Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i Tatler Hong Kong

TATLER HONG KONG Mixologist Lorenzo Antinori left his role as beverage manager at the Four Seasons Hong Kong earlier this year to open a bar similar to those found his hometown. He told Tatler why a Rome-inspired hotspot is right for Hong Kong, and what he hopes it will teach customers about the beauty of simplicity and la dolce vita. TATLER MALAYSIA He’s only 22, but actor Meerqeen is already a household name and beloved by luxury brands. The rising star told Tatler about starring in a hit TV series and dealing with the unexpected struggles of his journey so far. TATLER PHILIPPINES The winner of the inaugural season of Drag Race Philippines, 2023 Gen.T honouree Precious Paula Nicole sat down with Tatler to talk about the Precious Foundation, which…

FRANK WALTER: PASTORALE Considered a creative polymath, Frank Walter (1926-2009) was an Antiguan artist, writer, composer, philosopher, photographer and sculptor. This autumn, David Zwirner brings the first presentation of his work in Asia to Hong Kong in Pastorale. Walter’s work was informed by his mixed-race heritage—which included aristocratic European slave owners—his role as the manager of a sugar plantation (a rare Black man among white peers), and an influential trip to Scotland. The exhibition is curated by the scholar and the artist’s close friend Barbara Paca, and features a group of Caribbean landscape paintings alongside those depicting Scottish meadows. Other works featured use a variety of unusual materials including Polaroid film cartridge boxes, mosquito coil boxes, and fragments of sketchpad covers. From September 14 to October 28. David…

Let’s start from the beginning. How did you end up in Hong Kong? My paternal great-grandparents moved [from the former USSR; what would be Ukraine today] to Shanghai in the 1920s, and both my grandparents were born in Shanghai too. My father moved to Hong Kong in the 1970s, and I’ve been in Hong Kong since I was 11 months old. I would spend summers in Tel Aviv [where my family is from], and that was my main exposure to Middle Eastern food. My first taste of fresh hummus was from a street [vendor in Israel]. I am a third culture kid, and my parents thought it was important to instil a sense of cultural identity in me. My mother made it a point to only speak to me in…

If you travelled back to 2014 and asked economics student Timothy Ng for his Instagram handle, he’d politely decline, stating he had zero interest in social media. Imagine the sheer disbelief Ng would have felt if he had known that less than a decade later, he’d be overseeing a platform connecting thousands of influencers with worldwide brands. Ng, a Tatler Gen.T 2023 honouree, is the CEO and co-founder of Spread-It, the largest micro-influencer and KOL agency in Hong Kong, mainland China and Thailand. Influencers with as few as 1,000 followers can hop on Spread-It’s app and shop for brands to work with—and vice versa. The huge, authentic engagement these smaller accounts generate, compared to big social players, has given Ng’s influencer pool the bang-for-buck that marketers crave. Here, Ng reveals…

THEN & NOW My parents [Silvana and Stanley Ho Sau-nan] were in the garment business and when I was young, they often took me and my siblings to their offices and factories. At their workplace, I learnt about design and the production process of garments and developed an interest in fashion from there. My mother was also into fashion when she was younger. On Sundays, after our family lunch, she would take us shopping. When I got married, she gave me the long feng gua [a traditional Chinese bridal garment also known as qungua] that she wore at her wedding. I wore it to my wedding tea ceremony. The intricate and elaborate embroidery on the gua is amazing. My early fashion inspirations were from movies, movie stars and great singers.…

Anson Lo is not only one-twelfth of Mirror, one of the most popular boy bands in Hong Kong, but also an accomplished singer, dancer and actor in his own right. Lo made his solo debut in February 2020 with his first single, A Lifelong Mission, and in the following year he won Best New Asian Artist Award at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards. In February 2023, he added “designer” to his résumé and launched his own fashion brand Allover, which quickly sold out, proving a hit among his 1.2 million followers. This year also saw the massively successful series of solo concerts from six Mirror members, including Lo, collectively known as In My Sight: Lo performed his set, The Stage, to a sold-out AsiaWorld Arena from July 23 to…

Suzi de Givenchy, the Hong Kong-born Parisian model, has taken the fashion world by storm—at the age of 55. She fearlessly embraces mature beauty and her Asian roots on the runway, and with the fashion industry seeking greater diversity in recent years, De Givenchy’s modelling career has undergone a meteoric rise. Having only started modelling in 2019, she has walked for Off-White, Balenciaga, AZ Factory and Uma Wang, starred in the spring 2023 campaign for couture house Schiaparelli and graced the cover of several magazines. She is also a vocal advocate for mental health, using her social media presence to raise awareness and promote self-care. “As the French say, ‘Se sentir bien dans sa peau’; I personally feel that we radiate style when we are one with our inner and…

Hilary Tsui is a Hong Kong style icon who can carry smoking rock-star outfits as comfortably as street styles and quirky, avant-garde looks. “I’m afraid of getting bored. I like too many things. That’s why I keep changing my image,” she says. After her acting career in the 1990s, Tsui quit the screen and turned her head to business, setting up athleisure boutique Liger and contemporary fashion brand Chance; she also married Canto-pop singer Eason Chan in 2006. In 2019, she opened concept store Her in Causeway Bay’s Fashion Walk. “The idea is for female sneakerheads to blend their style with street and contemporary fashion,” she says. For the the past two years, it has also collaborated with NGO Fashion Farm Foundation to spotlight emerging local designers. Inspired by café/retail…

CALI-CASHMERE Several years in the making, the Zegna x The Elder Statesman collab is finally in stores. First teased at Milan Fashion Week in January, the new partnership sees creative directors Alessandro Sartori and Greg Chait working together to blend SoCal flavour into understated pieces made from refined fibres—in other words, a free-spirited version of quiet luxury. Known for its relaxed aesthetic, the Californian label’s psychedelic tie-dye patterns and vibrant palette impart a playful feel to the Italian brand’s impeccably soft Oasi Cashmere; Zegna has committed to the fibres that go into this fabric being fully traceable by 2024. Cashmere and craftsmanship serve as the common language between the two fibre-obsessed partners, resulting in a collection of colours, prints and youthful silhouettes suitable for day and night. SEASONED COLOURS If…

CELINE KWAN Hong Kong “If you don’t feel beautiful, how are you supposed to create beautiful things?” asks Celine Kwan, the Hong Kong-born, London-based designer who graduated from Central Saint Martins, customised pieces for singer Lizzo and staged her work in the Love of Couture: Artisanship In Fashion Beyond Time exhibition in Hong Kong—all within the past two years. You can feel the infectious enthusiasm emanating from the young designer when she speaks and also of course, from her energetic, made-to-be-seen, often dramatically floral designs. Her work is the result of her upbringing in both the east and the west. Kwan left Hong Kong to attend a boarding school in the UK when she was 12, and there found her passion for fine arts and design. “Humour is a very…

Harry Winston’s Duchess Necklace celebrates The King of Diamonds’ mastery of rare yellow diamonds and royal jewels. With a flawless 40-carat fancy intense yellow radiant-cut diamond at its centre, and with even colour distribution across all its golden-hued stones, the necklace is inspired by the Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson’s passion for yellow diamonds. It recalls the brand’s history of creating bespoke jewels for royalty, including the famed Duchess of Windsor Heart diamond. Treasures of the sea: Corals and Pearls GOLDEN ROPES The Summer Lariat Necklace by De Beers features a double rope of twisted yellow gold finished with precious rough-cut diamonds encrusting pear-shaped drops at the end of the rope. The sliding clasp and sculptural curves of white diamonds cinch the yellow gold bands, lending the piece fluid yet…

ART COLLECTORS Both men’s and women’s looks are embracing artsy prints—or giant paintings that could be art pieces of their own. A statement piece could be perfect for your coming gallery visits or art fair trips. POWER DRESSING Did designers predict the release of Apple TV+ docu-series The Supermodels with their September plans? This season sees the 1980s and early 1990s being brought back in a big way, with a particular focus on remixed power suits, outsized proportions and gorgeous hourglass frames. Keep the momentum going with bold accessories: think belts and chunky jewellery. AMETORA REDUX Ametora, or “American traditional style”, started in Japan in the Eighties, and was seen taking over the autumn-winter 2023 menswear runways. The history of Japan’s sartorial relationship with Americana got an upgrade, with brands…

The Hallyu wave—the proliferation of Korean pop culture around the world—might have changed the face of the global cultural landscape as we know it, with BTS, Blackpink and Squid Game becoming shorthand for the proliferation of K-pop and K-dramas outside South Korea’s borders, so it’s certainly no stretch to imagine a world in the near future in which Korean cuisine attains the same astronomical levels of popularity. At the leading edge of this charge are Korean fine-dining establishments dotted around the world that are shaping and remoulding the cuisine into something altogether different, retaining the spirit of the peninsula’s gastronomy while incorporating local ingredients and customs into the fold. Here, we spotlight four restaurants around the world that provide a glimpse of the directions that K-cuisine could take in the…

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The September issue tends to be the biggest, most beautiful magazine of the year and for good reason—it’s fashion season, brands are going heavy on marketing, and there’s a sense of excitement in the air as we start heading into end-of-year festivities. As always, we at Tatler are launching our annual Asia’s Most Stylish list with our September issue, and the 2023 picks absolutely live up to the honour. On the cover is Louise Wong, whose star shines brighter by the month. Since her award-winning success playing singer and actress Anita Mui in the biopic Anita, Wong has since starred in A Guilty Conscience, the highest-grossing local film in Hong Kong to date; she is also a favourite of luxury brands and is known as much…

FLIGHT OF FANCY LE BEC FIN First opened in 2018, North Point’s Le Bec Fin has overcome the odds of its location to go from strength to strength—the latest development being the opening of a new private room and a cocktail bar to coincide with its fifth anniversary. In the private room, diners can tuck into bespoke seasonal offerings from head chef Ishiba Masaki (previously of Kikunoi and La Bombance) like charcoal-grilled Hokkaido kinki fish in a dashi ankake sauce, Josper charcoal-grilled Ōmi Wagyu sando, and chicken paitan ramen. lebecfin.hk LIFE WELL LIVED TA VIE Having been inducted into the pantheon of three-Michelinstarred restaurants in the city earlier this year, eight-year-old Ta Vie showcases chef Hideaki Sato’s flawless execution of French-Japanese cooking at the highest level, with dishes like Hokkaido…

It’s not easy to land on a description for Federico “Fed” Tan: tastemaker, fashion insider, marketing whiz, entrepreneur, cultural connector—or all of the above. As the founder of marketing communications agency The Advisory Council, he says, “My job is essentially to help shape the image of a brand, a person, a personality, a creator.” Indeed, Tan’s portfolio of collaborators and clients features a dizzying assortment of names straddling different industries: in fashion, he’s worked with Sacai, Moynat, Palm Angels, StockX and Belowground; in the art world, there’s Takashi Murakami, Madsaki and Daniel Arsham; while the musicians in his phone book include Pharrell Williams, Blackpink’s Jennie Kim and Ciara. It’s not just a wide-ranging catalogue of contacts that Tan brings to the table. “I think I have a knack for finding…

With her fierce looks and fluid dance moves, you might never guess that Anisha Thai was originally a civil engineer. “I moved to Hong Kong five years ago and was thinking of climbing the corporate ladder, but then I realised that I was missing out on my passion for dance,” says the half-Comorian and half-Vietnamese model, dancer and influencer from Paris. When the pandemic hit, Thai went through “a period of self reflection” before entering Dance for Life, a dance competition on TVB that she eventually won—calling that the “trigger” she needed to quit her job and pursue her dream of becoming an artist full-time. “There weren’t many Black models in Hong Kong back then,” recalls Thai, nor much diversity in fashion. Facing multiple rejections from different agencies for not…

Is cultural appropriation ever acceptable in fashion? KAREN CHAN YES “Cultural appropriation in fashion is a complex and sensitive issue. Culture is created by people—and it is forever evolving as people are exposed to new ideas and practices. Fashion is also like that: it is an expression of culture. My brand Sparkle has always fused eastern and western aesthetics, and different cultural elements in its designs. I am always mindful of what is acceptable and what is taboo, to ensure that the elements—symbols, colours and styles—I use are appropriate and will not be offensive or disrespectful to anyone. Everyone loves beautiful things, so whether cultural appropriation is acceptable or not in fashion depends on how you approach it. When you treat culture with respect and sensitivity, and when all is…

“Style is a way that you get to express yourself—in a visual way, to people who don’t know you,” says Emily Lam-Ho. Her sentiments make sense, what with the different roles she plays—she is the founder of Empact28, which funds female-led startups, as well as sustainability platform 8Shades; a co-founder of EcoDrive; and a mother of two. “I might dress very differently [depending on] how I feel that day,” she says. At meetings and fundraising events, she’s in her power mode; while picking up her children from school, it would be “comfort first”. Eleanor Lam, who is Lam-Ho’s sister, counts pop culture and celebrity influences as what have played the most significant roles in her style evolution. “I’ve been influenced by so many iconic looks—each of them is a testament…

Polytechnic University fashion design graduate Vicky Tsang took the grand prize at the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) in 2022, one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the region. Her collection, Exhausting A Crowd, uses 3D printing to illustrate her surrealist aesthetic through pieces that are almost more art than garment: sculpted metal corsets, and coats and trousers in exaggerated silhouettes with a liquid-metal-like texture. Tsang founded Gnastiy.com with her design partner Yidi, and has seen her designs gain global recognition—Julia Fox, known for her daring fashion sense, was photographed in one of her pieces. She sees the brand’s work as futuristic, wants to “blur the boundaries between the virtual and real worlds”, and hopes, rather sweetly, her designs will encourage people to focus more…

This Hong Kong-born, London-based designer is one of the hottest names on the global fashion scene. With one of the most talked-about shows online, Robert Wun made history as the first Hong Kong designer to be on the official couture calendar at Paris Haute Couture Week in January. He’s dressed A-list celebrities from Beyoncé to Burna Boy to Janelle Monae to Lady Gaga to Eileen Gu—for the Met Gala, no less—in his patented sculptural designs—an futuristic aesthetic he’s become well known for. “Futurism is not a style,” Wun says of his designs’ aesthetic. “You can’t contextualise it in a colour or design method. No matter how many years go by, the impact [of the clothes] will stay the same because it’s powerful, and an honest reflection of its creator.” While…

STYLE | SMALL TALK Korean fashion is having far more than a moment: with South Korean celebrities taking luxury houses by storm and fascination with K-culture reaching new heights, consumers the world over are lusting over idol-approved names such as Miss Sohee and Minjunkim. That’s not to say there wasn’t a global presence before the advent of Squid Game and Blackpink: Rejina Pyo and Rokh are two brands which have been regulars at European fashion weeks for several years. One of the most exciting names to know right now is Recto, a Seoul-based ready-to-wear label. Founded in 2014 by award-winning designer Ji Yeon Jung, Recto is part of a new wave of Korean fashion that’s defining the contemporary fashion uniform. Stocked physically in Hong Kong’s Lane Crawford and globally on…

“I remember when Abercrombie & Fitch first opened its flagship in Hong Kong [in July 2012]: at the time, it seemed like 99 per cent of men were into streetwear and masculine looks. If you were looking for something gender-neutral, or with a softer aesthetic, which we were into, there wasn’t anything,” says Mite Chan, co-founder of Hong Kong-based fashion brand Demo. “The market was pretty dominated by that [overtly masculine looks], and we wanted to start a brand to fill the gap.” Chan and his business partner Derek Chan were inspired to launch their gender-fluid label in 2013. The past decade has been one of rapid change in this respect: just think of Jaden Smith sporting a skirt for Louis Vuitton’s womenswear campaign in 2016, or MM6 Maison Margiela…

During the course of his two-decade career as an avant-garde jewellery designer, Hong Kong-born Austy Lee has built a reputation for artistic panache and unique inspirations. Renowned for his exacting craftsmanship, thematic innovation and unwavering affection for not only unusual gemstones but also out-of-the-ordinary materials, his opulent creations have won a loyal following across the region and the globe. More than just a jeweller, Lee is a storyteller in metals and stones. His pieces transcend adornment to explore the world’s history, recalling remarkable moments from the arts, social and political movements, architecture, music, psychology, geology and psychedelia—to name but a few of his previous motifs. In a setting of rose gold with white diamonds, multicoloured carved tourmalines and abalone shell, the Rainbow Coral Reef Earcuffs, for example, draw our attention…

The new, slimmer Tambour watch elevates Louis Vuitton’s design through exceptional finishing and sculpting. The 40mm model features the calibre LFT023, a mechanical movement with automatic winding. Contrasting brushed and polished surfaces enhance the look and feel of the bracelet, while golden appliqué markers pop against a micro-blasted dial emblazoned with “Louis Vuitton Paris”. Created by La Fabrique du Temps in Switzerland, this neo-vintage watch elevates the Tambour’s 21-year-old design by combining the maison’s blend of Parisian elegance and technical Swiss watchmaking prowess, scaled for a new generation. Digging up skeletons: openworked timepieces are making hearts race WEB DESIGN Roger Dubuis pushes design boundaries yet again with the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph’s patent-pending flyback movement and lightweight 45mm carbon case; the column wheel, rotating minute counter and winged rotor take…

In today’s fast-paced world, with the relentless demands of modern life, getting a good night’s sleep is the ultimate luxury—not to mention the foundation of physical, mental and emotional well-being. And when it comes to improving the quality of sleep, the right bed, mattress and sleeping environment make all the difference. No one understands this better than Vispring, the British luxury bed maker that’s become synonymous with ultra-fine mattresses and premium bedding. Founded in 1901 by English engineer James Marshall—the inventor of the world’s first individually wrapped “pocket spring” coil—Vispring marries tradition, craftsmanship and innovation with beautifully hand-tufted mattresses, all-natural fillings like horsehair, pure cotton and Shetland wool, and luxurious finishes including British wool, silk and cashmere. It has recently introduced an enchanting collection of monochrome fabrics to promote an…

For those with disabilities, taking up art as a hobby, let alone a career, is a challenge. This is not due to their lack of capacity or talent but to how society offers limited support or underestimates their potential in general. According to Ida Lam, chairperson of NGO Arts with the Disabled Association of Hong Kong (ADAHK), that can be anything from a scarcity of structured, comprehensive training for people with disabilities at the various stages of their artistic development; to how sign language isn’t commonly known in society; and how buildings may not have disability-friendly facilities and designs. “The community thinks that people with disabilities in [the arts] are not really important,” she says. “This is a vicious cycle: because there is a lack of support and resources, you…

NINA MILHAUD Hong Kong-based freelance journalist Nina Milhaud previously worked at AFP, Monocle and Design Anthology, covering topics ranging from art and design to politics, social issues and entrepreneurship. In Tatler this month, she speaks to Byoung Soo Cho, a curator of the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism 2023, which runs to the end of October. GREGORY CHONG Hong Kong-based photographer and designer Gregory Chong shot several of this month’s Tatler’s Asia’s Most Stylish inductees. Gregory, who specialises in shooting lookbooks for brand and fashion editorials, shares a similarly bold aesthetic to the subjects that he shot, and says the guiding principle behind his work is “breaking the rules”. ROSIE HARRIET ELLIS Rosie Harriet Ellis, a London-based photographer, describes her work as confrontational and honest. She specialises in photographing…

ONE TO KNOW When you walk into Jono Toh’s home in Sai Wan, it’s immediately clear that there is an artist in residence. Think floor-to-ceiling mirrors, interesting light installations and a beautiful Gaetano Pesce striped Up chair drawing you into the living room. It’s eclectic and emotive, much like Toh’s art, which features bold colours, deconstructed circles and proportion play. “I’ve always been creative, leaning towards art, painting, sculpture or woodwork—anything that involves working with my hands,” he says. His childhood was fertile ground for his creativity to flourish: “I used to play a game with my father where I would draw something, then we would each take turns adding to it. For example, a wave that turned into the hair of a woman who had fish as lips. The…

SINGAPORE Less a trendspotter than a tastemaker, entrepreneur Cynthia Chua seems to possess an unerring instinct for creating successful concepts. Chua’s Spa Esprit Group currently owns 15 brands, ten of which are F&B outlets; these include Tiong Bahru Bakery, Common Man Coffee Roasters and Tippling Club. And yet the group is still very much known for its presence in beauty and wellness, where it got its start. The initial success of Spa Esprit in 1996 provided Chua with the impetus to create the waxing chain Strip, eyebrow grooming salon Browhaus, retailer Beauty Emporium, and luxury intimate care brand Two Lips, which opened its first physical store in late 2021. Today, Spa Esprit Group brands are in more than 70 outlets throughout Asia, including Manila, Bangkok, Shanghai and Hong Kong. TAIWAN…

How does your business make a difference? Gaw Capital is a private equity real estate firm, and we’re in the fund management business. We are very focused on our company DNA: passion, responsibility and creativity—[what we call] PRC. This is the central focus. We use PRC to make a difference in our assets. Was a career in finance always the goal? No. I love children and wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. As I got older, I knew I wanted to be in the business of people. I studied hospitality management at the University of San Francisco, but I never worked in a hotel. After I graduated, I joined the finance industry right away. My first job was with Goldman Sachs, then UBS, and then Gaw Capital with my brothers…

Rebecca Pan turns 93 this December. When Tatler arrives at her apartment in Ho Man Tin for the interview in mid-July, the actress pushes herself up shakily from her chair. She says with an apologetic smile, “My body isn’t too well these days. I can’t stand up to greet you.” Despite her outward frailty, her hearty laugh, effervescent personality and candy pink locks interlacing her silver hair reveal traces of the daring, stylish, modern starlet that she was decades ago. The name may not ring a bell today, but Pan was a celebrated multilingual singer in Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s who was fundamental in putting the city’s art scene on the international map, especially when mainland China opened its borders to the western world in the late…

Andrew Mok is an artist, designer and recent graduate of Victoria Shanghai Academy—ie secondary school—generating buzz in the streetwear scene with his 3D-printed sculptures—mainly Apple headphone attachments—that he creates with his brother, Tate. Better known as @yalocaloffgod on Instagram, where the 18-year-old has cultivated a following of more than 320,000, he is already making a name for himself in the real world. Mok debuted a collaboration with Japanese luxury streetwear brand A Bathing Ape for its 2024 spring-summer menswear collection at Men’s Fashion Week in Paris this June, then launched his own clothing line, Bandage Boy, in July. That’s not all for this year. As well as finishing his last year of school, he hosted a solo art exhibition at Harbour City in February; in March, he was invigted to…

Kevin Poon is the co-founder of streetwear label Clot, retailer Juice, distributor District and gallery WoAW, and also has a collection of restaurants: Elephant Grounds, La Rambla, WagyuMafia and The Diplomat. This year, he launched Forty-Five, a concept which blends art, lifestyle and dining across 20,000 sq ft at the top of Landmark’s Gloucester Tower. With his finger on the pulse of the city, Poon has become the purveyor of culture and style in Hong Kong and was most recently spotted rubbing shoulders with A-listers at Pharrell Williams’s debut men’s show for Louis Vuitton in Paris in June. Poon takes style inspiration from a trinity of trendsetters: football legend David Beckham, musician Tyler, the Creator and the late designer Virgil Abloh. “Style is an expression of self and I try…

COLLECTOR’S CORNER Mervin Ling’s journey through the realm of horology is marked by passion and a keen eye for timeless classics. Not content to merely collect, Ling has channelled his love for timepieces into the creation of the FP Journe Collector’s Club (FPJCC) in Hong Kong, which began a little over a year ago. “FP Journe has set the standard for creativity and timekeeping precision in modern watchmaking,” says Ling. “His innovations honour classic design and rise to the challenge of making something exceptional that spoke to me.” Now, his passion is set to expand its reach even further, with the club preparing to extend its footprint to Japan. Ling’s vision for FPJCC is rooted in his belief that sharing is a joyful act. He envisions a platform where members…

FEATURES | KOREA GUIDE As Frieze Seoul kicks off the art fair circuit this autumn with its second edition, collectors, gallerists and visitors are descending upon the city to discover all its cultural offerings. The fair’s director Patrick Lee calls Seoul home, and has over 15 years of experience in the art world; he previously served as the executive director of Seoul-based galleries Gallery Hyundai, and One and J. Lee recommends his favourite places to visit in the city—from a hole-in-the-wall bar to all the cafés and bookstores frequented by the creative crowd when they take a break from the fair. What are you most looking forward to most at this year’s edition of Frieze Seoul? A highlight of this year’s programming will be Frieze Film, co-curated by Serena Sungah…

From Haegue Yang to Lee Bul, some of Korea’s most recognised contemporary art superstars are female, and this year’s Frieze Seoul is celebrating a number of them. From those who were trailblazers in their time to those who are just starting out and worth watching, here are five to make time for at the fair. SINAE YOO (b. 1985) Part of a new series of works titled Post Truth, Sinae Yoo’s graphics-like paintings challenge our perception of reality, truth and fiction. Video games and advertising influence her distinctive aesthetic, which reflects her interest in exploring how our understanding of the world can be potentially manipulated and shaped. Yoo’s works will be on view at Cylinder gallery’s booth in Frieze’s Focus Asia section. RHEE SEUNDJA (1918-2009) Little known during her lifetime,…

Lee Jun-beom has accidentally birthed an F&B empire. After an abortive career in fashion, the South Korean entrepreneur has gone from setting up and cooking in his own restaurant in 2014 to owning and running 42 of them less than a decade later. They fall under the umbrella of his food and lifestyle brand GFFG, which stands for Good Food For Good—“for good” in the sense of “permanently”: quite the corporate statement of intent. GFFG has become known for a wide range of mostly American-style F&B concepts, combining stylish surroundings, approachable prices and a range of extremely Insta-friendly menu items—first and foremost, bakery chain Cafe Knotted’s range of visually sumptuous doughnuts, served in brightly coloured cups emblazoned with a lip-licking smiley, that it’s more or less impossible not to be…

Operating a hotel group is just not just about “the beautiful products” anymore, Sonia Cheng, the CEO of Rosewood Hotel Group, tells Tatler. It’s also all about the “powerful, meaningful relationships we build”—between her hotels and their guests, she says. Not that the beautiful products aren’t important, of course—and Rosewood has these in droves. At the time of writing, the group has 31 properties across 18 countries around the world, with 27 in the pipeline. “A sense of place” is a philosophy of the brand—and its hotels are known for celebrating the culture, heritage and history of the location they are in. Rosewood Munich, which opens this month and takes up the former State Bank of Bavaria headquarters and the historic Palais Neuhaus-Preysing, is one such example. Other hotels under…

Favourite place in Hong Kong? Home Favourite family activity? Roller skating! Or board games: there are so many different types in my house, from mini Uno to war games. Favourite movie? Léon: The Professional A style icon who has influenced you? Vivienne Westwood. Or Nana, the singer from the famous Japanese manga [of the same name] by Ai Yazawa. Favourite models? When I was younger, I looked up to Kate Moss for her individuality and versatility. I also love Cara Delevingne’s androgyny and way of staying true to herself. My current favourite is [South Korea’s] Sora Choi. She is so cool, and her street-style photos are so captivating. Is there a fashion trend that you wish would come back into style? Punk—but actually it’s been here all the time. What…