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States of Grace
Natalia Zobel, Bianca Zobel-Warns, and Maria Parsons
EDITOR'S NOTE
While making this issue, I came to realize how spending evolves with age. As I grow older, I don’t focus so much on clothes but on items for the house. I find myself, and my friends, wanting to check out Architectural Digest more than Vogue. The men are quite the same. From watches and cars, they seem to be checking out boats and plug-ins. LOL! I think I’m less materialistic now, but I do want to live with pretty things. I buy linen napkins yet I don’t have clothes made as often as before. As a matter of fact, I have been repeating outfits a lot—I no longer bother to make a mental note of the last time I wore what. We all spend on the things we want. Yes, our purchasing priorities change, but we’d still like to show you more options so you purchase what’s best for you. After all, we all want to get our money’s worth. Go, spend on things that matter!
@riarecommends: Obsessing over these deep plum Calla lilies only available at @lanai_manila #flowers
@riarecommends
CONTENTS
ADMIRED 12
EXPLORED 18
On the cover:
The quiet and the strangeness surrounding
On Bianca: Dress, Harlan and Holden, Adora, Greenbelt 5.
Bhutan’s hidden cities
On Natalia: Dress, Joey Samson, 09189592541.
On Maria: Top, Charina Sarte, Greenbelt 5; skirt,
ART 23
Patrice Ramoz-Diaz, Paradi, Greenbelt 5.
Art empires emerging across the globe
Photography Joseph Pascual
THINKPIECE 26
Styling Ria Prieto
Romance in the context of gender’s
Makeup Mayesa delos Santos of Make Up For Ever and
ever-shifting states
Sari Campos of Make Up For Ever
Hair Mong Amado and Kierlo Velasco This page: Vincent van Goh Reverso watch, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Greenbelt 5.
Group Publisher Bea Ledesma Editor in Chief Ria Prieto Creative Director Nimu Muallam Copy Editor September Grace Mahino Associate Editor Pristine de Leon Editorial Assistant Oliver Emocling Staff Photographer Patrick Segovia External Relations Officer Liza Jison Intern Gabrielle Abrahan
FOLLOW US ON
Contributing Writers Angelo Comsti, Doris DumlaoAbadilla, Olivia Estrada, Kim Jones, Meg Manzano, Bambina Olivares-Wise, Mara Santillan Miano Contributing Photographers Kim Jones, Artu Nepomuceno, Joseph Pascual
Inquirer RED Magazine-OFFICIAL
Board Chairperson Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez SVP and Group Sales Head, Inquirer Group of Companies Pepito Olarte Sales Director Ma. Katrina Mae Garcia-Dalusong Business and Distribution Manager Rina Lareza Sales Inquiries Email: sales@hip.ph Telephone No: +63 (2) 403 8825 local 239
@inquirerRED
@inquirerred
Want to see the other issues of Inquirer RED Magazine? Check out inquirer.net/red
ON THE RADAR
Major Leagues
The vessel and the arsenal with which to explore the open blue
WORDS MEG MANZANO
4 SLICE OF THE OCEAN
Expect a luxury company’s first foray into yachts to be a sleek one. The vessel, designed after the 1930s Mercedes Benz racing cars, features a wine cellar, nubuck leather interiors, eucalyptus wood panels, and two diesel engines capable of cruising speeds of up to 28 knots. First spotted swanning about in the French Riviera, the Benz beaut, dubbed “the Silver Arrow of the Seas,” bears a price tag of $1.7 million, with only 10 yachts in production.
DEEP SEAT
Designed by divers, the Octospot camera allows for post-dive cinematic viewing (and often extremely bulky) housing. The little machine, built with military-grade aluminum, can go as low as 656 feet deep, take 4K/30FPS videos, and shoot 12MP images.
SUIT UP
ROKA just brought new meaning to the phrase “suit up.” Dubbed the “fastest wetsuit ever built,” this triathlon suit is crafted with premium Italian stretch woven textile and the world’s leading nanocoated, limestone-based neoprene. Known for their obsession with flexibility, ROKA went ahead and built the wetsuit with an armsup pattern (the first in the industry) that takes out years of shoulder restriction in the water.
GONE FISHING
For the noble fisher folk comes Bentley’s rather valiant attempt at injecting a bit of elegance and class into the muddy depths of fly-fishing. Leather-trimmed compartments, aluminum reel cases, a waterproof trunk, and, of course, a 600HP engine make it the perfect carriage for the most aristocratic angler.
SIZE UP
With a price tag of $9,000 ($11,290 with a 45mm lens), Hasselblad’s new camera is billed as the world’s first mirrorless medium-format edition. Eager to bid farewell to the days of medium-format cameras impossibly housed in studios (its size disqualifies it from being a street photographer’s go-to camera), the X1D boasts a 50MP resolution, 1080p video at 30 frames per second, and stills with an ISO of 25,600, all housed in a body that is as big as the company’s well-loved small format rangefinder.
CONNECT THE DOTS
Tag Heuer has done well in representing the technology age’s many privileges in a single watch. Among the Tag Heuer Connected smartwatch’s functions are alarm clock and stopwatch features, directional wind and weather monitoring, Google Fit, and a tiny microphone with which to communicate with others via voice control. This ultimate gadget that combines telling time with connectivity is a result of Tag Heuer’s collaboration with powerhouses Google and Intel.
The Black List WHEN SPORTS ADOPT A SLEEKER GUISE
GAME OF DRONES With the use of drones showing no signs of letting up, aerial photography has reached interesting new heights. Enter Yuneec’s Typhoon H drone with technology builds a 3D model of the environment it’s in—a welcome safety bonus considering the thousands one has to shell out for the device. It comes with ultra-stable 4K HD video and 12.4MP stills.
ARM CANDY Best paired with a tan sports coat and perhaps a pair of desert boots, Louis Vuitton’s newest Keepall Voyager Bag is the first of a line with the brand’s newly debuted canvas. A rather darker take on the usual brown monogrammed bags, the piece starts at $3,100.
STEPPING AHEAD With the athleisure train showing no signs of slowing down, Givenchy’s Ricardo Tisci teamed up with NikeLab for an exclusive take on the brand’s Flyknits. The all-black runners feature a full Flyknit upper, Nike Free motion soles, and a hint of blue on the heel tabs along with Tisci’s branding on the insoles.
HEADS UP Aside from the occasional fountain pens or leather wallets, Montblanc sought to add another piece in their arsenal of luxury accessories. Culling inspiration from the 1970s racing designs, Montblanc has created leather helmets for even the most discerning gentleman rider—helmet hair unfortunately still included.
IRON DETAILS As time would prove, nothing bad ever comes out of building something “without care for the cost.” It’s this same philosophy billionaire Bob Parsons invoked when he commissioned a group of engineers to design the PXG 0311 Irons after a fruitless search for the perfect golf club. Starting at $2,100, the PXG 0311s are designed with the finest alloys and features.
Turtleneck and pants, both Harlan and Holden, Power Plant Mall; coat, Jaspal, Adora, Greenbelt 5; IS200t F Sport, Lexus; watch, Audemar Piguet; emerald cut canary diamond octagon cufflinks, Jacob & Co. Co.; watch, IWC.
6
Switching Hour
ATTIRED
Laid-back pieces and the perks of borrowing from the boys PHOTOGRAPHY ART U NE P OMUCE NO STYLIN G MEG MAN ZA NO
Top, Harlan and Holden, Power Plant Mall; pullover, Jaspal, Adora, Greenbelt 5; blazer, Public School, publicschoolnyc.com; X1D camera, Hasselblad; L.U.C Tourbillon Bagette watch, Chopard; Mystery Masterpiece fountain pen, Montblanc; 918 Spyder, Porsche.
Turtleneck, Tommy Hilfiger, Greenbelt 5; pullover, Calvin Klein, SM Aura Premier; pants, H&M, SM Megamall; S3 Sedan, Audi; Ripple Fountain Pens, Visconti; M4 GTS, BMW; Aeternitas Mega 4 men’s watch, Franck Muller.
8
S T Y L I N G A S S I S TA N T A N G E L A M A N U E L G O MODEL JESSICA WISE HAIR AND MAKEUP CLAIRE SEELIN-DIOKNO OF SHU UEMURA
Top, Harlan and Holden, Power Plant Mall; suit, Sinéquanone, Rustan’s Makati; Leica X Edition Moncler camera, Leica; Golden Ellipse 18kt Yellow Gold Blue Men’s Watch, Patek Philippe; Baguette Diamond Double Ended Basketball Cufflinks, Jacob & Co.; Dualtow night eagle men’s watch, Christophe Claret.
ART
The Blue Beyond From ancient Chinese wares to the collections of Dior, we flesh out the allure of a timeless motif
Multidish, Seletti
There is a litany of impressions conjured through the amazing haze of blues and whites. Ming vases, for instance, recall a lost dynasty bent on crafting enduring emblems of refinement, one where deep blue invokes royalty and white, purity akin to saints. In the 15th century, however, Chinese porcelain was as much a symbol of delicate prettiness as it was of China’s ambitious imperial rule. Westward expeditions, meant to establish China’s presence across the seas, similarly ignited a contagious Western craze for the old ceramics: the 16th century saw the creation of delftware in Dutch towns and the Willow pattern in the 18th. Centuries later, China’s fragile motifs have remained a classic. “Blue and white wares have transcended time, styles, and decor movement,” says local designer Blue Carreon. “There may be periods where they fall out of favor, but every few years, a new generation discovers them and makes them relevant.” From antique jars, tableware, and its myriad delicate incarnations, the timeless pattern found new surfaces to exert its pull: on hand-painted Chinoiserie wallpapers, on Dior’s and Valentino’s recurring blue-and-white designs that tip their hats to ninth century Asian wares, or on Victoria Beckham’s Cavalli Ming Vase dress that had commanded attention in the mid-noughties. Other modern pieces like Front Design’s art piece “Blow Away” (a vase seeming to bend with the wind) attempt to make the style less serious and a wee bit more derisive, lending a surrealistic sheen to the age-old motif. “Mix it up with happier pieces,” advises designer Ito Kish on how to play with blue-and-whites. “You can also get other elements like animal decors to mix it up.” Carreon adds, “Whether they are Ming Dynasty replicas or Delft blue, they lend themselves to various interior design styles. They are just as at home in Chinoiserie-inspired rooms as they are in spaces that give an elegant nautical vibe.” Whatever forms or arrangements the new designs may take, its royal, nautical colors eternally recall the early Chinese ships gliding through the open blue, ever ferrying and cementing blue and white porcelain in the wider world’s design imaginarium.
PHOTOS AFP
WORDS PRISTINE DE LEON
COLOR THEORY
Clockwise from left: Les 4 Ombres Multi-effect Quadra Eyeshadow, Chanel; Aqua Glow Serum Foundation, Stila; No Bronzer Bronzer, Perricone MD; Face Illuminator, Laura Mercier; PureMoist lipstick in Theresa, Jane Iredale; Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Consuming Red, Nars; Phyto Eye Twist in Emerald, Sisley; Anti-Ageing Fluid Foundation, T. LeClerc, all available at Rustan’s.
Proper shade selection can enhance your skin’s natural appeal W O RDS OL IV IA E S T RADA
P H OT OGRAP H Y PAT RICK S E GOV IA
Color is an essential part of beauty. Knowing what colors suit your skin type and what undertones go best with certain shades can transform how you do your makeup, from natural to dramatic, from power lunches to evening affairs. For morenas, their olive undertones already play well under different lights so a nude look is often best. Play up your tanned skin with Perricone No Bronzer Bronzer and No Eyeshadow Eyeshadow that can be blended easily using your fingertips. As for fair-skinned ladies, they should always be conscious of dark spots that can form due to stress and other skin health concerns; fight them off with the lightweight Stila Aqua Glow Fluid Foundation that makes the skin look more radiant To create further the illusion that you’re well-rested, use Sisley Phyto Eye Twist in Emerald. With these basics covered, start playing it up. Find the perfect smoky eyeshadow quad with the Chanel Les 4 Ombres that comes with a multitude of combinations for day and night. It’s a cult classic loved by celebrity makeup artist Lisa Eldridge. Any eyelook you choose would then
best be paired with a creamy mauve lip like the Jane Iredale PureMoist lipstick in Theresa. To elevate the look even further, top your cheekbones with Laura Mercier Lover’s Illumination Face Illuminator for that lit-from-within effect—one favored by personalities like Aimee Song. Use the T. LeClerc Anti-Ageing Fluid as your base, which also keeps oiliness at bay. This September, to pay tribute to all the colors, shades, textures, and collections that have shaped the realm of beauty, Rustan’s will host their fourth annual Beauty Addict event. Patrons may search through Rustan’s racks for all of their skin tone essentials, and for a minimum single-receipt purchase of P2,500, can become a Beauty Addict member and get an exclusive invitation to the biggest beauty event of the year. Once you’ve received an invite, make a statement among other Beauty Addicts by arriving to the event with a fiery look, topped by Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Consuming Red; it works well with a variety of skin tones, too.
ADMIRED
OLD GRACE, NEW TASTES Three young women combine family traditions with eclectic flair in one creative space WORDS M ARA S AN T IL L AN M IAN O
12
P H OT OGRAP H Y JOS E P H PAS CUAL
E
ntering the room feels like stumbling upon a treasure trove filled with objects stolen from stylish aunts. Bianca Zobel-Warns, Natalia Zobel, and Maria Parsons, close friends since they were children, look relaxed in casual wear, flats, and tennis shoes. It’s an early morning shoot at Lanai, their newly opened lifestyle concierge. Sans makeup, the girl’s complexions are as smooth as the white phalaenopsis orchids on the antique roundtable, their eyes the same rich color as the Danish glassware. I stand there awkwardly in my all-black ensemble and heels, trying to keep my eyes as wide open as possible so they don’t notice I wore eyeshadow. Simply put, Lanai is both a collection of pretty things and, to some extent, what you can call an answer to an event organizer’s OCD. The idea was conceived after Bianca wanted to set up an event concierge. She and Maria, with her cousins from Madrid, worked on a couple of weddings (her brother’s and her own) and later set up a
On Natalia: Dress, Dennis Lustico, 09267560494.
business model that included a store. “But it was too big of a production,” says Bianca. “We took a different approach: a boutique with a flower shop that can cater to small events.” Natalia, her younger sister, joined them following her return from New York. “What I love about weddings is the creative side,” says Bianca, explaining her fondness for conceptualizing to planning invitations and giveaways. As for managing events, however, she explains, “We veered away from that. Now the only thing [that relates Lanai to weddings] is the idea that everything you buy
here can be a present or decorative element.” She chuckles as she confesses that it is Natalia, a business and marketing graduate from Boston College, who keeps her and Maria grounded when it comes to spending. “She’s the youngest but she’s the most...” She pauses, then admits, “Kuripot. But it’s a good thing.” “I keep in mind what’s realistic,” confirms Natalia. Her voice is sweet and airy compared to her sister’s husky, matter-of-fact tone. “But I guess, growing up, we really saw that our parents [Iñigo and Maricris Zobel] paid great attention to
On Bianca: Dress, Jaspal, Adora, Greenbelt 5; coat, Roberts; shoes, Schutz, Adora, Greenbelt 5.
detail and tradition. We brought that in here.” Natalia walks me through all the things they’re fond of: entertaining guests, scents, and flowers, and her spiel reveals how involved they all are as business partners. “We enjoy having friends over, which is why we love really nice cheeseboards and pretty ashtrays, which you can also use for jewelry,” she says, pointing to the displays. “Also, we’re not very girly. Our scents are not vanilla, but are actually more masculine, which we find sexy. We wear masculine scents ourselves sometimes. The things here are real testaments to our personal style.”
The girls’ hands-on curation makes Lanai a very personal space. Maria’s passion for flowers entails educating clients about caring for them. “I always include little notecards with care instructions.” She seems nonchalant about the challenges of spearheading a floral service, from bringing in flowers from the Netherlands once a week, to sourcing tropical blooms from local farms in Quezon, Cavite, and Baguio. Asked if she memorizes all the flower species that come in and out of the store, she quips, “When I forget, I just make stuff up. I’m just kidding! Don't put that in there.”
ART KRIS T IN E PAZ H A I R M O N G A M A D O A N D K I E R LO V E L A S C O
M A K E U P M AY E S A D E LO S S A N T O S O F M A K E U P F O R E V E R A N D S A R I C A M P O S O F M A K E U P F O R E V E R STYLING RIA PRIETO
14
On Maria: Top, Joey Samson, 09189592541; pullover, Alaia; pants, Harlan and Holden, Power Plant Mall; shoes, Schutz, Adora, Greenbelt 5.
Maria’s light-hearted humor betrays her stern features. “Can you move your foot to that side? Sorry, I mean this side,” asks the photographer. Maria’s foot, now in gilded high heels, lands with loud thuds that echo through the quiet mezzanine. She breaks out in laughter. “It's so funny because you’re all just there watching, and I'm just here going, THUMP!” The morning is spent in lighthearted revelry. Daughter of renowned florist Toni Parsons, Maria candidly admits she gets compared to her mother a lot. “Of course, being the forerunner of floral design in
the country, my mother sports a certain look. She is the epitome of bongga,” she quips. “I am simpler, and more toned down.” Nevertheless, for Maria, nothing changes a space more than a piece of nature. “You can have an apartment that looks straight out of Architecural Digest, but if you don’t have anything living in there, it’s a flat space.” More than a lifestyle concierge, Lanai is a gallery that continues to evolve with every article introduced. It is the three women’s penchant for all things exquisite that give rise to enchanting spaces.
DEVOURED
The New Order Filipinos are now even more spoiled for choice with more restaurants opening as the year winds down WORDS AN GE LO COM S T I
Opposite page: Raging Bull’s
Candy Floss Pavlova
This page:
Raging Bull’s
Caesar Salad
We certainly binged and burped our way through the first half of 2016. Luckily, the coming months won’t be any different as another slew of food choices continue to pour in. Charlie Paw, for instance, is working on a couple of new concepts, including Ping Pong Diplomacy, which will feature progressive Chinese fare prepared by chefs Noel Mauricio and Him Uy de Baron; and Hey Handsome, a collaboration between his group and chef Nicco Santos of Your Local that will offer Peranakan food. Also in the works is Bad Bird’s first stand-alone branch with an expanded menu and the arrival of Kushikatsu Daruma, a popular franchise from Osaka that sells skewered deepfried meats and veggies. Lastly, riding on the trend overseas, Paw will open a gourmet donut shop called Poison at the lobby of design studio Hydra at The Alley at Karrivin, Pasong Tamo Extension. It’s slated to begin this November. The Bistro Group, responsible for bringing Texas Roadhouse to Manila, will open American diner Denny’s at the Uptown Parade this September. Linfred Yap of the Relish Group of Companies, meanwhile, is currently doing finishing touches on Birdhouse, a restaurant that
specializes on Asian fried chicken, which opens at the Uptown Mall in BGC in the same month. Finding themselves in the same busy situation are the owners of The Moment Group who just opened their private cafeteria The Mess Hall to the public, and it will also serve as the perpetual pop-up space of their brands. The team is also currently working on the TMG Test Kitchen, where, owners say, anything can happen. Following the recent opening of Izakaya Sensu/Chotto Matte will be Providore, an innovative concept by the Raintree Restaurants Group, located at the ground floor of SM Aura Premier. Built with a coffee bar, a bistro, and essential kitchen provisions, it promises to take us back to the good ol’ days with its authentic American and home-style Filipino offering. Shangri-La at the Fort has been drawing crowds, thanks to Pink’s Hotdog and the hotel’s High Street Café and Canton Road. In the coming weeks, candy wonderland Sugar Factory will begin operations, as well as thoughtfully decorated Raging Bull Steakhouse, Raging Bull Burgers, and Samba, which will offer delicious Peruvian food by the pool bar.
The Centre for Culinary Arts or CCA also has some tricks up its sleeve. It’s slowly building a restaurant empire, many of which will be set up at the Formoso Building along H.V. del Costa St., Makati. There’s 94 North that will offer chef Sau del Rosario’s modern take on Filipino cuisine; Cravings Restaurant, known for its Continental comfort food; and Epicurious, a Western deli shop. Also in the roster are Roll’d, with its casual Vietnamese fare, and Madame Ginger, with an authentic Thai menu. Some of the most anticipated restaurants this year will come from Eric Dee who’s set to open Hook at the Uptown Parade in BGC, with its lobster rolls expected to lure people in. Also in the works for Dee and his restaurant group are FOO’D helmed by Italian celebrity chef Davide Oldani in Shangri-La at the Fort, Sunnies Café’s second branch in SM Megamall, and The English Chophouse and Raw Bar at the Conrad Hotel. Our local dining scene will be even more vibrant in the coming months so loosen those belts, tuck a napkin into your collar, and be ready for delicious times ahead!
Left: Lung ta prayer flags along the trail to Tiger’s Nest demonstrate a sense of the dedication, commitment, and hope of those that often walk the same path Extreme left: The trek to Tiger’s Nest has a handful of vista points to take in just how amazing the monastery perched cliffside really is
EXPLORED
18
Hidden City Amid the relentless march of modernization, somewhere in Bhutan’s mountains, time keeps still WORDS AN D P H OT OGRAP H Y KIM JON E S
The moment I stepped on Bhutanese ground, a palpable peace greeted me. The Paro Airport was silent, the only sound coming from the baggage carousel clicking into action and delivering their foreign, ever-changing luggage. Photos of Bhutan’s King Jigme and Queen Jetsun were displayed proudly on the airport walls and on the badges the airport staff wore, proudly pinned to their traditional kira or gho. It was my first glimpse of the respect the Bhutanese reserve not just for the monarchy but also for the limited amount of visitors that get granted visas as part of their country’s “high value, low impact” tourism policy. It’s a country that lends an endless amount of trails and paths to hidden monasteries nestled in the mountains, but Bhutan also fiercely protects its Himalayan summits and the most
challenging of trails unavailable to humans. Its snow-covered mountains are considered sacred and people are prohibited from climbing them. It is this discipline and dedication to Buddhism that allow a spiritual awakening in even the most religiously impartial—exactly the reason why fashion brand Harlan and Holden decided to launch their Camino shoe there. This was a trip to highlight the unconventional and underrated beauty of a very specific kind of travel, and to not be afraid to get one’s feet dirty in the process. Harlan and Holden had allowed me and six other guests to take part in experiential travel, to experience the spiritual highs in the context of nature—and not just any nature, mind you, but that of the only carbon negative country in the world. I began to get a sense of the meritorious
journeys experienced by the devoted Bhutanese when we began the four-hour trek up to Tiger's Nest Monastery (Paro Taktsang) and the three-hour incline to the hidden Dodeydrak Monastery. We mounted our horses and embarked on the first leg of the trek. The horses would nonchalantly assume the hoof print of the leading horse perilously near the edge of pathways, while their riders exchanged anxious glances and peered down at the shower of pebbles falling off the cliffside. We each had a young man leading our horses; mine was the sprightly Sonam, an 11-year-old boy who, at such a young age, had already trekked the path for years and freely spoke of his dreams of becoming a doctor. Upon arriving at Tiger’s Nest, our incredible guide (also named Jigme) whispered to us to remove our shoes prior to stepping into
These prayer flags called Darchor are erected by the Himalayan Buddhists to guide those who have passed away to find the right path in their next life
20
the temples. He would then tell us stories of reincarnation and the temples’ history: how Tiger’s Nest burned down in 1998, with most of the temple destroyed, and was rebuilt only in 2008, hence why the monastery now has electricity. He quietly told us stories of the monk who had prayed in exactly the same spot every day for 27 years, and we were invited to place our feet in the indentation he had left in the aged wooden floor. Our feeling of appreciation intensified when we were invited to sit with a group of Camino-sporting monks over lunch in their dining area at Dodeydrak Monastery, which was founded in 1779 and is essentially a university for monks. The monks we met were five years into their 21 years of study. The Bhutanese are a humble people, with an equally modest prime minister who insists his country should be measured by its
Left: A shop from the small city center of Paro, where rich textiles and fabrics, brass bowls, and statues are available Right: Bhutanese people pray using their prayer beads (held by the Bhutanese women in this photo) or the prayer wheel (attached to the temple wall)
Gross National Happiness instead of its Gross Domestic Product. It is a country that feels very comfortable with and proud of its identity, making its own rules and pursuing a level of restraint to gentrification. So dedicated are they to preserving and upholding their local environment and predominantly Buddhist beliefs that I couldn’t help but be shocked when a young man excitedly brought up the planting of 108,000 trees in celebration of the birth of the royal son, in the same breath he delivered an update on Cersei Lannister or a rundown of the Guns N’ Roses discography.
Then there are the history and meaning of the phallic symbols painted proudly on their homes (I’ll let you Google those) and the fact that Bhutan is the only country in the world that has banned the sales and production of tobacco, yet has cannabis growing freely roadside (possession alone will land you five years in jail). There are the yoga classes at Amankora that completely inspire and energize the body and soul at six in the morning. There are the stories of the young children being exposed to a new Bhutanese film and music industry. While the rest of the world struggles to keep up with the effects of globalization and to mitigate the mess that is climate change, Bhutan is sinking its feet deeper into its culture and heritage. And therein lies its beauty: the country and its people are full of stories and surprises that are reserved for only a select few.
BARED
Out of the Woods Revisiting the wonders of natural ingredients WO RDS OLI VI A E S TRA DA P HOTOG RA P HY PATRI CK S E GOV IA
Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Cream, Rustan’s Makati.
In 2016, we’re still discovering new benefits that plant-derived substances can do for us. This is especially true when it comes to skincare that uses phyto-cosmetology. Phyto-cosmetology focuses on collecting plant extracts and adding them to skincare products to address specific skin problems in a safe but effective way. As skin responds better to gentler ingredients, these plant extracts’ organic composition heals skin at a cellular level. Further advancements also aim to address more recently discovered threats to our skin’s wellness. Before, all we had to worry about were factors such as natural aging and environmental damage such as sun exposure. Now, we also have to deal with the effects of behavioral damage. Nocturnal schedules, changing diets, and constant exposure to the glare of electronic gadgets also affect our skin and its ability to maintain a healthy state. Consequently, it becomes immune to our old methods of skincare as behavioral damage attacks our cells at a deeper level and aggravates the already present signs of aging or environmental damage. The reformulated Sisleÿa L’Intégral Anti-Âge Cream was created to combat this. An investment piece, it promises the same results the old formula had, plus ingredients that address skin problems caused by behavioral damage. It harnesses the potency of lindera extract, Persian acacia extract, and yeast and soya protein complex to maintain the rhythm, energy, and longevity of our skin’s cells. Not only does Sisleÿa cure the skin from within, it also gives it fuel to return to its natural processes. More than simply reversing what has been done, it also protects skin cells from readjusting to the effects of our bad habits.
Double Life THE CONTRASTING APPEAL OF MFK’S PERFUMES From the scent of money to Rick Owen’s redolent dead lilies surrounding lifeless beasts, master perfumer Francis Kurkdijan has given perfumery a stranger draw. This year, though, he does away with gimmicks with his eponymous brand Maison Francis Kurkdjian finding nature as its muse. Created in the fashion of luxury French perfumery, the brand offers Petit Matin and Grand Soir: the former parading the freshness of early morning, the latter the radiance of a grand night. Both pay homage to nature and Paris, with one scent recalling an innocent daydream at the park, and the other, the evening’s thrills.
Grand Soir and Petit Matin perfumes, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Rustan’s Makati
ACQUIRED
Band of Brothers
From a watch inspired by the Fab Four to the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class, articles of male weaponry get this season’s updates WORDS GABRIELLE ABRAHAN
ANY TIME AT ALL
22
Music has always been encoded in the creative process of Swiss luxury watchmaker Raymond Weil. In celebration of the brand’s 40th anniversary, it introduces a new timepiece to its music series, which also figures as a tribute to the Fab Four of rock and roll. There are only 3,000 Raymond Weil Maestro Beatles Limited Edition watches available, making them even more collectible to watch enthusiasts and throngs of Beatles fans worldwide. The clock face is divided into different sections, with the band’s albums arranged according to their release, the Help album logo printed at 4 o’clock, and the Beatles emblem featured on the back.
PLACES AND TRACES
CHANGING GEARS
Featuring the same sleek interiors Mercedes-Benz is known for, the new E-Class proves it’s what’s inside that matters—at least on this occasion. Its brown leather seats complement the wooden accents, evoking the car company’s signature laid-back sporty feel. Safety is at the core of this new, smart, and functional vessel. With an active brake assist feature that informs the driver of possible collisions while automatically activating emergency brakes—add to that an attention assist that alerts the driver when he is out of focus—new technology has swept in to change the world of driving.
There’s something about the Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time 7700V collection that coaxes you to grab your passport and get away. Designed for any travel activity, the watch comes with Vacheron’s new quick-release strap and is water resistant up to 150 meters. Featuring 37 time zones, its world timer has a projection map in the middle of its dial that displays the different continents and oceans, together with several city names. Seeing the entire world is now possible with just a glance to check time.
ART
WO RD S O LIVER EM O C LING
des Arts-Beaux was erected in the city of Liege, standing as a beacon of glamor for a hundred years before closing down recently to herald the birth of La Boverie. The original building was expanded with a modern 4,000 sq. m. structure, with the space built under the helm of Grand National Prize of Architecture awardee, architect Rudy Ricciotti, and its permanent collections curated under the guidance of the Louvre. Works by Lambert Lombard, Picasso, Evenepoel, Delvaux, and Magritte, among many others, add an artful air to the famed cultural Francophone district. 2. AUDAIN ART MUSEUM, CANADA A structure surrounded by tree houses gives visitors a walk through British Columbia’s history using 200 works of art. This is the Audain Art Museum in Whistler, Canada. Audain was conceptualized by Vancouver home builder Michael Audain in 2012, and the 5,202 sq. m. structure cradles the sweeping collection of Audain and his wife Yoshiko Karasawa, along with temporary exhibitions.
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Art House
We round up the empires that art has built
1. LA BOVERIE, BELGIUM In 1905, the historic Palais
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3. SWITCH HOUSE AT THE NEW TATE MODERN, LONDON Tate Modern expands with a
new building called the Switch House. The pyramidlike structure was designed by architects Herzog and Meuron and opened to the public on June 17 of this year. It is Tate’s latest addition to its growing galleries of contemporary and modern art. The Tate Modern alone exhibits 800 works from across the globe, including 100 pieces that feature floral curiosities by Georgia O’Keeffe, as well as “You Can’t Please All” by Indian master Bhupen Khakhar. 4. MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, SAN FRANCISCO With a 10-story expansion and 170,000 sq. ft. of new and renovated galleries, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art reopened its doors to museum enthusiasts last May. The modern vibe, courtesy of the design by architectural firm Snøhetta, complements the original futuristic building done by Swiss architect Mario Botta. SFMOMA houses 260 items from the Fisher collection, works that Gap founders Doris and Donald Fisher had used to adorn and enliven the clothing company’s offices in the mid-’70s.
PHOTOS I WA N BA A N (TATE MOD E RN), MA RC V E RP OORT E N (L A B OV E RIE ), AL E X AN DE R CAL DE R (S F M OM A), GADB OIS P H OT OGR A PH Y ( AU DA I N A R T MU S EU M )
Under the Hammer FROM FILIPINO COURTSHIP TRADITIONS TO MARILYN MONROE’S CELLULOID SEDUCTION, MASTERPIECES ARE ON THE MARKET FOR NEW WALLS TO CALL HOME
“MADE IN BRITAIN,” SOTHEBY’S, SEPT. 28 From paintings of Old England to a Marilyn Monroe photograph by Eve Arnold, these covetable classics narrate the transformation of Britain to the iconic country it is now.
“THE MAGNIFICENT, ” LEON GALLERY, SEPT.10 The auction delves into local traditions through the canvases of revered local artists, including Fernando Amorsolo, Benedicto Cabrera, Elmer Borlongan, and Arturo Luz.
“OLD MASTER AND 19TH CENTURY PAINTINGS,” KOLLER’S, SEPT. 19-24 Still-life paintings by German master Georg Flegel are a reminder of the necessities during the 17th century, while Flemish master Abel Grimmer’s allegorical landscape paintings on circular canvases present a picture of life in Antwerp.
BUSINESS
Bracing for Brexit Weighing on Brexit’s local economic implications and how a third world country would take the shock WORDS DORIS DUM L AO - ABADIL L A ART N IM U M UAL L AM
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We’ve been hearing about “Grexit” since 2010. Recurring fears that debtstrapped Greece could leave the European Union (EU) had created bouts of market turbulence. But surprise, surprise: it wasn’t the weakest link that would decide to pull out of the EU. In a UK referendum held on June 23, majority of British voters favored “Brexit,” or Britain’s exit from the EU. Talking to Filipino-British friends who had voted for it, I found they can’t be faulted for worrying about issues like sovereignty, migration, and border control: things that resonated more than any potential economic disruption arising from Brexit. Ordinary folks feel that Britain is paying a high price to stay in the union and that taxpayers end up picking the tab as more migrants come in to avail of free health and education benefits. The people have spoken: 53.4 percent of British voters feel disconnected from the political leadership. As soon as the Brexit votes were out, the British pound sank by over 10 percent against the US dollar that same day, hitting its lowest level in over three decades. The rest of the world has since then recovered from the heightened risk aversion, but the pound continues to be under pressure to date. Here in the Philippines, ripples from the Brexit decision have been felt. In the main street, many families are being hit hard by the weakening of the British pound. There are about 250,000 Filipino workers in the UK (including around 161,700 naturalized citizens). Last year, about $1.4 billion or about 5.6 percent of total cash remittances came from the UK. Many Filipino workers in the UK are skilled professionals in the healthcare or culinary fields. With the shrinking purchasing power of the pound versus other currencies, our compatriots now have to send more to cover the same amount of budget needed by their local dependents. They have to cut down their own spending or ask their dependents to tighten their belts. Based on consensus, UK’s potential exit from the EU—a lengthy process that could take at least two years—could slow down economic growth in the entire European continent. This will likewise be a drag to the global economy, and it could dim job prospects for Filipinos working elsewhere in Europe.
As a whole, Europe accounted for 15.5 percent or close to $4 billion of total overseas Filipino cash remittances that flowed into the country in 2015.
As a whole, Europe accounted for 15.5 percent or close to $4 billion of total overseas Filipino cash remittances that flowed into the country in 2015. This isn’t something to sniff at. On matters of trading merchandise goods, exports to the UK accounted for less than 1 percent of total shipments for January to April this year, while imports from the UK also accounted for less than 1 percent over the same period. As a regional bloc, the country has a much more significant relationship with the EU. In 2015, Philippine exports to the whole of EU amounted to $654.98 million or 14.1 percent of total merchandise exports. Another channel by which Brexit could affect us is through the investment flows. About $372.16 million of foreign direct investments (FDIs)—capital used for long-term investing—came from the UK in 2015 compared to $141.94 million in 2014. This accounted for about a fifth of FDI inflow seen by the country last year. When it comes to portfolio or “hot money” investments, referring to those invested in liquid assets like publicly listed stocks and fixed income instruments, the UK—along with the States, Singapore, Luxembourg, and Hong Kong—was among the country’s top five sources of foreign portfolio inflows in 2015. But the good news is despite all the market volatility that Brexit has created and may continue to create, the Philippines is seen in a strong position to withstand external shocks. Some also argue that the Philippines may even find windfall gain for its business process outsourcing (BPO) industry and the office property industry. Property market veteran David Leechiu, founder and chief executive officer of Leechiu Property Consultants, said Brexit would only prompt more global corporations to rationalize costs by setting up offshore hubs in cities like Metro Manila. In any case, the global community can only hope that key governments around the globe would help cushion the impact of Brexit by offering a mix of fiscal and monetary stimuli. Hopes are high that the Philippines will sustain the favorable economic momentum seen in the last six years. Investors would like the country to move to a higher economic growth trajectory, hopefully exceeding 7 percent in annual growth. Investors also hope that the government could keep or even improve its investment grade rating, deepen drive against corruption, ease doing business, honor the sanctity of government contracts, invest more on infrastructure (President Rody Duterte’s vow to raise spending to as high as 7 percent is seen as laudable), develop new sources of growth, and liberalize the economy through Constitutional amendment. As such, the Philippines may be stirred but not shaken by Brexit.
BUSINESS
Love is Love
In an era where gender identities have become more complicated than the relationships themselves WORDS BAM BIN A OL IVARE S WIS E ART N IM U M UAL L AM
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“Soon, everyone will be pansexual; it won’t matter if you’re gay or straight.” So declared the inimitable Samantha Jones in one episode of Sex in the City, aired some time in the ’90s. Today, even labeling someone “gay” or “straight” seems a tad restrictive as the notion of sexuality becomes ever more fluid. The plethora of sexual identities and preferences people claim to embrace these days can be rather perplexing for generations weaned on a fairly straightforward and heteronormative binary. You were either biologically male or female, and your gender determined your sexual preference. Occasionally, a hermaphrodite might emerge in the delivery room, at which point the doctor—and sometimes the parents—would decide whether the child should be raised as a boy or a girl. Anything outside of this clearly delineated axis was considered “other” or “queer,” and pretty much swept under the carpet and ignored. Throughout history—and way before Bruce (now Caitlyn) Jenner—there have been men who have become women, and women who have become men, either through dress and manner, hormones, or surgery. Renée Richards, for instance, was born Richard Raskind and grew up to be an ophthalmologist and tennis player, not to mention a husband and father. So far, so textbook male. Then, in a GQ feature last year, his interview revealed that “for 40 years of his life, he was wrestling with the knowledge that he was a woman. Decades of five-times-a-week therapy, of searching for answers, of looking for any solution.” The solution was surgery, and he then became Renée Richards, doctor, father, pilot, tennis player, woman.
For a straight person such as myself, the idea of wanting to change your gender through sexual reassignment surgery is extreme, yet I can only imagine the anguish and despair of those who feel trapped in the wrong bodies, bound by traditional gender norms, unfree to be themselves fully. Like Richards, for a friend of mine in New York who has done the whole shebang, transitioning rather spectacularly from man to woman (very Laverne Cox with the banging body, perfect butt—made in Brazil, she says—and the coquettish manner of a geisha, not to mention three marriages to straight men and a neverending parade of admirers), remaining a woman is hard work. Not just physically—her surgically manufactured vagina needs constant, shall we say, penetration, lest the opening close up—but also mentally and hormonally. She is on a cocktail of hormones to keep the testosterone at bay, and she continues to talk through her issues with her shrink. She also made a conscious decision to cut herself off from her old gay friends in New York because, she explains, having decided to become a woman dating heterosexual men, she did not want to be among people who would “out” her, whether out of envy, malice, or amusement. Adding another layer of confusion is the reality that sexual identity and sexual preference are two different things. A woman may want to become a man and undergoes surgery but remains attracted to men. Or, as with a much publicized recent case, a testosterone-fuelled (and married) man may opt to transition as a woman, nails, hair, underwear and all, but remains attracted to and committed to his wife. But then who are we to judge? Love is love is love is love.
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