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SEP 2017

WANG CHENMING THE FALL FASHION ISSUE

Contents

48

40 THE NEW CODES

Saint Laurent has loads of fresh staples – courtesy of Anthony Vaccarello’s second collection 44 TUXEDO TALK

Photography Joel Low Model Wang Chenming Outfit by Ermenegildo Zegna Couture

Tomas Maier brings us through his six key Fall/ Winter 2017 items for Bottega Veneta 48 LOUDER THAN WORDS

With her latest collection, Silvia Venturini Fendi is vocal about the power of simple phrases

52 WORK “HARDIOR”

62 SPACE ODYSSEY

70 MARRY THE NIGHT

56 WRITE AWAY

64 BROTHERHOOD OF MAN

72 VINTAGE ATTITUDE

Bags, eyewear, and shoes from Dior Homme’s Techno-fuelled collection Gucci taps Coco Capitán for a capsule collection 58 TIMELESS TEMPTATIONS

Hermès’s modern classics for Fall/Winter 2017 60 HIT THE SOFT SPOT

Alessandro Sartori’s long-awaited debut as Ermenegildo Zegna’s artistic director

Moncler’s futuristic collection is just out of this world

Diesel sets up the unexpected meeting of a rocker and an explorer

This season, the Versace tribe touts powerful prints and easy tailoring

Montblanc introduces its 1926 Heritage Collection

66 THE BIG CLASH

Whet your appetite with some of the season’s most covetable items

Punk details confront gentlemanly silhouettes at Jimmy Choo 68 LUCKY THIRTEEN

Y-3 sticks to what it does best: avant-garde sneakers and consistent sportswear

74 FALL’S FINEST

76 DEEP IMPACT

Traffic-halting orange and XL puffer jackets – fall/ winter 2017 is for the dapper daredevil

Photo Fendi

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V E R SAC E . C O M

B RU C E W E B E R

Contents

Time

90 CAMO MEMO

Once the marking of military and outdoorsmen, camouflage is making a coup this season 92 SMOOTH EDGES

The Octo Roma presents a softer side to the razor-sharp design of its octagonal originator 94 NEW PERSPECTIVES

An unabashed look at fashion’s latest threads and timepieces 100 DIRTY (HALF-) DOZEN

The arrival of gorpcore means you’ll soon be strapping on tool watches for adventure time 104 SEEING PATTERNS

94

Photography Munster + Long Fei

The Royal Oak’s “tapisserie” motif is a perfect match for the man with a quilted sleeve

Contents

Features 106 ENTER THE ALCHEMIST’S GARDEN

Alessandro Michele welcomes Men’s Folio into his Gucci Fall/Winter 2017 wonderland in Milan – and there is plenty to feast the eyes on 114 DELVING INTO DSM

Purveyor of all things achingly cool, Dover Street Market, has finally opened its doors in Singapore. Here are five highlights at the iconic multi-label retailer’s new store here 120 SECRET SERVICE STYLE

Kingsman agents first set the bar with their impeccable Savile Row tailoring, but their sartorial choices will soon be pitted against the Western wear of their Statesman counterparts

Fashion

128 COMFORT ZONE

Once reluctant model Wang Chenming shows how he has come into his own 142 BACKSTREET BOYS

128

Photography Joel Low

Presenting the season’s best tailoring, knits, and smart casuals

Contents

170

Grooming

162 BRING TO LIGHT

Fashion scents that reveal your inner radiance 164 TO THE NINES

Bottega Veneta’s Parco Palladiano line has three new floral fragrances

168 TWIST & TURN

Shake up your daily facial cleansing routine with these new travel-friendly swivel sticks

Lifestyle

170 A TALE OF TWO QUARTERS

Exploring the two contrasting sides of Zürich reveals that it is much more than a global banking and finance centre

174 FROM ALL ANGLES

STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery celebrates its 15th anniversary with a David Hockney exhibition 178 IN GOOD HANDS

Anne Samat’s sculptures bring attention to the art of weaving

Scene

184 Movers and shakers spotted at recent social highlights

mensfoliosg

www.mens-folio.com

Editorial

Editor Ian Lee

Fashion Director Titien Wang Contributing Editor Joshua Yap Editor (Malaysia) John Ng Features Editor Yong Wei Jian Fashion Assistant Belda Chung

Art

Associate Art Director Jeremy Ang

Digital

Group Digital Managing Editor Jonathan Ho Digital Editor Shairah Thoufeekh Digital Editor (Malaysia) Calvin Chong Digital Writer Pameyla Cambe

@mensfolio

Advertising

VP, Sales & Marketing Aileen Soh Sales & Marketing Director Remus Heng Associate Sales & Marketing Director Ivy Toh Sales & Marketing Managers Marco Loureiro Choo Yew Meng

Marketing

Group Events Director Russell Chew

Finance & Administration Chief Finance Officer Ellin Zhao

Accounts &Administrative Assistants Adrian Chua Shaheerah Salim Aida Qistina Contributors Alfie Pan, Angel Gwee, Benedict Choo, Jason Kwong, Joel Low, Long Fei, Mervyn Lee, Mossy Chew, Munster, Nadya Wang, Raymond Yong, Rick Yang

Management

CEO/Publisher Olivier Burlot Associate Publisher (Malaysia) Kelvin Tan Executive Directors Julian Peh, Gael Burlot

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Editor’s Note

W

e’re finally just a month away from the milestone 20 th anniversary issue. And before the real revelry begins, the ultimate amuse-bouche, The Fall Fashion issue, is being served.

This could well be our best September issue ever – the line-up includes exclusives with Silvia Venturini Fendi and Tomas Maier. The latter speaks to us not once but twice (about his tuxedo-influenced Fall/Winter 2017 collection, as well as Bottega Veneta’s new Parco Palladiano fragrances).

Via a special fashion feature, you can also join us backstage at Gucci’s first combined show in Milan, as we dissect Alessandro Michele’s enormously complex botany-themed collection.

Closer to home, Dover Street Market Singapore opened its doors slightly over a month ago, sending street fashion fanatics into a frenzy over its special tie-ups with Gosha Rubchinskiy and Nike, amongst others.

While limited edition DSM Singapore T-shirts got completely snapped up in a matter of 20 minutes, the store continues to see exciting product drops. Discover the latest collections of some of DSM’s top collaborators as well as fashion’s new innovators, like Craig Green and Vetements, in the Features section.

Wang Chenming is another rising talent that we have our eyes on.

The model, who’s currently one of China’s biggest breakouts, fronts the issue in Ermenegildo Zegna Couture – the new age, sporty suits designed

by Alessandro Sartori for his debut collection as artistic director of the house. As part of Wang’s whirlwind, 24-hour trip to Singapore for our cover special, he confesses to having a love-hate relationship with photoshoots and flying.

And as always, because we believe that it’s not just clothes that maketh the man, the team at Men’s Folio have also gathered the most captivating timepieces and scents – from your favourite fashion houses like Gucci and Calvin Klein – just for the issue.

lan Lee Editor

The Men’s Folio Team

Behind The Scenes

The Men’s Folio team reveals what knick-knacks and little fashion fancies they’ll be keeping well past the season.

Ian Lee Editor While some others got, um, supremely serious about a certain fashion tie-up, Lee’s mind was occupied with another, thinking up ways to get his hands on one item from Balenciaga’s tie-up with iconic Parisian store Colette: an (overpriced) Bernie Sanders-inspired porcelain mug in blue. Courtesy of a PR-maestro-friend to Men’s Folio, Lee is sipping out of one now. Now, excuse him while he gets back to his tea.

Yong Wei Jian Features Editor Yong’s favourite fancy is Gucci’s invite to its Fall/Winter 2017 show: a limited edition 12” recording of Florence Welch reading William Blake (B-side features Jane Austen by A$AP Rocky, but whatever). He has nothing to play the vinyl with, so he hangs it on his bedroom wall, and whenever he’s in the mood for a lilting recitation by the redheaded goddess, he’ll play the digital version while staring intently at it.

Belda Chung Fashion Assistant Chung says forget the hype of Be@rbricks and Kaws. When Fendi hands out a novelty that is as functional as it is full of caricature cuteness, it’s a real keeper. Plus, the portable charger, made in the likeness of the legendary Lagerfeld, is probably the closest Chung will ever get to meeting the designer himself.

Titien Wang Fashion Director Wang receives countless thumb drives each season (and that’s a good thing – no more CDROMs or earth-unfriendly press releases), but there’s seldom one he wants to keep. Until this round medallion-like number from Ermenegildo Zegna showed up, with the brand’s signature lion motif and “EZ” logo.

036

Fashion Forward

We bring you the latest in style and luxury this month.

By Ian Lee

Ray-Ban For Scuderia Ferrari In its latest collection, Ray-Ban echoes the aerodynamic design, materials, and colours of the Scuderia Ferrari. The car marque’s signature blazing red and Modena yellow, as well as metallic and black rubber accents, are featured prominently in the special edition eyewear range.

Shades Of Style Actor Yang Yang is Saint Laurent’s new eyewear ambassador. He features in two of the house’s Summer 2017 images shot by artist Collier Schorr. In them, Yang wears shiny black optical frames, and a semi-rimless aviator shape with a YSL pin signature.

No Ordinary Joe One special card lets coffee connoisseurs have their cup of joe any way they want – 10 cups to be exact, in the desired size and with the preferred number of shots, whether it be an organic ginger latte or espresso. The Joe & The Juice card can be used globally and has no expiry date.

Wanted Scent Azzaro, known for glamorous gowns for the fairer sex, has released a men’s fragrance Azzaro Wanted. The scent, a complex woody-citrus-spicy fragrance that contains ginger, lemon duo, and vetiver, is encased in a techno-chic bottle that recalls clockwork mechanisms.

Photo Versace

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040

The New Codes

Saint Laurent has loads of fresh staples – courtesy of Anthony Vaccarello’s second menswear collection for the house.

By Ian Lee

I

f Anthony Vaccarello teased with last season’s tempting amuse-bouche (his very first menswear outing sans a runway presentation) for Saint Laurent, his sophomore set and Fall/Winter 2017 collection proves he’s only begun putting his subtle spins on the house’s menswear.

Vaccarello set out to “explore paradoxes and tensions” across both Saint Laurent’s menswear and womenswear. For the former (via 14 runway

looks and plenty more product offering), that means boldly combining streetwear with couture-type detailing. The mingling of unexpected fabrics is a key theme – and of the various combinations, a shiny leather hoodie with pops of shearling is one of Vaccarello’s personal favourites. It’s not difficult to imagine why: paired with the nonchalance of denim, it relays the effortless confidence that the designer endorses so much.

One of Anthony Vaccarello’s favourite pieces: this shiny leather hoodie with shearling trims.

Black evening looks are decorated with beading, rhinestones and sequins.

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Evening pieces also get a bold re-examination – intense black flirts with beading and rhinestones, even on shorts for men. There are also deconstructed tuxedos, including an unorthodox jumpsuit version, that are his play on day-to-night dressing. And while jackets and outerwear are mostly in Saint Laurent’s requisite fitted or skinny cuts, Vaccarello loosens up and gets more casual with roomier jeans and pleated low-rise trousers.

Accessories, a hot ticket for the house of SL, are equally formal-

meets-casual in their design: the classic City Backpack is rendered in black sequins or textured patent leather, while the season’s key high-top leather sneakers are embellished with vintage-style charms and scribbled with “smoking forever” on their rubber soles.

“I love Monsieur Saint Laurent’s subversive approach, his dark romanticism with a hint of perversity. I wanted this collection to be like a re-reading, a radical fantasy of his heritage,” explains Vaccarello.

044

Tuxedo Talk

The usually elusive Tomas Maier brings Men’s Folio through the six key items in his Fall/Winter 2017 collection for Bottega Veneta.

By Ian Lee

The New Tuxedos “In the men’s collection, we focus on outerwear with various cuts for coats. We also play with different takes on tuxedos, which range from formal to relaxed.”

The Knits “Sweaters are either chunky – like a zip-up cardigan or knit with large cables down the sleeve – or take the form of finer knits in lurex.”

The Sharp Jackets & Separates “The shoulder is neat and precise, sitting perfectly on the frame of the body. The waist is very fitted, and there is a kick over the hips.”

The XL Bow Ties “The collection features different takes on the tuxedo for day – like a blouson that is cut like a tux. Wearing these pieces with large bow ties heightens the effect.”

047

The Square Bags “The new bags are very square in shape, with press studs for easy access and high functionality. I love the soft leather handles, which feel so soft and supple to the hand.”

The Non-Dress Shoes “There are no dress shoes in this collection, because I wanted to show tuxedos as daywear, and in new ways. Instead, there are round-toe lace-ups with buckle details, and loafers with shearling trims.”

048

Louder Than Words

In an exclusive interview on Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2017 collection, Silvia Venturini Fendi is very vocal about the power of simple phrases.

By Ian Lee

Not just a logo: the brand’s name represents almost 100 years of the Maison.

What’s the story behind the Fendi Fall/Winter 2017 collection?

The collection is a very optimistic take on the future. There are constantly so many changes happening, and things are moving faster and faster in the world, and that is why I think that we must evolve and have an optimistic attitude that can help us face challenges and the future.

How did the concept of Fendi vocabulary come about?

We need to look forward, but without forgetting fundamental values like trust, friendship, love, and hope. That is why I have chosen to use and print universal key words, inspired by (late American novelist and journalist) Ernest Hemingway, on our clothes, bags, and accessories.

050

And how did you select the words that ended up being used?

Words like “love”, “try”, “hope”, and “listen” compose the Fendi vocabulary. They are very simple and common words, but in their simplicity, there are important meanings that will go on forever. These words are empowering and can also help us in difficult moments. For the same reason, we also used some other simple, obvious words – for example, we printed “pink” on pink bags and “yellow” on yellow ones.

You also reworked the Fendi logo in this collection.

We worked with the word “Fendi” and the Fendi logo just because of how symbolic and important they are to us. We aren’t just looking at a simple word or a brand logo: they represent the history and values of a Maison that is almost 100 years old. I also liked the idea of giving the logo a fun twist by playing with key phrases – Love Fendi, Think Fendi, Listen Fendi – as if they are modern hashtags. They’re all part of the vocabulary!

052

Work “HarDior”

Meet the bags, shoes, and eyewear from Dior Homme’s Techno-fuelled collection.

By Ian Lee

THE SHOES

Casual and formal at once: Black calfskin Derby shoes that come with chunky hybrid soles and perforated straps.

Some of the finest evening footwear you’ll find this season – these patent slippers with red and white stitching details.

Match your edgy patterned kicks to your bag. It’s possible when Dior Homme’s trainers also get the Dan Witz treatment.

These classic calfskin loafers are enhanced with topstitching details, thick rubber soles and an intense shade of blue.

Photography Morgan O’Donovan

Dior Homme Winter 2017 Backstage

THE SUNGLASSES

The HarDior sunglasses complete Dior Homme’s rave-inspired looks with their bright shades (orange, green or silver), mirrored lenses and bold shape – think a flat rectangular mask placed on fine metal frames.

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THE BAGS

The multi-purpose nylon and calfskin travel tote is emblazoned with Dior Homme’s slogan of the season: “HarDior”.

Where formal bags and briefcases are concerned, Dior Homme pushes the envelope with graphic, arty splashes of red and white.

If there was ever a sporty doctor bag, this is it. The sleek black number is made youthful and almost energetic with neon orange accents.

This season, New York-based street artist and realist painter Dan Witz’s mosh pit illustrations decorate the house’s rucksacks and more.

056

Write Away

Gucci calls on Coco Capitán for a special capsule collection that sees her skilfully scrawling over the iconic web and GG motif.

By Ian Lee

S

he may have just graduated from the Royal College of Art last summer, but 25-year-old Spanish artist Coco Capitán already counts Alessandro Michele as a creative collaborator. Her signature handwritten aphorisms first got major Gucci endorsement in February – two Fall/Winter 2017 womenswear looks featured her text-based artwork, and Michele himself took his end-of-show bow in a striking yellow T-shirt bearing Capitán slogan “I want to go back to believing a story”. Guests attending Gucci’s show in Milan were introduced to

Capitán’s art in several other ways – her handwriting was found on a wall at the show space, and even on guests’ show invitations.

Now, the collaboration has gone one step further, with a special capsule of garments and accessories that show off an offbeat sense of humour. Gorpcore essentials – backpacks, sweatshirts, tees, and hoodies – are used by Capitán as a canvas for handwritten messages such as “common sense is not that common”. The items, in black, white, yellow or red, are unisex and feature the Gucci web stripe and GG motif.

058

Timeless Temptations

A look at the Hermès Fall/Winter 2017’s modern classics.

By Ian Lee

Citynews Briefcase In Hermès’s Evergrain calfskin, Hunter cowhide, and Toilorage, this youthful take on the briefcase bears a removable shoulder strap, which can be stored in a dedicated pocket located within the bag.

Étrivière Shopping Aviateur Bag Referencing the iconic jacket styles worn by American aviators, this men’s version of the roomy Étrivière shopping bag is in sturdy cowhide, and comes luxuriously lined with plush sheepskin.

Technical Canvas and Calfskin Sneakers A study in sporty elegance, these kicks have been constructed with lightweight canvas, supple calfskin, and elastic laces. The height-boosting raised soles are in leather, foam, and rubber.

Calfskin Boots A wink at traditional mountaineering shoes, Hermès’s directional take comes with lug soles, palladium-finished metal hooks, and striking red double lacing details – both on the front and back.

Seamless Waterproof Jacket Crafted in technical fabric, this ultra-stretch, waterproof number is all casual elegance. The jacket is ultra lightweight thanks to the seamless design and keeps its wearer warm with a cashmere collar.

Flamboyant Web Scarf 100 Designed by Japanese artist Daiske Nomura, its name says it all: Two spider-robots have spun their web, bringing bridles and other equestrian objects from the Émile Hermès collection to life.

Cap in Embroidered Showerproof Cashmere Serge Meet the accomplice of the cheeky Flamboyant Web Scarf 100 – the crown of this cashmere cap in is embroidered with the same mischievous spider-robot designed by Daiske Nomura.

Bracelet in Calfskin and Palladium-Finish Metal Fastened with a buckle that looks like a stylised stirrup, this bracelet reflects the equestrian spirit of the house. In two versions: a thin double wrap-around and a wide single wrap-around.

060

Hit The Soft Spot

Alessandro Sartori makes his debut as artistic director for Ermenegildo Zegna, creating easy looks for today’s globetrotter.

By Ian Lee

I

n an increasingly informal world, it’s easy to see that the classic suit has lost at least some of its spark. Alessandro Sartori knows this too well, so for his first Ermenegildo Zegna collection since returning to the house as artistic director (he left his previous position as Z Zegna’s creative director in 2011 for Berluti), he is proposing what he calls polished, travel-friendly “sports couture”.

A single-breasted suit in beige alpaca and silk is made ultra soft using the Casentino effect, which involves the fabric being brushed to

raise the top layer of fibres, and then rubbed in a circular motion. Sartori also gives suits an ease by deftly mixing different fabrics – a blazer in navy blue cashmere meets quilted sleeves in silk polyester. To complement these new age suits, the modern man’s casual staple, the bomber jacket, is elevated with the Casentino effect and quilting – so much so that Zegna’s versions don’t look out of place with (slouchy) tailored trousers. Even leather bags get soft and “sportified”: a special loom turns thin leather strips into a woven fabric that forms tote and sketch bags.

063

Space Odyssey

Moncler’s new futuristic collection and campaign video are just out of this world.

By Pameyla Cambe

F

or its Fall/Winter 2017 campaign video, Moncler has ambitiously ventured to a location that’s as otherworldly as its latest collection: outer space. Entitled Moonray, the three-minute film has all the hallmarks of a 1950s sci-fi B movie: the extra-terrestrial setting, handmade props, and a dashing cast – but none of the tacky costumes.

In fact, the clothes are the real stars. Inspired by man’s historic moon landing, Moncler’s latest collection is full of references to the 1970s – the era that followed Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon and saw fashion’s fascination with space travel skyrocket to intergalactic heights.

One item shines the brightest in the campaign: the Inuit jacket, which is a padded silver piece worn by the video’s space explorers on the

frozen planet of Glaglax. This season, the Italian luxury skiwear label has transformed its signature down jacket into a futuristic hybrid of the classic parka and an astronaut suit. The Inuit jacket gets its striking, reflective appearance from a special Coton Argent fabric, which fuses the durability of metallic film with the lightness of 100 per cent cotton muslin.

The silicon-washed jacket has a waterproof finish and is equipped with an array of innovative features that ensure an adjustable fit, making it perfectly adaptable to any situation. While we’re not too sure how the Inuit jacket would hold up in space, its exceptional technical properties, style, and functionality give it an appeal that easily transcends the galaxy and beyond.

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Brotherhood Of Man

The Versace tribe touts powerful prints and easy tailoring for fall/winter 2017.

By Ian Lee

“This is a collection about different tribes of Versace men, and the positivity that can happen when men from different places and cultures come together,� says Donatella Versace.

Mark making of the early years and hand-painted patterns of ancient tribes inspired the various prints used throughout the collection. The prints unify the tailoring and sporty separates of the collection.

Outerwear includes long, knitted layers that wrap the body and sharply tailored coats that are belted. Nylon trenches are light and dynamic, with long belts to hold and exaggerate their fluidity.

Versace’s signature Empire bag has been either hand-painted to mirror the patterns of the ready-to-wear collection or given edgy stud details. In contrast to the generously sized tote, the house’s new Palladian bag is compact and geared for the weekend.

066

The Big Clash

Punk details coolly confront gentlemanly silhouettes in Jimmy Choo’s Fall/Winter 2017 collection.

By Ian Lee

S

porty sneakers presented in traditional corduroy and formal Derbies with tiers of micro star-shaped studs punching the welt – Jimmy Choo’s Fall/Winter 2017 collection takes the concept of clashing aesthetics to new levels. At its core, the range is half British punk rock band The Clash, and half English eccentricity. Classic styles are revitalised with modern fabrications, and familiar silhouettes are made fresh with unexpected detailing.

“I was inspired by looking closely at The Clash, who have a style code that is a fusion of traditional English gent with a punk attitude. This collection is meant to be ammunition for men who want self-expression

and to have their own point of view – because having individualism is the only style rule to abide by now,” explains Jimmy Choo creative director Sandra Choi.

For the first time, the brand has created a knit-sock sneaker. In three colours, the Norway is slim, sleek, and ergonomic. Jimmy Choo has also given its spin to the season’s trendy bum bag – its version is anything but basic in full leather, with star motifs and high-shine studs. And perhaps the most personal piece for Choi is the timeless Lee bag, a satchel that had its shape inspired by a photograph of Choi’s own “grandpa Li”, taken whilst he was working for the Hong Kong Post Office.

068

Lucky Thirteen

Y-3 reaches a milestone and sticks to what it does best: avant-garde sneakers and consistent sportswear.

By Ian Lee

T

hirteen years is a lifetime in today’s fashion world – designers rarely last that long at any house in the cut-throat business, and diffusion labels shutter and get revived so quickly that it’s sometimes dizzying just to keep track of them. That is where Y-3 comes in to buck the trend: Yohji Yamamoto’s collaboration with Adidas has lasted that long, and is still going strong. Even the designer himself has admitted that he’s perplexed by the spin-off label’s continued success.

For its Fall/Winter 2017 collection, Y-3 consolidates and sticks to

its winning formula. The garments are reliable, dark and textured (cue intentional holes, loads of technical materials, and asymmetrical detailing) sportswear pieces that are meant to be layered. Worn together, the separates make resulting looks that are more than the sum of their parts – especially when the sneakers are futuristic cool with high-cuts, multipanels, and chunky soles. But this time, Y-3 also gets in touch with nature (Yamamoto has always had a soft side): deep greens and digital forest prints find their way on vests, parkas, and track jackets.

070

Marry The Night

For its latest collection, Diesel sets up the unexpected meeting of a rocker and an outdoor explorer.

By Ian Lee

A

rugged rock star and a happy camper must seem like an unlikely duo, but Diesel manages to turn them into one convincing coupling. Grungy striped knits, black leather pieces laden with zippers, and sleeveless band-inspired hoodies get mixed and matched with camping gear of the coolest order – shearling-trimmed jackets and vintage-style plaid shirts.

Explaining the eclectic range, Diesel artistic director Nicola Formichetti says: “Our Fall/Winter 2017 collection is all about the energy

of grunge and being in the forest at night time. We played on the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll as a nocturnal element and how being surrounded by nature after dark can be a strange and crazy experience.”

In line with the concept of mixing old and new, patches on classic military bombers and parkas have been taken from the Diesel archive, with symbols of the past reworked to pay tribute to brand’s heritage. And denim – the staple for both rockers and campers alike – gets blue as its key colour, with six new washes for men, and 11 for women.

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Vintage Attitude

Montblanc takes its quality leather products a step further with its latest 1926 Heritage Collection. The brand’s executive vice president of marketing, Jens Henning Koch, tells Men’s Folio about the range in Florence.

By Titien Wang

What’s special about the 1926 Heritage Collection?

Definitely the vegetable tanned leather. Vegetable tanning is one of the oldest and most intricate tanning processes in the great Tuscan leather tradition and gives each piece its own character and vintage charm. It preserves all the beauty of the original leather. Each piece will be unique from the beginning of the process and becomes more interesting after personal usage. The way the leather is treated creates a soft touch and a great leather smell. The tanning also gives each piece its rich dark brown colour and a worn-in charm.

What are the design inspirations?

The collection is inspired by 1970s safari travelling exploration and earthy desert hues, as well as the needs of today’s stylish traveller. Each product is very versatile and is suitable for business meetings and casual days.

The brown leather, red linen lining, and gold tone hardware expresses a personality. The use of the traditional Montblanc Heritage logo also gives the products a vintage look.

Who is this collection for?

The 1926 Montblanc Heritage collection is for the sophisticated and professional customer who looks for unique pieces. At the start, we asked

ourselves who we wanted to target, and it was the urban explorer who travels from city to city. We didn’t want to be too formal, so we created a mood board based on that.

Why was Florence chosen for the Montblanc Pelletteria leather factory?

Florence has a centuries-long history in treating leather right, handling delicate craftsmanship, and selecting the right leather. The knowledge that they have is passed down from many generations. Particularly for this collection, which uses vegetable tanned leather and is more delicate than others, you need the right experts to treat the leather.

What are the most important leather goods that a man should own?

A good quality bag – like a document case or backpack, for your professional life. The style depends on the environment that you are working in, and how casual you can be. But the quality of the leather is the most important. Secondly, depending on how many coins you carry, a credit card holder or a wallet. It needs to sit nicely in your jacket. Last but not least, a good quality belt is very important. It is a subtle expression of your style and taste. Quite often, you see someone in nice suit and outfit, but the belt is too loud. I think that a belt enhances one’s overall look, and expresses how much attention one pays to details.

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Fall’s Finest

Whet your appetite with some of the season’s most covetable items.

By Belda Chung

Pop Art Spirit What’s practical but definitely not boring? Fendi’s novel take on the rucksack – with bright accents and an abundance of functional detailing.

Mountain Ranger Scale the heights of style with Moncler’s high-performance puffer jacket that’s tastefully adorned with illustrations by Jean-Philippe Delhomme.

Cruising Tangents Hit the streets with Hermès’s statement skateboard – why not, when you can work a series of kick flips while showing off designs by Henri d’Origny.

Buckle Buddies Take any tailored look from classic to dangerously off-kilter when you slip on Dior Homme’s club-inspired leather shoes with rebellious strap details.

Modern Ambition Look sharp wearing Bottega Veneta’s latest sunglasses, in sensible shades and subtly featuring the brand’s signature Intrecciato motif.

Logomania Lives Add a touch of Alessandro Michele’s flair for whimsicality and tongue-incheek humour to your look with Gucci’s heavily logoed red socks.

Knit Pick One of fall’s more eccentric pieces: Dsqaured2’s creative hybrid sports cap, which is sure to inject glamour to your trip to a winter wonderland.

Trend Report

Deep Impact

Traffic-halting orange, bold bum bags, and XL puffer jackets – fall’s latest fashions are for the dapper daredevil.

By Belda Chung

HAZARD ORANGE

Fendi

Givenchy

Dsquared2

MSGM

Far and away, bold orange is fall’s most trendy, striking hue. It electrified the runways in different forms: on oversized or heavyduty outerwear, pants, and even a head-to-toe Givenchy outfit served with black stripes for streetwear sensibility. Other fashion maisons embrace the statement hue by focusing the trending shade on a single standout piece, teamed with checks or stripes, and toned down with more subdued hues like white, olive and cobalt.

FUN FUR

Fendi

Dsquared2

Dolce & Gabbana

Dior Homme

Emporio Armani

The ultimate extravagance this season: the fur coat. The latest ones are smartly fitted and in fresh, casual silhouettes (bomber jackets or elongated gilets). Also expect them in youthful colours like Dior Homme’s seductive turquoise, with geometric motifs by Emporio Armani, and wit from the original house of fun fur: Fendi.

Trend Report

FOLLOW SUIT

Versace

Emporio Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani

Gucci

Designers have modernised the double-breasted suit with new fabrications or by loosening them up. Gucci takes us to a new era with both straight-cut and oversized looks clashing with tartan, embroidery, and vibrant hues. Should you fancy safer options, Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani have opted for tapered waists for the most flattering fit.

Trend Report

ART ATTACK

Dolce & Gabbana

Fendi

Gucci

Paul Smith

The Christmas Fair Isle jumper look comes early this year – but it’s been given that much-needed designer upgrade with creative imagery and text. Gucci, Paul Smith, and Dolce & Gabbana amuse with repurposed collegiate-style sweaters that are embellished with eccentric motifs. Fendi, on the other hand, churns out a lighthearted collection featuring one-word expressions such as “Hope” and “Love” – there’s a top for every optimist.

CAMEL TOUR

Ermenegildo Zegna

Calvin Klein

MSGM

Prada

The undisputed neutral of the season, camel, is already synonymous with masculinity, maturity, and elegance. MSGM experiments with different shades and patterns on both heavy and light fabrics for tonal effect, and Ermenegildo Zegna Couture designs a new business-meets-casual suit that’s teamed with softer neutral shades for the modern traveller.

Trend Report

BIG STRIDES

Dior Homme

Gucci

Ermenegildo Zegna

Designers are going to great lengths (and widths) with the wide-legged look. Dior Homme offers a voluminous silhouette rendered in textured tweeds, while Gucci proposes relaxed fits on preppy, matchy suits. Ermenegildo Zegna Couture lets you ease slouchy trousers into your look with fuss-free neutral hues like grey and cobalt blue. Best with classic or court sneakers.

Trend Report

TAKE COVER

Fendi

Dsquared2

Moncler

Dolce & Gabbana

Versace

Dior Homme

Cold weather wear becomes a seriously cool style statement this season, and oversized silhouettes and exaggerated proportions are what separates fall/winter’s style obsession from the archetypal down jacket. Dolce & Gabbana mixes floral and Victorian prints, while Moncler Gamme Bleu and Fendi go structural and play with different textures and finishes, transforming winter convention into fall’s must-have.

CROSSBODY COUTURE

Jimmy Choo

Gucci

Hermès

The 1990s #throwback continues. Whatever you want to call the style (the fanny pack, bum bag or waist pack), it’s back and looking more luxurious and relevant than ever. Hermès goes XL and structured, Gucci’s take is whimsical and embellished, and Prada uses its iconic nylon in a bid to make the bum bag a classic all over again.

Trend Report

EASY ACCESS

Fendi

Jimmy Choo

Lanvin

Slip-on shoe silhouettes are gaining more momentum as designers focus on diving-inspired mid and high-top designs crafted in knit, neoprene, and even leather. And with the use of a vibrant palette, colour-blocking, and catchy slogans like “Fantastic Utopia�, houses like Fendi and Lanvin are giving new meaning to fitspiration.

Trend Report

PUFF DADDY

Ermenegildo Zegna

MSGM

Dolce & Gabbana

No longer just a woman’s BFF, quilting becomes the detail du jour for fall/winter 2017’s menswear. Ermenegildo Zegna Couture uses it subtly on the (contrast) lining or sleeves of jackets, and gives it a sporty-meets-sartorial twist as asymmetric detailing on double-breasted suits. Elsewhere, MSGM made quilts street style worthy with bright hues and casual silhouettes.

Photo Bulgari

TIME

DISCOVERING THE INTRICATE ART AND CRAFT OF TIMEKEEPING

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Camo Memo

Once the marking of military and outdoorsmen, camouflage is making a coup as the season’s most conspicuous pattern.

By Yong Wei Jian

C

amouflage is one of those perennial patterns bubbling under the surface of menswear waiting to break out every couple of seasons, and it’s finally having a moment this year. Galvanised by the combative global political climate as well as the outdoors-pastiche trend “gorpcore”, the military motif served as a visual lynchpin on recent runways, contemporarily rendered as geometric prints, painterly splashes, and even collaged with patchwork. For those looking to enlist the commando style, it’s best to start incognito with accents before blazing into an all-over assault; fortunately, the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Camouflage provides perfect basic training in the look.

The all-terrain Aquaracer comes attired in two battle uniforms: one in matte olive green with a matching ceramic bezel insert, and another in full Arctic camouflage. The former favours utility, while the latter draws full attention because no one lives on the Siberian tundra (so much for not being seen). Both are constructed from black PVD-coated titanium with 300m of water resistance, and are powered by the Calibre 5 automatic movement with date magnified by a cyclops aperture. The models also eschew the rubber-backed canvas strap found on Aquaracers for toneon-tone stitched nylon straps that match their dials, effectively carving out accenting space for visible “invisibility” on most ensembles.

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Smooth Edges

The Octo Roma presents a softer side to the razor-sharp design of its octagonal originator.

By Yong Wei Jian

I

n over a decade now, the Octo has established itself as the preeminent men’s watch collection of Bulgari. It first captured the collective horological consciousness with its cutting-edge design, using infinite facets and angles to form its iconic circle-in-octagon case, then launched itself to prominence with a series of ultra-thin record breakers. Yet, as desirable as the watch is now, its bold geometry is still too expressive for most daily wearers, which is why the Italian jewellerwatchmaker is introducing a less dramatic version in the Octo Roma.

Without undercutting the immense aura of the Octo, the Octo Roma tunes down the eye-catching case by having only 58 facets (instead of 110), softened edges, and a narrower lug placement. The result is a more understated, more traditional expression on the wrist, while keeping the same overall proportions at 41mm. The octagonal core topped by a round and brushed bezel is still present, but it is less striking to the eye, allowing it to fit seamlessly into most occasions. Essentially, where

the Octo proudly flaunts its Roman style and sensibility, the Octo Roma whispers it with minimal ostentation.

The Octo Roma further expands the Octo palette with its multiple executions. In addition to the usual black and white, it debuts a new brown dial colouration, produced in-house using the same multi-layer lacquer varnish technique as its now-signature blue. It leverages on the bi-colour trend with a two-tone variant, sandwiching a sliver of rose gold between two steel case parts. An articulated bracelet is available on the steel model, similar to the Octo’s but once again with a softened and simplified construction.

The entire collection runs on the automatic manufacture calibre BVL 191, with 42-hour power reserve and a classic three-hand and date layout.

Overall, the Octo Roma’s accessible appeal is perfect for those who want a taste of the Octo’s inimitable style but find the original simply too bold to bear.

NEW PERSPEC T I VES An unabashed look at fashion’s latest threads and timepieces.

Photography Munster + Long Fei Art Direction Jeremy Ang Styling Yong Wei Jian

Hermès Cape Cod Shadow in steel with wraparound leather strap, wool knit pullover, wool pants, leather bracelets, leather belt

Diesel Rasp Chrono 46 in stainless steel with leather strap, lambskin sweater, cotton joggers

Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti in King Gold with rubber and leather strap; Berluti Wool jacket, wool knit top, wool pants

Calvin Klein City watch in stainless steel with bracelet; CK Calvin Klein Wool coat, wool suit, cashmere top

Gucci Dive in stainless steel with nylon strap, Le MarchĂŠ des Merveilles in stainless steel with nylon strap, denim jacket, wool knit sweater, denim jeans Styling assistant Belda Chung Grooming Angel Gwee using Laura Mercier Model Gyles C / Ave

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Dirty (Half-)Dozen

The arrival of gorpcore means you’ll soon be strapping on tool watches for adventure time.

By Yong Wei Jian

INTO THE WILD Gorpcore – it’s the new normcore, equipped for the outdoors. The “Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts” (yes, that’s what the ridiculous acronym stands for) trend has everyone un-ironically incorporating survival gear into their wardrobes: colourful puffers, bumbags, waterproof-everything – it’s basically Bear Grylls’s sartorial wet dream. And with adventuring apparel officially in, it’s only a matter of time before tool watches start running wild too. Few live up to the “granola” title like Casio’s smart outdoor watch. The second generation Pro-Trek WSD-F20 is upgraded with the Android Wear 2.0 software, and is equipped with low-power GPS and downloadable maps, to ensure survival out-of-doors (not that you’d ever be caught dead there). Most importantly, it is overwhelmingly rugged, almost in defiance to luxury mechanicals, and that’s the core of the gorpcore aesthetic – looking like you don’t care.

NATURAL CONNECTION The movement isn’t an elevated, high-fashion take on camping clothes as seen on the runways of Prada, Moncler, and Vetements. Rather, it pairs practical garb from no-nonsense brands like Patagonia and Arc’teryx with COS sweatshirts and Levi’s jeans; a head-to-toe utilitarian look would be too literal.

Likewise, when a brand like Zenith collaborates with the all-terrain Range Rover, it gains true outdoor cred. Their association is straightforward enough: In 1969, the watchmaker introduced its fabled El Primero chronograph; that same year, Land Rover unveiled the prototype for its first luxury off-road vehicle. The result is the El Primero Range Rover Special Editions, and the second series “Velar” keeps the same 42mm ceramised aluminium case (a nod to the Range Rover chassis) and automatic El Primero 400B engine, but gets a new copper paint job for its dial details. It even removes the contentious “Range Rover” branding on its dial front for anonymous appeal.

PRACTICAL PREMIUM Then, there was A$AP Rocky in a full zip-fleece at Fashion Week. The jacket was Calvin Klein, but it evoked the North Flag windbreakers of college students who “gave up”. Gorpcore may not be designer, but that doesn’t mean luxe pieces can’t execute the look. Building on the success of the 2016 Planet Ocean “Deep Black”, Omega introduces its next all-ceramic construction in the technical colourway of element-braving outerwear. Like its predecessor, the “Big Blue” is a combination GMT and diver’s watch in 45.5mm, now sporting a blue ceramic dial with an orange GMT track, topped by a blue ceramic bezel with Liquidmetal markings and an injected orange rubber inlay covering the first 15 minutes. The watch is driven by the Master Chronometer calibre 8906, which offers serious functionality in 600m water resistance and the ability to withstand up to 15,000 gauss of magnetism.

WANDER LUST Part of the appeal of donning explorer gear is the romanticised notion of being intrepid in the great outdoors. Again, the point is not actual adventure, but rather communicating that you can survive perfectly fine outside of the city. Take the Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar; its tactile touchscreen functions – ranging from the standard time zone and chronograph to the more hardcore barometer, altimeter, and compass – brings you to the mountains or woods at a touch without the hassle of roughing it. The latest version of the watch even comes with cosmetic and material upgrades: the once-exposed photovoltaic cell for solar charging is now disguised as a half-compass rose on the dial, while the bezel on the 45mm titanium case is newly made from coloured ceramic.

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SURVIVAL STYLE For those who actually like the idea of camping, gorpcore also serves as a badge to indicate that you are serious about the activity. It conveys that you have bought the right trappings, that the clothes fit an intended purpose. Performance is paramount. The I.N.O.X was made to be a highly durable Swiss sports watch and its fourth iteration puts high-tech carbon through the wringer with a battery of over 100 durability and resistance tests developed

by Victorinox Swiss Army. To complement the raw industrial feel of carbon, military touches are added, including the red 24-hour ring printed on the underside of the crystal, bold Arabic numeric markers, and black paracord strap – the latter fitting in seamlessly with the various ropes and riggings of an alpine adventure.

ECO HERO The fact that gorpcore exalts activities that, by their nature, are environmental could suggest certain advocacy connotations. It’s feel-good fashion for the overly philosophical (though even that’s a bit of a stretch). Made in partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation, the Oris Staghorn Restoration Limited Edition supports the non-profit’s vital work in preserving the world’s coral reefs. The watch is part of the next-generation Aquis collection launched this year, and is distinguished by its use of colour: its dial is a deep blue, contrasted by key indications – central seconds hand, day and date, zero marker on the bezel – in a punchy orange. The case back is decorated with a Staghorn coral embossed in relief, with credentials printed around it, to give tangible voice to your values.

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Seeing Patterns

The Royal Oak’s “Tapisserie” motif is a perfect match for the man with a quilted sleeve.

Photography Munster + Long Fei Art Direction Jeremy Ang Styling Yong Wei Jian

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in stainless steel with bracelet; Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Leather blazer, wool kimono shirt Styling assistant Belda Chung Grooming Angel Gwee using Laura Mercier Model Gyles C / Ave

Photo Gucci

FEATURES

DELVING INTO THE HUMAN CONDITION AND EXPERIENCE

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Enter The Alchemist’s Garden Alessandro Michele welcomes Men’s Folio into his Gucci Fall/Winter 2017 wonderland in Milan – and there is plenty to feast the eyes on.

By Ian Lee

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A

lmost three years in as Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele keeps fashion tongues furiously wagging by presenting his first amalgamated runway extravaganza of menswear and womenswear – nearly 120 looks in total – at the vast, bustling and newly unveiled HQ of the brand, the Gucci Hub. He leaps at the opportunity to let his whimsical world (and, as usual, Gucci creatures) explode on the fashion set.

That world, for Fall/Winter 2017 at least, is built on what Michele calls an “anti-modern laboratory”, and where the designer plays lead alchemist – especially apt considering how he’s turned Gucci into pure commercial gold.

His mystical menagerie has expanded from the now familiar cats and snakes to include other creatures big and small: scarabs, moths, ladybirds, squirrels, owls, wolves, bulls, and more. They take the form of vintage-style mother-of-pearl-effect clasps on bags, all-over metal stud motifs on luxurious bum bags, chunky rings piled on like knuckle dusters, and repeated patterns on knits.

Exaggerated botanist drawings and several insect specimen names – like “Chiroptera” and “Sissinghurst”, for example – are also embroidered on jackets and sweaters to heighten the curious entomological effect.

Drumming up the drama at his runway show, Michele’s models and creations are encased in a tubular Plexiglas structure, enclosed in their “alchemist garden” with a seemingly ominous black pyramid standing behind them.

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This being a Michele collection, flora is never far behind when there is fauna. He draws inspiration from an extensive list – water lilies, poppies, thistles, wisterias, and more – and has generously rendered embroidery, beading, and prints that reference Gucci’s well-endowed scarf-print archives.

Also reflecting the laboratory theme, although in a less obvious manner, is the research that went into the collection’s various fabric techniques. While most Gucci ranges are a veritable feat in embroidery and OTT embellishment, the jacquard created in this one is said to be more complex than any of the collections that came before. For the first time in a Michele collection, already complicated garments are made even more so when adorned with velvet patches. And taking his fascination with insects to the next level, shiny lurex is enhanced with sequin embroidery, mirroring the complex reflective qualities of a scarab beetle.

The concept of alchemy doesn’t quite stop there – various historical dress codes of the East and West are also melded into Gucci’s magical, multi-dimensional mix. Japanese paper parasols and chinoiserie-tinged layering and embroidery meet English walking canes, 1970s-inspired flared trousers and even luxed-up ACDC logos and punk collars. And since Michele loves throwing out a paradox or two, his “antimodern laboratory” lets in street style in the finest form – tees hand-scribbled by artist Coco Capitán, with catchy slogans like “common sense is not that common”.

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Delving Into DSM

Purveyor of all things achingly cool, Dover Street Market, has finally opened its doors in Singapore.

Men’s Folio picks five highlights at the iconic multi-label retailer’s new store.

By Ian Lee

Comme des Garรงons Much like the three other DSM stores around the world, the one label synonymous with Dover Street Market and its creators, Rei Kawakubo and her husband Adrian Joffe, gets plenty of dedicated space. Comme devotees will indeed be reduced to garรงons at a candy store: all the various brands that fall under the CDG umbrella (Black, Shirt, Tricot, Homme Deux, Homme Plus, Noir Kei Ninomiya, and Play) are under one roof here.

Craig Green The conceptual, symbolic clothes of this British menswear designer of 2017 are perfectly at home at Dover Street Market, amidst the multi-brand store’s stable of fashion rebels and innovators. Known for adding small but powerful details like lacing, drawstrings, and fabric belts, his dramatic and emotive take on masculine garments – traditionally associated with uniform and utility – has led to signature garments like his season-less worker jacket.

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Gosha Rubchinskiy This 32-year-old Russian streetwear wunderkind opened Vetements’s show two years ago, wearing the now infamous yellow DHL tee. And while he’s no household name yet, Rubchinskiy is probably the most recognised designer to come out of Russia (his label was founded in 2008) – particularly after his sold-out collaboration with Fila last year. Expect DSM exclusives and logo T-shirts inspired by Russian youth subculture and the country’s skateboarding scene.

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Sacai Chitose Abe (who’s linked to the house of CDG after spending eight years working on Junya Watanabe prior to starting her own label in 1999) calls her Fall/Winter 2017 menswear collection Cut Ups – perfectly reflecting her signature hybridisation aesthetic. And this season, even Abe, who usually takes a more classical approach, dabbled in streetwear: she worked with The North Face on layering, embroidered the collar of a denim jacket, and created plush velvet puffer jackets.

Vetements DSM’s the place to find the design-collective label that’s one of fashion’s most influential names now. Synergistic with Comme des Garçons and the iconic store, Vetements has built its identity with the help of collaborators – in fact, the brands have worked together on Vetements X CDG oversized shirts. Other tie-ups to add to cart: reworked Levi’s jeans, Reebok Edition socks, and the Canada Goose down parkas that singlehandedly sparked the season’s down jackets trend.

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Secret Service Style

Saving the world is easy; the hard part is dressing for the occasion. Kingsman agents first set the bar with their impeccable Savile Row tailoring, but their sartorial choices will soon be pitted against the Western wear of their Statesman counterparts from across the pond. Suited or booted – you’ve now got to pick a side.

By Yong Wei Jian Photography Munster + Long Fei Grooming Angel Gwee using Laneige and L’Oréal Hair Professional Styling Assistant Mossy Chew and Belda Chung Model Adam K / Mannequin

Statesman Calvin Klein Jeans Denim jacket and jeans; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Dunhill Wool tie; Hermès Leather belt with palladiumplated buckle Kingsman Dunhill Wool pinstripe suit, cotton pocket square; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Tommy Hilfiger Acetate eyeglasses; Hermès Silk tie

THE BESPOKE SUIT VS. THE DENIM JACKET The suit is the modern gentleman’s armour, and a Kingsman agent selects professional pinstripes or double-breasted for added protection. To complete the killer dapper ensemble, he wields an umbrella that repels rain and bullets in one hand and a revolver in the other (avoiding the sissy shaken-notstirred martini at all costs). Hot-blooded Statesmen prefer to tread riskier territory with double denim; when done right, it’s a damn good look – allAmerican, rugged, a little bit dangerous, and incredibly comfortable.

Kingsman Tommy Hilfiger Acetate eyeglasses; Dunhill Wool pinstripe jacket; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Hermès Silk tie Statesman Polaroid Metal sunglasses; Calvin Klein Jeans Denim jacket; Gucci Plaid shirt; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Dunhill Wool tie

THE SQUARE FRAMES VS. THE COOL SHADES Eyewear is an essential part of dressing incognito. The square-framed glasses worn by the Kingsmen are no ordinary specs, capable of broadcasting virtual meetings between league members in holographic form. On the other hand, sunglasses are the trusted confidants to Statesmen, as they travel on the open road dispensing their brand of frontier justice.

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Kingsman TAG Heuer Connected Watch; Dunhill Wool pinstripe suit; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Leather Libro clutch Statesman TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11; Calvin Klein Jeans Shearling denim jacket, denim jeans; Gucci Plaid shirt; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Hermès Leather belt with palladiumplated buckle

THE CONNECTED WATCH VS. THE LEGENDARY MONACO Agents from both organisations partner up with TAG Heuer timepieces that, like the heroes themselves, never crack under pressure. Kingsmen are fitted with the Connected Modular 45, a handsome wrist gadget filled with features (GPS, timer, integrated stun gun) capable of getting them out of any tight spot, while Statesmen opt for the timeless Monaco Calibre 11 – worn by Hollywood’s original badass Steve McQueen – to radiate cool self-confidence.

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Kingsman Dunhill Wool tie; Hermès Wool doublebreasted jacket; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Statesman Hermès Leather belt with palladiumplated buckle; Calvin Klein Jeans Shearling denim jacket, denim jeans; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Dunhill Wool tie. hip flask; Gucci Silver bull’s head ring

THE WINDSOR KNOT VS. THE HIP TROPHY Of all the accessories a Kingsman agent receives, the regimental tie is one of the least deadly. Nevertheless, it is perfectly serviceable for strangling enemies with (the only acceptable reason for it to be out of its full Windsor state). A trophy buckle on a Statesman is proof to the world that he can carry his weight in the arena; it also carries his electrostatic whip, whisky flask and, most critically, his denim pants.

Statesman Hermès Leather boot, leather belt with palladiumplated buckle; Calvin Klein Jeans Shearling denim jacket, denim jeans; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt Kingsman Dunhill Leather oxford shoe; Hermès Wool double-breasted suit

THE OXFORD SHOE VS. THE COWBOY BOOT “Oxfords, not brogues” – words to live by, but a high-level Kingsman certainly has the prowess to pull off oxfords with broguing. The hidden neurotoxinlaced blade is a nice touch, though the Statesman would never resort to it – he’d rather kick-stomp his way through with a pair of sturdy boots. Pointed toes or “roach killers” aren’t going to cut it for a suave international man of mystery, so go for the dressier roper-style with a flat heel.

Statesman Z Zegna Shearling leather jacket, techmerino sweatshirt, techmerino sweatpants, wool leg warmers, leather high-tops; Hermès Leather pouch; Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Shearling leather gloves Kingsman Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Wool quilted blouson; Z Zegna Wool pants; Ermenegildo Zegna 100fili cotton shirt; Dunhill Barathea braces

THE TAILORED PUFFER VS. THE SHEARLING LEATHER JACKET Despite their preferred uniforms, Kingsman or Statesman agents will switch to suitable attire for field work. The former keeps to his sartorial roots with a tailored puffer jacket and work pants to overcome his rigorous regimen, while the latter goes full outdoors man with a ruggedly luxurious shearling leather jacket to brave the elements in style.

Photography Joel Low

FASHION

SHOWCASING THE LATEST STYLE INSPIRATIONS AND CREATIVE VOICES

In the season’s smooth suiting and soft knits, once reluctant model Wang Chenming shows how he has come into his own.

By Ian Lee Photography Joel Low Styling Titien Wang

COMFORT ZONE

Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Cashmere alpaca jacket, cotton T-shirt, cashmere alpaca pants

Fendi Cashmere sweater

S

ince scoring Bally and Gap campaigns, and becoming one of Alessandro Michele’s go-to faces for Gucci shows, Wang Chenming has cemented his status as one of China’s biggest models today.

But the truth of the matter, he says, is that he was never serious about modelling at the start. “I took part in a modelling competition while I was in school. To be honest, I didn’t really want to do it. I didn’t think it would be useful, but I ended up doing it for fun,” he professes.

Now, three years in, Wang is represented by some 11 agencies around the world. He has also learnt to appreciate his job – well, parts of it at least. “I do like the freedom and travelling. But I’m not a fan of flying – there are months where I have to take up to seven domestic flights,” the soft-spoken, man of few words tells us.

He is also quick to point out that walking fashion shows has always been his favourite modelling assignment. For fall/winter 2017, Wang was handpicked by names like J.W. Anderson, Fendi, Valentino, Dries Van Noten, and Gucci, where he has become a regular. The Maison Margiela Fall/Winter 2015 show, which Wang opened, counts as his most memorable moment. “Before I did that, I had no idea who or what

Margiela was. Now I know a lot better,” he says.

Wang on his love-hate relationship with photoshoots There’s a lot of waiting, especially for campaigns and commercials, for one or two pictures. But it’s quite alright. Once the camera starts clicking, things move fast.

On his favourite cities Chengdu followed closely by Amsterdam. They’re both places where I like to go with friends for a holiday.

On style I like vintage clothes and things that look a little weathered. I find that old is actually young and cool.

On what’s next I’ll be involved in a lookbook shoot in China. It might not sound that exciting, but lookbook shoots back home pay well!

Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Leather jacket, cashmere top, wool pants

Dior Homme Wool jacket, neoprene turtleneck top

Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Cotton jacket, wool sweater, cotton pants, leather sneakers

Hermès Wool sweater, corduroy pants

Giorgio Armani Wool jacket, velvet shirt, velvet pants

Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Felted cashmere jersey jacket, wool sweater, felted cashmere jersey pants

Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Felted cashmere jersey jacket, wool sweater, felted cashmere jersey pants Photography assistant Alfie Pan Styling assistant Belda Chung Hair & grooming Rick Yang, FAC3INC, using Kiehl's & Ouai Special thanks to The St. Regis Singapore

On Bertie Dior Homme Wool coat, wool sweater, wool pants, leather shoes On Gyles Dior Homme Wool coat, cotton hoodie, wool pants, leather shoes On Evan Dior Homme Wool sweater, wool pants

BACKSTREET BOYS Presenting the season’s best knits, suits, and smart casuals.

Photography Joel Low Styling Titien Wang

Michael Kors Wool turtleneck sweater

On Lane Emporio Armani Velvet jacket, cotton shirt, wool pants On Evan Emporio Armani Cotton hoodie

Dolce & Gabbana Wool sweater, wool pants, leather sneakers

Moncler Wool sweater, cotton shirt

On Bertie Bottega Veneta Wool coat, cotton shirt On Lane Bottega Veneta Wool jacket, cotton shirt, silk bow-tie, wool pants On Evan Bottega Veneta Wool jacket, cotton T-shirt, wool pants

On Evan Gucci Wool sweater, wool pants, leather sneakers On Lane Gucci Wool jacket, cotton shirt, wool pants

On Bertie Gucci Wool jacket, cotton polo shirt, wool pants On Evan Gucci Wool sweater, wool pants On Gyles Gucci Embroidered cotton shirt, leather pants

On Gyles Hermès Leather and wool jacket, cashmere top, wool pants On Evan Hermès Wool sweater, wool pants On Bertie Hermès Velvet jacket, cashmere turtleneck top On Lane Hermès Wool jacket, wool pants

On Gyles Issey Miyake Cotton coat, cotton jacket, cotton pants; Jimmy Choo Leather shoes On Lane Issey Miyake Cashmere turtleneck top, cotton pants; Jimmy Choo Leather shoes

On Evan Prada Wool and leather jacket, wool shirt On Bertie Prada Corduroy and leather jacket, wool turtleneck sweater

Fendi Leather and wool coat, cotton jacket, nylon pants

Dsquared2 Wool vest, cotton shirt, cotton pants

On Bertie Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Cashmere alpaca jacket, cotton T-shirt, cashmere alpaca pants On Gyles Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Leather jacket, cotton T-shirt, wool pants, leather sneakers On Evan Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Wool jacket, cashmere turtleneck top, wool pants

Lanvin Cotton shirt Photography assistant Alfie Pan Styling assistant Belda Chung & Raymond Yong Hair Mervyn Lee, Hairloom Salon, using Goldwell Grooming Benedict Choo using MAC Models Gyles C, Evan G, Bertie J / AVE, Lane M / Mannequin

Photo Versace

GROOMING

ATTAINING THE FINEST FORM AND IMAGE

162

Bring To Light

Fashion scents that reveal your inner radiance.

Photography Munster + Long Fei Styling Yong Wei Jian Styling Assistant Mossy Chew

Hugo Boss Boss Bottled Tonic; Azzaro Wanted; Salvatore Ferragamo Uomo Casual Life

Gucci Guilty Absolute; Tom Ford Noir Anthracite; Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense

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To The Nines

Initially a unisex collection of six fresh scents, Bottega Veneta’s Parco Palladiano collection has quickly expanded to include three more floral fragrances: VII, VIII, and IX. The house’s creative director Tomas Maier speaks exclusively to Men’s Folio about the growing line.

By Ian Lee

What is the story behind the Parco Palladiano collection?

The Parco Palladiano collection is inspired by the Palladiano gardens of the Veneto region of Italy. Andrea Palladio was a 16th century architect from this region, and his teachings have always been part of my life and a constant source of inspiration to me. He was an artisan as well as an architect who sought balance and harmony in everything. And for these fragrances, I wanted to look at the villas and the Palladian gardens that represent a perfection on Earth and an agricultural utopia, as well as the very heart of Bottega Veneta, and its deep roots in the traditions and beauty of the Veneto region. Bottega Veneta was founded in the Veneto region and I am always looking at the beauty, architecture, and craftsmanship of the area in everything that I do. For me, the house is about a way of living that reflects its heritage and the four unchanging

principles: outstanding craftsmanship, timeless yet innovative design, contemporary functionality, and the highest quality materials. The house has a timelessness that reflects the beauty of the Veneto region, and it’s this spirit that is in each of these fragrances in the collection.

What does each individual scent represent, and why did you see the need to add three new ones to an already sizable collection?

It was clear to me from the beginning that this was more than about just one fragrance. The experience of being in a Palladian garden changes with each hour, and each season. It is not just the flowers, it’s also the trees, the spices, the freshness of the morning, and the fullness of night. I wanted to create fragrances that evoke these different moments, (so it would be) as if you were in a Palladian garden yourself.

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What was the inspiration behind the names of the individual scents in the collection?

Roman numerals were the obvious choice to consolidate that sense of Italian classical heritage. I also didn’t want to name the scents any further. I wanted our clients to discover the fragrances for themselves and to create their own personal concept for them.

What about the various colours of the fragrances, individually and collectively speaking?

The colours are made to reflect different moments of the day, by giving the sense of something very fresh, light, and natural. Colour is a vital part of my work at Bottega Veneta and it is only logical that it be an essential element of the fragrances as well.

How did the making of this line compare to designing a Bottega Veneta ready-to-wear collection?

It is a very different experience, because the process is so different. It can take years to create a fragrance, from coming up with the initial idea to having the finished product in a bottle. In that time, I would have created many different ready-to-wear collections at Bottega Veneta, and moved through many different moods and looks. But at the core of it all,

everything we make is defined by the same principles of the house and is made to last.

The global market for fragrances and perfumes is huge, was there pressure to create something with a mass appeal?

This is a very special fragrance collection that will only be sold in our boutiques and very selected department stores. It gives us the opportunity to create something for our clients to experience for themselves, in a deeply personal way, so that they can find the Parco Palladiano scent that is perfect for them. These are fragrances that are first and foremost inspired by nature, and I didn’t want to define them any more than that.

How do you view fragrances in the context of a man’s or woman’s complete look?

Fragrances are more than just an important part of an outfit. They are a means to convey a sense of individualism, and interpret something personally. Fragrances play on our thought processes, in a way that we may not even fully understand. That is why we have worked so hard to create fragrances that are evocative, because wearing them is such a personal and powerful experience.

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Twist & Turn

Shake up your cleansing routine with these new swivel sticks.

By Shelton Chang

Origins Modern Friction Cleansing Stick A solid update on its classic cleanser, this new version comes with white and purple rice.

The grains contain phytic acid to brighten complexion and antioxidants to mop up free radicals present in cells. The stick creates a creamy foam on damp skin and rinses off easily to reveal bright, refined skin.

Boscia Charcoal Deep-Pore Cleansing Stick Charcoal is an effective ingredient for oily skin due to its ability to draw out sebum, dirt, and impurities. The glycolic acid in this stick gently sloughs off dead skin cells and a blend of botanical extracts diminishes the appearance of pores and pigmentation, while preventing free radical damage.

Neogen Real Fresh Green Tea Cleansing Stick A collaboration between famed K-Beauty maven, Charlotte Cho and Korean brand Neogen, this low-PH cleanser is the answer to the industry’s lack of travelfriendly skincare. Green tea leaves in the cleanser gently buff away dead skin cells while 13 different natural oils cleanse and revitalise the skin.

Oars + Alps Power Cleansing Face Stick Made for active men who work out frequently, this compact cleansing stick contains activated charcoal exfoliants and other natural ingredients that dissolve sweat, grime, and dirt. The cleanser has antiageing properties, and contains antioxidant-rich Alpine Caribou Moss, which boosts skin elasticity.

LIFESTYLE

DEFINING THE OPULENT WAY OF LIFE

170

A Tale Of Two Quarters

Exploring two contrasting sides of Zßrich reveals that it’s much more than a global banking and finance centre.

By Jason Kwong

W

ith a population of over 400,000, Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland. The spoken language is the Swiss German dialect.

As for quality of living, it’s constantly ranked amongst the top cities. Drinking water flows from almost all public fountains, for example.

I was standing in front of a well-kept building – its muted yet rich design in concert with buildings around it, on a tree-lined street. It was a quiet one, a moneyed street. I saw a limousine parked between two street lamps, diagonally across the ornamental doors of a brownstone building.

In the front seat sat a uniformed chauffeur. The history-steeped guild houses here bore witness to the period between 1336 and 1798 when Zürich’s history was significantly influenced by its guilds. Scattered throughout were hints, worded allusions, and a few direct chronological references. I’m reminded that most Zürich residents are tenants – only a small percentage of them are homeowners.

These associations attempted to gain political power. They only succeeded in doing so following the Brun’s Guild Revolution in 1336.

Under the leadership of nobleman Rudolf Brun, a Constitution of the Guilds was drawn up, regulating the balance of power in the city. With time, the craftsmen’s guilds also developed into political and military organisations with immense power. The coats of arms on the entrances of various buildings in the Old Town indicate which guild used to meet behind the respective doors.

It reminded me of spy films where multibillion-dollar transfers occurred by means of espionage and a thorough knowledge of Swiss banking practices. The statutes pertaining to banking confidentiality are among the most sacrosanct at Paradeplatz. For some, the stakes may seem lower these days. But if anything, it gives this locale more character even as law firms and fine-dining establishments have infiltrated its confines.

From Lindenhof, we started walking towards Lake Zürich, around which the city is built. Lindenhof used to be a Roman fort. These days, the square is worth a visit for the view alone and it’s also a meeting place for amateur chess players. The Limmat River, which winds its way past Old

Town, is a steadfast stream of tranquillity. After dusk, several riverside and lakeside bathing areas are transformed into bars. Boat services provide access to the abundant nature along the southern fringes of the lake.

Once a year, the aptly named Zürcher Theater Spektakel converts the left bank of Lake Zürich into a stage where members of the contemporary performing arts scene congregate to present spontaneous open-air performances. Situated on the opposite bank of the Limmat River is Schipfe, one of the city’s oldest districts. This quarter is still dominated by artisans today, and visitors can often obtain expert advice from master craftsmen such as goldsmiths and carpenters.

I walked the length of Bahnhofstrasse that links the Main Station with Lake Zürich. The further one walks towards the lake, boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co. come into view. The Jelmoli department store, which opened in 1899, is the oldest one in Zürich and also the largest of its kind in Switzerland. The area is also a delightful hunting ground for intrepid gourmets. There, I had dinner consisting of compulsory veal and mushroom sauce and rösti at a café. In the vicinity, the Swiss National Museum – also known as the Landesmuseum – is situated just behind Zürich Main Station, and houses the country’s largest cultural-historical collection within its fortified walls.

Not everything has a long-standing history here as I also took a tour of the FIFA World Football Museum, with over 1,000 exhibits telling the story of the game in an interactive and multimedia manner. Of course, the absolute highlight for me was the original FIFA World Cup trophy that’s a selfie magnet. In the games area, I gave the gigantic pinball machine and other interactive stations a cursory inspection.

This was followed by a brisk hike to Grossmünster Church, which was built on the very spot where patron saints Felix and Regula died as martyrs. Religion also manifested itself with St. Peter’s Church – the oldest parish church in Zürich. The original foundation walls dating from the ninth century can still be seen under the chancel even as one gazes up at the clock face on the tower.

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Go West Go to Frau Gerolds Garten, an acquaintance said when I told him about the prospect of bumming around Zürich-West. Or try grooving to electronic music at the Supermarket – it’s a club, trust me. Alternatively, savour Swiss cuisine at the Restaurant Viadukt, under the massive stone arches of the old Letten railway viaduct that was originally used to transport coal since 1894.

Zürich-West lies in the valley plain between the Limmat River and the railway tracks that run northwest of the main train station. The locals frequently use the term “Zürich-West” to mean the area along Hardbrücke bridge between Hardbrücke train station and Escher-WyssPlatz. The area flourished at the tail-end of the 19 th century.

Pioneering factory owners thrived with the Limmat River as a water source. This was once an industrial quarter where ships were built and various factories operated. After the 1980s, they gradually moved away, leaving behind empty factory halls. Escher-Wyss-Platz, for example, is named after Escher, Wyss & Cie., which constructed machines and turbines.

With the new millennium, creative firms and boutique agencies took up residence in these abandoned factories and warehouses with complementary auxiliary service providers following suit. As I looked around me, I briefly forgot that I was just a tram ride away from Zürich Old Town.

After checking into the Renaissance Zürich Tower Hotel, it was time to do a little exploring. Hedge fund managers and auditors walked about as creative types idly chatted away, offering each other more coffee at cafés. The relatively new Prime Tower, with its swanky apartments, offices, and a fine-dining restaurant on the top floor, was my North Star.

My guide came to Zürich as an immigrant from Hungary and described vividly how this cordoned-off industrial district transformed

itself organically over the last few decades. It did not totally reject the prevailing styles of architecture but assimilated new appendages that provide functional autonomy. I favoured Zürich-West to Old Town, despite the former’s very reserved nature that’s evident during the day.

I kept going back to Frau Gerolds Garten for the sun on the terrace. It’s a colourful garden that unites an open-air restaurant and a flower nursery to create an urban oasis in the heart of Kreis 5. It’s also hippie (as oppose to hipster) in many ways. Much like how creepers extend their influence on the remains of decaying flora, this is how the district has been reinvigorated. Much of the same veneer still exists.

Except that much of it isn’t functioning in its original capacity.

The garden is surrounded by other institutions of Zürich’s nightlife.

The clubs offering alternative music are subsidised by other trippy nightlife establishments that resemble garage parties. Despite their cosmetic differences, revellers adopt similar codes of behaviour. It all started in the 1990s, when joints such as Club Palais X-tra (today’s Xtra Club) established themselves in the adjacent Kreis 4 quarter, bringing with them illegal parties that flourished in the empty buildings.

I found myself standing in a second-hand shop, which sells Swissair cabin crew satchels. The throwback artefact can fetch a pretty Swiss Franc on a good day. Nearby, on sale at the various stands at Zürich’s first ‘market hall were fresh food, delicatessen products, flowers, and household items.

The Gerold-Areal site is also brimming with design specialists. Les Halles, for example, is home to numerous quirky items, ranging from vintage racing bicycles to amusing advertising signs and designer furniture. Nearby, in an impressive tower of stacked-up freight containers, are 1,600 bags and accessories from Freitag – the largest selection in the world of these recycled freeway bags. For the record, I purchased a bright yellow Kowalski style even though it looked a little worse for wear, but that’s the whole point, I guess.

Photography Switzerland Tourism

174

From All Angles

STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery celebrates its 15th anniversary with a David Hockney exhibition.

By Nadya Wang

177

T

o celebrate its 15th anniversary, STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery is mounting David Hockney: A Matter of Perspective for its annual special exhibition, running till 9 Sep. On display will be 35 works by the renowned British artist from the National Collection.

Born in Bradford in 1937, Hockney studied at the Bradford School of Art, then the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1962. In 1991, he was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts and in 2012, the Queen appointed him a member of the Order of Merit. This year, Hockney celebrates his 80 th birthday, and there are major institutional retrospectives at National Gallery of Victoria and Tate Britain back at home, as well as Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The special showcase at STPI is part of its anniversary programme that will include exhibitions, artist collaborations, and events. These are organised under the theme Fifteen Years and More to Come, which looks back at STPI’s achievements in print and paper art practice while looking forward to its continued pursuit of innovation.

STPI’s annual special exhibitions present works in print and paper created by significant figures in art history to local audiences. “David Hockney is one such exemplary figure who produced significant prints, pushing technical boundaries with printer Kenneth Tyler back in the day, and remains exceptional today in his bold experiments with different mediums that include technology,” says Tessa Chung, who curated the exhibition. “Naturally, his inventiveness and zeal is something that resonates with the spirit of what we do at STPI, so it’s fitting that we present him this year on our 15th anniversary.”

Previous annual special exhibitions include Zao Wou-Ki: No Boundaries in 2016 of 40 works by the late French-Chinese abstract painter and As We Never Imagined: 50 Years of Art Making in 2015, featuring some STPI’s best collaborations with close to 40 notable artists from the region and beyond, including Han Sai Por and Frank Stella.

David Hockney: A Matter of Perspective is a look at Hockney’s ongoing exploration of portraying three-dimensional human experiences within two-dimensional mediums, which has led to the creation of unconventional perspectives in his work, including prints.

“The works in the show highlight his point of view: that of multiple perspectives, due to his distrust in the camera’s viewpoint, which is a static vanishing point,” says Chung. “Though that may be the way the world has been conditioned to see, Hockney believed it to be insufficient as a truthful representation of time and space. As such, the works in the show were chosen to illustrate the way Hockney portrayed his subjects through this specific lens.”

Highlights from the show, which focuses on Hockney’s work as a printmaker, include multi-viewpoint prints from the Moving Focus series created in the mid-1980s, considered the most ambitious project attempted with Tyler, apart from Paper Pools (1978). Chung notes, “It was with the Moving Focus works that Hockney and Tyler pushed technical protocols, enabling Hockney to work en plein air, which was unheard of where the development of prints was concerned.”

There are also prints from the 1990s, which will be exhibited in Singapore for the first time. “They may seem removed from his entire body of work, but they do well to show the development of Hockney’s enquiry, for if conventional perspective detached the viewer from the work, these abstract landscapes served to draw the viewer right in,” comments Chung.

One of the more recent works on display is the photographic drawing, 4 Blue Stools from 2014. A digital collage of photographs that breaks away from photography’s single-point perspective, it relates to Hockney’s earlier photo-collages made up of multiple photographs and angles, and provides a fuller look at Hockney’s long-running experimentation with perspectives.

179

In Good Hands

Anne Samat’s sculptures woven from domestic materials bring attention to the art of weaving.

By Nadya Wang

B

oldly colourful, with sharp and protruding metallic edges, smooth tapestry surfaces, as well as textured braided strands, Malaysian artist Anne Samat’s wall sculptures are woven by hand using an array of fibres and found objects. With the mixed materials, her artworks appear simultaneously hard and soft, alluding to the complexity of identity and nationhood.

For Samat’s works, the whole is certainly greater than the sum of its parts, and the components contribute significantly to the overall message.

With the use of primarily functional household items such as colander and fork to make her aesthetically arresting artworks, one cannot help but think about the Chinese saying that praises the woman who is as adept in the kitchen as she is presentable in the living room.

We speak with Anne Samat to learn more about the traditional weaving techniques she creatively employs to make her contemporary artworks and the concepts behind them.

How would you prefer your artworks described: as textile design, weavings, sculptures, or contemporary fibre art?

To be honest, it doesn’t matter to me. This is not politics. Art is magical, universal, subjective, and open to any interpretation.

When and how did you pick up weaving?

It all started when I was in university. I knew nothing about weaving when I was a student. That’s the reason why I took weaving as my major. I wanted to learn something completely new and different.

In your tapestries, aside from fibres, you weave in unconventional materials such as wall washers and kitchen and garden utensils. How do you think all these household tools add to your artworks aesthetically and conceptually?

Household tools such as washers, nuts, bolts, garden rakes, sieves, and so on have the ability and power to transform my artworks into three-

dimensional figurative sculptures that have become my signature. All these different elements also have unexpected and intriguing qualities. The strong domestic association is key to my explorations of expectations and the social conditioning of gender roles in our society. By combining domestic paraphernalia with traditional weaving techniques, these seemingly banal materials become, conceptually, artworks of incredible power and presence.

Rattan sticks feature significantly in your artworks. What is compelling about them?

Rattan sticks feature significantly in my artworks because they are flexible, durable, and lightweight. They can easily be painted, manipulated, and are resistant to splintering. Those characteristics are the important combinations and ideal to produce bigger but lighter artworks.

How do you start on a piece?

I start a piece with a very simple sketch. Something very basic that only I would understand. The sketch is followed by materials and from there, the process of weaving is on its way. Once I start the assembling process, the artwork will take over. The pieces will demand what they want and always take over the process along the way.

In your artist statement, you say that your tapestries are metaphors for identity and nationhood. Could you elaborate on this?

I embrace both traditional crafts and aesthetics to create more conceptually driven works. The classic songket shuttle weaving techniques I adopt and unconventional materials incorporated in my art erase conventional distinctions to create my densely coloured tapestries, which I describe as “metaphors” for identity and nationhood. The personal, handcrafted quality juxtaposed against the materiality of everyday objects succeed in piercing the boundaries between art and textile, contemporary and traditional, abstraction and pattern making.

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What are your sources of inspiration in the making of your artworks?

I always believe that Mother Nature is the greatest source of inspiration. At present, I am producing artworks by combining colours from my surrounding with traditional motifs of Songket and Pua Kumbu. Being open-minded is also another source of my inspiration. All these positive thoughts and energy will navigate me to unlimited access into my creative world.

Could you tell us about your career as an artist so far?

I am loving it. I look forward to working every day. I am very grateful and fortunate because my work is my hobby and my hobby is my career.

I’ve met few challenges before, such as lack of moral support from the local industry because they still believe that this form of art remains a very domestic activity or craft. As an artist, I believe it’s my responsibility to clear the air and welcome them into my creative world. My break came with Richard Koh Fine Art at Art Stage Singapore and Art Central Hong Kong 2017. I’ve learnt so many things from these two events, and believe that the sky’s the limit.

Special Feature

Juicy J

Fifteen years after being founded in Copenhagen, Joe & The Juice has expanded to 70 cities – including Singapore, where it has three bars.

CEO Kaspar Basse tells Men’s Folio why juice makes him jive.

What’s the story behind Joe & The Juice?

I have a background in elite sports (a black belt in karate), so I’ve always known that vitamins and minerals are important to maintain good health and high performance. But I found vegetables extremely boring. Juicing was a way for me to get nutrients to taste amazing. And I was impressed and inspired by the coffee houses that have a global footprint.

What do you think makes Joe & The Juice different?

We feel that healthy lifestyle choices shouldn’t have to be at the sacrifice of fun. We offer a unique combination of health and entertainment in a fast-paced environment, with everything on the menu made fresh. The atmosphere at Joe & The Juice is almost like a nightclub, with energetic music and staff who are more like friends, offering suggestions based on individual taste and preference. We want to leave each customer not only with the benefits of the vitamins and minerals in their fresh pressed juice but also with a smile on their face.

Where do you get inspiration for the juices?

We look at health trends, examine the science behind them, and decide whether to tweak or add products.

What are your most popular juices?

They vary a bit by market, but green juices or those with beets and carrots are very popular now. Consumers have become much more knowledgeable about the nutritional benefits of certain ingredients. For example, root vegetables like beets and carrots are high in antioxidants

and are known to help increase oxygen intake, creating good, clean energy. And because they want all the vitamins and minerals of juices while keeping their calorie and sugar intake down, customers are requesting that juices be made predominately with vegetables rather than fruits.

Do most customers come looking for juices with vitamin C? I would say most of our customers come in looking for vitamin C and green juices. It seems to be universally understood as being important for overall health.

Which is your favourite?

Green Mile (broccoli, spinach, avocado, lemon, and apple) with extra avocado. It’s my go-to post-workout breakfast every morning. I add avocado because it helps keep me full until lunchtime.

What benefits come from having juices made fresh?

We make each individual juice to order, to deliver freshness and maximum vitamins and minerals. “Slow juice”, on the other hand, goes through oxidation during bottling, High Pressure Processing to increase shelf life, and transportation from production facility to store. All this may negatively affect levels of enzymes, nutrients, probiotics, and minerals. Every hour that the bottled juice spends on the shelf, it loses a bit of more.

Joe & The Juice is located at Chevron House (30 Raffles Place, #01-35A/35), Quayside Isle (31 Ocean Way Sentosa Cove, #01-09) and Tanjong Pagar Centre (7 Wallich Street, #01-07).

Scene

T

Make A Score

AG Heuer celebrated the re-opening of its Ion Orchard boutique. The store, spanning over 1,162 sq ft, has been relocated from a smaller space to a new location within the mall. It is now the first of three TAG Heuer boutiques in Singapore to be designed in line with the brand’s new global look. Customers were invited to witness the celebrations, which included a showcase by football stuntmen.

Scene

A

Kick Up A Storm

n excited crowd of guests and football fans gathered in Parc Central Guangzhou to celebrate the style partnership between Diesel and AC Milan. The club’s star players – Patrick Cutrone, Luca Antonelli, Marco Storari and Gianlugi Donnarumma – made an appearance at the event wearing reversible bomber jackets featuring AC Milan’s signature colours and the team’s badges.

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Reversal Of Fortune

Photo Vetements

emember how we poked fun at the undergraduate with The North Face windbreaker (the one that safeguarded his virginity) in freezing lecture halls? Or at tourist-dads who insist on bumbags and socksand-sandals as appropriate travel wear? Oh how we cackled, criticised, and condescended. Well, karma’s a f***ing bitch, and it’s here to serve poetic justice by turning faux pas into fashion. Gorpcore, the latest un-style making its round in fashion circles, brings practical (read: ugly) wear to the fore, and it’s providing quite the quandary: either be a hypocrite and commit the same sartorial suicide you once condemned, or risk becoming “irrelevant” and “uncool”. With the way trends are headed (it’s basically “anything goes” at this point), pretty soon even our local brand of singletshorts-slippers will have its day in the cultural zeitgeist.

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‘Golden Prayer’ (detail view). 2016-2017.

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