Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2025 i Tatler Hong Kong

This line, from the title song of the musical Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim, is one that rings in my head quite often—especially now, as I join the Tatler Asia team. You don’t need me to tell you that starting anything new—let alone stepping into a role at a global platform redefining influence and impact—is both exhilarating and daunting. But after several decades in media, across lifestyle magazines, newsrooms and even a stint in corporate communications, I’ve realised this industry comes down to one thing: I want to tell you something; I want to tell you something well; I want to tell you something that might change your day—or even your life. This month, we want to tell you that Tatler Asia has made a deliberate call to…

There’s a particular time in Hong Kong when the air stops sticking to you. Not cool yet, not brisk but finally merciful. You can walk outside without calculating shade or air-conditioned routes. It’s the start of the in-between season—the one where chefs sense a change before anyone else does. At The Butterfly Room, executive pastry chef Jonathan Soukdéo marks the moment with a new afternoon tea. At its centre is the Hokkaido milk tea flan, his latest creation and the kind of dessert that makes you slow down without meaning to. Soukdéo, who treats custard as both science and seduction, takes Hong Kong’s iconic milk tea and turns it into silk. It’s the colour of café au lait; creamy, elegant and gently caffeinated. This comes with the likes of truffled…

Meet the changemakers shaping our world. Tatler Most Influential honours leaders, innovators and visionaries whose actions speak louder than words—transforming industries, enriching cultures and uplifting communities across Hong Kong and beyond. Formerly Asia’s Most Influential, Tatler Most Influential marks the next chapter in how we recognise impact globally, unifying how Tatler celebrates influence—from local recognition to global acclaim. The honourees are the architects of positive change in business, STEM, culture and society. Be inspired by their impact and discover how influence becomes legacy For the complete list across Tatler’s regions, scan the QR code…

Adriel Chan Chair, Hang Lung Properties Alex Zhavoronkov CEO, Insilico Medicine Allan Zeman Chairman, Lan Kwai Fong Group André Fu Interior architect & founder, Andre Fu design Anna CY Chan Director, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Agustin Balbi Chef & founder, Andō Bonita Cheung Fashion designer; curator and project director, Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association Bonnie Chan Yiting CEO, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Brian Sze Head of Asia-Pacific, Checkout.com Carina Lau Actor & singer Chibo Tang Managing Partner, Gobi Partners Christina Gaw Managing principal, global head of capital markets & co-chair, alternative investments, Gaw Capital Partners Daisy Ho Chairman, Hong Kong Ballet…

Stars like Rihanna and Taylor Swift showed us how to get creative with our watches—wearing them as necklaces, anklets and pendants, for example—and Chanel’s Première Charms Blush seems designed for exactly this kind of playful styling. The dangling letter charms spelling out “Chanel” in hand-lacquered pink and red tones invite unconventional wear. The 19.7 x 15.2mm black-coated steel case houses a quartz movement, while the brand’s signature chain bracelet weaves black leather through steel links for flexibility that works whether worn traditionally or stacked as jewellery. An onyx-topped crown and matching black dial offer monochromatic contrast to the makeup-toned charms. This limited-edition piece acknowledges that modern luxury means versatility—a timepiece that transitions seamlessly from wrist to wherever creativity takes it. Diamonds are forever, but party time’s now…

Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra collection has never been about making bold declarations. The opposite is true: it’s built on understatement, which makes these new transformable pieces all the more intriguing. Blue agate and carnelian stone options have been offered in the recent past, and now the new Alhambra collection highlights chalcedony and mother of pearl. The real story here, though, is the engineering. Long necklaces can be disassembled to create shorter versions plus bracelets, while rings flip between stone and diamond faces. Transformable jewellery is not new, but what is so impressive here is the house’s execution: hidden clasps stay hidden, mechanisms are silky smooth and pieces are functional yet remain utterly elegant. This isn’t jewellery trying to be something else; it’s jewellery being more of itself. Espresso hues…

The arrival of To Summer in Hong Kong marked the Chinese fragrance house’s first step outside the mainland. Those in the know were excited—and for good reason. Since its founding in 2018, the brand has been leading a renaissance in fragrance-making and attracting a new generation of Chinese scent lovers. We sat down with founder Shen Li, who previously worked as an editor for a fashion magazine, at the opening of the To Summer boutique in Causeway Bay to talk about the brand’s journey and ties to Chinese heritage. “Our generation grew up with western culture influences,” she says. “When I entered the media industry a decade ago, my work connected me with people across diverse fields. Through these encounters, I witnessed a profound transformation among young Chinese people—a surging…

The Henderson, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, looms like a shard of glass frozen mid-spin, its curves catching the Hong Kong skyline. The ground beneath it was sold in 2017 for more than HK$23 billion—at the time, the priciest land sale in the world. It seems deliciously incongruous, then, that within this skyscraper, chef Akira Back wants nothing to do with stiff formality. “I don’t want hardcore fancy,” he says. “Hong Kong people already dress nicely anyway. I don’t want them to think, ‘Oh man, we have to dress triple nice.’ Just come, relax, eat, leave.” It’s a contradiction that makes perfect sense once you know his story. Back doesn’t do tidy boxes; he calls his own food a “melting pot of culture”: traditional Japanese techniques filtered through a Korean…

On risks Anyone responsible for the capital they deploy—and their life —does not take blind risks. People do take risks, [but] with their eyes open. Minimise surprises. On living in a world city The twin cities of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, [with their combined] 30 million people, is a formidable and most dynamic economic region that can rival any in the world. On the students who receive support through Project WeCan To [be able to facilitate] the opportunity to break out of a pre-set cocoon which is not of their choice is simply refreshing and exhilarating. On preserving the city’s history in a way that makes sense for the future, as he did with The Murray Respect architectural heritage while adapting it to current community needs. And balance…

MAGDALENA BRYK Magdalena Bryk is a Los Angeles-based fashion stylist known for creating striking, story-driven editorial work. She collaborates with photographers and creatives to craft distinctive visuals that blend elegance, edge and narrative for fashion features, cover shoots and special projects. She has worked with titles including Elle, InStyle and Harpers Bazaar. For Tatler, she styled this month’s fashion shoot. TOH HAN SHIH Toh Han Shih is a Hong Kong-based Singaporean writer with over 20 years of experience in business journalism. He is also chief analyst of Headland Intelligence, a Hong Kong risk consulting firm, and the author of Is China a Menacing Empire?, which examines China’s relationship with the rest of the world. He writes Tatler’s Belt and Road column. SAM SPENCE Sam Spence is a Korean American fashion…

In the world of ultra-luxury hospitality, where many senior executives spend their entire careers dedicated to one brand, Benjamin Vuchot is something of an anomaly. The newly minted CEO of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels describes himself as an “accidental hotelier”, having spent more than three decades in luxury retail with giants like Richemont and LVMH before taking the helm of one of hospitality’s most revered brands. Seated in the Marco Polo suite at The Peninsula Hong Kong, the Frenchman exudes the composure one would expect of someone who has shepherded brands like Cartier and Sephora across Asia. Yet beneath this polished exterior lies a curiosity-driven leader whose unconventional path may be precisely what The Peninsula needs. From a personal development perspective, Vuchot says being given the chance to…

With more than 100 strains and infection rates so high that most sexually active people will encounter it, the dangers of human papillomavirus (HPV) are often underestimated. Most HPV infections clear on their own but some high-risk strains can cause cervical cancer, which claimed about 350,000 lives globally in 2022, according to a 2024 WHO report. Early detection of cervical cancer is crucial, since cure rates are significantly higher; yet standard screening tools like the Pap smear are invasive and uncomfortable, leading many to avoid them. Ricky Chiu, chairman and CEO of Phase Scientific, is rewriting the rules of the diagnostics. His company has developed a urine-based HPV test that allows simple, at-home sample collection. In a recent clinical study at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, the test detected high-grade precancer…

There is a particular quality to the way Peter Woo moves through a room—not with the swagger of someone who has built an empire, but with the grace of someone who understands that legacy is built in the margins—the quiet spaces between ambition and action. At 79, he possesses a defiant vitality that makes one reconsider the boundaries we place on human potential. His handshake is firm, his gaze direct, and there’s a glint in his eye that suggests he’s perpetually three moves ahead in a game most of us don’t even know we’re playing. This is not the Peter Woo of corporate press releases. The Woo Tatler sits down with was sent alone, as a 12-year-old boy, on a journey around Europe by parents who believed that real education…

Jim Lai is not the sort of collector who brags about numbers, museum pieces or auction records—though he owns more vintage Rolex treasures than most people will ever see in one place outside Geneva. With more than 100 watches in his collection, as he mentions with an almost self-effacing shrug, Lai has also amassed an extensive assortment of watch-related artefacts such as original boxes and salesman cases, as well as period magazine papers. Sitting with him at private members’ club Carlyle & Co, where we interview and photograph him, he was less intent on showing off horological trophies and more on revisiting friendships, lucky finds and the odd heartbreak native to every dedicated collector’s odyssey. Lai’s conversational cadence, peppered with dry humour and references to “just crazy” collecting habits—stickers, old…

ANCHORED IN BEAUTY Tiffany & Co’s latest Blue Book offering would have us believe that anchors can float, even when dripping in diamonds. Chief artistic officer Nathalie Verdeille has taken Jean Schlumberger’s 1939 ruby-studded anchor brooch and given it a serious upgrade, transforming maritime mythology into wearable geometry. The collection’s Anchor chapter centres around cushion-cut diamonds that range from a respectable 1 carat to a showstopping 5 carats, all nestled in platinum and 18-karat gold settings. Forget buried pirate booty—this is the kind of nautical treasure we’re interested in. DRIPPING IN DIAMONDS Drop earrings crafted from white diamonds are the ultimate red carpet insurance policy—Rita Ora demonstrated this flawlessly at the 77th Emmy Awards. These Hearts on Fire Vela earrings showcase Frenchcut pavé perfection: 4.1 carats of G-H colour, VS…

In late May, guests from around the world braved Stockholm’s unpredictable early summer weather for a high jewellery collection launch. While the city may seem an unexpected choice for such an event, it makes sense once you understand Cartier’s celebration of the Swedish ethos of lagom: the idea of moderation, or “just enough”. Moderation may seem like an obvious concept when it comes to jewellery design, Jacqueline Karachi, Cartier’s creative director of high jewellery, tells Tatler when we meet at the Stockholm exhibition, but adding more to a piece can be “the most difficult thing to stop”. The maison seems to have succeeded, however. Titled En Équilibre, its new collection amplifies one of Cartier’s most important design philosophies: balance and harmony. “In every collection, we try to illustrate a new…

SPICE IT UP Built around saffron, the world’s most precious spice, Narciso Rodriguez’s new offering Safran Musc Eau de Parfum Intense blends spicy, woody and leather notes with floral undertones. Saffron notes open the perfume and give way to rose, orange blossom and incense resin, creating intriguing depth. ON THE ROCKS Kilian Hennessy, a member of the family behind the famed cognac of the same name, pays tribute to his brandy heritage with a new perfume, Angels’ Share on the Rocks. “Angels’ share” refers to the alcohol that evaporates while a spirit is ageing; this scent nods to that not just through its name but also through its frosted-tumbler-style bottle. Bitter orange is the signature note, while grapefruit, lemon and Italian bergamot create a zesty cocktail effect. Cheers! DESERT ROMANCE…

Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia are just a few of the Asian locations whose populations demonstrate some of the greatest sleep deficiencies in the world, according to a recent YouGov survey. That’s nothing to be proud of. In fact, if you ask sleep expert Matthew Walker, who calls sleep the “fundamental bedrock of life”, today’s global sleep deprivation epidemic has concerning repercussions for individuals and societies, from mental health implications and compromised immunity to increased risk of disease and lower life expectancy. The epidemic is particularly acute in Asia due to social and cultural factors, including longer workdays, family obligations, “face” culture and later bedtimes. I’m speaking to the British neuroscientist and author of the bestselling book Why We Sleep on a video call scheduled for 8pm his time, an…

After ten months of meticulous preparation, in October, Matthieu Blazy unveiled his debut collection as Chanel’s new artistic director of fashion activities, a position he took on last December. Blazy was already known for his avant-garde vision through his work at Raf Simons, Maison Margiela, Celine and Calvin Klein, and his tenure as creative director at Bottega Veneta from 2021 to 2024. Yet the long months of preparation were essential for him to study and interpret the century-long legacy established by Gabrielle Chanel. Chanel’s spring-summer 2026 collection was unveiled at the newly reopened Grand Palais, the glass-vaulted exhibition space which had been under renovation for four years. Blazy transformed it into a celestial spectacle—a constellation of planets was suspended overhead, with mirrored reflections on the runway. “I wanted to do…

The table was covered with some of Bovet’s most exquisite timepieces when I arrived to meet Pascal Raffy at a Bovet presentation lunch at Hong Kong’s Madame Fu restaurant. But before we could begin discussing his latest creations, the owner of this storied Swiss maison, founded in 1822, had one priority: methodically winding each of the watches. “I cannot concentrate if I haven’t done this,” he explained. It was the perfect introduction to a man whose passion for horology runs deeper than business. When Raffy acquired Bovet in 2001, it wasn’t a typical corporate acquisition—it was a passionate collector rescuing a manufacture. Under his stewardship, the maison has become synonymous with artistic excellence and mechanical innovation, transforming from a dormant heritage brand into one of haute horlogerie’s most distinctive voices.…

There’s something almost perverse about Richard Mille’s approach to watchmaking. While most brands labour to protect their movements from the violence of daily life, Mille designs timepieces that court it. The RM 35-03 Automatic Rafael Nadal, the fourth in the “baby Nadal” series, pushes that philosophy further. At its heart, three years in the making, lies a patented butterfly rotor, an innovation that lets the wearer manually control the winding system. Unlike earlier variable-geometry rotors, this one allows you to switch between active and stopped modes with a press of a button. Salvador Arbona, the brand’s technical director for movements, compares it to toggling a car between road and race mode. Tap the pusher at seven o’clock and the twin titanium arms move their heavy metal segments to a 180-degree…

Every diamond tells a story. Some whisper of first loves, others showcase episodes of family tradition passed down through generations. In Hong Kong, three women have discovered that the most precious stones are those that carry the deepest meaning. Amanda Cheung, managing director of First Initiative Foundation, Alison El Azar, Hong Kong-based influencer, and Antonia Da Cruz, eco-driver, each wear diamonds that speak to something deeper than luxury. Cheung’s most prized possession carries both sentimental and artistic significance. “I inherited a remarkable grey diamond watch from my mother [ jewellery designer Michelle Ong]. When I was younger I always loved it. It was really special to both of us. Years later on my birthday, she gave it to me. “It was one of the first pieces she designed with her…

It is less than a month before the opening of the Aichi Triennale, one of Japan’s biggest urban international art festivals since its inception in 2010. By the time she joins Tatler on a video call at 10am on a mid-August morning, the festival’s artistic director Hoor Al-Qasimi has already spent hours inspecting installations at the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum in the city of Seto. “I’m exhausted,” she admits with a wry smile. Yet her tone betrays more excitement than fatigue: this year’s edition, which opened on September 13 and runs until November 30, will unite artists from 22 countries and territories in an exhibition across Japan’s Aichi Prefecture. Al-Qasimi is far from her base in Sharjah in the UAE, where, since 2009, she has served as founding president and…

Culture, people and strategy are the keys to building sustainable businesses, said Steven Bartlett, the mastermind behind one-billion-stream podcast The Diary of a CEO, at an exclusive breakfast dialogue co-hosted by Tatler Asia and the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), Hong Kong’s largest I&T ecosystem. The event, held at Club Bâtard in Central, was a collaboration between two organisations that share a belief in the power of innovation and the people driving it. HKSTP is celebrated as an I&T Powerhouse, bringing together Hong Kong’s brightest minds to shape a tech-driven future. More than 50 of the city’s most promising founders, investors and industry leaders—many of whom are recognised as Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow—joined the morning dialogue. Among the guests were robotics entrepreneur Albert Lam of Novelte Robotics;…