SCION Jan-Mar 2015

MAGICAL BAGS The latest bags of fantasy from the mystical world of Ethan K

FLAWLESS FACES

ALPINE BLISS

CURRY & SPICE

Make-up secrets for glowing skin

Dreamy ski resorts to warm the blood

The rise and rise of Indian Cuisine

Transforming kitchens and exceeding expectations - that's the Signature difference

The Signature Difference At SignatureKitchen, design philosophies are always converging and mixing, resulting in kitchens that are highly personal and suited to evolving lifestyles. As a lifestyle specialist, SignatureKitchen strives at delivering a personalised service that includes getting to know you, understanding your needs, and incorporating these into planning and building your dream kitchen.

Quality time in your dream kitchen

Transforming the kitchen into a social space within the home

Style and functionality go hand in hand

STERLING SDN BHD A6 B, Ground Floor, Block A, Scouts Complex, Kg Mata mata, Jalan Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan BE 1718, Brunei Darussalam Tel: 245 4893 / 245 6283 Fax: 245 4892

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RBM Noor – Vitalising your space by combining colours and natural materials.

Scandinavian minimalistic beauty.

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HÅG H09 – Exclusive design and world leading ergonomics all in one chair – The best of the best

Scandinavian furniture for your office and home

HÅG Capisco – 30 years on top and still the ultimate ergonomic chair.

Timeless design that last a lifetime

AUTHORISED DEALER:

SEJALIN ENTERPRISES SDN. BHD.

LTS 24, SPG 41-12-62, Kawasan Perindustrian Mulaut, Jln Mulaut Kilanas, Brunei Darussalam | Email: info@sejalin.com | Tel: +673 2790376

Co n t e n t s

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22 14 – AROUND THE WORLD fashion & beauty 18 – FASHION & BEAUTY UPDATES 22 – CONNECTING THE PAST, fashion that never ages

34 – LOOKS WE WANT!

Travel & Dine

58 - ALPINE BLISS

36 – CALLING DOCTOR HOLLYWOOD

50 - NEWS FOR THE GLOBETROTTER

63 – RISE OF THE INDIAN CUISINE

38 – GET YOUR GLOW ON

52 – ISTANBUL THE GREAT

68 – THE SHOW GOES ON

Accessorise 40 - THE ART OF ACCESSORISING

26 - SPECIAL FEATURE Meeting Ethan Koh

42 – AN EYE FOR BEAUTY

28 - GURUNG oN TOP

45 – SMARTWATCHES

32 – CHIC DOWNSIZE

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Available at: BIAN HOE SDN BHD, No. 3, Spg. 41, Jalan Kilanas Mulaut, Kg. Kilanas BF2520 Tel: 244 8811/22/55 Fax: 242 1694 Email: sales@bianhoe.com Website: www.bianhoe.com

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71 design & Spaces

SOCIETY

70 - UPDATES FOR THE INTERIORS

91 – WOMEN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF BRUNEI

71 – HALLMARK OF EXCELLENCE 74 - SO FAR SO STYLISH

96 - a night to remember

78 - IN LOVE WITH RED

97 – TAKE TO THE SKIES

80 - SPECIAL FEATURE The Art Of Pampering

98 – MAKING FRIENDS AND BUILDING TIES

Driving Force

99 – DANCING FOR DIWALI

82 - FOR THE AUTOMOBILE ENTHUSIAST

100 – vertu goes east

84 – PEUGEOT RCZ-R ROAD TEST

The Scion Gallery

86 – GERMAN BRANDS PUT IN A DOMINANT PERFORMANCE ON FRENCH SOIL

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101 – SUBSCRIBE to SCION 102 – ACCOMMODATION AT PARTNER HOTELS

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www.kennethcobonpue.com | www.designbyhive.com NOW AVAILABLE IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM Available exclusively by order from WaMa DESIGNS Call +673 8729928 or email studio@wamadesigns.com

[sahy-uh-on] – A noble descendant, a privileged individual. Scions

Ed it o r ’s Not e

privileges that only an exclusive few can enjoy. At SCION, the line of wealth, luxury and high-living begins.

January/February/March 2015 Publisher: Wan Zainal Shazali Managing Editor: Pauline Chan Art Director: Novri Rinaldi Copy Editor: Vittoria D’Alessio Editorial Assistant: Intan Abu Daniel Photographer: Ebi Lim

IT’S 2015 and we are all very upbeat at SCION. There is much to look forward to this year and the mood all round is, after all the holidays, festive feasting and merriment at the end of last year, still positive and joyful. We start the January issue with a magical lineup to help you begin the year looking sharp and vibrant.

On the style front, we round up some of the spring/summer 2015 small bags with big impact in Chic Downsize and our favourite looks from the Milan SS15 RTW runway shows. We feature two great young designers - Jonathan Anderson, Loewe’s new creative director as he presents his first collection since taking over the reins at the Spanish house and Prabal Gurung, the industrious Asian designer whose adoring A-list followers are growing by the day.

When it comes to beautiful skin that appears to glow from within, we believe every woman deserves to know these secrets. We ask two industry experts to show you how to achieve radiant and flawlesslooking skin in Get Your Glow On and Calling Doctor Hollywood.

Finance Manager: Chin Hui Hui Contributors: Neil Briscoe, Roderick Eime, Rohaizatul Azhar, Daven Wu, John Maddocks, John Clark, Annette Tan, Patricia Lee, Karen Tee

If you need to add on a cool piece of accessory to complete your new look for 2015, take a cue from our feature on smartwatches as these clever futuristic-looking devices will be the coveted fashion item of the year especially when the Apple Watch hits the stores sometime this year.

A MAGAZINE OF CHMP MEDIA, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM TEL: +673 2331031 FAX: +673 2231031 E-MAIL: INFO@CHMPMEDIA.COM

SCION IS PUBLISHED BY CHMP MEDIA (BRUNEI). ALL CORRESPONDENCE AND ADVERTISING SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO SCION, CHMP MEDIA, UNIT 49, 2ND FLOOR, HJ MUNCHIT & HJH DYG RAPIAH COMPLEX, KG. JAYA SETIA, BERAKAS BD2713.

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM.

COVER PHOTO:

ALL MATERIALS ARE STRICTLY COPYRIGHT AND ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE

HANDBAG COUTURIER ETHAN KOH PRESENTS HIS SUPER LUXURIOUS CROCODILE SKIN BAGS FROM HIS

COPYRIGHT HOLDER. ALL PRICES AND DATA ARE CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN SCION ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHER AND THE PUBLISHER DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADVERTISING CONTENT. ANY IMAGES SUPPLIED ARE AT THE OWNER’S RISK.

BRAND ETHAN K. IMAGE COURTESY OF ETHAN K.

is distributed to:

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set sail on ferretti Make way for the ultimate maxi yacht.

The Ferretti Custom Line 108’ is the quintessential status symbol. Bigger and better than its predecessor, Custom Line 100’, this vessel redefines the concept of luxury. At 108 feet (almost 33 metres), the stylish and super sporty yacht will house a wide master cabin, fours guest cabins and discreet crew quarters. A large flybridge extends to over 36 square metres, offering a spacious relaxation area with perfect views of the waters beyond. An extended cockpit area features an opulent interior designed by Centro Stile, a dining area, cocktail corner and C-shape sofa.

The Ferretti Custom Line 108’ will make its debut this summer. www.ferretti.com

spring summer loving

go to sleep

gucci’s spring/summer 2015 accessories for women are all about looking relaxed but chic. We just love the new version of the Jackie soft Bucket bag and the messenger bag in a choice of unlined calfskin, crocodile or suede, with maxi shoulder straps in canvas. new to the handbag collection is the lady Web bag featuring gucci’s famous green-red-green web stripe, taking inspiration from the youthful Bohemian glamour of the seventies style icons while evoking a contemporary appeal. shoes go high with chunky heels for sandals, ankle boots and boots with a playful mix of skins in suede, calfskin and this season’s hot look – python.

Six Senses Spas are making better sleep their business by adding Yogic Sleep to the group’s recently-launched Yogic Programs. Designed to boost the quality of relaxation and thus improve sleep, the program combines yoga nidra, pranayama and gentle yoga practice with relaxing spa treatments. Yoga nidra, also known as yogic sleep or sleep with awareness, is a simple yet hugely effective practice that can help induce full body relaxation and a deep meditative state of consciousness.

www.gucci.com

Each guest’s journey to better sleep continues in the privacy of the villa. Optimal room temperature, relaxation music, energy cleansing room and pillow mists plus sleepboosting snacks are just some of the features Six Senses resorts will offer to enhance the effects of the Yogic Sleep program.

Three- to fourteen-night retreats are available at all Six Senses resorts now. www.sixsenses.com

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Ar o u n d th e W o r l d

kata rocks in Style Phuket’s Kata Beach has a new cool resort on the block.

Infinite Luxury has launched it’s first flagship resort, Kata Rocks, pushing the boundaries of design and luxury with wraparound glass and white metal structures that create a ‘nautical, space-age look’. The boutique resort features 34 one, two three and four-bedroom Sky Villas, each with a private infinity pool. Its spectacular location on a hillside overlooking Kata Beach and the Andaman Sea puts it a short stroll from the luxurious shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants of Kata Village. Resort guests can walk directly onto the rocky headland, where cocktail events and private parties can also be held.

one brick at a time

www.katarocks.com

If you’re a fan of both art and Lego, be sure not to miss The Art of the Brick show if you find yourself in South Africa or the USA in the months ahead. This is the first time a major exhibition has focused exclusively on artwork featuring the popular toy brick. New York-based artist Nathan Sawaya creates large, awe-inspiring sculptures that range from the conceptual to the purely playful.

The travelling exhibition features over 80 sculptures created from more than a million Lego bricks. The show (rated one of the ‘world’s 10 must-see exhibitions’ by CNN) goes on tour in the following places: V & A Waterfront Gallery, Capetown, South Africa November 29, 2014–May 3, 2015 Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan, USA February 19, 2015–May 05, 2015 Rosebank Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa May 13, 2015–August 2, 2015 Vero Beach Museum of Art, Vero Beach, Florida, USA September 26, 2015–January 3rd, 2016

ginza specials Tokyo’s Ginza district has added another high-end international boutique to its luxury lanes. December saw Vacheron Constantin opening its first boutique in Japan. Located on the main Chuo street in the heart of Ginza, the boutique boasts two floors covering over 140sqm and displays its exquisite timepieces in elegant architectural interiors oozing with sophistication and style. A watchmaker offers after-sales service onsite, demonstrating the aesthetic excellence that Vacheron Constantin has become known for. To celebrate the opening of this store, three exclusive limited editions were launched: the Traditionnelle 14-day tourbillon, Traditionnelle and Overseas Dual Time. All three are exclusive to this boutique in Japan. www.vacheron-constantin.com

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Once again, the driving platform for Indonesia’s fashion industry, the Jakarta Fashion Week, has gathered the country’s most talented designers to unleash their creative energy at Senayan City City. During the week, starting November 5, renowned and rising fashion designers took their designs for a spin on the runway and numerous dazzling creations took our breaths away, leaving us wanting more. Here are some of the unforgettable looks of the week. clockwise from top left yogie pratama, ivan gunawan, yasra kebaya, marcia muljadi

Photo: Irvan Arryawan, Budi Harianto, Ryandi Lubis, Peter Abineri Ang, Dennie Ramon

an explosion of talent

clockwise from bottom left peter abineri, Ivan Gunawan, iwan tirta private collection, imelda kartini, Barli asmara

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Pucker Up Most women use creams and serums aimed specifically at the delicate eye area but tend to forget that their lips need extra TLC too. Enter the Sugar lip-care collection by Fresh – the cult beauty brand that recently expanded its range. The Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy anti-ageing treatment nourishes and defines the lip contours for a fuller, younger-looking pout. A new shade has also been added to the brand’s Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF15 collection. Ruby is a versatile shade of iridescent shimmer that can be layered for buildable colour. If you prefer gloss, the new tinted Sugar Shine Lip Collection in shades of honey, rose and cherry has a delightful nonsticky texture to keep lips moisturised for up to six hours.

Scents of Yore Perfume aficionados have something new to sniff out with Penhaligon’s Trade Routes Collection. This new line by the British fine fragrance brand involves three perfumes inspired by the luxurious and decadent commodities that were traded in London’s historic docks. Lothair, with its notes of juniper berry, black tea and oakmoss, evokes memories of the iconic tea clipper ships that once navigated the globe. With its infusion of dewberry, neroli, patchouli and vanilla, Empressa brings to mind the pearls, silks and fine fabrics transported to London for women of note. The third scent, Levantium, is an exotic combination of saffron, absinthe, clove and amber – a beguiling blend of the spices traded during Britain’s colonial era. A fourth scent is expected to be added to the collection in early 2015. www.penhaligons.com

My Fair Lady The best thing about the latest batch of whitening skincare is that rather than bleaching the skin, these creams work to counter pigmentation and even out the complexion. Shiseido’s White Lucent range is a tried-and-test favourite, and it now includes a daytime whitening cream, said to counter the skin damaging effects of the sun. The White Lucent All Day Brightener with SPF36 contains time-release capsules that deliver active ingredients at regular moments throughout the day. These ingredients are believed to combat the pigmentationcausing effects of ultra-violet radiation. www.shiseido.com

www.fresh.com

Luxe Touch Clarins is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a special treat for customers – a new face and body treatment called Art of Touch. As spa junkies will know, the French brand prides itself on face and body treatments that are executed entirely by a therapist without the use of machines, and the Art of Touch works the same way. This indulgent 90-minute treatment, available at Clarins Skin Spa, features specially developed face and body massage techniques. Trained therapists use their thumbs, palms, forearms and elbows to release deep tensions and to melt away accumulated stress in the entire body. The result? An immediate sense of calmness and wellbeing. www.clarins.com

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Billionaire Boys Club Attention style savants: Standing out from the sea of ubiquitous dressing has just been made easier with the opening of Billionaire Couture’s first standalone boutique in Singapore. Located at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, the luxury menswear brand is positioned as the first international couture line exclusively for men. The gold-and-black themed Singapore store is one of 8,830 mono-brand stores in the world and spans over 88sqm of prime retail space in the iconic mall.

Founded in 2005 by celebrated Italian F1 tycoon Flavio Briatore and his business partner Stefano Percassi, the brand produces exquisite pieces that include suits, shoes and accessories. The luxury menswear label creates products that are all made strictly by hand in small Italian ateliers. It comes under the purview of the prestigious luxury menswear conglomerate UOMO Group, helmed by chief executive Johnny Manglani.

Lets hear it for the boys Hong Kong-based multi-label luxury footwear and accessories boutique On Pedder has launched its first men’s concept store. Located in the basement of the Landmark Men mall in Hong Kong, the 139sqm retail space is a combination of tailored elegance and modern simplicity, with a hint of attitude. The boutique is dotted with vintage furniture and art pieces as a backdrop to On Pedder’s carefully curated product offering.

A gallery space is dedicated to housing new brands, special projects and pop-ups. The fashion and lifestyle concept store is designed to resemble the apartment of a suave, contemporary gentleman. It features over 50 brands, including international designers Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin, Dries Van Noten and Proenza Schouler. Also included are avant-garde labels such as 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, and Rick Owens.

colour on art Fans of the late Alexander McQueen, who was creative director of the eponymous British label until his suicide in 2010, are in for a treat. Savage Beauty revisits some of his most iconic pieces and designs, and it’s making its European debut in London at the Victoria & Albert Museum from March 14. The exhibition had a sell-out run at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011, becoming the Costume Institute’s most popular exhibition ever. The London edition will see similar displays as well as a room dedicated to McQueen’s years as a fledgling London designer. This room will explore the years that shaped his talent and interests as he honed his skills as a pattern cutter in the city where he was born and raised.

Also new for London: an homage to one of McQueen’s dearest friends, British supermodel Kate Moss. Book your tickets early – this is an exhibition not to miss.

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty will run at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London from March 14 to July 19, 2015.

Visit www.vam.ac.uk/savagebeauty for more information.

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Luxury Spanish fashion house Loewe has been propelled into the future under the creative direction of Jonathan Anderson – the talented ‘kid’ who won a design contest three years ago and is now a major star in the world of fashion.

When Jonathan Anderson entered the Emerging Talent prize at the British Fashion Awards in 2012, he never thought he’d win.

After all, he was up against the extraordinary talents of designers Michael van der Ham and Simone Rocha. But win he did, and in the wake of his victory, the ambitious designer set to work creating a capsule line for Donatella Versace’s sister line, Versus.

Since then, Anderson has been in serious demand from big brands, hungry to collaborate with this hot young designer.

fashion that never ages By Pauline Chan

Jonathan Anderson, born in Northern Ireland in 1984, studied at the London College of Fashion. He launched his career as a menswear designer in 2008, funding his own off-season showcase in London and gaining recognition for a hit collection for high street brand Topshop. He earned both critical acclaim and commercial success with his own label, J.W. Anderson – a brand that offered a modern interpretation of masculinity and femininity – and quickly became one of the leading designers of his generation.

In September 2013, Anderson’s career took a leap forward when LVMH took a stake in Loewe and hired him as creative director.

Fashionistas couldn’t wait to see what he'd bring to the 168-year old Spanish house best known for its leather goods.

Loewe’s first collection by Anderson is a capsule collection consisting of bags and accessories for men and women. Every item plays on the tactility and high functionality for which Loewe products are loved.

The house’s iconic Amazona and Flamenco bags have been revisited to bring out the simplicity of their original form and their natural softness. The practical and stylish Shopper Tote has been updated with Loewe’s bold new anagram logo. Leather items like wallets come in many forms – from python skin to discreetly engraved patterns of continuous anagram. There’s also a selection of items inspired by Meccano, the British construction game created by Frank Hornby in 1901, its shapes and colours interpreted in leather or as prints to convey the notion of combining and building.

Completing the collection are selected items for the home. Of note are a fresh edition of a signature cushion made from calf leather and a reinterpretation of a wood-and-leather chair first created by Spanish architect Javier Carvajal in 1959.

Loewe’s women spring/summer 2015 looks are defined by ease, softness and airiness in pure materials such as raw silk, cotton

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and linen, punctuated by fragments of details. Anderson explores the ways leather becomes alive with movement and fluid in appearance. His penchant for attaching flaps of hide to dresses, tops and bags adds artful sophistication.

Anderson’s first men’s spring/summer collection for Loewe is functional and utterly desirable. Jumpers, shirts, trousers, coats, scarves and other indispensable pieces are made

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extraordinary through clever design and unexpected detailing.

Style statement staples like the biker jacket and trench coat are revisited to maximise their aesthetic and functional qualities.

Colours range from earthy olives, neutral sands and rich camels to deep greens, black and bold hues.

In a world of fleeting trends, Anderson’s fashion is both for temptingly contemporary and timeless.

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S p e c i a l Fe a t u r e

meeting ethan koh

So it seems fitting to be meeting Ethan Koh at the Arts Club in London’s Mayfair – a haven for leaders in the world of art, literature, fashion and film since 1863. Indeed, the club embodies all that the Ethan K brand has come to represent: history and craftsmanship.

Ethan Koh is a true original. He doesn’t follow fashion but instead creates fresh, vibrant designs that are both beautiful and functional. His exquisite collections are sold to a discerning clientele the world over, with members of the Qatar royal family counting themselves among his admirers.

By John Z achar y

Ethan Koh made his first bag at the age of 13 and now, just 14 years on, his eponymous collection of exotic-skinned bags, totes, clutches and accessories is the fastest-selling ladies brand in Harrods.

When asked about his growing base of collectors, Ethan’s reply is simple: “I’m not designing for the average luxury customer. The items we make are for someone who has everything and is bored with brands and logos. Ethan’s bags are spotted on the arms of international royalty and celebrities like Princess Eugenie, Rita Ora, Elizabeth Hurley and Carina Lau. “Our clients don’t carry a bag from us because they want their friends to recognise it.

They’ve already arrived – they don’t need their handbag to show the world they have done well.”

Illustration: Marigay McKee

Ethan’s focus and commitment to the Ethan K label is truly phenomenal. His hectic schedule takes him around the world to the homes of the rich and famous, and he’s the only Asian

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designer to have a boutique in Harrods. Saks Fifth Avenue and TSUM Moscow also carry his collections. Inspired by the nod of approval of his ready-to-wear collection at such exclusive retail giants, Ethan has specially designed a bag named after the President of Saks Fifth Avenue, Marigay Mckee and created the Helen Bag for the Fashion Director of Harrods, Helen David.

Hong Kong actress Carina Lau is also honoured with a bag named after her - The Carina Bag. The Koh family’s history with exotic skins can be traced back four generations. Ethan’s great grandfather was taken as an apprentice by an English artisan in Singapore, who taught him the art of skin tanning, so the exotic skin business is in Ethan’s blood.

The appeal is that Ethan K represents a blend of tradition and history, knitted together by a designer with a true love for what he does. It’s obvious that Ethan is passionate about bags from the detail in his beautifully crafted, utilitarian bags.

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gurung on top

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In 1999, Gurung moved to New York, where he attended the prestigious Parsons The New School for Design. Then in 2004 he landed a major gig as the design director for American label Bill Blass. Five years later, the Prabal Gurung brand was born.

Five years after launching his own line, Prabal Gurung still has the drive and passion to create gorgeous clothes for girls of character. ROHAIZATUL AZHAR sits down for a chat with one of today’s most talked about designers.

Gurung’s roots in Asia inform not only his industriousness but also his aesthetic sensibility and his embrace of splashes of vibrant colours. Gurung excels at bold abstract prints on dramatic (but always flattering) shapes that bridge the divide between feminine and strong.

Prabal Gurung is thankful for all that he has today. Just six years ago, the New York-based Nepali designer started his fashion label with nothing to his name but a small studio space in New York’s East Village.

“I still remember being on unemployment,” he recalls with a slight laugh. “Not only was I working out of a tiny 350 sq ft (33 sqm) studio, I was also living in it. I had nothing but a burning passion and drive for designing beautiful clothes.”

But that, as they say, is fashion history. Today – many magazine covers and red-carpet moments later – the 40-year-old designer sits atop a business that garners constant attention from fashion insiders. He has moved out of the small design space into a 6,000 sq ft (558 sqm) atelier in the famed Garment District in New York.

Gurung’s meteoric rise to fashion superstardom is nothing short of extraordinary. At his debut presentation in 2009, his distinct brand of lady-cool came through loud and clear. His solo collection was given the thumbs up by big-named fashion critics such as Suzy Menkes, who was then fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune, and former fashion editor of the New York Times Cathy Horyn. The next day, his collection was on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily – a prime spot that would determine his success as a designer.

Still, Gurung remains humble. “I internalise the success and am very grateful for the opportunities,” he says. “I remember telling myself: ‘Good. Got to work, move on.’”

Born in Singapore but raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, the young Gurung started on his career path at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Delhi. He says India is a country that continues to inspire his collections. “From the brilliance of Bollywood to the fabrics, embroideries and textures you can find at Chandni Chowk [one of the oldest markets in Delhi] to the fast-paced streets of Mumbai, it’s an incredible place.”

His latest collection for spring/summer 2015 is a masterclass in what he calls “American sportswear created with couture ideals”. The collection is sporty in silhouette with racer-back vest styles and flirty little skirts, though Gurung’s penchant for rich midnight hues and dusky grey-purples gives his clothes a couture-worthy vibe that speaks of eveningwear. The ready-towear collection, which hits the sales floors worldwide in April, plays off the designer’s Nepal-themed collection for fall/winter.

According to American Vogue, the latest collection is one of his strongest to date.

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Gurung credits a supportive home environment for his artistic development. “I was definitely considered different growing up,” he says. “I learned that being me was all right because my family celebrated those differences.”

And it is the celebration of difference that draws him to the women he designs for. When asked about the ideal Prabal Gurung consumer, the Asian-American designer says she is a strong woman – feminine but with bite.

“I like girls and women who have a point of view. The girls I’m designing for – they all inspire me,” he explains.

For the uninitiated, those ‘girls’, as Gurung refers them as, include A-list actresses Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lawrence and Zoe Saldana. He also dresses women of power, such as media mogul Oprah Winfrey, American first lady Michelle Obama and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton.

“They are all so different that my clothes end up resonating with different demographics of women out there, which shows the diversity in my designs.”

Despite his list of famous clients – many of whom he counts as friends – Gurung says he still gets star-struck in the presence of his fashion design idols. He wishes to build a global brand similar to that of Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren. And he’s certainly on the right track. After all, Gurung is part of the new guard of Asian designers taking the world by storm, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Richard Chai, Thakoon Panichgul and Joseph Altuzarra. He doesn’t dismiss the possibility of helming a storied fashion house, much the way Alexander Wang is doing at Balenciaga and Jason Wu at Hugo Boss. But that role will have to wait.

“Of course I’d love to work with the big names,” says Gurung.

“It’s always exciting when your name gets thrown around when there’s a position to be filled. It shows you have made it and people are expecting more from you. But I want to build my own brand and expand my business first. That’s my main priority at the moment.”

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chic downsize

SCION rounds up the hottest mini bags of the coming season.

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The latest handbags are shrinking to epically small proportions, as ROHAIZATUL AZHAR discovers at the runway shows.

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Forget huge, statement – It bags – for Spring/Summer 2015, little bags are big news. From tiny cross-bodies for running errands to hands-free additions to your Saturday-night outfit, chic arm candy in small and miniature proportions was seen on almost every designer runway at the latest fashion shows.

Fendi introduced block-coloured, embroidered and sequined mini-me versions of its bestselling Baguette, 2Jours and Peekaboo bags. These elicited audible coos and gesticulations

from members of the audience, many of whom already possess the fully grown models.

Over at Dolce & Gabbana, bags are attached to gemencrusted chains and are designed to be slung around the body like necklaces, or possibly belts. Then there are the offerings from Tod’s – bags so tiny, it’s impossible to store anything practical inside beyond a stick lipstick and a couple of plastics.

1. Mini Lily bag, by Mulberry 2. Runway Survival Kit, by Alexander Wang 3. Crossbody Bag, by Marni 4. Party Bow Mini Trouble, by Marc Jacobs 5. Passage Mini in calf leather, by Christian Louboutin 6. Chastity bag, by Charlotte Olympia 7. Mini Satchel envelope foldover, by Victoria Beckham 8. Crisp Packet metal clutch, by Anya Hindmarch 9. Mini Peekaboo, by Fendi 10. Petite Malle Bubble, by Louis Vuitton

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looks we want!

From Milan ss15 ready-to-wear

The Milan fashion week has given us plenty to marvel at. Handbags were smaller, ponytails were adorned with leather orchid creations at Fendi, snakeskin dominated at Ferragamo, and the fashion on the runways was simply irresistible. Here are some of the looks from the spring/summer 2015 ready-to-wear shows that we’ve added to our wish list and hope will materialise in our closets this year.

main page from left Louis Vuitton, Etro, Antonio Marras, Bottega Veneta, Marco de Vincenzo, Marni this page clockwise from top left Missoni, Giorgio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Jill Sanders, Hermes

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Calling doctor hollywood

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What are your thoughts on cosmetic surgery? Under what circumstances would you recommend aesthetic procedures such as lasers, Botox, fillers, etc?

I’m hesitant to recommend surgery unless a patient has a growth or other obvious abnormality, however, I do think less invasive techniques such as lasers, injectables (like Botox and fillers), and chemical peels are a great way to augment a person’s natural beauty. The trick is to use these in a way that supports nature and doesn’t overwhelm it. In my opinion, many patients and dermatologists think more is better, and this can result in an artificial look.

By Karen Tee

Do you believe skincare can give results that are as good as aesthetic procedures?

I actually believe a regular skincare regimen can outperform aesthetic procedures over the long term and that a regime is critical to being able to get the most out of other aesthetic treatments. Aesthetic procedures should really be viewed as quick fixes that support and complement a proper daily routine.

Building a line around my signature Triad treatment was very natural as patients wanted products they could use as a bridge between treatments so they could maintain the benefits of the treatment between sessions. What we found was that the products also worked well for patients who didn’t do the Triad, making it a convenient alternative to the Triad.

How is Colbert MD different from other doctor-developed skincare brands?

What makes your signature Triad facial so effective?

When A-List celebrities like Naomi Watts, Heidi Klum and Rachel Weisz need a skin-deep pick-me-up, the person they speed dial is Dr David Colbert, famous for his signature Triad facial. Inspired by the success of his celeb-worthy face treatment, the good doc has come up with a matching skincare range. Dr Colbert, who does house calls for his exclusive clientele and hosts pop-up clinics before occasions such as the Oscars, speaks to Scion about what it takes to get good glow.

The three-part Triad facial features microdermabrasion, laser toning and chemical peeling. Microdermabrasion gently removes old, dead skin cells, resulting in instant skin clarification. Laser toning energises the skin, evens pigmentation and texture, and stimulates deep, long-term collagen production. The gentle chemical peel gives a radiant, silky complexion.

The results are both short and long term – the facial freshens and beautifies skin instantly but also initiates a sustained process of cell rejuvenation and collagen stimulation. Over time, and ideally with regular application, the Triad works to reverse wrinkles and photodamage and to prevent the development of pre-cancerous lesions.

The development of my line was really driven by the needs of my high-profile clientele. Celebrities and top models have busy schedules and always need to look their best. I wanted to develop a line that delivered maximum results with no downtime and minimal irritation. I don’t know of any other brand that was developed with the feedback of so many highprofile people. We’ve also incorporated the patented Qusome encapsulation technology, which enables our products to deliver active ingredients more deeply into the skin, and with less irritation.

What’s the basic skincare regimen that every woman (and man) should follow to maintain the health of their skin?

It’s important to stay healthy and hydrated, and to use sunblock.

Every person should use a moisturiser and sunblock – and I find that most people do. In addition, it’s important to support and accelerate the natural skin cycle. Gentle chemical and physical exfoliation followed by a light peel, such as Stimulate The Serum, help to remove old skin cells while stimulating and accelerating the development of new, younger looking cells.

What is the biggest mistake women make when it comes to taking care of their skin?

The biggest mistake is not to use sunblock. Fortunately, I think most women know that it’s important to avoid sun damage and are fairly good about using SPF and avoiding the sun.

However, even when a person makes an effort, it’s important to have annual skin checks with a dermatologist to look for abnormalities that could cause life-threatening or permanent damage that extends beyond the aesthetic.

Colbert MD is now available in Singapore at INHABIT – The Other Store, 02-16 Mandarin Gallery, Tel: 6836-8441; the Triad facial is available at IYAC Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Clinic, 06-03 Camden Medical Centre, Tel: 6738-9989.

Photos: Colbert MD

Why did you start your own line of skincare in a market that’s seemingly saturated with brands?

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get your glow on

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2. Gently massage a few drops of Génifique serum all over the face and neck. Besides providing the skin with a much-needed dose of nourishment, this serum also doubles up as a base to create a smooth canvas for makeup application.

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3. Mix La Base Pro Hydra Glow with UV Expert XL Shield BB cream in equal amounts to give the complexion a subtle all-over glow. Choi says Lancome’s BB cream is a bestseller in Korea because it has a lightweight finish and doesn’t give skin a grey cast the way some BB creams do.

Using a foundation brush, apply this mixture all over the face with short, feathery strokes (imagine you’re polishing a fine surface). If any specific area of the face requires extra coverage, tap in a little more product with the flat side of the brush.

4. Choi says many Korean celebrities carry a reflector with them wherever they go and use it when photos are taken to reflect light on to their faces. While it might not be practical for most of us to carry photographic equipment with us on our daily rounds, Lancome’s Teint Miracle liquid foundation is formulated to give the effect of reflected light. Apply a thin, even layer all over the face to smooth the complexion and even out tone.

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5. Your skin should look pretty perfect at this point. If there are still visible discolourations, use the Teint Miracle concealer pen.

This pen can also be used as a highlighter, especially on the high planes of the face. Dab a tiny amount of product on either side of the nose bridge, brow bones and the top of the Cupid’s bow, then spread gently.

When it comes to skincare, no one beats the Koreans.

Their intricate multi-step regimes are known to give women flawless, glowing skin. But getting soft, plumped-out skin – termed “chok chok” by the Koreans – also requires some nifty makeup skills. Hee Soon Choi, Lancome Korea’s national makeup artist, says the secret lies in building layers of beauty product.

The result? Skin that appears to glow from within.

The never-ending Hallyu wave has brought with it a craze for all things South Korean. But while some trends are just too cutesey to be taken seriously, the Koreans are spot-on about the universal appeal of beautiful skin. A Korean beauty insider shares his secrets to faking it till you make it.

6. Skin should definitely be flawless now. It’s no wonder Korean women rarely bother with elaborate makeup and colours, instead favouring the fresh, youthful appearance that can be achieved when the face appears naturally radiant (heavy makeup often ages a face). Choi recommends sticking to the bare basics, such as a touch of eyeliner and mascara, a neutral blush to contour the face and a pretty pink gloss to finish the look.

With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, Choi is Lancome’s ‘ultimate’ expert on Korean beauty techniques and has been involved backstage at several fashion shows for top labels, including Gucci and Escada. He has also headed editorial shoots with magazines such as Vogue and Marie Claire.

7. If air humidity makes your skin shiny during the day, touch it up and blot away excess oil with the Teint Miracle compact powder – this won’t cake-up or look patchy over makeup.

Here is his step-by-step guide on a luxe spin to makeup application Korean-style.

1. Give freshly cleansed skin a quick boost of hydration with Lancome’s Hydra Zen toner – this works best if it’s kept in the fridge before application. For top results, soak a few cotton pads with the toner and leave them on the skin like a mask for up to five minutes.

Photos: Lancome

By Karen Tee

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1. Teint Miracle compact 2. Touche Miracle Concealer Pen 3. Genefique Serum, 30ml 4. Hydrazen Toner 5. La Base Pro Hydraglow 6. Teint Miracle liquid foundation 7. UV Expert BB Sunblock

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THE ZODIAC CONNECTION

RACING WITH TIME On top of their professional interest in Formula One racing, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg share a passion for mechanical watches. As brand ambassadors for IWC Shaffhausen, the pair had a hand in the design of their own watches – the Ingenieur Chronograph Edition ‘Lewis Hamilton’ and the Ingenieur Chronograph Edition ‘Nico Rosberg’. Both watches boast impressive technology and some of the hi-tech materials used in Formula One. Rosberg wanted a watch that “epitomises not only complex technology and unmatched performance but also passion and emotions.” The watch’s yellow hands recall the neon yellow helmet that was Rosberg’s trademark for seven years.

Hamilton wanted “a watch that featured a lot of technology” and the collaboration resulted in the only piece in the entire IWC collection with a titanium bracelet. www.iwc.com

Spring into the Lunar New Year with a limited edition watch from the Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art collection.

Watches in this special collection are part of the ongoing Legend of the Chinese Zodiac series, and each animal from the 12-year cycle is beautifully featured on the dial. This year’s goat pattern (created in honour of the Year of the Goat, which begins on February 19) is hand-engraved in platinum or pink gold and set on a corresponding blue or bronze-toned dial with Grand Feu enamelling. Self-winding and water-resistant to approximately 30 metres, both versions come with an elegant hand-stitched, mississippiensis alligator leather strap in saddle finish. Only 12 pieces have been produced for each model, all with ‘2015’ engraved on the back. www.vacheron-constantin.com

EXTREMELY PIAGET Piaget debuted its Extremely Piaget Collection at the 27th Paris Antique Dealers Biennale in September 2014, holding its own alongside exhibitors displaying some of the most breathtaking jewels and works of art in the world. Piaget, which has enjoyed a firm foothold in the world of high jewellery for the past 140 years, continues to live up to its tradition of glamour. Its new collection is a study of craftsmanship and creativity inspired by the iconic figures who wear the brand’s timepieces. Lending a hand at the launch was Piaget’s global brand ambassador, Chinese actress Gong Li. She said: “The new Extremely Piaget collection has brought me back to the golden age of the 1960s and 1970s. Masterpieces like the Manchette and necklace watches, which charmed the world by breaking the boundaries between jewellery and watchmaking, continue to dazzle today.” int.piaget.com

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an eye for beauty

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1. Lunar Pearl suite 2. Heart-shaped purse carried by Nicole Kidman in the music

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video for Something Stupid 3. The Mouawad Splendour 4. L’Incomparable Diamond necklace

By Patricia Lee

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Mouawad is the haute joaillier behind the dazzling 92-carat diamond bracelet and drop earrings worn by Best Actress nominee Amy Adams at last year’s Academy awards. The brand also created the $2.5 million heart-shaped evening bag encrusted with pink, yellow and colourless diamonds carried by Nicole Kidman in the music video for Something Stupid, her duet with Robbie Williams. And the $10 million ruby, diamond and sapphire-studded bra that supermodel Candice Swanepoel wore when she stole the last Victoria Secret’s runway show? That’s right – Mouawed too.

One of the most daring players on the luxury scene, Mouawad is also known for breaking ground in the field of fine jewellery. The brand was one of the first to embellish watches with precious stones, and today it holds a whopping four Guinness World Records. Last year, its L’Incomparable Diamond necklace – featuring the world’s largest internally flawless diamond – was declared the most valuable necklace in the world. In 2010, its 1001 Nights Diamond Purse –encrusted with $3.8 million worth of diamonds – broke the record for the most valuable handbag in the world. In 2003, the brand created the most luxurious and expensive piece of lingerie ever made (the Very Sexy Fantasy Bra took 370 hours to make and featured the 70-carat Mouawad Excelsior Diamond). And in 1990, the house purchased a single pear-shaped diamond that was the most expensive of the time. It named the 101.84-carat stone The Mouawad Splendour.

Founded in Lebanon in 1891, the brand has been bedecking royalty, high society and the celebs du jour for well over a century.

Its glamorous creations – drawing inspiration from, among other things, celestial constellations and Arabic legends – are for women who are unafraid to stand boldly in the limelight and express their individuality. One of its masterpieces is the Fire of Isis Ruby and Diamond Suite. The majestic bib necklace featuring five stunning pear-shaped rubies amid 265 white diamonds was designed to embody the power and passion of the mythical goddess behind the fable. Another piece – the Lunar Pearl Suite

True artistry, however, lies both in pushing the boundaries of what can be done and not losing sight of the treasures of one’s heritage. Mouawad’s latest Misbaha collection gives a modern twist to an ancient universal practice – the use of prayer beads. Released for Ramadan, the collection elevates the humble prayer bead to the sphere of fine jewellery. The 33-bead Misbaha is crafted in traditional stones like black onyx, lapis, green agate, tiger’s eye and carnelian to retain a classical look, but is completed with 18-carat white gold, diamonds, rubies and sapphires for a luxe edge.

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When it comes to Oscar night, there are only a handful of fine jewellery houses that top celebrities turn to for adornment.

Names like Harry Winston and Tiffany & Co. crop up time and again, but among the chosen few sits another brand, equally beloved by the Hollywood elite but perhaps less familiar to the rest of us mortals – Mouawad.

Mouawad, the fine jewellery company known for its dazzling diamond masterpieces, is now giving a luxury finish to humble prayers beads and iconic amulets.

from Mouawad’s high jewellery collection – is an intricately crafted work of art. The delicate pearl, diamond and 18-carat gold set is a symbolic ode to the magical tale of the birth of the lunar pearl.

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5. Pendant from the Rosette collection 6. Tiger’s eye and diamond prayer beads from the Misbaha collection 7. Pendant from the Rosette collection 8. Carnelian, diamond and ruby prayer beads from the Misbaha collection

By Jim Clark

Smartwatches

The Mouawad Hilal Collection, meanwhile, celebrates the enduring qualities of faith, goodness and protection. The pendants double up as amulets and elegant accessories. Featured are bejewelled versions of the iconic hamsa hand, Allah in Arabic script and an evil eye charm set in a variety of precious stones, from black diamonds to rubies and blue sapphires.

Photos: Mouawad

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Beauty and refinement are the hallmarks of Mouawad jewellery, whether the piece being designed is an heirloom-worthy emeraldand-diamond suite or a discreet ruby pendant for everyday wear.

This is one fine jeweller that takes pride in drawing on its rich history while knowing exactly what makes a piece desirable to women today.

changing the world one wrist at a time When Apple launches a new device, the world takes note. The iPhone wasn’t the world’s first smartphone, but it was the one that switched the public consciousness to phones without buttons. Likewise, the iPad was a long way from being the first tablet, yet the name (like Hoover and Jeep) has become synonymous with the breed.

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Smartwatches will be different, and their symbiotic relationship with smartphones should give us an idea of what to expect. For starters, you’ll find yourself charging them nearly as often as your phone. No more casual expectation of a watch battery lasting a year or several. In fact, you’ll be congratulating yourself if you survive for more than a day on the juice of one recharge. Not surprising when you consider how many phone functions are migrating to the wrist.

If you want to dip a toe into the world of smartwatches but aren’t quite ready to take the full plunge, try the Casio G-Shock GB-6900AA. It’s the simplest of smartwatches and it connects to your iPhone (and only your iPhone – no Android or Windows Phone connectivity yet) to let you know when a call is coming in or an email is arriving. It also vibrates when it loses connection with your phone and has a function that helps you find your phone when it’s lost. That’s about it on the functions front, but the Casio has the traditional advantages of a rugged, waterproof construction and a long-life battery, so it’s an ideal starter smartwatch.

With the Qualcomm Toq, we’re moving up a notch into the realm of a true full-screen smartwatch. It’s one of the simpler

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Apple Macintosh has been on a 30-year crusade to make its electronics the coolest devices on the planet. And now its the turn of the watch. This could be a tougher one for Apple (and the rest of the high-tech community) to crack. After all, our view and experience of watches is somewhat polarised. In one camp, you have the über-expensive Swiss brands like Rolex, TAG Heuer, Omega and Breitling. These established firms make classic wrist furniture that evokes style, elegance and expense in a way few other consumer products can pull off. If there are three personal effects that say more about you and your style (not to mention your income bracket) than any other, it would be your car, your shoes and your watch. The Swiss grandees have this figured out to a T. In the opposite camp are the simple, affordable, rugged watch brigade. The pure time-keeping of these pieces can surpass that of the luxury Swiss names, but the price tags are a heck of a lot lower. Names like Casio G-Shock, Timex, Swatch, Tissot and Seiko ring loudest in this arena.

Going forward, we’ll almost certainly think of these watches (the pricey ones and the cheap ones both) as the Nokia 6210s of their species. The simple Nokia phone, rightly considered a design classic, still sells for good money today because it does an excellent job making calls, sending texts and keeping its battery going for days on end. Likewise, ‘simple’ watches do a great job telling the time and running on long-life batteries or complex self-winding mechanisms.

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Main page Sony Smartwatch 2 1. Samsung gear 2 2. Qualcomm Toq 3. Casio g-shock GB-6900AA

ones out there, and will only connect to a device running Google’s Android operating system, but then there are more Android phones out there than any other so that’s okay. Qualcomm promises days of use on one charge. That charge can even be done wirelessly – the Toq comes with a small charging tray with a hidden induction coil. Aside from telling time, this watch can call up data such as stock market numbers or weather, it can stream music to its Bluetooth headphones and route calls and messages from your phone. Nice, simple and at around US$300, pretty good value.

The Sony Smartwatch 2 is a bigger step up and now we’re in the arena of watches that are truly smart. As well as featuring a clever 4cm (1.6-inch) display that uses both ambient light and a backlight, the Sony can be embellished with extra apps and can deal directly with such things as Twitter and Gmail.

It can also make and take calls, but you’ll need to have it connected to a Bluetooth headset for this – there’s no built-in microphone or speaker.

The Pebble Steel watch doesn’t handle calls at all but it can connect to your phone to let you know when calls, messages or emails are coming in and it uses a cover e-ink display, which looks a lot more sophisticated than some other displays. It’s a classy looking thing overall, with a high-quality steel strap and a case that has more than a little of Swiss watchmaker Rado’s style about it.

But the biggest name in smartwatches for now is Samsung. Its Gear 2 is a true smart watch. It has a camera, it can act as a remote control for your TV and DVD player, it has a bright OLED screen, a music player, a fitness tracker and heart-rate monitor, and with a built-in mic and speaker, you can use it to take and make calls. Samsung wants its phone to be seen as a standalone product, not just an accessory to its tablets and phones, and aside from an occasionally fiddly touchscreen layout, it’s getting close to this ideal.

And now here we have the Apple Watch. Well – almost. It will be here in a few months’ time, but

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4. Pebble Steel 5. Apple Watch

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"In the opposite camp are the simple, affordable, rugged watch brigade. The pure time-keeping of these pieces can surpass that of the luxury Swiss names, but the price tags are a heck of a lot lower."

already the prototypes are out and Apple is building up its peerless publicity machine. The design is, predictably for Apple, utterly gorgeous and the neat trick of using a hand-woundwatch-style crown that can be turned, pushed and pulled to control the watch’s various functions is a stroke of genius, combining classic watch architecture with modern smartwatch capability. Why has no-one thought of this before?

Calls, texts, emails, fitness monitor, calendar, map, Passbook for tickets such as cinema passes or airline boarding cards, a camera and almost everything else you have on your iPhone is crammed into the Apple Watch. Yes, the small screen restricts what you can do at times, and as with the Samsung Gear 2, if you’re making a call on the watch without headphones, everyone near you will hear your scintillating conversation, but this to me looks like a genuine step forward for brainy watches. It’s the one you’d buy as much for its style as for its functions. Apple has yet to reveal a price, or indeed how long it will last on a single battery charge, but if I were a gambling man, I’d put my money on the company that brought us the iMac, iPhone and iPad changing the world yet again for the i-device it hopes to slap around my wrist.

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Unforgettable Food in Paradise Luxury Mauritian beach resort Lux* Belle Mare welcomes the talents of celebrity chef Vineet Bhatia, dubbed the ‘finest modern-Indian chef anywhere’ by The Sunday Times food critic A.A. Gill. A bright spark in the reinvention of Indian cuisine, Chef Vineet won his first Michelin star at London’s Zakia in 2001, followed by another in 2009 for his own restaurant Rasoi, based in London and Geneva. Chef Vineet has created the concept for the menu at Amari

by Vineet- the fine-dining restaurant at Lux* Belle Mare. Here, food is all about the senses: expect the lightest, freshest taste of India prepared with contemporary flair.

The chef ’s mission is to create a memorable gastronomic experience that guests will cherish long after they’ve gone home. www.luxresorts.com

Revitalise in Barcelona The Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I in Barcelona has been rebranded the Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I and will undergo major renovations this year. The Spanish hotel will, however, remain open throughout the renovation period and will continue to provide guests with its usual luxury services.

Inaugurated shortly before the Barcelona Olympic Games of 1992, the hotel offers a breadth of amenities including a

fitness centre and spa, with both indoor and outdoor pools plus 13 treatment rooms. Situated on Barcelona’s Avenida Diagonal and near the city’s famous shopping districts, the Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I is the ideal spot for a good night’s rest after exploring central downtown. www.fairmont.com/barcelona

Tranquility in Tokyo Aman Tokyo – the first city property for the Aman Resorts brand – opened its doors in December, occupying the top six floors of the newly built Otemachi Tower. Aman Tokyo presents 84 rooms and suites, each with panoramic city views, allowing guests to feast their eyes on the Imperial Palace Gardens and surrounding landmarks. The hotel gives easy access to all the city’s major points of interest, including the famous Ginza shopping district. Taking inspiration from the Japanese aesthetic, the rooms and suites are spacious and modern, incorporating traditional Japanese materials such as Camphor wood, Washi paper and stone. Complementing the décor is modern technology and a rich blend of fabrics and textures.

Gordon Ramsay Touches Down in Asia The world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay has begun his foray into Asia by debuting the Hong Kong edition of his popular London restaurant Bread Street Kitchen & Bar at Lan Kwai Fong Hotel, just a short stroll from Hong Kong’s iconic nightlife precinct. The extensive menu showcases British favourites reinvented by the multi-Michelin starred chef at the restaurant’s London flagship. These include signature dishes Cote de boeuf and Roasted veal carpaccio, truffle crème fraiche, artichoke. Fans of the famous chef in Singapore will soon have a taste of the Bread Street Kitchen & Bar’s gastronomic offerings too when the Singapore outlet opens at Marina Bay Sands this year.

Online reservations for Bread Street Kitchen & Bar Hong Kong are available and advance booking is highly recommended.

www.amantokyo.com reservations.bsk@diningconcepts.com

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Istanbul the Great Photojournalist John Maddocks searches for the legendary icons and indulgences of Istanbul.

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I’m hit by an air of bustling excitement the moment I leave Ataturk airport. I’ve just arrived in Istanbul – reputed to be one of the most alluring and intriguing destinations in the world. It’s the place where East meets West. Capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Hub of the ancient Silk Road.

Can this teeming metropolis possibly live up to its highoctane reputation?

My taxi careers alongside the Sea of Marmara. The water is littered with merchant ships from all over the globe awaiting

1. The elegant Ayasofya embodies much of the history of Istanbul 2. The photogenic Blue Mosque dominates the landscape of Sultanahmet 3. Don’t miss a trip on the Bosphorus, one of the world’s busiest waterways

their chance to unload. But what I’m drawn to sprawls across solid land – the city itself. After checking into the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, my first task is to scour a city map to see which sights are within walking distance. I’m spoilt for choice.

I start with the Ayasofya, a building that embodies much of the complex history of Istanbul. The Aya was commissioned by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (otherwise known as Justinian the Great) in the 6th Century. It was converted into a mosque in the 15th Century and then a museum in 1935. The stunning beauty of this structure eclipses even

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its impressive history. Standing in the vast nave beneath its soaring dome and looking up at the rich mosaics is simply spine tingling.

While Istanbul has many photogenic buildings, the standout has to be the nearby Blue Mosque. As I stroll towards it through Sultanahmet Park, I’m struck by the symmetry and majesty of the exterior. Inside, I’m captivated by the sheer beauty and grandeur of the central dome. My camera works to capture some of the 20,000 blue Iznik tiles that give the mosque its popular name.

After absorbing the transcendent experience of the Blue Mosque, I walk to the nearby Hippodrome, built by the Byzantine emperors for the very earth-bound activity of chariot racing. Though a mere shadow of the original, the present-day Hippodrome is impressive for its remaining obelisks and the lovely Kaiser Wilhelm’s Fountain – a gazebo built to commemorate the second anniversary of German emperor Wilhelm II’s 1898 visit to Istanbul.

A friend has told me about two beautiful mosques that are located close to the Hippodrome but of the mainstream tourist routes: the Sokullu Mehmet Pasa and Little Aywasofya. I’m assured I won’t regret the 10-minute walk.

The tranquil interior of Sokullu Mehmet Pasa mosque features thousands of stunning Iznik tiles in blue and green

Where to Eat Asitane Traditional Ottoman cuisine including Mutanc (Rezaki lamb stew with apricots, raisins and almonds) and Crushing Chicken Kebab (grilled chicken on a bed of sautéed onions served with pickled red cabbage), Biryan Perch (whole sea bass stuffed with nuts and spices) and Stuffed Mackerel. Desserts: To Helati (rose syrup pudding with almonds, pistachios and seasonal fruit) and Peach Ka’e (cinnamonflavoured walnut pastry).

Address: Kariye Camii Sokak No:6, 34240 Edirnekapı, www.asitanerestaurant.com Köşebaşı Southern Anatolian cuisine.

Serves a variety of kebabs including Tarsusi with low-fat, hand-minced lamb, gourmet Turkish pizza covered with seasoned minced meat and vegetables, raw meatballs served with scallions, fine bulghur and onions. Desserts include Dondurmali Irmik – a semolina dessert with ice cream and pistachio, served as a hot and light dessert. This restaurant is a favourite of celebrities.

Address: There are several branches around Istanbul.

Check the website for locations. www.kosebasi.com/en Tugra Restaurant & Lounge - Çirağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul Serves dishes claimed to be sourced from ancient recipes. These include Lamb Kulbasti, saffron ravioli and red mullet dolma.

A VIEW OF THE BLUE MOSQUE FROM THE FOUR SEASONS SULTANAHMET

Menu includes Chicken Topkapi, a recipe dating from 1582 and Karniyarik Stuffed Eggplant – a nineteenthcentury Ottoman favourite.

Address: Ciragan Caddesi 32,34349 Istanbul +90 212 326 4646 www.kempinski.com/en/ istanbul Hafiz Mustafa 1864 Some of the best baklava and Turkish delights in Istanbul.

Baklava is a sweet pastry and it comes in pistachio, walnut, milk and chocolate varieties.

Turkish delights feature mint, orange, pomegranate, rose petal, cinnamon, apple, strawberry and mastic in seemingly endless variations.

Other puddings and cakes are also served. Coffee is good here too.

Address: Hobyar Mahallesi, Hamidiye Caddesi No:84, Istanbul 34420 Patisserie de Pera The refined Art Nouveaustyled Patisserie de Pera is a great place for morning or afternoon tea. Tarts, cupcakes, legion macaroons and handmade chocolates are among the indulgent fare. Tea and coffee are served in fine china.

Located in the Pera Palace Hotel, this French-influenced patisserie is definitely worth seeking out.

Address: Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah, Meşrutiyet Caddesi 52, Tepebaşı, Beyoğlu www.jumeirah.com/en/hotelsresorts/istanbul/pera-palacehotel-jumeirah

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4. The Little Ayasofya mosque is embellished with exquisite design detail 5. Beyoglu’s vibrant pedestrian thoroughfare Istiklal Caddesi is lined with shops, restaurants and galleries 6. Traditional Turkish miniature art on display at the Ayasofya museum 7. Highly qualified artist Feride Ozgan working on traditional miniatures at her studio in the garden courtyard adjoining the Little Ayasofya mosque

floral patterns. The Little Ayasofya mosque is reputedly the city’s oldest Byzantine structure, and the interior is an absolute jewel. Originally built in 527 as a church for Theodora, wife of Justinian the Great, this serene mosque features an exquisite dome and stately, marble columns. The adjoining garden has tearooms and craft studios. In one studio, I find artist Feride Ozgan creating some intricate traditional miniature paintings and I can’t resist buying some.

Next, I take a taxi to Beyoglu district, where the main street, Istiklal Caddesi, is lined with shops, restaurants and galleries.

I share the buzz of this crowded pedestrian thoroughfare with hordes of walkers, all of us lured by the myriad opportunities for retail therapy.

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Where to shop: Grand Bazaar, Beyazit (for carpets and kilims) Dhoku, Kapalı Çarşı Takkeciler Sokak 58-60 34126 Galerie Metin (for carpets and kilims) 127 Arasta Bazaar, Sultanahmet Atelier 55 (for everything from clothing to art) Serdar-i Ekrem Sokak 55, Karaköy atelier-55.com Sevan Biçakçi (for exquisite one-of-a-kind jewellery) Molla Fenari Mah. Gazi Sinanpaşa Sk. No. 16 Cağaloğlu 34440 www.sevanbicakci.com

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The arcades centred around Istiklal Caddesi are not to be missed.

Avrupa Pasaji (Europe Passage) is the place for jewellery and souvenir shops, while the Cicek Pasaji (Flower Passage) is the haunt of fine restaurants.

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water reservoir features over 300 columns, two of which are supported by carved Medusa heads. Mysteriously, one Medusa head is upside down while the other is on its side.

Another good place for carpet shopping is the Arasta Bazaar nearby in Sultanahmet. The Galerie Metin is my pick for truly distinctive carpets and kilims.

I set the next morning aside for visiting the Topkapi Palace. I enter through the Imperial Gate and hire an audio guide which takes me to the Palace Kitchens, where a display features some of the palace’s 10,700 pieces of Chinese porcelain.

After a pide (sometimes known as a Turkish pizza) and coffee at my hotel, I get down to some serious shopping at the famous Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi). Boasting over 4,000 shops and 60 streets, the Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s largest covered markets. Over 250,000 people shop here daily for everything from carpets to gold jewellery and spices.

With its colourful history of seduction and indulgence, the Topkapi Palace Harem attracts the most visitors by far. The harem’s six floors and 300 rooms were occupied by the emperor’s family, and while only one floor is open to the public, there’s enough sumptuous and memorable décor here to provide fascinating insights into the 16th Century imperial lifestyle. Don’t miss visiting the Treasury to see the Topkapi Dagger with its three huge emeralds on the hilt and the 86-carat Kasikci Diamond, the world’s 5th largest.

Hungry after three hours of shopping, I take a taxi to the Tugra Restaurant at the Çiragan Palace Hotel. Here, the excellent food is matched by stunning views over the Bosphorus – the fabled waterway separating Europe from Asia. The menu has some wonderful traditional options and I decide on the Quail Mutancana, a 16th Century Ottoman favourite.

Like Istanbul itself, the Grand Bazaar is an alluring blend of old and new, traditional and modern. While most carpets on sale are of a traditional persuasion, there are some eye-catching exceptions, such as those on display at Dhuko. My favourite offering in this shop comes in the shape of antique rugs that have been remodelled into dazzling carpet patchworks.

An interesting contrast with the opulence of the Topkapi Palace is to be found in the nearby Basilica Cistern, built in 532. Known as the ‘sunken palace’, this must-see cavernous underground

I begin my last day in Istanbul with a leisurely walk through the delightful Gulhane Park, once an outer garden of the Topkapi Palace. Next I take a private cruise on the Bosphorus. Highlights are visiting the 15th Century Rumeli Fortress and a fishing village on the Black Sea.

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After three days in this fascinating, dramatic city experiencing its cultural wonders, I conclude that three weeks would be scarcely enough to penetrate the complexity of such a magical place. So I do the only sensible thing – I vow to return.

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Where to stay: Four Seasons Sultanahmet www.fourseasons.com/Istanbul Çirağan Palace Kempinski www.kempinski.com/en/istanbul/ciragan-palace Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/istanbul/perapalace-hotel-jumeirah 10.

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Ritz-Carlton Hotel www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Istanbul

8. The mysterious upside-down carved Medusa head at the base of one of the Basilica Cistern’s 300 columns.

9. You’re never far from tempting baklava and Turkish delights in Istanbul.

Photos: John Maddocks, Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah, Four Seasons Sultanahmet

Swissotel The Bosphorus www.swissotel.com/hotels/istanbul Raffles Istanbul www.raffles.com/Istanbul

10. Pera Palace Hotel JumeirahKubbeli saloon 11. Four Seasons Sultanahmet 12. One of the majestic obelisks at Istanbul’s Hippodrome 13. THE INSPIRATIONAL INTERIOR OF THE BLUE MOSQUE

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ALPINE BLISS

by Patricia Lee

Nestled in the world’s most glamorous ski resorts, these luxury lodges will leave you feeling pampered from pillow to snow-capped peak.

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L’APOGEE COURCHEVEL FRANCE

DEER VALLEY UTAH, USA

This is the first mountaintop hotel by the Oetker Collection and guests can expect nothing short of the very best. Arguably the most prestigious hotel group in Europe (if not the world), the Oetker is behind hotel grande dames such as Le Bristol in Paris and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in France’s Antibes. Naturally for its winter resort, it secured one of Courchevel’s most coveted spots: the top of the former Olympic ski run. And for the design of the 73-room lodge, not just one but two of the most wanted architects of the moment were brought on board: India Mahdavi and Joseph Dirand. Between them, they have kitted out Claridges in London, Givenchy’s Paris flagship store and Alexander Wang’s Beijing store. Discreet extravagance is the name of the game here. Staff don slick black suits, flowers are uniformly white, and the interiors stick to a quiet palette of grey, burgundy and dark wood. But the indulgence lies in the detail, from the in-house ski room staffed by professionals who will fit guests and see to any repairs immediately, to the bespoke furniture and restaurant serving simple diner fare run

by Michelin two-star chef Yannick Franques.

Something of a cult destination, Deer Valley is where serious skiers head. It’s one of the last remaining resorts where no snowboarders are allowed and old-school ski valets are still on hand to store and warm your gear. The biggest treat, however, comes in the form of its whooping 3,250 sqm foot spa – its heavenly Après Ease massage is the perfect postski remedy. The 220-room lodge is positively palatial. With two heated swimming pools, a pub and four restaurants serving everything from sushi to burgers and locally sourced alpine fare, guests will not want for options. Nonetheless, should you fancy a bit more buzz, Park City’s main street is just a five-minute scoot down the slope.

www.lapogeecourchevel.com

NIRA ALPINA ST. MORITZ, SWITZERLAND

AMANGANI JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING, USA

A sleek new contender rubbing shoulders with the old-world glamour of St. Moritz, Nira Alpina is an exclusive boutique hotel on the doorstep of Switzerland’s best peaks. It also offers the only true ski-in ski-out experience in the ritzy resort town. A private link from the hotel to Corvatsch cable station means guests are guaranteed to reach the mountain top (and hit fresh powder) well before the crowds. And at the end of an exhausting day on the slopes, the hotel’s spa and rooftop bar are mere minutes away. While St. Moritz certainly has no shortage of six-star establishments, Nira Alpina offers silverplatter luxury plus a huge dollop of fun. Expect a resident DJ, bar chairs draped with cowhide and suites with waterfall showers and spectacular panoramic views.

Aman Resorts is known for its out-of-this-world locations and Amangani holds the top spot by far. Located nearly 2,100m (7,000 feet) above sea level, this skier’s paradise is perched on a cliff with panoramic views of the Grand Teton’s snow-capped peaks and Snake River Valley’s breathtaking wilderness. Voted number-one ski resort in North America

by Condé Nast Traveller, it affords serenity and seclusion while in reality being only a ten-minute drive from the village and some of the best ski mountains in America. Architect Ed Tuttle’s rugged luxe interiors – featuring slate walls and redwood floors mirroring the vast Wyoming landscape – complete this blissful alpine picture. www.amanresorts.com

www.niraalpina.com

www.montagehotels.com/deervalley

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KASARA NISEKO VILLAGE TOWNHOUSE, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN

www.kasara.com

COPPERHILL MOUNTAIN LODGE SWEDEN Sweden may not be top of mind for ski purists, however this lodge perched on Förberget Mountain is a winter wonderland for lovers of design. Architect Peter Bohlin (the famous name behind the Apple store and Bill Gate’s Seattle home) has not skimped on museum-worthy furnishings. The resort is peppered with modernist icons: look out for Marcel Wanders’ Skygarden lamp hanging over the bar, 1950’s rocking chairs by Ray and Charles Eames, and a coffee table created

by Isami Noguchi for Herman Miller in 1944. Located in Are, Scandinavia’s leading mountain resort, this off-the-beatentrack option is ideal for those seeking adventures beyond the standard ski holiday–activities on offer include dog-sledding, snowmobiling, massages and folk music concerts. www.copperhill.se

Photos: Nira Alpina/ L’Apogee Courchevel/ Aman Resorts/ Deer Valley/Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse/Copperhill Mountain Lodge

The Zen alternative to St. Moritz, Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse is the latest luxury addition to Japan’s most glamorous ski spot. Celebrities and politicians (including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe) are drawn to Niseko for its famously fluffy snow – purportedly the finest in the world. Yet, till Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse opened last December, it was tough to find state-of-the-art amenities combined with the charm of traditional Japanese life. The Townhouse’s harmonious design – complete with shoji screens and a tatami dining room overlooking Mount Yotei – pays homage to the heritage townhouses of the Edo period. However, with the complementary driver-on-call, a heated ski-gear storage room and a mega flat-screen cable television found in every room, there’s no mistaking that this is pampering at a 21st century level.

Curry And Spice And All Things Nice

by Annette Tan

The rise of the contemporary Indian restaurant

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Corn salad from Gaggan

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It’s been over 13 years since the first Michelin star was awarded to an Indian restaurant – the now defunct Zaika Of Kensington in London – and since then, spicy food from the Asian subcontinent has been heating up restaurant scenes all over the world. Now, Indian cuisine is starting to challenge and reinterpret its gastronomic traditions. And its creators are stepping out from behind their tandoors to become big names in international dining circles.

Case in point: Gaggan. Housed in a wooden colonial mansion in the heart of downtown Bangkok, this gorgeous restaurant purveys classic Indian fare reimaged in modern ways by chef Gaggan Anand. The Calcutta native’s career path began conventionally enough, with a stint at the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces group, followed by a foray into his own catering business in India. He then relocated to Thailand to work at the contemporary Indian restaurant Red Bangkok, which has since shuttered, before taking the reigns at Bangkok’s Lebua Hotels and Resorts as its chef de cuisine.

Convention evidently bored Anand – a self-proclaimed rebel with a fiery temper. To soothe his intrepid soul, he travelled to Catalonia in Spain to intern at El Bulli – the (now closed) Michelin three-star restaurant and arguably the world’s most experimental food laboratory – where he was the first Indian

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and only the second Asian to be accepted into the kitchen. It was an experience that realigned the way Anand cooked, teaching him to work from the molecule up in order to ensure his food would appeal to all the senses.

Upon his return in 2010, Anand opened Gaggan, and scepticism quickly turned to acclaim. Using tanks of liquid nitrogen, thermal circulators and condensers, he reimagined traditional street food like papdi chaat (fried puffs of dough typically accompanied by yoghurt and chutney) into a “snowball” of yoghurt perched atop fried dough, swathed in a cloud of herbal foam and finished with a drop of tamarind chutney. Similarly, mutton bhuna ghosh is elevated by a spell of roasting in a copper vessel before being vacuum-packed and cooked in a lowtemperature water bath for 24 hours to yield meltingly tender and succulent meat in a deliciously nuanced curry sauce.

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It didn’t take long for the restaurant to make it to 10th place on the prestigious San Pellegrino Asia’s Best Restaurants list in 2013, and to rise to third place this year. It’s also the only Indian restaurant to sit on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list (at 17th place), ahead of well-known names such as Per Se in New York and The Fat Duck in the UK. Unsurprisingly, reservations are harder to procure than a pound of foie gras in California.

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The Stars Align The same year that Gaggan opened, another Indian restaurant began making waves almost 14,000 kilometres away in New York City. Junoon, helmed by restaurateur Rajesh Bhardwaj and chef Vikas Khanna, occupies a huge space just west of Madison Square Park, with all the typical grandeur of an Indian restaurant bolstered by the sheen and polish of European style. Much praise has been lavished on the restaurant’s lattice sandalwood screens, sumptuous décor and warm amber lighting that takes years off diners’ faces. But the highest approval has been saved for Junoon’s extensive menu, which is divided by cooking style rather than region.

While the kitchen sticks steadfastly to Indian culinary traditions, it keeps things interesting by making the most of the natural bounty on offer in the US. Junoon uses spaghetti squash to make pumpkin subzi (curry) and Brussels sprouts for poriyal (spiced sautéed vegetables typically made with beans or carrots) while

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4. Duck Lollipop from Junoon 5. Junoon’s Scallop Chaat 6. Assorted bread from Golden Peacock 7. the golden peacock interior

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1. The dining room at Gaggan 2. Mango Snowball from Gaggan 3. Foie gras with cold raspberry foie powder from Gaggan

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“You have to move with the times.

Anything you do in America, you have to do it a little out of the box to get noticed.” Vikas Khanna And just because Junoon sits in bustling New York City doesn’t mean it tones down his fiery cuisine to suit its largely American clientele’s tastes. The creamy coconut curry that accompanied the Spanish mackerel, for instance, was challenging even to the most spice-seasoned palate. Clearly, this authenticity has not gone unappreciated. Within 10 months of Junoon’s opening, the restaurant received its first Michelin star, which naturally attracted other stars through its doors, such as Tom Cruise, Sarah Jessica Parker and Martha Stewart. To explain the clever, subtle twists to the restaurant’s food, Khanna told The Hindustani Times: “You have to move with the times. Anything you do in America, you have to do it a little out of the box to get noticed.”

Home And Away Khanna’s statement is true even in his native land. It’s exactly what chef Manish Mehrotra of Indian Accent in Delhi did to earn a place on Restaurant Magazine’s World’s Best and San Pellegrino’s Asia’s Best Restaurants lists.

Mehrotra’s innovative menu has often been described as showcasing “Indian food for the 21st century” by melding local ingredients with seasonal, often organic produce from across the world. A great fan of Indian street food, Mehrotra redefines local snacks with a gourmet spin – potato sphere chaat, masala couscous, and “five waters” (mint, coriander, tamarind, roasted pineapple, and pomegranate) served with wheat puffs, black chaat masala and couscous spiked with cumin.

His entrée menu is no less inventive, with offerings the likes of tofu pepper kofta with wild rice upma and pumpkin coconut curry, and tempered ricotta vada with pao bhaji and kaffir lime butter. Not surprisingly, this elegant 45-seat restaurant is often named India’s best.

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Across the pond, amid the unlikely glitz of The Venetian – Macau’s hotel and casino resort – Kerala native Justin Paul and his team have earned a Michelin star for their artistic interpretations of the food of their land. Every plate served at The Golden Peacock is a colourful celebration of India’s cuisine, from organic chicken tikka braised with baby beets and strewn with jewel-like pomegranate seeds to a painstaking stew of dal sath nizam made with seven types of lentils, pink onions, tomato and Kashmiri chillies.

True to its location, the 170-seater restaurant spares no gloss, with giant flowers on the ceilings that double as lights, opulent glassware and china, and vivid colours everywhere. The fact that Paul and his team prepare their food according to Halal standards sets The Golden Peacock apart even further.

Suffice it to say, these contemporary Indian restaurants are just a handful of the many making headlines on the fine- dining scene.

As global travel brings people closer to the food of different cultures, diners are recognising that Indian food is so much more than butter chicken and fish tikka. Indian cuisine is hot in every sense, and it seems the world’s most discerning gourmets just can’t get enough of it.

Photos: David Ross Furniture, Hypetex, Hansgrohe SE

the tasting menu features a luscious scallop chaat made from diver scallops, cured roe, smoked almond cilantro chutney, finger limes and candied chillies, alongside Spanish mackerel bathed in coconut corn curry, saffron yoghurt leaf foam and shishito pepper crumb.

Dining

A Northern Indian vegetarian feast from Golden Peacock OPPOSITE PAGE 8. potato sphere chaat, white pea ragda and summer kakdi 9. Wholemeal and semolina puchkas, masala cous cous and five waters

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The Show Goes On

by Daven Wu

Molecular gastronomy jumps through hoops of wild creativity in Barcelona’s carnivallike Tickets – and legendary chef Ferran Adrià shows he can still pull off a trick or two.

I pop the pale green olive in my mouth and blink. It’s an olive, yet it’s not. Because olives don’t burst like bubbles on the tongue, do they? And they certainly don’t release a flood of tartly sweet juice that conjures thoughts of sunshine and the pale green of springtime. And how can taste have a colour anyway?

The waiter, dressed in a black tunic with gold epaulets that hints at a circus ringmaster, smiles. “It’s olive juice trapped in a skin made from agar,” he says. So simple yet so unexpected.

Another plate arrives – paper-thin tuna belly brushed with jamon fat and anointed with salmon roe, ginger slivers and drops of olive oil. The tuna melts on the tongue as textures and flavours dance. It’s like nothing I’ve ever tasted.

To think that just a few hours ago, the concierge at the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona was looking a little desperate. “It’s impossible to get a table with such short notice,” he moaned.

“Every day at midnight, the restaurant releases its reservations

list for the same day in two months’ time. You come to me now and ask for a lunch reservation today?” I had to restrain myself from grabbing his lapels and shaking him violently.

This is the kind of gastroholic hysteria that has surrounded Tickets since its opening in 2011. A small restaurant styled like the interior of a circus tent at the corner of a busy intersection in Barcelona’s theatre district, Tickets is the second act of Ferran Adrià – the Spanish chef and founder of the legendary El Bulli restaurant, and the pioneer of what is commonly called molecular gastronomy – and his brother Albert.

When Adrià closed El Bulli in 2011 – exhausted and drained from the pressure of helming a Michelin three-star restaurant – everyone wondered what he’d do next. He answered with the carnivalesque Tickets – a less formal joint serving modern Spanish tapas. And it’s always fully booked, though reservations are never taken beyond two months.

When I found myself unexpectedly in Barcelona, I knew I absolutely had to nab a meal at Tickets. The concierge made a few frenzied calls and called in old favours. For all I know, he may have mortgaged his son’s future. Either way, he pulled off a miracle.

“It’s not a good table,” he told me apologetically, “but they’re holding a reservation for you.”

Which is how I find myself in a corner at Tickets, praying that the most memorable, joyful and irreverent meal of my life will never end.

Months later, I’ll still be thinking longingly about the meal, though the memory will be mainly of colour and sensations – a gold-painted egg filled with silky potato cream and sweetly salty duck yolk; Galician razor clams cloaked on one end with lemon foam and garlic, and clear ginger juice on the other; tiny cones filled with basil-infused tomatoes; a bonsai-like tree made entirely of fairy floss…

This is a meal that defies categorisation. On many levels, the menu features recognisable, traditional tapas, but these are tapas that have been created by a culinary Willy Wonker who blends science and taste with childish glee. There are nearly 20 bijoux tapas courses in all – each a magical distillation of flavours and imagination.

Without exaggeration, this is a meal that creates a lifetime of memories. And yes, I left the concierge a handsome tip. www.ticketsbar.es

Molecular Gastronomy around the world The Fat Duck Heston Blumenthal’s lowceilinged, formal dining room in a small English country village is the setting for his wildly inventive experiential dining. Imagine ice-cream that tastes of bacon and eggs, and dishes that resemble sea-foam settling on edible twigs, seaweed and sand. www.thefatduck.co.uk Mugaritz Andoni Luis Aduriz’s food is part performance art, part molecular gastronomy and 100 percent wildly unfettered culinary genius. In his sleek, stone-lined bastion in northern Spain, Aduriz turns

ordinary ingredients into extraordinary dishes. Not to be missed are his fabled edible stones made of claycoated potatoes and lettuce hearts soaked in vanilla brine. www.mugaritz.com Alinea A regular on the listings of The World’s 50 Best Restaurant, Alinea puts Chicago on the modern gastronomic map.

The youthful founder and chef Grant Achatz creates magic with spectacular set pieces.

Think slivers of crisp bacon suspended from wires and bowls of foam yielding high notes of caramel popcorn. www.alinearestaurant.com

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BISAZZA WEARS EMILIO PUCCI Luxury Italian mosaic company Bisazza and fashion house of prints Emilio Pucci showcased the ‘Bisazza wears Emilio Pucci’ collection of mosaics in December. Set at the Art Basel Miami Beach, the collaboration brought together two brands famed for their signature use of patterns and colour.

This marks Bisazza’s first fashion partnership. In addition to the digitally created patterns, the ‘Bisazza wears Emilio Pucci’ collection includes three limited-edition decorative mosaic panels made entirely by hand using the traditional opus tessellatum technique. The masterfully crafted mosaic panels are designed to decorate a variety of interiors. For enquiries on the Bisazza range: www.bianhoe.com

SITTING ON A WORK OF ART When furniture designer Piet Hein Eek saw the paintings of Dutch masters at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, he decided to make a stool. Working with NLXL Lab, he has developed a collection of three-legged plywood print stools with 10 different artworks of famous painters, from Rembrandt to Vermeer. But according to NLXL founder Rick Vintage, the artwork won’t be limited to the Rijksmuseum collection. “We are talking to a few museums to print stools with art from their collection so we can make limited editions for museum shops,” he says. www.nlxl.com

www.bisazza.com

THIS WAY UP The shapely Up chair from Tonon has a new version with wooden arms. Designed by the award-winning Martin Ballendat for Tonon in 2012, the Up has a shell that offers unbelievable comfort, thanks to a clever shell manufacturing process using the material Freeform advanced – a solidcoloured foam whose structure is highly stable and partly self-supporting, meaning more flexibility and lightness. The Up chair earned an Interior Innovation Award in 2012 and the latest version is enriched with solid European black walnut on the armrests and has four wooden legs for a warm and natural feel. www.tononitalia.com

Hallmarkof excellence

By Patricia Lee

When it comes to furniture design that transcends time and trends, there’s no brand quite like Poltrona Frau. With a focus on traditional artisanal techniques and modern design, the Italian label is on a mission to create interiors and spaces that go beyond the ordinary.

Mention the name Poltrona Frau and the ideals of stylish contemporary living immediately come to mind. Having worked with some of the world’s most highly regarded designers – including Frank Gehry, Andrée Putman and Jean-Marie Massaud – the name is synonymous with exquisite taste and a discerning eye.

Poltrona Frau’s well-deserved reputation can be traced back over 100 years. In 1912, founder Renzo Frau – a craftsman devoted to the noble art of furniture making – trademarked his brand after being inspired by the Chesterfield armchairs of Great Britain and the French and Central European styles of furniture production.

Basing his company in the city of Turin, Mr Frau had the foresight to work with top artists and designers. Together, they came up with iconic furniture designs that included the 1919 armchair and the Vanity Fair armchair. These designs quickly cemented the brand’s reputation for quality design.

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Poltrona Frau grew from strength to strength, and today it can be found in 65 countries in over 1,000 points of sales, including more than 60 standalone stores. The brand is also the furnishing company of choice for some of the world’s most illustrious firms, including Singapore Airlines, Maserati and Ferrari.

What has allowed Poltrona Frau to endure through the ages is its commitment to upholding tried-andtested craftsmanship techniques while experimenting with modern forms and shapes. Take, for instance, the playful Don’Do rocking chair, the GranTorino system of armchairs, sofas and bed and the Albero bookcase - all fuse functionality and an element of playfulness with quality workmanship and top-grade materials.

This is also a brand with heart – it’s one of the first firms in Italy to be certified with the International Organisation for Standardisation for adopting the ISO 26000 guidelines for social responsibility. This was awarded for the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, and the health and safety of its workers. Poltrona Frau has a photovoltaic plant installed at its headquarters to reduce its carbon footprint.

Functional Art From accent pieces to timeless classics, Poltrona Frau has every base covered when it comes to furnishing your living space. Here are the most iconic designs to look out for.

New Deal This stylish armchair is a reedition of the no. 904 model designed in 1930. Made with a seasoned beech-wood frame and upholstered in luscious leather with a soft goose down padding, this structured piece is an ideal focal point in a reading room.

1919 Designed by founder Renzo Frau, the 1919 armchair is inspired by elegant rococo armchairs and has a quilted back, large rounded arms and statement ‘ears’ at the seatback. For modern style and functionality, a brass stand is also anchored to the side of one arm.

Don’Do When traditional craftsmanship is applied to modern design, magic happens – as seen with the Don’Do rocking chair. This masterpiece was designed by Jean-Marie Massaud and is made from curved multi-ply beech wood and solid oak. The skilful balance of lines, curves and thickness are a delight to behold.

With such a multi-faceted approach to furniture design and modern living, it’s no wonder this brand enjoys a global base of devout fans. Designer Jean-Marie Massaud expresses the company’s philosophy best: “I wrapped the past, present and future around man and his world.

The result is a universe composed of intimate, expressive worlds that translate into livable spaces based on the fundamental values of Poltrona Frau: elegance, culture, quality and timelessness.”

Photos: Poltrona Frau

Regina II This sleek armchair designed by Paolo Rizzatto is a contemporary interpretation of the classic bergere chair. Upholstered in the brand’s signature Pelle Frau leather and a painted steel base, the Regina II will elevate any working space with its sleek and structured lines.

Oceano Trunk Be inspired to embark on a grand voyage with this luxurious trunk cabinet designed by Andrée Putman.

The trunk’s interior houses a delightful mosaic of drawers in various sizes for the storage precious personal effects. The cabinet even has a foldable mini desk with a padded pouf.

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SO far SO stylish

By Daven Wu

Sofitel sprinkles magic over its boutique hotels with the help of celebrities from the world of fashion The trend for hotels to collaborate with bold-faced designers is so well established, it’s hard to believe such alliances were unknown 30 years ago. The craze began in the 1980s when hotelier Ian Schrager joined forces with design enfant terrible Philippe Starck. Together – through a succession of highprofile, highly profitable hotel projects – the pair completely erased the line between the hospitality industry and the worlds of art and design.

It was only a matter of time before the equally esoteric fashion world became inextricably entwined with hotel design. The golden age for the fashion-led hotel peaked in the early part of the new millennium when everyone from Missoni and Camper to Versace and Ferragamo lent their gold-plated allure to checkin desks and room service.

The association continues to this day, led by the likes of Bulgari and Armani, whose hotel lobbies heave with visitors from the smart set. Some hoteliers, however, have eschewed this relatively flagrant approach to publicity, preferring something a little more low-key.

Kenzo’s tropical prints brighten up the island resort of Sofitel So Mauritius A rich palette of colour and pattern is woven into the uniforms and interiors at Sofitel So Bangkok by Christian Lacroix

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would be forgiven for thinking that it was he, not French designer Isabelle Miaja, who led the entire interior design project.

Therein lies the power of an association of this nature – a point not lost on anyone, let alone Sofitel SO. Indeed, Lagerfeld’s engagement with the Singapore property is the latest coup for the Paris-based hotel group.

At the Bangkok property, Christian Lacroix has splashed his love for colour and pattern onto everything from the sparkling staff uniform and lobby installation to the interiors of the executive lounge on the 25th level. Cleverly, Lacroix has stayed close to the aesthetics of Thai design, but the injection of

19th-century French elements, especially in the wall art, is unmistakable.

Equally, at the Sofitel SO Mauritius, the Japanese avant-garde couturier Kenzo was inspired by the local culture and nature to leave his quiet imprint on a range of cushions, floral arrangements, vases and a set of low-key porcelain tableware by Bernardaud. The colour palette of pure white, off-white and lime greens turns out to be a perfect complement to the island’s sun-soaked foliage.

On the Sofitel SO’s to-do list for 2015 are Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro and Sydney, though for now, the hotel is keeping the identities of its fashion collaborators under wraps. Watch this space.

On this, the Sofitel group is taking the lead, quietly recruiting some heavy hitters from the fashion, design and architecture worlds to sprinkle magic dust over their properties. Past collaborations have included Jean Nouvel for the Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom, Sybille de Margerie at the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan, and the late, great Andrée Putman at the Sofitel Paris Arc de Triomphe.

Of late though, it’s been Sofitel SO that’s been grabbing the headlines. Located in exotic locations and aimed firmly at the Prada tribe, Sofitel SO is the group’s boutique hotel brand, and it leverages its hospitality muscle with a flavour that’d decidedly fashion-infused.

This past June, the group opened its Singapore property in a beautifully restored, early 20th-century pile. Karl Lagerfeld, the legendary creative force behind Chanel and Chloé, was brought in to create the hotel’s distinctive lion-inspired logo, a weighty (1.2kg) Corian bookend named ‘BooKube’ for every room, and to curate a library (‘La BiblioteK’). The touches are, in the general scheme of things, relatively minor, but given the amount of publicity Lagerfeld’s name has generated, one

Photos: Sofitel SO

At Sofitel So Singapore, the hotel logo, BooKube and La BiblioteK by Karl Lagerfeld harmonise beautifully with the chic interiors designed by Isabelle Miaja

A white creature mobile designed

by Christian Lacroix hangs from the Street Lobby ceiling in Sofitel So Bangkok

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Koket Brilliance Sconce

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Delightful Sinatra Ceiling Light

The agate stone centre lets light shine through, giving a show-stopping light display

The Sinatra structure is handmade in brass and the lampshades in aluminum with the possibility of one to five moveable arms

www.bykoket.com

www.delightfull.eu

Jasper Conran Baroque Charger

Made from fine bone china with a new silhouette influenced by classic baroque arches and medallions www.wwrd.com

Asprey Table Picture Frame

Framed elegance in red Ascot calf leather with hallmarked sterling silver stand (15cm x 10cm)

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Koket Geisha Chair

A fully upholstered chair on sleek polished brass feet with soft tufting on the cushions

RED

www.bykoket.com

Fire up the new year with a splash of red and wake up the senses with these bright accessories for the home

Delightful Letter D

Waterford Crystal Clarendon Ruby Hock Glass

Accented with a rich ruby hue, these glasses have dramatic cuts creating a beautiful brilliance www.waterford.co.uk

Bring out your inner Diva with this trendy 1m high light with 16 bulbs which can be placed on the ground or on the wall www.delightfull.eu

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The Art of Pampering Our bathrooms is no longer just a little room at the end of the corridor for our daily ablutions. It’s been upgraded to bedroom status – a place in your home promising relaxation and rejuvenation. Personalised bathrooms are thoughtfully designed to offer an ambience and level of technology that ends your day on a soothing, indulgent note. And to create this wet-room pamperfest, everything from shower products to floor tiles has been given an aesthetic makeover.

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Axor is available exclusively at: Bian Hoe Sdn Bhd No. 3, Spg 41, Jalan Kilanas, Mulaut, Kg. Kilanas BF 2520 Brunei Darussalam Tel: (673) 2448811/22/55 Fax: (673) 2421694 Email: sales@bianhoe.com Visit: www.bianhoe.com

Axor is one brand coming into its own as a creator of bathrooms-as-living-space. Working with leading product designers, architects and interior designers, the design arm of sanitary fittings manufacturer Hansgrohe SE has developed a line of shower systems that offers interesting and sustainable solutions for bathrooms around the world.

Let it Rain When Hansgrohe introduced the Raindance 10 years ago, the company revolutionised the shower experience. The large hand shower that transforms water and air into droplets of gentle ‘rain’ became a bestseller. Today, the latest Raindance shower system, developed with Hansgrohe’s partners at Phoenix Design, has set a new benchmark. The stylish shower instrument offers a variety of sprays, and therefore different shower experiences, at the touch of a button.

Light in Shining Armour Working with Canadian-born designer and interior architect Oki Sato, Hansgrohe has created a visually magical concept that tricks the eye and conjures wonderment. The LampShower combines light and water for a heightened sensual experience

in the shower. Sato explains: “The result is something that is not just a shower, not just a lamp, but a hybrid – a magic trick with light and water that is available day after day.” The wide-rimmed shower crest and warm ambient lighting gives the bathroom, as Philippe Grohe puts it, “a cosier feel”. In addition to the standard chrome finish, the LampShower is sold with a range of specialorder finishes.

Bringing the Inside Out The creative minds behind the Swedish design studio Front – Sofia Lagerkvist, Charlotte von der Lancken and Anna Lindgren – explore the technical origins of the water installation and use their “personal perception of the shower and showering to draw attention to the technology behind the wall, which is often concealed”. The trio have taken funnels, pipes, joints and valves to produce a chic palette of shower products for their Axor Shower Products range, tempting the technology behind showers out of hiding and openly displaying it, in the most elegant way possible. Philippe Grohe, who manages the brand and is grandson of company founder Hans Grohe, says: “Front shows us how traditionally purpose-specific components of a shower can be transformed into a visually appealing design object.”

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SWEET SUCCESS

COMPACT CRUISER GLA is the latest compact Mercedes crossover and the brand has more 4x4 models planned. The GLA will soon be joined by another compact Mercedes 4x4 – a second model, even smaller, is in the pipelines. And it might look like the G-Code – a concept car released to mark the opening of Mercedes’ design and development centre in Beijing. The skin of the G-Code is said to be made entirely of photovoltaic cells, making this car one giant, mobile solar panel – the better to keep its plug-in hybrid drivetrain topped up.

The Lagonda Taraf (meaning ‘success’ in Arabic) made its first public appearance in Dubai in November and Aston Martin has confirmed the super-saloon is “likely” to become available to customers beyond the Middle East. The Taraf draws inspiration from the dramatic, wedge-shaped William Towns-designed Lagonda saloon of the 1970s. It runs the familiar 6.0-litre V12 engine and can hit close to a 300kmh top speed. The car will be built in limited numbers in the same facility that built Aston Martin’s One-77 supercar. www.astonmartin.com

www.mercedes-benz.com.bn

PACKING A PUNCH

HYBRID HERO

The standard model of the new Passat will come to market with a range of petrol and diesel engines, but the true headline is the GTE plugin hybrid, making this a Passat with GTI performance but tiny fuel consumption. Here we have a zero-emission and longdistance vehicle rolled into one. It’s available as a saloon or an estate. The pioneering low power/fuel consumption and emissions contrasts with powerful performance: the GTE accelerates to 100 kmh in less than eight seconds and achieves a top speed of more than 220kmh, or 130kmh in E-Mode.

Lexus’ new NX 300h uses the same 2.5-litre engine and electric drivetrain as the Lexus IS 300h and GS 300h saloons. Its E-Four system uses an additional electric motor to drive the rear axle, providing more grip and better vehicle control on slippery surfaces.

Lexus is claiming a combined cycle fuel economy of 5.2 L/100km with 121g/km carbon dioxide emissions.

The cabin provides ample space, with best-in-segment space in critical areas.

More storage space is available under the luggage board, taking total luggage capacity to 555 litres in hybrid versions (the batteries for the hybrid system eat a little into boot space) and 580 litres in the turbo petrol version.

www.volkswagenag.com www.lexus-int.com

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Peugeot RCZ-R road test

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with a diesel-like thump of 320Nm, that’s enough motive power to push the RCZ-R from standstill to 100kmh in 5.9secs.

That however, is not the best thing about the RCZ-R. Is it the styling then? The mid-life facelift that took away the gaping radiator grille (which made it look rather like Batman’s The Joker in full cackle) hasn’t been entirely successful in my eyes, as it makes the car look rather fussy. Still, the RCZ-R sits almost as low as a robot vacuum cleaner, that double-bubble roof is still gorgeous and the matte-black finish to the roof and pillars makes a lovely contrast to the glowing, cherry-red paint job.

By Neil Briscoe

Nope, we still haven’t nailed the best thing about it. And it’s not the body-hugging leather-and-Alcantara seats either, nor is it the handsome clock in the centre of the dash, nor the practical boot sitting beneath that big rear wing – now fixed in position rather than adjustable as it was in the standard RCZ.

Model tested: Peugeot RCZ R Engine: turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive Body style: two-door coupé CO2 emissions: 145g/km Combined fuel economy: 44.8mpg (6.3 l/100km) Top speed: 250km/h 0-100km/h: 5.9 seconds Power: 270hp at 6,000rpm Torque: 330Nm at 1,900 to 5,500rpm

An overhaul is long overdue for Peugeot. As a carmaker, this 200-year old brand (which started life making tools, bikes and kitchen implements) has scored some remarkable successes and produced many an iconic car. But the time is surely right for the company to morph from a maker of massmarket, everyday-appeal cars into the creator of something more premium and exclusive.

It’s no secret that Peugeot is struggling to compete with the global might of Volkswagen. But are Peugeot engineers and product planners right to look to VW as its one true rival? A small skunk works within the company thinks not. The mavericks here are aiming straight at Porsche, Audi and BMW in their bid to put the brand back on the map. So while the men in suits weigh up the business options for their troubled company, the creatives are cutting loose and remembering how to have some automotive fun. Drum roll for the RCZ-R.

Photos: Peugeot

The RCZ coupé we’re familiar with. Launched in 2010 to modest commercial but significant critical success, it gave us the first inkling that Peugeot really could swim among the sharks of the premium pool. Low slung, dramatic and with a gorgeous ‘double-bubble’ roof that pays homage to sports racers

of the 1960s, it could stand toe-to-toe with the iconic Audi TT in pretty much any arena. However, a choice of 200hp petrol or 180hp diesel engines never really felt like enough. The RCZ would need to hit the gym to convince us that it could seriously compete as a drivers’ car.

Peugeot’s response? The RCZ-R. The R signifies that Peugeot’s engineers have tinkered and tweaked the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine (familiar in its basic form to anyone who’s ever driven a Mini Cooper S) so it now develops a whopping 270hp. Combined

No, the best part is the steering. For more than two decades, we’ve been castigating Peugeot for not producing a car as enjoyable to drive as the original 205 GTI. Some have come close but none has yet managed to live up to that lofty standard.

Well – not until the advent of the RCZ-R. This car has one of the best steering systems I’ve ever held in my palms. Quite aside from the lovely tactility of the leather-wrapped, flat-bottom wheel, it feels like Peugeot has somehow managed to remove all the cotton wool and rubber that apparently blights the steering of most other cars. The RCZ-R’s steering feels delicate and responsive, and you can actually feel the treads of the front tyres squishing and rebounding as they adjust to the tarmac beneath them. The steering even jiggles and writhes occasionally in the manner of an old Porsche 911. It is brilliant.

The rest of the chassis can just about keep up. Clearly, a car based on the old front-drive 308 hatchback will never be able to deliver the driving sensations an actual Porsche can manage, terrific steering aside. But the RCZ-R gets amazingly close. A little more flex in the springs to allow the car to breathe over bumps rather than skip over them would make it an even more devastating twisty-road weapon, but it still manages to display excellent grip and balance in almost all conditions, so long as the bumps on the road aren’t asking too much of the dampers. Is it PorscheCayman-good? No, but it gets pretty darned close.

Which brings us to the thorny issue of price. Yes, the RCZ-R is strictly limited edition and yes, it’s been breathed on by the experts who created Sebastian Loeb’s amazing 208 T16 Pikes Peak racer. Even so, it’s expensive. That the RCZ-R gets close to justifying its price tag is demonstration enough of its talents.

Put it this way – if you think of it as an Audi TT rival, then it’s, very expensive. But think of it as a Porsche Cayman rival, which it very nearly is, and it’s an astonishing bargain. Consider the roads crossed.

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German brands put in a dominant performance on French soil

By Neil Briscoe

At the Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen steals the limelight from under the noses of the big three French carmakers.

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As you wander the halls of the 2014 Paris Motor Show, there’s a strange sense of being transported back to 1870.

Admittedly cars had yet to be invented, but 1870 saw a movement in France that was somewhat similar to one witnessed at this year’s car show… an overwhelming German force sweeping into Paris and taking control, despite a spirited French resistance.

This year, the French barricades were manned mostly by the new Renault Espace. The Espace is the original MPV but it’s now shaking off its utilitarian roots and becoming a true luxury car.

With styling closer to that of an SUV than an MPV, and with a properly high-end interior, it hopes to convince car buyers that not all luxury cars must come from Germany.

Will it succeed? Renault bosses were certainly pleased by the reaction to the car’s unveiling at the show, but there was simply no getting away from the fact that, just as in 1870, the Germans had swept in and taken control.

It all started the night before the show when Volkswagen Group held its now traditional eve-of-show preview event. We

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thought the new Audi TT Sportback would be the star. A longer, lower, wider version of the acclaimed TT coupé, the Sportback comes with four doors and a big boot, and it’s likely to go into production next year.

But the TT was upstaged by Lamborghini’s Asterion. Still officially a concept, it uses the 5.2-litre V10 petrol engine from the Huracan super car, aided and abetted by a plug-in hybrid battery drivetrain. Charge it up and the Asterion can travel 50km on batteries alone. Once the engine is awoken though, it combines with the electric motor to deliver an incredible 900hp punch. Lambo isn’t saying for certain that the gorgeous, luxurious 2+2 Asterion will go into production but it seems likely that it will.

The Asterion was itself upstaged though by the most unexpected car of the show – a twist on the Volkswagen XL1.We’ve seen the XL1 many times already. It’s essentially a rolling fuel economy laboratory – a low-drag, two-seat coupé powered by a combination of a tiny diesel TDI engine and a hybrid battery backup that can score a remarkable 313mpg. But for the Paris show, VW had prepared the XL1 Sport. Out goes the diesel hybrid and in comes a 1,199cc engine sourced from Ducati. It has just the two cylinders, revs to an astronomical 11,000rpm and has 200hp. Its tiny size and hot-hatch power output give the low-friction, low-drag XL1 serious performance, and push

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it to a top speed of 270kmh. The whole car still weighs just 890kg, so it will doubtless be a riot to drive. And drive it you can, if you’re sufficiently well-heeled. This isn’t just a concept: VW will build and sell 250 copies of the XL1 Sport. True, that’s barely a mainstream production car, but it means this car will definitely find a home with some lucky drivers out there.

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1. Audi TT Sportback.

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3. Lamborghini Asterion 4. Volkswagen XL1 sport 5. Jaguar XE 6. Land Rover Discovery Sport

Reeling as we were from the shock of the XL1 Sport, it was nice to get back to some more conventional, albeit hugely appealing, cars.

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Land Rover and Jaguar showed Paris their two most significant new cars in an age – the Discovery Sport and the XE saloon respectively. The Discovery Sport is, in many ways, a replacement for the outgoing Freelander model, but it’s also so much more.

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It expands the Discovery name from a single model into a fully fledged family. It’s also a seven-seater, allowing Land Rover to compete with cars such as the Nissan X-Trail and Hyundai Santa Fe, as well as offer something that its more straightforward premium rivals, the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, cannot match. It’s a slick-looking product, successfully creating a middle ground between upright old-school Land Rovers and modern, sleek Range Rovers, and it will be hard to see it selling in anything less than huge numbers.

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Bugatti

It’s also hard to imagine the Jaguar XE suffering the fate of its luckless predecessor, the X-Type. Over a decade ago, Jaguar thought the X-Type would become a proper rival to the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 but it just never caught on. The XE, however, looks like it can’t put a foot wrong. It’s a gorgeous, low-slung rear-wheel-drive saloon with a sporty interior and a new engine line-up that stretches from a 2.0-litre diesel with Co2 emissions of just 99g/km, all the way up to a fire-breathing 550hp V8 R-S model.

Another pillar of the French defence against the German onslaught was Citroën’s DS brand. Now officially a marque in its own right, DS previewed a new rival for the likes of the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class in the shape of its Divine DS concept.

Angular and staggeringly pretty, the DS may just have a chance of taking on the Germans and beating them if it makes it to showrooms looking this good.

Finally, Ferrari, Mercedes and Bugatti brought their latest wares to the show in an exercise that was educative of how the supercar market has evolved. For Ferrari, there was both joy and sorrow. Joy that the new 458 Speciale Spider was at the show. Bright yellow, impossibly fast and beautiful but also light in weight and high in efficiency, it’s everything a modern supercar should be. The genuinely sad part came from the car’s unveiling being the last official act of outgoing Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo. Montezemolo has become

almost as iconic as the cars his company makes, but the time has come for him to move on.

No such emotional turmoil over at Mercedes, where the new Mercedes-AMG GT coupé took centre stage. Overshadowing even the mighty 450hp C63 AMG saloon that debuted alongside it, the GT is a replacement for the old SLS but is smaller, lighter, faster and a more direct rival to the likes of the Porsche 911.

For Bugatti though, it was essentially a quiet show, with the brand showing off the last special edition of the Veyron – still the world’s fastest production car. Named Ettore after the founder of the firm, the car can still excite, but its weight, complexity and profligacy make it look like a bit of a dinosaur next to the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari – never mind the Volkswagen XL1.

As the lights went down on the show, patrons tumbled into the streets and found themselves on the threshold of Europe’s most romantic city. In the fading autumnal light, Paris looked especially gorgeous. Everything called out to the show-weary visitor, from the Eiffel Tower (still an amazing sight no matter how clichéd its image) to the beautiful sweeping boulevards of Haussmann. Hard to believe this bustling city of art, business, fashion and food was in the throes of a major European war 140 years ago. Harder still to believe this war is being played out again, only this time through the medium of cars. And yes, the Germans are back in charge of Paris.

WOMEN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF BRUNEI SCION meets two women in the business of shaping the future of Brunei Darussalam through their respective ministries – Datin Paduka Hjh Adina binti Othman, the deputy minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, and Dyg Hjh Normah Suria Hayati binti PJDSMDSU (Dr) Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources. We invite them to tell us what their job at the top of their field entails and to discuss the challenges for women in leadership roles.

Photos: Flo von Linprun Make-up: The Body Shop

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Focusing on People As deputy minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Datin Paduka Hjh Adina binti Othman has a direct nurturing hand in developing the future of Brunei’s human resources and looking after the needs of the nation’s children, women, disabled, poor and elderly. She leads a team of people in the vital task of planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating policies and programmes to develop the youth, culture, sports and welfare of the community of Brunei Darussalam. Her ministry is very people-centric, with strong interactions with the population at the grass-root level. Born and raised in Brunei, Datin Adina began her education in Kuala Belait and received her higher education in the UK, studying at prestigious institutes that included University College London. Today, Datin Adina focuses on helping women develop their talents as leaders and mentors.

How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?

What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?

I’ve been fortunate to have a supportive family – from my parents and my extended family to my husband and children. They have always believed in me. But I have also had my fair share of low periods and times when I felt really down. Life is full of challenges and opportunities. We go through the bittersweet experiences that make us who we are today. The most important thing to remember is that everything happens for a reason. The obstacles we face are challenges and tests from our Creator. When faced with such challenges, be positive and turn them into learning experiences. It’s important to move forward.

Women are given the same opportunities as men and they can excel. Sometimes the biggest challenge lies in the women themselves – they need to believe in themselves. Another issue could be the ‘unconscious bias’ that women may face. However, all these are surmountable if women can persevere and believe in themselves.

Name some of the highlights of your current post The highlights are when we are able to help to empower people.

I have been fortunate to have witnessed many of them in the past four years: families succeeding in getting out of the poverty cycle; children from less fortunate backgrounds succeeding in the academic field and now able to give their family a better quality of life; formerly abused women or children healing, getting stronger psychologically and spiritually, and moving on with their lives; the disabled accepting that what they have is not a ‘disability’ but a different ability and moving on with their lives; young people realising they can make a change in the society they live in; more cultural and community activities initiated by our own people, and more people taking part in sports or recreational activities.

What are the challenges you face as a leader in your field?

I face the same challenges as other leaders – the frustration of not being able to move faster to fulfil our national quests. The realisation that the goals you have set are all noble goals but that you need to prioritise them as there are so many other noble goals, and available resources are limited – resources not merely in terms of finance but also infrastructure, human capital, mindset etcetera.

What in your opinion can be done to empower women to strive for leadership roles in Brunei?

More advocacy and change in mindsets. I feel that women in Brunei are very fortunate because we have equal access to education and a lot of the basic necessities like health, education, housing, clean water and sanitation. We have good subsidies from the government in terms of petroleum, electricity, water, staple food such as rice and sugar and a lot more. All of these are very good for the empowerment of women. Forty-eight percent of the population are women. If we don’t tap into this resource, we’ll be making a big mistake. We don’t want women to be dependent on the government, we want them to feel that if they can be at the steering wheel, that they can determine the future of Brunei. So I think there’s a lot that can be done to empower women to be leaders. The enabling society is here but I say you need more advocacy – a lot more people going out and telling people ‘YOU CAN DO IT!’.

What do you hope for the future of Brunei?

I hope and pray that Brunei will be able to preserve our caring society and that we’ll be able to maintain our extended family system and our traditional norms and values while being able to move along with the opportunities provided by the advancements in the world. I hope and pray that in my lifetime I’ll be able to see a confident Brunei. A Brunei that knows it can make a mark in the world. A Brunei that values the human capital we have, and knows that much of what we practise is the best practice of the global community.

“I think there’s a lot that can be done to empower women to be leaders. The enabling society is here but I say you need more advocacy – a lot more people going out and telling people ‘YOU CAN DO IT!’” Datin Paduka Hajah Adina binti Othman

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“Although you have wonderful ideas, it is the people from various levels who will deliver the ideas. So we need people who have the energy, enthusiasm, passion and readiness to work.”

Dyg Hjh Normah Suria Hayati binti PJDSMDSU (Dr) Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri

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Planning for the Future Dyg Hjh Normah Suria Hayati binti PJDSMDSU (Dr) Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri has plenty on her plate. She holds the position of permanent secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, and plays a vital role supporting the minister, helping him realise his vision for the country’s business development in the areas of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism. In addition, the tireless Dyg Hjh Normah is often called to attend board meetings at state-owned companies and statutory bodies such as the BEDB (Brunei Economic Development Board) and Darussalam Assets. She also plans, coordinates and attends international working meetings for ASEAN, APEC and BIMP-EAGA events. It’s a busy life for the mother of a teenage daughter. Dyg Hjh Normah, who started her career as a lab biologist, is constantly planning and driving her ministry’s initiatives.

The good news? She loves her job.

How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?

To be a leader, I think knowledge, experience and also your style [of working] are very important. You need to understand your business and understand it well. I did not have a mission to become a permanent secretary – but it’s my passion to lead.

I like to create projects and solve problems. In this ministry, we deal with primary resources – agriculture, fishery, forestry – so being a biologist, with the training I received here, plus the experience I gained while working at the laboratory in the research center at the Agriculture Department, have helped me understand the business.

Name the highlights during your tenure at the current post The rice project, which I operated when I was Director of Agriculture, was a project that started from zero. We’re not riceplanters in Brunei, not since before the war, but because of the economic crisis, His Majesty urged us to do it and so we went for it. This was a change I was a part of. Another thing we’re still working on to diversify the economy is the Halal industry and the Bio-industry. These are highlights in this ministry that will change the landscape of economic diversification.

What are the challenges you face as a leader in your field?

I believe things will not always be smooth-sailing. I know that when I work on a new initiatives, there will be challenges.

There is no point doing things if it’s too easily achieved. The challenge might take the shape of funding and people. We

can sort out the funding – there are ways and means to fund a project – but people resources are a bit more challenging.

Although you have wonderful ideas, it is the people from various levels who will deliver the ideas. So we need people who have the energy, enthusiasm, passion and readiness to work. It’s important to have the right people to help us deliver our goals.

What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?

Maybe the issue is that as a woman we do have responsibilities at home. In the office, it’s not so much of a challenge. You can compete with men on any task. They go to the forest, you go to the forest. They go to the sea, you go to the sea. What a man can do, a woman can do. The challenge is at home: you need to be with your husband and your children, but the time you spend at home is reduced. So 10 hugs become one. Sometimes, when you come home and you have to go out again, that’s a challenge – you’re sacrificing family time. But of course, I have the support of my family. They’re great.

What do you hope for the future of Brunei?

I would like to see Brunei green and clean and the skies still blue.

With the protected forests in Brunei, it can be a model. And with our initiatives in the Halal industry, which is a US$634 billiondollar market for just food, and the bio-industry that comes from the forest, we can diversify our economy from oil and gas through these two industries. It’s an enormous opportunity for Brunei, in shaa’ Allah. All we have to do is work hard.

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A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

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Take to The Skies What: Royal Skies Rebrand

What: 44th National Day of the Sultanate of Oman

When: September 13, 2014

When: November 27, 2014

Where: Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Bandar Seri Begawan

Where: Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Bandar Seri Begawan Highlights: Presentation by the Ambassador of Oman on the bilateral relations and cooperation between Oman and Brunei Darussalam in the energy, oil and gas sector

Highlights: Launch of new Royal Skies membership cards; presentation of awards to loyal Elite members of Royal Skies programme; showcase of new heritage-inspired uniform collection for commercial, Royal Skies and ground staff; viewing of a specially recorded video greeting by Royal Skies brand ambassador Wu Chun.

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1. IBTSAM AL-HARTHY; DATIN HJH NORYASIMAH ABDULLAH; HASANAA AL MUSALHI; H.E. SHEIKH AHMED HASHIL AL-MASKARI, AMBASSADOR OF OMAN; PEHIN DATU SINGAMENTERI COLONEL (RTD) DATO SERI SETIA (DR) HJ MOHD YASMIN HJ UMAR; SALIM BIN NASSER BIN SAID AL AUFI 2. PHIMPHA KINDAVONG; NANCY BERNARD 3. H.E. CHOI BYUNG KOO, AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA; H.E. CHHAY SOKHAN, AMBASSADOR OF THE ROYAL KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA; H.E. BRIGADIER (RTD) MUHAMMAD ZAREEF MALIK, HIGH COMMISSIONER OF PAKISTAN; SHEIKH HJ FADILAH SHEIKH HJ AHMAD 4. H.E. APICHART PHETCHARATANA, AMBASSADOR OF THAILAND; H.E. NESTOR Z. OCHOA, AMBASSADOR OF THE PHILIPPINES 5. MARK DIEKER; THOMAS HEILMAIER; SATOMI DIEKER 6. NADIA AL-SINAWI; FAMYIA AL-WAHIDI; MANAL AL-BULASHI 7. MAHMOUD HADDADI; THOMAS HEILMAIER 8. SAID AL-SINAWI; M. FAROUG AHMED

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Photos: Royal Skies, Ebi Lim

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1. Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin bin Abdullah, Chairman of RB; Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman of RB; Rezeck El-Zouki (representing his uncle and award winner Lahoud Sleiman); Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar 2. Nur Rita Shakirah, Head of Cabin Services; Ahmad Jefri, RB Board of Directors; Junaidi Masri, RB Board of Directors; Captain Khalidkhan Hj Asmakhan, Deputy Chief Operating Officer; YM Pehin Orang Kaya Lela Pahlawan Maj. Gen.(R) Dato Paduka Seri Hj Mohd Jaafar bin Hj Abdul Aziz 3. The Royal Skies Team led by Yasmin Abdullah (6th from

right); Dermot Mannion (6th from left); Karam Chand, Chief Commercial & Planning Officer (5th from left); Joan Lim, Head of Commercial Services (7th from left) 4. Royal Skies High Flyer Awards Recipients 5. Christine Au Yong; Elizabeth & Alistair Dunn 6. Mr & Mrs Lee Wai Chee 7. Nigel Badminton; Andrew Caie 8. Dermot Mannion; Pg Datin Hjh Norsiah Pg Hamdan; Dato Paduka Hj Bahrin bin Abdullah 9. The Nazeer Ahmad family 10. Dato Rahman Mohiddin; Rozan Yunos, Datin Rosnah Ramly 11. Hosts for the evening, Paula Malai Ali & Jenny Malai Ali

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Dancing for Diwali

Making Friends and Building Ties

What: Standard Chartered Bank celebrates Diwali with its bank customers from the Indian community

What: U.S. Embassy celebrates 238th American Independence Day and 30th Anniversary of Modern Era of U.S.-Brunei Diplomatic Relations

When: October 30, 2014

When: November 12, 2014

Where: Tarindak D’Polo, Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club, Bandar Seri Begawan

Where: Royal Berkshire Hall, Royal Brunei Polo Club, Jerudong

Highlights: Colourful high-energy traditional Indian dance performances entertained the guests; lighting up of special oil lamps to mark the occasion by guest of honour Lalit Parsad, Acting High Commissioner of India and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank, Lai Pei Si

Highlights: Special performances by the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet band ‘The Orient Express’ and Maria Grace Koh; Special video presentation to highlight the 30th anniversary of the modern era diplomatic relations between the United States and Brunei Darussalam

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Photos: Ebi Lim

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1. U.S. AMBASSADOR H.E DANIEL SHIELDS; TAHER ALI; GUEST OF HONOUR YANG BERHORMAT PEHIN ORANG KAYA INDERA PAHLAWAN DATO SERI SETIA AWANG HAJI SUYOI BIN HAJI OSMAN, MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT; MUHAMMAD HAZIMI HJ JAIDI; SITI SALWA SAIM 2. BEN BODDY; BRIAN DOOLAN; MARIA GRACE KOH 3. COL. STEVEN MA, WALLACE KOH 4. DEREK EVERSFIELD; JEREMY CHUA 5.INDONESIAN AMBASSADOR H.E. NURUL QOMAR; BRIAN DOOLAN; CATH DOOLAN; ANNE DICKENSON 6. MATTHEW STANNARD; PENGIRAN DATO HAJI IDRISS IBNI AL-MARHUM PENGIRAN TEMENGGONG SAHIBUL BAHAR PENGIRAN HAJI MOHAMMAD 7. Lt. JG JAN INGRAM; LT. LAURYN DEMPSEY 8. HJ ALI YUSRI HJ GAFOR; MALAI HJ ABDULLAH MALAI HJ OTHMAN 9. ALZBETA FINDLAY; MD ZUFERY OTHMAN; NUR’AINI ABDULLAH 10. WANG TIANXIANG; LIU GUIXIANG; AMBASSADOR OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA H.E. ZHENG XIANGLIN; ZHENG DONGLI 11. PAULINE CHAN; PAULA MUNOZ; WAN ZAINAL ABIDIN; DELWIN KEASBERRY

9.

Photos: Dian Idris

8.

1. Lai Pei-Si; Lalit Parsad, Acting High Commissioner of India and spouse 2. Dr Hjh Yasmin; Dr Saher Parvez 3. Junaidi Bahrum; Irfan Hj Abd Latif; Fergus Lim 4. Ng Yick Wei; Cecilia Phan; Lim Jye Shin 5. Noor Mohamed; Ruby Sandhu 6. Fergus Lim Hooi Siang; Rajinder Kumar and children 7. Mukesh Puri; Lalit Prasad; Lai Pei-Si; P. Harigovindan

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JA N UA RY - F EBRUA RY 2 01 4

Vertu Goes East What: Vertu Aster Launch party When: October 16, 2014 Where: Shanghai, China

MAGICAL BAGS

Highlights: Chinese celebrities Du Juan, Zhang Zhen and Huo Si Yan brought star power to the launch which took place during Shanghai Fashion Week. Guests were given a glimpse of the luxury phones, which are handmade from exquisite materials and available in a palette of colours.

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1. Models pose with Vertu handset at the Vertu Aster Launch party 2. Massimiliano Pogliani; Du Juan 3. Lou Dalton; Caroline Rush; Sasha Wilkins; Holly Fulton 4. Ignacio Germade; Du Juan 5. Ignacio Germade; Zhang Zhen 6. Dylan Jones; Sasha Wilkins 7. Massimiliano Pogliani takes a selfie with Zhang Zhen 8. John Stanley; Dominic Maccarthy 9. A guest takes a picture of a Vertu handset at the Vertu Aster Launch party

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Ac c o m m od a t i o n

Scion Partner Hotels

103

Scion Partner Hotels Whether you’re visiting for business or leisure, the Renaissance

rooms with a view at the miri marriott

Kuala Lumpur Hotel is a five-star luxury accommodation located

Nestled in lush tropical gardens a mere two hours from Brunei,

exactly where you want to be - the heart of the Golden Triangle. It

the Miri Marriott Resort & Spa offers 220 luxuriously appointed

is a short walk to the Petronas Twin Towers and is two monorail

rooms and suites with serene views over the South China Sea.

Discover the Renaissance Lifestyle

stops from the nearest business, financial and retail hubs. The Renaissance features 910 beautifully appointed rooms and suites.

Combining business with leisure, the resort provides secretarial

For conferences and events, the hotel boasts a Grand Ballroom and

services and a full-service business centre. When work is

26 multi-purpose function rooms.

There are 7 dining options, including the Sagano Restaurant for Japanese cuisine, TEMPTationS coffee house, Vogue Café for allday dining and the Dynasty Restaurant, serving exquisite Chinese cuisine by award-winning executive sous-chef Kok Chee Kin. Guests can also enjoy the hotel’s two-storey fitness centre, tennis courts, Olympic-sized swimming pool and rejuvenating treatments at the Mandara Spa.

Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel Corner of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: (603) 2162 2233 E-mail: rhi.kulrn.sales@renaissancehotels.com Website: www.klrenaissance.com

done, guests are free to enjoy the hotel’s fitness centre and sauna, lounge around the freeform pool (the largest outdoor swimming pool in Sarawak), or indulge in spa treatments at the Mandara spa.

The resort’s Zest restaurant is famous for its weekend buffets, while freshly baked desserts are available at the Borneo Baking Company.

If it’s just a drink you’re after, sip it on the Matahari Pool Terrace and enjoy the magnificent sea view at the same time.

Fit for a Prince

Fun & Relaxation at the Tanjung Aru

Prince Hotel & Residence in Kuala Lumpur is just a few minutes’

A modern flourish has been added to the rooms at the Shangri-

walk from Bukit Bintang, Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala

La in Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, giving a contemporary twist

Lumpur Convention Centre. This five-star hotel presents 445

to the resort’s traditional décor.

Miri Marriott Resort & Spa Jalan Temenggong Datuk Oyong Lawai Miri 98000 Malaysia Tel: (60 85) 421 121 E-mail: reservations.miri@marriotthotels.com Website: www.marriott.com/myymc

spacious rooms and luxurious suites, and 157 full-service apartments with spectacular views over the city. Relaxation

The Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa is immersed in

facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, tropical garden, the

25-acres of green gardens, taking full advantage of the area’s

Sompoton spa, a fitness centre and a kids club, lower case.

enchanting tropical landscape. On top of its 492 upgraded rooms and suites, the resort boasts a new 2,000-square metre

Prince Hotel offers seven food and beverage venues to cater to a

swimming pool with tapered shoreline, infinity edges and

variety of palates. At the Eccucino Buffet Restaurant, you will be

custom-built jacuzzi beds.

spoilt for choice with local and international delights. Tai Zi Heen, the hotel’s signature restaurant, serves contemporary Cantonese cuisine and delectable dim sum.

Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, the Prince Hotel & Residence is ready to make your stay in Kuala Lumpur a memorable one.

Prince Hotel & Residence 4, Jalan Conlay 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: (603) 2170 8888 E-mail: enquiry@princehotelkl.com.my Website: www.princehotelkl.com

Guests are encouraged to treat themselves to walks along the resort’s private beach. Iced drinks are served at the Sunset Bar, with spectacular views of the setting sun thrown in for free. Dining options include the lively Café Tatu, the Chinese Shang Palace and the award-winning Italian restaurant Peppino.

With its 522 luxurious rooms, suites and villas, the sumptuously

Embedded in the vibrant hub of Clarke Quay, the Novotel Singapore

furnished Empire Hotel & Country Club offers an experience that

Clarke Quay combines comfort and convenience in the heart of

is anything but ordinary. The club’s accommodation is fit for a king,

Singapore. Guests will feel at home in its 403 rooms, as all are equipped

and the events venues and banquet rooms – including the Indera Samudra Grand Hall – are lavishly impressive.

with modern amenities and high-speed WiFi internet access.

Golfing enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the resort’s premium golf

Visitors can work out at the In|Balance Fitness centre or lounge by

swimming pools and a private beach. Catch a movie at the club’s cinema, or indulge in a game of bowling, a spa or gym session.

There is a selection of high-end restaurants. Savour authentic Chinese cuisine at Li Gong restaurant, Italian fare at Spaghettini’s or Japanese delights at Zen Teppanyaki. Alternatively, enjoy the sunset at Pantai restaurant - a venue specialising in international fare and seafood barbecue.

No. 20, Jalan Aru, Tanjung Aru 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Tel: (6088) 327 888 E-mail: tah@shangri-la.com Website: www.shangri-la.com/ tanjungaru

The Novotel Experience in Clarke Quay

A Majestic Experience at The Empire

course, while sun seekers are spoiled for choice with three outdoor

Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa

The Empire Hotel & Country Club Jerudong BG3122, Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei Darussalam Tel: (673) 241 8888 E-mail: sales@theempirehotel.com Website: www.theempirehotel.com

the outdoor pool. This family-friendly hotel provides a play area for little ones equipped with an Xbox Kinnect; a dedicated children’s menu is also available.

The SQUARE serves local and international cuisine, and is one of Singapore’s most popular restaurants. Other dining options include the Dragon Phoenix Restaurant, serving authentic Cantonese fare, and the Moghul Mahal Restaurant, serving delicious North Indian cuisine.

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay 177A River Valley Road Singapore 179031 Tel: (65) 6338 3333 E-mail: H5993@accor.com Hotel code: 5993 Website: novotelclarkequay.com

104

Scion Partner Hotels

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THE PULLMAN NETWORK A Pullman hotel with 513 contemporary bedrooms has opened in Kuala Lumpur, taking the number of Pullman hotels in Malaysia to three. The new hotel is strategically located in Bangsar, so perfect for MICE events. The other two Pullman hotels in Malaysia are the uber-modern 389-room Pullman in Kuching and the stunning Pullman Putrajaya, located on the shores of the Putrajaya Lake.

Pullman is the upscale international hotel brand of Accor, the world’s leading hotel operator. Accor is established in 92 countries, employs 160,000 personnel and boasts a portfolio of over 3,600 hotels.

Pullman Hotels and Resorts is principally aimed at cosmopolitan, seasoned travellers either touring alone, with family or with colleagues. The network has more than 80 hotels and is expanding rapidly in the Asia-Pacific region.

Epitomising the brand in Asia is the Pullman Thamrin Jakarta, which recently underwent a 15-million US dollar renovation. General Manager, Philippe Le Bourhis says: “We want this to be a vibrant hotel where leisure meets business as defined by the Pullman ‘bleisure’ concept.”

Pullman, like many of Accor’s brands, is proud to offer Le Club Accorhotels loyalty programme. For further information, on both this programme and Pullman hotels in general, visit: www.pullmanhotels.com.

1. PULLMAN THAMRIN JAKARTA 2. PULLMAN PUTRAJAYA LAKESIDE 3. Pullman Kuching 4. PULLMAN KUALA LUMPUR