Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2022 i Esquire Singapore

Well hey there, welcome to The Unconventional Issue. If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be sitting here writing to you as the Editor-in-Chief of Esquire Singapore, I would’ve told you to marry me off to Jon Hamm, hand me a Porsche and call it a day. Yet, here’s your proof, kids. Turns out (almost) all your dreams do come true. Since we’re meeting for the first time, let me take a moment to introduce myself. A former management consultant (I still can’t explain what this job was about), tech strategist and public relations professional, I’d say I know a thing or two about unconventionality. Ten years ago when I embarked on my journey, all I wanted was to be a journalist. To travel the world, report on…

1 COTTON SHIRT What differentiates this particular white shirt by British brand Erdem from others of its ilk, is in the unique borderie anglaise that trims the hem. It’s a detail that harkens to the revival of old-timey craftsmanship led by American brand Bode but done in a rather British manner. Treat this as a summer staple which would go with anything from your favourite berms to your washed-out denim jeans. Erdem from Mr Porter 2 RUBBER ROMAN STUD TURTLE SLIDES We’re hitting that period where slides are sliding back (pun intended) into our consciousness once again. Sure, it’s almost always sunny all year round here, but there’s something about the middle of the year which captures that sun, sand and sea spirit. The thing about these fully studded slides by…

AIR-PURIFYING FILTERS The electrostatic charge on each ear cup draws air through the filter, cleaning it of 99 percent of particles as small as 0.1 microns. This includes pollen, bacteria and dust, as well as gas pollutants such as sulphur and nitrogen dioxide. HEADPHONES Combining a cushion design to fit snug on the ears and active noisecancelling technology, the Dyson Zone delivers an immersive and high-fidelity sound akin to speakers from headphone makers like Bose and Sony. It can be used without the visor attached. VISOR This plastic mask-like visor channels a continuous stream of purified air to the nose and the mouth. Magnets attaching it to the headphones can be unclipped so that the visor can be lowered when the wearer wants to talk to others. What’s not to…

Gaggan, we met once before not too long ago, when I attended your talk at Singapore’s Mandala Club (formerly known as Straits Clan). In all my time interviewing, I’ve never met a chef as… As [effed] up as me? I was going to say unconventional! Okay so, unconventionally [effed] up? (Both laugh.) There are many others out there with bold personalities, but you might just be the most unabashedly honest chef I’ve ever met. What do you think about that? I think I am an honest person and that’s where my honesty comes from even as a chef. Honesty is difficult to find in the fake world we sometimes live in today. I’ve always thought the only thing I could do with my success, is to be the same. It…

“The first custom job was on my bicycle, ” Frank M Rinderknecht recalls. “I was 13 and had just seen Easy Rider and decided I had to have those big handlebars. Needless to say people shook their heads and asked what the purpose was–it was cool downhill but very strenuous uphill. And the next year I was tuning up my new moped. I think I’ve always been passionate about technical things, and about building them on gut feeling.” And in a big way. If James Bond’s Q was a specialist in all things mobility, he’d look to Rinderknecht for inspiration. Through his company Rinspeed–founded as what would become Europe’s leading VW and Porsche tuning specialist–the inventor has, for the last 30 years, created one outrageous concept car after another. There’s…

I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain.Prince A little less conversation, a little more action, please.Elvis Presley Now, what cooler than being cool? (Ice cold!)André 3000 I’M SO HAPPY ‘CAUSE TODAY I FOUND MY FRIENDS; THEY’RE IN MY HEAD.Kurt Cobain NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL HIGH–QUALITY H2O!Adam Sandler I have only one burning desire. Let me stand next to your fire.Jimi Hendrix Strawberry lipstick state of mind.Harry Styles I HAVE NO DESIRE TO PROVE ANYTHING BY DANCING... I JUST DANCE.Fred Astaire A lot of people have asked me how short I am. Since my last divorce, I think I’m about $100,000 short. Mickey Rooney THERE’S A STARMAN WAITING IN THE SKY. HE’D LIKE TO COME AND MEET US. BUT HE THINKS HE’D BLOW OUR MINDS.David Bowie…

Charles Coote was a rogue. In the words of Rosalind McKever, co-curator of an extensive and provocative new exhibition of men’s fashion at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), Coote, the first Earl of Bellamont, was “not a very nice man. which only adds to the irony of how he is viewed now”. It’s a verdict McKever delivered with icy understatement and a pointedly raised eyebrow. The potted biography offered by the National Gallery of Ireland, owner of the most famous portrait of Coote, is less euphemistic, more damning. “The Earl of Bellamont was a vain and pompous womaniser who deserted his wife... and in his will acknowledged six illegitimate children by four different mothers.” Further shade is thrown by the National Gallery: “His appointment as a Knight of the…

Six months after the Apple Watch debuted in 2015, TAG Heuer introduced its first connected watch-a bold early entree into a market that most of the Swiss watch industry initially dismissed. The old guard thought the Apple Watch was a fad. Now we know smartwatches are here to stay. And while personality-free designs still predominate, TAG Heuer has proven that you can have all that technology in a watch that actually looks stylish. There’s a hitch though. Swiss-made watches are designed to last a lifetime. Many lifetimes. That isn’t the case with smartwatches. Apple, for instance, has put out seven generations of its watch. TAG Heuer has sought to extend the life of its smartwatch-to make it last for, if not a lifetime, at least longer than others in the…

On London’s Westminster Bridge, I once saw a man dealing cards onto a cardboard box. Two jokers and a queen he showed the audience, before turning the cards face down and mixing them up. He did it so slowly that you could tell exactly where the queen was. A woman went up to him and bet twenty pounds, and in front of my eyes, I watched it turn into forty. Although I was only nine at the time, the allure of free money was too promising to pass up. I convinced my dad to place a bet. By some stroke of misfortune (or so I believed at the time), we picked the wrong card. Losing twenty pounds was like a punch to the gut. In fact, it hurt so bad…

When it comes to telling jokes, is anything sacred anymore? Ahh, so we address the infamous slap at this year’s Oscars. Listen; I’ve been known to tell a spicy joke every now and then myself, so my short answer for you is–comedy is best enjoyed when it’s a free-for-all. However, there are some caveats to this. Back in medieval times, ‘jester’s privilege’ gave court jesters the right to openly mock those in attendance without the fear of punishment or retribution. Today’s modern-day jester is the ever-humble comic–spotlight on stage, with a water bottle (full of vodka, no doubt) by their side, and wit up their sleeves. Yet whilst I may think this new gig comes with the same liberties of ridicule as yesteryears passed, it seems that as the world…

“Of course I get stopped by strangers, ” Neil Harbisson laughs. “First, people thought it was a reading light, later a GoPro or some kind of selfie-stick. Some people have been fearful, others have said what I do is anti-human or ‘against God’. And others have just found it ridiculous or funny. The reactions have been very interesting to witness.” And no wonder. The 37-year-old artist, who explores the intersection of humans and technology, has a self-designed antenna protruding from the top of his head. Remarkably, it extends the normal range of human senses and allows him–as someone profoundly colour-blind–to feel colour through sound vibrations in his skull. The tech has had several upgrades, adding infrared or wireless connectivity. And, just to be clear, Harbisson isn’t wearing his antenna–it’s osio-integrated,…

All by Louis Vuitton. All by Louis Vuitton. All by Louis Vuitton.…

One of the first things a watch lover does upon encountering a never-before-seen haute horlogerie timepiece, is to flip it over to its back to admire the movement. With Cartier’s new Masse Mystérieuse, however, the dial alone offers plenty and more to pore over. Although the first question that immediately pops to mind would undoubtedly be: But where’s the rest of it? Rest assured, the watchmaker hasn’t neglected to put in the other half of the movement; it simply isn’t there. Whaaat? As outrageous as this sounds, the Masse Mystérieuse really does have a movement that only takes up half the space within its round case. Packed ingeniously into what would otherwise be a perfectly ordinary oscillating weight, all 175 individual components of this movement are fully exposed, and together…

It’s easy to think of Sneaky Sushii, who goes by Jay (or Sushii kor kor if you’d like to incite a reaction), as familiar. He eloquently rapid-fires you through the latest, whether in the world or in his life, all whilst doling out semi-deadpan, self-aware ripostes that are both relatable and entertaining. You’ll realise the YouTuber—who took the moniker after his dog named by his late dad (the sneaky bit just worked for the rhyme scheme)—isn’t a veteran to the scene, and yet with over 215,000 YouTube subscribers, your peers have likely heard of him. He chalks it all up to meditation and manifestation, which he acknowledges goes against his online character. Here, he answers all our burning questions. Who are some of your comedic influences or what did you…

Old-fashioned dating rules are such a thing of the past, that almost it’s difficult to recall how courtship used to be. Whatever constituted conventional dating anyway? Allow me to explain. It’s any kind of behaviour that pop-culture now deems unusually respectful, thoughtful, sincere or romantic. Classic chivalry, if you will. I’m talking about flowers, planned picnics, surprise dates, holding doors open, standing up upon a woman’s arrival and pulling the chair out for her at the dinner table. Things like waiting with her for the cab to arrive and texting her after, thanking her for the evening. And gentlemanly gestures aside, it’s also about listening–and I mean really listening–to what each other are saying. Engaging in the conversation, being present with one another, and asking insightful questions. It also includes…

Garmin’s new Instinct 2 is playful and loud in a self-aware way. With a 45mm bezel (plus an optional 40mm) and many more customisable features, this watch is a thoughtful upgrade that performs with the same extra-tough shell and high-contrast dual-screen display which we love about the original Instinct. A full suite of health and wellness features including VO2 Max and sleep score makes working out more fun. It also impresses with a remarkably long battery life, and while pricier, the solar edition is a worthy investment to consider as it can run indefinitely with sufficient sunlight. Available in brighter colours like poppy red and lime green, Garmin 2 retails for SGD499 at Lazada, Shopee, Garmin Online Store and all authorised retailers. BIO-HACKING Bio-hacking stems from the belief that we…

1 YOUR IDEA OF A PERFECT DATE NIGHT IS…? As long as it starts with a great home-cooked meal and ends with a cuddle on the couch while watching a movie–I’m down for whatever. Long drives? Count me in. Killer concert? I’m there. 2 WHERE’S THE NEXT PLACE YOU’RE GOING TO TRAVEL TO AND WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU’LL EAT THERE? I’m heading back to one of my favourite cities London, shortly. Barring the random pastry from the airport for sustenance, it’ll be a toss-up between the Claypot Baked Glass Noodles with Tamworth Belly and Brown Crab from Kiln in Soho, or one of Padella’s insanely delicious pastas. 3 WHAT DO MEN WANT? To be vulnerable without judgement. Also to be romanced. 4 OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT’RE YOU EXCITED ABOUT…

Two authors: One Ukrainian. One Russian. Both vehemently against the bloodshed. Here is the war they never asked for, in their own words. “MANKIND MUST PUT AN END TO WAR, BEFORE WAR PUTS AN END TO MANKIND.”– JOHN F KENNEDY UKRAINE By Larysa Mudrak. Before the war, my life was a state of bliss. All my dreams came to fruition. Sometimes I’d pinch myself, convinced that things seemed too good to be true. A little about myself: In 1991, I graduated from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a journalism degree. I was a presenter for Radio Liberty in Kyiv, Munich and Prague, where I interviewed Bill Clinton, Václav Havel and hundreds of other personalities. Then came television; where I worked on programmes like Vikna on the TET…

The Sex Pistols didn’t invent punk rock. That honour goes to American upstarts at CBGB. But the Pistols deserve–and accept–the blame for bringing it to the ’burbs. When a teen turns up with spiky hair, a dog collar and a leather jacket, the response is “What are you, the Sex Pistols?” It’s a generic term now, like Xerox or Kleenex. The band blazed that trail. With flamethrowers. The Pistols’ antiestablishment attitudes sprouted from their working-class upbringing. Steve Jones was a prolific thief who claims to have walked off with David Bowie’s equipment and used it to start the band. Paul Cook was bound for the electrical trades. In the early ’70s, the two childhood friends frequented a London clothing store called Let It Rock. Its owners, designers Vivienne Westwood and…

Why did Silvia Venturini Fendi put forth severely slashed tops and blazers (to the effect that they’re effectively boleros) as part of her spring/summer 2022 menswear collection for Fendi? The answer is actually pretty simple: an expression of freedom, at least according to the creative director herself. It’s not exactly surprising that the showing of skin as a way of exuding freedom isn’t new when it comes to fashion. It’s a trope prevalent in womenswear, where raised hems and sheer fabrics are often used to portray liberation from societal constructs. But in menswear (at least in the conventional mainstream sense), freedom isn’t often talked about or expressed in relatively risque ways. Fendi is by no means the first brand to do so in menswear. In fact, the spring/summer 2022 menswear…

If there’s one capsule collection that has consistently captured a sense of spirited energy-no matter the pandemic-stricken or wartime realities-it’s Loewe’s annual Paula’s Ibiza collection. Hitting its sixth edition now, the collection has grown to be more than just a revival of Paula’s archived prints on distinctly Loewe silhouettes; it’s a joyous celebration of life through fashion. Loewe Paula’s Ibiza started off as creative director Jonathan Anderson’s throwback to his childhood trips to the island, and has since evolved to be a full-fledged collection in its own right-running the gamut of womenswear, menswear, shoes, accessories and bags. Yet the spirit hasn’t changed one bit. That indelible vibrance and freedom of life on the escapist isle is one that runs rampant throughout every iteration of Loewe Paula’s Ibiza. This year, Anderson…

Let’s get this clear: no one at Esquire condones violence of any kind. But it’s hard to ignore the debacle that happened during the 94th Academy Awards this year. It was a bad joke that abruptly turned into physical assault, and an even more awkward verbal exchange live on television-all for tens of millions of viewers to see worldwide. Some have even described the slap as the one that was heard around the world. “That was uhh... the greatest night in the history of television, ” Chris Rock uttered right after, visibly shaken from the unexpected encounter. And he was right. Hardly anything else in recent history could come close to the sort of viral, almost immediate response that proceeded. From endless news articles to lightningfast memes, within 24 hours…

There’s a story about how you came up with the name Ella... It was 2017; when I was driving over to pick up the robot, I told myself I needed to personify her. She needed a name; a two-syllable one that’s understood all over the world. I’ve heard horror stories of brand names that mean something else overseas, so we wanted the name to sound good around the world. One day, I saw kids running about and they were singing to that Rihanna song, ‘Umbrella’—[sings] “You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella...” Those kids could pronounce it and they remembered it. So I checked to see if the name was problematic overseas and, of course, my wife’s name is Ellie. Then I mulled over it for a day or…

It took some time to get here. Like you, we’ve felt that lockedin-syndrome level of anxiety which can seize whenever someone’s rude enough to rub your nose in the fact that climate change is not a hazy future concern but actually already upon us right now. Uncontrollable wildfires. Deadly heatwaves. Sea levels swallowing coastal cities. Mega droughts, monsoons, cyclones and floods. Actual swarms of locusts. The head of the UN—the impotent UN— calls it a code red for humanity. Jeezus, we get it. So what’s a guy to do? The solution is deceptively simple: Don’t fight it; embrace it! As has been scolded into us since we were four and a half: Change is good. In fact, climate change is probably the best thing to ever happen to us. So…