Red 19 May 2014

TRACY SEDINO Throwing Shade

www.inquirer.net/red

MAY 2014

Editor’s Letter TO MAKE HISTORY

PHOTOGRAPHY JO ANN BITAGCOL

Growing up, I have always looked up to someone, either because I liked their style, or I wanted to be like them. That still holds true, but, my reasons for putting them on a pedestal have changed. Today, I admire people who are able to live their lives to best of their abilities despite formidable circumstances. People of all ages have that person they look up to, someone they aspire to be. Everyone needs some form of guiding light to shepherd them through their darker times, or to drive them towards achieving greater things. These people whose stories help us combat adversity, who push us harder, who help us fight the good fight – these are the people that make history.

This month, we celebrate these people by paying homage to the iconic. I practically chased Tracy Sedino around the world so we could have her grace the cover, from meeting her in Paris to organizing two photo shoots that didn’t push through. It was quite a gamble, but I am firm in my belief that she is perfect for this issue. Aside from serving as press and marking director for the timeless Linda Farrow line, Tracy, with her nonchalant sense of style and signature red lip, possesses a quality, like all icons, that grabs the attention of many: striking self-confidence. Keep in mind, as you read this issue, that you may be someone’s favorite “icon,” so live wisely!

Let me add that I am incredibly happy that our center pages are printed on matte paper. If it were me, I would love to print the whole magazine on matte; it is the new frontier in publishing, after all, but sigh, small steps. I hope you enjoy this issue!

Ria Prieto

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The hottest styles.

The coolest colors.

The ďŹ nest brands.

Contents admiRED /20

Tracy Sedino Throwing shade

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ON THE COVER: Dress, 3.1 Philip Lim; sunglasses, Jeremy Scott for Linda Farrow THIS PAGE: Dress, 3.1 Philip Lim; 38 sunglasses in Black Macaw, Linda Farrow

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acquiRED Celebrating Cartier’s most iconic accessory art Gary-Ross Pastrana talks critique and creativity desiRED TOMS doubles up on giving back inspiRED Art in the hearth attiRED Best in accessories set in playful prehistoria admiRED Eye-opening conversation with Linda Farrow’s Tracy Sedino exploRED Exploring contemporary Constantinople devouRED Sage serves up food with flair inquiRED Who is an overrated icon? empoweRED Patricia Field on rescuing a lackluster flick

Editor-in-chief Art Director Associate Editor Copy Editor

Ria Prieto Niña Muallam Mara Santillan Miano September Grace Mahino

Contributing photographers

BN Chavéz, Everywhere We Shoot!

Cyrus Panganiban, Shaira Luna

External Relations Officer

Sophie Villanueva

Interns

Arianna del Rosario, Nina Mendoza, Josh Orbeta

Board Chairperson

Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez

Group Publisher SVP and Group Sales Head, Inquirer Group of Companies Sales Director Business and Distribution Manager

Bea Ledesma Pepito Olarte Ma. Katrina Mae Garcia-Dalusong Rina Lareza

acquiRED

ALL FOR LOVE The unexpected origins of Cartier's most iconic bracelet W O R D S JO S H O RB E TA

It is unlike any bracelet you’ve seen before: enduring, elegant, and classic, not something you can simply slip on and off. The Cartier Love Bracelet has a unique locking system that requires a special Cartier screwdriver, something which you can keep to yourself, or give to someone as a symbol of undying commitment.

Designed by Aldo Cipullo in 1970s New York, he was inspired by the idea of ancient designs and the legends that surround them.

What inspired the Love bracelet was an exploration on the idea of the chastity belt, where medieval soldiers locked iron belts around their wives’ waists to preserve the

fidelity of marriage. When Cartier released the Love bracelet, customers were not allowed to buy it for themselves; it had to be bought for them, fitted, with the screwdriver given to the one who had bought the bracelet. This drove the stylish set from the world over to Cartier stores (lovers in tow) to get one!

The Cartier Love Bracelet has been on the wrists of the world’s most notable: Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Nancy and Frank Sinatra, and Elton John. The very simple flat band with the row of barred o’s engraved on its front make the Love bracelet timeless, sexless, trendless, and quietly beautiful.

Having stood through more than three decades of fashion and jewelry design, the bracelet remains strong in its form. The only change the bracelet has gone through is the material of which it is made: originally gold plated, Cartier is now making the bracelets in 18k white, yellow, and pink gold, and platinum. The demand for the Love bracelets has forced Cartier’s hand into expanding the line to bangles, rings, cuffs, and cufflinks, with iterations including different types of diamonds and other jewels.

Cartier Love White Gold and Yellow Gold available at 2/F Rustan’s Department Store, Ayala Center

art

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Project Joint, 2013 A collaboration with NY-based Industrial Designer Stanley Ruiz at the old Berg's Department Store in Escolta, Manila as part of the Media Art Kitchen event sponsored by the Japan Foundation.

THE ART OF DECONSTRUCTION A look into Gary-Ross Pastrana’s entrance to art, his aesthetic, and dealing with his critics W O RD S N I N A M E N D O Z A

Gary-Ross Pastrana, an artist who does conceptual and installation art, has reached far and wide across regions with his art exhibitions. His love for art grew through an unlikely form. “I think my entry point in art was through music and film. Contemporary art wasn’t really accessible then especially during the 90s. How can you know about contemporary art when there was no Internet?

So it’s really through books, magazines, and publications.” Art history class was the avenue where he grew to love it. “There were so many interesting things happening that I didn’t know about. The quality of thinking or talent that was coming in for art was the same. I already got the satisfaction.” Pastrana, known for his minimalist ways, challenges conventions

and concepts with his use of deconstruction. “I challenge the thingness of an object. I look for an object’s essence by breaking it down. ” While working on projects, Pastrana tells this writer about his fixation during his conceptualizations. “The one thing I always want is when a lot of ideas come together in one task.

I like those multiple storylines, and intersections with meaning. If I find that in one work, that gives me the will to say ‘Yes, I should do this.’ If there are intersections like those, I think the art becomes more meaningful, or it becomes more valuable to me as an artist that I was able to do it.”

His exhibits draw admirers and critics alike. “The usual criticism I get is that my works are not really collectible, and the idea of ‘What’s going to happen with it after?’ Like

after the show, nothing will happen to it. But for me, I do it because it needs to be done. It has to happen.” How does he take criticism?

In stride, keeping them in mind during his brainstorming sit-downs. “It’s not what gives me the will or the deciding factor that will state what my work will be, but it is incorporated.”

As an artist, there is a need to constantly improve and develop one’s art. For Pastrana, it seemed like a never-ending reach towards that need to create something unquantifiable. “The idea that you can’t seem to create, that’s always on my mind whenever I make my exhibits. I would think, ‘That would be so beautiful if I get to create it.’ You get consumed by it, and it is more appealing to you. The feeling is like once you’ve made it, everything will change.” •

desiRED

TWO FOR ONE TOMS and Make it Right partner in philanthropic efforts W O RD S AR I AN N A D E L RO S AR I O

Limited edition apparel for a cause, the new shoe by TOMS and Make It Right will go towards the charitable visions of both brands.

In addition to the TOMS system of donating a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased, there is a new endeavor: with every piece of eyewear bought, TOMS will help restore eyesight to someone in need. In addition to these direct humanitarian efforts, a portion of the proceeds will go towards the Make It Right foundation’s rebuilding efforts.

Founded by Brad Pitt in 2007, Make It Right incorporates the Cradle to Cradle formula by architect William McDonough and chemist Dr. Michael Braungart to create affordable and sustainable homes for people in need. The

organization’s efforts are centered in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, an area devastated

by Hurricane Katrina. Representatives are sent across the country to educate people about the fundamental principles of the Cradle to Cradle process, which includes implementing water stewardship policies, using environmentally sound building materials, and only creating solar-powered homes.

The other half of the collaboration, TOMS has been providing shoes since 2006, when it was founded by Blake Mycoskie after a visit to Argentina, where he was shocked at the amount of children without shoes. Since then, TOMS developed a large collection of shoe and eyewear designs, and has been giving back

with everything they get, a testament to their slogan, “One for One”.

In May 2014, the new collection by TOMS and Make It Right will be available in authorized TOMS retailers in the Philippines and online, available in TOMS classics for men and women. The joint effort aims to raise awareness and continue the progress made by both organizations towards their social and environmental causes. Two visions, two causes, two steps, for the price of one.

•

TOMS is available at Nothing But H20, Alabang Town Center, Glorietta 3, Swim, Power Plant Mall and Adora, Greenbelt 5

inspiRED

WHEN WALLS AREN’T ENOUGH With an art collection that rivals most galleries, you’ll understand why the ceiling becomes prime real estate P H OTO GR A P H Y TAM M Y D AV I D

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Walking into this hidden gem is quite an experience. You have to stop to take everything in: the expansive yard on the left, the lush garden with little touches of art to your right, and right in front of you, a koi pond with fish larger than the norm.

And then you see the house. A former home of designer Joe Salazar., the sprawling Art Deco estate was both his home and atelier until the last years of his life. With the amount of inspiration just from the estate, it's unsurprising that Salazar was able to creat like he did. The current owners are one of Manila’s power couples—she owns the first Chinese international school in the metro and he is a public servant, and his knowledge of the natural world is, well, quite unnatural. Their home is a mix of both modern and natural sensibilities. The dynamic of the space is organic and the rooms flow gracefully into one another, while the art that fills it is modern, as if Basquiat had picked the pieces himself.

Upon entering the main home you are blown away by the scene. To your left, a dining area lit by Frank Gehry pendant reminiscent of hearts, the organ, not the symbol. The rugged wooden dining table is perfect for intimate dinners for 10. With seating ranging from ’60s Italian to midcentury Danish, each chair claims a singular iconography all on its own. To your right are the main living areas, filled with vintage Eames chairs (their way of balancing comfort and style), books on health, travel, and design, and lighting fixtures that could easily be mistaken for artwork.

The amount of art in this home is mind blowing, with a collection reminiscent of most modern and post-modern museums around the world. Painting upon painting is stacked up against each other on the walls, only breaking to

Even the kitchen isn't safe! Also filled with art, the kitchen's stainless steel fixtures mix well with the wooden floors and chairs.

The diverse collection of rare flora flown in from around the world, and the natural textures provide a striking contrast to the stark white art deco home.

It is this juxtaposition that gives the home a more approachable feel.

Different types of sculptures, some figurative, most abstract, provide a break from the paintings.

give way to sculpture. Trying to count how much Van der Rohe-Wassilys Corderos, Boses, and Millers there are in this home is quite futile, there is just so much. There is art in every direction you look, even upwards, as even the ceiling plays its part in displaying the selection. There is something stunning in every corner, from the kitchen, which provides a concise look into their lives (the Jerry Araos sculptures to the Elmer Borlongan paintings contrasted with the clean stainless steel fixtures), to the bathroom in the workspace (anchored by a molave counter designed by Salazar).

If you’d like to take a break from the art (but really, would you?), you can step out into the garden, well-maintained and reminiscent of a time gone by. Vertiginous trees cover it with shade. Succulents and a diverse selection of flora (meticulously labeled, of course), fill the space. It seems that their collection of exotic plants and animals rivals their collection of modern art. The cages, huge tubs of water, and terrariums do not go unnoticed. They contain different types of snakes, exotic birds, bull frogs and different types of turtles, not to mention the multitude of dogs running around the property.

The property is a perfect juxtaposition of old and new—a storied house with its very modern owners. With what has been said, the home could easily feel like a museum, cold and eerie. But one step in, you’ll know that it’s exactly the opposite. It feels like a home: warm, welcoming, cozy. —JMO

A sculptural stone seating set provides an area for introspection, or, simple to admire the estate.

baRED

SWEET TALK In the wake of a high-temperature summer, a deluge of charming, affectionate red and fuschia lip colors make for a better conversation starter than the weather.

MAC PatentPolish Lip Pencil, MAC, Power Plant Mall, Rustan's Alabang Town Center, Nars Matte Multiple, Nars, Rustan's Makati, Bobbi Brown Art Sticks, Bobbi Brown, SM Megamall

attiRED

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE Dive into the depths of this whimsical prehistoric jungle with the world's most iconic bags and shoes P H OTO GR AP HY E V E R Y W HE RE W E S HO OT !

S T Y L I N G JO S H O RB E TA

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Louis Vuitton Cotteville

Jimmy Choo Tayn Sandals

Louis Vuitton started his maison making trunks for the royal court. Centuries after, royals and commoners alike still seek his monogrammed creations.

Coming from a family of shoemakers, the Malaysian-born designer lived his passion. The company, under Tamara Mellon's direction, give iconic designs that are sought by the world's most notable.

Available at Louis Vuitton, Greenbelt 4

Available at Jimmy Choo, Greenbelt 4

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Saint Laurent Paris ankle strap pump Ever since Hedi Slimane took over Saint Laurent Paris, eyebrows hit the roof in suspicion of his talent. But season after season he presents a clearer image of the new Saint Laurent woman: carefree, effortless, beautiful.

Available at Univers, One Rockwell

Jimmy Choo Candy Clutch

Celine Fall 2011

The Candy clutch instantly adds a little bit of shine to any look. In the iteration seen here, Jimmy Choo sends you off into extravagance with a kiss.

Phoebe Philo has always put her best foot forward when it comes to designing Celine's accessories. Not only to do they complement her ready-to-wear perfectly, they also blend seamlessly into your closet.

Available at Jimmy Choo, Greenbelt 4

Available at Univers, One Rockwell.

Tod’s D-cube Mini Bowler and D-styling Mini Miniature is the new big thing in fashion. Tod’s has taken their most iconic designs and shrunk them down to size.

The miniature version is perfect for afternoons at the museum or drinks at night!

Available at Tod's, Greenbelt 4

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Proenza Schouler PS13

Valentino Rockstud Va Va Voom

Reminiscent of a working man's briefcase, the PS13 is simple and serious.

Bearing the signature rockstuds, the Va Va Voom is undeniably Valentino: classic, resilient, and with the right amount of tough.

Available at Adora, Greenbelt 5

Available at Adora, Greenbelt 5

Prada Saffiano Lux

Givenchy Lucrezia

With its clean lines and classic shape, it comes as no surprise that this is one of Prada's quintessential bags, having been remade in different colors and textures.

The breakout star of Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy has quickly and unsurprisingly reached icon status. With its timeless bowler bag shape, everyone the world over is going crezi for Lucrezia.

Available at Prada, Greenbelt 4

Available at Adora, Greenbelt 5

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Salvatore Ferragamo Sofia

Proenza Schouler PS11

Whether going to the office or just doing groceries, the Sofia is the perfect companion. Using the signature horse bit lock, the clean design sensibility makes it undeniably Ferragamo.

Perfect for those days where you just want to be carefree, the PS11 is the choice casual bag for the fashionable set.

Available at Salvatore Ferragamo, Greenbelt 4

Available at Adora, Greenbelt 5

Chanel Wallet on Chain Almost anything that Chanel shows to the world is on the verge of iconic—a testament to Karl Lagerfeld's genius.

Available at Chanel,

admiRED

SCENE QUEEN 20

How Tracy Sedino’s compelling character revitalized Linda Farrow

“Everybody loves her. Everybody wants a piece of her,” her colleague whispers.

“Everyone wants Tracy time.” It took RED Magazine a meeting in Paris and two canceled photoshoots to get a hold of her as a cover girl.

Tracy Sedino is frustratingly, alluringly elusive.

Born and raised in Central London, the red-lipped 33-year-old is one half of the team that revived Linda Farrow, an ode to the designer who produced sunglasses for Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent and other big names in the ‘80s, up until she locked away her acclaimed work into storage to focus on her family. The other half is Simon Jablon, Farrow’s son and Sedino’s husband. The two met on one lovely, serendipitous night he gatecrashed her 22nd birthday party. “We kind of started dating the next day,” she says. In 2003 he was tasked to clean out a 3,000-square foot North London warehouse that belonged to his family’s eyewear business for conversion into a residential property, and with the help of Sedino, his new girlfriend at the time, he sifted through boxes stacked floor to ceiling and together, they discovered a full archive—spanning almost three decades—of vintage sunglasses in mint condition, and the Linda Farrow Vintage line, the brand’s launch pad, was born.

Her father worked as a chef at a Japanese restaurant and her mother worked in human resources. At 16 she began wearing the bright red lipstick that would grow to become her signature look, but the once “very quiet and very timid” Sedino only broke out of her shell at age 21. Armed with a charming husky voice like Naomi Campbell’s, and a charisma that earns her more friends than the supermodel, she found herself in the heart of the whirlwind that is the London party scene. Mario Testino, the photographer behind the Linda Farrow ad campaign, is her bestfriend, and she goes on nights out with Bryanboy, Lindsay Lohan, Tina Leung, Joan Smalls, Olivier Rousteing, Alessandra Ambrosio and Natalia Kilb. When she isn’t having cocktails with the creative industry’s crème de la crème in Soho, she is in New Zealand jumping off a plane 15,000 feet above the air with a parachute, or sunbathing on one of the Philippine paradise islands. Her Instagram handle, @tracasion, displays her many enviable adventures. “You will think I party too much,” she warns. A humorous hashtag #craycraytraytray almost got her into trouble with her husband and business partner, Simon Jablon, when one photo found its way to Hufftington Post. “I’m… a nutjob,”

Dress, 3.1 Philip Lim; 64 sunglasses in gray and peach, Agent Provocateur for Linda Farrow

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she says with a giggle. “But that hashtag was not very good for the brand so I had it taken down.”

She has mastered the work-party life balance boldfaced names only dream about in their vicodin-fueled visions.

She parties hard all night, works all day the next day, and then does it again. “My friends say I should donate my DNA to the army. I’m quite a fun person,” she says. “And I think that’s why Linda Farrow is where it is right now.” To date, Linda Farrow has a shop-inshop in London’s Selfridges, a stand-alone boutique on 91 Mount Street (standing across Marc Jacobs, two doors away from Celine) and presence in over 80 countries. By the time this story hits the printers, Linda Farrow will have opened in Bangkok. Sedino reveals that soon, Linda Farrow will open in Manila too. Sedino and Jablon’s vision for Linda Farrow impacts the retail experience of eyewear. With solo boutiques popping up around the globe, they are making sunglasses more of a premium fashion accessory, rather than just clinical eyewear sold behind glass.

“Everything happened quite fast,” she says, when asked about how the business found its way into reestablishment. “It was organic, like it all happened for a reason.” It took them one year to organize everything.

They got married not long after. “When we feel like doing something, we do it. And that’s the way we do things at Linda Farrow.” They do not read trend reports, or study markets as profusely as other companies may do. Both she and Jablon are decisive, quick on their feet, and fueled by an intensity that sometimes

provokes fights that include Sedino chucking things at her husband. “We’re both very stubborn, and very passionate, but we don’t hold grudges. I would chuck things at him and then we’re okay,” she shares. “He has to say sorry though. It’s always his fault. I’m never wrong.”

Jablon handles the business side of things, from the production to the numbers, while Sedino is Linda Farrow’s art director, marketing maven and image builder. “I do everything that involves branding, like how the brand is perceived on the outside,” she says. “I manage the designer collaborations and the visual side of things, from the packaging and color schemes to the website and ad campaigns.” Season after season, Linda Farrow has produced collections of musthave classic items that boast craftsmanship— from the luxury line that consists of materials

like titanium, 24-karat gold and python skin to the fun and inventive Jeremy Scott mickey mouse ear frames. Sedino firmly believes having fun is necessary to being successful. “People shouldn’t take themselves too seriously. We’re not curing cancer. It’s fashion, and fashion should be fun. You should do things that make you happy, and being happy keeps you young.”

“All the designers who have come to collaborate with us are all personal friends,” she adds. “I met Alexander Wang at a party. I met Philip Lim at a party. Prabal [Gurung] I met at a party too.

That’s really how it all started.”

The brand, after the well-received Vintage line, grew exponentially because of young, contemporary designers who all wished to collaborate and become part of the timeless classic. Over the years they have built an impressive portfolio of partnerships that include Dries Van Noten, Oscar de la Renta, Raf Simons, The Row, Matthew Williamson and more.

Sedino’s compelling energy may just be one of the secrets to Linda Farrow’s success.

“She just has an aura,” speaks Jablon of his wife. “Every brand and company needs life behind it. It’s nice that in this age of social media, something or someone brings charisma and energy to the brand such that it’s not just the brand or just the product.” • Above: Dress, Christopher Kane; 38 sunglasses in black acetate and dull gold snakeskin, Linda Farrow I N T E R VI EW MA R A SA N T I LLA N MI A N O P HOTO G R A PHY C YR US PA N G A N I BA N M AK E UP B Y P ON G N I U O F MA C C OSMET I C S HA I R BY F ER D I E SA N T I A G O

Dress, 3.1 Philip Lim; 38 sunglasses in Black Macaw, Linda Farrow

exploRED

LASTING GRANDEUR Istanbul is a tribute to its epic history W O R D S AR I AN N A D E L RO S AR I O

In Kusadasi, a UNESCO World Heritage site rests dramatically on cliffs. Terraces and travertine pools, shaped by natural salt deposits, boast healing waters famed for their curative powers.

P HOTO G RAP HY B N C HAV É Z

On the Bosphorus Strait, extending to both Europe and Asia, is a metropolis that has witnessed the birth of some of the earth's greatest cultures. The Greeks named it Byzantium and the Romans dubbed it Constantinople, but the world we live in knows it as Istanbul. The city, one of the largest urban areas in the world, has a rich history of power struggles, but despite the glory and the fatalities, Istanbul, with its beautiful monuments and upheld traditions, remains the victor.

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Royal Residence

Towering over the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara is Topkapi Palace. Originally called the New Palace, built in 1454 at the request of Sultan Mehmet, it is the oldest and largest palace that has survived to this day. The palace was once the primary residence of the Ottoman sultans,

as well as the meeting place for administrative affairs, the venue of social gatherings for nobility, and home to the state ministry and treasury.

Though it no longer caters to the musings of eccentric sultans and hedonistic royals, it still holds a noble purpose. As of 1924, Topkapi Palace was converted into a museum, safeguarding important holy relics. The cloak and sword of Muhammed himself rest within its decorated halls.

Delve further into its chambers and you will find the museum’s impressive collection of clocks and handmade costumes, showing off delicate fold embroidery. The Emerald Room inside the treasury is where you will discover the Topkapi Dagger, the emblem of the palace, proudly displayed among sizable and uncut emeralds and precious stones. Not far is the Golden Throne, the largest throne

in the palace. It was only used by sultans in times of coronations and religious holidays, and there, displayed in the same room is the famous 86-carat Spoon Maker’s Diamond.

The royals may no longer take occupancy, but the extravagance of Topkapi Palace continues to radiate through its expansive corridors and tree-shaded courtyards.

Blue Beauty

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, so commonly referred to as the Blue Mosque, is a standing testament to traditional Islamic art and classical Turkish architecture. Its exquisite details and striking presence have withstood the test of time, and the mosque remains a figure of worship and admiration.

The structure is a remnant of a larger complex that once housed the famous Turkish

Scenes from a modern Turkey: Blue Mosque; a local navigates a private garden; a royal waiting room at Topkapi Palace; remnants of an ancient city at Ephesus; street food from Istanbul natives

baths, as well as public kitchens, hospitals, and Sultan Ahmed’s mausoleum. The architect Mehmet Aga built on and refined the original blueprint from Sinan, a man hailed as the greatest classical Turkish architect. It isn’t hard to believe; even just one glance from the sea at the Istanbul skyline will reveal just how much beauty the mosque brings to the city. Its towering minarets and iconic domes catch the attention of invested tourists and unassuming passersby.

The keen observer will be drawn to the three walls lining the central interior which display a sea of 20,000 Iznik tiles that glimmer in the light of the sun. Advance a little more, and you’ll find yourself admiring the paintings, the decorative tiles, and the colorful stained glass, which allows the beauty from the outside world to fuse with the glamour of the interiors. This flood of light can also be experienced from within the Sultan’s chambers and its 260 windows.

The blue paintwork was not a part of the original design. It was added during the restorations and has since become synonymous with the structure, hence, the name Blue Mosque.

The carpeted floors and spiral staircases are an homage to Islamic tradition, and the mihrab, forever facing Mecca, serves to remind visitors of the structure’s true function.

Muslims continue to do their ablutions at the innermost fountain, before climbing the staircases to pray atop the balconies.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque remains a focal point of tours and is a necessity for enthusiastic visitors.

Standing Strong

Historically a casualty in the tug-of-war between power-hungry nations, Istanbul is now a commanding power all on its own.

The period of tumultuous bouts over which nation gets to claim the land as its own has passed. Now, these traditions, landscapes, and monuments, all visions that have withstood the test and trials of time, are open for anyone, especially the interested • The River Reuss in Lucerne traveler, to enjoy.

Past the coliseum, a headless statue lines the path leading to the library of Celsus in Ephesus, a grand Roman structure in the ancient city of Anatolia.

devouRED

THE WISE CHOICE

A true testament to its name, Sage is the place for those who taste and have taste

On paper, Sage Restaurant, Makati Shangrila's newest double-floor restaurant, does not compute. The meticulously prepared European cuisine, the relaxed ambience, the signature Shangri-la hospitality, and urbane interiors—a combination of all these sounds a bit too good to be true. To our surprise, they delivered exactly that, and a little bit extra.

The restaurant’s head chef Gilles Galli, an experienced culinary artist from Grasse in the South of France, brings his expertise to Manila. A Frenchman who loves his salt, Galli has had to adapt the local preference.

“Filipinos, they like their food sweet. In the beginning, I liked to put rock salt on everything. I got a lot of complaints. I took off the salt; no more complaints.” Sage is the only restaurant in the hotel that makes use

of a Josper Grill, a one-of-a-kind machine that functions as both an oven and a stove to better infuse ingredients and keep flavors intact. The Japanese Spiced Hamachi Fillet, the chef ’s personal favorite, is a must-try. The feathery, thin slices of fish melt in your mouth, while the barley salad is a strong contrast. For the dessert lover, the Milk Chocolate Mille Feuille will sneak up on you. The light taste of mousse disappears almost instantly, making way for the chocolate to seep in. Just when you start thinking the chocolate is enough to make your taste buds peak, out comes the delicate mango finish.

The bar the lower level offers an impressive collection of liquor and beers, with 500 labels of wine kept upstairs in a temperature controlled cellar. Its interiors on

both floors are modeled after the polished details of a gentleman’s suit—hammered glass light displays bear semblance to cuffs, while leather chairs with handles allude to stylish luggage cases. Elegant and versatile, Sage is fit for both formal business lunches and colloquial family dinners.

•

Head Chef Gilles Galli is the genius behind Sage's curious offerings

PH OTOG R A PHY SHA I R A LUN A

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inquiRED I think Madonna is a little overglorified. She was a great performer, but I think it was her shockvalue antics that really catapulted her career.

–ARIANNA DEL ROSARIO, student

Kate Moss. She is a symbol of the glorification of unattainable beauty standards. From the younger, present generation to the older, she reinforces conventional hetero-normative standards: thin, Caucasian, perky and ageless.

Young girls succumb to glossy magazines by putting up to this type of criteria and spending less on praising women of great achievement— those that actually contributes to society and the community. It becomes more of only form and no substance.

—NIKKI LUNA, artist

WHO IS AN OVERRATED ICON?

C OMPI LED BY R I A PR IE TO

Lady Gaga. Because she’s a product of stylists. She’s like Elvira, the gothic witch, who in real life is not gothic. It’s just a costume.

—CECILE ZAMORA VAN STRATEN, writer and blogger

Miley Cyrus. I just think her focus has been on being controversial rather than her talent.

–MAE DICHUPA, L’Oreal brand communications manager

Andy Warhol. I think his principle, seeing art in everyday things, has already passed its time. It’s a good philosophy, and as an artist I am grateful that he pushed it into the limelight, but I think people should stop over-crediting him for it.

—RYAN VILLAMAEL, artist

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THE OTHER WOMAN DRESSES WELL How Patricia Field saved this less-than-stellar Hollywood comedy

BY M A R A SA N T I L L AN M I AN O

In the Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton flick, Field’s distinctive style surpasses this “rom-com” turned “non-com” about three women who discover they are involved with the same man, Mark (played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), who is despicably cheating on all of them. They exact revenge on the cheater, but also become the best of friends.

“The Other Woman scrawls out a dumb dumbfeminist message with a big, fat marker pen,”

B AS E D O N AN I N T E R V I E W B Y E L AI N E L I P W O RT H

The Guardian writes. “It would be nice to be able to declare that this women-on-top revenge comedy presents a sparky gender-role inversion, but instead it just trots out the usual cliches in tired and increasingly tiresome fashion.”

The critics were talking about the script “lacking in creativity and wit,” but the styling makes it easy on the eyes, at least. Patricia Field may not be able to expect the same hype she got from Sex and the City, but we give her props

for doing what she does best: giving voice to women through style.

What was the appeal of The Other Woman?

Patricia: “It really caught my interest. When I talked to Nick Cassavetes, the director, I immediately had a very positive reaction to him. I just felt a connection. I took to him and as we are both Greek-American, I thought that was cool (laughs).

PHOTOG R A PHY (PO R TR A IT ) C HR I STOS K AR A N TZOL A S

empoweRED

Patricia Field's designs were the saving grace in this otherwise ho-hum production.

What was it like working with Cameron, who plays a dynamic and very beautiful woman?

P: “Cameron is a modern day businesswoman, a clever lawyer. She wears up-to-the-moment clothes, but in good taste, whether it is for business or fun. She has sophisticated taste.

She's bright and educated and professional. Her sexiness is also a source of power for her, so I wanted the clothes to display or reveal different power points. For example, I like the use of red.

She wears a great red dress by Martin Grant that I thought was right on the money. Carly is at the pinnacle of her career and she knows who the happening designers are, and that's what she wears: Tom Ford, Martin Grant, Rick Owens and Antonio Berardi. I think her clothes help to define her character.”

Leslie wears wonderful, colorful outfits as Kate. How did you establish her style?

P: “I had never met Leslie before this film.

When we did meet, I discovered of course that her body type is perfect. She could wear just about anything. She's like Sarah Jessica Parker in that she is tiny, she has great proportions, and her character reminded me a little bit of Charlotte in Sex And The City (Kristin Davis).

She is a little goofy which is part of her comedy.

She is like a 1950s housewife in this, so I said:

‘Let's go there with her.’ Her dynamic is the opposite of Cameron’s. There was a nod to Lily Pulitzer, who totally represents that image, and Pucci, who goes on through the decades and always maintains its identity with those happy, crazy prints. ” You became known all over the world with your indelible costume design on Sex And The City. What does that show mean to you and to the arena in which you work?

P: “It changed things for me, because it brought respect to me from the corporate, ‘legitimate’ world of fashion. I was always considered very ‘fringy’ within the fashion community and then I became ‘Patricia’. All of a sudden I was respected by people who had never really respected me before. I was happy about that. Also, it gave me the opportunity to go worldwide, working with everyday people and not just fashion people.”

You're an icon of style. What fashion advice do you have for girls?

P: “I would just say it's very important to learn to love and know yourself. Loving yourself is the seed of personal style, having confidence in yourself and not doubting yourself. Find yourself and stay close to yourself, define yourself to you,

and then put it out there. That means expressing one’s feelings. It has nothing to do with bravery.

People say to me ‘You're so brave.’ I'm not. I know what I feel and I have the confidence to say it and I don't think that is bad.”

What is your advice to women who can’t afford designer clothes?

P: “I do not think people have to wear designer clothes or not wear designer clothes. That’s not important. They just have to know who they are.

If you see a garment when you're shopping, say, ‘I like this’ and go for it. You will build up your own wardrobe that reflects what you like and who you are.”

Was fashion always an interest?

P: “The first thing I remember as far as dressing up as a little girl was a cowgirl outfit I had when I was four or five. There was a little skirt with a fringe and a vest. I had cowboy boots and a gun in a holster. I was in love with my cowgirl outfit.

I used to wear it non-stop.”

Do you still design clothes?

P: “I do. I play around with design but in a very light way. It's too tedious. It takes too long.

I'd rather collage than design. I make my own things if I want something.”

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