape Town and Hong Kong. She contributes regularly to Vogue, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Grazia, The Independent, the BBC and CNN. In this issue she reports on the Dior exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (“House of Style”, page 84) as well as the “Trending” feature in our Style Memo fashion supplement (“Party Like It’s 2019”, page 182).
UWE WALTER is a freelance photographer specialising in fine art, catalogues and art magazines. He works by building long-term and mutually enriching relationships with artists — most famously with German painter Neo Rauch — though he also has his own artistic projects. A 1990 graduate of the Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig, he works mainly out of Berlin and Leipzig. True to his MO, for his first Prestige commission he photographs Rauch, our cover personality, in the painter’s studio (“Absence of Gravity”, page 102).
LEUNGMO is a Hong Kong-based photographer and a graduate of City University’s School of Creative Media who has worked with numerous fashion brands and magazines. The photographic medium allows her to make connections with people to re-create the visualisations of her singular imagination. She is also fascinated by documentary photography. Her Prestige photographic debut comes in the form of the fashion shoot for our Style Memo supplement (“Where the Wild Things Are”, page 172).
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Photograph taken at 1a space
March 29-31, 2019 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Vernissage March 28, 2019 Public Days March 29-31, 2019 Premier Pass, Vernissage and advance tickets available at hkticketing.com, or by calling +852 31 288 288. Tickets are limited. artbasel.com
Media Partner
Lead Partner
DIARY ASIA-PACIFIC HONG KONG
March 3-9
THE WEEK Orient yourself in local music with The Week, a multi-genre celebration of the Hong Kong music scene that takes place across multiple venues in Kowloon and on the Island. The themed evening sessions cover indie, blues/folk, world music, metal, post punk, hip hop and alt rock, and feature established stars such as bluesman Henry Chung as well as less orthodox performers like percussionist and handpan player Hak Gwai.
March 8-24
GANGSTERS OF HONG KONG Lee Chun-chow directs this powerful drama centred on Kiu Kiang Street in 1970s Sham Shui Po. The Loong Man-hung-penned play, staged at Hong Kong’s City Hall, deals with the harsh realities of the notorious Kowloon district as three childhood friends are reunited: a journalist, a policeman and a triad member.
March 20-21
HOLI FESTIVAL There’s nothing like celebrating the Festival of Colours in its native India. The night before Holi is the Holika Dahan, when holy pyres are burned, signifying the victory of good over evil. The next morning is Rangwali Holi — when people get to smear one another with colour. We bet you’ll feel like part of a raucous Bollywood movie.
March 20-23
ART DUBAI With a new gallery section, Bawwaba, focusing on Middle Eastern, Central and South Asian, African and Latin American art, Art Dubai provides an absorbing counterpoint to Art Basel Hong Kong. Galleries from more than 40 countries are represented at the Madinat Jumeirah venue.
March 27-April 21
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL Established in 1987, this is the third-largest international comedy fest in the world. Melbourne Town Hall has been the annual hub since the 1990s, but performances by hundreds of local and international artists, including controversial American comedienne Michelle Wolf this year, are held in venues throughout the city.
EUROPE & THE AMERICAS
Until September 22
March 21-24
TASTE OF HONG KONG Take a tasting journey around the world at Central Harbourfront and this year’s Taste of Hong Kong, sampling the territory’s burgeoning gourmet scene at 14 top restaurants representing cuisines that range across the continents. Each presents four dishes, one of them exclusive to Taste of Hong Kong, with the small plates starting at HK$50 a pop.
MATERIAL INSANITY The Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden, Marrakech, presents a collaborative show of works by more than 30 artists of African descent that focuses on how culture influences an artist’s use of materials. They include the unabashedly provocative acrylic nail sculptures by Frances Goodman (South Africa) and Cyrus Kabiru’s (Kenya) sculptural eyewear fashioned from electronic refuse.
March 22-23
BUKU MUSIC + ART PROJECT 2019 Founded in 2012 and held annually at Mardi Gras World in New Orleans, Louisiana, BUKU delivers a big festival punch without compromising its house-party vibe. The main draw is its variety of musical genres — including electronic, indie and hip-hop. Lana Del Rey, Yaeji and EarthGang are scheduled to perform.
March 23-September 15
KING TUT: TREASURES OF THE GOLDEN PHARAOH The Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris presents over 150 original treasures from King Tutankhamun’s tomb that are part of a 10-city international exhibition tour celebrating the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the boy pharaoh’s tomb. Among the pieces are a miniature canopic coffin, which stored his liver, and a gilded wooden funeral bed.
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FAIRGROUND HONG KONG
March 18-April 1
HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL One of Asia’s longest-running and most venerated film festivals is being staged for the 43rd time over two weeks at the end of March. The highlight of the fortnight is a celebration of the work of Sammo Hung, a pioneering giant of the golden age of Hong Kong cinema. The Peking-opera-trained Hung has dominated the industry since entering it as a nine-year-old in 1961, evolving from actor to stuntman to choreographer and now revered filmmaker in a trailblazing career that has spanned almost six decades to date. A retrospective screening of 10 of Hung’s 250 films is accompanied by the publication of a commemorative book and a March 30 face-to-face seminar with the legendary martial artist. The Hung retrospective is accompanied by three programmes of restored classics. Actress Li Lihua — the first Chinese woman to land a lead role in a major Hollywood movie (China Doll, 1958) — is featured in four films, including Bright Day (1948) and Storm over the Yangtze River (1969); the remarkable “Fifth Generation” of Chinese filmmakers, which includes several 1982 graduates of the Beijing Film Academy, is celebrated with five screenings, including Yellow Earth (Chen Kaige, 1984), The Horse Thief (Tian Zhuangzhuang, 1986) and Red Sorghum (Zhang Yimou, 1988); while an international dimension is provided with six restored cinematic classics, among them Kubricks’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Bertolucci’s 1900 (1976) and Kawashima’s The Temple of Wild Geese (1962). Screening dates and ticketing information can be found at hkiff.org.hk.
FROM TOP: 2001 — A SPACE ODYSSEY, 1968, PRODUCED, DIRECTED AND CO-WRITTEN (WITH ARTHUR C CLARKE) BY STANLEY KUBRICK; ACTRESS LI LIHUA IN DIRECTOR/WRITER CAO YU’S BRIGHT DAY, 1948; SAMMO HUNG IN SPL: SHA PO LANG, 2005, WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY WILSON YIP
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AGENDA editor’s picks IT’S TIME FOR FASHION & FEATURES EDITOR ZANETA CHENG TO WORK SOME BALANCE BACK INTO HER LIFE
SOME RELIEF FROM READING PROOFS COMES IN THE FORM OF MICHELLE OBAMA’S MEMOIR, BECOMING
ADIDAS ORIGINALS BY ALEXANDER WANG ALWAYS SPOKE TO ME BUT HIS DROP 4 TRULY SPARKS JOY. THIS WILL KEEP ME TOASTY ON LONG WALKS
MEDITATION ON THE GO WAS NEVER SO EASY AS IT IS WITH LOUIS VUITTON’S HORIZON EARPHONES — A FIRST FOR THE BRAND
THE OUTNET’S IRIS & INK HAS LAUNCHED ACTIVEWEAR AND I’M JUMPING STRAIGHT INTO THIS ONE PIECE. DOES THAT COUNT AS EXERCISE?
THIS “20 YEARS IN ASIA” GOLD EDITION BROMPTON BIKE IS IDEAL FOR SEASIDE CYCLING
I MAY BE ON A WELLNESS REBOOT BUT I’LL STILL MAKE IT FASHION — I’M TAKING THIS GUCCI BACKPACK WITH ME EVERYWHERE
New Leaf
New Year for a fashion girl doesn’t start until March. Having lived out of a suitcase for a month, it’s time to get back to the basics — work out, eat clean, live simply and just make space for me
I CAN’T HELP BUT LIKE-A THE LEICA. THIS DISCREET M10-P LETS ME SNAP PICS AND SAVOUR THE MOMENT
NET-A-PORTER’S CLEAN BEAUTY KIT CURATES BOTANICAL AND ORGANIC PRODUCTS — A PERFECT REBOOT FOR MY TIRED SKIN
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AGENDA discovery
Homemade Goods MARIA FERNANDA NAVA MELGAR IS ONE OF AN EMERGING BREED OF YOUNG HONG KONG-BASED FASHION DESIGNERS
Emerging design talent is currently all the rage in fashion capitals — think London with the BFC’s New Gen and Paris with its LVMH Prize. We tend to forget, however, that young talent is also waiting to be discovered and fostered much closer to home. Maria Fernanda Nava Melgar is one such designer. Born in Mexico City and based in Hong Kong, she fell into fashion design while studying for a degree in animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design. “The way I approach fashion design is from a film perspective,” says Melgar. Her senior collection draws inspiration from references that include German cinema, with the looks featuring flowing white skirts, faux fur jackets and old army helmets. “I think about how materials would look and perform in motion under the lights and environments.” Among Savannah’s most celebrated fashion students, Melgar is based at the college’s Hong Kong campus, though her work has international resonance. In 2017, while interning with fashion brands, she created videos and animations for their marketing campaigns, and also began designing clothing, intrigued by a garment’s ability to tell stories. Her collection was then exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a winning entry from the “Art of the In-between x Rei Kawakubo” competition. As a result, she quit animation and turned her full attention to fashion. Since then, Melgar’s collections have been featured at London’s Graduate Fashion Week, shown at the CFDA Future Fashion Graduate Showcase in New York and presented at Sri Lanka’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. They also won her the HKTDC Fashion Asia Best of the Best Fashion Graduate Award. Zaneta Cheng
MELGAR DESIGNS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A FILMMAKER
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AGENDA style TABLE DISCUSSION
Louis Vuitton is once again bringing to Hong Kong the joys of the Objets Nomades exhibition, a collection of inventive, creative and functional furniture and home objects dreamed up by global heavyweights including Patricia Urquiola, the Campana brothers and Barber & Osgerby. Among this year’s exhibits are two intriguing pieces: Atelier Oï’s Serpentine Table, which features a bevelled glass top balanced on criss-crossing walnut legs held together by strips of blue leather (pictured); and Atelier Biagetti’s Anemona table, whose glass top is supported by a stunning rippling base with a hollow, blue-lacquered interior.
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SNEAK PEEK
In the spirit of all things arty, Fendi is hosting an exhibition at the Landmark Atrium from March 26 to April 14 combining its Sabine Marcelis-designed The Shapes of Water exhibition from Design Miami with its Peekaboo Meets Design showcase, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Peekaboo bag. The exhibition displays 10 key pieces from Shapes, as well as five examples from an initiative through which renowned designers have been invited to reinterpret Silvia Venturini Fendi’s famous Peekaboo design.
TINY DANCER Luxury leather-goods brand D’Auchel is dancing into 2019 with a ballerina-inspired collaboration with British artist Allan Banford, applying a special-edition Les Ballerines motif to its Christine clutch and Winnie handbag. Drawing inspiration from the graceful movements of ballet, each design is painted by hand and signed by the artist. Colours include beige, black and green with a choice of single- or two-tone design.
Cutting Floor
The legend of Azzedine Alaïa lives on in Adrian and Alaïa: The Art of Tailoring, an exhibition curated by Olivier Saillard at the Association Azzedine Alaïa in Paris. Showing the work of Alaïa, the king of cling, and Gilbert Adrian, a designer whose work Alaïa collected, it displays the genius of the two couturiers with fabric, form and impeccable tailoring in breathtaking fashion. See for yourself until June 23.
BOOKWORM
Italy’s national centre for contemporary art and architecture, the Maxxi in Rome, sets up a new permanent collection this month, Collezione Maxxi — Lo Spazio dell’Immagine. Among the artists and photographers represented in the exhibition is Paolo Di Paolo, one of Italy’s most extraordinary lensmen, who captured much of the country’s zeitgeist through the 1950s and ‘60s. In celebration, Gucci has supported a photobook, Paolo Di Paolo. Mondo Perduto. Fotografie 1954-1968, a collection of much of his work.
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AGENDA style PRADA
CHLOÉ
PROENZA SCHOULER AT NET-A-PORTER.COM
TO DYE FOR
It all started with ombré. Thanks to the fading in and out across the colour wheel, designers slowly turned to that most favoured late-’60s craft activity, the tie-dye. This season sees interpretations across the spectrum, from Dior’s kaleidoscope of intricately made pieces, to Prada and Proenza Schouler’s easy-breezy-hippybeautiful interpretations.
CALVIN KLEIN 205W39NYC AT NET-A-PORTER.COM
PRADA AT MODAOPERANDI.COM
DIOR
HERMÈS
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N21
GIVENCHY
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
To coincide with the release of the Dumbo remake, Loewe is featuring Disney’s favourite flying elephant on a pair of pyjamas from its menswear collection and also on the brand’s Goya backpack, available, suitably, in sky blue. The collection launches in the middle of the month — so despite March being when our women’s Style Memo hits the newsstands, men need not feel left out!
BLING BRIGADE
THE OUT-AND-OUT GLAM OF THE ’80S IS NOT GOING AWAY AND ONE OF THE BETTER TRENDS TO EMERGE FROM THIS IS AN EFFUSION OF CRYSTAL AND STRASS ACCOUTREMENT. FROM GHERARDO FELLONI’S SHOES FOR ROGER VIVIER TO ALMOST EVERYTHING AT GUCCI, THIS IS ONE TREND THAT WE HOPE STICKS AROUND FOR A WHILE YET.
GIORGIO ARMANI
GUCCI
ROGER VIVIER
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AGENDA style
Batsheva
SUBVERSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALLURING — AND NOW BATSHEVA HAY IS BRINGING SEXY BACK, TAKING INSPIRATION FROM DISPARATE STYLES
The best sort of career trajectory happens when you’re able to turn your life into art and subsequently into your business and career, which is exactly what New York-born Batsheva Hay did with her label, Batsheva. Hay’s affinity for dresses began at an early age when her mother took her to vintage and flea markets to shop for antique calico dresses, which became Hay’s hallmark and uniform throughout her time at Stanford University and Georgetown Law School. The dresses are a fun mix of Victorian, Amish and Hasidic influences, at once modest, modern and eccentric. It all began when Hay decided to remake an old Laura Ashley piece, inspired by an image of Cindy Sherman in a paisley skirt and knee-high boots — dressed as the virginal woman yet coming across as the angry housewife. Hay’s first couple of dresses were made out of upholstery fabric. Somewhere down the line she decided to add a puff to the shoulder, and a collar. What resulted was a dress with a more corseted waist, a higher neck, ruffles and very voluminous shoulders that earned sustained street compliments. This turned into a collection of four matching mother-daughter dresses, but due to her growing customer base Batsheva now turns out four collections a year. Hay continues to use vintage and limited-run cotton quilting fabric to design her dresses, and her brand is now stocked by retailers such as Matchesfashion.com and Opening Ceremony.
GOT MY EYE ON 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
Salvatore Ferragamo
Alexander McQueen at Puyi Optical Gucci
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Max Mara
AGENDA jewellery Using a unique setting that “unlocks the intense light and lustre deep in the soul of a gemstone”, Chopard’s Magical Setting collection is sure to dazzle. Artistic director Caroline Scheufele created the pieces for women whose spirits know no limitations.
SEASON IN THE SUN Artisan jeweller John Hardy’s spring collection captures the transformative beauty of Bali. The brand’s signature chain-link necklaces are joined by mixed metals and coloured stones.
ROCK STAR
From its founding in 1868 in southeastern Turkey, Boghossian has a long history of trading in precious stones and experimenting with sophisticated techniques. Its Inlay collection shows the house’s expertise in the ancient art of meticulously carving and setting stones.
BETTER THAN EVER
More than 100 years after Frédéric Boucheron opened the first jewellery boutique on Paris’s Place Vendôme, the maison has reopened 26 Place Vendôme and returned it to its former glory. The historic space houses the restored Grand Salon and Salon Chinois, and even a real apartment complete with library.
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SPACE ODYSSEY
A journey into the farthest reaches of the cosmos, Les Galaxies de Cartier is an experimental, and exceptional, new collection by the famed jewellery house. Each limited-edition piece pushes the boundaries of design and creativity, taking inspiration from meteorites, the Milky Way, planetary orbits and the view of Earth from space at night — all rendered in a galaxy of gold, diamonds, sapphires, moonstone, milky quartz and Tahitian pearls.
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AGENDA watches It’s hard working out which view of Vacheron Constantin’s Fiftysix complete calendar with moonphase to admire most, so here’s a shot of the caseback and the openworked 22K balance weight. Yes, we know it’s last year’s model, but mechanisms this exquisite surely deserve a second look.
HEAVENLY HERMÈS
DAZZLING DIVER
Panerai focused heavily on its rugged Submersible line at this year’s SIHH, doubtless to the delight of the brand’s largely alpha-male clientele. Especially eye-catching, in a stealthy kind of way, is the Carbotech version in 47mm and 42mm sizes (the former with an in-house movement) featuring lume that verges on the dazzling.
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An unexpected highlight of the recent SIHH came right at the beginning of the first day, when Hermès revealed its transcendentally beautiful Arceau l’Heure de la Lune, a unique interpretation of the double moonphase. Encased in white gold and with an aventurine or meteorite dial, the watch features twin discs — one showing the time and the other the day of the month — which appear to float through the heavens as they rotate around the circumference once every 59 days. Stunning!
Twenty 20
“A stylish companion for the life of the modern active woman” is how Patek Philippe describes its new Twenty-4 Automatic — and with its timelessly svelte appearance, we’d have to agree. Patek’s not talking about any old modern active woman, however, as this particular Twenty-4 comes in a 27mm rose-gold case, is powered by the revered maison’s self-winding Calibre 324 S C with 45-hour power reserve and has 162 brilliant-cut diamonds adorning its bezel.
Calendrically Complicated
Mechanically combining both traditional Chinese and Gregorian calendars, Blancpain’s Traditional Chinese Calendar is a timely special edition that’s limited to just 50 pieces. In a 45mm platinum case engraved with the zodiac sign of the pig, the watch is even more fiendishly complex than a normal perpetual calendar; it also features a grand feu dial in white and a moonphase indicator.
Blue Moon
The colour blue was embraced heartily at SIHH 2019, not least at the historic manufacture of Jaeger-LeCoultre, whose 100-piece limited-edition Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel with guilloché dial is an object lesson in How It Should Be Done.
CALL OF THE WILD
Green and bronze being respectively among our favourite colours and materials for watches, Montblanc could hardly fail to engage our interest at SIHH with this handsome pair of 1858 Automatics. They reference, we’re told, the Minerva marque’s spirit of exploration and feature aluminium-enriched bronze cases, with dials and woven Nato straps in khaki green.
ALONGSIDE CHRONOGRAPH VERSIONS OF ITS SANTOSDUMONT AT SIHH, CARTIER BLEW US AWAY WITH THIS STRIPPED-DOWN SKELETON
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AGENDA beauty PRETTY IN PINK
Inspired by Givenchy’s newly launched Le Rose Perfecto lipstick collection, Café 103 at The RitzCarlton, Hong Kong has whipped up an I Believe in Pink Afternoon Tea. Highlights of the set, available until March 31, include the Pink Kiss strawberry tart and Soothing Red raspberry-and-chocolate concoction. Guests are eligible to redeem a special gift set of Givenchy beauty products.
Guerlain’s latest sip from the fountain of youth is the new Orchidée Impériale Longevity Concentrate, a densityrestoring and skin-perfecting saviour
Coming Clean
“The epic moisturiser just got more epic.” So says Kiehl’s of its bestselling Ultra Facial Cream, at long last formulated without parabens, carbamides and triethanolamine. The 2.0 formula, years in the making, also offers improved hydration for all skin types.
CHECK, MATE
Burberry fans don’t have to limit their love of the brand’s check motif to their wardrobe, thanks to the new Check Collection of make-up items. The limited-edition Check Palette blends pink blush and a luminous bronzer for a cheeky glow.
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TURN IT UP WITH SISLEY’S NEW SO VOLUME, AN ULTRA-VOLUMISING MASCARA THAT CREATES OVERSIZED LASHES WHILE MAKING THEM DENSER AND STRONGER
ROSE IS A ROSE
Blending the spirited Grasse rose with a luminous jasmine and a fresh veil of lily of the valley, the new Miss Dior Eau de Toilette “twirls like a tulle petticoat, as light and fresh as a dewdrop kiss”.
BRIGHT EYED
Infused with Biotherm’s highest concentration of its restorative and regenerating Life Plankton ingredient, the new Life Plankton Eye promises visibly youngerlooking eyes in just eight days. The light gel formula acts to reduce dark circles, improve fine lines and blur imperfections.
A PERFECT WORLD
Cosmetics giant Estée Lauder has introduced a new version of the holy grail of skincare: retinol. Its Perfectionist Pro Collection now includes a Rapid Renewal Retinol Treatment with time-release formula. Also new are two sun-protection products, in a silky mineral-based formula and a lightweight gel.
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AGENDA dining Best Bits
PIE IN THE SKY
Le Rêve continues its mission to help diners realise their “gastronomic dreams” with a selection of seasonal menus featuring premium ingredients including foie gras and lamb rack. The French-Japanese fusion eatery is serving four-, six- and eight-course Dream menus, with omakase-style surprise dishes exclusive to the eight-course menu.
Taking its name from the Spanish expression “a little bit of this, a little bit of that”, Pica Pica is fast becoming Sheung Wan’s latest hotspot. The contemporary tapas bar features a producedriven, small-plates menu by chef Edgar Sanuy with signature dishes such as black paella rice and a redprawn hot dog with Josper-grilled prawn head.
DESIGNER TASTES
HERE’S THE BEEF
Fans of the ultimate in tender, marbled premium beef can finally join a club dedicated to all things wagyu. Wagyumafia has officially opened its first branch outside of Tokyo, an 18-seat membersonly restaurant on Oi Kwan Road in Wan Chai. For a one-time fee of HK$1,000, members can enjoy benefits including an exclusive tasting menu and limited cuts of champion-grade Kobe beef. Non-members also welcome.
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Should you find yourself in London for the landmark Dior exhibition at the V&A (see page 84), you’ll want to savour the experience over the Dior-inspired Prêt-àPortea at The Berkeley.
GOOD TASTE
March 8 is International Women’s Day, and one of Hong Kong’s leading female chefs is marking the occasion by supporting the local non-profit Women’s Foundation. Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room is offering a private cooking class and a cocktail-pairing dinner at The Old Man with proceeds going to charity.
Joining the Draft
Hong Kong bar maestro Antonio Lai has teamed up with his Taiwanese counterpart Angus Zou to bring Draft Land to our fine city. The cocktails-on-tap bar concept on Wyndham Street features more than 40 concoctions served on a rotating basis from 24 taps, all at affordable prices starting at HK$70.
THE STEAK HOUSE AT INTERCONTINENTAL HONG KONG IS TAKING ITS QUEST FOR THE WORLD’S BEST BEEF TO SWEET NEW HEIGHTS WITH CHOCOLATE-FED MAYURA WAGYU. UNTIL APRIL 30
NIGHT SHIFT
Thursdays just got a lot groovier thanks to the all-new jazz night at Frank’s Italian American. Veteran saxophonist and flautist Griffe Saunders leads a trio of world-class musicians from 10pm to 1am, while Frank’s chefs and bartenders serve up a latenight feast of savoury Italian comfort-food favourites and classic cocktails.
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AGENDA travel PUGLIAN PALAZZO
Where else in the world would you expect to find such faded magnificence than in the southern Italian region of Puglia? Opening at the beginning of April, Palazzo Daniele is an atmospheric gem that occupies a 150-yearold townhouse in the village of Gagliano del Capo, close to where the Adriatic becomes the Ionian Sea. Sleep on monastic beds in minimally furnished suites (there are nine) and soak up the art and the ambience.
QUEEN FOR A NIGHT Just because Cunard’s majestic Queen Elizabeth 2 no longer sails the seven seas, that’s no reason why you can’t still step aboard for a night or so and discover what once made it the world’s greatest ocean liner. Exactly how? By flying to Dubai, where the ship is now permanently tied up in the emirate’s maritime district and, following extensive restorations, is back in service as a luxurious floatel.
SPLENDID ISOLATION
Escape to a sleek, glass-walled forest hideaway at Six Senses Krabey Island. Occupying all 12 hectares of a tiny tree-covered speck off the coast of southern Cambodia, the resort comprises 40 pool villas, each sublimely appointed and perfectly private.
HOME COMFORTS
Is there anywhere in the world where Rosewood isn’t opening a new hotel? If you were about to to say “Hong Kong” you’d be wrong, because the ultra-luxury hospitality brand is bringing its Sense of Place philosophy — and Tony Chi-designed interiors — to its home city with the opening of the Rosewood Hong Kong on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront on March 17.
CATCH EPIC WAVES IN THE FAR BLUE YONDER WITH COMO MAALIFUSHI RESORT, WHOSE SURFPASS ADVENTURE PROGRAMME TAKES GUESTS BY BOAT TO THREE ATOLLS AND MORE THAN 20 ISOLATED SURF BREAKS AROUND THE MALDIVES
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AGENDA art
CAUSE CÉLÈBRE VIP Treatment
Acclaimed British designer Paul Cocksedge makes his Hong Kong debut this month with a unique installation to house Swire Properties’ VIP lounge at Art Basel. Spectrum, on the Level 1 Concourse, can also be viewed by the public.
Photographer Markus Klinko displays a collection of his famous images to benefit Hong Kong Adventist Hospital. 2000s: Bowie and Beyond runs concurrently at Alisan Fine Arts and the Landmark Mandarin Oriental. March 6-16
PAINT IT WHITE PERROTIN PRESENTS THE GLORIOUS, XU ZHEN’S SOLO EXHIBITION OF THREE SERIES OF HIS WORK. MARCH 25–MAY 11 52 PRESTIGE
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Auction house Bonhams is marking Art Month with the first-ever exhibition of works by Richard Lin in Hong Kong. A highlight is 1.3.1964 — Painting Relief (pictured), being unveiled in Asia for the first time before it goes up for sale on May 27. March 18-30
AGENDA auctions LESSER URY, ALLEE IM TIERGARTEN, BERLIN, c1920
March 5 Swann New York’s auction of the Ismar Littmann Family Collection of German Expressionism and European Avant-Garde includes this colour pastel study of a Berlin cityscape by the German arist Ury, which is estimated at US$30,000-$50,000.
ON OFFER AT SOTHEBY’S “TRAN-SCEND-ENT” WINES AUCTION IN HONG KONG ON MARCH 29-31 ARE MORE THAN 250 LOTS OF DOMAINE DE LA ROMANÉECONTI, ESTIMATED AT A TOTAL OF HK$41 MILLION
Damien Hirst, The Incomplete Truth, 2006
March 14 Part of the art collection of the late British singer George Michael, which is offered for sale by Christie’s in London, this work by Hirst combines glass, painted aluminium, silicone, acrylic, stainless steel, dove and formaldehyde solution and is one of an edition of three. It’s estimated at £1-£1.5 million.
1937 BUGATTI 57SC TOURER March 8-9 RM Sotheby’s continues its busy programme of classic automobile auctions with two days at Amelia Island, Florida. Here the undoubted star is this beautiful 1937 Bugatti 57SC Tourer, one of only eight Type 57s with bodywork by the London-based company Corsica. With its original chassis, engine, gearbox and bodywork, this rare and stunning example is estimated at US$6-$7.5 million.
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AGENDA toys JUBILEE JAMBOREE
Italy’s Azimut Yachts is marking its 50th anniversary this year with five events around the world — including one in Hong Kong in November. It also recently unveiled three entirely new vessels, among which we’re especially impressed by this Fly 76, designed to strike a perfect balance between sleek lines and optimised interior space.
Art of Noise
Long-established French sound specialist La Boite Concept has paired with Hong Kong’s Native Union to create the compact and state-of-the-art PR/01 wireless home speaker, which offers superb sound, advanced connectivity, and beautiful design and construction.
BOSS BENTLEY
HEAD FOR THE HILLS ABOARD CANYON’S CF SLX 8.0 DI2, A RUGGED YET ULTRA-LIGHT CARBON-FRAME GRAVEL BIKE THAT KNOWS NO LIMITS
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Desperate to disappear over the horizon in the world’s fastest SUV? Then Bentley has just the wheels for you. Faster even than a Lamborghini Urus (which is, in fact, a close relative) but almost as ridiculously luxurious as a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the recently announced Bentayga Speed uses a 626bhp W12 engine to reach its 306km/h maximum, can sprint like a supercar from a standstill to 100 in just 3.9 seconds and, with 900Nm of twist, has sufficient torque to pull down a house. Do say: “Home, James, and don’t spare the horses.” Don’t say: “Er, what’s the fuel consumption like?”
VIP SUSANNA AND GENE SOO
SEVER MICAN WITH JASMINE AND ROBERT SMITH
FANG FANG X LIFESTYLE
FANGS FOR THE MEMORIES What? Celebrating the publication of Prestige’s Lifestyle annual, we gathered a few friends, along with the newlywed couple we featured on the cover and all those involved in its publication, for a cocktail party at Fang Fang. Drinks on the house: With an open bar, finger food, wine and some exquisite sake, it wasn’t difficult to round up the cast of people you see on these pages. Although light and deceptively gentle, the sake quickly proved lethal to those who partook and the dancing by the DJ booth – well, you won’t find much evidence in the pictures here but if you search @prestigehk on Instagram, be prepared for some serious calisthenics! Young love: Just days after their epic wedding, we were thrilled that Jessica Jann and Kenneth King spared an hour or so to help launch our special issue. Exhausted after all the family time and festivities, Jann confessed that she still hadn’t recovered from everything surrounding the nuptials – and as work kept them grounded, their honeymoon was still pending. When we produced a tabloid featuring the couple, Jann blushed incandescently as we read out the title: “A King Meets his Queen”. For more images, log on to prestigeonline.com and check out the galleries at our Prestige Hong Kong Facebook page
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NEELAM DASWANI
DERVLA LOULI MUSGRAVE MICHAEL GRAHAM
MEGUMI SEKINE SIMONE FERRETTI FLORENT THIEBAUT, IRI BARSIK AND LEO MENDEZ
NATASHA MOOR
JEREMY WONG AND SIMONE FERRETTI
FRANCISCO RICAFORT DANIELLA CHUA, SPENCER KING, KENNETH KING AND JESSICA JANN
GARY KWOK
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VIP DARREN CRISS IN EMPORIO ARMANI
MARGOT ROBBIE IN CHANEL
LUPITA NYONGO IN VERA WANG WITH SANDALS BY ROGER VIVIER GEMMA CHAN IN OSCAR DE LA RENTA AND HARRY WINSTON
YARA SHAHIDI IN FENDI COUTURE AND CARTIER
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LADY GAGA IN DIOR HAUTE COUTURE AND TIFFANY & CO.
HARRY SHUM JR IN GIORGIO ARMANI
SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS
CELESTIAL BODIES
EMMA STONE IN LOUIS VUITTON EMILY BLUNT IN MICHAEL KORS AND FOREVERMARK DIAMONDS
What? The 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards was held at the end of January in Los Angeles and a firmament of stars preened for the cameras as they strutted into the Shrine Auditorium. Every celeb worth his/her grit doubled as a model for the biggest brands, showcasing the latest collections in all their Hollywood finery. Fashion yays: Gemma Chan continued her red-carpet reign with yet another faultless look and polished perfection in an Oscar de la Renta gown, Harry Winston jewels and Christian Louboutin heels – according to many fashion insiders, it was a toss between her and Margot Robbie, in Chanel, for the best-dressed accolade. Among a sea of glittering gowns, Louis Vuitton ambassador Emma Stone braved the flashbulbs in the brand’s embellished blouse and pants, looking gorgeous and comfortable (a rarity on the red carpet). Finally, we doff our hats to 81-year-old Jane Fonda, who continues to defy age and expectation by looking phenomenal in Maison Valentino. When asked what she thinks when she looks in the mirror, Fonda quipped, “Money well spent!” Fashion nays: While we fawned over the ladies we yawned at the men dressed, predictably, in tuxedos. Now, while we aren’t the type to nitpick anybody’s rig – and usually prefer the sin of omission to ranting about the sartorial selects of overpaid stylists – we couldn’t help but pause at … well, Natalie Portman in a rather large bib, comedienne Busy Philipps in a busy print, Michelle Williams in metallic stripes and Janelle Monae in a tea cosy. Well, there’s always the Oscars to fix the designer damage. Watch this space in our next issue! JANE FONDA IN MAISON VALENTINO
CONSTANCE WU IN OSCAR DE LA RENTA AND HARRY WINSTON
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HULABALOO OUTFIT DIOR OPPOSITE PAGE OUTFIT HERMÈS
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BEIGE AND BROWN, STRIKING SILHOUETTES AND THE ENDURING POWER OF PRINTS ARE THE STARS OF OUR SPRING/ SUMMER SELECTION PHOTOGRAPHY JOEL LOW | FASHION DIRECTION JOHNNY KHOO | FASHION STYLING JACQUIE ANG | HAIR & MAKE-UP RICK YANG USING REVLON PROFESSIONAL & CHANEL BEAUTY | PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ALFIE PAN | FASHION ASSISTANT JESSICA KHOR | GROOMING ASSISTANT RACHEL TAN | MODELS STACY KOREN AT LOOQUE AND RACHEL FLETT AT MANNEQUIN
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TOP AND SKIRT VERSACE SHOES JIMMY CHOO
OUTFIT AND ACCESSORIES GIVENCHY
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DRESS VALENTINO
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OUTFIT AND ACCESSORIES GUCCI
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SHIRT AND TROUSERS MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION SHOES MANOLO BLAHNIK
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DRESS FENDI SHOES JIMMY CHOO
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OUTFIT MAX MARA
OUTFIT AND ACCESSORIES COACH 1941
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OUTFIT AND ACCESSORIES CHANEL
OUTFIT LONGCHAMP
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OUTFIT CELINE BY HEDI SLIMANE
OUTFIT DSQUARED2
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THIS PAGE VALENTINO OPPOSITE PAGE DIOR
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IT’S HARD TO SAY WHO’S THE BETTER TURNED OUT — OUR SUMPTUOUSLY ATTIRED COUTURE MODEL OR HER IMPECCABLY COIFFED CANINES
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RALPH & RUSSO
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CHANEL
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GIORGIO ARMANI PRIVÉ
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GIVENCHY
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ZUHAIR MURAD
PHOTOGRAPHY MIKE RUIZ AT MIKERUIZ.COM STYLING KRISTINE KILTY | HAIR STEPHANE DELAHAYE | MAKE-UP WALTER DENECHERE PRODUCTION PAULINE GOUABLIN | FASHION ASSISTANTS DANIELA ELIZARRARAS AND ALYX KLEINSTEIBER | MODEL SOFIA RESING AT NEW VERSION MODELS
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HOUSE OF STYLE CHRISTIAN DIOR’s New Look took a shell-shocked Europe by storm after World War II. Seven decades on, the designer’s indelible legacy is celebrated at London’s Victoria & Albert. MELISSA TWIGG reports 84 PRESTIGE
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n a freezing Wednesday morning in February 1947, a line of immaculately dressed women huddled in their thick furs outside Dior’s Avenue Montaigne boutique in Paris. Inside, one of the greatest couturiers of the 20th century was putting the final touches to his new collection, refusing to open the doors to the aristocrats and actresses shivering outside until every last detail was perfect. More than 70 years later, a similar queue formed outside the Victoria & Albert Museum on an equally bone-chilling day in London. Only this time, it was made up of couture lovers hoping to see the fruits of the
groundbreaking 1947 collection in the exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams. Oriole Cullen, fashion and textiles curator at the V&A, traces both Dior’s work and his enduring legacy in this delicious visual story made up of 200 pieces of haute-couture clothing, which are exhibited alongside shoes, handbags, perfume, illustrations, make-up and magazines. It’s the museum’s largest fashion exhibition since the epic Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, which was visited by 493,043 people during its 21-week run in 2015. A single mannequin opens the show in the Sainsbury Gallery of the
museum’s new Exhibition Road Quarter, dressed in a two-piece suit that defines both the joyful femininity of the post-war period and Dior himself. The Bar suit was deemed wasteful and extravagant in an era of rationing, but women flocked to this “New Look” for its opulent swathes of fabric and nipped-in waist, which suggested a future filled with glamour and sex. It sits sultrily under a facade modelled on Dior’s first store at 30 Avenue Montaigne, through which you walk to find a replica of Blenheim Palace containing an off-the-shoulder sequin, pearl and raffia gown made for Princess Margaret’s 21st birthday.
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“We wanted to explore the notions of dreams and aspirations,” says Cullen over coffee in The Lanesborough hotel. “Princess Margaret was a dream-like figure in the 1950s. We think of celebrity culture as being a contemporary thing, but the press and the public were obsessed with her – she was young and beautiful and glamorous, and represented a future after the war. She embodied the concept of dreaming and transporting us far away, and this Dior dress, with its colours and effects, was designed to heighten that sensation.” This ethereal exhibition is a reimagining of last year’s critically acclaimed show at Paris’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which documented Dior’s 70 years of fairy-tale-like appeal. But this being London, Cullen has also dedicated a significant part of the show to the designer’s love for Britain. And at a time when the country is grappling with its relationship to Europe, there’s something particularly joyful about the delight this quintessential Parisian took in England. “There is no other country in the world, beside my own, whose way of life I like so much,” Dior swooned in his memoir. A self-described royalist, he was enamoured with the stately homes of England, the two princesses and their aristocratic friends. Nancy Mitford, after trying on his New Look suits, wrote in her diary, “My life has been made a desert of gloom by a collection which at one stroke renders all one’s clothes unwearable.” Dior’s love of post-war England roots the entire exhibition. “It’s a fascinating history,” Cullen says. “He was a real Anglophile and had a wonderfully romantic notion of Britain. He loved English women in tweeds and ball gowns, and had a series of shows all over the country in different grand houses. It was the opposite of the glamorous sophistication of Paris – the British thing is more about a charming elegance.” Dior today is so much more than Christian, and the exhibition is careful to celebrate the work of the six creative directors who have been at the helm since Dior’s death in 1957. From his then 21-year-old assistant-turned-successor, Yves Saint Laurent, to Maria Grazia Chiuri today, each designer’s work is displayed with equal weighting. One of the most visually sumptuous displays belongs to the travels room – an ornate chamber dedicated to the countries the house has been inspired by, including China, Japan, India and Egypt. Through this exhibition, Cullen hopes to appeal to a global audience. “The Paris show had such a big impact around the world,” she says. “With the kind of international audience we get here in London that should be repeated. Yes, it’s partly about Dior in Britain, but the ethos is also about looking outwards.” For unbridled prettiness, the garden room reigns supreme. Bathed in light, where many of the other displays are dark, it shows a series of floral dresses in ever-more edible colours sitting under a ceiling of pale mauve paper petals. A beautiful array of gowns in an ethereal setting such as this one illustrates to what extent couture truly is an art form.
And these hand-stitched pieces of wearable beauty feel like a muchneeded antidote to the cheap highs of fast fashion outside. “It’s so wonderful to see these dresses up close,” says Cullen. “There are so many details that you can’t always get from a photograph – like those super-light layers of tulle. There’s almost nothing to them, as if you could blow them away. People yearn for something like this in the modern world. I think, by showing haute couture, it allows us to reflect on the value of clothing and the idea of sustainability. We need to look at these amazing things that make you dream.” From the airy light of the sumptuous garden room, we move to the Designers for Dior display, which meticulously shows how each of the brand’s six creative directors shaped the maison. “What I loved most about this exhibition was seeing the moments of great change every time a new designer came in,” says Cullen. “Each was very reflective of the times they were working in. “Marc Bowan is often overlooked but he had some truly beautiful pieces and brought the house through a difficult period in the 1960s, when ready-to-wear began,” she continues. “Galliano is an example of how imagination and creativity come together in an excessive explosion of fashion I don’t think we will see again. Raf [Simons] is so of his time, so relevant and so modern, and now Maria Grazia is very connected with what is going on culturally.” I’m lucky enough to visit the exhibition during the press preview and Chiuri – Dior’s first female creative director – is there, dressed entirely in black and laughing uproariously with the journalists from Milan, making me wish I’d paid a little more attention in Italian class at school. Unlike during the Paris exhibition last year, Chiuri now has a strong body of work for Dior, and her thoughtful, beautifully made pieces are an important addition. From there, we move through to the arresting ateliers room – stark surgical white, showing the tireless nature of handcrafted work – to a kaleidoscopic display of make-up, perfume, illustrations and shoes. Part of the wow factor of this exhibition must go to the immersive sets designed by Nathalie Crinière, particularly the pure fantasy walk the exhibition ends on. This ballroom evokes the lavish interiors of the great houses of Britain and shows off the skill needed to create these fairy-tale-like gowns. On my way out of the museum, I wander past haughty stone statues, expensive Dutch vases and rows of bored schoolchildren, and realise that not even these priceless objets d’art can hold a candle to the unabashed celebration of Christian Dior I’ve just witnessed. But then again, very little beats the joie de vivre of haute couture at its most opulent.
These hand-stitched pieces of wearable beauty feel like a much-needed antidote to the cheap highs of fast fashion
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EXHIBITS FROM CHRISTIAN DIOR: DESIGNER OF DREAMS, AT THE V&A IN LONDON
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LOOK FROM FENG CHEN WANG AUTUMN/WINTER 2018 SHOW
INDEPENDENT STREAK Designer KEVIN GERMANIER talks to zaneta cheng about the creative potential in dead stock materials, and how Matchesfashion.com’s The Innovators programme enabled him to unsettle a wasteful industry in need of change
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ucking the heritage trend of recent seasons, 2019 is the year of self-disruption, says McKinsey’s The State of Fashion 2019 survey. Much of this is propelled by the preference of younger consumers for new and ever more original digital and social-media presentations. One step ahead of the game, Matchesfashion.com launched its incubation programme, The Innovators, in 2017 and has since selected a handful of young talent each season to be nurtured and sold exclusively on the site. Among these designers is Swiss-born Kevin Germanier, whose exquisitely glamorous garments have set a new bar for sustainable fashion – challenging the notion that beautiful clothes made quickly cannot be good for the environment. “I really wanted to innovate,” Germanier says when asked about his beaded tailored collections. “When I was a student, I really liked embroidery but felt that it would sometimes look a bit dated, so I wanted to innovate and modernise that process.” What he came up with was a way to secure beading on to a garment using a silicone base that speeds up production time. The entire process is also one of upcycling, whereby Germanier obtains the material for his garments from various sources – including dead stock and flawed factory discards – so each piece is created in a limited run of roughly six, all handmade. Because of this, the industry has quickly latched on to the term “fast couture” to describe Germanier’s aesthetic, but the designer himself thinks differently. “That’s a made-up phrase that I think I coined,” he says. “I don’t have the impression that what I’m doing is couture, but I feel like nowadays people want the shine, and they want things straight away. They want the glamorous dress, which I want to give them but don’t have the time, because couture dresses take such a long, long time. It’s all made by hand.” Germanier’s method involves cooking up a soupy silicone adhesive mixed with white vinegar that he uses to attach the beads directly on to the jacket. “I wanted to see results very quickly,” he says. “I did a lot of trials with glue and stuff like that – but when you glue, the fabric gets
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BEADED, TAILORED AND UPCYCLED ITEMS FROM THE SPRING/SUMMER 2019 COLLECTION OF KEVIN GERMANIER, WHO SAYS,“I REALLY WANTED TO INNOVATE”
thick – it’s not thin and it doesn’t look nice on the body. You don’t want to buy something that has glue in it. So I thought, ‘How can I innovate this?’ – which is how I made my first sample with silicone. It really started from there and I reached the best point when I did my final graduate collection. The technique then was finally on point. So it was a year and a half of science in a way – but science sounds a bit pretentious so I just say cooking – it’s cuter!” The result of this invention is Germanier’s ability to make a fully beaded dress in under 48 hours. In his pieces, as he puts it, “you get nice embroidery, but you also have a kind of alien look because there’s the silicone as well. This way, we have the couture-looking dress, but we have a very fast and innovative technique – I would say, ‘innovation couture’.” Germanier’s ideal woman reflects this ethos. “She will live in the future,” Germanier declares. “She’s already giving a solution to the problem while still being feminine and sexy. My aesthetic is highly inspired by video games and technology. I love everything digital. I want colours, I want fun, I want shininess and to get back to the time when fashion used to make me dream.” Although he’s a firm believer in sustainable fashion and the practices surrounding this, Germanier is wary of being classed as an “upcycler”. For him it’s less about sustainability and more about creative invention in the face of limitation. “When I moved from Switzerland to London to go to Central Saint Martins, I didn’t have a lot of money,” he says. “Every time I have an interview they ask me if I believe in sustainability and if that’s why I bought the beads. I’d just like to say that I’m not
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following a trend, I’m not becoming an ‘upcycler’. It’s just my process. It’s how I work and how I work best. “I’m limited – and limitations make me find solutions and be more creative. It’s really my working process and it’s a genuine approach. When I was working at Louis Vuitton, I had the best time and learned everything there. I never said I wanted to have my own brand, but this just organically happened and it was like, ‘I guess I’m doing this now.’ I didn’t expect it and it started mainly because of Matchesfashion. They bought the whole collection.” Rewind a few years, and overnight success such as Germanier’s would have been difficult and rare – few independent and emerging brands have the longevity to overcome expensive production costs, and few creative talents have the business acumen to see them past their 15 minutes of fame. Thanks to the sophisticated infrastructure provided by incubation programmes such as Matchesfashion’s The Innovators, however, brands like Germanier have been catapulted to wide recognition.
“I’m limited – and limitations make me find solutions and be more creative” “When I did my first presentation in February 2018, one of the very first people who came to see it was Natalie [Kingham, head buyer] from Matches,” Germanier recalls. “She made a phone call and after that she told my PR that she was buying the whole collection. It was just very unexpected, you know? I’m super grateful. She’s super forward-thinking and super involved in all that’s new. “I don’t think there are a lot of retailers doing what Matches is doing – promoting sustainability in this way. It’s a huge risk, because people are used to buying, say, an Alexander McQueen tuxedo. But you also now have these new young designers who care about sustainability, who create sustainable garments.” What The Innovators was able to give Germanier was not only access to big data on the Matches customer, which ultimately informed a small part of the design decisions, but also the process of bringing a collection to the consumer starting from production. But does the process detract from creativity? Not according to Germanier. “You can still be creative while creating commercial clothes,” he says. “You don’t have to compromise. You just have to be smart about your creative choices. The whole team at Matches, the buyers and everyone are super open-minded, so it was really that we had a
discussion. That’s why the collection was so successful, because they know their clients. “If I said, ‘OK, why don’t we make this blue?’ they might say, ‘Well, blue doesn’t really sell that well, why don’t we make it red?’ It was really a discussion, and we built this collection together. I’d like to think that it really was teamwork and not just me coming in with my drawings and being like, ‘Here it is, it’s going to be like this.’ It wasn’t like that at all. It was super nice conversations between my team and their teams. I feel honoured. It’s cheesy, but I’m honoured.” Despite playing a key role among his sustainability-led peers, Germanier knows that disruption can only go so far without the mainstream adoption of the core tenets of sustainability. “I’m not saying everyone is going to go vintage shopping and start reusing,” he says, “but I think it’s a genuine way of thinking. It’s just becoming so evident that we’ve reached a point where we can’t say no to sustainability any more. We’re living in such a fucked-up time, if you know what I mean. “I do hope Dior will hire me as creative director and I can change it from within. I think what will make a huge difference is that if one of those living, luxurious French houses takes the lead on sustainability. Maybe they’re waiting for me.”
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SEL ECT
WORKS OF ART
Loewe’s SS19 accessories collection pairs summery textures with the brand’s signature craftsmanship
The accessories collection, meanwhile, pays
FOR JONATHAN ANDERSON – creative director of Loewe – fashion, art and craft are one and the
tribute to Joe Hogan’s woven baskets with its
same. His women’s spring/summer 2019 show at
extensive use of raffia, fringe and weaving.
the historic Maison de l’Unesco building in Paris
The Palm basket with hand-woven multi-
featured a series of restored mid-century rooms
coloured leather stripes or crystal detailing is a
showcasing a variety of experiences that blended
highlight of the range, while the Bunny, Gate and Mini Gate in raffia are perfect for summer
the three media. Guests walked through a blur of spinning
The collection Anderson presented was equally
evenings by the beach.
car-wash brushes by Lara Favaretto into a space
striking, a rich blend of textures and silhouettes in
Other standouts of the season include the
displaying rustic woven baskets by Loewe Craft
an inky colour palette. Materials range from cotton
Balloon, a new bucket bag with an architecturally
Prize finalist Joe Hogan before venturing into rooms
muslin and exotic leathers to topstitched gabardine
inspired design and striking asymmetric handle.
filled with record players cradling ceramics by Ryoji
and ostrich feathers while voluminous shapes and
Koie and overrun with floating soap bubbles.
asymmetric details provide added drama.
loewe.com
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IN FULL BLOOM
From dreamy vision to luminescent reality, designer Diana Zhang’s jewellery creates a dazzling gemmological flora like you’ve never seen DIANA ZHANG presents her jewellery in a manner
concurrently, over a period of eight months, cutting
akin to great artists and great art: with studied and
the Mozambi unheated rubies into 3,805 tiny
exquisite care as she showcases her floral motif for
gemstones to follow her drawings and complex
2019. Famed for being the first Chinese female
design. It then took another year in production to
jewellery designer to showcase at the Biennale des
create the perfection and polish she demanded for
Antiquaires in Paris, Zhang gives each of her
the piece before revealing it to the world.
gorgeous, distinctive creations a name – indeed a
It’s inspired by the Song Dynasty poem The
title – to mark their significance. Bringing out her
Lakeside Temple at Dawn by Yang Wanli – and the
latest creation from a velvet box, a dazzling
words that caught her eye were: Green lotus leaves
signature piece unearthed from the deep recesses
outspread as far as the boundless sky, while red
of her fiercely guarded locker, she announces, “This
lotus blossoms from sunshine take a new dye.
is Red Lotus Under the Sun.” It shimmers from every angle, the rich red, the
To complement the rich red rubies, Zhang hand-picked seven cushion- and oval-cut diamonds
sheer weight of it, the number of precious stones
as a base, then added 2,569 smaller excellent
– as with many of Zhang’s creations, seeing is
diamonds to hold together the entire creation,
believing. Zhang took three painstaking
using a light yet hard titanium-and-gold setting. This
years to finish the piece – the first two years
extravagantly bejewelled piece is available now.
carefully to select 100 of the finest oval-cut Burmese unheated pigeon-blood rubies, while
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NAKED TRUTHS
Everyone wants make-up that looks like they’re wearing nothing at all. tama lung discovers the new foundations that manage to do just that
R
emember when foundation came in the form of a cake, in colours so far from reality that most women walked around with a telltale line dividing their face from their neck? Well, thank goodness those days are long gone. Not only have colours and delivery systems advanced by leaps and bounds, but foundation can now nourish, protect and improve your skin even when you’re not wearing it. This season sees the launch of a host of new base make-up products that promise to do all that, and then some. Several brands known for their expertise in skincare have introduced foundations with added benefits ranging from UV protection to oil control. La Prairie’s latest release is its first to be infused with the brand’s Caviar Water to improve the skin’s hydration, elasticity and tone. Clarins, meanwhile, has included plant extracts for radiance and hydration along with its antipollution complex in the new Skin Illusion serum formula. These and many of the newest releases target another common concern: staying power, particularly in the harsh conditions we Hong Kong women – and men, ahem – often face. Hourglass has created a second-skin liquid foundation that’s said to be waterproof, sweat-proof, fade-proof and transfer-proof – all for a good 24 hours. Likewise, Shu Uemura’s Unlimited is designed to move with the skin while a film and oil absorbers hold the foundation in place amid even the most humid conditions. But it’s all for naught if you can’t find the right shade. The make-up gurus have thought of that too, whether it’s Guerlain’s unique undertone-matching system or Dior’s 67-strong colour family in matt and glow finishes. Indeed, it’s never been easier to find a foundation that actually looks nothing like foundation.
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CHANEL Guys want to look good too, so the fine folks at Chanel created its first make-up line for men. Le Teint Foundation, a lip balm and an eyebrow pencil are the first products in the collection.
LA PRAIRIE Famous for its high-tech, high-performance skincare, La Prairie introduces the first compact foundation infused with Caviar Water. Skin Caviar Essence-inFoundation also features soft-focus pigments for a natural-looking finish.
HOURGLASS Thanks to a highly concentrated formula and innovative coated pigments, Vanish Seamless Finish Liquid Foundation goes on like a second skin and stays there all day and night.
DIOR Available in Matte and Skin Glow textures, Dior Forever is designed to offer nothing less than complexion perfection. It comes in 67 shades, all with 24-hour wear and skincare ingredients.
SHU UEMURA Brand-new for March, Unlimited Breathable Lasting Foundation has a unique stretchable texture that blends and moves with the skin while staying fresh all day.
GUERLAIN Formulated with 97 percent natural-origin ingredients, L’Essentiel reinvents make-up and skincare. It not only offers smooth coverage but also enhances skin with each use.
NARS The complexion experts are at it again, with the new medium-to-high-coverage Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation. Its patented Serum Base Formula has skincare benefits too.
CLARINS The new Skin Illusion combines the lightweight texture of a serum with 24-hour hydration and protection from UV rays, pollution and free radicals. Available in nine shades well suited to Asian skin.
CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ Natural skin gets an infusion of radiance with the new Crème Éclat Radiant Cream to Powder Foundation. The long-wearing formula provides a matt finish with oil-absorbing powder.
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PAT MCGRATH’S ‘60S-INSPIRED LOOK FOR PRADA
READY FOR
TAKE-OFF
The spring/summer runways offer plenty of real-life make-up inspiration. Industry insiders NEWBY HANDS and LUCIA PICA break down the season’s best looks and share tips on how to achieve them at home. TAMA LUNG reports
A
s global beauty director of luxury retailer Net-A-Porter, Newby Hands has her finger on the pulse of the hottest fashion trends as well as the latest skincare and make-up that women are adding to their carts. While “clean beauty” remains the category du jour – “sales have grown by more than 400 percent” since Net-A-Porter launched it at the end of 2017 – it’s the looks dreamed up by make-up artists for the season’s fashion shows that continue to define the lipsticks, eye shadows and other colour cosmetics we just have to have. “For the SS19 runways, I love McGrath’s look for Prada with ’60s feathered lashes and nude lips,” Hands says, referring to the influential make-up artist Pat McGrath whom top designers often entrust to bring their collections fully to life. “I also love the stunning winged look for the Versace runway. She used a metallic teal shade to create geometric wings, and kept the skin and lips simple to highlight the make-up of the eyes.” Indeed, dramatic textures and colours were popular themes of the season: space-age silver eye shadows at Missoni, Swarovski-studded lash lines at Valentino, graphic swoops of eyeliner at Rochas and Marni, and spiky lashes paired with neon-bright lips at Chanel. “Chanel’s girls always look strong and beautiful at the same time,” says global creative make-up and colour
SILKY SKIN REIGNS AT GIORGIO ARMANI
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FROM LEFT: A PEACHY GLOW AT FENDI; WINGED EYELINER AT VERSACE. OPPOSITE PAGE: LUCIA PICA WORKS HER MAGIC BACKSTAGE AT CHANEL
designer Lucia Pica of the make-up she created for the Chanel spring/summer ready-to-wear show. “In this collection you have a lot of inspiration in terms of textures and colours.” Pica even took the idea for the bold lip hue – Rouge Allure Velvet Nº72 Infrarose – from one of the bags in the collection while creating a “glowy and sexy but still perfectly sophisticated” overall look to pair with the show’s beachthemed setting. Glowy and sexy seemed to be the order of the day when it came to the models’ complexions. “This season, facialist skin has returned: a truly glowing, natural look,” says Hands, who recommends a long-wearing formula such as Hourglass’s Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation. “Concealer is also essential for extra coverage and wear. My top tip is to finish your base and concealer by using a kabuki brush to lightly buff all over the face. This gives make-up that seamless and natural finish, making it look like perfect skin as opposed to perfect make-up.” Pica achieved the Chanel look with the brand’s new
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Baume Essentiel highlighting balm in Sculpting and Transparent for a glossy finish, with just a bit of pink blush on the apples of the cheeks. She also blended the longwearing concealer Le Correcteur de Chanel around the edges for a smooth, even complexion. Lip colours this season ran the gamut from minimalist nudes at Dior and Stella McCartney to shimmering pink at Giorgio Armani and rose-tinted foil at Jeremy Scott. For Chanel, Pica layered the Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick with loose powder to get the bright, matt effect she wanted. “Red will always be a classic,” Hands says when it comes to the dizzying array of lipstick choices this season. “It’s a
“I’m obsessed with the new shine-free skin texture – it just looks so elegant”
LIVING COLOUR
TURN RUNWAY LOOKS INTO REALITY WITH OUR PICKS FROM THE SPRING/ SUMMER MAKE-UP COLLECTIONS
— Newby Hands
timeless colour that makes a woman feel confident and powerful. Saying that, I would agree that many of our beauty customers who were initially buying red are certainly now venturing out and purchasing products in a variety of shades, with pink included. “Nude pinks in particular are great options for women seeking a natural feminine look, and what’s great is you can wear them at any event, whether it’s during the daytime or in the evening,” she adds. Such versatility is key when it comes to translating the make-up seen on the runways to something women can wear every day. “I always love the Tom Ford look, as it’s invariably one that translates so effortlessly into real life,” Hands says of the ever-elegant American brand that this season featured smokey eyes in shades of brown and barely there lips. “Also, I’m obsessed with the new shine- and glossfree skin texture – it just looks so elegant and polished.” And if she could create her dream kit for the spring/ summer season? “My perfect palette would have a skin base that gives this season’s velvety skin finish: not shiny, not matt. Plus, the new peachy toned nudes for eyes and cheeks and lip – they’re so flattering to most skin tones,” Hands says. “Then to finish, a black mascara and the perfect matt red lip.”
GUERLAIN MÉTÉORITES HIGHLIGHTER DUO
RODIN OLIO LUSSO LUXURY KABUKI BRUSH
YVES SAINT LAURENT ROUGE VOLUPTE SHINE
TATCHA THE DEWY SKIN CREAM
CHARLOTTE TILBURY LIP CHEAT
YVES SAINT LAURENT SHIMMER RUSH ALL-OVER PALETTE
CHARLOTTE TILBURY LEGENDARY LASHES VOLUME 2
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ABSENCE OF GRAVITY GERMAN PAINTER NEO RAUCH TALKS TO PENNY RAFFERTY ABOUT HIS TIME AS AN ARTIST BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN, HOW PAINTINGS EMERGE FROM INTERNAL PANDEMONIUM, AND WHY REAL ART MUST UNHINGE THE MIND
PHOTOGRAPHY UWE WALTER
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NEO RAUCH’S CANVASES ARE
dense panopticons, the figures he paints trapped in their own story, frozen in time among other lost souls condemned to the same fate. The stories the paintings tell are just as easily interpreted as misinterpreted: twisting roads that lead to haunted houses or burning furnaces, oversized beetles performing for or preying on their human companions, and often a sternlooking woman chastising an exhausted man hiding behind a canvas or hunched over a table with his head in hands. “They come from my mind, my soul and therefore must be of me, but they are also not me,” their creator says, when we meet at his studio on the top floor of an old cotton mill in Leipzig, Germany. The 58-year-old Leipzig native goes on to describe how the pieces flow out of him, at times summoned through excursions or trips, such as a visit to Crete, and other times bubbling up from his childhood or seemingly thin air. “I approach the canvas like a white haze. I spend hours, days, weeks meditating into that fog until the images start to surface in front of my eyes,” he says. “I often paint a figure over and over again, the shoulder or arms or head all need to be of a very specific weight and proportion before they are finished and sit perfectly in the frame – one figure could send the whole cosmos another way.” Rauch says a “quick” painting could take around a year but it’s never as linear as that. And his studio definitely attests to the fact. The space is filled with canvases, some on easels, others stacked against walls, table legs, chairs. In fact, every available surface seems to be supporting a frame. There are also books, CDs, bottles of wine and whisky, and even a beautiful array of house plants. It’s every bit the studio you’d imagine, down to the thick crust of oil paint
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coating it all. The only rather uncanny fixture is a little pug, who dominates the space in a loveable way that reveals a hint of Rauch’s sweeter side. When asked to explain his process, Rauch says, “In general my work bundles all the images, reflections and information into one stream of consciousness. I then occupy that particular point of internal and external influences, and react to that. I paint from that starting point always. That’s the moment when the image finds me. “I’m a rather chaotic person and so the canvas tames my mind. My images reflect on narratives that I find inside me. They are somehow inconsistent and hence painting them gives them a form that holds a certain plausibility; saying that, they do keep me awake at night. They are a waking dream. I do see one consistent trope in my expression and that is that the form has to be legitimate and has to tame the pandemonium that is my internal landscape.” The air in the studio is heavy with turpentine and oil. It’s a smell that reminds me of lilies, I tell Rauch. He smiles and says, “Every studio has its own scent.” We talk briefly about lilies being symbolic of the moon, a space of light and death, and this leads to talk of his formative years and how he began to paint. Rauch’s life has been as tumultuous as his paintings – skewed awkward reveries that would haunt anyone, well, forever. At birth he was christened Neo, an ancient Greek prefix meaning “new” or “revived”. It was just four weeks later when he lost his mother and father in a train accident, and a year after that when the wall was built that would divide Berlin for almost three decades. Rauch, who recalls despising the wall, grew up in East Germany under strict Socialist order where art was seen as
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“ART IS ABOUT LEAVING THE AIRTIGHT CONCRETE SURFACES AND ENTERING THE MARSH DISTRICTS, THE PERIPHERAL AREAS” political. It had to fall under the doctrine of Socialist Realism, a genre that dealt with proletariat depictions that were often easy to grasp conceptually in order to be accepted by the dominating powers. There were, however, certain younger artists like Rauch who didn’t aspire to such norms and would hold bootleg shows in living rooms and other private spaces. When I ask him if his own history and story influenced his paintings, he answers while slowly turning the pages of a book of his works from the early ’90s – sullen dark blurs of abstract shapes and rough lines entitled Dromos or Gesang. “We all, in the first years of our lives, unconsciously absorb and memorise certain things, without reflecting on them or sorting through them in an intellectual or logical manner,” he says. “These memories, this material is getting stored in subterraneous archives, it is unconsidered and unsorted. It might reappear and emerge much later or it may not, but it’s always there. “For example, if you’re a painter, it’s likely you archive colours and shapes. You can see that certainly inside me. I have a lot of stored aesthetics (in my mind) from the early ’60s. The way I accessed this was much more intense, say, 20 years ago,” he continues. “Today I’m not that focused on
infantile perception – or should I say I’m not really pulling from that memory bank. But these early childhood experiences definitely have been a great source of inspiration for me once I found my real artistic/painterly identity around 1993. “This was when I finished the first period of self-reflection. Until that point, I was going down all different routes, trying to find my own language. I had idols and role models, but I was mostly wandering around in foreign territory, disconnected from my peculiar and authentic self.” Rauch and his peers fell into a genre that was dubbed the New Leipzig School, a somewhat controversial term for a group of artists who emerged in post-reunification Germany in the 1990s and was championed by the likes of Eigen art gallery, curator Christian Ehrentraut and dealer Gerd Harry Lybke. The self-described “very angry young man”, who studied at the famous Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig, found painting to be an outlet for his penchant for rebellion and irony, and railing against the Concrete Art movement that had declared the medium dead. “I’ve found it’s about creating openings on the canvas that allow the human mind to sink into them,” he says. “Art is about leaving the airtight concrete surfaces and entering the marsh districts, the peripheral areas, the zone of transition where language fails, where I as the painter have to trust my instincts and my perception. “That’s how I find my place in the production of art. That’s the domain of art. If I find I can explain everything rationally, it’s not art. It remains only an airtight surface under some neon lights framed in the studio or gallery or seminar room or in the latest Documenta.” When I visit, Rauch is preparing for Propaganda, a solo exhibition at David Zwirner’s Hong Kong gallery that opens on March 26 in conjunction with Art Basel. His debut solo exhibition in Asia features 15 new paintings and is accompanied by a new catalogue with a short story by novelist and playwright Daniel Kehlmann. A tiny mock-up of the space sits in the corner of the
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room. “Would you like to see the show?” he says, laughing. The canvases overwhelm even the model of the gallery, squeezed on to its tiny walls. As I look down into the rooms, I feel as if I could walk straight into his paintings. The familiar figures Rauch depicts are there, all hegemonic in a European aesthetical sense. They mostly conform to traditional gender norms and roles, yet in these new paintings they’re dressed as clowns, magicians, animal tamers or jesters doting more on the mystical. There’s something morbid about the figures, almost like the walking dead. I once heard someone refer to them as “sleep walkers”, but this description seems somehow too comfortable. They’re frozen and cast into their roles forever, unable to escape. When asked if his figures are inspired by sleep and dreams, Rauch explains that he no longer uses his dreams as inspiration but instead paints as if he could be dreaming. He speaks in depth about the practice of becoming lucid and the point of view that creates. “We, of course, are not able to grasp dreams in any rational way,” he says. “They have their own mechanics. Time changes and proportions become irrational. And then there is, of course, the demonic component of every sleeping pattern. There’s often something eerie to dreams. Freud spoke of it as if a dream could be likened to some sort of hairline crack in the familiar. For example, when we dream we encounter a familiar person and recognise that there’s something slightly different to them. It might not even be that person. That’s the weirdness I try to capture and for me, that is a space where painting as a form of expression can become very interesting.” This hairline crack seems to have found its way into Rauch’s new body of work – you see it depicted in curtains that fall away into the sky or openings that slip into passages of worlds all connected by rhizomes of rooms. They could be likened to works by MC Escher, although they’re never as regimented and nor do they simulate one pattern for one frame.
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RAUCH EXPLAINS THAT HE NO LONGER USES HIS DREAMS AS INSPIRATION, BUT INSTEAD PAINTS AS IF HE COULD BE DREAMING Rauch’s paintings seem more to traverse between frames. “There are periods in the studio, and each canvas then becomes familiar to the others,” he says. “Like a family, they exist next to one another and therefore they begin to take on characteristics from the others. That’s why you see recurring motifs. They almost become genetically connected, as they’re formed in this room.” It’s a very romantic notion of painting, I tell him. “Well yeah, sure,” he says with a smile. “It’s about re-enchanting the world.” Re-enchanting or possessing? This is the question I pose to Rauch, as all art aims to possess the viewer in the sense that the eyes cannot look away. “If we encounter real art, which isn’t always the case just because someone claims it to be art, we experience a moment of absence of gravity. Paused time,” he responds. “We become unhinged, taken away from any rational frame of reference we might have held before. Something is talking to us that’s not entirely human, such as a painting, and it’s sucking us into a parallel universe. In any case, a painting has to have the ability to imprint itself on to someone’s retina to call itself art.”
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THE BODYGUARD
BEING EXTORTED? TERRIFIED ABOUT KIDNAPPERS? HAD DEATH THREATS? JULIA LLEWELLYN SMITH MEETS WILL GEDDES, THE CLOSE-PROTECTION SPECIALIST THE A-LIST TURNS TO WHEN THERE’S TROUBLE
W
ill Geddes is the A-list’s embarrassing secret. His number figures on the speed dial of dozens of billionaires, CEOs, rock stars and movie legends, yet few of them will admit they know him. “No one wants to be associated with Will,” he chortles. “For instance, I was at the Brit awards as someone’s guest, when a very prominent figure in the music industry started striding towards me. I said to my host, ‘Just be prepared for the reaction I’m about to get.’ I saw a flicker of recognition in the eminent person’s eye, his face started breaking into a smile and his arm went out for a handshake. Then I saw that flicker change into, ‘Oh! Now I’ve placed him.’ He immediately turned 90 degrees and walked off.” On another occasion, Geddes was on the red carpet when Paula Abdul ran up to him and embraced him enthusiastically. “Then her face changed and she asked, ‘We haven’t met before?’ I said, ‘No. I’m so sorry.’ She was just so used to seeing me at those sort of things she thought she knew me.” The reason Geddes is both so familiar to the One Percent and yet so likely to be blanked by them is because he knows all their secrets. He’s the man to whom the super-rich and heads of state turn when they receive a kidnapping or death threat. (He’s previously protected two of the people who late last year – not under his watch – were sent pipe bombs in the US.) Royal families enlist Geddes to protect them; a female newsreader and a Hollywood actress have both used his services to see their stalkers jailed; household names have used him to “ghost” them to safe houses, away from the paparazzi, when a scandal involving them is about to break. Corporations employ him to undertake their less-than-savoury business deals. Oligarchs approach him to ascertain if their wives are sleeping with their butlers. A record company asked him for protection after an axed rap group threatened to firebomb its reception and kill all its executives. “I advise people to tell me everything. I’ve had chairmen of companies in floods of tears in front of me, and very famous people saying, ‘My world is going to go completely dark. This is the end of everything.’ I’ve had people – people you’d know in a jot – say, ‘Will, someone could make a movie about this.’ And I say, ‘But no one would believe it.’ But, of course, after I’ve resolved their problems, they’re not inclined to share my name. They think, ‘If I recommend Will, then my friends will know I’ve had a serious issue.’”
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Sitting in the Ivy Club in central London, Geddes, who’s tall and besuited, comes across as a James Bond figure, albeit more Roger Moore than moody Daniel Craig. “I’m kind of weathered to the James Bond thing,” he groans, pulling a silly face in a very un-007 way. “We might share the same tailor, but that’s that.” He’s also hugely entertaining company, no doubt one of the reasons why he’s so popular with the people who pay him to stay by their side for days, weeks, even months at a time. He once spent two years retained by one individual, “available day and night”, but generally agrees with the Kevin Costner line in The Bodyguard that if you remain with any one principal – or client – for too long, “you become complacent”. However, even if you can afford £350 an hour or £3,000 a day, you won’t necessarily procure Geddes as your bodyguard, since he tries to match clients with characters “simpatico” to them: women with women, parents of young children with parents of young children and so on. “When you’re in Iraq and protecting a principal moving from Basra to Kuwait, you’ll use some fairly war-torn characters, but if you stick a grizzly old businessman with a young buck, there’s going to be an incredible gap,” he says. “It’s all about soft skills; hard skills can be found on any street corner. Surprisingly, he isn’t ex-army, -intelligence or -police. Having left school with four O-levels and a passion for martial arts, he started running self-protection courses for female employees of big organisations. Some pupils approached him asking if he could organise their security for business trips to dodgy countries. Twenty-two years later, he runs International Corporate Protection, with a core team of around 30 in London and 600 or so more worldwide. Along the way, he’s evacuated American businesspeople from Indonesia during the 1998 riots that followed the fall of President Suharto, and though he doesn’t say it in so many words, you can work out he organised the repatriation of war correspondent Marie Colvin’s body after she was killed in Syria in 2012. He’s negotiated with Al Qaeda and Islamic State, and worked constantly in Afghanistan and Iraq. “In most hostile environments, you’ll probably get shot at, although you should be navigating the principal away from those kinds of risks,” he continues. “I have a scar on my back from some lovely person who chose to stick a knife in it. Who was it? I can’t remember. Probably my first wife.” He laughs uproariously. “In our business, we get asked all the time, ‘Have you killed anyone?’ It’s such an indelicate question. One of my colleagues has come up with the best answer, which is, ‘Well, I served in the catering corps, so
it’s highly likely.’” So has he killed anyone? “Moving on to my next story,” Geddes barks. He’s spent a lot of time helping Western companies establish themselves in former communist countries. “After the Berlin Wall fell, a financialservices company would open its offices and stick a brass plate outside, and within a few minutes a man mountain in a leather trench coat would appear at the door saying, ‘You need to pay fire-protection insurance.’ They’d tell him to go away, but a few days later, the knock would come again from another insurance company.” American and British law forbids businesses paying bribes, so Geddes would be enlisted to negotiate. “You ask, ‘Which is the biggest, baddest organisation in town?’ and then you meet their leader and say, ‘Right, we appreciate that my client is going to have to pay some kind of insurance, but in return, you will have to ensure all the other companies stop asking for payment. Otherwise, my client is going to pack up and go away and nobody gets anything.’”
“IT’S ALL ABOUT SOFT SKILLS; HARD SKILLS CAN BE FOUND ON ANY STREET CORNER”
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There was plenty of talk in Geddes’s circles recently about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. “I know some details about what happened that you don’t want to know, but it was as barbaric as it gets. Horrific,” Geddes says. Anyway, Khashoggi wouldn’t have been murdered under Geddes’s watch. “There’s mitigable risk and unacceptable risk – we sure as hell wouldn’t have had him going on to diplomatic grounds where no local laws apply. It’s like parachuting into Riyadh – you’re a lunatic to do that.” However, he says the world is no more risky now than at any other point in his career. “The proliferation of instant news means nasty things just come to public attention much more easily.” But social media has made the prevailing atmosphere more poisonous. “There’s this horrendous air of bitterness and hate.” The Internet has certainly opened new avenues for Geddes, who’s just co-written a book called Parent Alert! How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online and launched an app, TacticsOn, featuring security tips and a gizmo that allows you to track your children, have them alert you when they’ve arrived somewhere, trigger a panic button and contact the emergency services in more than 80 countries. Clients are always asking him to set up laptops and phones so their communications are untraceable. “In certain circumstances, you think, ‘That’s obviously
for the mistress, but you know what? You’re not breaking the law, so I don’t care.’” There’s also extortion. The week we met, he had to calm an influencer – “I don’t really understand what that is,” he says – with hundreds of thousands of followers who’d downloaded a virus while looking at porn. “She was told, ‘We’ve switched on your webcam and seen what you were doing, and we’re going to circulate the footage to your friends unless you send us one bitcoin.’ She was so worried, but I said, ‘It’s a hoax, nothing to worry about. Just stop looking at naughty websites.’” Geddes lives in Knightsbridge and drives a flashy car (he refuses to reveal the make, but his last one was an Aston Martin). He doesn’t have children and says happily he’s not sure what his wife does – “she’s busy” – but that she’s “very understanding” of his lifestyle. “I told my wife at the very beginning, ‘I may need to run off. I can’t always say where I’m going. And though I’ll communicate when I can, it
won’t always be every day.’ And even when I’m back, I’m not going to tell her about the task I’ve been on because it makes her more anxious. What she doesn’t need to know, she doesn’t need to know. Though if I’ve been working with a celebrity, she’ll say, ‘Tell me everything.’” Does he? “Of course not!” She was unimpressed when “a name you’d know straightaway” sent her a video message begging her husband to stay longer with him, saying, “Well, it wasn’t George Clooney.” Similarly, a “very senior” client was bemused when Geddes, from the hotel room next door, accidentally sent him a text meant for his wife, saying, “Night night, sweetheart. Sleep well.” Of course, neither of these men would probably acknowledge Geddes in a public place. But next time they have a problem, they’ll be picking up the phone. “I say to everyone, you’ve got my number – save it. If you’re even thinking of calling me, you should already be dialling.”
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A TALE OF TWO NATIONS here else do you see a picture of Mikhail Gorbachev’s resignation, Richard Nixon hamming it up as a waiter on a Chinese train, Deng Xiaoping making eyes at industrialist Armand Hammer, Ai Weiwei in his underwear, or Bianca Jagger in a Mao hat in Shanghai? Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Liu Heung Shing’s new book, A Life in a Sea of Red, published by Steidl, captures these moments alongside pivotal points of social and political change in both Russia and China during the past four decades. Documenting tumultuous events and the nuances of human life in the two countries between 1976 and 2017, the vast body of work, which is published during Art Basel Hong Kong this month, is perhaps Liu’s most ambitious book to date. The Hong Kong-born photojournalist spent four years in Russia in the early ’90s, whereas his China work spans four decades. So what drove him to put together these vast and wide-reaching stories of the two giant, neighbouring countries after all these years? “As a photojournalist I did all these stories one after another, and you’re always running around.” That frenetic existence has receded over the last few years when, after establishing the Shanghai Center of Photography in 2015, he was finally able to take stock of his whole body of work properly and create this dual narrative in A Life in a Sea of Red. There’s ample and artful coverage of leaders and big world events, party congresses, Kremlin press conferences, of Deng Xiaoping, Richard Nixon, the Tiananmen Square massacre, Mikhail Gorbachev’s fall and Boris Yeltsin’s rise. A chapter entitled “Collectivism to the Me Generation” captures the socialites and millionaires of China’s recent economic boom, as well as the artists and musicians who rose with a new desire and appetite for self-expression. He documents bad-boy rocker Cui Jian, guitar clutched in hand as if he’s about to smash it. Liu met members of the Stars collective, the pioneering artists group that included Ma Desheng and Wang Keping, and connected with independent photographers, writers, poets and film directors who would rise to the forefront of China’s contemporary culture. Whereas most photographers of the time focused on the awesome might of the masses or images of the communist leaders, Liu’s eye and status as both insider and outsider (a foreign-educated Chinese photojournalist
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Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer LIU HEUNG SHING’s latest book charts human moments in the recent histories of China and Russia, writes jing zhang working for Western media) allowed him to capture the more poignant interactions in worlds that many considered exotic and unfamiliar. His images are often full of anger, joy, irony, art and humour – something not so common in photographs of that political era, whether state sanctioned or not. Those empathic portrayals brought a different, more artful narrative to eras defined by drastic social and political change. Today, 68-year-old Liu lives between Hong Kong and Shanghai, and is more known for his founding of the Shanghai Center of Photography – an excellent non-profit hub on the West Bund – and for his standing as one of the country’s preeminent authorities on photography. Born in colonial-era Hong Kong, Liu attended primary school in Fuzhou, mainland China, and was bullied by classmates for being the child of landowners, a political class castigated by the ruling communists. It was his first exposure to the power of politics. “I would remember seeing these propaganda posters up on walls at school that declared, ‘We have to surpass the UK in 10 years, and surpass the United States in 15 years!’” Those formative China years were not particularly joyful, but later, after attending New York’s Hunter College and working in the US in the ’70s, Liu was eager to go back. It was “something deep and innate”, he says. The young photojournalist was already foreseeing the big changes that would occur after Mao Zedong’s death. When I ask if it matters that he was an ethnically Chinese photographer covering China, able to blend in and speak the language yet disseminate images to the West, Liu replies, “the camera records, but the photographer inevitably will let culture help determine how to look and where to look … so, yes. “The British had a different photographic perspective on China in the early days,” he adds, “as did the Americans and the French” – this was especially true during the pre-Internet era when image viewership was limited, and admittedly less so now. Arriving in Beijing in 1978, two years after Mao’s death, Liu first documented China’s momentous social transition for Time magazine. He then embarked on various assignments throughout Asia and eventually
MIKHAIL GORBACHEV ADDRESSES THE 28TH SOVIET CONGRESS VIRTUALLY ALONE AS HE ANNOUNCES THE DISSOLUTION OF THE SOVIET UNION, MOSCOW, 1991
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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: A YOUNG BALLERINA HAS A COSTUME FITTING, MOSCOW, 1993; ARTIST AI WEIWEI, PHOTOGRAPHED THE DAY AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM 81 DAYS IN POLICE CUSTODY, BEIJING, 2012; MODEL YAO SHUQIAN POSES IN A DIOR DRESS IN HER SHANGHAI NEIGHBOURHOOD, 1996
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SIMAO, JINHONG COUNTY, XISHUANGBANNA, YUNNAN PROVINCE, 1980
“Where you find interest and observation, what friends you make, what stories you tell – this is part and parcel of journalism”
in Russia, where he and his Associated Press colleagues’ coverage of the Soviet empire’s fall earned them a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. “The perspective was everything for the photographer,” Liu says at his apartment in Shanghai’s former French Concession as we scroll through black-and-white photos on his laptop. “Even though I covered for Time magazine, I would still focus my lens on the daily lives of the people, which is much more enduring. “Where you find interest and observation, what friends you make, what stories you tell – this is very much part and parcel of journalism,” he says between colourful anecdotes. These stories could be Mao Zedong’s image coming down in Tiananmen Square or Lenin’s likewise descending in the Red Square. But it’s also Chinese lovers with their legs entwined, or a couple astride a single bicycle as tanks roar by overhead on a bridge in Tiananmen Square. It’s Russian housewives raging at the corruption of the police, or a teen Russian ballerina getting fitted for her costumes. It’s people in former Soviet states celebrating independence. These human stories and moments are important to tell, says Liu, “otherwise if you move away from the front page, then where do you go? The news is very perishable.” After photographing years of struggle, hope and activism around China and Russia, there was of course the Democracy Wall in Beijing and, later, Liu’s famed coverage of the bloody 1989 violence in Tiananmen Square. Those images would hit front pages around the world. Following that, a new era came and his documentation of how “socialism with Chinese characteristics” has evolved is no less important. From China’s first supermodels donning European luxury fashions to award-winning cheerleading teams and modern actresses like Fan Bingbing posing seductively, Liu shed light on China’s lightning-speed modernisation post economic reform.
“Look at this girl standing in Shanghai, wearing Dior and being stared at by the lao bai xing [ordinary people],” Liu says, “and these girls wearing big sunglasses driving a convertible Mercedes in the ’90s.” The photographer would also offer insight to those who would become the nation’s creative elites, like film director Zhang Yimou and actor Jiang Wen, caught at work on a Beijing film set. Liu’s action shots of Shanghai-born painter Chen Yifei, perhaps modern China’s first superstar artist, shows the powerful, animated brushstrokes that made him a giant of realism. “There’s also this picture I took of Zeng Fanzhi in London around the time of his first solo exhibition at the Gagosian,” Liu says, offering a delightfully comedic image of the Chinese painter. “He found some time to try out these handmade shoes from John Lobb, and I managed to capture this very funny moment, I don’t even think Zeng has seen this picture … it was around this time that one of his paintings sold for €9 million to François Pinault [owner of Kering Group and Gucci].” Liu in fact captured many scenes in the Chinese art world, from the nascent flourishes of native art and its commercial rise in the ’80s and ’90s, to today’s powerful, flourishing, globally known industry. His photograph of artist Ai Weiwei, a day after his release from 81 days in a Chinese jail, uses a technique first tested by Liu’s mentor Gjon Mili when photographing Pablo Picasso. Liu resisted the temptation to guide the artist, and just let Ai express his thoughts using a torch in front of the camera. China’s most famous contemporary artist stood there next to his toilet, belly hanging over white boxer shorts, and wrote out the characters for “freedom” with the light.
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THE BUTCHER’S SON, 2018, BY MARIO KLINGEMANN, DESCRIBED BY ITS CREATOR AS A “NEURAL NETWORK’S INTERPRETATION OF THE HUMAN FORM”
BUT IS IT
ART? What will become of the artist as machines are learning to create? sonia kolesnikov-jessop investigates
OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF MARIO KLINGEMANN/CHRISTIE’S
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he German artist Mario Klingemann has been fascinated by artificial intelligence (AI) ever since he read Marvin Minsky’s The Society of Mind in 1989, but it wasn’t until recently that technology matured enough to allow him to make his ideas a reality. Today, Klingemann creates art works using algorithms, code and neural networks. He’s considered one of the a rt world’s pioneers in the use of computer learning and even won the gold 2018 Lumen Prize – an international award that recognises the very best art created with technology – for The Butcher’s Son, a sitting nude image entirely generated by a machine using Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), a class of AI algorithm employed in unsupervised machine learning. First developed in 2014, “these algorithms are called ‘adversarial’ because there are two sides to them”, explains Ahmed Elgammal, director of the Art & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Rutgers University in New Jersey. “One generates random images, and the other judges them and deems which is the one that best aligns with the input.” For The Butcher’s Son, Klingemann built a system with multiple neural networks that explore the human form. “It first generates random stick figures after having learned the possible variations in human posture by analysing hundreds of thousands of photos,” he says. “Each of these figures is then passed to a GAN that’s learned to translate it into a rough sketch – interestingly, that painterly look is the result of the model making mistakes and abstractions, since I didn’t train this model in painting; I actually trained it in photos. In the final step, this sketch is given to another GAN, which tries to fill in the missing details as well as add interesting textures and artefacts.” The final winning portrait, with its disfigured face and blurred flesh-coloured tones, is reminiscent of the work of Francis Bacon, in line with a distinct GAN aesthetic that reflects how the algorithms process information. “Visually, there are typically surreal distortions in localised areas, which create a very interesting part-whole relation in the painting: what
PORTRAIT OF EDMOND BELAMY, 2018, REFERENCED 15,000 PORTRAITS PAINTED BETWEEN THE 14TH AND 20TH CENTURIES
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creative rather than a generative network that’s specifically programmed to produce novelty. It was essentially developed as a “creative collaborator and partner” for artists, and some of the works produced using Aican in “collaboration” with artists Tim Bengel and Devin Gharakhanian were premiered at Scope Miami Beach in December last year. But AI-generated art had piqued curiosity even before that. It was put in the spotlight with a controversial sale at Christie’s New York in October 2018, at which a piece of AI‑created art smashed its US$7,000$10,000 pre‑sale estimate to sell eventually for US$432,500. The piece in question, Portrait of Edmond Belamy, was created by a GAN trained by Obvious, a Paris-based arts collective that signed the work with the
UNTITLED FROM CARL HAPLIN, 2018, CREATED BY DEVIN GHARAKHANIAN IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AI ARTIST CALLED AICAN, WAS AMONG THE AI-AIDED WORKS PRESENTED AT SCOPE MIAMI BEACH 2018
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AHMED ELGAMMAL/NATURE MORTE
seems like a typical beach landscape might suddenly in one region sprout a forest,” says Karthik Kalyanaraman, one half of the curatorial collective known as 64/1, which focuses on art for the post‑human age and curated a show last year entirely dedicated to AI art at Nature Morte, one of the leading contemporary art galleries in India. Kalyanaraman points out that an art expert can usually identify work produced by a GAN because of telltale textural effects, “a kind of shimmer or a scrambling of various image-making techniques such as impasto and dry paint”, though artists are now working on overcoming this GAN signature. Elgammal, for example, has developed a system he calls Aican, a
FACIAL RECOGNITION: WHO’S WHO IN THE AI-ART WORLD TOM WHITE The New Zealand-based artist is also a lecturer in computational design at the Victoria University of Wellington, where his current research focuses on the creative potential of neural networks working collaboratively with designers during ideation and prototyping.
MARIO KLINGEMANN
algorithm’s name instead of its own, which might be seen as an acknowledgement that the collective considers the algorithm the artist. So, who is the artist? Is machine intelligence about to replace humans? Not so, say art practitioners. “The narrative that the AI is the ‘artist’ is absurd and that’s clear once one starts to understand these algorithms,” says Kalyanaraman. “Humans conceive the algorithm, teach it a particular visual style by curating the ‘training set’ and use their aesthetic eye to curate the final output. Insofar as there isn’t a shred of autonomy or will [on the part of the AI] in this process, I think it’s really premature to call the AI an artist. Do we consider the lens and the camera and ‘nature’, which provides the setting, the true artist and not the photographer?” Klingemann adds: “A GAN by itself is often just an empty vessel. As an artist, you have to fill it with content by deciding what to train it in, and then finding and curating thousands of images that you want to extract some essence from.” He also points out that “machines can probably only ever be as creative as humans, not much more. Even if they came up with radically creative ideas, we wouldn’t be able to recognise their brilliance, since we simply wouldn’t be able to understand it. That’s the problem with human imagination – it can only expand slightly beyond our [current] horizon; new ideas take time to be accepted and understood. “Like any other technology that allows us to do things faster, better or with less effort,” says Klingemann, “AI already seeps into our daily life, and won’t stop at helping us with our imagination and creativity. Just like you probably can’t imagine a life without your mobile phone any more, in the future, people might not be able to imagine how people in our time could have had ideas by themselves without the help of their creative assistant.”
MARIO KLINGEMANN Currently an artist-inresidence at Google’s Arts & Culture lab, Klingemann has shown works at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Centre Pompidou, among others.
ANNA RIDLER The UK-based artist uses neural networks to make art that interrogates memory, narrative and performance. She creates her own sets of images to train her models rather than using third-party images.
MEMO AKTEN This Turkish artist is noted for his reappropriation of advanced electronics, as well as software and hardware systems, to create multimedia experiences.
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SUPERSIZE ME
LAYING ASIDE HIS RESERVATIONS ABOUT SUVS, JON WALL OPTS TO SPEND A LONG WEEKEND IN THE COMPANY OF PORSCHE’S BEHEMOTH OF THE ’BURBS — NAMELY, THE LATEST CAYENNE S
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ry though I might to ignore the avalanches of SUVs tumbling out from the globe’s automobile factories, I know that it’s ultimately futile. Almost every motor company makes them and as buyers in almost every country are desperate to own them, these behemoths of the ’burbs have become impossible to overlook – and especially so when, as a writer, the car is my subject of choice. Such facts being the case, I therefore attempt to get around them by driving only those SUVs that I judge (using subjective criteria and highly moveable goalposts) to be in some way “worthy”. Which is why for this month’s motoring feature I’m surveying the road ahead of me – much as would the commander of an unusually rapid and extremely comfortable tank – from the elevated driver’s seat of a Porsche Cayenne S. Now I know the Cayenne is regarded with particular revulsion by some petrolheads who aver – and I do have some sympathy with them – that it was Porsche’s decision to jump aboard the SUV bandwagon with the original model that convinced many other manufacturers to follow suit. And that, of course, helped bring us pretty much to where we are now. Equally unforgivably, goes the narrative, this same move transformed Porsche from a sportscar company into one that builds some sportscars. Just look at the numbers: of the 256,255 Porsches delivered in 2018, a staggering 157,489 were SUVs. Pure sportscars – ie, 911s, Boxsters and Caymans – accounted for just over 60,000 of total sales, which is a heck of a lot of cars compared with, say, Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s or McLaren’s annual output, but viewed against an ocean of urban tractors it’s no more than a moderately sized sea. In the Cayenne’s favour, though, are two more facts. The first is that, without resorting to SUVs, the company might well have gone under, so today’s enthusiasts would have no new 718s or 911s, let alone hardcore GT4s, GT3s, GT2s, Clubsports, RSs and whatnot, to entertain them. The second is that Porsche has rarely – if ever – built a dud and, SUV or not, it’s hardly likely to start doing so now. So with those points in mind, I’ll lay aside the objections and get back to the topic at hand. I’ll start by being brutally honest. For all its virtues (and I’ll get to those very shortly), the Cayenne has never been easy on the eye and though the designers have evidently done their best, this third-gen model still wouldn’t make it beyond the first round of a beauty contest – if, indeed, it even got as far as that. Apparently it’s a little longer and lower than its predecessor, and to be fair the new tail treatment, which stretches a light bar from one side to the other à la 911 and Macan, isn’t half bad. But side-on, playing spot-the-difference with the previous Cayenne is hard indeed, while the front grille’s mirthless, full-width grin strikes me as vaguely Jurassic. And the car is huge – no, make that: Absolutely. Bloody. Enormous – a statement I wouldn’t normally associate with a Porsche and especially not
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THE CAYENNE S GETS PORSCHE’S 2.9-LITRE V6, WHOSE 434BHP AND 550NM ARE MORE THAN RESPECTABLE when recalling the sublime delicacy of the tiny mid-’50s 550 Spyder racer. Yet surface appearances often deceive, because beneath the sheet metal the 2019 Cayenne is an entirely new car, from the platform that underpins it and its aluminium-rich construction to a profusion of high-tech systems. Indeed, on swinging open the driver’s door I discover that the richly appointed interior of my test car is actually a marginally upsized version of everything I like about the current Panamera’s. In other words, it’s packed with gizmos but doesn’t look it, which is largely due to the analogue tachometer that dominates the instrument binnacle – the other four gauges, two at each side, are digital – and the gleaming 12.3-inch touchscreen perfectly integrated at the centre of the dash, rather than being perched atop it like some aftermarket iPad. The screen even seamlessly interfaces with my iPhone, giving me the choice of sticking with Porsche’s own info-graphics and maps, or switching to Apple Carplay, which during my few days with the car appears to work well and, among other things, reliably pumps music and phone calls through the standard 10-speaker sound system (delve deeper into your wallet and you can achieve aural meltdown with 14-speaker Bose or 21-speaker Burmester set-ups). Clothed in smooth black leather and fitted with the optional 14-way seats with cushions that extend right out beneath my knees, it’s exceptionally comfortable, quiet and spacious both front and back, darkhued and yet bathed in light from a panoramic roof – another option – and as ergonomically considered as you’d want a cabin to be. The dash-
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top stopwatch/clock that comes with the extra-cost Sport Chrono Package, which also adds a wheel-mounted drive-mode switch, further enhances the air of performance-oriented seriousness that already imbues the interior. Pitched midway between the entry-level Cayenne and the range-topping Turbo, the S gets Porsche’s 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, whose 434bhp and 550Nm (the latter from 1,800rpm) are more than respectable. Given the car’s hefty 2.1 tonnes you could say they’re needed, but with a Sports Chrono-assisted 0-100km/h time within five seconds and a 265 maximum it’s still pretty zesty, an easy athleticism that’s achieved not with the assistance of a clever dual-clutch PDK box but rather a regular eightspeed ZF Tiptronic auto. As I did initially, you may feel inclined to dismiss Porsche’s “sportscar for five” tagline as mere marketing hogwash, but driving the Cayenne you quickly find the claim isn’t far off the mark. Like other cars sharing the VW group’s MLB-Evo platform, including the Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus, the Cayenne now has a 48-volt electrical system that permits the adoption of active air suspension, which automatically adjusts to driving mode and conditions – and in terms of both handling and comfort the results are astounding. My car isn’t spec’d with four-wheel steering, but no matter: it responds nimbly to the meatily responsive helm and on the twisty bits the body control offered by the active technology is quite remarkable. Add to that the comfy and compliant ride, which comes with no concessions to body roll that I can discern, and I soon start wondering whether the Cayenne really
PORSCHE CAYENNE S
ENGINE: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 TRANSMISSION: eight-speed automatic MAX POWER: 434bhp TORQUE: 550Nm @ 1,800-5,500rpm MAX SPEED: 265km/h ACCELERATION: 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds (Sports Chrono Package) WEIGHT: 2,095kg
does measure 1.7 metres from rubber to roof rails. Braking power is pretty awesome, too, and that’s without the assistance of the ceramic-coated or the properly pukka carbon-ceramic rotors that Porsche offers as options. Thanks to the battery of sensors and cameras, the Cayenne isn’t quite the bugger to park that I imagine, either, though getting my head around its inflated proportions still takes some getting used to; on the road, in contrast, it could hardly be more sweet to drive – and nor can I think of many nicer places than this in which to while away the minutes in a tollplaza queue. Moreover – and this is crucial, because in spite of the Cayenne’s doubtless-impressive offroad capabilities, this car is likely to
spend most of its life in town – my rough mental arithmetic tells me that Porsche’s official fuel-consumption figures of 9.2-9.4 litres per 100km are pretty much accurate (which aside from surely being a first, is actually quite impressive for a car as big, heavy and accelerative as this). Does this mean I’ve renounced my SUV apostacy? I have to say that I thoroughly enjoy my long weekend with the Cayenne S and in spite of my misgivings I love the way it drives, I could sit for hours on end in its cosy, classy cabin — and I keep on finding all kinds of excuses to take it out. But here’s the thing: every time I spy a 911 it’s impossible to suppress the inevitable pang of envy. So I suppose you could call that a qualified “no”.
SURE YOU WANT AN SUV? IF NOT, REMEMBER THAT WHEN IT COMES TO PROPER SPORTSCARS, PORSCHE IS STILL THE BOSS
718 BOXSTER/CAYMAN If there were a flat six beneath the engine cover the 718 would just about nail automotive perfection — but accessible mid-engine thrills still don’t get much better than this.
911 CARRERA Now approaching its 60th year in production, the world’s greatest sportscar just gets better and better — and the superb, seventh-gen 992 arrives here very soon.
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Fast and furious – and possibly even a little bit green – Formula E returns to Hong Kong this month for the city’s major annual motorsport event. jon wall previews the action
CHRISTIAAN HART X 2
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nlike with other forms of motorsport, when the Formula E circus arrives in Hong Kong on March 10, the Central Harbourfront won’t resound with the rasp of racing engines and nor will the city’s air be heavy with the odour of high-octane petroleum. Indeed, it might just be a tad cleaner and possibly even marginally quieter than usual. That’s not to say, however, that the 2019 HKT Hong Kong E-Prix will be lacking in sensory overload and certainly not in excitement. The fifth in an international 13-race calendar that began in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on December 15 and ends in New York on July 14, the event pits 22 top-flight drivers – in electrically powered cars that resemble single-seat Batmobiles – against one another on a narrow and tortuous 1.85km circuit through one of the world’s most exhilarating cityscapes. And with ingredients such as those, the opportunities for drama are boundless. Since its beginnings in 2014, the world’s premier series for electric racing cars has flourished to the extent that it now encompasses events in major cities across five continents, and has attracted the involvement of nine automobile manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Nissan. Among the drivers taking part are several with
experience at the very highest levels of motorsport, including recent series recruit Felipe Massa, the Brazilian who missed winning the 2008 Formula 1 world drivers’ championship by a single point, and the three-time Le Mans 24-hour race winner André Lotterer. Perhaps most important, though, is the introduction of an entirely new Gen2 car for the series’ 2018-19 season, featuring a distinctive single-seat chassis built by Frenchbased Spark Racing Technology in association with the Italian Dallara company, as well as a McLaren-developed 54kW battery that’s capable of lasting the entire 45-minute race duration (in previous Formula E seasons, drivers were forced to swap one car for another halfway through each race). Looking rather like a cross between a traditional open-wheel racer and Le Mans-style sports prototype, the
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Gen2 car also has a “halo” cockpit protector, much like a Formula 1 machine. However, each two-car team has the option to use a power unit of its own design or one provided by another manufacturer. Either way, the car and driver together must weigh a minimum 900kg – including the 385kg battery – and with motors offering around 200kW (270bhp) of power in race mode, which means a power-toweight ratio of 300bhp per tonne, speeds are high (0100km/h in 2.9 seconds and a maximum of 280). Competition is intense, too, which has been the case from the outset. Since 2014, 10 drivers from nine teams have scored wins, the most successful driver being Switzerland’s 2015-16 champion, Sebastien Buemi, who has 12 race victories under his belt, while the team with the most wins is France’s Renault e.dams outfit (now renamed Nissan e.dams), which not only has 15 first-place finishes to its credit but also a trio of team championships. As Formula E heads to the streets of Hong Kong the season looks wide open, with wins by different teams and drivers in each of the first four races and just eight points
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separating front-runner Jérome d’Ambrosio of Belgium, who won in Marrakech, and Sam Bird, the British driver who took the honours at Santiago in Chile and currently places third in the drivers’ championship. As explained above, rather than covering a fixed number of laps the race will last for 45 minutes; drivers will also be able to call on an extra 25kW of power at various times during the race and for limited durations, though to prevent teams from employing this advantage as part of their race strategy, these will only be decided close to the start. When last Formula E came to town for a pair of races in early December 2017, Sam Bird of DS Virgin Racing and Mahindra’s Swedish driver Felix Rosenqvist were the conquering heroes. As to who’s likely to occupy the top spot on the podium on March 10, well, that’s anyone’s guess – but we can all be certain that a fierce and spectacular battle on the Harbourfront track is pretty much guaranteed.
CHRISTIAAN HART
SPORT
MASSA CLASS
FELIPE MASSA TALKS ABOUT HIS FIRST SEASON COMPETING IN FORMULA E
After taking a year’s sabbatical from competing in motorsport, the former Sauber, Ferrari and Williams Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa has thrown his helmet back into the ring by signing up for a three-year stint in Formula E with the Monacobased Venturi Grand Prix team. The Brazilian spoke to Prestige after this season’s second race, in Marrakech. FELIPE, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU’VE COME OUT OF RETIREMENT IN TWO YEARS. CLEARLY YOU STILL HAVE A PASSION FOR SPEED. I’m really motivated to race, that’s what I love to do, maybe no longer in Formula 1, with 21-22 races a year, but in Formula E it’s half of that, so I can also have a bit more time with my family. WHAT’S THE APPEAL OF FORMULA E FOR YOU? You can see how much Formula E is growing year-by-year, it’s a championship that’s growing compared to all of the others — it’s just amazing, and I think the idea [behind it] is fantastic. Electric cars will be our future, and there’s a great image — natural, green. Plus, the competition is amazing. A lot of overtaking and many cars able to win throughout the season, so in the end that’s really great. ARE YOU CONSIDERING RACING IN OTHER CATEGORIES, OR IS FORMULA E YOUR FOCUS THIS YEAR? I’ve considered WEC [the World Endurance Championship] and DTM [Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters], but Formula E was the category that I think has a bright future and the
strongest potential for a longer time compared to the others. FORMULA E CIRCUITS ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM MOST OF THE TRACKS YOU’VE BEEN USED TO. IS THIS A CHALLENGE FOR YOU? The tracks are completely different from how it is in Formula 1, so that’s a challenge. In Formula 1, you have Singapore and Monaco [street circuits] and then you have normal race tracks. In Formula E it’s all city tracks, very narrow, very tricky, very easy to make mistakes, but as they’re in the middle of beautiful towns, such as Hong Kong, it’s quite interesting too. HOW DOES IT COMPARE WITH FORMULA 1? The Formula E car is completely different. Formula 1 has a lot of downforce, wide tyres, a very, very strong engine, whereas in Formula E the car is without downforce, it has kind of road tyres and an electric motor, so at the end the mentality is completely different; you cannot compare the one with the other. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ABOUT THE GEN2 CAR? The Gen2 is definitely a better car [than the Gen1]. It can do the whole race, so you don’t need to change cars. It has more power. It looks nicer compared to the Gen1 car. And the tyres are a bit better and the brakes are much better. HOW CLOSE DO YOU EXPECT THE RACING TO BE? We’ve had two difficult races, the first and the second, with technical issues to solve, but I believe the team has some good ideas and
great potential so we hope we can be competitive as soon as possible, and maybe even be able to fight for podiums — and even a victory, which would be fantastic. The racing is very competitive and everything happens at the same time, so you need to understand all the limits of the car and [those of] other drivers. Also, I don’t know the Hong Kong track because I’ve never raced there, but very soon I’ll drive it in the simulator to prepare myself.
FINALLY, DO YOU THINK THAT FORMULA E IS BRINGING A NEW GROUP OF FOLLOWERS TO MOTORSPORT? I think people are becoming more interested, year-by-year, to follow and support Formula E, this is clear. I also think we can have some new followers, maybe young people who are completely into computers, and maybe these people can become interested in Formula E rather than Formula 1.
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RS VP ARAYA ALBERTA HARGATE
DIOR
KARLIE KLOSS
GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
CAMILA COELHO
What? The presentation by Maria Grazia Chiuri of Dior’s circus-inspired spring/summer 2019 haute couture collection. The exquisite outfits revealed on the catwalk represent “an unleashing of the imagination associated with the circus through costumes, fashion and art” from the leather corsets of the lion tamer to the fine dust that sprinkles stage clothes. The show must go on: To top it all, the show was animated with performances by the all-female circus company Mimbre and its incredible acrobats. The wardrobe was, as expected, simply gorgeous and all the stars you see on this page were wearing Dior while watching Dior. KAT GRAHAM
CLAUDIA WANG
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RAMI MALEK
DUNHILL
LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN
NABHAAN RIZWAN
What? Dunhill presented its autumn/ winter 2019 runway show in London, with a cavalcade of dashing men in attendance to preview the collection. Men of the hour: Renowned actors from around the world graced the occasion but all eyes were on Rami Malek, just arrived from LA with a Golden Globe for Best Actor under his belt for Bohemian Rhapsody. Also present were Joe Alwyn (The Favourite and Mary Queen of Scots), Stephan James (Homecoming), Ben Hardy (Bohemian Rhapsody), actor, musician and activist Riz Ahmed and, from the cult TV show Peaky Blinders, Joe Cole.
RIZ AHMED
JOE ALWYN YU BAI
BEN HARDY
RS VP CHRISTINE LIU AND SARAH ZHUANG
JOEY YUNG, GILLIAN CHUNG AND CHARLENE CHOI ANGEL CHU
FAYE TSUI, CHRISTINA HSU AND UTAH LEE ASHLEY LAM
FENDI
RETURN TO FORM What? Fendi announced the return of the Baguette bag with its spring/summer 2019 collection and invited the fanatically fashionable to attend a sizzling soirée in its Landmark store. Celeb encounter: Among the celebs and style mavens who turned out were Twins (Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung) and Joey Yung, as well as the glamazons you see here. Boogie nights: The store was split into sections including the Baguette Dream Room, the Wardrobe Room (filled with the spring/ summer collection), the Tea Room and the Cosmopolitan Bar. Popular DJs Arthur Bray and Reanne Moe spun throughout the night. ESTHER SHAM
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ELLY LAM
MAYO WO
CARMINA LO
ADAM PAK
CHIU FUNG
GENTLE MONSTER
LUCKY FOR SOME
KENJI WONG, IAN CHOY AND KARL CHEUNG
What? Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster presented its new collection and campaign inspired by the number 13 at a fun party in its Causeway Bay store, attended by the city’s trendiest. Man and machine: To reflect the theme, the brand collaborated with photographer Frederik Heyman, whose pictures and installations depicted strange Earthly phenomena, robotic metallic pieces, a giant incubator mirroring the Moon’s new axis, nude mannequins … the place looked more like a gallery than a store or a party venue. Guests had fun trying on the shades – they bought a few, too – while posing and preening in front of the art works. CRYSTAL LEUNG
RIKKO LEE AND TASHA LAM
VINCCI YANG
RS VP UTA USHIDA
WYMAN WONG
C. TANGANA BORAN JING
GAIA REPOSSI
LOEWE
SHAIN BOUMEDINE AYMELINE VALADE
WALKING THE WALK What? The autumn/winter 2019 runway presentation by Loewe’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson, drew fans of the brand to Paris from around the world. Centre stage: A cotton sculpture by German artist Franz Erhard Walther served as a focal point within the show space at the Maison de l’Unesco. Unlike previous years, when the designer used immobile models to present his collections, this time a runway presentation showed his clothes in movement. Among the ultra-fashionable seated front row was Hong Kong’s Wyman Wong.
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NATALIA VODIANOVA
VIRGIL ABLOH
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET
DON CRAWLEY, JERRY LORENZO AND KID CUDI
NAOMI CAMPBELL
LOUIS VUITTON
STREET WISE What? Rising and established stars of music, film, fashion and television turned out in force for the unveiling of designer Virgil Abloh’s autumn/ winter 2019 menswear collection for Louis Vuitton, which took the streets of New York as its inspiration. Colour me rad: This wasn’t your usual show, as a live installation by graffiti artists Jim Joe, Lewy BTM and Futura, and the live premiere by Dev Hynes, aka Blood Orange, of his specially commissioned score, made this the coolest ticket in town. KRIS WU
J BALVIN
RS VP SHAM YUET
ISABELLA LEONG
OLIVIA BUCKINGHAM YU MASUI
PORTS 1961
TOUCH OF CLASS What? For autumn/winter 2019, Ports 1961 creative director Nataša Čagalj presented a “bourgeois chic” show to, and we are quoting here, “examine archetypes of bourgeoise dressing, twisting the classic, the known, to become different”. Our thoughts exactly… Fashion rep: The show was held in London during Lunar New Year, so it was easy to identify the Hong Kong fashionistas vacationing in Europe who’d found the time to attend – among them Isabella Leong, Tracey Cheng, Sham Yuet and the ever-stylish Olivia Buckingham (who lives half the year in Europe and the other on a plane).
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RENEE STEWART, MARY CHARTERIS, PATRICIA MANSFIELD AND BETTY BACHZ JOANNA HALPIN
AMI AND AYA, AKA TWINS
VIRGINIA YUNG AND ESTHER SHAM
ELLY LAM
SISLEY
PRETTY FACES
NIKI CHOW
What? A launch party for Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Anti-Wrinkle Concentrated Serum was held at Howard’s Gourmet in Central, with a bevy of the bold and the beautiful in attendance. Eventful night: Newlywed Niki Chow made her first public appearance at the soirée after her grand wedding and was joined by a stellar cast of celebrities, including Marie Zhuge, Virginia Yung, Tansy Lau Tom, Elly Lam, Veronica Lam, Yen Kuok, Yolanda Choy and Helena Tung Pong. Mistress of ceremonies Scarlett Wong invited Sisley’s Asia-Pacific regional managing director Nicolas Chesnier up on stage to officiate with a welcoming speech. The most coveted goody bag – filled with the brand’s agedefying, hope-in-a-jar lotions and potions – was grabbed by one and all. SCARLETT WONG NICOLE LANTIN AND YEN KUOK
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RS VP FERNANDA LY
BRIA VINAITE
ROWAN BLANCHARD
TIFFANY & CO.
TRUE LOVE What? Tiffany & Co. hosted a glamorous party at Industrial Studio in New York, where it unveiled intimate portraits by photographer Renell Medrano. To a T: Medrano’s images capture young couples in love – and wearing, if you look closely, the new Tiffany T True collection. Branding done subtly and oh-so-beautifully. Glitter girls: Fans of the brand flocked to the event, including It girls Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, Imaan Hammam and Karrueche Tran, many sporting T True pieces such as chokers, rings, bangles, earrings and bracelets.
LAURA LOVE
EMILY RATAJKOWSKI
KENDALL JENNER, A$AP FERG AND RENELL MEDRANO
ANSEL ELGORT
TOM FORD
FORD FIESTA
VICTOR CRUZ AND ODELL BECKHAM JR
What? Tom Ford’s autumn/winter 2019 runway presentation at Park Avenue Armory brought glamorous New Yorkers out in force for the sexiest show in town, a heady assemblage of animal prints, sensual gowns, black leather and metallic accessories. Celebrity sightings: Vogue editor Anna Wintour sat front-row centre with director Baz Luhrmann, and the guest list – well, the melange of pop-culture personalities, who all looked like characters from a Luhrmann film, included rappers, actors, supermodels, Asian superstars and Korean pop icons.
GILDA AMBROSIO AND GIORGIA TORDINI
CARLO SESTINI BAZ LUHRMANN, ANNA WINTOUR AND DEBORRA-LEE FURNESS POPPY DELEVINGNE
ALEALI MAY
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RS VP TINA LEUNG
ADRIANA ABASCAL
ROBERT MONTGOMERY AND GRETA BELLAMACINA BIANCA BRANDOLINI D’ADDA, HELENA BORDON AND PRINCESS MARIA-OLYMPIA
ELLA BALINSKA XXXXX XXXXXXXX
CÉLINE DION
VALENTINO
V-DAY What? Valentino presented its annual spring/summer haute couture show in Paris, a spectacular extravaganza that was attended by the well heeled, well established and, well, glam. Star gazing: Among a sea of ruffles, frills, fringes and flowers, we spotted Princess Maria-Olympia, Rami Malek, Céline Dion and Greta Bellamacina with husband Robert Montgomery – not to mention, sitting poised in the front row, a now-blonde Tina Leung. CHARLOTTE GROENEVELD
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VERSACE
WE’RE WITH THE BRAND
ANDREW PONG, JEREMY WONG, FEIPING CHANG, TONY WU AND JASON WU ANGIE NG
PAKHO CHAU
What? To celebrate its collaboration with Kith (a lifestyle brand set up in 2011 by footwear designer Ronnie Fieg), Versace transformed its Tsim Sha Tsui store into the place to be for a hot and happening party the day after Valentine’s. Motives and moods: VIP guests en masse embraced the Versace motif by emblazoning themselves with dazzling prints. In fact, from Joey Yung and Wyman Wong to KOLs and mere clotheshorses, everyone was on brand that glitzy, glittering night.
JOEY YUNG
WYMAN WONG
RIKKO LEE
KAYLA WONG AND IRISA WONG
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RS VP ALAN CHAN X WHITESTONE GALLERY
COCO CHIANG
MICHÈLE LAMY AND OH HYUK
ONE FROM THE ART
What? Whitestone Gallery Hong Kong presented Who is Alan Chan? … A Journey of Art since 1960s, Chan’s first-ever solo exhibition. It featured a chronological selection of his work, including graphic art, photography, installations and digital art, some of which was on show to the public for the first time. PETER YUILL AND THIERRY CHOW NEO YAU
ALAN CHAN AND CANDY YUEN
ANGELA YUEN
JASON WU CRAIG AU YEUNG
BIRKENSTOCK
BACK TO BLACK What? The launch of Birkenstock’s spring/summer 2019 collection and pop-up store in I.T., Causeway Bay, which was attended by Michèle Lamy, entrepreneur, producer and collaborator, wife and business partner of Rick Owens. The big draw for the tweens, however, was undoubtedly Oh Hyuk, the indie South Korean singer.
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FROM TOP: COLLEEN YU-FUNG, LEIGH TUNG CHOU AND ANNE WANG LIU
RENÉ CHU AND LAURA CHEUNG
LA PRAIRIE
PLATINUM STATUS What? To celebrate the launch of its Platinum Rare Cellular Life Lotion, La Prairie arranged a series of luxurious experiences for the most glam gals in town. The brand partnered with Harry Winston for an exclusive appreciation of its Platinum fine-jewellery collection at the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. The ladies tried the lotions and potions and decked themselves in diamonds for a seriously dazzling affair. FEIPING CHANG
SUHO
ASHLEY LAM
ELLY LAM
MIU MIU
HEART AND SEOUL What? The crowds were deafening, if not madding, at the Miu Miu store on Canton Road as Korean pop star Suho of the band Exo popped in to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Hong Kong. The One Day Love line was unveiled in the presence of the K-pop star and influencers including Elly Lam, Angela Yuen and Ashley Lam.
ANGELA YUEN
A PLACE IN THE SUN Escape the urban jungle at Shun Tak Centre’s Artyzen Club, a members-only business club offering the finest in dining, recreation and events services
Tucked away on the fourth floor of the bustling Shun Tak Centre in Sheung Wan, Artyzen Club comes as a pleasant surprise to first-time visitors. The spacious and luxurious members-only business club marked its official opening earlier this year, and has since become a popular destination for parties, banquets, business events and even swimming, lounging and other leisure activities. The club’s two in-house eateries include the Dining Room, serving dim sum and Cantonese
fare designed by celebrity chef Chow Chung, and the Green Bar with an all-day Western menu including Portuguese and Macanese specialities. Artyzen Club is equally well equipped for events and banquets with its Jade Rooms that can accommodate up to 12 round tables for 12 or 280 people seated theatre-style. The Jade Rooms can also be divided into seven individual spaces, with projectors and flat-screen TVs available for presentations. Another big draw is the comprehensive
recreational facilities, featuring an outdoor pool. Other outdoor facilities include a tennis court, basketball court and five-a-side football pitch. With the exception of the pool, which is open 8am to 9pm, all the recreational facilities are open from 8am to 10pm. From the well-rounded offerings and high-end interiors to the convenient location and stunning harbour views, Artyzen Club is a true oasis in the city. The soothing and elegant ambience is enhanced by a selection of contemporary-art pieces as well as meticulous attention to detail, whether in the handpainted wallpaper or the comfortably designed lounge areas. Its year-round hospitality service, meanwhile, caters to members’ every need, including restaurant bookings and healthcare consulting anywhere around the world. Children under the age of eight are allowed winto the club after 5pm on weekdays and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. For the convenience of both members and guests, a car park is just above the Artyzen Club. For more information, please visit www.artyzenclub.com or call 2780 2100.
IND U L G E NC E
EMPIRE RISING
Lower Manhattan has come a long way since 9/11 and even its earliest years as New York’s financial centre. tama lung returns for a visit and discovers a district on the up and up
A BEDROOM WITH A VIEW AT ONE WALL STREET
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ost of us – of a certain age, at least – can remember where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001. There was no Twitter, no Instagram, no Facebook Live. But the eyes of the world were collectively focused on the events unfolding in Pennsylvania, the Pentagon and, most notably, Lower Manhattan. I was in Tokyo, about to go to bed after a long journey home from New York where I’d been visiting friends and catching some of the US Open tennis tournament, when the phone began to ring. By the time I went to work the next morning, which happened to be next door to the swiftly barricaded US Embassy, our world was forever changed. While I’ve been back to New York in the years since, I don’t think I ever ventured any further south than Chinatown. It was partly because I wasn’t ready to see the devastation of a neighbourhood I associated with so many happy memories – when I lived in the city after college I
IND U L G E NC E
used to meet friends for drinks after work at the World Financial Center, across the street from the World Trade Center – and partly, I think, because I wasn’t sure what I’d find in its place. But earlier this year, almost two decades since 9/11, I returned to Lower Manhattan and discovered a neighbourhood full of life, history and hope. Stretching from the Brooklyn Bridge in the north to Battery Park at its tip, the district packs a lot into one square mile: besides the 9/11 Memorial and new One World Trade Center, there’s City Hall, Federal Hall, Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange and South Street Seaport. Not to mention 32 hotels, 540 restaurants and bars, and 640 shops, according to the Alliance for Downtown New York. My base was the historic Beekman hotel, occupying a restored landmark building that was completed in 1883, the same year as the Brooklyn Bridge. Its unique design extends from the eccentric reception space with its mosaic marble threshold to a nine-storey atrium capped by a pyramidal skylight. Even the art references the hotel’s history and location, with portraits of Ralph Waldo Emerson and other 19th-century writers who frequented the site when it housed the Mercantile Library Association. The Beekman is one of several landmark buildings in Lower Manhattan, all of which lend the area its Old New
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York charm, but these days it’s a new generation of worldclass architects that’s reshaping the skyline. Just down the road from The Beekman I caught my first glimpse of the Oculus. The transportation hub designed by Santiago Calatrava emerges from the ground like two white wings ready to take flight. The US$4 billion public-works project is even more striking from inside, its cavernous atrium surrounded by white ribs reaching to the sky. But it’s also a working railway station – and home to a Westfield mall – with practically every line in the city converging here. The convenience and ease of access, I’m told, is part of the reason Amazon chose nearby Long Island City for its next headquarters – a deal
DBOX FOR MACKLOWE PROPERTIES
CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: BATTERY PARK, A POPULAR VENUE FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES; THE BEEKMAN’S COLOURFUL LOBBY; A VIEW ACROSS THE 9/11 MEMORIAL TO THE OCULUS. OPPOSITE PAGE, IN SIDEBAR: THE AMENITIES ENTRANCE AT ONE WALL STREET
that has since fallen apart – and why many New Yorkers are deciding to move into the area. That fact is perhaps the most surprising for someone like me, who always associated Lower Manhattan with big business and big government. Whereas the streets were once largely empty on weekends, save for the die-hard discount shoppers at Century 21 department store, they’re gradually being occupied by residents and visitors – not only for the obvious attractions like One World Observatory or the Staten Island Ferry but also for the plethora of new dining destinations and public areas. A number of top chefs have taken over historic buildings or spaces, including Nobu Downtown that’s set in the former headquarters of AT&T, Danny Meyer’s Manhatta on the 60th floor of a mid-century skyscraper and JeanGeorges Vongerichten’s namesake restaurant at South Street Seaport. Even Xi’An Famous Foods, featured on the late Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, has set up shop in the Financial District. The shift in stock-market and foreign-exchange trading from the floor of the NYSE to digital platforms has also led the big banks and financial firms to move out, and allowed media, tech and other more creative-led industries to move in. And it’s created huge vacancies, such as the historic One Wall Street building that was built in 1931 for the Irving Trust Company and is now undergoing the largest office-toresidential conversion in the history of New York. The new liveliness can be felt across the district, from popular food-and-dining emporium Eataly and upscale shopping centre Brookfield to the outdoor concerts and community sailing lessons at Battery Park. The Downtown Alliance provides an online calendar of all the events as well as advice on where to go and what to do. While the new Downtown may be all about what the neighbourhood has gained, it’s comforting to know it hasn’t forgotten what has been lost. The 9/11 Memorial sits within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood, with the names of every person who died in the 2001 attacks and a 1993 bombing at the World Trade Center inscribed along the edge of the reflecting pools. The waterfalls that feed the pools – the largest manmade waterfalls in North America – create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility amid the surrounding buildings and businesses. As I peered into the water and ran my fingers along the bronze panels, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for what had been, and a feeling of hope that could only come from revisiting Lower Manhattan and seeing it anew after all these years.
ONE TO WATCH
LOWER MANHATTAN’S LATEST LANDMARK CONVERSION IS ITS BIGGEST AND MOST AMBITIOUS YET
Rising 56 storeys and occupying an entire city block adjacent to the New York Stock Exchange, One Wall Street is an art deco icon of Lower Manhattan. With the relocation of most major financial institutions uptown, the landmark building was acquired by Macklowe Properties in 2014 and is now being converted into residences, with 566 apartments ranging from studio to four-bedroom, plus a penthouse. While the conversion retains the architectural integrity of the original design as well as the famous Red Room and its three-storey-high mosaic by Hildreth Meière, its interiors are essentially new constructions with all the latest high-tech features. The new One Wall Street will also house 174,000 square feet of retail space, including a Whole Foods Market, and another 100,000 square feet of amenities, including a residents-only pool, gym and dining spaces. Its crowning glory is a three-storey penthouse topped by the famous White Room, a majestic space once used as a boardroom whose key design element is a ceiling lined with seashells. Construction is due to be completed in 2020, with prices starting at US$960,000.
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THE LOW-DOWN ON THE LOIRE What happens when your husband happens to be not only a Loire native, but also head chef at the three-Michelin-star Caprice? You put together a guide to the best of the Loire, of course. juliana loh takes us along for the journey
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ocated an hour south of Paris by TGV train or a little over that by car, the Loire Valley is home to grand chateaus that stand as testament to its history as the playground of French kings and aristocrats, with the old towns of Tours, Blois and Amboise hosting the royal court during the 15th century. It’s in the Loire, too, that present-day oenophiles find diverse wines, beyond Sancerre, Muscadet and PouillyFumé, that are a joy to discover. On trips home to the Loire with my chef husband, Guillaume Galliot, I’ve had the opportunity to dive deep into the culture of the Tourgeaux – the people of Tours – and have eaten my weight in MOF (Meilleurs Ouvriers de France)-designated cheeses and chocolates. Touraine, in the heart of the Loire Valley, is famed for its amazing goat
cheese and the pâté-like meat preparation, rillettes. Both are specialities of Chambray-lès-Tours, home town of my husband, who helms the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong’s Caprice, which recently regained a third Michelin star. But the link doesn’t stop there. Caprice receives weekly arrivals of the Loire region’s Racan pigeon, one of Guillaume’s signature dishes, and during summer, organic home-grown tomatoes from his mother’s garden – more than 150kg of them – are also sent to the restaurant. “Natural flavours, where vegetables and fruits taste like what they are, are very important,” Guillaume says. “You really taste the sunshine, the terroir in the tomatoes from Tours.” We always stop at Le Bistro by Olivier Arlot in Joué-Lès-Tours for a meal of simple, wholesome and flavourful dishes, while seven kilometres from Tours in Montbazon, chef Gaëtan Evrard of the one-Michelin-star brasserie L’Evidence brings out the best in local and seasonal produce.
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prized in both France and England; it’s also the second-largest sparkling-wine producer in France after Champagne. Grape varieties grown there include Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Pinot Noir. Tours lies in the Middle Loire region, and among its most enticing vineyards are Domaine Huet and Philippe Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin. A short drive away, in Montlouis, are the vineyards of leading Loire winemakers Jacky Blot and François Chidaine, who have “distinct styles”, Guillaume says. “You get minerality from Blot’s wines – a favourite is the Triple Zéro, a zero-dosage, sparkling, 100 percent Chenin Blanc – while those from Chidaine are typically more mature and fruity.” If there’s time only for one visit though, pick Domaine Bourillon Dorléans in Rochecorbon, where gregarious owner Frédéric Bourillon holds tastings of his interesting and complex wines – few of which are exported – in a cellar that’s decorated with bas-reliefs. Majestic castles proliferate in this historic corner of France, many dating from the late 13th century and others exemplifying French Renaissance architecture. Château de Villandry on the River Cher, for instance, is famed for its vast and manicured Renaissance gardens, with colourful plants and box hedges forming perfectly precise squares, swirls and maze-like patterns St Hubert’s chapel at the 15th-century Château Royal d’Amboise on the banks of the River Loire houses the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci. The chateau is connected to the neighbouring Château du Clos Lucé (where da Vinci was staying on the invitation of François I when he died in 1519) via an underground tunnel, so admirers of the Italian polymath can easily visit the museum dedicated to him and his works. Perhaps the most impressive castle of the region, however, is the Renaissance Château de Chambord, which was conceived in the early 16th century by François I. Although never completed, the chateau’s
The cuisine is contemporary, generous and rooted in French techniques. It’s also a great spot to discover Loire Valley wines – the restaurant stocks more than 300 of them. “You must also try the rillons de Touraine (savoury confit pork belly), the Rillettes de Tours au Vouvray, and the Appellation d’Origine Protégée goat cheese Sainte-Maure de Touraine, as well as pike and eels from the lakes and river,” insists Bruno Menard, the former executive chef at the three‑Michelin‑star L’Osier in Tokyo, who also judged MasterChef Asia. The Tours native also recommends the tarte tatin, an upside-down apple tart that’s a Loire Valley speciality, as well as the nougat de Tours from La Chocolatière. A visit to Les Hautes Roches, a Relais & Chateaux hotel at Rochecorbon that features converted troglodyte caves, also yields pleasant surprises. Dining on the terrace in summer at its one-Michelin-star restaurant helmed by chef Didier Edon presents a refreshingly different experience – classics with a twist and a menu dominated by seafood. “At aperitif time, we always have rillettes,” Guillaume says. “The best is still my stepfather’s home-made version. He goes hunting with friends during the season, and they make their own pâté and rillettes from deer and wild boar in the region.” The history of winemaking in Loire Valley dates to the 1st century CE, and the region’s wines were once especially — Bruno Menard, chef and Tours native
“You must try the rillons, the rillettes and the goat cheese, as well as pike and eels”
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towers and facade are elaborate and distinct, and its grandeur and opulence – a floating confection of drifting turrets and dreamy spires – uncontested. It’s surrounded by a 5,440-hectare park that’s enclosed within a 32km-long wall and is home to greenery, wildlife and game. Recalling his childhood, Guillaume says: “My grandmother lived near Clos Lucé, so I spent a lot of my childhood running around the area. She’s a very learned woman – she taught Latin at church and met Pope John Paul II at the Vatican every year as a Touraine representative – and as kids, we got detailed history lessons on the royalty who lived nearby.” Of course, no tour of the Loire Valley is complete without a visit to Château de Chenonceau, also known as the Ladies’ Chateau after the succession of women who played significant roles in its creation, restoration and preservation – its Renaissance garden, for instance, which overlooks the River Cher, was created by Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Henry II of France. The chateau also houses a large collection of masterpieces by some of Europe’s greatest painters of the 15th to 18th centuries, including Correggio and Rubens.
BUYER’S MARKET FRESH PRODUCE AT LES HALLES
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: GUILLAUME GALLIOT IN THE KITCHEN AT CAPRICE; AN OLD STAIRCASE LEADING TO A CATHEDRAL IN BLOIS; GUILLAUME’S RACAN PIGEON DISH. OPPOSITE PAGE: THE IMPRESSIVE CHÂTEAU DE CHAMBORD
THE VENDORS AT LES HALLES IN TOURS CELEBRATE THE BEST OF THE REGION’S WONDERFUL PRODUCE. HERE ARE OUR PICKS FOR YOUR LOIRE EDIBLES
LA MAISON CLÉMENT Stock up on jars of pork and duck rillette here, as well as pâté of wild game, the region’s speciality. And of course, be sure to peruse the very fairly priced wines. MAISON CAFFET CHOCOLATERIE PÂTISSERIE The go-to destination for your chocolate fix. We recommend the salted caramel dark chocolate as well as the range of chocolates with nuts. RODOLPHE LE MEUNIER It may be more famous for its cheeses, but we say go for the fromager’s hand-churned butter, Beurre de Baratte. Although it’s difficult to transport home, it’s a lovely way to discover butter made the traditional way — cultured and churned from pasteurised cream, and moulded by hand.
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WILD WANDERINGS AT SHINTA MANI WILD, BILL BENSLEY’S LATEST SUSTAINABLE-LUXURY GEM, GRACE MA HITS THE JUNGLE, READY FOR AN ADRENALINE RUSH
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LEFT: SHINTA MANI WILD’S TENTS ARE BUILT ALONG A 1.5KM STRETCH OF RIVER AND WATERFALLS BELOW: ENJOY A BREEZY PICNIC NEXT TO THE FALLS
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he setting sun casts a romantic rosy glow on the treetops as I tighten my safety harness and put on my helmet. I’d envisioned a simple slide into renowned architect-designer Bill Bensley’s newest 15-tent jungle baby Shinta Mani Wild in the heart of the Southern Cardamom National Park in Cambodia. Instead, I’m about to step off a platform 30 metres from the ground and whizz 350 metres over to another platform so well camouflaged by lush trees that I can’t see it from where I stand. I arrive at the Landing Zone Bar, where a glass of icy homemade pineapple cordial with soda and ginger ale awaits. “Some rum for your drink?” asks a Bensley Butler, one of many locals working at Shinta Mani Wild. But of course. After a four-hour drive from Phnom Penh airport, a jeep transfer to the zip-line platform and that Tarzan swing, some reward is definitely expected.
Since 1989, Bensley’s striking projects – from the pioneering Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle to the sophisticated Shinta Mani Angkor in Siem Reap – have attracted design aficionados with their fastidious attention to detail that’s combined with a touch of whimsy. Shinta Mani Wild has all these, and then some. The resort lies in a 350-hectare valley surrounded by the Southern Cardamom, Kirirom and Bokor national parks. It was originally put on auction for a logging concession, and Bensley and his Cambodian business partner Sokoun Chanpreda, won the bid with a very different intention: to conserve the land. In order to comply with local government requirements, the duo decided to build a low-impact camp that would generate funds to conserve the greater area, including the surrounding park, and provide employment for local communities. This labour of love took nine years, with most of the construction taking place in the last two. Five tents, all with one bedroom, are open now, with the rest ready by May, including one that has two bedrooms. All were built on stilts along a 1.5km stretch of river and waterfalls to avoid disturbing existing animal trails or diverting natural waterways. A ceiling membrane within each tent acts as an insulating layer to make it energy-efficient, while individual treatment systems ensure that waste water can be safely channelled back into nature. The tent I’ve been allocated is a dream pad, its interior decorated with vintage finds and its spacious outdoor living area sparking hangout joy with travel-themed murals, comfy armchairs, a fully stocked minibar and built-in hammocks. Fans spin overhead while an old‑fashioned bathtub sits in the corner, perfect for soaks to the soundtrack of birdsong and the roar of rushing water. Undulating pathways connect the tents and the rest of the property – at night, butlers with electric lamps guide the way to and from dinner at the only on-site restaurant.
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CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: A ONE-BEDROOM TENT; BATHTUB SOAKS WITH WILDERNESS VIEWS; A SALAD OF FRESH FORAGED GREENS
“AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES ARE WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS” — SANGJAY CHOEGYAL, GENERAL MANAGER
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From the moment breakfast is done, it’s adventure in the great outdoors. I go foraging with sous chef Ly Lous, and find out that red ants and parts of the rattan plant are actually edible. I’m also taught how to fly‑fish by Tolga, Bensley’s personal fishing guide whenever he goes to Mongolia, and who only visits the resort in December and January each year. On a trek with patrollers from the non-profit Wildlife Alliance, we cut through thick undergrowth on a never-before-travelled route to search for signs of illegal poaching and logging. Shinta Mani’s community arm, the Shinta Mani Foundation, works with the alliance and the Cambodian government to conserve the surrounding national parks, which stretch across 4 million hectares. This arduous job never ends and is fraught with danger, but it’s reaped rewards – some of the resort’s employees were villagers who used to chop down trees and trap animals for a living as they had nothing else to do. Bong Mac, my personal Bensley Butler, is a buddy, teacher and cheerleader all rolled into one. Whenever I swelter, a flask of iced water and cold towels suddenly appear. He teaches me how to spot brightly coloured orange tips and tailed jays on a butterfly walk, eggs me on to finish a 5km-long mountain-bike ride on my first attempt and chirpily gets us out of tight spots as we kayak along a tranquil mangrove river. There are also expedition boats with sunloungers and a bar for plying wider and deeper waterways. At the end of each day, I know there’s a massage waiting at the Boulder Spa, where my aching muscles will be eased by skilful kneading, and my sun‑blazed skin repaired with gentle care.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE WHAT’S A STAY IN A LUXURY TENT WITHOUT A FEW LUXE ESSENTIALS?
MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION HAT
BERLUTI PLAYING CARDS SET
CHANTECAILLE BIO LIFTING SERUM+
DIOR DIORULTIME1 SUNGLASSES
Meals are stunners, with each dish containing elements of surprise and delight, such as foraged salad greens, crisp fried sea bass, sticky rice balls with yellow bean and grated coconut paste, and chocolate desserts made from cacao beans bought from a local market. Cocktails are themed after the different parts of a plant and are as edgy as they’re locally inspired. Never in my four days do I wish I were eating somewhere else. “The traditional sense of luxury is no longer confined to marbled lobbies; people want authentic experiences,” says Sangjay Choegyal, Wild’s general manager. “We want people to swim, ride a motorbike, get out of their comfort zones here. That’s where the magic happens.” And with all the effort in conserving the forests and ensuring a sustainable livelihood for the locals, a stay at Shinta Mani Wild is definitely meaningfully magical.
OMEGA SEAMASTER DIVER 300M SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SILK SCARF
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eoul is your oyster at the Signiel Seoul, though on first impression this might not seem to be the case. Opened around two years ago, the luxury hotel sits high in the clouds, occupying floors 76 through 101 in the Lotte World Tower above Jamsil, an area south of the river on the eastern side of Gangnam. The tower is currently the world’s sixth-tallest skyscraper and though Jamsil isn’t known to be particularly central, once you’re ensconced in the hotel’s indulgent surrounds that hardly seems to matter. I arrive at the 76th-floor lobby one winter afternoon to be greeted by breathtaking views of Seoul’s city sprawl set against the gently rugged mountains of Bukhansan National Park – and, seemingly, all of the city’s well-heeled who are either checking in with their children for the weekend or taking tea amid friends and furs at Bar 81, which I’m told is
ON TOP OF THE WORLD SIGNIEL SEOUL HAS JOINED THE RANKS OF KOREA’S VERY BEST HOTELS, SO ZANETA CHENG CHECKS IN TO CHECK OUT JUST WHAT THE FUSS IS ALL ABOUT
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the largest champagne bar in the country. With one exception, French chef Yannick Alleno oversees all of the dining at the hotel, so the eats are unparalleled. From bellhops to front-desk staff, check-in is efficient and obliging, with English spoken politely and professionally – though even if it weren’t so quick, the views would make time go by in a flash. I’m handed the swipe cards to a Grand Deluxe Room, my home for the next few days, and up I go to settle in. One of the perks of owning the building as well as the hotel it’s in is that Lotte Group has ensured that all the Signiel’s rooms not only have a view, but also a great deal of space in which to enjoy it – the smallest is still an ample 430 square feet. Each is an elegant cacophony of marble, wood and fabrics, with floral motifs a dominant element in the decor (Koreans hold certain blooms associated with royalty in high regard): my carpet depicts magnolias and a calming tapestry features the Hibiscus syriacus, the country’s national flower, known here as mugunghwa. Because this is Asia there are plug ports aplenty, with cables for a variety of phones coiled neatly in a row in the bedside drawer, occupying real estate more normally given over to a Bible. A selection of teas, including an Asian pear blend by Alleno, is also something to write home about, as is a turn-down service that every evening provides a different cocktail with which to enjoy the sunset. That the bathroom is a sanctuary is no surprise: they take their baths
seriously in Korea. The wet room contains a shower and a bathtub, and in place of salts or bubbles there’s bath tea for a soothing soak. Outfitted in dark marble, the sit-down vanity area makes freshening up a joy, while closets can be accessed from both the hallway and the bathroom. The body lotion is rich and fresh, ensuring bath time is as much of a pleasure post-soak as during – and as an added bonus, Diptyque products are generously supplied on request. Modest my accommodation most certainly is not, but at the top of range there are palatial Royal and (for the slightly more democratic) Presidential suites that, I understand, are more regularly occupied than one might expect. Indeed, dignitaries are in residence on the very weekend I’m there – granted their furnished spaces are larger than mine, as are their bathtubs, but we all share the same sensational view. It’s in the hotel’s Korean Suite, however, where guests are treated to a traditional Korean sitting room, replete with heated tatami mats to walk on and furnishings of a bygone era, that luxury and local culture are most successfully braided together. If I’m feeling peckish between meals, I can pop down to The Lounge, a guests-only space for tea and nibbles that overlooks the mountains. Otherwise, there’s dinner with a modern twist at Stay by Yannick Alleno, where I can also have breakfast each morning, or the one-Michelin-star Bicena that serves traditional Korean dishes with a contemporary twist. Add to the above an Evian Spa, a pool and a gym, and you’ll appreciate why this hotel is difficult to leave – but if you can manage to tear yourself away, the concierge is only too delighted to help. Hotel cars and taxis are a phone call away but for guests who, like me, prefer travelling on foot, the subway is an easy indoor walk away through the sprawling Lotte Mall. Simple enough, you say – but you’ll also understand why so many of my best-laid plans are abandoned in favour of kicking back and taking in the city outside – be it the silvery afternoon glint, the orange glow of dusk or the solar system of lights at night – from my perch at the top of the world at the Signiel Seoul.
EVERY ROOM, INCLUDING THIS PREMIER VERSION, OFFERS A SENSATIONAL VIEW
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S T Y L E M E MO RE: SS19 WOMENSWEAR
Coat Emporio Armani
ED I T O R ’S L E T TER
OPEN BOOK I’m sitting down to write this just three hours since news broke that Karl Lagerfeld had passed away. He was a giant in fashion and if his passing marks an end of an era, it also heralds a new dawn. Sad though it is, the news is apposite given Prestige magazine’s own task of reinventing itself for the Internet age. With such a barrage of information and imagery available in real time at readers’ fingertips, you’d hardly think a print magazine were needed to tell you which trends you should wear and how they should be worn. So when I set out to revamp this seasonal fashion supplement, I thought about the place of fashion publishing and how magazine editors can legitimately add value. My conclusions look squarely at the democratisation of the industry and an editor’s ability to equip you with the why instead of simply the what. It’s our job, moreover, to interpret the language of fashion as a reflection of our society today and to encapsulate the zeitgeist. You might say, then, that our shoot on page 172 reflects the current chaos, not only in the print industry but also in fashion. It heads into the unknown, taking us by way of mountains, seas, ravines, yet also simultaneously introduces our pick of spring/summer 2019. Flip to Moodboard and orient yourself in the season’s aesthetic and direction. POV positions fashion in the cultural
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discourse, locating the places it’s permeated and identifying the key cultural touchpoints for the months ahead. Net-A-Porter’s Elizabeth von der Goltz tells us what we should look forward to, while touching on key topics – from sustainability to emerging talent – that gripped the industry during the fashion weeks. We dive deep into the revival of feathers, strass, sequins and glamour and explore the ways glitz has changed – and yet remained much the same – in the wake of the #metoo movement. We speak to Jason Mui and On Ying Lai of Hong Kong brand Yat Pit, which has emerged as a beacon of hope for young creative talents in the face of towering production costs and rising rents. And we make a brief visit to Shanghai, where local designer Helen Lee shows us the places where she likes to unwind. The new Show Notes pages offer a glimpse into what I jotted down during each collection. Every editor’s notebook is different, but then that’s why each magazine has its own mind, character and way of seeing the world. Here’s mine, now an open book, for you.
Zaneta Cheng | FASHION & FEATURES EDITOR
MO O DBOARD
Salvatore Ferragamo
Birds of a Feather
Roger Vivier
If all those sporting feathers flocked together this season, there’d be a serious crowd. Every designer is pulling out plumage embracing all-out decadence and unabashed opulence, in part thanks to Miuccia Prada’s quilled garments a few seasons back. From Loewe to Dries Van Noten, feathery adornments waft from blouses, skirts and trousers. Take a look at Valentino, where Pierpaolo Piccioli took the term “birds of paradise” and ran with it, creating a collection that puts the majestic plumes of exotic avians front and centre.
COLOUR RECONNAISSANCE: BEIGE Loewe
Pantone may have announced that the colour of the year is “living coral”, but a glance at the catwalk shows that beige is undergoing a revival. In Riccardo Tisci’s first foray for Burberry, the vast majority of his 134 looks were in the neutral hue. Likewise, Paul Surridge’s first collection for Roberto Cavalli, the house of more-is-more, embraced the tone. As is always the case in fashion, extremes are the norm and the pared-back hue is a welcome respite to the ’80s glitz and neon brights that took over runways in recent seasons.
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M OODB OAR D Alexander McQueen
ITEM OF THE SEASON THE TURBAN Not content to stop at one statement-making trend, Gucci is making the turban happen in a decadent and magical way. For the past few seasons, catwalks have toyed with the notion of the turban, but the Italian house restores its ’20s-style hedonism – and we all know that in troubled times the greatest salve is the object that gives that little extra.
I SELL SEA SHELLS OR, RATHER, FASHION DOES – AS ADORNMENT ON SHOES À LA GUCCI, OR ON DANGLING JEWELS AT ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
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Wrong Is Right
The days of just-so are long over. If you’re a woman in this era, designers want you to know it’s best to love that which is a little bit off. Miu Miu pinned oversized blooms and bows to pre-shrunk dresses for that unfettered feeling, distressed its denim and paired it with sequins for the damsel with the devil-may-care attitude. Maison Margiela’s diffusion MM6 line, meanwhile, was described by one industry insider as “an in-cloth sound clash of silk versus cotton, ruffle versus jean, and then versus now”, also known as “Baroque ’n’ Roll”.
MM6 Maison Margiela
M OODB OAR D
Christian Louboutin
Razzle Dazzle
It was so blinding, we couldn’t miss it – this season, highlighter brights are back, possibly because we’re seeing an ’80s revival, or possibly as times are dark and we need some colour to turn it up a little. Zingy shades of lime, lemon and fuchsia were boldly worn top to bottom as seen at Rochas, or as accents à la Balenciaga. Given that the other trope of the season is beige, we can truly say that no matter what you wear, you’re going to be right on trend.
Rochas
Chanel
THAT’S THE BAG I’M IN The Celine 16 Bag in satinated calfskin was the talk of the town after Lady Gaga was spotted toting the Hedi Slimane carrier. The unveiling of the handbag also coincided with Slimane’s decision to drop the Phoebe Philo-instated acute accent from the brand’s name, causing a deal of industry comment – but love it or hate it, it’s a symbol of a new generation.
All at Sea
Maybe it’s all the talk about plastic waste in the oceans, but fashion has taken a dip in the briny and turned it into art. Catwalks this season were awash with semi-transparent fabrics that ripple with light, like those in which Giorgio Armani draped his models. Blue was resurgent, in shades from cobalt to navy to periwinkle. The ruching technique was seen to stunning effect, while Raf Simons played with neoprene and plastics to get a wet look to accompany the obvious Jaws reference. Chanel’s girls took a stroll by the sea in a fisherman’s jacket, a swimsuit or a little summer dress – because that’s what Chanel girls do when down on the Riviera.
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POV
The Courtauld Collection: A Vision for Impressionism
FEMALE EMPOWERMENT
Artists have always needed patrons, and the early-20th-century English industrialist and art collector Samuel Courtauld was one such figure. Until June 17, the Fondation Louis Vuitton is working with the Courtauld Gallery in London to display, for the first time in Paris in more than 60 years, 110 works from the Courtauld collection. Among the pieces on display are late 19th- and early 20th-century French paintings that include Manet’s Un Bar aux Folies Bergère (1882), La Jeune Femme Se Poudrant (c.1890) by Seurat and Cézanne’s Les Joueurs de Cartes (1892-95, pictured). These days, a penchant for the new and unexpected has brought art and fashion ever closer. Although the exhibition is not a collaboration in the sense we’ve come to expect (there’s only one drop), the worlds of art and fashion are no longer quite so distinct. Until June 17 at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, France
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Lots of designers had opinions about women this season. Miuccia Prada gave us an imperfect woman at Miu Miu and Rei Kawakubo had hers dragging dangling chains down the runway. Ann Demeulemeester had similar ideas to those of the Japanese design doyenne and wrapped her women’s heads in gauze (above). At the other end of the spectrum, Saint Laurent put together a scantily clad line-up of models stomping confidently over water – the second coming of Christ? It was a bold collection that challenged the notion of propriety and championed women wearing whatever they want, whenever they want.
Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams
From now until July, the V&A hosts the largest-ever exhibition on the House of Dior to be staged in Britain (see page 84). The show, which traces the history of the house from 1946 until the present, explores the influences of the founder and his successors. Negotiating heritage with the 21st century and the whims and wants of a younger generation is a key concern to most brands – and with the arrival of Maria Grazia Chiuri as artistic director, Dior has navigated this space well. But the exhibition does more than tell a success story; it also encourages visitors to understand the craft behind couture – a slower and more personal endeavour that in a small way provides a counterpoint to today’s hyper-speed world. Until July 14 at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK
CHANEL HAUTE COUTURE FASHION SHOW
It seems that every year a fashion film becomes the talk of the town. In 2019 we look to Netflix’s 7 Days Out, a documentary series that follows the week leading up to major events in the worlds of sports, fashion, space exploration and food. One of the episodes follows the late Karl Lagerfeld and his team of premières and petits mains as they make the final and hectic touches to Chanel’s haute couture show. Watch it so you’re not the only one on the planet who hasn’t already seen it twice.
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WHICH SS19 COLLECTIONS C AU G H T YO U R AT T E N T I O N ?
There’s so much to be excited about this season, from utility chic at Isabel Marant, Gabriela Hearst and Givenchy to the Cali cool trend at Chloé, and summer escapism from Jacquemus. A standout was Riccardo Tisci’s debut show for Burberry. He’s bringing such a new vision and energy to this heritage brand – there’s an edge to his debut collection, and his interpretation of Burberry plaid is brilliant. There was something for everyone – from dresses to beautiful tailoring to relaxed easy streetwear.
WHAT KEY TRENDS DID YO U N OT I C E C O M I N G OUT OF THE SEASON?
Designs of the Times ELIZABETH VON DER GOLTZ, Net-A-Porter’s global buying director, talks to zaneta cheng about what’s in the air this season and why it’s cooler to support younger brands instead of wearing the obvious same old
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Tailoring, or what we like to call “The Real Woman”, will continue to dominate in coming seasons. Brands such as Burberry, Gabriela Hearst, The Row, Victoria Beckham, A.W.A.K.E. and Tibi did such an impressive job at breathing life into this, making clever structural updates, employing vibrant colours and adding embellishment. Many designers are also developing a fascination with artisanal techniques such as patchwork details, scarf prints and delicate embroideries. The Paco Rabanne collection was one of the standout shows of the season. In terms of accessories, the structured top handle made a major comeback, with Gabriela Hearst leading the way. The elevated basket bag provided an update on spring/summer 2018’s raffia bag, with options from Staud and Hunting Season in fabrics such as canvas and leather. The surprise hit of the season, really, was the short. We have more than 200 styles coming in, from suiting, sporty, paper-bag waist and of course the cycling short, which we’re loving paired with a longline blazer.
WHAT NEW DESIGNERS ARE YO U M O S T E XC I T E D A B O U T ?
We’re bringing in 119 new brands for cruise ’19 and spring/summer ’19, so it’s a very exciting season for us. We just launched Peter Do exclusively – the quality of the pieces really stands out and his innovative cuts demonstrate his impeccable skills with both fabric and drape. Another RTW brand we’re launching exclusively is Commission – founded by three designers who are inspired by a multitude of influences, such as the globalisation of Asia, New York youth culture and corporate dressing. The brand supplies intelligent choices for subtle, cool workwear. These brands have also been offered a comprehensive mentorship programme under The Vanguard.
Clockwise from opposite page Elizabeth von der Goltz; Burberry; Isabel Marant
T E L L U S A B O U T T H E VA N G UA R D.
We launched The Vanguard in autumn/winter ’18 as a way to formalise our commitment to new fashion talent, making a real difference to their businesses. We’ve always scouted and nurtured new fashion talent. There are so many new young designers and we see businesses exploding overnight. While this is great, we have a responsibility to our brands to ensure they stay big after launch and to help them continue to grow. We choose our Vanguard brands because we believe they have a unique design aesthetic in their category. The Net-A-Porter buying team selects brands based on their authenticity of design and directional brand perspective; we ultimately choose the brands that we believe to have the potential to grow into meaningful businesses with a global resonance. The programme offers a 360-degree approach. Our specialist teams help them to build successful and sustainable businesses, which is where our mentoring comes into play. Our buyers give advice on everything from pricing structure, category mix, delivery times, fabrications and merchandising to working with them on special projects and exclusives, and we’re also a great place for designers to start experimenting with new ideas. They also receive one-on-one sessions with our management team on their business strategy; Brand Creative shows them how to build on their brand image; and Social, Marketing and PR guide them on influencer strategy, content creation, and give insight into the press and media landscape. They have access to our London-based Tech Hub and Photo Studios. We connect them to our global teams, and whether it’s our general manager in China or our teams in the US, Middle East or Hong Kong, they’ll all be able to provide specific market intel, giving brands a perspective on how to launch a business, along with access to customers in more than 172 countries.
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 ?
The emerging brands today will be the big brands of the future, so it’s important that we support this talent in the early stages to help guarantee lasting success. More and more designers are emerging from – or strongly influenced by – locations that aren’t limited to the traditional fashion capitals. These brands have a refreshing point of view that our customer is really embracing. The brands that feel like an “insider secret” are capturing the attention of the global consumer for all the right reasons. We see customers exploring and demanding fresh designs each season from previously unheard-of designers.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONSUMER ATTITUDES YO U ’ V E N OT I C E D ?
A power shift has occurred over the past seasons. Customer decisions about what’s fashionable no longer lie solely with large luxury houses but instead with someone who mixes those big designer brands with the contemporary, showing a sense of individuality. Fashion is now less about cost, status and the traditional power designers, but about design-led product. A whole new contemporary scene has emerged led by designers such as Ganni, Rixo London and Staud, to name a few. Customers want items more frequently that still pack a punch style-wise, but without the price tag normally associated with high fashion. This perspective has revolutionised the fashion industry and it’s also in sync with our long-term approach of bringing in new fashion talent. P
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AND WHEN SHE CAME TO THE PLACE WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, THEY ROARED THEIR TERRIBLE ROARS AND GNASHED THEIR TERRIBLE TEETH, TILL SHE SAID, “BE STILL!” AND TAMED THEM WITH A MAGIC TRICK PHOTOGRAPHY LEUNGMO STYLING UNA HO
MAKE-UP ANGEL MOK
HAIR WINKY WONG AT THE ATTIC MODEL VALERIA M AT SUN ESEE
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Dress Louis Vuitton Bag Prada
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Dress and Shoes Miu Miu Headband Prada
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Party
like It’s
2019
When the world appears to be going to hell in a handcart, does fashion get frivolous? MELISSA TWIGG considers the current escapist appetite for glitz
OPPOSITE RIGHT: KEVIN TACHMAN
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t first it looked like a trend conceived on Instagram. The more-is-more aesthetic that calls for sequins, tassels and taffeta, with a sprinkling of glitter on top, has been dominating social media for the last year. It toppled Phoebe Philo-esque minimalism and laid the way for a new generation of extrovert designers. But while volume, colour and embroidery are a godsend for influencers cultivating their brand, the roots of this aesthetic go far deeper than a need for clicks. Alessandro Michele may be its baby daddy. He famously takes inspiration from Ancient Rome, Tudor England, medieval France, Renaissance Italy, ’30s Paris, ’70s London and ’80s Harlem. Phew. This sweeping range of influences infuses his work for Gucci, with collections referencing everything from dinosaurs to Disney, and the Bayeux Tapestry to Botticelli. Over the last four years, his extravagant catwalk shows have helped shift the zeitgeist away from Jil Sander, Helmut Lang and those ubiquitous Stan Smiths, and towards opulence and all-out glamour. This movement is partly based around nostalgia, beginning with a rise in ’70s-inspired silhouettes and prints, and leading on to those of their brasher, bolder younger sister: the ’80s. By spring/summer 2019, the four fashion weeks had seen a resurgence of disco, with shoulder pads, glitter, sequins, feathers and white boots back in the spotlight. New Yorker Michael Halpern has been the Diana Ross of fashion’s disco moment, and all the unabashed embellishment and hyper femininity that comes with it. Since its London Fashion Week debut in 2016, his sequinfocused label, Halpern, has created a cavalcade of colour, glitter and fun, all of which is made elegant by sleek cuts and rich colours. His designs are packed with contrasts: they look like couture, but they aren’t. They look like eveningwear, but they aren’t. Instead, his gold-sequin skirts are designed to be worn by day, and his shimmering hoodies by night. Then there’s Kevin Germanier (see page 88). This Swiss designer and Central Saint Martins graduate aims to change the way we think about sustainable fashion while continuing to make clothes that are a feast for the eyes. Known for his sheer bodysuits and colourful dresses, both of which are coated in tiny plastic beads that he rescued from the tip, his clothes have a rainbow shimmer to them that looks almost kaleidoscopic from a distance. Few designers rival Molly Goddard for gorgeous girlishness, with the volume turned up to 10. She’s
From opposite page: Vivienne Westwood; Molly Goddard; Gucci
known for making dresses and skirts from marshmallowpink tulle, pale violet lace and intricate smocking – all of it deliciously pretty but with a rebellious streak running through it. For autumn/winter ’19, the show closed with a model in an oversized mille-feuille smocked dress in the hottest of hot pinks stomping through London’s sepiatinted Foreign Office. Celebrities including Rihanna, Cindy Sherman, Rei Kawakubo, Alexa Chung and Adwoa Aboah have been drawn to the frothy fabulousness of Goddard’s designs. As has Villanelle, the delightfully psychotic fictional assassin in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s hit television show, Killing Eve. In what has become of one of the most-shared images from the show, Villanelle runs across Place Vendôme clad in pink Molly Goddard – ideal marketing for the visually led Insta generation. As with many other designers, however, the almost childlike joyfulness in Goddard’s collections is also a form of escapism from Britain’s difficult political climate. “I’m very worried about [Brexit],” she says. “It’s hard not to be when we have no idea what’s going on. I think politics and fashion are connected in the way any form of escapism is
connected to what’s happening in the world at the moment. By creating something that feels happy, it helps a bit.” Michael Halpern agrees. In an interview with The Observer, he said, “What’s going on with women and politics has pushed me to want to make a statement with what I design. If it feels like the world is going down, I try to go in the other direction. All this doom and gloom – people need escapism.” The role #metoo has played in the rise of more-is-more fashion is a complex one. The arrival of fluid layering, longer skirts and generally bigger silhouettes indicates that the fashion industry has been listening to women by shifting the focus from skin to fabric. Equally, the continued trend for flat shoes and embellished trainers shows that female comfort is taking precedence over the male gaze. And designers who fail to conform are often at the receiving end of women’s collective rage – see Hedi Slimane and the debut of his postage-stamp-sized party dresses for Celine on the same day as the Brett Kavanaugh hearing in Washington. Hence the reason why The New York Times described concealing clothes as “the defining sartorial style of the 2010s”. With only one more year to go of this decade, the newspaper could well be right – but when a voluminous silhouette is combined with sequins, glitter and a delicious hint of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, women aren’t necessarily concealing themselves, they’re saying, “Look at me, but on my terms.” P
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On Ying Lai and Jason Mui of Yat Pit
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e get lost walking to Yat Pit’s studio because we don’t know where to look. Winding our way through the weekend hustle of Sham Shui Po, it’s easy to lose our bearings, mix up the street names and confuse the nonsequential numbers on the doors, in our attempt to locate the place where designers On Ying Lai and Jason Mui conceive the ideas for their young fashion brand. Nor is it the first time we’ve got lost trying to locate Yat Pit in this gritty Kowloon neighbourhood. That was a few months earlier when, in conjunction with the Fashion Farm Foundation, the two designers presented their Hong Kong kitsch- and culture-inspired collection at a street-market stall – think long knitted qipaos that allow for maximum movement and traditional Chinese jackets that have been modernised through cut, fabric and variation in design. Chinese, Japanese and Korean friends of the brand lounged by the Yat Pit stall, which had been rented for the day from a regular market trader. Recalling 1950s and ’80s Hong Kong, the girls wore the brand’s qipaos; one carried a baby on her back in a style common a few decades previously on those very streets. Net slippers were being sold alongside reinterpreted min lap, a sort of polyester coat worn during Lunar New Year when visiting relatives, and ’80s Cantopop blared. The name Yat Pit derives from the expression “10 strokes but not even a slash”, meaning that many projects are talked about but nothing concrete is ever accomplished. Thus one slash – yat pit – is the pair’s defiant signal that they’re here to create, to act, having decided to return to Hong Kong after studying (both attended Central St Martins) in England since childhood. “When we started the brand, we looked around and it was all about a jean and a T-shirt, but nobody owned a qipao, which is a classic item from Chinese culture,” Mui says. “They’re just as good as a sari or a kimono, but it’s simply a matter of how a culture preserves what is really loved. “I know some grandmothers in Japan pass down their kimono to their daughters and granddaughters. With the Chinese, it’s like, what do we pass down, aside from chopsticks? I mean, you learn a lot of traditional practices like worshipping your ancestors, but in terms of clothing, there’s so much less of that. It was only when I met On Ying that I saw the clothing that was passed down the family from her great-great-grandfather, which we’ve reinterpreted in our newest collection.” After climbing three dingy flights of stairs, I enter the Yat Pit studio and am greeted by a huge red tapestry, a bamboo plant, a massive Boddhisattva and a flood of light. Mui has cut up some Chinese pears – the crispy juicy kind that Hong Kong families share after dinner. There’s a “good luck” towel lying atop a mini kiosk fridge in the open
Taking Back the Streets Yat Pit designers ON YING LAI and JASON MUI talk to zaneta cheng about reimagining Sham Shui Po and forging a new identity for Hong Kong people as a whole – one Chinese-culture-inspired piece at a time
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kitchen (the space serves both as Mui’s studio and his flat, which is at the back), and the concrete floor and walls are covered with images of old Hong Kong, pre-Revolutionary China and stills from the movie Raise the Red Lantern. As I take it all in a funny feeling comes over me – one that I quickly realise is belonging. Lai nods as though she’s heard this all before. “A lot of our core customers are American- and British-born Chinese, who really identify with the brand,” she says. “I think it’s related to a certain type of nostalgia that resides in most Hong Kong people. “They’re like, ‘Oh, we read your interview and we really believe in your journey – rediscovering your roots,’” Lai continues. “We were born in Hong Kong and we went to London for school, but we all grew up here and shared, like, Stephen Chow movies. They’re seared into our minds – we can basically recite entire films. It’s that humour that we share, those songs. I think it’s quite natural to have that sort of stuff inside.” Mui concurs, “Every Hong Kong person has that inside of them but it’s a matter of seeing whether something can trigger you to express that feeling creatively, concretely.” So how does a collection begin? “I think there are so many elements to how we start a collection,” Mui says. “We always look at our own wardrobes to see what we don’t have and what we want to wear, but there’s also the music. Anita Mui – it could just be looking at what she used to wear, perhaps what she wore to perform a song at the music awards, that could trigger an outfit. We’re so drawn to that period in time because there were so many great artists – you could feel that they were so genuinely creative and artistic that people could aspire to and look up to them.” Lai and Mui’s love for the city – and in particular for Sham Shui Po – is evident. “It’s a place I can relate to,” says Lai. “It’s a place that’s a constant struggle. I don’t come from a very well-off family, but I was brought up in the UK and I had a roof over my head. Coming back here reminded me a little bit of that childhood, when no adults were home and the kids ran wild. We raised ourselves and I think that kind of behaviour is what defines this place. “It’s very DIY and you have to fend for yourself, fix things yourself. We always talk about this. You see people on the streets and you can tell they’ve made the clothes themselves or they’ve probably worn the same outfit for the longest time. When it breaks, they fix it with a safety pin, or some tape or metal and it’s those details that really speak to us. We naturally gravitate to it.” “It’s where form follows function,” Lai says. “They’ll fold their trouser legs up and pin both sides to form a pocket and once they finish, say, sweeping the street, they sit down and pull out their horse-racing cards. It’s just convenient for them to store their things there and that’s what inspires us. We’ll look at that and mix it with say, an upturned
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Clockwise from left: Finishing touches are applied to a garment; the full Yat Pit look; the Sham Shui Po streets are this young Hong Kong brand’s catwalk
fortune sign that I spotted on the street on another day. “With regards to Sham Shui Po, though, I think Hong Kong’s a very conditioned city. There’s a path. You finish high school and if you’re capable you go to a good university. Then you get a job and get promoted. Make money and buy a house. Have kids. There are minor deviations but that’s the path. And I think the reason we chose Sham Shui Po is because I feel like we need a different pair of eyes to look at something that’s established. “People say it’s so dangerous, but when you have that thought you’re blocking your brain from having the space to see and think something else.” Mui jumps in. “It’s why we were so annoying when we first walked the streets here,” he says, “because we were looking everywhere, even a broom, and just exclaiming at how beautiful the broom was. Everything here really has an aesthetic. There’s a reason why the guy in the market hung 10 plastic gloves in a row but for us, we impose it against a white gallery wall or set as an installation and it’s art. “Our aesthetic is ugly beauty – what is beautiful and what is ugly? Your ugly is my beautiful and my beautiful is your ugly. It’s our interpretation of what is beautiful.” The pair do have a magic touch when transforming seemingly banal objects into art. It turns out that velvet skirts hanging on a rail are inspired by souvenir paintings of Hong Kong Harbour that are sold to tourists on the street. “People think it’s just a tourist piece and quite tacky, but we had the image oil-painted on to the skirt by hand, which gives it an original spin” says Lai. “Take the ‘good luck’ towel,” she continues. “It’s just how we interpret it. I mean, it’s just a towel but viewed through the Yat Pit lens it’s how we place it, how we turn it into a garment or an accessory. How do you interpret something that everybody’s so used to seeing – where everybody’s like, ‘Oh, it’s just that old thing’ – but actually it could look a million different ways and not the prescribed five ways.” It’s an attitude the Yat Pit pair is hoping to translate to clothes and, ultimately, the way Chinese people feel about themselves. “I think there’s been a change for Chinese people toward embracing ourselves,” Mui says, “our culture and our people, and not treating a white man differently from an Asian. You still see it in older Asians and sometimes I realise what a different experience my Western friends are having compared to me, but I think the younger generation are changing that feeling and how they behave.” “It goes back to the broom and the qipao,” Lai says. “If you look at them that way then it will always be that way. People ask me if I’m going to a banquet or a wedding when I wear a qipao, but I’m just wearing it to go out and have dinner because I feel like it. It’s a matter of mindset really. It’s the way you choose to see it.” P
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HELEN LEE’S
SHANGHAI Born and based in China’s most happening city, the fashion designer takes jing zhang on a brief tour of her favourite off-duty haunts
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hanghai has become a hotbed of fashion talent in recent years. The gleaming facades of luxury stores in JingAn, Xintiandi and the former French Concession are just one indication of Chinese buying power and how important the market is for the biggest global fashion brands. Yet independent labels have also flourished here, pushing the agenda for Shanghai as an Asia fashion capital and China’s most fashionable city. And trendy boutiques, restaurants and bars are sprouting at an almost alarming pace in the city, feeding its residents’ insatiable desire for newness and ever fresher blends of East-meets-West. Contemporary fashion designer and Shanghai native Helen Lee helms her own eponymous label as well as being creative director of ski-and sportswear brand Perfect Moment. After many years hanging out mostly in parts of the former French Concession, where her fashion-label atelier
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was once based, she now has a new neighbourhood on the radar: Suzhou Creek’s Southside area, which is currently undergoing an urban regeneration with a luxury and fashion focus.
SHOP
In between designing, meeting clients or managing her stores, Lee has little time for shopping. So where would a fashion designer go in Shanghai? “I don’t buy that much fashion in Shanghai, but I do love browsing. There are few new shops to check out – one of my favourites is called LMDS (1 Taojiang Lu), which is really quite a chic and fashionable boutique. “I also just opened my Helen Lee South Creekside store (203, 955 South Suzhou Road). The space is big and airy, and I now spend a lot time there. The 5,900-square-foot space is more like a private shop/ showroom – I wanted to have this kind of space so I can hang out with buyers and clients. I wanted to make it quite special and easy for people to look at the clothes and get to know the brand better.” It’s in an area that’s been newly developed by the Balian Group, with the aim of creating a new fashion centre within the city. “I can show my designs to the buyers and consumers in a really comfortable environment where I can connect better with buyers and clients,” Lee says. “It’s like a refurbished warehouse space that’s designed in a really simple, charming and light way. “There are meeting rooms, store space, changing rooms, a photo shoot room and even a little bar, so people can just hang out. I want to show off the creativity we’re trying to present here and it gives us the flexibility to do events for VIPs, or mini fashion shows or even cool reception parties for the arts and design crowd.”
HANG
“I like to hang out around Anfu Lu and Fumin Road, my local neighbourhood,” says Lee. The heart of the former French Concession, it’s home to many international-style boutiques, restaurants and concept bars. It’s also a haven for expats living in the city, where most venues will have English menus and English-speaking staff. “I also like hanging out around the Bund, usually just because I really like to look at the Huangpu River,” she says – and despite growing up in Shanghai, she’s not averse to frequenting some of the city’s luxury hotels. “I really like the Hyatt – there are a couple of nice venues there
Clockwise from opposite, below left: Designer Helen Lee; the Shanghai Bund by night; Lee’s Creekside store; LMDS boutique
– or we’ll go to the Shangri-La for brunch or afternoon tea. On certain occasions, I’ll head to the Peace Hotel to have very old-style Shanghai cuisine for brunch. I love relaxing while looking at that waterfront view.”
EAT & DRINK
They say fashion people hardly eat, but Lee and her husband regularly tour Shanghai’s vibrant restaurant scene. Last time we met, we were laughing over smokey whiskey cocktails at a new contemporary Chinese restaurant called Daojianghu (3/F, 50 Tai’An Lu). Recently, though, she has another obsession: “My favourite place to eat is this tiny Japanese restaurant called Tianji (570 Yongjia Lu). It only has eight seats, so it’s really intimate. There’s really good tempura and they use handmade vintage ceramics and glass tableware that the chef collected and brought back from Japan. “It’s a really artistic and beautiful place. You watch the chef cook everything in front of you, and he introduces all of the fresh food and ingredients, as well as different ways of eating it with different sauces. Let’s not forget the vast and quite special collection of sake they have, either. “If we’re talking about bars,” she adds, “I like cocktails, so I often go to the Japanese-style speakeasy called Speak Low (579 Fuxing Zhong Lu). I’ll usually try at least three or four different cocktails in a night … and they have four floors. The Margarita and Flurtibird cocktails are really great, but at the end of the day my favourite drinks are usually champagne, dirty martinis and gin-and-tonic.” P
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FROM THE
FASHION DESK reflects on the shows, the sets and the word on the street ZANETA CHENG
Italian brand Gucci moved its show, which was all about theatricality, from Milan to Théâtre le Palace in Paris. Invitations took the form of packs of ginger, garlic and various bulbs. The proceedings began with a terrifying zombie video — all to convey a spectacle that culminated in a somewhat less alarming rendition of “Baby Alone in Babylon” by the one and only Jane Birkin. A show to remember.
Possibly my favourite of this season’s shows was Hermès, which took place on a golden afternoon out at the Hippodrome de Longchamp in Paris. The sky was clear and the brand made sure we knew it by reflecting its pristine blue perfection with a catwalk-side mirror as a machine exhaled puffs of cloud that floated across the runway. The collection was Nadège VanheeCybulski’s best yet, made all the more heavenly by the soundtrack — a mix between Groove Armada’s “At the River” and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488, II. Adagio. I know because I made a point to Spotify both.
Clockwise from far left: Jil Sander; Loewe; Salvatore Ferragamo
Phoebe Philo’s departure from Céline left Philo-philes desperately hunting for another designer who could match her talent for designing clothes for “real women”. It seems that other designers and houses have been stepping up to the plate, however, with Clare Waight Keller coming a close second at Givenchy and Hermès outdoing itself by marrying function with leather craftsmanship. Indeed, Jil Sander, Loewe, Ports 1961 and Salvatore Ferragamo all provided working women with solid options, while Riccardo Tisci’s mammoth collection for Burberry also dished out a fair few looks for the girl on the go.
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Ambush Accessories this season lean heavily towards silver with the occasional strass or pearl adornment calling to mind England’s traditional silversmithing industry.
Sarah Burton brought the stone circle of Avebury, a neolithic henge in southwest England, to Paris and gave us a show that embraced paganism, Victorian wedding dresses and marsh flowers galore. Embroidery and lace featured heavily in the form of romantic Victorian-style dresses alongside the house’s impeccable tailoring rendered with vintage touches such as the asymmetric broderie anglaise blouse.
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Alexander McQueen
Yoon Ahn marries sport and resort this season, bringing in the relaxed draping often seen beachside or aboard luxury cruise liners with the inescapable swim short. The fringe hat and her jewellery talent aren’t neglected — all oversized and ready for the seaside.
Ogino is likewise unafraid to play with Anteprima’s Wirebag. Adding a smiley face to the intricate beading gives the accessory a modern touch. The brand’s logo bag has also been given an update with a signature clasp.
As well as being the creative director of an Italian house, Izumi Ogino is excited about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The collection leans towards the athletic with stripes and sport-friendly fabrics taking centre stage. Each piece is made for layering and stripes — straight or crooked, fat or slim — are used exuberantly throughout.
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Bottega Veneta
Balenciaga embraced sharp shoulders this season, taking the ’80s look further by giving it a space-age edge and shine. Look to its colour palette — which, when it isn’t black, is full of every highlighter bright that five-year-olds would want to get their hands on.
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Daniel Li’s arrival came a little late for a full collection, which was designed by the studio. This bag — his interpretation of the house’s classic intrecciato technique — is the Celine alumnus’s first foray for the Italian house. But if this spring/summer campaign says anything, it’s that we have some chic pieces and nude palettes to look forward to. Watch this space.
Riccardo Tisci’s first collection for the British brand — an enormous 133 looks — began with myriad all-beige interpretations of Burberry’s classic check. It seemed to be a return, of sorts, to the brand’s roots. Hints of subversion showed here and there — a cowprint short and zips that trailed up from trench hems. The latter half of the show showed Tisci’s intention to take the brand for a walk on the wild side, with obvious goth and punk references.
Burberry Calvin Klein 205W Take a long hard look at this collection, because it was Raf Simons’s last for the American brand. His final show was again an interpretation of American vernacular, drawing from movies such as Jaws and The Graduate. Kaia Gerber walked down the runway in a look that encapsulated both — check the Jaws tank with a blazer and mortar board referencing the Dustin Hoffman/Anne Bancroft vehicle.
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Celine with no accent was definitely the topic of the season. First it was the bag drop — one of them is shown below with its simple rectangular hardware replaced by an archival double-C revival. Then the collection followed. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, everybody can look forward to skinny, sharp tailoring and some very short dresses. After a good number of seasons rocking the midi, it’s definitely a switch back to the breezier side of things.
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Chanel
The little black dress, the French Riviera breeziness, lace and power shoulders all feature in the late Karl Lagerfeld’s Sur La Plage collection. Transforming the Grand Palace in Paris into an in-season beach resort on a frigid October morning was a welcome start to the day for many. Models walked out barefoot, with either two purses slung across the bodies with strands of pearls — à la Coco — or shoes in hand. If we had to pick, the ’80s tweed jackets and vests were the stars of the show.
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Comme des Garçons One thing always to keep an eye out for is Ramsay-Levi’s accessories offering. In contrast to the easy-breezy feel of the garments, her jewellery is sculptural and always on point — a fitting progression from her more talismanic offerings for the brand.
Inspired by jetsetting beauty, Natacha Ramsay-Levi led us to sunsoaked Ibiza and Morocco this spring/summer, revealing to us the New-Age hippie that’s the Chloé girl. We also saw the new “C” logo on colour-saturated ombré bags and myriad scarf prints. The skirts that were a variation on the sarong should prove a hit, as should the rope belts.
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Chloé
This was a departure from Rei Kawakubo’s usually highly abstract collections. The show featured multiple wearable pieces, but it was the chains that stretched and dangled from the models’ bodies that suggested the designer had the woman top of mind. Or perhaps she felt shackled? Maybe a collection depicting chains was her way of departing from the old and starting anew.
Dior
Trust Maria Grazia Chiuri to translate contemporary dance into this season’s must-have collection. The show was itself a spectacle, beginning with a performance before models ďŹ led out in sheer gossamer skirts. Mesh is in and in a big way, layered atop leotards or under structured tailored pieces. Perhaps inspired by the tie-dyes that washed across catwalks, Grazia Chiuri also gave the trend her own spin, turning to the kaleidoscope for inspiration. Transforming the optical wonder into dresses and bags, the technique is exquisite and the hand-stitched skirts are works of art.
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Every working woman’s wardrobe need is answered — but with the signature Dries spin. Last season it was the fringe; this season it’s all about feathers and stripes.
Dries Van Noten appears to have taken pop art to heart, with primary colours canary yellow and cobalt blue being especially firm favourites. If any one collection could convince Miranda Priestly that florals for spring are it, it’s this.
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Dries Van Noten
Etro
Etro took its jetsetter this season and transplanted her to the Far East. Taking inspiration from Japanese kimono and from the country’s long craftsman tradition in workwear, the main features of the collection were patchwork and denim.
In case we all didn’t know that the Armani brand is one of the cornerstones of the Italian fashion industry, Emporio Armani proved the point this season by hosting its show at Milan airport. Hues of deep blue and translucent sporty pieces rendered in exquisite silks were sent down the runway to a continual backdrop of departing and arriving aircraft.
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Fendi also relaunched its Baguette bag this season, jumping aboard the It-bag revival bandwagon and rendering the classic shape in new variations with intricate embroidery, sequins, furs, leathers and fabrics. Although localised for each market, the key slogan in all the brand’s campaigns was “It’s not a bag, it’s a Baguette” — suggesting that a noughties revival is about to get into full swing.
Utility was in full force this season for Fendi. Interpreted by the house through leathers and PVC, bags such as the Peekaboo and garment pockets all featured small compartments akin to the workman belt.
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Fendi
Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani took us underwater this season, with a show featuring soft blue lights that mimicked the depths and shallows of the sea when bathed in sunlight. Spectacular pieces in translucent fabrics were sent parading down the catwalk, where a particularly striking look took the colours of living coral reefs and translated them on to a spaghetti-strap top.
Mesh has also made its way into the Italian house’s designs. Bags reinterpreting the fisherman’s net came in bright pinks — a nod to the industry’s current penchant for colour.
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Givenchy Clare Waight Keller gave us utility and femininity in equal amounts this season — and no one’s complaining. The woman striding down the catwalk was as comfortable with her sexuality in leather Perfectos tucked into belted army trousers as she was in Hollywood-style pleated gowns. The key to both was movement.
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Taking inspiration from theatre and disco, the looks were outré and decadent in that just-right way. There was a nod to the ’70s and ’80s disco scene where by night youngsters raved in cascading fringe and unending bling, with contrasting granny vintage influences.
Although Alessandro Michele’s virtuosity has already been proven, this season shows even more facets to the designer and his borderless mind. Yet even a genius can have heroes: several pieces were homages to designers of yore, such as Yves Saint Laurent and Issey Miyake.
Various insignias within the collection include the flying pig and the strawberry print. Strass details were added to shoes for that extra something.
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Hermès Has a bucket bag ever been more chic? Hermès has been creating iconic leather accessories ever since the Birkin and Kelly made it to the bag hall of fame and this one’s a definite contender.
Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski outdid herself this season, with a collection that pulled inspiration from the clothes of stablehands. Phoebe Philo’s departure from Celine left a gap in the market for working women’s clothing that’s yet to be replaced. If this collection, with its discreet yet intricate leatherwork, is anything to go by, Vanhee-Cybulski’s Hermès might just fill that gap.
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Leonard This season, Leonard’s usual florals were given a hotter, sexier treatment. Rather than the usual soft colours against whites and pastels, the flowers were contrasted against black trim with more updated silhouettes. Think handkerchief skirt trims, oversized vests and mini skirts paired with stacked sandals for a younger, fresher vibe.
Lanvin is finally beginning to look like Lanvin once again. This season, the studio took over design duties and delivered a collection inspired by space — giving us at once delicate and decadent sculptural pieces that bring the brand back to its roots.
Lanvin
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This season’s Longchamp girl is into leather, with silks and a whole lot of fringe. The brand is bold, deploying cutouts across garments and accessories, and harnessing myriad animal prints for the warrior woman on the go.
Longchamp
Loewe
Jonathan Anderson has really taken the brand in his stride, delivering a collection for the modern woman who dares to play and doesn’t mind standing out in just the right way. This season, the collection was about satins and feathers. Shapes were long, flowing and, for the most part, simple — but that’s because it makes the perfect canvas on which the fabrics and the fringe can stand out that little bit more.
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Loro Piana Sometimes it’s difficult to see classic brands with a very distinct customer in any other light, but Loro Piana has really reinterpreted its DNA for a younger crowd. Take this season’s dresses, in midi and maxi lengths. Cuts are more youthful and relaxed with a variation of necklines and, taking on board the need for flexibility, pieces can also be worn inside out. A new bag of note is one on which the stripe has been recreated from trunks in the Loro Piana archive.
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Louis Vuitton Collections do best when they pull from a designer’s own passions. Having renewed his contract with Louis Vuitton this spring, Nicolas Ghesquière has dug into his own penchant for space and created a futuristic collection that features moulded rubber, space-suit details and dresses of sequin-embroidered mesh. There were also summery splash prints set against boxy astronaut-inspired jackets with peaked lapels and sci-fi inspired jumpers with couture details.
Favourites include an egg-shaped monogram bag that’s sure to do well with space geeks and astronauts. Also of note: a space-capsule evening bag and various top-handle boxy creations.
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Michael Kors Michael Kors knows how to deliver a glamorous jetsetter. This spring the Kors girl mixes her bold, printed island finds with surfer-chic items such as a sweatshirt tank and clompy sandals.
Max Mara It’s cool that beige is trending this season, because it puts Max Mara in the limelight. Inspired by the mythologyical goddess Gaia, this collection was all about the ripple, ruching and shine. Traditional fabrics were scrunched for a more form-fitting silhouette and the shine adds a younger touch that enables girls across the generations to enjoy dressing up.
On the other hand, the collection also delivered a selection of what you might find the locals wearing on a sun-drenched Caribbean island, with fuchsia and bright yellows the order of the day.
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Miu Miu One look that stood out was the cardigan and skirt in a couple of shades of grey. A twist on the mousy cardie-andskirt look, Miu Miu’s take was to add a knot at the bottom of the cardigan and make the skirt denim. Pair it with tights and silver sequined sandals — and suddenly this librarian’s the hottest chick in town.
Miuccia Prada was interested in the idea of imperfect beauty this season at Miu Miu. Delicate feminine adornments such as flowers and bows were enlarged or in some way off-piste, messing up the traditional a little bit. A key grey dress was rendered slightly punk in pre-shrunk fabric, and denim was distressed here and there, and then paired with sequins.
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Moncler Genius Simone Rocha’s collaboration with Moncler Genius was avidly anticipated. Take a puffer jacket and work it into the eclectic, quirky florals of the British designer and suddenly it’s Victoriana, with a touch of street. Rocha is one of eight designers invited to take part in Moncler’s innovation project.
Prada
The Mary Jane shape is in full force at Prada. Taking the curve and strap of the otherwise plain-Jane shoe, Miuccia Prada designed body suits that can be worn on their own or layered over other tops and dresses. Alongside vintage prints, the designer has fashioned a series of street-couture pieces where tennis-shirt elements are worked in with satin haute couture printing techniques.
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Ralph Lauren
For its 50th anniversary, Ralph Lauren unveiled a collection that spoke to its roots. Military influences with sharp tailoring contrasted with flowing palazzo pants, and it was truly heritage inspired. Main colours were white and black with touches of gold — we’ve joined the US Navy!
Roberto Cavalli
Paul Surridge’s Roberto Cavalli is more subdued than his predecessors’, though no less exciting. Designers are playing with suits, crossing over the traditionally formal shape with street elements and playing with length. In this case, the shape is similar to that of the biker short with hemlines reaching the knee. Looks were finished off with leather boots for a tough yet pulled-together feel.
Sacai
Chitose Abe is a master at hybridisation and playing with proportions. This season, she gives us asymmetry, splicing on the horizontal rather than front to back. Suits have one sleeve lopped off and the other flowing. The show opened with a suit but the idea was carried out with faded denim and trench khaki combos, polos and plaids. Amazingly, all very easy to wear.
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Strong shoulders, tailored blazers, teeny shorts, frayed denim, seethrough tops, deep-Vs, leopard and nipple pasties — all the aforementioned were present in Anthony Vaccarello’s collection for Saint Laurent this season, announcing that women everywhere should wear what they want without fear — anywhere, anytime.
References spanning across the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s made it easy to associate this lineup with France’s easy embrace of sexual and erotic liberation and the glamour associated with this era. What made the evening most poignant was that his lineup with France’s easy embrace of sexual and erotic liberation and the glamour associated with this era. What made the evening most poignant was that that same evening, the Gallic nation were celebrating a new law against sexual harassment.
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Salvatore Ferragamo
Ferragamo has upped its game this season, producing light-as-a-feather leather pieces perfect for spring. Most of the skirts have handkerchief hemlines creating a relaxed silhouette and perfectly contrasting with the weight of leather. Shoes have been executed with cork heels for a more sculptural aesthetic.
Shiatzy Chen Shiatzy Chen has worked to make its offer younger in recent years, introducing sportier pieces and cuts and an “SC” logo. While these have their appeal, the enduring quality of embroidery and lace will remain stalwarts of the Taiwanese house — and all perfectly timed for the current heritage revival.
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Stella McCartney Pantone was off the mark when they proposed living coral as the colour of the year. On the catwalks it’s blues that are running amok, such as Stella McCartney’s satiny take on the cool hue. Hitting all the right notes with this collection, the free-spirited McCartney woman is embracing tie-dye in muted pastel tones. Casual tops and bottoms with the print are the order of the day.
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Tom Ford
Leather is having a big moment this season and Tod’s is in its element. Putting forth a wide range of leather dresses, the brand has also embraced jacquard prints, giving the collection an added touch of relaxed luxury.
Tod’s
Tom Ford took a trip to Berlin this season and came back with a dominatrix clad in black — well, what other colour would a dominatrix wear? He played with textures — including lace, leather, feathers and satin — for a tough yet sensual look. Modest clothing is clearly making strides when even the sultriest of brands is beginning to introduce glam and allure with a less outré approach and sensuous materials such as pleather and feathers that hint rather than declare.
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Pierpaolo Piccioli is a maestro at creating whimsy and fantasy for women while remaining ďŹ rmly in the best of taste. Taking inspiration from tropical exotica, his collection for Valentino references birds of paradise with luscious use of feathers and saturated hues of orange, purple, golds and greens. The collection began with more restrained beige, black and burgundy, but in myriad cuts from a voluminous black cotton off-the-shoulder dress to a mini confection. It then grew to encompass colour and a nod to resortwear with midi-length skirts and relaxed shapes, but retained a strong couture element by experimenting with hues and silhouettes. Although inspired by escape, Piccioli wanted to bring dream to reality and the results are stunning shapes such as this season’s hottest tiering looks and spray collars.
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Versace
Donatella’s excursion into heritage was a tough act to follow, but this empowering collection was a bold attempt that saw Shalom Harlow strut the runway alongside the Hadids, Binx and Campbell. There was a mix of black satin dresses, some cut so short it was as though the ’90s were back, and others strappy and slit. For colour, different patterned florals were pieced together for flowing dresses — a collection for all women rather than the one particular kind of Versace female.
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Vivienne Westwood This season Vivienne Westwood took her collection off the runway and into the showroom. Made with organic cottons and linens, it featured jackets and drop-crotch pants that incorporated messages such as “Dame Vivienne” and “Green Economy” — declaring the brand’s longstanding commitment to sustainability. Looks like these highlighted the evils of consumer culture, but all elements of the pieces — from knits made from hemp and bamboo to skirts cut so that minimal cloth would be wasted from its bolt — reflected the ethos of total sustainability.
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SEL ECT
LIGHT TOUCH
Loro Piana’s new women’s collection ushers in the season with delicate materials and effortless sophistication ITALIAN LUXURY HOUSE Loro Piana has always been known for clothing and accessories made from the finest materials in the world. Its spring/summer women’s collection continues that tradition, while adding a modern and sophisticated sensibility. Introduced through silk, silk crepe, cotton-silk blend and cashmere double, the nearly weightless textures pair beautifully with the collection’s elegant and feminine silhouettes – exemplifying the attention to detail and commitment to excellence for which the brand is famous. Versatility and functionality are also hallmarks of the new collection, as seen in the easy-to-layer separates as well as the stylishly refined nautical and sportswear-inspired outerwear. For the woman who appreciates quality and a lasting elegance, Loro Piana has it all this season. loropiana.com
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BACKSTORY
KARL LAGERFELD, 1933-2019 When someone passes, it’s only natural to reflect on the encounters we had with that person during their lifetime. And when it comes to Karl Lagerfeld, what an encounter we enjoyed. The prolific designer and creative director sat for a Prestige cover shoot and interview for our March 2008 issue, and proved to be every interviewer’s delight: witty, uncensored, perspicacious and always, always interesting. “I’m frustrated by nothing at all, and frustration is the mother of all crimes. Ambition? I have no ambition. I just want things in a certain way,” he told us. “I don’t want to be a teacher. I don’t want to inform others through myself. In that way, it’s all for myself. I’m the most selfish person in the world.” Lagerfeld was many things but he wasn’t nostalgic or wistful. Nevertheless, in the barrage of words that came out of him, the one thing he spoke a tad measuredly about was love. “It’s a subject I don’t analyse publicly. Love is only an interesting subject when it’s beyond. When it’s down to Earth it ceases to become interesting.” In Lagerfeld’s case, it’s safe to say that the love for him will always be beyond.
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