Contents 12 15 17
Editor’s Letter Contributors Millionaireasia online The latest from millionaire-asia.com
Invitations 19
Bally A private shopping and preview event for the brand’s Autumn/Winter 2012 collection
20
Nansha Boat Show One of China’s biggest boat shows come to town
22 24
PIE+S The latest Hong Kong property investment exhibiton and seminar BMW launch Millionaireasia members enjoyed a gala dinner to celebrate the launch of the new BMW 7 Series
26
Millionaireasia Singapore’s 7th anniversary Celebrating in style at Resorts World Sentosa
Insights 29
Guangzhou Where to stay, eat and play on a business trip
32
Peninsula Preen The hotel celebrates its 85th birthday with a stunning refurb
33 34 36 38 40
Bollinger Bond Enter the 007 code to get your hands on the Bollinger La Grande Année 2002 High Steaks Joe Bastianach’s new restaurant, Carnevino Soft Landing The trend for bespoke heli-skiing Gift List A tempting new watch from A. Lange & Söhne Haute Tea The Berkeley Hotel’s fashionable high tea
Investment 16/f Chao’s Building, 143-145 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Telephone: 3620 3157 Fax: 2522 3068
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The Space Race Investment in the final frontier Western Promise The growing appeal of Western art in Asia
58
Hypercars The rise of the tailor made auto
millionaireasia@infonation-asia.com www.millionaire-asia.com
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Insiders 65
Ten Minutes with...Vanessa Yeung Author of new book For Two in 32 Minutes
66
Little Black Book Six business leaders share their secrets on luxury living
78
Jimmy Choo An exclusive interview with the famed shoe designer
84
Blending In Collin Scott, master blender at Chivas Brothers talks whisky
Inspiration 87
Ray-Ban The iconic sunglasses brand
90 100
Velvet Dreams High fashion in Kazuo Okada’s private members’ lounge Kitchen Creatives Hong Kong’s top private kitchens
106 112 114 120 130
Smooth Sailing A buying guide for nautical virgins Home and Dry The rise of Asian boatyards World’s Best Golf Courses Six golfing pros name their favourite courses The Hot 10 The ultimate shopping list this Christmas Chartered Territory Incredible Asian charter yachts
PAGE 120
End Note 136
Last Word Margery Au on life, love and laughter
PAGE 90
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HONG KONG
Millionaireasia is a VIP club exclusively for Asia’s business elite. Produced in Hong Kong and China by INFO/NATION
From John Shuttleworth’s futuristic Adastra to the sleek Norman Foster-designed Eclipse featured on our cover, superyachts just keep on getting cooler. Private on-board beaches, wine cellars, helipads and concert rooms fit for entire orchestras all feature on today’s elite models. In this issue we explored a few of the best in Asia for our story on yacht chartering. Turn to page 130 to find out what and where to sail on your next trip. And if you’re thinking of buying your own, we’ve got you covered too, with our buying guide for nautical virgins on page 106. For those who feel safer on dry land, turn straight to our story on hypercars on page 58, featuring incredible motors from the likes of Bugatti, Ferrari and Pagani. These cars are constructed in limited numbers or even tailor-made for clients so they have the potential to grow in value. What better excuse to get on the waiting list? We also got exclusive access to some of the world’s top golfing stars including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood this issue. So if you’re planning your next golf trip, find out their votes for the best courses in the world on page 114. Of course, Christmas is on its way – so for gift buying, we’re bringing inspiration in the form of solid gold chessboards, diamond cufflinks and much more, starting on page 120. Happy shopping!
Managing Director
Roger Searl roger@infonation-asia.com
Membership Services
Carrie Wan carrie@infonation-asia.com
Research Director
Michael Chu michael@infonation-asia.com
Events Director
Sonya Yeung events@infonation-asia.com
Editor-in-chief
Dominique Afacan dominique@infonation-asia.com
Editor
Gloria Fung gloria@infonation-asia.com
Art Director
Gigi Lee gigi@infonation-asia.com
Designer
Lianja Salgado lianja@infonation-asia.com
ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP sales@infonation-asia.com +852 3620 3157 Partnerships Directors Katie Vajda katie@infonation-asia.com Elizabeth Leung elizabeth@infonation-asia.com Equeen Lo equeen@infonation-asia.com Lawrence Lee lawrence@infonation-asia.com Jadie Rees jadie@infonation-asia.com
Dominique Afacan - Editor-in-chief
Behind the Scenes
Millionaireasia’s fashion team hit Hung Hom for the Velvet Dreams shoot. With exclusive access to Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada’s exclusive private members’ lounge, it was a day of high glamour. See photographer Laura Cammarata’s stunning results on page 90.
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www.millionaire-asia.com
Contributors Laura Cammarata
Photographer Laura has been published in Italian Vogue and many other international magazines. She has a strong aesthetic vision and loves expressing herself through fashion photography. For this issue she shot our Velvet Dreams fashion spread. See her work on page 90.
John Higginson
Cheryl Rodriguez
John recently headed up i3’s media activity on the Duel at Jinsha Lake in China between Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods. For this issue, he spoke to six golfing greats about their favourite courses. Read his story on page 114.
Cheryl lived in Tokyo for ten years supporting emerging artists. Most recently, she has been producing fashion editorials, including Velvet Dreams on page 90, bridging and cultivating talent between Europe and Hong Kong.
Michele Koh Morollo
Ryan Swift
Ryan Swift is the Editor-in-Chief of AsiaPacific Boating, a luxury yachting magazine that has been published in Hong Kong since 1976. He is also an avid weekend sailor and sailboat owner. Turn to page 106 to read his story on yacht-buying.
Michele writes for numerous lifestyle publications and is a published author. She believes that a good business is very much like a good story: if you don’t get the structure right, it just won’t work. Read her feature, Kitchen Creatives, on page 100.
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INTRODUCTION Millionaireasia Affairs
Millionaireasia Affairs The new monthly e-newsletter brings luxury direct to your inbox
Travel Events Restaurants Business news Fashion Products Interviews It began with our revamped website back in July and now it continues with the new monthly Millionaireasia e-newsletter, Affairs. Packed with fresh content every month, the bulletin ensures you are brought all the latest news and insights between every issue. At the heart of Millionaireasia is our extensive calendar of private events and the e-bulletin will also include coverage and photos from our latest happenings. From exclusive investment opportunities and pre-public property launches through to private showings of rare diamonds, limited edition cars, watches and wine, our events are designed to give you highly memorable experiences and exclusive benefits. All of our events are private and never open to the public or press. We always try to ensure we invite our members to the events they’ll be most passionate about, so please take a moment to click on the ‘tell us more about yourself’ link on the e-newsletter, or go direct to www.millionaire-asia.com/feedback We hope you enjoy the new e-newsletter, and look forward to seeing you at our next event.
Visit www.millionaire-asia.com 17
Invitations
Bally Preview
Landmark Mandarin Oriental, September 13th Members mixed and matched the latest fashion and leather accessories from Bally at this preview and private shopping event showcasing the brand’s Autumn/Winter 2012 collection. Many members took home new bags, clothes and accessories, including bespoke shoes from the Scribe collection, handmade by Bally artisans.
19
INVITATIONS
Nansha Boat Show
Smooth Sailing Over 50 exhibitors and a host of VIP yachting enthusiasts joined Millionaireasia at Nansha Marina for the China Marina Conference and the Nansha Bay International Boat Show 20
All eyes were on Nansha on October 12th as VIPs, exhibitors and government officials sailed into town to take part in one of China’s largest boat shows. Yacht CN 2012 attracted much hype over its five fun-filled days, as visitors got the chance to get up close and personal with top-of-the-range luxury superyachts. Some of the most internationally recognised figures in boating were on hand to share their thoughts and to celebrate the kick off of the China Marina Conference. Among those were District Vice-Mayor Hwang Ka, Commodore of Nansha Marina Eric Fok and Chairman of the Global Marina
Institute Mick Bettesworth. In all, 60 boats from 51 exhibitors gathered at the event, including Sunseeker, Princess, Azimut, Bayliner and IAG. Ultra-luxury superyacht MY Helix, a 45-metre cruiser built in Holland was among the highlights. Guests also got a glimpse of Chinese maritime history with a stunning display of a scaled-down replica of a traditional Chinese junk. Yacht dealers and builders also offered exclusive sea trial opportunities for potential buyers and VIPs, bringing many of the international brands closer to China’s sailing enthusiasts.
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INVITATIONS
PIE+S Hong Kong
PIE+S
Grand Hyatt Residence, September 1st & 2nd
From Ming-style villas in China to French chateaux, chic London apartments and private islands, the latest PIE+S event at the Grand Hyatt Residence was a huge success. As well as being introduced to some of the most exciting investment opportunities in the world, guests also had the chance to see Chinese artist Song Shou You, famed for his portrayal of koi fish in lily
22
ponds, demonstrating his artistic talent. And members didn’t go hungry or thirsty either, with Drambuie providing drinks and KO Dining on hand with incredible cookery demonstrations. In the evening a handful of selected VIPs were invited to join the private seminars, where they heard from property investment luminaries flown in from across the globe.
G IN LL OW SE N • Located in Zone 1, just above Aldgate East London tube station (District Line and Hammersmith & City Line) • Collection of luxurious studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments on the 20th floor • Walking distance to Lloyds, Stock Exchange, Bank of England, St Mary Axe (The Gherkin), Tower 42 • Crossrail connection at Whitechapel station due 2018 (one stop from Aldgate East station) • S trong rental demand from the city’s 340,000 working population • 24 hour concierge and CCTV monitoring • 135 year lease • Anticipated completion from Spring 2014
Actual view photography from The City Collection apartments on the 20th floor at One Commercial Street. Developer:
Selling Agent:
http://www.colliersresidential.com/3111
Rosaline Lam 852 2822 0630
Gareth Hart 852 2822 0670
Judy Lam 852 2822 0783
Andrea Cassandro 852 2822 0748
rosaline.lam @colliers.com
judy.c.lam@colliers.com
gareth.hart@colliers.com
andrea.cassandro@colliers.com
Disclaimer: Please be aware that the property details are intended to give a general indication and should only be used as a guide. The developer reserves the right to alter these details at anytime. Where a period for completion is stated this is intended as a guide only and purchasers should refer to their legal representatives for further clarification. The contents therein shall not form any part of a contract or be a representation including such contract. Our sales representatives for overseas property work exclusively in relation to properties outside Hong Kong and are not therefore licensed under the Estate Agents Ordinance to deal with Hong Kong properties.
INVITATIONS
BMW launch
BMW launch
The Repulse Bay Hotel, October 31st Millionaireasia members enjoyed a gala dinner to celebrate the launch of the new BMW 7 Series. With new contemporary body design and fantastic interior adaptations, the elegance of the vehicle had to be seen to be believed. The black-tie event at the stunning Repulse Bay Hotel was the perfect match for the luxurious launch.
24
an invention by caran d’ache
The limited edition Caelograph combines technical expertise with design to explore man’s eternal fascination: the sky. Invented and manufactured in the Geneva workshops of la Maison de Haute Ecriture. Caran d’Ache. Swiss Made excellence since 1915. the movie on carandache.com
IFC Mall, Shop2024 • Tel: +852 2234 7770 The Peninsula Hong Kong, ShopML-7 • Tel: +852 2369 1620 K30, 3/F, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian® Macao • Tel: +853 2857 6031
INVITATIONS
Millionaireasia Singapore
7th Anniversary Singapore, August 2nd
Millionaireasia Singapore celebrated its seventh anniversary in style at Forest, Resorts World Sentosa, along with 140 guests: a mix of worldwide partners, business associates and regional publishers. Guests were treated to culinary creations by celebrity chef Sam Leong and enjoyed an enchanting fashion show.
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Samujana is an exclusive collection of spacious individual and decadent residences for sale with
EXCLUSIVE
award-winning architecture that embraces its natural tropical environment. Perfectly perched on a Samui Island hillside with pure sea views, direct beach access and boasting
VILLAS FOR
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Insights Booming Guangzhou
G
uangzhou, southern China’s trading hero is busy reinventing itself from street level to skyline, partly spurred by the 2010 Asian Games but mostly because thousands of businesses are jostling for a slice of action in one of China’s most booming economies. The new CBD at Zhujiang New Town features a growing cluster of international hotels surrounding Flower City Square and the huge Mall of the World. Nearby the Zaha Hadiddesigned Opera House, the Guangdong Museum and Guangzhou Library highlight the city’s new focus on architecture and design. Guangzhou (or Canton as its still known to many Westerners) may overwhelm with its sheer size, grey smog and chaotic traffic, but there is certainly character, excellent Cantonese food and a cosmopolitan edge to balance things out.
Where to stay, eat and play on a business trip Four Seasons The newest hotel in town, the Four Seasons Guangzhou, has secured a prime location, occupying the top 30 floors of the soaring International Finance Centre. Guests can choose to swoop up to the 70th floor by lift or arrive by chopper via the 103rd floor helipad. Start your day swimming laps in the 69th floor horizonedge pool, and end it with a cocktail at Tian Bar, on the 99th floor. www.fourseasons.com/guangzhou Westin Pazhou The Westin Pazhou is linked to the Guangzhou International Convention & Exhibition Centre by a skywalk, making it an ideal spot for visitors to the Canton Fair. The hotel features 325 spacious rooms, rooftop tennis courts, an indoor heated pool and great MICE facilities. www.westin.com
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INSIGHTS
Guangzhou
Did you know?
Guangzhou tops the China pay league on a new ranking of Chinese cities by average salary
For lunch – Sunloft New restaurants are a regular on Jianshe 6 Malu, but Sunloft is one of the only new Cantonese additions. The Hong Kong-style tea room features hanging bird cages and cosy booths for tucking into the shrimp dumplings and noodles. 1/F, 1 Jianshe Liu Malu, Yuexiu District For dinner – Catch Take the lift to the Four Seasons Guangzhou’s 100th floor as the sun sets, and enjoy the view as you tuck into delicious seafood, prepared in the theatrical open kitchen. Try the poached seafood and crab risotto with lemongrasscoconut cream. www.fourseasons.com/guangzhou
In search of history • Stroll the colonial streets of Shamian Island, and be entertained by the wedding couples posing against the beautiful buildings and parks. • For a more stylised glimpse of Guangzhou as it was in the 19th Century, the restored buildings lining the canal at Lizhiwan Brook are home to museums, restaurants and shops. • Mix history and culture with a trip to the 1894-completed Chen’s Ancestral Temple of exquisite buildings, halls and courtyards, and its Guangdong Museum of Folk Arts and Crafts.
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TIME OUT • After a busy day’s work, book into one of the city’s spas, like the Hotel Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich’s So SPA (www.sofitel.com/ guangzhou) with its hammam and relaxation room. Or really get away from it with a walk in Baiyun Mountain just north of the city. • Take in a performance at the Guangzhou Opera House designed by architect Zaha Hadid, or make your way to the surounds of the artist community at Xiaozhou Village.
BAHAMIAN RESIDENCY AVAILABLE WITH HOME PURCHASE.
Luxury Residences at Baha Mar: CANADA VANCOUVER
CHINA
BEIJING
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TORONTO
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS
• Buyer and dependents eligible for permanent residence status in The Bahamas • Visa free travel to The Bahamas • Facilitated USA travel and student visas
HONG KONG SINGAPORE
AUSTRALIA
• Eligible for permanent residency and a pathway to citizenship with passport • Eligibility for private offshore banking in The Bahamas • Robust rental program for tax free income • Deeded, freehold ownership in perpetuity
Private residences starting at US$1.5 million, learn more by contacting: info.residences@bahamar.com | +(852) 2251-1615
BAHAMAR.COM
These materials do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy to residents of any jurisdiction, including the United States, where registration is required or where other legal requirements in such jurisdiction have not been fulfilled. The Baha Mar Project (and the residency component) is owned, offered, marketed, sold, constructed and developed exclusively by Baha Mar Ltd. Any purchase of a Residence should be for personal use and enjoyment and should be without reliance upon any potential for future profit, rental income, economic or tax advantages. Purchasers are solely responsible for determining whether any investment is appropriate or suitable based on personal investment objectives and financial status. No warranty or guarantee is made concerning eligibility for permanent residency and/or citizenship. In all cases specific inquiries should be made to the relevant agency. All illustrations are artists’ conceptual renderings (or photographs included for illustrative purposes only) that may not reflect the project as currently designed or as may ultimately be constructed and are subject to change without notice. English shall be the controlling language regarding interpretation.
Insight
Notes & News
Not for Sale Next time you leave your Hublot watch for a check-up, service or repair, it won’t be such a painful goodbye. The brand has launched this new Atelier Watch, an elegant gesture that is strictly – and stylishly – Not For Sale. Smart thinking. www.hublot.com
Peninsula Preen The first stage of a HK$450m refurbishment of The Peninsula has just been unveiled, featuring completely updated guest rooms in the Peninsula Tower. The makeover celebrates the hotel’s 85th anniversary next year – and sees the rooms given a more contemporary design and decked out with the latest digital enhancements. www.peninsula.com
Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore A city break can be a tranquil affair at the newly refurbished Garden Wing in the Shangri-la. Rooms are set among 15 acres of lush landscaping complete with a cascading waterfall and koifilled ponds. All the rooms feature a balcony overlooking the pool and the suites feature outdoor jacuzzis and private barbecues. www.shangri-la.com
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Craft Work Created by a group of local designers bound together by a mutual love of craft, design and art, Hong Kong’s home-grown Daycraft produces everything from high quality diaries, notebooks and iPad covers. Their smart new range of money trays are ideal for collecting loose change for cabs and coffees. www.daycraft.com
Ship Shape Created by Yenn Wong, founder of Sheung Wan’s buzzy 208 restaurant and Jason Atherton, Michelin starred protégé of Gordon Ramsay, small but perfectly formed 22 Ships has created a stir in Hong Kong since its recent opening. The no reservation, no service charge restaurant serves tapas along with a selection of Spanish beers and wines. Best table: Up at the bar. www.22ships.hk
Banyan Tree Shanghai gets its first all-river view hotel with the arrival of the new Banyan Tree on the Bund. Book into the Oasis rooms, which feature private dipping pools, or the Banyan Suite which has its very own swimming pool. Guests can choose between four different restaurants or have a drink under the stars at the alfresco rooftop bar. www.banyantree.com
Bollinger Bond HK$ 1,500
You might think martini would be more fitting, but a 50-year anniversary demands champagne. This Bollinger box set requires the user to enter the code 007 to access the bubbles. Inside lies a bottle of Bollinger La Grande Année 2002 – “the most exceptional vintage of the past decade,” according to Mathieu Kauffmann, Bollinger’s chef de cave. www.champagne-bollinger.com
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INSIGHT
Notes & News
High Steaks
Mario Battali and Joe Bastianach open Carnevino right above Lupa
Joe Bastianach and Mario Battali have opened another restaurant, just upstairs from their last venture, Lupa, which received mixed reviews from Hong Kong’s demanding diners. Carnevino bills itself as Hong Kong’s premier beef experience, with a highly curated wine list to boot. The dining room is sultry and sexy, and beautifully lit. Service is attentive and informed. And the food, when Millionaireasia visited, was top notch. Best table: Ask for a booth in the main dining room. www.xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
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Power & Elegance S t H ugo C oonaw arra C abernet Sauvignon has ea rned 27 trophies and 152 G old Medals since its first release in 1983.
INSIGHTS
Notes & News
Did you know?
The oldest known ski, found in Sweden, dates from 4,500-2,500BC.
Soft Landing Check into bold and beautiful Bighorn and try out a new ski concept: bespoke heli-skiing. This mountain home in Canada’s Revelstoke Mountain Resort features a private helipad so that guests can fly into the wilderness direct, no hassle and no waiting required. The retreat includes gourmet cuisine from an award-winning European chef and dedicated staff. With eight suites, a cinema, indoor pool, cocktail bar and gym it’s no wonder it’s rumoured to be the best ski chalet in the world. www.bighornrevelstoke.com
Grooming... A new treatment and product line at the Four Seasons Hong Kong promises to replace toxins with the truly natural. The Organic Pharmacy line was founded in London by a pharmacist who saw a gap in the market for allorganic beauty products. Book in for a facial when Christmas season gets too crazy. www.fourseasons.com
Retail Therapy Swing by the new Blancpain store in Causeway Bay for some Christmas gift inspiration. Millionaireasia recommends the Traditional Chinese Calendar wristwatch, launched earlier this year. 26 Russell Street, Causeway Bay
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New Year’s Eve Concert The Macallan whiskey house is collaborating with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for a concert series beginning in time to mark New Year’s Eve. The Bravo series will feature the highly acclaimed A Viennese New Year led by renowned Austrian conductor Johannes Wildner. This glamorous event embraces The Macallan’s philosophy of appreciation for the finer things in life. www.hkphil.org
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INSIGHTS
Notes & News
Dot Cod The updated menu at this business lunch favourite in Central features kingfish ceviche, Chinese-style barramundi and lemon tart for dessert. Executive Chef Jeffrey LeBon’s menu is not the only thing to impress, the newly revamped interiors are a cut above, too. www.dotcod.com
Gift List... Lange Zeitwerk watch, HK$867,000, www.alange-soehne.com
Luxury by LVMH Luxury giant Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy will open a resort hotel in the Maldives next year. Consisting of 46 luxury villas on the island of Randheli in Noonu Atoll, it’s set to be a big hit among the global jetset. If it’s anything like their other hotel efforts, including Millionaireasia favourite White 1921 in St Tropez, France (pictured) it’ll be a must-visit. www.lvmh.com
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INSIGHTS Advertorial
CHAMPAGNE CHAMPION Global Resource Limited’s Mohammad Farabi Khan is bringing some of the world’s most exclusive boutique champagne brands to Asia.
G
lobal Resource Limited’s Mohammad Farabi Khan turned a passion for wines into a thriving trading business. In just five short years, the entrepreneur has created a highly successful business based on his vast experience in the food and beverage industry. His love for fine champagne and coffee was what inspired Global Resource’s flagship venture, Café Vivole. As the exclusive importer of Champagne Etienne Lefèvre Grand Cru in Asia, Khan has been able to bring one of the most exclusive boutique champagne brands to the region. Currently managed by Madam Etienne Lefèvre, the family-run grower and producer, Champagne Etienne Lefèvre’s history dates back to 1621, and only 90,000 bottles are produced every year. Khan’s venture also allows him to bring in teas and coffees from around the world including Europe, South America, India and China. Café Vivole exclusively brings celebrated boutique Italian coffees including Gimoka and Caffe De Roccis to Hong Kong. The company is also developing its own Café Vivole brand of coffees and teas, supplying these unique flavours to epicureans around the world.
Only 90,000 bottles of Champagne Etienne Lefèvre are produced each year 39
INSIGHTS
Notes & News
Haute Tea For fashion connoisseurs, the new Prêt-àPortea at London’s Berkeley Hotel is a real treat. Sample everything from a Burberry trench chocolate mousse to a Fendi maple and ginger ankle boot biscuit. It comes as no surprise that the pastry chefs visited London Fashion Week for inspiration. www.the-berkeley.co.uk
Gift List...
Paired Up
Jaeger LeCoultre: Rendez-Vous Night & Day, HK$100,000
Get some bespoke skis to go with your bespoke heliretreat (see page 36). Warner Custom tailor-makes every pair to help skiers have better balance, comfort and control. www.wagnerskis.com
Four Seasons, Beijing Located in the Central Business District, the brand new Four Seasons Beijing offers a fivestar meeting place for luxury-loving travellers. Reminiscent of the city’s imperial palaces, the hotel’s dramatic design and sky-lit atrium is set to impress. www.fourseasons.com
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Millionaireasia is proud to announce a new partnership with Alta Services from Geneva, Switzerland, opening the doors to “Once in a Life Time Travel Experiences” and “Bespoke Lifestyle Services” for members worldwide.
Experience the Formula 1 Grand Prix An unforgettable experience at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games VIP seats at the Roland Garros or the World Cup A unique view into the world of fine arts and luxurious cars
Luxury brand Shopping Wine tasting like never before A retreat in the world’s leading private health facilities for revitalization or medical checkups All this and more, with tailored-made packages in unmatched luxury and elegance.
For more information or to plan your bespoke itinerary contact: travel@infonation-asia.com www.alta-services.com
Investment THE SPACE RACE
With the world still reeling from the impact of the global financial crisis, it could be time for investors to look further afield and turn their attention to space. Words by Nicky Burridge
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INVESTMENT The Space Race
U
nlikely as it may sound, there are numerous opportunities for people who want to invest in the final frontier, ranging from private companies that make space exploration equipment for NASA to firms that hope to carry out mining operations on the moon. Richard David, chief executive officer and co-founder of New Yorkbased information services provider NewSpace Global, thinks investing in space could be the next big thing. He says: “It is a nascent industry, but I think it could be the next great innovation economy. There will be billionaires made in this industry in the next five to 10 years.” Getting to grips with the sector became a little easier for potential investors last year, when NewSpace Global became the first firm to launch indices tracking companies that operate in the NewSpace industry, as it has been dubbed. The company follows more than 300 privately and publicly held companies that are active in the sector, through its suite of indices. Its core product is the NSG 100 Index, which tracks the top 100 privately-held companies in NewSpace. NSG analysts use a proprietary
algorithm to track these companies. But it also has other indexes, including one that tracks real estate firms in NewSpace. David said the group had received a “tremendous” response since it launched the indices, with interest coming from parties ranging from Fortune 500 companies, to government agencies, to major universities, to investment banks and high net worth individuals. The group divides NewSpace into eight different sub-sectors, or the 8-Verticals of NewSpace, each of which offers different levels of risk and potential reward. David explains that at the ‘hot’ end are companies dealing in established space technologies, such as satellites, while at the colder end are firms that want to mine on the moon, or explore space for alternative energy sources. “There is a full spectrum of risk and reward,” he said. The NSG 100 companies trade on the US Secondary Market, and potential investors need to be accredited or have incomes of at least US$200,000 a year or US$1m of liquid assets. Firms include household names, such as SpaceX, which hit the headlines earlier this year when it became the world’s first private company to send a payload to the International Space Station. It is currently ranked number
It could be the next great innovation economy. There will be billionaires made in this industry in the next five to 10 years 44
1
one on the NSG 100. Founded by PayPal entrepreneur Elon Musk, SpaceX currently has contracts worth US$4bn over the next five years, including further launches to the International Space Station. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic also makes it on to the NSG 100 Index. The space tourism group has already sold more than 500 seats costing US$200,000 each for its first official space flights. Other companies include XCOR, Virgin Galactic’s main competitor, Skybox, which recently raised more than US$90 million from venture
2
capital and private equity investors in Silicon Valley, and fast-growing satellite company Asia Broadcast Satellite. Some of the companies in the sector are already generating substantial returns for investors. Shares in SpaceX have risen on sites such as Sharespost and SecondMarket, which specialise in secondary market transactions, from around the US$2 mark to around US$20 during the past 18 months, while technology firm Equipois has seen its NSG 100 score rise 10.6% year to date. But like many emerging markets, the sector is volatile, and other companies
Previous page: Dragon for Space X This spread: 1.Falcon 9 2. VSH project K1000 from Dassault
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INVESTMENT The Space Race
have seen the value of their shares slump by more than 16%. David cautions: “This is a nascent industry. As with any high-tech industry, there is great risk, but also great reward.” He adds that people should not get carried away, as normal investment principles still apply to the sector. David advises anyone who is interested in investing in the sector to learn as much about it as they can, before parting with any money. Once investors feel they know their way round the industry, they should pick a sub-sector and focus on the companies in it. He adds that people should start off with only a small investment. As with other technology markets, there is always the danger that a bubble could develop, particularly if the sector starts to grow quickly. But David points out that NewSpace has had a much steadier growth rate than other high-tech industries and this should mean the gains are much more sustainable. For high net worth individuals who do not want to buy shares in already established companies, an alternative way to enter the sector is to invest in a NewSpace start-up through the Space Angels Network. The San Francisco-based network looks for new companies in the sector that it thinks have the potential to be “very successful”, and matches them up with angel investors. It typically focuses on companies that have experienced teams behind them, and are pursuing large markets with a unique product, service or business model. For investors who would like the chance to travel into space, but balk at Virgin Galactic’s US$200,000 price tag, S3, which stands for Swiss Space Systems, will soon be offering the chance to combine a suborbital space trip with an investment. The company, which spoke
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exclusively to Millionaireasia ahead of their public launch in January, aims to become the world leader in manned suborbital flights and putting small satellites into orbit. It also plans to offer so-called point-to-point flights, which will cut the journey time between London and Hong Kong down to just 90 minutes by travelling through space. Although it is not actively looking for investors, people who are interested will soon be able to buy a small equity stake in the company, and as well as receiving investment returns linked to the firm’s performance, they will also be given a free space flight. This strategy is aligned with S3’s objective of democratising access to space. Richard Joye, global promoter of S3, said he thought investing in space offered “tremendous opportunity”. He said: “We are living in an era of the privatisation of space. We are switching from highly nationalised institutions to an industry that is going to be driven by the private sector. We believe it is a great opportunity for investors. The rewards could be extremely high.” Finally, for those who only want to dip their toes into a space investment, investors can get limited exposure through buying shares in companies that have a space technology arm. NSG tracks such companies on its publicly traded companies index. Firms that fall into this category include household names such as Cisco, Merck, Caterpillar, Boeing and Alliant Techsystems, which between them have had a hand in building everything from rockets and space communication systems, to osteoporosis research in space. The problem with this strategy is that exposure to the space sector tends to be quite small, as firms are more active in other sectors, such as defence, which tend to make up the lion’s share of their profits. Whichever investment you choose – the future certainly looks bright.
This is a nascent industry. As with any high-tech industry, there is great risk, but also great reward
3. Richard Branson launches Virgin Galactic 4. White Knight 2 for Virgin Galactic 5. Dragon for Space X
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KAPRICE FOCUS
Launching event at the Billionaire Club in Fairmont Monte Carlo Mrs Kamla L Hiranand (second from left), founder and head designer of Kaprice; Priya L Hiranand (far left), founder of Lili K’ Rock and daughter of Mrs Hiranand; Italian businessman Flavio Briatore (far right) and wife Elisabetta Gregoraci
Kaprice’s stylish tour of Cote d’Azur weaves a bevy of excitement and future prospects
ALL THE MATERIAL IN THIS FEATURE IS PROVIDED BY KAPRICE
MONTE CARLO, MONACO, 2012 – The Kaprice team from Hong Kong made a special trip to Europe to showcase its red-carpet-ready collections to a discerning audience. Over three days, Kaprice head designer and owner Mrs Kamla L Hiranand and her daughter Priya L Hiranand participated in a series of high-profile events on Cote d’Azur, mingling with the region’s elite, royal families and top celebrities. Kaprice, a name synonymous with highend trendsetting creations for discerning women, seamlessly fuses together several design influences from across the world in its various fashion lines, handbags and jewellery collections. Showcasing elegance and creativity, the brand creates fashion products with impeccable style and vibrancy. Upon its establishment in Hong Kong in 2008, Kaprice immediately shot into international prominence, spurred by an enduring entrepreneurial vision. In Monaco, the Kaprice brand kicked off its first event on the evening of 25 May at the Billionaire Club in Fairmont Monte Carlo. Kaprice was one of the main sponsors of the evening, together with global brands Pepe Jeans and Dom Perignon. The prestigious Billionaire Girls wowed the audiences when
they made a grand entrance wearing exquisite pieces from the latest Kaprice collections. The success of this event was duplicated for two more nights, on 26 and 27 May, with high profile VIPs all enjoying Kaprice collections beautifully showcased by the Billionaire Girls. Kaprice continued its stylish tour of Cote d’Azur by showcasing in Fashion Week Cannes on 26 May. Held each year at the highly prestigious venue in Super Cannes, Fashion Week Cannes has become synonymous with luxury and high style. This year’s event was attended by VIPs and celebrities, including Joseph Jackson of The Jackson Foundation and members of the band Scorpions. The red-carpet event once again lived up to its illustrious reputation. Kaprice was also invited to showcase on the luxurious Omega Yacht, one of the largest private yachts in the Port of Monaco. The event was held during the world famous Grand Prix on 27 May. With the buzz of the super cars in the background and champagne flowing, guests enjoyed a spectacular day among Royal families, members of the Jackson family, A-list celebrities and the region’s elite. The glitzy affair ended with a
Top Photo: Kaprice team graces Fairmont Monte Carlo Mrs Kamla L Hiranand (centre) and daughter Priya L Hiranand (right) with Kaprice Ambassador Bottom Photo: Opening night at the Billionaire Club in Fairmont Monte Carlo Mrs Kamla L Hiranand (right) with Kaprice Ambassador
vibrant showcase of kaftans and dresses by Kaprice – a collection that’s perfect for the yachting environment! With three days of glamorous showcases, exciting sales and mingling with VIPs and members of local media, Kaprice certainly made a name for itself on Cote d’Azur. We would like to thank you all for the great response and enthusiasm!
INVESTMENT Western Art
WESTERN PROMISE
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The growing appeal of Western art investment in Asia. Words by Remo Notarianni
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ontemporary artists from the West are winning a loyal following in Asia. As the region’s artists make an impression globally, its own art lovers are looking further afield to liven up collections with the likes of Picassos and Hirsts. The exponential growth of the art business in the region has provided space for diversity and the seismic changes have been ‘art historical’. China recently overtook the United States to become the world’s biggest market for art and antiques. According to a report published in 2012 and commissioned by TEFAF Maastricht, China’s share of the global art market reached 30 percent in 2011, from 23 percent in 2010, pushing the United States into second place with a 29 percent share. The United Kingdom, which was overtaken by China in 2010, is now third with a 22 percent market share. As with many industries, China’s pre-eminence in the industry is fuelling growth in the region’s business hubs, including Hong Kong. And as new markets provide
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INVESTMENT Western Art
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opportunities, the art market remains resilient globally. While there have been obvious signs of cautious buying in auction rooms, such as Sotheby’s London Impressionist and Modern Art auction in June, in which only one third of the lots were sold, the sales figures of artists from Europe and the United States seem to be defying economic recession in traditional markets. Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti’s L’Homme Qui Marche I sold for an astonishing US$$103.78m (HK$810 m) at Sotheby’s London in 2010, and more recently there was a sale of the 1895 paste-on-board version of Edvard Munch’s famed The Scream for US$120m (HK$935m) at Sotheby’s to American investor and businessman Leon Black, which broke auction house records. Hong Kong’s growth as an art hub is linked to the boom in Chinese contemporary art and the tax advantages of its free trade, but there has been a significant presence of mainland Chinese collectors at auction houses, not only in
Hong Kong, who are putting Western collections into the region. Picasso’s Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, sold for US$106.4m (HK$830m) to a Chinese collector at Christie’s in 2011 and in July, 2011, a Chinese buyer paid $21.4m (HK$165m) for Picasso’s Femmes Lisant at Sotheby’s. In July a buyer from Greater China bought a black chalk Michelangelo sketch at Christie’s for US$5m (HK$39m). Yet back in 2006, the news of the sale of
Andy Warhol’s portrait of Chairman Mao for US$17.4m (HK$135m) by a Hong Kong property developer would have been headline-grabbing. It seems obvious to link the interest in art to the appetite of China’s new wealthy classes for luxury goods but new tastes in Asia are expanding horizons. Sotheby’s just announced that it will allow a single work at auction in China, in a joint venture agreement with the state-owned Beijing GeHua Art
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investment Western Art
The sales figures of artists from Europe and the United States seem to be defying economic recession in traditional markets
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company to organise its first offering of Western furniture and other decorative arts in Asia, in a selling exhibition in November, in a sign that collectors are diversifying in China. “It is misleading to assume that there are specific ‘Asian’ tastes,” says Graham Steele, Asian director of UK gallery White Cube, which opened its first overseas branch in Hong Kong in 2011. “While this could be seen as true in one sense, it is limiting in a larger sense. Tastes are becoming global at the same time as they are increasingly personal: one need not assume that the average collector just wants to buy what their friend has. The world of art in Asia is getting bigger. It is through conversation and dialogue that these tastes evolve and develop.” That’s visible at street level with White Cube being one of many
international galleries opening up in Hong Kong, presenting Western as well as Asian contemporary art. The value of an art piece does go beyond aesthetic appreciation and the various factors that are driving the art market. Like Chinese art, Western art is seen as having investment value. “Investors the world over select art that they know and understand,” said Michael Donnan, Art Director at Collins & Kent International Fine Art, an art advisory and dealership from Australia which has just opened its first branch in Hong Kong. “Asian investors are finding excellent value in the ‘household names’ of Western art – names such as Picasso, Cezanne or, in the contemporary market, Hirst are synonymous with excellent investment performance. This intrinsic value coupled with new and innovative yield options is propelling the market
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INVESTMENT Western Art
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Asian investors have become the largest and most frequent buyers at fine art auctions around the world and opening it up to new investors in Asia. Asian investors have become the largest and most frequent buyers at fine art auctions around the world; and are estimated to have accounted for 41 percent of all auction purchases in 2011 alone. Investors and collectors should also devote a healthy percentage of their portfolios to blue chip artists such as Picasso to ensure stability and good, safe mid- to long-term growth.” But offerings in Hong Kong are now moving beyond artists who have a kind of brand name status, to categories not widely seen before in the city, and it reflects a rich and varied collector class. French Galerie Nilsen et Chiglien (NEC), which specialises in contemporary ceramics, opened a gallery in Hong Kong
in 2012. “Western contemporary ceramic art has found an artistic renewal, while becoming a part of ‘fine art’,” said NEC’s Hong Kong gallery director Remy Jarry. “Obviously, the pioneers of this trend are the avant-garde collectors, who have understood this development in advance and kept on investing.” Jarry cites Swedish ceramicist Eva Hild, for whom NEC has organised exhibitions, as an example, asserting that she has seen her art market value double within months. He states that a similar art piece sold for €20, 000 (HK$200,000), in their gallery during their 2010 exhibition was auctioned six months later at Phillips de Pury, New York for 50 percent more. One need only look at the offerings at ARTHK – the biggest international
art fair in Asia, which has grown largely on the success of contemporary Chinese art as well as the sales of Western art. At its fifth edition in 2012, it included German post-modernist George Baselitz’s Stalin und Woroschilov pissen von der Kremlmover, which was sold by White Cube for €500,000 (HK$5 million) to an Asian collector, but this also indicates an evolving market which is creating new buyer categories. “The current trend towards the focus on the masterpieces by the most influential artists seems to be continuing,” says Steele. “The nationality of the artist is becoming less important as the old collector and the new collector both want what everyone else wants: the best.”
1. Marilyn Monroe portrait, Andy Warhol 2. Cerith Wyn Evans at White Cube 3. Paysanne en colere Cerith Wyn Evans, Gift, 2012 4. CKI Gallery 5. Ceramic sculpture by Eva Hilde 6. i-Restaurateur at CKI Gallery 7. Bust De Femme D’apres Cranach Le Jeune, Picasso 8. Troy Sadler and Michael Donnan of CKI Gallery
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Investment Advertorial
Art of living
Suzhou’s Chuocheng Villa puts exceptional artistry and history together in one of China’s boldest developments
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t could easily be argued that the concept of luxury is almost fluid. For discerning consumers of the finer things, fine art and rare antiques with value beyond simple dollars represent the pinnacle of luxury; every bit as coveted as cars or jewellery. The latest luxury villa development in China, Chuocheng Villa in Suzhou, marries traditional artistic lushness to contemporary luxury to create a property that is nothing less than an exquisite work of art you can immerse yourself in. The ultra-opulent Chuocheng Villa sits next to the 12-acre Humble Admistrator’s Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the Tang Dynasty. Ranging between 7,100 to 43,000 square feet, each Ming-style villa provides owners with all the essentials for luxury living: private pools, multiple living rooms, nine-car indoor garage and private gardens with the requisite pavilions, bridges, waterfalls and lakes. To recreate homes that echo the philosophy of Ming Dynasty
architecture, Chuocheng Villa enlisted the help of honorary advisor to the project, Peggy Lam (sister of architect IM Pei), and world-renowned landscaping and restoration experts, the Xiang Shan Bang Group, who leapt to design prominence for their restoration of the Forbidden City. In respecting the 2,500 years of history and heritage embodied in the garden, impeccable materials (century-old Chinese fir, Jinshan stone) were used to recreate Ming Dynasty opulence down to the finest detail in the villas. Recently named China’s most liveable city and once referred to as the Venice of the East, Suzhou is easily accessible and, more crucially, development restrictions recently implemented by the governmen for villa projects make Chuocheng Villa one of the last like it in China – and an extremly rare work of liveable art. Sales hotline: +86 0512 6609 8888 / Sales office: No. 9 Baijia Hang, Suzhou, China
Chuocheng Villa in Suzhou, marries traditional artistic lushness to contemporary luxury 56
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INVESTMENT Hypercars
HYPER CARS The rise of the tailor-made auto. Words by Ryan Borroff
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Above and main: Lamborghini Aventador
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ollecting art or buying bottles of vintage Chateau Lafite are interesting and shrewd alternatives to investing in a volatile stock market, but how about ordering a hypercar? Like a bespoke shotgun or a custommade timepiece, these cars are constructed in limited numbers or even tailor-made for an individual client so they have the potential to grow in value. Back in the early days of motoring, when the car industry was in its infancy, the automobile represented absolute luxury. Hand-built and bespoke, they were commissioned only by the world’s wealthiest individuals.
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INVESTMENT Hypercars
Above and left: Bugatti Sang Noir
Components including the chassis, drivetrain, suspension and steering system were supplied by an automaker before construction of the bodywork and interior was undertaken by a specialist coach builder who would then design a bespoke car according to his customer’s wishes. The client would then have free reign to choose everything from the car’s body style to the grain of the walnut veneer on the champagne cabinet, at which point, dozens of trained craftsmen began to hammer metal, shape wood and stitch fine leathers. Now the world’s finest carmakers
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Well-heeled motorists are no longer satisfied with an off-the-peg supercar are going back to the future. The most well-heeled motoring enthusiasts are no longer satisfied with an ‘off-thepeg’ supercar. Instead they want to own exclusive ‘hypercars’ that are only produced in ultra-limited numbers and
perfectly tailored to their desires. Some even want to have a hand in as many aspects of the design process as possible often in consultation with the car company’s design bosses. This modern day trend to build such exclusive cars began with the rebirth of the Bugatti brand in 2005. When it introduced the 1,001bhp Veyron EB 16.4 priced at US$1.7 million many observers thought the suggestion of it selling well ludicrous. But almost eight years on and that model is now the entry-level option. The Bugatti Veyron Super Sports is now the flagship model and costs a cool US$2.4 million. Though for that money
Above and right: Pagani Huayra
you get the most expensive and arguably the most technologically advanced car ever built – aside from the one that drove on the moon in 1969! Bugatti regularly produce extremely limitededition or even one-off models – such as its Sang Noir edition, from 2008, of which there were only 15 made. The recent blue version of its Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse – shown in September – sold instantly for US$2.5 million. Now Aston Martin, Pagani, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren are also producing cars in exclusive numbers. Hand-built and tailored for each
customer, ownership gives the buyer access to the very latest materials and construction methods enabling them to drive a car that is at the absolute sharp end of automotive development. “These buyers want unique cars,” explains Joe Doyle, CEO of UK luxury car retailer and exporter HR Owen. “Buyers of hypercars tend to be selfmade individuals who are looking for the ultimate in design and performance. They appreciate the genuine attention to detail that has gone into the design and construction of these cars. In a Pagani every exposed screw has the brand logo on it, such is the level of
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INVESTMENT Hypercars
attention to detail. In this market buyers appreciate that. There are two other aspects: exclusivity is very important to hypercar buyers and some people also buy these cars in the belief that they may appreciate in value over time.” This year Pagani introduced its Huayra (pronounced ‘Why-ra’), the replacement for its legendary Zonda. Powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 AMG engine good for 730bhp the Huayra is fantastically lightweight at just 1,500 kilograms and the power to weight ratio is awesome: 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds and a top speed beyond
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224mph. Priced US$1.2m Pagani will make just 20 of them next year. At a cost of £1 million-plus, the Aston Martin One-77 is even more exclusive. Powered by a 7.3-litre 750hp V12 engine the British hypercar has the most powerful naturally-aspirated engine ever. Only 77 were made, constructed by hand from carbon fibre, magnesium and aluminium. The cabin has a sweeping centre console milled from a single aluminium billet and many hidden parts of the car have been perfectly milled by hand even though the owner may never see them. Even the badge is hand-made by a jeweller.
Cars like these are as close to automotive art as we’ve seen in the 21st century. Which is why one owner of an Aston Martin One-77 placed his car in his living room like a Steinway piano. “These buyers want the latest and the greatest and they appreciate the finer things,” says Aston Martin’s design chief Marek Reichman. “They want cars that are collectable and they desire the chance to buy into something that will become a piece of history. The majority of customers justify the investment from an emotional perspective, they can see the value in how it is made. Most of its customers
From left: Ferrari SP12 EC, Sesto Elemento, Aston Martin One-77, Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
part of the development process. That too was very important to them.” Often these cars take sports car design and construction in new and exciting directions. And like every good members’ club, owners are often invited by the carmaker, who return to their most loyal historic customers first. Sometimes these cars are accounted for before they’ve even left the drawing board. Meanwhile Ferrari has been going about the business of tailoring its cars for individual clients for years. Recently, Ferrari built a 458 Italia inspired by the 512 BB, called the SP12 EC for guitar player Eric Clapton. The car
Some people buy these cars in the belief that they will appreciate over time was designed by Centro Stile Ferrari in partnership with Pininfarina and was built through its One-Off Programme. Cost unknown. For the last few years Lamborghini has been building very limited
versions of its cars. The latest is the Sesto Elemento, which is the lightest Lamborghini ever built – extensively from carbon fibre – and which can only be driven on track. All 20 of them sold quickly. Such cars are tweaked and trimmed to realise the very pinnacle of what a manufacturer can offer. This year London-based coach builder Prindiville, built a one-off road-legal Lamborghini Aventador – called the J – and revealed it in Geneva. The car was sold for an undisclosed sum almost immediately and garnered so much attention you can be sure more are in the pipeline. Are cars like these a good investment? Some will be. Like art collecting, good investments depend on how well you know your market. For a proper car enthusiast the real benefit is that you get to be at the front of the queue for the very latest, greatest and most technologically advanced cars. Sometimes you may even get to buy a car that is iconic before it’s even built. No investment is secure of course, so, like art, be sure that you don’t buy it unless you love it.
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ten mInutes wIth...
Vanessa Yeung
author of new book ‘For two in 32 minutes’ Vanessa Yeung has cooked with Alain Ducasse, Paul Bocuse and Joël Robuchon to name just a few. In her new book, For two in 32 minutes, she gets 26 top chefs to spill their secrets along with their best recipes. Here, she tells us a little more about cooking with the greatest chefs in the world.
The cookbook is for people with a basic understanding of cooking to be able to recreate Michelinstarred dishes at home
What was the inspiration behind your new book? I love to cook, but I work so hard that I don’t have enough time to get in the kitchen. I wanted to have a cookbook from famous chefs that guarantees great food and can be easily put together; one that includes what the chefs think, recommend, and their golden rules. I think amateur chefs will learn a lot from the 26 chefs in my book. They can read the tips and benefit from the wisdom of their combined years of cooking experience. In both English and Chinese, this is the first cookbook of its kind on the market. Can you really help people cook Michelin-starred meals in their own homes?
I can’t say it’s easy. The Chinese name for my book is Bringing Michelin Culinary Secrets Home and that’s the concept I’m trying to deliver. For people who have a basic understanding of cooking to be able to recreate Michelin-starred dishes and ingredient combinations from the top chefs. What was the best secret the chefs taught you? Alain Ducasse’s secret is to cook with the right proportion of acidity. Squeeze a bit of lemon on fish, lobster or prawn and the taste gets better. And Pierre Gagnaire taught me that when presenting a steak, you usually sprinkle some sea salt over top but this can be overpowering. Instead, you should pour olive oil onto a cloth and sprinkle sea salt onto it, then over the steak. What do you like about the food scene here in HK? I think it’s a sophisticated food market, and it has the highest concentration of Michelin stars compared with surrounding countries.
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INSIDERS
Little Black Book
Little
BLACK BOOK Millionaireasia asks six international business leaders to share their top tips for luxury living.
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BONNIE GOKSON Entrepreneur Bonnie worked in the fashion industry before launching one of Hong Kong’s most glamorous restaurants SEVVA, and more recently Mrs B’s Cakery. The last item of clothing I bought was… At CoutureLab in London. Having been in the fashion industry for such a long time, I am pretty bored by the large big -brand stores that you see everywhere. It’s refreshing to find a place that edits their merchandise so well both for clothing and accessories. For hairdressing I always go to…. The Kim Robinson Salon. I buy my business suits from… I’d say some of my best suits are from Tom Ford. An event I never miss… The Oscars....love it! My most unforgettable holiday was to…. The one I had just recently. Two weeks on a huge private superyacht with more than 15 staff to pamper just nine of us. We went to Turkey and hopping around various Greek Islands. In my drinks cabinet you’ll always find…. Very chilled and delicious bubbles and also lots of very high pH level good water. I always return to… Broken Heart Hot Sour on 116 Fuk Wing Street in Sham Shui Po. Their spicy chicken dish, hot & sour noodles and sautéed potato shreds give you a kick!
I always look forward to staying at… Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai. I love the grandeur and nostalgia of this hotel and the suites in the Palace Wing are lovely. I usually fly with… Cathay Pacific or private. My travel essentials are… My scarves, summer weight cashmere silk sweaters and all my serums and creams. The next thing on my wish list is… My next door apartment.
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sales@myhfinewines.com
INSIDERS
Little Black Book
JOE BASTIANACH US MasterChef presenter, vintner and restaurateur extraordinaire Joe recently opened Carnevino, a high -end steak and wine restaurant in Central. He co-owns many more with his friend and frontman, Mario Battali. The last item of clothing I bought was… A Tom Ford three-piece Windsor suit I never miss… Vinitaly! A five-day long extravaganza taking place in Verona every spring, celebrating the greatness of Italian wine. In my drinks cabinet you’ll always find…. Usually its vino, but I enjoy a nice Hendricks G&T now and then. The best meal I have ever had was… The vegetarian tasting menu at Le Louis XV in Monaco. Truly unforgettable. A restaurant I always return to… Cal Pep in Barcelona.
I always look forward to staying at… The Four Seasons Kona. I’m competing in the Kona Ironman World Championships again in 2013, and staying there post-race is the best way to recover. I also love La Perla in Corvara. I usually fly with… Delta 767 or Bombardier Global Express when I’m lucky enough to get invited. My travel essentials are… Running shoes and my baseball cap. The watch I wear is… Always IWC.
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Little Black Book
GRANT THATCHER British-born Grant founded cult travel guide brand, Luxe in 2002, when he moved from HK to Bangkok and found a gap in the market for an up-to-date lifestyle guide. The last item of clothing I bought was… A roll up panama from Lock & Co in London. I love their shop in St James’s Street. For personal grooming I go to…. I’m wary of all the chemicals in modern skincare products so I always turn to Organic Pharmacy and Yon Ka. I buy my suits from… I never buy off the peg suits. We have such good tailors in Asia it would be foolhardy to not use them. In HK I like Roger Cheung, Y William Yu and for shirts William Cheng. In my drinks cabinet you’ll always find…. Carpano Antica Formula vermouth.
DENISE LO Denise works as Elite Development Director at Christian Dior. Her hectic work schedule includes plenty of international travel. For personal grooming… I have always followed Calvin Chan wherever he goes and his latest partner is at M.i Salon in Prince’s Building. My most unforgettable holiday was… At the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in Tofino, British Columbia. We stayed in luxurious tents out in the open and could hear the sounds of wildlife at night. The best meal I ever had was… At Tetsuya’s in Sydney but we sat for nearly five hours until past midnight!
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The best meal I have ever had was… One of my many favourites was at tiny Bakfickan in Stockholm – the best meatballs in the city. I always return to… The Dining Room at The Goring Hotel in London. I always look forward to staying at… The Connaught in London. The watch I wear is… A 1955 gold-plated Smith with black face – it was my father’s first watch, and subsequently worn by my mother.
I always return to… Lac Hong Vietnamese restaurant in Paris 16th Arrondisement. Their beef pho is the best in the world. I always look forward to staying at… Shangri-La Tokyo, it’s complete bliss whenever I’m there. I look for quietness in a hotel so I can catch up on my precious sleep during holidays. Ryokans like Gorakadan and Asaba are also favourites. My travel essentials are… Vaseline and my most comfortable flip flops! The watch I wear… Varies! Perhaps my Dior VIII black with snowset diamond bezel in the day and Bulgari Serpenti with black enamel and diamonds in the evening.
Offshore Chronograph in forged carbon and ceramic. I always look forward to staying at… Aman resorts, wherever they are located. The purity of their hotel design as well as the excellence of their service never fail to provide me with the peace I seek during my short breaks.
DAVID VON GUNTEN Swiss-born David von Gunten began his career in the luxury watchmaking industry at Omega S.A. before progressing to Roger Dubois and then Audemars Piguet, where he was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2009. I never miss… The Montreux Jazz Festival, held at the beginning of July on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. My most unforgettable holiday was to…. Scotland. I was so impressed by the vastness of the area, by the beauty of the nature there and by the warmth of the people. In my drinks cabinet you’ll always find…. Drinks with character, mostly red wines from the Bordeaux region or from Tuscany.
The best meal I have ever had was… A couple of years ago we celebrated New Year’s Eve with a group of friends at Mosaic in Ubud, Bali. The experience was very special as we had the privilege of a private room that included a professional kitchen and a lounge. My favourite restaurants are… I would name Otto e Mezzo, L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon and Zuma in Hong Kong. In Singapore I love Iggy’s for the passion that you can feel in every dish. The watch I wear is… An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
I usually fly with… Singapore Airlines, which seems to have an edge over its competitors. My travel essentials are… Very basic. Good suits, shirts and comfortable shoes for business. Running gear too as sport in general occupies a special place in my life. For personal grooming I always go to…. The Hong Kong Mandarin Oriental spa for a massage. The last item of clothing I bought was… A tailor-made Ermenegildo Zegna suit. I love their fabric’s quality and design, they are extremely comfortable to wear. The impeccable service provided in their boutiques is also a draw. The next thing on my wish list is… An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak extrathin, the re-edition of the exact first Royal Oak that was launched 40 years ago.
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INSIDERS
Little Black Book
JEROME GRIFFITH US-born Jerome joined TUMI as President and CEO in 2009, having previously enjoyed success at Gap Inc. and Esprit. Jerome has lived in five countries, and managed businesses in five different continents.
I always look forward to staying at… The Upper House because it has the best view of Hong Kong. As a frequent traveller I always take pleasure in seeing a city from above. A captivating view in my mind is priceless. For personal grooming I always go to… Marie Robinson because they consistently give me the best haircuts I’ve ever had. Aside from a great cut it’s the service that makes this a standout place for me. As a repeat customer they know exactly what I like. The last item of clothing I bought was… A pair of jeans. A great pair of dark wash jeans is an essential. Paired with a shirt and blazer it instantly dresses up the look. It’s become one of my uniforms. I also have a weakness for anything John Varvatos. I buy my suits from… Freemans because not only do they have a secret tailor room behind a bookcase, but you can get a great meal after your
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fitting. It’s the attention to detail and personal service that sets Freeman’s apart from others and what has won me over as a repeat customer. The best meal I have ever had was… At home; there’s nothing like a good home cooked meal. I have an affinity for spicy foods. One of my favorite dishes is red curry with chicken, extra spicy of course. I always return to… 508 in New York. Its perfect for a hearty meal or a bunch of appetizers. Conveniently located in my neighbourhood I’m always greeted with a friendly smile and they treat me like family. I know the menu by heart. For lunch, the chicken cashew salad is a favorite. I usually fly with… Virgin because the service is excellent. They go above and beyond to make your travels a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
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INSIDERS
Little Black Book
GULU LALVANI Gulu Lalvani made his fortune through Binafone, the world’s secondlargest digital cordless phone manufacturer. More recently he opened the plush Royal Phuket Marina. The last item of clothing I bought was… A suit from Prada. I also recently bought my first pair of Christian Laboutin shoes. They are better known for their womens’ shoes but I saw Christian at a party recently and he was wearing them – I immediately ordered a pair and I get so many compliments on them. Some of my favourite brands are… I wear Tod’s shoes a lot. For luggage everything is Vuitton. My Clic glasses I have in 18 different colours to match whatever I am wearing. Every year I go to…. I love Formula 1 – the best one is in
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Monte Carlo. I also like the one in Singapore because it’s at night time. My most memorable holiday was… I fell in love with the Amanpuri in Phuket. But I recently discovered a hotel called D-Maris, between Bodrum and Dalaman in Turkey. They are soon introducing a sea-plane from the Bosphorus in Istanbul to fly you direct. In my drinks cabinet you’ll find… Dom Perignon and Belvedere or Grey Goose vodka. The best meal I have ever had was… Wagyu Kaiseki – Japanese food.
There’s no menu – you get a range of food. Also Robuchon at the Mandarin. And in London I like Nobu. My favourite hotels are… The Four Seasons in Hong Kong. The Mandarin or The Dorchester in London. The watch I wear is… I have a few. Graff, Panerai, Franck Muller, and a gold Rolex which is good for wearing with everything. The next thing on my wishlist is… At the moment I am so contented. Even my yacht is called Happy! Now I just try to keep my children happy.
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INSIDERS
Little Black Book
NICK CANDY British property tycoon Nick is the co-founder of Candy & Candy, which he runs with his brother Christian. One of their most recent projects, the billion-dollar One Hyde Park in London, features apartments that have sold for up to £100 million.
I always look forward to staying at… The One & Only Resorts – especially Reethi Rai in The Maldives where I proposed to my wife last Christmas. For personal grooming I always go to... The Refinery in Harrods for a traditional wet shave. I also like the Daniel Galvin Junior salon in Belgravia, London. The last item of clothing I bought was… A bespoke tuxedo from Dolce & Gabbana for my wedding! I buy my suits from… A combination of Dolce & Gabbana and luxury Mayfair tailors Thom Sweeney, who use the most incredible fabrics and have taken bespoke tailoring to a new level. An event I never miss… My wife Holly and I always attend the Oscars which we look forward to every year as well as Elton John’s White Tie and Tiara Ball in the summer. My most unforgettable holiday was to… I have just returned from my honeymoon in Kenya where we fed giraffes and enjoyed the most incredible safari in Tanzania.
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In my drinks cabinet you’ll always find… Dom Perignon champagne and Ciroc vodka.
A380 are outstanding. I also travel by private jet for short haul journeys in Europe in my own Challenger 605.
I always return to… Mr Chow in Beverly Hills is one of my favourite restaurants, as well as Zuma and Cecconis in London.
The watch I wear is… I am an avid collector of watches including Franck Muller, AP, Rolex, to Bulgari, Boucheron and Hublot.
I usually fly with… British Airways First Class and I think the suites on Singapore Airlines on the
The next thing on my wish list is… A break at Christmas!
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INSIDERS
Jimmy Choo
SHOES BY Jimmy Choo His killer heels are all over the red carpet. Millionaireasia bags an exclusive interview with the man behind the shoe. Words by Grace Lai
P
erhaps it was meant to be. The hands of fate that led to the registrar writing his name down as Choo instead of Chow. Jimmy Chow might not have sounded as ‘right’. Known around the world as the humble shoemaker who now dresses (or shoes) the stars of Hollywood and royalty, Jimmy Choo had the barest of bones workshop back when he first
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started in London in the early ’80s. “Life was really, really tough in the beginning. Nobody wanted to buy my shoes. My handmade shoes were priced at only £50 at that time, Manolo [Blahnik] cost £150! I had to survive with only a small meal each day,” Choo recalls. Humble beginnings “People look at where I am today and say that I am very lucky. They see me at
red carpet Hollywood events, meeting royalty, travelling around the world and think that everything is easy but it wasn’t,” the genial Choo remembers. Born in Penang, Choo learned the trade of making shoes at the feet of his father, also a shoemaker. Crafting his first pair of ‘Choos’ at the age of eleven, Choo always knew that it was his destiny to make shoes. “There is nothing more perfect than a well-made, comfortable
SECTION Jimmy Choo
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Insiders
Jimmy Choo
yet stylish pair of shoes. It is the ultimate touch to a perfect ensemble,” Choo quips. Leaving for London in 1980, Choo arrived in the UK with hopes, dreams and what little he saved from his years of work in Penang to study at Cordwainers College. Now part of the London College of Fashion, one of five colleges that form the University of The Arts, London, Choo has fond, if not modest, memories of his early years in the foreign land. Renting a space in a factory in Liverpool, the younger Choo worked his trade from dawn to dusk alongside
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struggling designers and various artists in the cold, bleak building. “Every day was a struggle. London was cold; there was no heating and not much food or money to spare. We could only work hard and hope that someone [would] see and want our products,” he reminisces. A strong believer in having a good attitude despite the circumstances, the resolute shoemaker hawked his handmade shoes at weekend markets relentlessly. “I still remember the markets at Liverpool Street. I would set up my shoes on a carton box and hope for someone, anyone, to pick them up,” Choo smiles again.
When six months passed and the rent money didn’t appear, Choo sat himself down for some serious reflection. “My parents gave up all their savings just to make sure I realised my dreams. I couldn’t just continue to sit every day, waiting for a chance. I had to do something different. You see, it is not enough to just work hard. You have to work smart,” Choo notes, emphatically. Observing the Saturday markets closely, he noted how cheap sandals were flying off the rack, so to speak. “There were a lot of transactions going on! So it wasn’t that shoes were not saleable. Mine weren’t! Thus I had
My parents gave up all their savings just to make sure I realised my dreams. I couldn’t just continue to sit every day, waiting for a chance. I had to do something different. You see, it is not enough to just work hard. You have to work smart
Above: The new Jimmy Choo Rob Pruitt collection
to adapt and look at my designs and products again.” A meteoric rise With change in mind, Choo began work on his new strategy. Instead of making individual, niche designs and hoping that someone would pick them up, he started crafting shoes with runway models in mind. “The idea started after I began showing my shoes everywhere I could and two ladies came up to me asking that I make shoes for runway designers. I still remember who it was for – Elizabeth Smith. It was the 1986 London Fashion Week and there was a sudden focus on
shoes. Fashion shows were no longer just about the clothes and accessories, people wanted to look at shoes and I was asked to make them,” Choo recalls with more than a little bit of pride. For a paltry £6 per day, Choo set out hand-making eight pairs of shoes everyday for an entire year. However, making shoes for designers, no matter how notable they may be, was not what the ambitious artist had in mind. With lady luck on his side, the diligent young Choo had a chance meeting with a man – revealed only as Bernard – who gave the soon-tobe fashion superstar the opportunity
of a lifetime. “He told me, ‘I’m not about to give you a penny. I’m about to make you famous.’” Choo shares. ‘Bernard’ was the so-called dresser for Vogue magazine and in no time, Choo was roped in and given an eight-page spread in the illustrious magazine. “It was August 1988. Imagine my joy when Vogue called to say they wanted to feature my shoes and gave me eight pages for that! I said yes immediately. But I also learned something very important – I insisted on the shoes carrying my name.” And the rest, as they say, is history.
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INSIDERS
Jimmy Choo
Clockwise from above: The store in Elements Mall, TST; ad campaign for the latest Rob Pruitt collaboration; Jimmy Choo’s couture collection
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Selling the brand Since establishing his couture label in 1986, Choo’s made-to-order designs have included an extensive range of hand-beaded, hand-stitched and personalised shoes ranging from slippers and sandals to mules and boots. Building upon his strong presence in Britain and a growing international reputation, Choo launched his ready-to-wear line with the late Tom Yeardye in 1996. Entrusting Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd, and ‘It girl’ Tamara Mellon specifically, to carry on his hallmark of comfort and elegance to the luxury goods market, Choo sold his share of the ready-to-wear business in November 2001. “I wanted to concentrate on
making customised shoes. I had a large circle of contacts and I wanted to focus on this – to design and give my clients exactly what they want. I also decided it was time to travel more, see the world and spend more time with my family,” he explains of the decision to sell the successful line. The brand was acquired by Tower Brook Capital Partners for £185 million in 2007 where under its ownership, the label expanded overseas and broadened beyond heels to include luxury trainers, handbags, jewellery and perfume. The number of stores worldwide carrying the Penang shoemaker’s name has doubled around the world to 120. Sales in 2010 hit £150 million as the brand rode the boom in demand for luxury items all across Asia. In 2011, Jimmy Choo the brand, changed hands again for an A-list price tag of £500 million. Labelux, the luxury goods group backed by Germany’s Reimann family bought the company for nearly three times the sum paid by its
private equity owners four years before, after outbidding competitors from TPG Capital, Investcorp and US retailer Jones Group. The 2011 deal marks the fourth time Jimmy Choo, whose shoes now cost up to £1,000 per pair, has been sold in fifteen years. The Jimmy Choo business netted sales of £150 million in 2010 and continues yearly growth, in all categories and regions, of more than 10 percent. Present dreams and hopes Today, Choo’s presence is concentrated in two main areas, namely his Connaught Street couture house, where he still actively works with his team in the design and production of bespoke handmade shoes bearing the Jimmy Choo Couture label, and his support for education, as Ambassador for Footwear Education at the London College of Fashion. “I want to see young designers follow in my footsteps. I want them to dream art and design,” Choo says. Asked for advice for budding shoemakers, Choo states simply, “It is important to be skilled in order to become a good designer. A designer should not just be someone who is good at sketching but who is well-versed and knowledgeable in every aspect of the creation – of anything.” Choo’s work in education involves a great deal of teaching and giving talks on the subjects close to his heart. Lauded for his notable efforts in grooming the next generation of artists, Choo was awarded the World Most Outstanding Chinese Designer Award in December 2011 as well as the You Bring Charm To The World Award by Phoenix TV in Beijing for being one of the most influential Chinese personalities in Arts and Culture. “This is my dream – to see our young follow in my footsteps and do even greater than I did.”
I want to see young designers follow in my footsteps. I want them to dream art and design 83
INSIDERS
Collin Scott
BLENDING
IN
C
ollin Scott knows a thing or two about whisky. He’s the master blender for Chivas, who just released the new Brothers’ Blend, a tribute to James and John Chivas. The two founders pioneered the art of blending aged Scotch whiskies in the mid 1800s. Millionaireasia caught up with Collin over a glass of the gold stuff. How did you get into the whisky business? There are no universities where you can learn the art of blending. Fundamentally, you must have a good and sensitive nose that is able to differentiate the many different aromas and flavours found in Scotch whisky. At Chivas Brothers, we have our nose tested every year to ensure that it is of the required standard.
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Talking to Collin Scott, master distiller at Chivas Brothers. Interview by Dominique Afacan
Describe an average day at work. Every week the new spirit from each malt and grain distillery is nosed to ensure its quality and character is up to our standards. We constantly monitor the ageing whiskies as they mature before selecting them for blending at exactly the right time. We understand how a whisky will nose and taste in 12, 18 or 40 years depending on what type of cask it matures in. Before the casks are emptied at the start of the final blending, each one is checked to see if the quality is as expected. For spirit quality the buck stops with the blenders, which is a big responsibility. You’re conscious when looking at a sample that you are the one who has to make the decision. You mustn’t be frightened by it. It’s either yes or no.
Where in the making of whisky is the most flavour ‘made’? The magic of Scotch whisky is that the character and flavour of the spirit is totally unique to each distillery. By law, the new spirit must be matured in oak cask for a minimum of three years, but for Chivas Regal it is for more than twelve years. During this long maturation the spirit reacts with the oak wood and at least 40 percent of the final character of the whisky will have come from the oak cask. This percentage depends on the type, size and quality of the cask and on the number of fills the cask has had. The casks we use are made from two types of oak – the original is European oak which is used to make the butts from the sherry bodegas in Spain. During maturation in these large casks, the new spirit will pick up a dark amber colour, and the character of the spirit will be enhanced with nuances of sweet nuttiness and spiciness. The other type is American White oak, used to make the American oak barrel which has previously matured the Bourbon whiskies in the United States. During maturation in these smaller casks, the new spirit will pick up a golden colour and the character of the spirit will be enhanced with nuances of vanilla sweetness and dry oakiness. Can whisky-making be accelerated as well as enhanced? The natural ingredients and the production processes to make Scotch whisky have remained unchanged for centuries. Today we have very strict laws that define and protect Scotch whisky and even though we use modern technology, Scotch whisky can only be produced in Scotland. The secrets are from time and nature. Why are the Japanese taking so many of the medals in today’s whisky competitions? The first Japanese whisky distillery was built in 1924, and with their traditions for quality Japanese whisky is today well respected and enjoyed by millions all over the world. Although their production and maturation processes may be similar to Scotch whisky, Japanese whisky has its own identity which is different to Scotch whisky. This gives the consumer a choice of two very different types of whisky, but both have exceptional taste experiences. What do you drink to relax? In the blending laboratory where we taste the many whisky samples each day, of course we do not swallow the spirit. Therefore, I thoroughly enjoy a Chivas and water with family and friends as it is very relaxing. I don’t think one will ever tire of Scotch whisky. What’s the best whisky you ever tasted? As Master Blender for Chivas, I have had the fortunate experience of working with an enviable selection of casks of aged whiskies, both malt and grain, that are part of Chivas Brothers extensive inventory. Sampling these casks over the years I have tasted some extremely rare and exceptional whiskies, but a highlight was a real gem from a cask of Strathisla 1949 that was over forty years old. Unforgettable.
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Inspiration
1
Here’s looking at you
R
75 years of the iconic Ray-Ban. ay-Bans are arguably one of the world’s coolest sunglasses brands, with a colourful history and a consistent celebrity following. As the brand celebrates its 75th year, Millionaireasia takes a look back in time. It all began in the 1920s as aviation was advancing, and pilots for the first time started to experience problems caused by high altitude glare from the sun. The US Army turned to Bausch & Lomb Opticals for a new type of protective eyewear and the Ray-Ban was the result. So groovy were these ‘Aviator’ glasses, they were put on sale to the public in 1936 and a commercial brand was born. Aimed at outdoorsy types, the ‘Shooters’ came in 1938, then the
‘Outdoorsman’ for hunting, shooting and fishing enthusiasts. The glasses were vastly improved during WWII for military use from where came that classic shot of General Douglas MacArthur in his Aviators during a beach landing in the Philippines. Then came Hollywood. Bogey and Bacall never went anywhere in California without theirs. In 1952, the ‘Wayfarer’ was launched – with a simple design that was easy to wear. Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Kim Novak all wore Wayfarers in public, giving the brand some powerful – and free – marketing. Even John F. Kennedy wore them to go sailing. By the 1960s, Ray-Ban was the world leader and now had an impressive range of 50 models. The 1970s saw the golfing range (Vagabond and Stateside) and the light-
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Feature Name 2
3
Did you know?
Ray-Ban’s Never Hide ad campaign received a Golden Lion at the Festival of Creativity in Cannes
The Ray-Ban Aviator Folding Ultra is dipped in 22 carat gold
sensitive lens that changed colour with glare conditions. Hollywood was again enamoured with Ray-Ban in the 1980s – the years of The Blues Brothers, Risky Business and Top Gun. A decade later came Men in Black and Bruce Willis in Moonlighting. The noughties have seen a super-successful Optical Collection, the first range for children, and the launch of a new Wayfarer series. So what of 2012? This year marks the 75th anniversary of the brand, with a much hyped ad campaign to mark the occasion. The new Never Hide adverts, one featuring a gay male couple, have garnered much positive press, signalling a brand that knows how to stand out from the crowd. The limited -edition Ray-Ban Aviator Folding Ultra (pictured above) was also created for the 75th anniversary. Dipped in 22 carat gold and featuring hand-stitched leather on the temple tips, they are guaranteed to fly off the shelves when they go on sale in January. www.rayban.com
Previous page: 1. Andy Warhol This page: 2. Aviator Folding Ultra 3. Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe
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InspIratIon
Fashion shoot
dreams
Dangerous liaisons in Kazuo Okada’s exclusive private members lounge
P h o t o g r a P h y Laura Cammarata
P r o d u c t i o n CheryL rodriguez
S t y l i n g VeroniCa Li
hair and makeup: VaiVa pauLauskaite modeLs: Louis B @modeL genesis with Lena s @modeL management hong kong produCtion assistant: reBeCCa hardman LoCation: speCiaL thanks to k.o. dining group
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Section
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Lena dress and earrings: Bottega Veneta Shoes: giuseppe Zanotti design Louis Ermenegildo Zegna
IntervIew Jordan Belford
Suit and shirt: Salvatore Ferragamo tie and scarf: dunhill
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Section
Feature name
Lena dress: Salvatore Ferragamo lingerie: la Perla necklace: Escada Shoes: rupert Sanderson Louis Suit: Bottega Veneta Shirt and scarf: dunhill cufflinks and belt: Ermenegildo Zegna Sunglasses: thierry lasry Shoes: Bally
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Lena dress and shoes: Bally Belt: Escada Louis Suit and shirt: Ermenegildo Zegna Pocket square: dunhill tie: Fendi Shoes: Bottega Veneta
trenchcoat: costume national Pants: Bally hat: Stylist’s own Shoes: Fendi
“Being perfectly well-dressed gives one a tranquility that no religion can bestow� Ralph Waldo Emerson
IntervIew Jordan Belford
dress: Sass & Bide gloves: Escada Belt: giuseppe Zanotti design Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo
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Lena Maxi dress and belt: Escada Earrings: Bottega Veneta Shoes: rupert Sanderson Louis leather jacket and shoes: Bottega Veneta Sweater, suit and scarf: gucci
INSPIRATION
Private Kitchens
Kitchen
creatives Words by Michele Koh Morollo Image plays a big part in the mystique of the private kitchen, so it’s interesting to note that many are helmed by former advertising professionals who are well versed in consumer psychology.
This page: Yin Yang restaurant Opposite: Margaret Xu
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INSPIRATION INSPIRATION Private Kitchens Gastronomy
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INSPIRATION
Private Kitchens
A
distinctly Hong Kong-style F&B phenomenon, private kitchens are, from a business standpoint, an ingenious concept: open your own restaurant but circumvent the costs of licensing fees, high commercial rents, and advertising while catering to a regular clientele of discerning guests. From 1997 to 2005, the Asian economic crisis and SARS led to a downturn that saw many professionals being laid off. While some of the unemployed lived off their savings or took a step down in their careers, a handful of brave souls saw these dark times as an opportunity to follow their dreams of being restaurateurs. These enterprising few transformed their homes into places where strangers could come and pay for a good meal, and thus the private kitchen was born. In the interest of keeping the economy going, the Hong Kong government kept one eye shut and allowed these home-run restaurants to continue operating without red tape. Often housed in non-descript residential units, warehouses and office spaces, private kitchens are almost never found on street level – which is prime commercial real estate, and the main pull is their individuality and uniqueness. Today, the best private kitchens have a cult following of sorts, and food lovers in the know are their best marketing tools. Because they do not advertise, you only really hear about them by word of mouth. But even without marketing, business booms for the cream of the crop, and to get a table, you’ll need to make reservations months in advance. Ying Yang, Fa Zu Jie and Xi Yan are three of the most successful private kitchens in Hong Kong and rather uncannily,
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The creative process involved in making a dish is very similar to coming up with an advertising campaign their captains all hail from the advertising industry. Margaret Xu, Ying Yang’s owner and chef, was a creative director at JW, BBDO, then Batey Ads before she opened her own creative consultancy called 2 Way Street. In 2003, she purchased a farmhouse in the New Territories and opened it to select guests who would come to feast on her delectable dishes made with traditional cooking tools like charcoal cookers and stone rice grinders. At the same time, she opened up a space in a design studio in Sheung Wan called Cuisine X, which functioned as a private kitchen and a takeaway eatery. Cuisine X did so well, that Xu had to relocate to a unit in
INSPIRATION Private Kitchens
Opposite: The dining room at Fa Zu Jie This page: Founders of Fa Zu JIe
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Inspiration
Private Kitchens
Above: Ricky Yu Opposite: Xi Yan
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Inspiration Private Kitchens
‘discovery’ and an intriguing dining experience,” says Xu. Owner and chef at Fa Zu Jie, Paul Hui was an executive creative director at Ogilvy & Mather before he opened up a chic minimalist private kitchen tucked away in an alley off D’Aguilar Street in Lan Kwai Fong in 2010. Thanks to its “hidden” location and very intimate and cosy atmosphere, Fa Zu Jie has already been profiled a fair bit by the mainstream media, and has a regular clientele that includes visitors from overseas who make reservations each time they come to Hong Kong. “In advertising, we always use a restaurant as an analogy for
As a graphic designer and as a chef, I have to constantly observe the market, analyse, absorb and create
a heritage building in Wan Chai, which she transformed into Ying Yang, a 30-seat private kitchen where her dishes – like roast baby pig with organic marmalade and chicken roasted in terracotta urn – have stuck to the lips of gourmands and the fingertips of food bloggers around the world. “The creative process involved in making a dish is very similar to coming up with an advertising campaign at the drawing board. However, the rewards of cooking are far more exciting because you get real time response and feedback. Funnily enough, I have never properly advertised or marketed my restaurant. I think it’s too unromantic and off-strategy to promote a private kitchen in conventional ways. It sells by word of mouth. People love telling their friends about their private kitchen experience, so every single client could be your sales person. What private kitchens promise is the concept of
an ad agency, with the creative department as the metaphoric kitchen. So indeed the world of F&B and advertising share a lot of similarities. Creatives are always striving for perfection, which is useful when it comes to developing a concept for a restaurant,” says Hui. He says that while in advertising, visibility is everything, for private kitchens, being unseen and hidden is paradoxically the hook. Xi Yan, a pioneer in the private dining market was born in 2000, when Jacky Yu, a former graphic designer with Zip Advertising Company Ltd. quit his job and opened a three table private kitchen at his studio workshop. His famous dishes like braised pork belly and mushroom in thick bean curd have won various industry awards, and Xi Yan was so well received that Yu opened a branch in Singapore in 2005, three regular à la carte restaurants in Hong Kong from 2005 to 2009, and will be opening another private dining restaurant in Shanghai soon. “Graphic designing and cooking may appear to be totally different, however, there are many commonalities. Both as a graphic designer and as a chef, I have to constantly observe the market, analyse, absorb and create. My background in graphic design certainly helps me cook. A dish is like a consumer product. Ultimately, you want it to sell. I have to understand what my customers want and know the market trends in order to design a dish that will be accepted, desired and loved,” Yu explains of the process. “When diners seek out a private kitchen, they are looking to ‘buy’ a new experience and a powerful memory,” says Hui who believes while private kitchens will likely remain a niche market, they will also become a trademark of the Hong Kong dining scene.
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Inspiration Smooth Sailing
SMOOTH SAILING A buying guide for boating virgins Words by Ryan Swift
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INSPIRATION
Smooth Sailing
Y
achts portray a lifestyle of fun in the sun, parties, prestige and wealth. But for the first time buyer, a boat show or showroom can be a confusing place, where sellers seem to have the edge on bewildered buyers. Which yacht should I buy? Which one is right for me? These can be tough questions when you’re getting ready to spend HK$5 million, or much more, on a plaything. But with a few pertinent questions, your money will be spent well, and the result will be a lot of fun.
Why do I want it?
The first big question to ask is one for yourself: what do you want to do with your yacht? It may seem easy at first, but consider this question carefully. Do you fancy spending time with your family cruising in remote locations? Or do you just want to use your yacht for the day, near the marina, and be back at night? Do you wish to be close to shore or out at sea? Or perhaps you wish to entertain some clients in luxury. Once you figure out what it is that you want from your new yacht, you’ll be a big step forward towards making the right choice. It’s as simple as that.
Sail or power?
The biggest divide between recreational boaters of all sizes is the question of power or sail. For first time boaters, the easiest choice is power. You turn the key (or in many cases, push the button) and the engines start. With a sailing yacht, you have a lot of extra equipment and reduced amount of space onboard. And while a sailboat looks pretty in the breeze, there is usually a line to pull or a winch to tighten. But for some people (about one in four boat buyers) there is simply no other way to be on the water. The joys of cruising along, with only the sound of the wind in your sails (and some choice music on the AV system), is what matters most. The best
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For first timers, a boat show can be a confusing place, where sellers seem to have the edge on bewildered buyers
Left, main: Azimut Inset: Baia 100 Above: Maltese Falcon
way to find out if sailing is right for you is take an adult basic sailing course from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club or the Aberdeen Boat Club. No membership is required: just book your time. Once you get started, you’ll know almost right away if sailing is right for you. If not…
How big do you want it?
It sounds too obvious. “As big as possible, of course!” But consider this: as a rule of thumb, a yacht over 50 feet in length will most certainly need crew. In fact, most first time buyers would probably feel a bit shaky trying to pilot a yacht over 40 feet in length. In Hong Kong, the standard pleasure vessel license runs for yachts up to 15 metres (approximately 45 feet). Getting crew for a bigger boat raises the price of maintaining your yacht substantially. Also, the cost of the boat goes up dramatically, for a 60-foot boat isn’t just 20 feet longer than a 40-footer, it’s also much bigger in volume, which means a lot more fuel burned, a lot more hull to clean, and so on.
How fast do you want to go?
If you only plan to go short distances – perhaps to the Ninepin Islands for the day – then you may want some speed to go with your yacht. In this, you have plenty of choices. Italian builders
in particular favour speed and sleek styling. There are yachts that are equipped with surface drive engines that whisk yachts as big as 35 metres up to 50 knots, which is very fast on the water. Just remember that going fast means burning a lot of fuel. And remember to look around for handholds, because when you are moving at speed, a little wave can be a big jolt onboard.
How far do you want to go?
For some, the thought of some adventure and exploration is more alluring than all-out speed. Visiting some islands, spending the night and waking up with your family may sound like just the ticket to enjoying your wealth and freedom. For this, you may want to look into a type of yacht known as the passagemaker. These are boats that are designed for longrange cruising, and while they are not sleek looking, you have much more space on-board with a lot more storage capacity. The visibility from the helm station is much better and you’ll need it when navigating between islands. When looking at passagemaking yachts, keep an eye on how much storage is available for clothes, equipment and food. How well can you see from the helm station in all directions? And is there plenty of space in the engine room? You may need to get in there to solve a problem. Small engine room spaces are tough to work in, and can even add to the cost of maintenance.
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INSPIRATION
Smooth Sailing
Above: Art of Kinetic Inset: Baia 100
indefinitely. Be sure to see if the yacht you are buying is CE certified if it’s a European built boat.
But what if money is no object?
From 100 feet up, you have a mind-boggling array of options How much will I pay?
There’s an familiar phrase when it comes to buying a yacht: “If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it.” That is certainly true at the superyacht stage, but if you’re looking for a boat less than 80 feet, cost is a big consideration. Bigger boats cost more of course, but when you are comparing prices, be sure to look at the options list. Most yachts are priced without options, yet they may not be much of a yacht without those options. And for some yachts, the options can be as much as 25 percent more than the basic price. And never forget the maintenance costs, which are usually estimated at between 5 and 15 percent of the purchase price of the boat per year. That can include everything from fuel to crew to berthing. When making comparisons, be sure to compare like for like. And while there may be discounts on offer, you do get what you pay for. A boat needs to be built properly, and that means the yard cannot just lower the prices
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Let’s say you want something really big and cost and crewing are non-issues. Congratulations, you are in the superyacht world! From 100 feet and up, you have a mind-boggling array of options. Builders tend to offer semi-custom or custom yachts. Semi-custom refers to a yacht where the hull and engineering is largely the same, but the interiors and superstructure can be re-tailored. Custom means there are no other yachts like it. In this range, the builders tend to be from the Netherlands or Germany, plus a few in Italy. The yachts are mostly built in aluminium and steel, not fibreglass. And the rule of thumb about cost is roughly €1,000,000/metre. But in this category, you can have Jacuzzis on several decks, helipads, infinity pools, a private cinema, a beach club at the back with jet skis and tenders, and all to your design. Most of these yachts are built to travel thousands of miles and can cross oceans. Owners turn up and spend weeks aboard, with an office usually located next to the master cabin that’s linked up to the world by satellite connection. At this level, your primary concerns are legalities and construction management. Expect to hire a project manager or a personal representative to handle your dealings with the yard. A custom project can take up to four years, from design stage to final delivery. Some of the semi-custom builders will have several projects in various states of build that can be delivered in 18 months or less, but with fewer changes. The world’s major brokers can help you find a project to your liking, but be sure to assemble a team of experts that includes an owner’s representative, a project manager, a legal expert, a yacht captain and even engineers. These projects can become enormously complicated and you may not have the time to deal with it all.
BOAT SHOW DIARY
Above: Cannes Boat Show
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here are a number of ways to get started in yacht buying, but by far the most hands-on is visiting one of the world’s major boat shows. These shows offer a lot of possible choices, but you can easily become overwhelmed – there are hundreds of models to choose from at each of these events. Rather than just going to the show, figure out what kind of boat you want first, and visit some local dealers in Hong Kong to see what they have. If you let them know that you’ll be visiting a show, they may choose to go with you to explore all the models available, as many won’t be available for viewing in Hong Kong. SANCTUARY COVE INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW Next Dates: May 23-26, 2013 Sanctuary Cove, Gold Coast, Australia Australia is one of the world’s great boating nations, and the Sanctuary Cove show is the main
showpiece for Australia’s big names in fishing yachts, sportboats, sailboats and catamarans. Though some large yachts are on display, this is much more an owner/operator’s show. Several Taiwanese builders have begun to display their latest creations here as well. FESTIVAL DE LA PLAISANCE CANNES (CANNES BOAT SHOW) Next dates: September 10-15, 2013 Cannes, France This is the premiere show for yachts up to 30 metres in the Mediterranean. Here in the ‘Vieux Port’ you’ll find models from all the European builders, particularly those of France, Italy and Turkey, with a huge exhibition for sailing yachts and catamarans. This is a show about fun in the sun, and with hundreds of models on display, particularly in the high speed, open style.
SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW Next Dates: September 13-22, 2013 Southampton, UK The United Kingdom is home to the world’s first yachting culture and the Southampton show is the pinnacle for UK builders such as Sunseeker, Princess, Sealine, Fairline and more. All are heavily represented in Asia. There are also numerous brands in topclass blue water sailing yachts from Oyster and Southerly on display. This is a show for those who appreciate cooler weather and stronger breezes to go with their boating. MONACO YACHT SHOW Next Dates: September 25-28, 2013 Port Hercule, Monaco If the superyacht is what you have in mind, this is the event for you. Anything less than 100 feet is not allowed (except in the Tenders and Toys category). You’ll find superyachts for sale in rows, exhibited by brokers. The
world’s top naval architects and superyacht designers are on hand ready to discuss potential projects. There’s a huge array of goods for the interior, ranging from custom linens to AV systems that turn karaoke rooms into light shows. FORT LAUDERDALE BOAT SHOW Next Dates: October 31-Nov 4, 2013 Fort Lauderdale, USA There are numerous boat shows in the United States – nearly every city over 100,000 has one. But the capital of yachting in the US is Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and it is here that one can find the best from American builders who are often absent from the Asian market. Conversely, there are plenty of brands from Taiwanese builders such as Horizon that make Fort Lauderdale their principal show. A good starting point for the those looking for passagemakers.
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Inspiration
Boatbuilding in Asia
Home and Dry
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The emergence of yacht-building in Asia t might surprise boat buyers in Asia that there’s quite a big yacht-building scene going on right in their backyard. Taiwan has emerged as one of the world’s top yacht-building nations worldwide. In the middle of the yachting boom which carried on through the Great Recession, Taiwan was ranked 5th worldwide in terms of the number of feet of superyacht launched by nation, while its many builders have done OEM work for well-known brands in the United States, such as Nordhavn and Hatteras. In recent years, Taiwanese builders have moved beyond this type of work to start building their own brand names. Companies such as Horizon Yachts have become very well known worldwide, with over 300 VIP guests, dealers and engineers celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary in a gala ceremony that was held at the company’s main shipyard in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in June. The Taiwanese, particularly in the south of the island, have developed a yacht-building tradition that resembles the family-based networks of contractors and suppliers that one finds in northern Italy. Builders such as Tayana, which specialise in sailing yachts for the cruising market in the US, will rely on well-known contractors for stainless steel work that are just down the road, for example. Most smaller yards are still run this way. Meanwhile, the larger yards, such as Ocean Alexander and Kha Shing (whose yachts sell under the
own-brand name of Monte Fino) have expanded their facilities to do everything in-house. Ocean Alexander is currently working on a new 120-footer featuring the design of Evan K Marshall, a US naval architect who is highly sought-after by the superyacht industry globally. Kha Shing is currently working on a super energy-efficient yacht called Echo, designed by Rob Humphreys, a major name in yacht design. This 85-foot yacht is expected to have a maximum cruising range of over 2700 nautical miles on a single tank of gas – letting owners drive from Hong Kong to Phuket in one go. Taiwan’s yacht builders initially focused almost exclusively on the US market. Most began life in the 1970s, building cheaply made sailing yachts for US soldiers stationed there. Since then, the Taiwanese have gone on to develop yachts for buyers in Australia and Europe and have rapidly expanded their facilities as well as their ambitions. By 2007, several yacht builders had even set up operations in China’s Fujian or Guangdong province, putting their experience to work in numerous yards while maintaining their supply connections with Taiwan. Thanks in part to Taiwanese, as well as US and European boat builders, there is a particularly large concentration of yacht building going on in Guangdong province. Numerous builders have gathered in an industrial park near Zhuhai.
There is a particularly large concentration of yacht building going on in Guangzhou province
Main image: Superyacht Adastra under construction in McConaghy yard Zhuhai China
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Among them, IAG Yachts, which, after a rocky beginning, has just announced the sale of its third project, a 140-footer. Nisi Yachts, a US firm whose production is in Zhuhai, has been developing a stately cruiser series that yields plenty of luxurious surroundings and boasts excellent performance standards. McConaghy Boats, a huge name in Australia for large, ultra-high performance sailing yachts, has been consistently building up its workforce in the ways of high-tech construction techniques, and recently launched the Adastra, a futuristic trimaran designed to travel long distances. This yacht was built for a Hong Kong-based expat businessman, who intends to cruise Southeast Asia in his Asian-built boat. While most builders in Taiwan, and then China, took aim at the US market principally, the recent recession has forced a rethink. Now, many of these builders are seeing greater opportunities in Asia. Horzion Yachts has sold three superyachts within Asia in the last two years, while most
builders mentioned here can now be found at Asian shows, such as the Hainan RendezVous or the Hong Kong Gold Coast Boat Show. On the question of price and quality, Asian-made yachts are certainly cheaper, but only by a degree. A China-built boat can be 20 to 30 percent cheaper than its Italian equivalent, but pricing any lower puts quality at risk. Labour prices in China have offered big incentives to builders to set up shop, but recent wage increases along with the difficulty of training staff and getting resources can quickly erode any advantage. Taiwanese builders tend to know this much better and have spent years getting their products to the exacting standards that luxury buyers expect. Their yachts are often priced much closer to Western competition. The good news for Asian buyers looking at Asian builders is that they can expect better quality and more inventiveness than ever before, whilst having easier access to the yard for maintenance and inspection.
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INSPIRATION
Golfing
World’s Best
G LF COURSES Millionaireasia seeks the opinions of six golfing heroes Compiled by John Higginson
Rory McIlroy Best Course: Old Course, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland Because: “It’s the home of golf. It’s just got a different feel to it. As a course, I feel it plays so differently from one day to the next. You play golf courses around the world that are so similar, but at St Andrews you have holes playing across one another, holes sharing greens and so on. It’s just so different.” Par: 72 Length: 7,305 yards Opened: 1552 Just 23 years old, Rory McIlroy is golf’s hottest property after a stunning year during which he became the youngest world number one since Tiger Woods, won his second Major by eight strokes at the PGA Championship in August and recorded four PGA Tour wins. In late October, McIlroy competed at the BMW Masters in Shanghai and the Duel at Jinsha Lake in Zhengzhou, a unique 18hole showdown against Woods.
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As well as being the esteemed ‘Home of Golf’ and boasting a history that helps chart the game’s development, the Old Course at St Andrews retains an appealing and original design. The course’s unusual layout has evolved over more than 500 years, since 1552, when the public was granted the right to play on the links. As McIlroy attests, the Old Course’s unique design features include seven large ‘double greens’, which are each shared by two holes. Only the first, ninth, 17th and 18th greens have their own greens. The Old Course has a wide range of iconic features, including the Road Hole Bunker on 17 and Swilcan Bridge on 18, the scene of many historic golfing moments as players cross it on their way to victory – or emotionally wave goodbye, such as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus did during their final Opens in 1995 and 2005 respectively.
Tiger Woods Best Course: Old Course, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland Because: “Simple. It’s St Andrews. It’s the home of golf. Just everything about it.” Par: 72 Length: 7,305 yards Opened: 1552 Tiger Woods, a three-time winner this year, has been the world’s most famous golfer since he won the 1997 Masters Tournament by a record 12 strokes as a 21-year-old. One of the most famous sportsmen of all time, the American has won a staggering 14 Major titles – putting him behind only Jack Nicklaus (18) – been PGA Player of the Year 10 times and held the world number one position for a record 623 weeks. Woods is renowned for his game, but the American also has a deep understanding of golf’s history and his choice of the Old Course – where he won
The Open in 2000 and 2005 – echoes that of another golfing legend, Bobby Jones. When Jones first played St Andrews, in the 1921 Open Championship, he infamously walked off the Old Course in the third round after four fruitless attempts to play his ball out of a bunker on the 11th hole. In 1927, when The Open returned to St Andrews, Jones also returned – and won by six strokes. For the rest of his life, Jones’s appreciation for the Old Course grew, and later in his life he was quoted as saying: “If I had to select one course upon which to play the match of my life, I should have selected the Old Course.” In 1958, the town of St Andrews gave Jones the key to the city, after which he remarked, “I could take out of my life everything but my experiences here in St Andrews and I would still have had a rich and full life.”
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INSPIRATION
Golfing
Webb Simpson Best Course: Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia, USA Because: “I think Augusta is the world’s best course because of all its history. Simple as that.” Par: 72 Length:7,435 yards Opened: 1933 Still only 27, Webb Simpson is one of the world’s top players and confirmed that on the big stage with his victory in this year’s US Open, the year’s second Major. Simpson finished second on last year’s PGA Tour money list after winning the Wyndham Championship and Deutsche Bank Championship and recording three runner-up finishes, while he also finished second in the FedEx Cup standings. Augusta National Golf Club is renowned the world over as host of the Masters Tournament each April, marking the first Major of the year. Located in Georgia, the club’s
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picturesque 18-hole layout is set on the site of the former Fruitland Nurseries and is renowned for its lush greenery punctuated by the pink, red and white of azaleas in spring. The legendary Bobby Jones cofounded the private club with Clifford Roberts and teamed up with Alister MacKenzie to design the course, which was formally opened in January 1933. Since 1934, the club has hosted the Masters, the only Major to be played at the same course each year. The course’s many challenges include its lightning fast greens – comparable to putting on concrete – and the sequence of holes 11, 12 and 13 known as ‘Amen Corner’. ‘Rae’s Creek’ also flows through this famous trio of holes. Each of the course’s 18 holes is named after a tree, shrub or flower, and even the 300-metre Magnolia Lane leading up the club is renowned.
Lee Westwood Best Course: Pebble Beach Golf Links, California, USA Because: “Pebble Beach has everything. It’s just a great all-round test for a golfer, it has incredible scenery and hosts big tournaments.” Par: 72 Length: 6,828 yards Opened: 1919 Lee Westwood deposed Tiger Woods as world number one in October 2010 and held the top spot until the following February, enjoying another month at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking from late April 2011. For long Europe’s top golfer, Westwood has won almost 40
times around the world and is regarded as the best golfer never to have won a Major. Hugging the California coastline, Pebble Beach Golf Links is arguably the second most famous golf course in the US, after Augusta National Golf Club. The public course has hosted five US Opens, including 2010 and 2000 when Woods produced one of golf’s greatest performances to win by 15 strokes. Since 1919, Pebble Beach’s beauty and unique challenges have enthralled both golfers and spectators. Designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant, the course chases the rugged coastline, providing wide-open vistas, cliffside
fairways and sloping greens. Lee Westwood has an ally in Jack Nicklaus. “If I had only one more round to play, I would choose to play it at Pebble Beach,” Nicklaus has said.
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INSPIRATION
Golfing
Justin Rose Best Course: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Long Island, New York, USA Because: “I really like Shinnecock Hills because it’s like links golf, but has great weather, unlike in Britain. I like this and other courses in the northeast of the US.” Par: 70 Length: 6,821 yards Opened: 1891 Justin Rose soared to world number five by mid-October after a season that included victory in the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship and a runner-up finish in the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship. The Englishman helped Europe complete a remarkable comeback victory in the Ryder Cup in late September and a week later won the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final. Justin Rose sums up well the appeal of Shinnecock Hills – the traditional, open challenges of links golf, but without the strong threat of wet weather associated with Britain, the home of links golf. Formed in 1891 in Southampton on Long Island, the club is reputed to be the oldest organised golf club in the US, the first to admit female members, which it has since its foundation, and to have the oldest golf clubhouse (1892). After hosting the second US Open in 1896, the club next hosted it 90 years later and twice since. Due to its tight design and strangling rough, only winner Ray Floyd bettered par at the 1986 US Open. Corey Pavin won in 1995 with even par, while champion Retief Goosen and runner-up Phil Mickelson were the only players in red figures in 2004. The club is scheduled to host the tournament for the fifth time in 2019.
I really like Shinnecock Hills because it’s like links golf, but has great weather, unlike in Britain 118
Liang Wenchong Best Course: Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club, China Because: “Chung Shan was the start of my career, the first golf course I played, and is still my home course. As a professional golfer, I’ve played many golf tournaments including Major championships, but I still feel my home course is the best.” Par: 71/72 Length: 6,484/6,995 yards Opened: 1984 Liang Wenchong re-asserted himself as one of Asia’s top players in midOctober by winning OneAsia’s US$1 million Nanshan China Masters, holding off Major winners YE Yang and Louis Oosthuizen. In 2007, Liang became the second Chinese player to win on the
European Tour and topped the Asian Tour Order of Merit, while in 2010 he won the OneAsia Order of Merit and set a courserecord 64 at Whistling Straits during the PGA Championship. Opened in 1984, Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club is mainland China’s first golf club of the modern era, at the forefront of a boom that has resulted in over 600 courses across the country. The club is located south of Zhengzhou city in Guangdong province. Arnold Palmer designed the original 18-hole layout that winds through rolling hills. Jack Nicklaus designed the second course, which opened in 1993. Built on an 80-hectare site east of the Palmer course, the Nicklaus layout is widely regarded as one of China’s finest. As well as fostering
the likes of Liang, Chung Shan continues to be at the forefront of promoting and developing golf in China.
Note: In player statistics, World Ranking was based on the Official World Golf Ranking as of October 14, 2012, and Career Wins was sourced from PGATour.com as of October 14, 2012.
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INSPIRATION
The Hot Ten
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THE HOT This season’s most covetable consumables
ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM Back with a cool and contemporary twist, the new Phantom Series II has just debuted in Hong Kong. Proving that the best can indeed get better, the car boasts cutting edge technology, a new 8-speed gearbox and an impressive 8.8-inch control centre display.
Price upon request www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
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INSPIRATION
The Hot Ten
david morris earrings Give the ultimate Christmas gift with these stunning diamond and sapphire earrings from London jeweller, David Morris. His jewellery has appeared in multiple James Bond films and is a favourite of the British monarchy.
HK$2,300,000 www.davidmorris.com
aston martin dinner set ‘Silver by Aston Martin’ is a new exclusive silverware collection designed by Grant Macdonald, a highly esteemed UK-based silversmith. Inspired by the elegance and craftsmanship that is built into every Aston Martin, the dining set fuses high-end technology and traditional craftsmanship – with delicious results.
HK$125,000 www.grantmacdonald.com
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INSPIRATION
The Hot Ten
DIAMOND USB KEY Geneva-based Shawish Jewellery have created a gem-encrusted USB key. It holds 32GB of data and is said to be the most expensive USB in the world.
HK$300,000 www.shawish-jewellery.com
HARRY WINSTON WATCH The Rendez-Vous watch has been made completely by hand, taking around 1,500 hours. Designed in platinum, it features an impressive 84 carats. The watch can be revealed by removing the pivoting cover, crowned with pear-cut diamonds.
HK$16,848,000 www.harrywinston.com
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INSPIRATION
The Hot Ten
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BRONZE SPEAKERS Fusing the ancient art of bellfounding with state-of-the-art acoustic technology, the D&W Aural Pleasure speaker is a unique loudspeaker with casting by a British foundry specialising in fine art sculpture.
HK$490,000 www.hartaudio.com
PLATINUM CUFFLINKS These solid platinum cufflinks are a special edition from Bernardo & Co, made in a limited quantity each year. Adorned with a diamond in the firing pin and the point tip.
HK$240,000 www.bernardoandco.com
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INSPIRATION
The Hot Ten
GOLD CHESS SET Geoffrey Parker has been handmaking games since 1958, and this model is a re-introduction of the 1960s classic that was recreated for Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee. Created in solid gold, it is thought to be the most expensive chess set in the world.
HK$615,000 www.geoffreyparker.com
VEUVE FUSION TABLE Belgian brand Fusiontables recently partnered with French champagne house Veuve Cliquot to design this dining table that can be transformed into a billiard table. Only 99 will be made.
HK$138,000 www.fusiontables.com
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AUDEMARS PIGUET WATCH Limited to just 100 pieces, the platinum version of the Royal Oak Offshore Michael Schumacher watch features five red stars between the 12 o’clock and 1 o’clock positions, representing championships with the Ferrari racing team.
HK$850,000 www.audemarspiguet.com
Inspiration
Yacht Charter
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Chartered What better way to discover what you like and don’t like about a boat than by spending a week on board? Words by Ryan Swift
Main image: Phang-Nga Bay , Phuket
INSPIRATION
Yacht Charter
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orget checking into an exclusive hotel or jetting off on yet another 12 hour flight. Chartering a yacht is an experience that cannot be replicated. Whether you charter a yacht where you are the captain and the kids are the crew – or you go all out on a superyacht with a captain and crew ready to serve you, the world is your oyster.
THE DIY ROUTE For some, being at the wheel is the best part of being on a boat. For so-called bareboat charters (where there are no crew at all), the biggest choice is destination. Sunsail and The Moorings are companies that specialise in such bareboat chartering, and you can get a mid-range sailing yacht from 35 feet up to about 50 feet quite easily. Both companies operate a major charter operation out of Phuket, letting their clients choose from a selection of family-friendly cruising yachts that can be comfortably used to spend a week or more exploring the quieter spots in Phang Nga Bay. For those wondering if their skills are up to the standard needed for being your own captain, both companies can guide you through a questionnaire designed to let you know what’s required. The Moorings and Sunsail, both owned by TUI Marine, also have bases in Koh Chang and Koh Samui, letting guests explore the Gulf of Thailand, and Langkawi, an archipelago well-known for its private beaches and bays. Week-long charters on yachts from 38 feet start at US$5,000 (HK$39,000).
CREWED CHARTER In the mid-range, there are several local agencies that can help match charter parties and their requests with available yachts. Often, the agency will get the request for a yacht with specific
requirements, plus the number of people on board and leave it at that, letting the charter agency work out the details. For those wanting a captain and crew in the mid-range (50 to 80 feet), there are several agencies that have been operating in Asia for years and can help create memorable experiences throughout the Indo-Malayan archipelago. Simpson Marine (www.simpsonmarine.com) operates charters out of Singapore and Port Dickson (near Kuala Lumpur), and has years of experience with several yachts in their portfolio. One of their most popular charter yachts is the Lagoon 620, which offers accommodation for up to eight people and is perfect for exploring bays and inlets in Thailand or Malaysia. Asia Marine (www.asia-marine.net) out of Phuket can help make arrangements with crewed charter boats up to 120 feet in size. Northrop & Johnson (www.yachtcharter-asia.com) is a large, international agency for chartering and brokering the sale of yachts, and is the first to have a dedicated presence in Asia, with offices in Hong Kong and Singapore. They have established a charter service based out of Phuket that can help locate motoryachts and superyachts in Asia.
SUPERYACHTS AVAILABLE IN ASIA For the ultimate in service and luxurious pampering whilst visiting some far-flung island, nothing beats a superyacht charter. For a week or more, you can enjoy five-star service and five-star luxury, in the most primitive, untouched places. Southeast Asia has her share of reliable and popular superyachts available to let you explore in style.
Moecca
This catamaran superyacht is a mainstay of luxury charter, and comes equipped with water jet propulsion, and thanks to her design, all accommodation is above water, giving all her guests good views when they wake up in the morning. Moecca was built for charter, with evenly spaced out guest accommodation and plenty of on-water toys for fun in the sun, plus scuba gear for underwater entertainment. Moecca is normally based in the Andaman Sea, with charters in the Maldives, Andaman Islands and Phuket all available. www.fraseryachts.com
Big Fish
Purpose built for charter, Big Fish is the brainchild of a Hong Kong-based businessman who wanted a yacht that was fun to be on and great for exploration. The yacht was launched in New Zealand two years ago to huge interest and since then it has gone around the world, exploring Tahiti, Antarctica, the Galapagos, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. She is
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Above: Twizzle. Opposite: Maverick II.
now getting a refit and will soon be available for charters in Southeast Asia. Two of her VIP cabins can be split into four ensuite cabins to allow more flexibility with guest numbers. Huge windows allow better views of the sea, while her aft decks fold down to create a beach club on the sea. Her tender has a range of up to 300 nautical miles. www.ycoyacht.com
Noble House
For those wanting some South Pacific fun, try Noble House, a superyacht with many years of service as a dependable charter boat. Her captain has been with the yacht for many years and knows her and the islands well. Her interiors are sumptuous and classic, while her top deck has a fantastic sundeck that features an enormous wet bar service and Jacuzzi. In addition to the wide range of tenders and toys available on Noble House, guests can choose to include an eight-metre sport fishing boat to
come along, giving anglers plenty of opportunities to flex their fishing muscles. www.burgessyachts.com
Silolona
Silolona remains the best and most classic example of the Phinisi yacht charter experience. Phinisi boats are constructed of solid wood in Indonesia by skilled craftsmen, often with a hint of Portuguese influence in terms of their looks and design. Silolona, whose name refers to an Indonesian goddess, doesn’t have the level of refinement that you’d find on a traditional superyacht, but the experience has been tailor-made to introduce Indonesian culture. Each room is solid wood and the experience of being at anchor and hearing the gentle creak of the timbers is remarkable. American-born owner/operator Patti Seery is clearly in love with all things Indonesian, and she and her crew know the islands to an extraordinary degree. www.silolona.com
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INSPIRATION
Yacht Charter
Fiji and the South Pacific Islands are popular places for exploration Maverick 2
A stalwart of chartering on the Andaman Sea, Maverick 2 is run by a very experienced captain and crew that know where to drop anchor for some fun. The toys list on Maverick 2 even includes a set of Sunfish dinghies to give kids a chance to learn some sailing while on vacation – giving adults a chance to enjoy the huge lounge and bar area. www.burgessyachts.com
Twizzle
Expected to arrive in the Indian Ocean this autumn and available for charter for a limited time is the superyacht Twizzle, probably one of the finest sailing yachts ever launched. Twizzle was built by legendary yard Royal Huisman of The Netherlands, and features fantastic sailing performance. Twin 21-foot Castoldi jet tenders can quickly get guests to their desired spot on shore or for scuba. Twizzle comes with a Laser dinghy for those wanting some small-scale sailing, while the chef, Oliver McKeown, has worked on numerous superyachts and in Michelin-starred restaurants. Twizzle is expected to cruise through Southeast Asia and onto the South Pacific. www.burgessyachts.com
THINGS TO CONSIDER Costs: Be careful to check on rates and see what’s included
and what’s not. Most listings for superyacht rates are weekly, and that usually doesn’t include the price of fuel. Are there extra taxes involved? What toys are available and is there an extra charge for usage or arrangement? Are food and beverage costs included? After a few days on board, people will want to do more than just sit on the aft-deck. Also, you may want a particular superyacht to meet you in a specified location, but if there’s some distance involved, there may be delivery surcharges.
Crew: Ask your charter agency about the crew quarters of
the yacht, how long the captain has been onboard and so on. One of the keys to a great charter experience is the crew. If they are keen to do the job in a professional way, then the results will speak for themselves in terms of better service. It also means that the equipment will be well maintained and looked after.
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Above: Noble House in Fiji
Accommodation: How many people do you have in your
charter party? Will some members of the party feel left out with smaller cabins? Is there much flexibility with accommodation on board? Most superyachts these days come equipped with satellite communications, letting the business-oriented folks stay up-todate while they are away.
Destinations: There are several popular locations for yacht charter in Asia, and all offer plenty of scope to explore and discover. The Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar has long been a popular spot to explore for untouched seascapes and traditional Buddhist culture. The Andaman Islands are one of the most remote places in India’s territory, with volcanic islands and elephants washing on the beach among the many things to see. Phang Nga Bay has plenty of islands that are utterly fantastic and though tourism is a huge industry, most people wind up visiting a few popular spots, leaving plenty more to explore. Indonesia has numerous places to explore, but the Banda Islands and the Raja Ampat are among the most popular. However, getting a superyacht charter may not always be easy, given some of the regulatory difficulties of getting in and out of Indonesia. Check ahead. Fiji and the South Pacific Islands are popular places for exploration and the superyacht choics are plentiful here.
INSpIratIoN advertorial
The Game ChanGer An award-winning triple malt inspired by epic adventures.
T
he legend evolves as John Walker & Sons once again surpasses themselves with the John Walker & Sons odyssey. a commemoration of Sir alexander Walker’s vision and enduring entrepreneurial spirit, the brand new, award-winning triple malt is a modern interpretation of a remarkable decanter created 80 years ago. one of the rarest blends ever, this unique triple malt was born, inspired by the epic journeys of adventure, creativity and perseverance of the John Walker name. A Game Changing History the story began with Sir alexander Walker, the grandson of John Walker, founder of John Walker & Sons. a truly exceptional man, Sir alexander was a peerless Master Blender, a global figure, innovator and a philanthropist. assuming the mantle of Master Blender in 1888, Sir alexander faithfully guided his family’s blends to new peaks of perfection. this was the man who refined the house style of John Walker & Sons by distilling and blending big, rich and bold flavoured whiskies. Widely recognised for his contribution to industry, community and his country, Sir alexander Walker was knighted in 1920 for his service to the British Government during World War I. Yet, an innovator at heart, one of Sir alexander’s greatest accomplishments was his 1932 creation, a unique decanter bottle which was able to move to match
the motion of the waves. the blend brought to life the idea of the gestalt – combining rare and bold whiskies to create the ultimate sensory experience. Heralding the future “the new, nautical-themed triple malt, John Walker & Sons odyssey, has been inspired by Sir alexander Walker’s original blending notes and is created with the region’s most progressive and game-changing individuals in mind. We’re delighted to announce the launch of John Walker & Sons odyssey, a blend that we have expressly created to honour Sir alexander Walker,” James thompson, chief marketing officer of Diageo Asia Pacific revealed. “Heritage, quality of craftsmanship, contemporary style and cutting-edge innovation are of the greatest importance to luxury consumers in Asia Pacific and we believe John Walker & Sons odyssey encompasses all of these elements,” James added. to punctuate the uniqueness of the blend, an exquisitely crafted, crystalgrade glass decanter has been created to house John Walker & Sons odyssey. The stunning work of art is a reflection of the nautical heritage of the Walker family, perfectly encompassing the motion of the sea. When gently pushed, the bottle swings elegantly to and fro and as the case is turned, rotates a full 360 degrees. When at rest, it points due North consistently, paying homage to the steadfast and progressive direction shown by Sir alexander himself.
A blend for the new century Inspired by Sir alexander’s original notes, Master Blender Jim Beveridge hand-selected three single malt whiskies, all with a sense of pedigree and provenance, for this expansive, multilayered experience. Carefully blended and married in European oak casks to combine the flavours, these malts offer an exceptional smoothness. Described as “an absolute treat” by judges when it was awarded a gold medal at the recent International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC), the dark-golden tones of John Walker & Sons odyssey are deep, intense and sophisticated. the nose is rich and captivating, with hints of honey, berry fruits and caramel. the palate is fullbodied and inviting from the freshness of citrus fruits and rich berries, coupled with the smoothness of honey and a creamy caramel hint. these culminate with a finish that is mellow, lingering and smoky. the unique serve for John Walker & Sons odyssey, ‘the triptych’, is a journey through the three critical experiences delivered by this extraordinary triple malt. the nose, the palate and the finish are deconstructed to fully appreciate the remarkable design of this unique Scotch whisky. Best served neat or with a dash of pure water, John Walker & Sons odyssey is a true celebration of life’s great journeys.
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END POINT Margery Au
LAST WORD...
A
Margery Au on life, love and laughter. regular face on Hong Kong’s social pages, Margery Au is the founder of PR and events company The Venue and a keen philanthropist. She is mother to Denise and Debra Lo.
My biggest business success was... Setting up my PR firm. On the side, I do lots of charity work ... The two have proved to be mutually beneficial. The worst mistake I ever made was... I honestly don’t feel I have a ‘worst mistake’ so far. If pushed, I might say that I would have begun my career earlier so I would have room for greater achievements. I will never regret.... Getting married at such a young age, because I’m so proud to have two talented, beautiful daughters and also two lovely, sweet grandchildren. They are my treasures and really rewarding. I regret... I don’t have too much regret in my life ... perhaps that I didn’t take my Masters degree at Columbia University even though they gave me an offer. But it’s not really a regret as if I had done it, I would not have four important people in my life now - my two lovely daughters and two adorable grandchildren My best trait is... I am kind and sympathetic. I love helping people. I am also a fair person and forgive and forget easily. My worst trait is.... I am a bit of a workaholic, getting uptight as I need things done
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properly and promptly. I also sleep in very late – though I do work well into the evenings. I admire... People who do their utmost to achieve their goals, who are motivated and energetic in achieving what they want. I always believe actions speak louder than words. The best piece of business advice I can give is... Be hard-working and diligent. Do one thing at a time. And be hands on. My biggest extravagance was... I never spend my money before I have earned it. However, I always buy items from clients when I organise events for them. I love Hong Kong because... It has a balance of everything, good transport, friendly people, good food, plus it’s fast paced and vibrant. There are also plenty of places to escape to like Tai O, Sai Kung and Shek O. My hero is... There are two. The first is my father. The other is my grandson, who shares many of his grandfather’s characteristics. My life’s motto is... ‘Tomorrow is a better day.’ Be positive, stay active and chase your dreams.
Above: Margery (second from left) at a recent Millionaireasia event
The Sunseeker 28M Yacht First to draw a second glance.