Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 i Tatler Hong Kong

As a certified movie fan, the interview show Inside the Actors Studio was a treasure trove for me—part masterclass in an actor’s process (fascinating) and part vault of behind-the-scenes chaos (now we’re talking). At the end of each episode, host James Lipton would bring out his “Bernard Pivot questionnaire” for the visiting thespian; I’ve always had a ready answer for one of the questions: “What sound or noise do you love?” For me, it’s the seemingly random sounds an orchestra makes as the audience finds their seats. A horn player running scales, a cellist working through a tricky passage, a double bass testing out rhythms. Why do I love it? Because these sounds signal that something wonderful is about to begin—something every person on that stage has worked towards for…

It’s 10pm in the San Francisco Bay Area when Elizabeth Lo answers Tatler’s call, fresh from yet another screening of Mistress Dispeller, the documentary that has cemented her status as one of cinema’s most compelling new voices. The film won the 2024 Filmmaker Under 40 award and Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema Award at Venice Film Festival, along with the Gold Hugo Award for Best Documentary at the Chicago International Film Festival. It follows a real case of infidelity in China through the unlikely lens of a “mistress dispeller”: a professional hired to infiltrate and end extramarital affairs. The documentary is an extraordinary feat of access, intimacy and ethical complexity. Yet when Tatler asks Lo about the achievement, she instead speaks of patience and privilege. “Sometimes I wonder…

This year’s viral moments have included Taylor Swift’s engagement ring, which threw emerging jewellery designer Kindred Lubeck into the global limelight overnight; Labubu soft toys, which continue to gain momentum in no small part due to Blackpink’s Lisa sharing hers on social media; and Anne Hathaway’s vintage Coach messenger bag, spotted in on-set photos, sparking trends months ahead of the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2. The pattern is clear: celebrity influence on social platforms is a surefire route to viral success—and, ultimately, commercial returns. By leveraging influencers to sell lifestyles—not just products—brands are tapping into a fundamental human reaction: “I want that too.” “Social media drives discovery; it’s where we spot new brands and generate excitement around products,” explains Tiffany Hsu, chief buying officer at online luxury boutique…

Albert Chan chose to meet Tatler at Galet Antique in Causeway Bay—a vintage furniture shop that feels less like Hong Kong and more like a corner of old Paris. Surrounded by curios that have survived their own journeys through time, he sets down four watches on an ornate wooden table: a Cartier Cintrée with a guilloché dial from the year 2000; a Paris-signed piece from the 1970s; and two Patek Philippe perpetual calendars. “Look from a distance,” he says. “You know [these two are] Cartier, no mistake about it.” Chan, one of Hong Kong’s founding members of The Horology Club exhibits genuine enthusiasm tempered by the kind of humility that comes from decades of learning. While his love for vintage Cartier began just three years ago, his collecting journey spans…

Buccellati’s Étoilée collection—born in the Nineties from president and creative director Andrea Buccellati’s fascination with Roman mosaics—was never meant to play it safe. The latest iterations double down on that spirit. Étoilée Color throws rubies, spessartines and pink sapphires into one arrangement, tsavorites and blue sapphires into another, turning what could be mere intricacy into moments of joy. The hand-chaining technique remains as laborious as ever, but those painstaking hours produce something vibrant—a refreshing departure from high jewellery’s tendency towards safe, neutral palettes. The Étoilée Mini, meanwhile, sees the same craftsmanship at a smaller footprint, yet still maximum wearability. It’s Buccellati acknowledging that not every moment calls for a statement, though both versions certainly make one. Yellow gold satin-finish jewels that warm up winter…

I read somewhere that “The best brands don’t sell; they make you want to join the club.” Hotel brands are increasingly subscribing to that idea and very cleverly building cult-like loyalty through creative direction, cultural programming and even merchandise. It’s not necessarily a new approach—think Aman’s fiercely loyal fandom, otherwise known as Aman Junkies, or Mandarin Oriental’s “I’m a Fan” campaign—but more hotel brands are adopting this as a strategy, and more travellers are willing to spend on hotel brands that they feel align with their values, style and personality. When it comes to choosing a hotel, storytelling and emotional connection to a brand is more important than it’s ever been. A group that’s been leading this charge is Belmond. Once a quiet portfolio of boutique hotels, the brand has…

The oldest Millennials, the generation born between 1981 and 1996, are entering middle age. And while they are known as being purpose-driven and looking for meaning in work, will they hold these same values as they come to a stage in life when wealth management and investing become priorities? There has been a lot of criticism of the Millennial generation. Since they started entering the workforce in the mid-Noughties, older colleagues have had nothing good to say about them: they have no company loyalty; they don’t work hard enough; they feel entitled to promotion without proving themselves. But they have established a work style and approach all their own. They are, after all, vastly different from their predecessors. They are tech savvy and the first generation to have all grown…

RONGRONG GU Rongrong Gu is based in Paris and specialises in fashion photography, brand lookbooks and casting. Since 2020, she has worked with major brands including Cartier, Gucci, Chopard, Fendi and Dior. As a stylist, her approach is centred around putting maximum effort into creating an “effortless” look. For Tatler this month, she styled our cover star Lang Lang, and said the driving force for the shoot was “passion, passion, passion!” (p.130) ROSANA LAI Hong Kong-born Rosana Lai is a seasoned fashion editor and brand consultant based in London. Previously the fashion director of Tatler Asia, her work has more recently been featured in publications including the Financial Times, Elle and Marie Claire. When she’s not writing fashion features or hosting events, she can be found plotting her next sunny…

It began, as good things often do in Bangkok, with the smell of smoke and the sound of knives hitting boards. At Maa-Lai Library, a dining room tucked high up in the Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, Chumpol Jangprai of Thailand’s R-Haan stood shoulder to shoulder with Andy Huynh of Oku from Regent Phu Quoc in Vietnam. One worked with the measured precision of the royal Thai kitchen; the other with the light, calibrated lines of Japanese-French minimalism. Together they set the tone for the week ahead, the start of Tatler Best Takeovers 2025: seven days that would turn the Thai capital into a citywide conversation about craft and community. From October 17 to 25, the Tatler Best Takeovers, presented in partnership with Mastercard and Priceless.com, unfolded like a map of possibility.…

For nearly a century, Rolex timepieces have journeyed with explorers to the highest peaks, the deepest oceans and the most remote frontiers of our world. The Swiss luxury watch brand’s enduring commitment to exploration has seen it accompany some of humanity’s most daring milestones—from New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Indian Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay’s first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 to oceanographer Jacques Piccard’s record descent into the Mariana Trench in 1960. As the challenges facing our planet grow ever more urgent, the spirit of exploration has evolved. No longer is it solely about reaching and discovering new frontiers; it is also about protecting them and ensuring they will still be there for future generations. The places that once defined human triumph are now also barometers…

The World of Fendi global tour made its Hong Kong stop during October 23-29, transforming an intimate Victoria Harbour-view venue at The Henderson into a pink-hued space adorned with the iconic FF monogram. Guests could explore Fendi’s heritage through curated displays of fur craftsmanship, leather goods and high jewellery collections. The event, part of the Italian house’s centenary celebrations, had previously been staged in cities including Seoul, Suzhou, Miami and Melbourne. The Fendi story began in 1925, when married couple Adele and Edoardo Fendi opened a handbag and fur shop in Rome. It remained a family enterprise until the late Karl Lagerfeld, who became a close family friend, took the helm in 1965, transforming it into a global fashion powerhouse. His most notable achievement was revolutionising the house’s signature element—fur.…

The art of giving a watch as a present has always been about reading the room—or rather, reading the wrist. This month, Tatler makes that calculation easier with four Tudor timepieces, each speaking to a different sensibility. It all depends on who you’re shopping for, from a dedicated collector to a style-conscious modernist—and whether you might be tempted to keep one for yourself. FOR THE PURIST There’s a particular watch lover who speaks fluently of crown guards and bezel proportions, who knows why 39mm matters, and who has sketched their ideal diver on more than one napkin. The Black Bay 58 is for them. Now elevated with Master Chronometer certification from Switzerland’s national metrology institute Metas—testing for precision, anti-magnetism up to 15,000 gauss and waterproofing down to 200 metres—this tribute…

Most worldtimer watches require you to pull out the crown, press a pusher or fiddle with some combination of both to change time zones. Richard Mille looked at this and thought: why not simply twist the bezel? It sounds almost too simple, but the RM 63-02 Automatic Worldtimer makes it work brilliantly. The micro-blasted 5N red gold bezel sits on ball bearings and connects directly to the movement through a dedicated wheel. Twist it to any of the 24 cities on the flange, and the hour hand adjusts instantly while simultaneously updating all other time zones. A graduated 24-hour inner flange keeps everything legible, and a two-tone rose and burgundy disc shows day versus night. No crown pulling, no button pressing—just turn and go. Making this work required genuine engineering…

Chanel believes that beauty is inherently integrative, but what exactly does that mean? Simply put, it’s a state of mind which frames beauty as holistic—where every ingredient and every technique used refines one’s natural beauty. This was Gabrielle Chanel’s vision of beauty, and the her namesake Parisian maison has been dedicated to remaining aligned with that approach ever since. Chanel spoke to fellow women’s every complex facet, cultivating a global—and integrative—understanding of what beauty means. From comfortable clothing that allowed free movement to multi-sensory textures skincare products that nurture, every aspect of Chanel Beauty is imprinted with her vision, which in turn has shaped how we perceive beauty now. These days, we understand that beauty goes much deeper than what is on the surface; it’s about inner radiance and feeling…

In the death zone, over 8,000 metres above sea level, where air thins dangerously and the human body begins to shut down, Lhakpa Sherpa keeps climbing. The Nepali mountaineer has stood atop Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak at 8,849m, ten times—more than any other woman in history. Her greatest summits, though, may not be those of snow and ice, but of survival, resilience and willpower, as well as an unshakable belief that the mountain is both teacher and healer. “Everest fix my soul—it is my doctor, my big boss,” she says, in her personal dialect of English, which her friends have affectionately termed “Lhakpa-lese”. “Children go to school and say they love their teacher. I say, I love my Everest.” We are having this conversation in Singapore, which she…

What does your name mean?  “Brightness” The most challenging piece to play?  Gaspard de la Nuit, by Maurice Ravel Favourite composer?  Frédéric Chopin Favourite concert hall to perform in?  Carnegie Hall, New York Advice on for conquering stage fright?  Breathe Favourite thing to eat before your performance?  Dumplings How do you ensure your hands don’t seize up during a performance?  Warm up What do you listen to during your downtime: classical or pop music?  Both A fellow pianist you admire?  Martha Argerich After the piano, what is your favourite instrument, other than the piano?  The cello…

On the western coast of India, in the industrious city of Surat, a sleek new factory hums with energy. Inside, mechanical arms glide across stainless‑steel pipelines, distillation towers gleam under bright industrial light, and chemical engineers in white coats monitor streams of molten polymer as the substance is reborn into something new. This is no ordinary factory. It does not rely on crude oil or virgin fossil fuels, but instead consumes plastic waste, the very thing the modern world struggles to get rid of. Completed in March 2024, just months after its January announcement, the plant marks the latest breakthrough by Rolex Awards Laureate Miranda Wang, co‑founder of materials innovator Novoloop. The Canadian tech entrepreneur’s mission is as ambitious as it is urgent: to revolutionise how we recycle plastic and,…

IT’S IN THE BAG It’s a new era at Chanel so owning one of Matthieu Blazy’s twisted flap bags will be like owning a piece of fashion history. MY BUNNY VALENTINE Sweet kitten heels will be all over the streets come SS26, but they don’t come sweeter than these Dior pumps by Jonathan Anderson featuring little rabbit ears and a subtly bejewelled body. I SEE YOU! Sheer, gauzy totes have been all over the beaches this summer, so why not upgrade to a grown-up version with a true “peek-a-boo” Fendi bag? MAKE SOME ROOM You may not need one of the many feathered skirts that sashayed down the SS26 runways but you will need some sort of statement skirt. Let it be this beautifully tucked number by Balenciaga—you’ll thank us…

When Piaget decided to reinvent its Andy Warhol watch, it could have taken an obvious route. But instead of Marilyn Monroes or soup cans, it has interpreted Warhol’s 1986 Self-Portrait collage through marquetry, setting yellow Namibian serpentine, pink opal and green chrysoprase on a base of black onyx. The 45mm yellow gold case mirrors the exact specifications of Warhol’s own 1973 Piaget. This is a limited edition of 50 pieces, each housing the slim 501P1 calibre, with the self-portrait photo engraved on the caseback—complete with Piaget’s logo and Warhol’s signature. We love how this watch pops. Aventurine dials that put the stars exactly where they belong: on your wrist…

The perpetual calendar has always separated the serious manufactures from the assemblers. It’s not just about making the complication work—that’s been solved since the 18th century—but about making it work within constraints that don’t forgive poor engineering. An 8.1mm case housing a complete perpetual calendar isn’t revolutionary, but it’s far from common, particularly when that case needs to function as a daily-wear sports watch rather than a precious dress piece kept in reserve for formal occasions. Vacheron Constantin has added two dial variants to its Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin: 18-karat 5N pink gold with a golden-toned translucent lacquer dial, and 18-karat white gold with burgundy lacquer. Both measure 41.5mm and maintain that 8.1mm profile. For context, most perpetual calendars sit comfortably above 10mm, often pushing 12mm or more once you…

The holiday season has always been a time when light takes on special meaning—candles flickering in windows, frost catching moonbeams, diamonds glittering against velvet. It’s a season of wonder, when we notice beauty differently—more acutely. On one such December evening in the 1940s, Harry Winston paused at the doorstep of his Scarsdale estate in New York and witnessed something that would forever alter the course of jewellery designing: a holly wreath hung against his door, its entwined branches laden with fresh snow. In that crystalline moment, Winston saw past the wreath’s rigid structure to the beauty of nature itself—and realised that in jewellery, diamonds, like the glistening leaves, should command the design, while their metal settings quietly recede into shadow. This holiday revelation gave birth to the Cluster setting, a…

STAR ATTRACTION Charlotte Tilbury’s holiday collection is based on the theme of Star Confidence—think celestial packaging adorned with constellations, stars and gold detailing. The standout is the Beauty Treasure Chest, which contains goodies such as the Exagger-Eyes mascara, Charlotte’s Magic Cream, Rock ’n’ Kohl eye pencil in brown, and Pillow Talk lipsticks in several shades. Once emptied, it doubles as a jewellery box. Make-up lovers will also appreciate the collector’s edition vanity case, Pillow Talk Dreams Come True, which contains 15 products from the Pillow Talk range, from eyeshadow palettes to lip products. It’s the kind of collection that justifies the hype around the brand’s holiday drops. A CHRISTMAS TALE Diptyque is spinning a holiday fairy tale with its A Night of Wax and Gold collection. Inspired by the cafés…

When Banu Mushtaq was born, her father went to a fortune teller, who predicted that she would be a great writer admired by people around the world. Her father, a civil servant then based in the city of Hassan in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, was very pleased; he was a great proponent of education and wanted all six of his children to receive a good one—they all ended up with two degrees. He sent young Mushtaq to a school which taught in Urdu, a common language spoken in the city. “To his surprise and distress, I could not recognise even a single [letter] for two years,” Mushtaq recalls. But when her father was transferred elsewhere in the state for work, Mushtaq moved to a new school. It was…

The investment spectrum currently extends from cryptocurrency at one end, the hot ticket item favoured by the bold, to the relatively safe bet of gold at the other. But art remains a sophisticated and smart option in financial terms, with added aesthetic benefits. Beyond the potential financial return of discovering works whose value may appreciate over time, art offers something more personal: a reflection of one’s taste, discernment and worldview. In good news, if you’re thinking of dipping your toes into investing in art, there’s no need to fly to London or New York to find that first piece—Hong Kong’s vibrant gallery scene offers an abundance of choices. Here are six places of the best places to start. DE SARTHE A prominent name when it comes to both contemporary and…