Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2022 i Tatler Hong Kong

TATLER HONG KONG On the cover of this month’s issue is Michelle Ong, her husband David Cheung, and their children, Amanda, Jennifer and Adrian Cheung, who discuss their dynamic and the path each has chosen to pursue in life. TATLER INDONESIA Guillem Segarra is the CEO of HappyFresh, one of Southeast Asia’s leading on-demand grocery delivery companies. He talks about its exponential growth in 2021 and expansion plans this year. TATLER MALAYSIA Rekha Sen is one of the many campaigners fighting for Malaysian mothers to be given the same rights as fathers when it comes to conferring citizenship on their overseas-born children—both for the sake of the child’s future and for the push for gender equality in the nation. TATLER PHILIPPINES Model, entrepreneur and lifestyle columnist Rissa Mananquil Trillo and…

Growing up, Claudia Cheng was surrounded by creative people. As the daughter of Louisa Cheng, an oil painter and the recipient of Tatler’s 2002 Most Stylish award, it was almost inevitable that Cheng would also develop a love for fashion and the arts. “[It] started at a very young age. As children, my mother would bring me and my sister to museums. We would play a game of guessing who painted each work, and we’d get a point for every artist we guessed right. We could then exchange the points for gifts we wanted, such as CDs and DVDs.” There’s little surprise, then, that today she has such a discerning eye for art. After studying at Stanford University, Cheng moved to New York to develop her knowledge of the art…

When one thinks of fine dining, it’s not often that the humble onion figures as the top of mind—but for Uwe Opocensky, executive chef of Petrus at Island Shangri-La, the multi-layered vegetable has become an obsession ever since he was invited by the House of Krug in 2020 to visit Jaipur, India. The purpose of the trip? To kick off the prestigious champagne label’s annual Krug x Single Ingredient programme, which has explored a myriad of overlooked ingredients since its conception: from the potato and egg, to the mushroom, pepper and more. There, he and ten other Krug Ambassade Chefs immersed themselves in the sights and sounds of India, scoping out the role the onion plays in the country’s cuisine from the neighbourhood market to its vibrant street food scene.…

BLINDSPOT GALLERY New Beginnings Until March 9 The group exhibition features works by artists based in different cities—including British painter Paul Barlow, Japanese artist Osamu Kobayashi and Hong Kong multimedia artist Andrew Luk—whose works take the form of a flat “painterly surface” made to hang upright on a wall. blindspotgallery.com AXEL VERVOORDT Cafés Until March 12 Venetian painter Ida Barbarigo was known for her paintings of chairs, some of which look like actual seats, but others of which resemble human skeletons and demons. Twenty-two pieces from the late 1960s and 1970s have recently been restored and are being revealed to the public for the first time at this exhibition. axel-vervoordt.com DE SARTHE In the Flow of Becoming Until March 12 Chinese artist Wang Xin, who is also a certified hypnotist,…

I have had the pleasure of organising many events, parties, fashion shows and galas, and no doubt, the most exciting part is the arrival. Here are some of my favourite red carpet moments, celebrity friends who supported me and the fashion we wore. DIOR PARTY AT MURRAY HOUSE, STANLEY, 2002 This party was one of the first large-scale events we hosted when I was at Dior. We didn’t have much of a budget; we even solicited a car brand’s sponsorship by allowing them to park a car at the venue. Anita Wong, head of merchandising, stepped in as she was close friends with Leslie Cheung and asked him to join us as a favour. Cheung graciously came and all we offered him was a free suit, which would never happen…

For many people, making a new year’s resolution to adopt a healthier lifestyle means exercising more regularly and eating a more balanced diet. But how often do we remember to prioritise our mental health as part of that goal? Vivian Lau, founder of Vitruvian Man, saw the impact of poor mental health first-hand when her friend’s psoriasis was exacerbated by stress. She talks to Tatler about how important it is for men to put their mental health first, and how taking care of their skin plays a part in that. Why did you decide to create a skincare line for men? It all started with helping a friend. Stress aggravated his psoriasis, and he was prescribed steroid creams by his dermatologist. Once the infected area healed, he tried to find…

CUFF UP An ear cuff makes a much stronger style statement than a diamond-set stud or drop earring, and these new sculptural creations by Mikimoto take things one step further with a pop of pearl. Wear yours alone or layered with traditional pierced earrings for a unique take on this must-try trend. HIGH-FLYER The sky’s the limit for Harry Winston’s latest high jewellery collection, Marvelous Creations, which pays tribute to the American jeweller’s longstanding muse: Mother Nature. Numerous creatures, from the blue python and ethereal butterfly to the black-necked crane, have been reinterpreted in slabs of platinum and slivers of white gold, which are mounted with clutches of diamonds and coloured gemstones. SIGNATURE STYLE Chanel continues to celebrate the camellia with its latest fine jewellery collection, Bouton de Camélia. Coco…

PANDA-MONIUM Nicknamed the Bulldog, MB&F unveiled its weird-but-wonderful Horological Machine No 10 in 2020. The independent watchmaker built upon this three-dimensional wristwatch, and has transformed it into a panda, which playfully displays the time through domed sapphire crystal. Two cone-shaped orbs with funky numerals act as the panda’s eyes, while four sleek-looking moveable lugs resemble legs. A pièce unique, the Panda comes with ears and a tail coated in black and white lacquer, and has already sold for a bank-busting US$679,160. STARRY EYES Omega has unveiled new additions to its Constellation Small Seconds models, which now measure 34mm, perfect for those with smaller wrists. Choose between Sedna gold (an exclusive 18-karat rose-gold alloy that Omega debuted in 2012), stainless steel or a combination of both, as pictured on Chinese actor…

Tell us about the Bremont Longitude. It’s an important watch not only for Bremont but for British horology. Longitude houses a Bremont-manufactured movement called ENG 300, which was made at our new 35,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at Henley-on-Thames. The ENG 300 is the first mechanical movement that’s been made on British shores for over 50 years. Why is it important that Bremont pays tribute to Britain? Some of the most glorious watchmaking the world has ever seen came from Britain. Go back a few centuries, and we helped solve the conundrum of accurate timekeeping at sea when we set up the first chronometer testing and regulation facility at the Royal Observatory. Bremont is known for incorporating important historical artefacts into its watches. How did you mould a section of brass into…

“Yunnan—what a place!” exclaims Sam Fischer, the president of the English spirits maker Diageo’s Asia Pacific and global travel division, of the region where the group has chosen to build a distillery in which to craft its first China-origin single malt whisky. “I can still remember the first time I saw Erhai Lake—I had never seen anything so beautiful,” Fischer says. “The water is absolutely crystal clear, and the lengths to which the government goes to preserve the quality of the water are extraordinary. [There are] snowcapped mountains, pristine water, a biodiversity focus and the perfect environment for whisky-making.” In November, Diageo broke ground on a US$75 million distillery on a site located 2,100 metres above sea level in the rolling countryside of Eryuan County in Yunnan. The location boasts…

The Ocean Park Marriott hotel beckoned 300 of Hong Kong’s most design-savvy individuals for an evening of fashion and art in aid of a great cause on December 16. Themed “winter playscapes”, the 2021 Design Trust Gala was the non-profit organisation’s first after two years away, and the excitement at its return was palpable among guests, who walked a pink carpet and previewed the night’s live auction items before the fun really kicked off. Highlights of the event included architect, designer and artist William Lim’s new oil painting Let Yi Be, which depicts Yi Pei Square Playground in Tsuen Wan, the first micro-park revitalised through the Design Trust Futures Studio initiative, which sees teams of young designers from Asia work with internationally renowned architects to turn overlooked public spaces into…

What originally brought you to Hong Kong? I was 22 when I arrived in Hong Kong from France. I had joined a programme on which you could work overseas instead of doing France’s compulsory military service. It was a great opportunity for me as I had not travelled much and I had never been to Asia. I had an interview for an analyst position at Banque Indosuez, and the day before my interview, I went to my local cinema [in France] to watch Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express. I was so taken by the energy of this movie and how he captured the feeling of this chaotic and beautiful city. During my interview, I made up some story about the future of Hong Kong and a couple of weeks later, I…

THE KRUG ROOM, CHEF ROBIN ZAVOU Roscoff onion puree, black onion powder, black truffle, chicken stock CAPRICE, CHEF GUILLAUME GALLIOT Onion Roscoff cooked in brioche with tarragon sauce VEA, CHEF VICKY CHENG French onion soup with grilled cheese ANDO, CHEF AGUSTIN BALBI “Tardes en San Telmo” – red onion consommé, almond cream, carabinero prawns MONO, CHEF RICARDO CHANETON Roscoff onion, Paris button mushroom, black sesame condiment LOUISE, CHEF FRANCKELIE LALOUM Slightly smoked Cévennes onion, “Morisseau” mussels and razor clams, 24-months Comté cheese emulsion…

AUDREY KING Age: 18 Olympic event: alpine skiing—slalom King first tried skiing as a toddler, but grew up with gymnastics as her main sport. After instructors told her parents she had promise, she joined the Hong Kong ski team aged 13, began racing a year later, and was soon taking the sport seriously, taking months out of school to train and spending Christmas breaks on the slopes. This will be a year to remember for King: as well as competing in Beijing, she will start at Harvard University in the autumn. She comes from a family of ski enthusiasts: her father, Stephen King, owns the Hong Kong ski simulation centre SkiTech, which has given homegrown skiers a place to maintain their technique while travelling to real snow slopes was off-limits.…

Climate change may not be the typical subject matter for a classical dance company, but the Hong Kong Ballet is committed to pushing the boundaries in its Beyond Carbon: The Climate Change Project production at M+, the city’s new museum of visual culture. International and local choreographers created 12 dance works based on what they view as the most imminent environmental crises. Three of those choreographers discuss their works with us. CARBON FOOTPRINT  by Kyle Lin Chang-yuan, a Hong Kong Ballet corps de ballet dancer The sustainability decisions we make in our daily lives are increasing our carbon footprints. I want my new work to be dramatic and visually impactful for the audience. As the dancers move around the white paper on the floor, the ink on their bodies leaves…

more than 20 years. Most recently, he held a post at the Denver Art Museum, where he renewed the Asian art galleries; The New York Times described the result as “what a 21st-century museum should be”. Now Jiao is in Hong Kong to oversee the completion of the building and organise a series of events and lectures on the venue, Chinese history and exhibition highlights. Here, Jiao shares a typical day in his life. 06.00 I like starting my day early by exercising first thing in the morning, a habit I picked up in high school. The neighbourhood I live in has lots of tropical birds, and I really enjoy listening to their musical sounds. 09.00 With the museum set to open next summer, there’s a long list of things…

SUSTAINABLE GLAM Unveiled on cultural icons including Hailee Steinfeld, Precious Lee and Thomas Doherty at the 2021 Fashion Awards in November, the extravagant looks from the fourth H&M Innovation Circular Design Story sold out within a day when they were released in stores in December. The range serves as a continuation of H&M’s commitment to becoming climate-positive and to making its production process circular, with garments made exclusively from recycled and recyclable materials. The fifth Innovation Story collection is due out in March or April, serving as a reminder that caring for the planet is fashionable in all senses of the word. GAME, SET, MATCH A man of many titles—and no stranger to blending street and luxury fashion—Kim Jones presents his first sneaker design for Fendi, available for both men…

Koko Hayashi is a Los Angeles-based certified face yoga instructor who has been practising since 2018. She teaches in-person classes, including to the likes of Kim Kardashian West, and also shares her techniques with more than 400,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel. Tatler spoke to Hayashi to learn more about the health benefits of face yoga, techniques to try and how it can change your face for the better. What should people know about face yoga? It is a natural solution to maintaining—or regaining—your youthful appearance. By activating the muscles in the face, it lifts and relaxes overworked muscles to reduce wrinkles. How did you discover it, and why did you decide to pursue its practice as a full-time career? At age 27, I had a botched plastic surgery that…

1 Uniquely shaped diamonds Brilliant-cut diamonds will always be timeless, but pear- and princess-cut diamonds are also beautiful. There’s something very feminine and classy about these two exquisite shapes and, at Marei New York, we’re getting more requests for these cuts, which makes me think they are coming back in a big way. 2 Big and bold I’m seeing a massive demand for out-of-the-ordinary, non-traditional engagement ring styles that come with a story. My clients are becoming more adventurous in their personal style and aren’t always interested in the more typical diamond-set engagement ring. Statement-making engagement rings that are spirit-lifting will be in demand for 2022. 3 Coloured gemstones These past 12 months, there’s been an increased interest in wellness and spirituality. People are learning about the divine healing properties,…

Darling Executive Editor, Style, Tatler Asia Richard Mille is known for its state-of-the-art ladies wristwatches—and I want this one bad. Limited to just 50 pieces, the daring RM 07-10 Racing Red takes its inspiration from the watchmaker’s eponymous all-women racing team and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. The three women drive Roxy, a blood-red Oreca Gibson that’s steered the design for this gutsy timepiece. Powered by the CRMA2 calibre, a shockingly complex in-house skeletonised automatic movement, this eye-catching wristwatch is housed in a light and sturdy TPT Quartz case.…

FIRE CRACKER As you step into Year of the Tiger, be prepared for situations to change on a dime. Protect yourself against bad juju by investing in pieces that will bring you extra auspiciousness as well as couture cred. TIME FOR BUSINESS Treat yourself to a new work bag to ease yourself back into office life after the holidays. Brands are continuing to celebrate the evergreen top-handle styles with capacious models in superior leather. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE Celebrate the season of romance with items that are guaranteed to keep the sparks flying. GOT THE MEMO? After months spent out of the office, suiting for both women and men has been elevated. Abandon the formal aesthetic for the free and easy, loose-fit makeover of the new season, while women…

As we enter the Year of the Tiger, we asked feng shui masters across Asia for tips on how to create family harmony in the new year. UNDERSTAND THE BASICS While feng shui doesn’t offer one-size-fits-all solutions, there are some general principles that are easy to follow. Here’s what the masters we spoke to have to say about how feng shui philosophies come into play in living spaces—and the auspicious shades to look out for in the coming year. “Feng shui is a philosophy behind living spaces. ‘Wind’ (feng) refers to the flow of chi and energy, whereas ‘water’ (shui) can be interpreted as the importance of maintaining fluidity in day-to-day life. In essence, feng shui is all about people: [inside a home] you have to consider every occupant’s personal…

Every so often in Hong Kong, you spot a high-rise with a gap in the middle of an otherwise dense structure. The reason for this unusual design usually feng shui philosophies, a belief that has persisted for years. The Repulse Bay in the city’s Southside is the most famous example. The luxury residential complex was built in 1986 by Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels. The company had demolished the iconic, colonial-style Repulse Bay Hotel—constructed back in 1920—to make way for a residential high-rise. new property was completed, revealing the now-famous “holey” façade, it set tongues wagging. “Legend has it that The Repulse Bay’s exceptional location is enjoyed by a family of dragons that lives in the surrounding hills,” says Martyn Sawyer, Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels’ group director, properties. It was believed…

KWANNAM CHU A fashion photographer who splits his time between Seoul and Hong Kong, Kwannam Chu’s whimsical work is influenced by both old and new, and east and west. His photographs have been published in Dazed, GQ and The Wall Street Journal, among others. For this month’s Tatler cover story, Chu photographed Michelle Ong and her family (p.130) KY CHAN KY Chan has worked as a professional illustrator and visual art artist for over 30 years and his pieces have been displayed in both solo and group exhibitions. In this issue, he turns his brush and watercolour paints to a depiction of Stanley Market, contrasting the calm bay with the lively shops crammed with merchandise (p.160) KEN NGAN Ken Ngan is a photographer who works between Hong Kong, where he…

On December 19, the Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) held its annual benefit alongside a performance of the classic Christmas production The Nutcracker. The matinee show saw Tatler mainstays Peter Cheung, Gillian Ho, Christy Liang and Eleanor Lam come out to support the event, held for the first time at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Grand Theatre. Hosted by the Ballet’s co-chairs Lillian Lee Fong, Colleen Yu Fung and Emily Lam-Ho, 360 guests, including Linda Fung, Maya Lin, Veronica Chou and Deirdre Fu-Tcheng, attended the world premiere of artistic director Septime Webre’s new and original take on The Nutcracker. Under Webre’s direction, the Tchaikovsky-soundtracked classic is re-envisioned as an ode to Hong Kong, and on the night featured 44 of the organising committee members’ children, aged from two to 13. Daisy…

SOY GOOD MORA Chef Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room explores the potential of tofu with her latest restaurant opening, a smaller space located on Upper Lascar Row. Expect beautifully rendered, nourishing dishes from one of Asia’s best chefs. mora.com.hk LITTLE PARADISE MAKA HIKI Veteran bartender Max Traverse, the mastermind behind Honi Honi Tiki Bar, is back with his new bar and grill in Little Tai Hang. Boasting a lavish terrace and menu of tropical island favourites—from an on-point Pina Colada to grilled mahi-mahi—this is the place to bring a crew. maka-hiki.com BREAKING BREAD THE BAKER & THE BOTTLEMAN The team behind Roganic and Aulis have launched a split-level dining destination dedicated to freshly baked breads and pastries, casual all-day dishes (Scotch eggs, coronation chicken sandwiches) and an abundance of…

Well, that was unexpected. Half an hour before its VIP preview event was set to end, collective gasps were heard from local celebrities and influencers as the news pinged through on people’s phones—it had been abruptly announced that the Kaws: Holiday exhibition had been ordered by the Singapore court to stop. Immediately. Kaws: Holiday was the first major art exhibition Singapore had seen in two years, since the pandemic began. The highly anticipated public installation featured a monumental inflatable sculpture of Kaws’ Companion laying across a floating football pitch known as The Float, with Marina Bay Sands in the background. It turned out that The Ryan Foundation, a local non-profit arts organisation, had filed an interim injunction citing reasons such as intellectual property rights infringement and misuse of confidential information.…

FOLLOWING A CHANGE IN REGULATIONS in 2016, a complete ban on the sale of all ivory (except antique pieces dating from before 1925) in Hong Kong finally came into effect on December 31 after a five-year grace period that allowed traders to sell off their existing stock. From 2016 to 2021, 16.6 tonnes of ivory were sold, according to local media. Veteran traders lamented the ban—Hong Kong ivory shops still collectively have 47.1 tonnes of the controversial material in stock—as well as the death of the craft of ivory carving. As the sun began to set on the grisly trade, the owners of one ivory shop in Sheung Wan reported a spike in the sale of chopsticks as their status as a prohibited item loomed snapped up by buyers who…

An entire generation of photographers credits apps such as Instagram with piquing their interest in the field. When Timmy Lo started shooting ten years ago, his camera was embedded into a smartphone and his pictures documented his daily life in Hong Kong. “It made me realise that a spectacular photo is defined by its unique perspective and the message behind it, rather than the equipment that you’re using.” A decade on—and after substantial gear upgrades, despite his statement—Lo incorporated the principles he learnt from posting to social media into a distinctive professional style that grabs the eye—and the imagination. His images are playful, vibrant and bold, celebrating the quirkiest and most photogenic corners of Hong Kong: from urban steps splashed with street art to colour-blocked housing complexes and lush corners…

Sarah Tong wants kids to love learning. The co-founder and CEO set up Big Bang Academy after studying engineering at the University of Cambridge, then working for five years in investment banking, driven by a desire to inspire children through hands-on science. The company follows a hybrid learning model, with classes both online and in person, and offers children aged three to 12 a range of courses in six core areas—physics, engineering, biology, chemistry, astronomy and environmental science—teaching skills including observation, investigation, data analysis and problem solving. The company recently secured seed funding led by Gobi Partners/ Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund. Here, she explains how Big Bang Academy is revolutionising scientific education. When I was six or seven years old, I was addicted to watching TV. My parents were so against…

You can learn a lot from someone’s Instagram page. In Angelina Jolie’s case, her profile tells a story of someone who cares deeply about her children, the planet, and the people living on it. After resisting any involvement with social media for decades, the star’s decision to join Instagram last August was something of a shock. Her first post was a letter from a teenage girl in Afghanistan, detailing the terrors of living under the Taliban regime. The post gained more than 700,000 likes within four hours and has since been liked more than 4 million times. At the time of writing, Jolie’s account boasts well over 11 million followers—yet the actor only follows three accounts: civil rights organisation NAACP, humanitarian NGO Doctors Without Borders, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee…

Boucheron has reunited with British model and designer Alexa Chung to present its newest Quatre designs, which play with different shades of glittering gold. Modern and minimalist, these creations are perfect for stacking and layering, making them must-have accessories to style this season. Choose between yellow, pink and white gold, which come both with and without diamonds.…

What’s special about the Excalibur Spider Huracán and Excalibur Spider Flying Tourbillon? Both display the beauty of Roger Dubuis’ craftsmanship and are presented in two completely different materials. We’ve been playing with white materials for a while now and they give our timepieces a completely different look. Why did you choose to offer the Excalibur Spider Huracán in Ceramic Composite Fibre (CCF)? We love combining the lightness of cutting-edge materials with beautiful aesthetics, which is what we can achieve with CCF. This high-performance material, which has a spectacular marble appearance, is normally used in the aerospace industry and is 20 per cent lighter than carbon. What were the challenges when designing these two timepieces? Every time we start with something new, we want to find a way to challenge ourselves.…

LOUISA CHEUNG Aka Yunwenzi or Master Cloud: The Hong Kong-based feng shui master started studying the craft aged 10 and has worked with clients like Vivienne Westwood and Credit Suisse. KEY TSANG Inspired by his mother, a specialist in fuji, a Ouija board-like Chinese spiritual art otherwise referred to as planchette writing, Key Tsang is a Hong Kong-based expert in feng shui and numerology. LILLIAN AND JENNIFER TOO Formerly a director at a Hong Kong bank, Malaysia-based feng shui master Lillian Too is a popular author whose books have sold more than 6 million copies worldwide. Her daughter Jennifer has followed in her footsteps. CLARICE CHAN Known for her annually published books offering feng shui advice in her native Singapore, Clarice Chan also specialises in Chinese astrology, tarot, name analysis…

While strolling around the stalls and haggling for a hat you don’t really need are fun, what KY Chan loves most about Stanley Market is its unique location—and he’s felt that way since he first visited, aged six. “I walked through a tunnel of stalls and shops, and suddenly came to an open space by the water. The sunlight and wind at the seashore left a deep impression on me,” he says. This feeling of walking into a paradise remains his fondest memory of the place ever since, and the way the hustle and bustle blend harmoniously with the relaxing waterfront makes Stanley unique among Hong Kong’s markets.…