Innholdsfortegnelse for Jul 2016 i Tatler Singapore

PHILIPPINE TATLER GLAM GIRLS AM ACUZAR, MONICA URQUIJO ZOBEL AND SANDRA Soriano (pictured) are three ladies who, in spite of their youth, have been able to make their marks in their respective industries. The cover stars tell us about their passions and what makes their friendship flourish. Elsewhere, we take an exclusive look at Jean-Paule Goude’s recent exhibition in Milan’s Padiglione D’Arte Contemporanea. INDONESIA TATLER FESTIVE NOTE This Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr) Issue celebrates the festivities that mark the end of Ramadhan, the month of fasting for Muslims. On the cover is Indonesia’s minister of industries, Saleh Husin, and his family. Husin talks about what he does and where he spends Ramadhan. Elsewhere, we profile eco-friendly plastic entrepreneur Sugianto Tandio, and Putri Soedarjo (pictured), head of retail for Bulgari Indonesia and…

GRACE MA The features and lifestyle journalist charts the work of the Singapore International Foundation over the last 25 years in Making Friends, Doing Good (p.56 ) What’s the best investment parents can do for their kids? Instilling a love for learning and exploring. What’s your guilty pleasure? Drinking bubble tea. What’s your signature dish? Shepherd’s pie. ANDRE LAM A dentist by profession, the veteran motoring correspondent drives the Rolls-Royce Dawn along the spectacular coastlines of Cape Town ( p.162 ) What’s your best money ever spent? On my Porsche 911 GT3 RS. What’s your worst habit? Having a Coke with every meal. Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with? A toss-up between the lift repairman and Jennifer Lopez. DARREN GABRIEL LEOW The up-and-coming…

PUT A RING ON IT “It sparkles as bright as your eyes,” said this diamond dealer to a beauty queen—and at least three other ladies —before going full force with a sales pitch of the sparkler he brought along to a society dinner in hopes of selling it for “just $20m”. NO GIRL’S BEST FRIEND Someone’s so desperate to move in society circles that she’s been throwing parties galore so she can be on the invite list. To dazzle the ladies who lunch, she spends her waking hours organising luncheons, sending them birthday flowers, and calling every other hour to tell them how beautiful they are. SHARE THE LOVE What do you do when you receive a present you don’t like? According to one miserly ma’am, you rewrap it and…

jul 1 BALLET UNDER THE STARS The Singapore Dance Theatre returns with another edition of its well-loved Ballet Under the Stars over two consecutive weekends. The first weekend sees the world premiere of Incomparable Beauty by Tulsa Ballet’s resident choreographer Ma Cong. Till July 10, at Fort Canning Green. singaporedancetheatre.com LIFETIME OF CHANGE Acclaimed Singaporean painter Oh Chai Hoo’s latest series of black-and-white ink paintings detail the natural formation of rocks structures and the beauty of the imperfections of rock forms, using his signature technique of self-ground pigments on rice paper. Till July 16, at iPreciation. ipreciation.com 8 ALL THAT SPARKLES Specially for magpies, Singapore Tatler presents these exquisite events: discover the finest jewellery and gems at the Van Cleef & Arpels: The Art and Science of Gems exhibition at…

“Good proportions make all the difference. This is why the best brands work with the best designers, because they understand this innately” IF THE 2016 EDITION OF renowned furniture fair Salone del Mobile in Milan is any indication, home decor trends are heading in a cheerful direction. “This year, we felt a renewed excitement about the fair,” says Christina Caredes, group CEO of Space Furniture. She was particularly struck by Kartell’s innovative Organic Chair, and tickled by the “sense of fun” in pieces like Moooi’s chunky Compression Sofa and delicate Perch lights. There may be no better person to forecast decor trends than the woman who has helped to solidify Space as Australia’s leading designer furniture retailer. However, this vivacious champion of great design actually believes strongly in the importance…

BALMAIN Go all out and pair a floral lace jumpsuit with these matching Chaumet earrings from the new Hortensia Voie Lactée collection INDIE XO When Nina isn’t dressing up her playsuit with heels, she keeps it casual with some embellished Louis Vuitton sneakers DIANE VON FURSTENBERG Add some edgy glam to a monochrome jumpsuit as Ching Lin does with her Onyx Spike necklace by Lynn Ban…

Candy-coloured gemstones of all sizes and hues were on display at the Temptations Jewellery boutique, beckoning lovers of fine gems to embark on a voyage of discovery. It began at the window displays, where opulent suites of jewellery enticed magpies with emeralds, tanzanites, rubies and more. Guests of Singapore Tatler then discovered the more versatile, but no less dazzling everyday pieces in the form of cocktail rings and pearl earrings. The coup de grace: a showcase of Indian-inspired jewellery, featuring the jadau technique and polki diamonds. Another treat, a rare sighting of a pair of earrings featuring diamonds from the now-defunct Golconda mine.…

One look at Rosalynn Tay’s Facebook and Instagram feeds and you know that she’s caught the photography bug. While ours are filled with #OOTDs and #foodgasm snapshots, Rosalynn’s feature stunning images from the countless photography tours she takes around the world, trusty Leica M240 camera in hand. And her talent hasn’t gone unnoticed. She debuted her first photo exhibition in May to over 200 friends and family at the Leica Gallery Singapore. The 18 coloured and black-and-white prints depict her 24-day tour of Ethiopia in 2014, where she and three other amateur photographers drove around the country with a guide, capturing the sights. The intrepid photographer also launched her first pictorial book, Ethiopia, with proceeds from the sale going towards Food from the Heart. The exhibition runs until July 11.…

In celebration of the most important woman in our lives, A Mother’s Day Celebration was held in conjunction with the official book launch of With Grace: Classic Lessons in Beauty, Style & Manners by etiquette and grooming expert Elsa Yeo. Many guests and their families came to the Regent Singapore dressed in colourful Hawaiian-chic outfits bearing floral designs and bold prints. After a hearty buffet lunch, followed by performances by the Jeremy Monteiro Trio and an Elvis Presley impersonator, former models who trained at the Elsa Yeo Model Centre took the stage to present the new book. The proceeds from the day’s book sales went towards Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm research at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. MAKING HER MARK The book is Elsa Yeo’s fulfilment of the…

Special guests of Singapore Tatler had a hot date with some sexy, sporty good-lookers in May. We played matchmaker between the eye candy models of Maserati—including the GranTurismo, GranTurismo Sport and Ghibli—and our readers, with a test drive starting from the marque’s showroom. That was followed by the serving of some excellent wines and a steady procession of nibbles as guests swapped stories about their fast cars and gamely obliged with photos.…

A TOKEN OF CELEBRATION After many futile attempts in finding something special to mark the birth of her first child Shane, stylist turned jeweller Jennifer Fisher decided to personalise a dog tag necklace by having Shane’s name stamped on it. When she started wearing it, her colleagues, friends and even strangers became interested and requested her to customise necklaces for them. Her eponymous label was born in 2005. HER BIG BREAK American actress Uma Thurman must have really fallen in love with Fisher’s work—she insisted on wearing one of her designs for a Glamour cover shoot. Now, Fisher’s celebrity fan base includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Beyonce, Naomi Watts and Rihanna. A TIMELESS APPEAL Fisher sees more women gravitating to jewels that are smaller because they want to layer them with…

DEW DROPS We can’t actually bat away signs of ageing but Chanel’s Hydra Beauty Micro Gel Yeux makes the journey of looking the way you feel a little smoother. The formula, similar to the one that powers the Hydra Beauty Micro Sérum that came before it, contains superfine microdroplets of camellia alba, known for its hydrating properties, and blue ginger, a reliable antioxidant. Together, the light-as-water absorbent complex reduces puffiness and brightens dark eye circles. IN DEEP WATERS Masking is one of the best ways to deliver nutrients to your face, so you want to make sure your skin is primed to absorb them all. Origins’ new Maskimizer Skin-Optimizing Mask Primer, aims to do just that. Its marine algae complex, sourced from the coastal waters of South America, does what…

“Materials used in making furniture should be sourced freshly from nature as nature is an indispensable aspect of our existence” “I look for three things in a furniture: functionality, practicality and mobility” “The Hammock is my favourite. The farfalle-inspired design by Atelier Oï’s Patrick Reymond is bohemian yet luxurious by virtue of the Louis Vuitton leather”…

MUCH OF THE most significant innovation in watchmaking within the past decade—developments that will influence technology for years to come—has been practically invisible, hidden deep inside the most ordinary-looking watches. While the avant-garde watches proffered by independent brands like MB&F and Urwerk are striking, they tend to be largely constructed with materials and principles from the last century. That’s because fundamental innovations in watchmaking, in terms of novel materials like silicon, or new production techniques like etching, are only available to large-scale manufactures because of the amount of investment needed. In fact, there is only one niche, independent watchmaker that has developed many of its own silicon movement components: De Bethune. Innovations from mainstream watchmakers like Rolex, Omega and more recently Breitling will likely make it to the wrists of…

AS I SIT DOWN WITH TIFFANY & Co vice president and general manager for watches, Nicola Andreatta, I am told that I am the 99th journalist to be interviewing him in the span of one year. In fact, I already had met him once before, in New York City for the launch of the Tiffany CT60 collection. At that time, we had spoken about Tiffany’s re-entry into the world of watches and its plan to legitimise its Swiss-made, American-approved timepieces. It was just the beginning of the journey, as the CT60 marked the dawn of a new era and defined a clear code for the jeweller’s horological aspirations. The CT60 has since been well-received, and is a proudly American collection, bearing design codes inherent to the 179-year-old company. Tiffany made…

“Our brief to Anton Mendoza was to design a house that allows us to exhibit our art collection to the fullest” CONNECT THE DOTS LITO & KIM CAMACHO YOU WON’T JUST fiND A collection of rare and spectacular art and antiques in the homes of collectors Lito and Kim Camacho. A lesser-known fact about the Singapore-based couple, who owns one of the largest private art collections in Asia, is that they are also animal lovers. Within their residence at Urdaneta Village, a gated community in Makati, Philippines, you will also find two aviaries housing golden pheasants and a large fish pond filled with “monster fish” such as alligator gars and catfish. About 90min drive away at the couple’s country home in Bay, Laguna, there are also Berkshire pigs, horses—for Lito,…

ROMANESQUE WHEN: 6th to 11th century WHAT: Semicircular arches, thick walls, sturdy pillars ICONIC EXAMPLE: Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe in Poitou-Charentes, France GOTHIC WHEN: 12th to 16th century WHAT: Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses ICONIC EXAMPLE: Milan Cathedral in Milan, Italy RENAISSANCE WHEN: 14th to 17th century WHAT: Symmetry, geometry, proportion ICONIC EXAMPLE: Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy PALLADIAN/GEORGIAN/ NEOCLASSICAL WHEN: 17th to 18th century WHAT: Symmetry based on classical architecture of Greece and Rome ICONIC EXAMPLE: The Circus in Bath, England FEDERAL WHEN: 18th to 19th century WHAT: Classical architecture of the US, plain surfaces embellished by details in panels and friezes ICONIC EXAMPLE: Old Town Hall in Salem, Massachusetts, US ART DECO WHEN: 20th century WHAT: A devotion to symmetrical patterns of spheres, rectangles, polygons,…

WHEN A LONG-TIME FRIEND of mine, Château Margaux’s Paul Pontallier, died of cancer in March, it got me to thinking how much the wine world has changed in the three decades or so since I started out as a wine critic. The death of the famous Bordeaux first growth’s managing director reminded me of just how important winemakers are to the great wines we drink today. It wasn’t always like that. In fact, the most important figure for most wineries until the 1980s was the owner. Until then, most winemakers were simply cellar masters or technicians and had no formal training or education in oenology. I met Paul in 1983 when I first visited Bordeaux as a young wine writer. He was always a man of elegance, dignity and intelligence.…

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE channels on cable television is HGTV. I especially enjoy Property Brothers and Kitchen Cousins, but not just because it’s wickedly satisfying watching good-looking men tidy up houses—their ability to make a living space functional yet visually pleasing speaks to the ataxophobic in me. These programmes are simple proof that design can change our lives. It’s not even a want these days; people need good design to rescue them from poorly organised spaces, to work faster and function more efficiently, and basically, get on with things. Just think how quickly we give up on a new mobile phone whose operating system lags, or how a faulty lift button raises our blood pressure levels, but you get the idea. Design is now ever more important, given the time-starved…

YES FANTY SOENARDY I’d say yes! And I’m already working on it. I want to feel good when I’m at home, so what better than to indulge in a comfortable and fashionably decorated sanctuary? Every home is a reflection of its owner’s personality and taste. I like fashion, so my home reflects it. Also, no matter how beautiful the latest outfits on the runway are, there’s a limit as to how much I can wear on my body. So I indulge in decorating my home with items from my favourite fashion brands. This means getting my sofa set from Fendi in the incredibly soft lambskin used for its handbags, down to using its furry Karlitos as well as Hermès’ rodeo charms as adorable ornaments for my indoor plants. I’m also…

“Creativity is not something superficial You have to be clear about the strategy, about whether the customer would buy your idea, and you need to pay attention to details and be consistent in delivering the idea” ERIC TENG BEGAN HIS career in advertising. As a copywriter and later, marketing executive, he had a hand in the design of the Singapore Pools logo in 1987, and was involved in producing a TV ad for a fast-food chain that featured a model riding a horse down Robinson Road. After 20 years in advertising and marketing, he joined the family office of the Tecity Group and became CEO of the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation, and subsequently CEO of the property and hospitality divisions of the Straits Trading Company. Since January this year, he…

The evening air was still and humid from the imminent rain, without a breath of wind—but guests at the Singapore Polo Club seemed not to mind. With their eyes focused on the action before them and a chilled glass of champagne in hand, they watched in respectful silence as some eight finalists from the National Dressage Championships took their handsome horses through the paces at the indoor field. No doubt, the judges Vittorio Barba and Sunil Shivdas had a hard time picking the winners, given the excellent restraint and showmanship demonstrated with their horses. After the prize presentation, riders and their guests adjourned to the bar for congratulatory drinks, light bites and to show off more nifty footwork—this time on the dance floor.…

A fashion parade was the appetiser at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Singapore Tatler Fashion Hall of Fame in May. Judging from the boisterous laughter, endless conversation, stylish selfies and all-around smashing good time with past and present inductees, we’re sure it won’t be the last. Tiffany & Co and Fendi were the co-hosts alongside Tatler for the dinner at Alkaff Mansion Ristorante, and they presented the trendy ladies—and two equally lovely gentlemen—with limited-edition coffee table books unavailable anywhere else in Singapore. Between each of the five courses, of which the salmon tartare, beef cheek and cod fish earned rave reviews, guests’ eyes feasted upon dazzling jewels and stones curated specially for the dinner. SEEING THINGS Iroshini Chua takes a closer look at the Tiffany & Co pendant with…

Hot lips, red roses and funky party hats—it might have been a Thursday night, but at Senso Ristorante & Bar, the celebrations were in full swing as jeweller Vihari Sheth celebrated her 30th birthday. Ninety of her closest friends and family, all decked in black and white, were invited to spend the evening with the beautiful lady in red. A fun session at the photo wall saw the ladies let their hair down and ham it up for the camera with funny poses. They then proceeded to the dining area, where they indulged in a posh four-course vegetarian meal.…

It was a few days after Mother’s Day in May when a bevy of flower enthusiasts descended upon Paragon in Orchard Road for the unveiling of Ikebana International Singapore Chapter 135’s annual exhibition. The roar of taiko drums marked the opening of the exhibition, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Japanese ambassador Kenji Shinoda, who later did a walk-through of the lively display. Several floral arrangement workshops were held during the exhibition’s ten-day run, where it raised funds for the National University Health System. PETAL POWER Linda Soo-Tan’s vibrant floral creation was one of 47 designs that drew praises at the exhibition…

The refrain, “the laundry isn’t going to clean itself” is no longer relevant, thanks to the innovative minds behind the new Styler by LG Electronics. This slim and sleek machine boasts self-steaming and self-sanitising functions, which eliminate more than 99.9 per cent of germs and bacteria on clothing. It does this via the Moving Hanger feature, which gently shakes clothing 180 times per minute, and works alongside the brand’s TrueSteam technology to remove creases and eliminate unpleasant food, smoke and sweat odours. The LG Styler has a gentle dry-cleaning function that launders clothing without causing shrinkage or damage thanks to the low temperature drying system. While regular drying takes up to 12 hours, this feature achieves the same results in an hour. Another notable feature is the Easy Pants Crease…

“Style is not what you wear, it’s how you behave” WHEN MOST OF YOUR childhood memories consist of watching your grandfather, a renowned jeweller in Azerbaijan, at work with rubies and sapphires, style is destined to be second nature. By the time she turned 19, Madina Kalyayeva had seen her jewellery sketches come to life. Even though the 29-year-old spends her days now as a Grey Group ad exec, fashion is still in her core. When she’s home in Azerbaijan, she finds joy in refurbishing old jewellery with her mother; here in Singapore, she stocks up on Lanvin, Hervé Léger and Alexander McQueen on Orchard Road. She credits her early exposure to various fashion cultures in the former Soviet republic, upstate New York, London and Amman to why she’ll “never…

IN AN INDUSTRY saturated with energy, stimulation and trends, it’s not uncommon to meet the jaded fashion designer or two. We could describe Bruno Frisoni, the creative director of Roger Vivier in many words—tired, because he just arrived in Singapore hours before our interview, candid, clever and intense—but jaded he is not. Fresh off the success of the first Roger Vivier sneakers, the aptly named Sneaky Viv’, the designer is at it again, reinventing the brand’s iconic buckle. “It’s a big piece of Roger Vivier, but not a big piece of Roger Vivier,” he said of designing the heavily 1970s-influenced pieces around the insignia, simultaneously pulling in references of hit retro prints and pop persuasion from the archives, and injecting his own lively imagination. And after all that, he comes…

IT’S NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY that a deep-sea diver’s survival is intimately linked to the reliability of their watch. Under water, a watch becomes so much more than a tool to tell the time, recording the length of time you’ve been submerged and, with some models, indicating how much air is left in the tank. To qualify as a dive watch, it must have a water resistance of at least 100m, but most average 300m. It goes without saying, durability and legibility are equally important. The Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronograph Hammerhead Shark derives its name from the sharpest animal in the ocean, well known for its navigational skills. Accents of red and luminous indices ensure that it will be a guiding light no matter how deep you go, up to…

WHEN MAXIMILIAN Büsser of independent manufacture MB&F conceived his Legacy Machine No.1 back in 2011, it was regarded as a tribute to the great innovators of traditional Swiss watchmaking. As if the idea of travelling back in time to recreate a three-dimensional machine based on his bold, avant-garde sensibility wasn’t unconventional enough, imagine inviting another creative mind to reinterpret it. The result is the newly launched pop art-inspired LM1 Silberstein, designed by none other than Büsser’s longtime friend and collaborator Alain Silberstein. Silberstein, a French interior designer turned watch architect, is well known for his penchant for bright primary colours, eye-catching geometric shapes, and a sense of humour and quirkiness. In 1990s, he struck out on his own to produce his peculiar brand of watches, but wound down the business…

WHETHER WE LIKE it or not, design is ubiquitous. It touches every part of our lives, from the toothbrushes we wield in the morning to the light fixtures that are the last thing we see before we nod off at night, from the feel and look of our phones to the angles and attitude of the buildings where we live, work, shop and play. Good design is timeless and remains relevant for decades or centuries after it debuts. Who hasn’t been humbled and awed by the Pyramids of Giza or the Taj Mahal, hypnotised by the comely contours of a Le Corbusier chaise longue, or marvelled at the pleasing utility of Oxo’s Good Grips kitchen tools? Considering that design plays such a key role in our daily existence, many of…

Discerning homeowners know that unique and well-designed furniture and accessories give a space character. However, the timelessness and practicality of these pieces are not always a given and it may mean trading comfort for aesthetics. American purveyor of fine furnishings Baker Furniture’s new collection by designer and architect Jean-Louis Deniotone of Architectural Digest’s top 100 of the world’s most preeminent design talents whose works include holiday chalets in Aspen, private residences in Beverly Hills, and even a palace in New Delhi, among others—ensures that neither is sacrificed. Drawing inspiration from such diverse topics as fashion, architecture and nature, as well as his travels to cities like Paris and Vienna, Deniot has created an eclectic collection of 80 pieces, including case goods, upholstery, lighting and accessories, which he describes as classic…

BEFORE THEY GO ON AUCTION from September this year, cognac connoisseurs can come up-close to a rare trio of Louis XIII by Remy Martin. A tribute to the legendary cognac’s journey through the ages and continents, the L’Odyssée d’un Roi, containing a special blend of precious eaux de vie from Grande Champagne in France, will make a pit stop in Singapore from July 25 to 28, as part of its year-long journey through the culture capitals of the world. Accompanying the Louis XIII cognacs on this epic journey are three French luxury houses that have contributed their own centuries-old savoir faire to creating the one-of-a-kind masterpieces—fashion house Hermès for the hand-stitched leather trunk, silversmith Puiforcat for the white gold pipette, and crystal glass manufacturer Saint-Louis for the decanter and glasses.…

In the grand, colonial-style The Sarkies Suite at Raffles Hotel Singapore, a small group of Singapore Tatler guests cradling champagne glasses cosied up on the settees, chatting and excitedly awaiting fashion label Koonhor’s first-ever showcase in Singapore. The long hallways outside the suite became the catwalk, as models strutted out in Koonhor’s upcoming autumn/ winter 2016 collection. Guests then hit the changing rooms to try out pieces from the show as well as some from the spring/summer 2016 collection. The ladies loved the pieces so much that some even twirled around in them for Koon Lim and Catrine Thé, the Singaporean husband and Indonesian wife designer duo behind the Milan-based brand, to everyone’s applause. An in-house tailor was on hand to assist the ladies in getting their perfect fit for…

What are Sundays without some family time, a late brunch, and taking your car for a lazy drive? When we invited some of our friends for our first-ever Sunday event in June, they got to enjoy all that—with the added elegance of taking a Rolls-Royce of their choice for a spin. Three models—the Ghost, Wraith and Dawn—were at their disposal, rendering our guests suitably thrilled as they eyed their favourite. Most were not strangers to the refinement of brand, but many were nevertheless impressed by the easy driveability of the “magic carpet ride” in the new Dawn drophead. Champagne fuelled conversations as a delectable sit-down brunch was served. MAGIC CARPET RIDE This Rolls-Royce Dawn drophead was already sold, so our guests could only ogle at its handsome looks…

Honouring its “Home Away from Home” concept, the newly reopened Audemars Piguet flagship boutique at Liat Towers brought guests to its birthplace in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, with its blend of wood, metal and idyllic landscapes of Le Brassus. The boutique is divided into two spaces: The Manufacture where collectors and enthusiasts can pore over timepieces in the showcases and at the watchmaker’s bench, while The House sits a bar and lounge for guests to relax and feel at home. To celebrate the completion of the 10-month facelift, the brand hosted a cocktail party in April on the building’s rooftop where the limited-edition Royal Oak Offshore Diver Chronograph, in an array of bold colours, including deep blue, tangerine orange and bright yellow, shared the spotlight. TALK SHOP Watch aficionados…

Chanel’s pre-autumn show, Métiers d’Art, was a homage to film, art and the cities that mean and meant the most to Karl Lagerfeld and Coco Chanel—Paris and Rome. Lagerfeld began his career in the Eternal City, designing for Italian couture house Tiziani, while Coco designed costumes for many famous Italian movies directed by Visconti and Pasolini. It was fitting that the show—a black-and-white reconstruction of Paris—was held at Cinecittà, Italy’s “Hollywood on the Tiber”. The clothing was a little darker and more daring than the poppy, whimsical cruise collection that went sashaying down the runway in Seoul last year. With patchwork lace stockings, quilted leather suits and bold chokers and earrings, this Chanel woman felt decidedly more daring, and perhaps more film noir. OPEN TO PUBLIC Every man on the…

WILD CHILD Repeat after me: I am the star, not the groupie 1 Don’t get carried away with glitter. Paint sparingly on the eyelids or generously on your nails 2 Artfully smudged eyeliner is okay, but a crisp line in a rock steady colour is 2016 3 Matte formulas are a nightmare on dry lips. Cheat with a tinted lip balm or serum instead…

Before models like Lara Stone and Georgia May Jagger made the gap-toothed grin cool and #TeamGap a thing, people everywhere probably kept their lips pursed in front of the camera. But having spaced-out or crooked teeth presents issues beyond less-than-perfect smiles; problems include the inability to bite properly or misaligned jaws. Dental braces are the obvious solution in such cases, and the good news is, there are more “invisible” and comfortable alternatives to the traditional metal braces these days. T32 Dental Centre offers ceramic braces, clear aligners and lingual braces, which are less obvious, hidden and invisible. Ceramic braces and clear aligners come up tops in terms of patients’ aesthetic preferences. The aligner treatment entails a clear tray that sits over the teeth and is virtually invisible when worn. It…

EVERY fiRST QUARTER of the year, horology aficionados look forward to a new and highly collectible collection launched by Montblanc. They got what they wished for and more this time, with a revamp of the 4810 collection introduced to celebrate the company’s 110th anniversary. Named after the 4,810m-high Mont Blanc, the highest peak in western Europe, and first presented in 2006 to mark the maison’s centennial milestone, the collection boasts several refined and sporty models, including one with a new calibre, which naturally channel the spirit of adventure and excellence evoked by the maison’s own symbol. The inspiration behind the collection is the era of intrepid sea exploration at the turn of the century, which is a tribute to the transatlantic voyage to America undertaken in 1906 by Montblanc’s three…

MUCH LIKE HOW PARISIAN chic has permeated the membrane of fashion, there is a soupcon of French nonchalance in how women wear jewellery nowadays. You will find rows of baubles, regardless of whether they’re costume or real, jostling for space on bare skins as they are stacked and layered. Precious stones such as emeralds and rubies are worn during the day to add texture and whimsy to an outfit, and are offset by less conventional stones such as topaz or tourmaline, elegantly eschewing the dictums that had previously ruled the way jewellery was worn. It is exactly this brand of contemporary insouciance that Alexandra Yeo embodies with her jewellery line, Alexandra Alberta. Her portfolio is varied in its inspirations: on the one hand, you have the raw, organic body of…

HANDPHONE Offered to the public in 1984—the same year Apple debuted its Apple IIc—for almost US$4,000, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X (pictured) was the first commercial handphone. Weighing a hefty 28 ounces, the phone’s chunky form was the handiwork of Motorola’s industrial design team. The idea of such a phone was derived from the company’s walkie-talkies used by the military in the 1940s. A mere dozen years after the DynaTAC 8000x, Motorola rolled out the StarTAC, which weighed only 3.1 ounces and was small enough to snugly fit into the palm of a hand. PHOTOCOPIER The floor-mounted 914, made by Xerox in 1959, was the first automatic office copier to make copies on plain paper. It worked on the principle of xerography, the process of producing images using electricity that was…

DOMAINES OTT CÔTES DE PROVENCE CLOS ROSÉ MIREILLE 2014 (SILVER) A very pale coloured and deep rosé with lemon, orange, grapefruit and light dried strawberry aromas and flavours. Dense and lively. Bright and flavourful. Very long and intense. Drink now. 94 points CAVES D’ESCLANS CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ WHISPERING ANGEL 2015 Aromas of chalk, stone, light strawberry and lemon follow through to a full body and tangy acidity with plenty of flavour at the finish. Lively and delicious. Drink now. 91 points CHÂTEAU D’ESCLANS CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ GARRUS 2014 (GOLD) A superb rosé with sliced apple, peach and light cream aromas. Full body, so deep and intense. So long and beautiful. I am speechless. A benchmark for rosé. 97 points SIAM WINERY MONSOON VALLEY THAILAND HUA HIN HILLS VINEYARD…

Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, designer Jarrod Lim honed his craft in Europe, most notably in the studios of Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola in Milan and one of the UK’s top design and furniture manufacturers, SCP, in London. His designs have garnered many awards, including the Pinnacle Award USA, the A&D Trophy Award and the Young Designer of the Year, Australia. But it was his win at the Singapore Furniture Design Award in 2010 that made him realise the opportunities available in Southeast Asia, and that Singapore was the best location to set up base. He has since established his own design practice here and worked on many brand projects, including his latest collaboration with Royal Selangor for the Crystalline collection. With its pieces made from highly…

I MET MY WIFE IN NEW YORK IN 1993 WHEN WE were both working at a small cafe in Soho, so the Big Apple is close to my heart. Since then, the city has become a second home, with my in-laws living on the Upper East Side, just behind the Guggenheim Museum. We’ve spent nearly every summer there, our children visiting art galleries and museums, or climbing the rocks in Central Park, and taking trains to Coney Island or Long Island beaches for the day. What I love is wandering the city from north to south without a plan. It’s like meditation and serendipitous things happen—I’ll bump into an old friend, find a vinyl record shop I hadn’t heard of before, or stumble on a small Japanese restaurant. I try…