Innholdsfortegnelse for November 1, 2015 i Tatler Singapore

THAILAND TATLER FORMIDABLE FEMALE Thailand’s cover star Nalinee Worawongwasu tells of turning her love of fashion into a thriving business. Worawongwasu is a partner in multibrand boutique Cloud 9 and recently opened outlets for the likes of Lulu Guinness and Charlotte Olympia. The November issue also delves into the mystical world of gemstones—six members of Thailand’s elite contemplate the astrological significance of their birthstones. INDONESIA TATLER PILLARS OF SOCIETY The 15th anniversary issue looks to the future by introducing some of the new faces of high society. Entrepreneur and philanthropist Sabrina Joseph is the cover star. As well as establishing her own online fashion business, Joseph is a co-founder of the Catholic Jakarta Fellowship, a community for the city’s youth. Also profiled is Rizal Ramli, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for maritime…

Ahead of the grand opening of two new wings in the Asian Civilisations Museum, director ALaN CHONg shares how he uses art to illustrate the connections between Asian cultures The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) is set to launch its two new wings with a fundraising gala on November 21. Contemporarily designed, both wings will stand in contrast with the museum’s original neoclassical facade. The three-storey, 900sqm Kwek Hong Png Wing, sponsored by the Hong Leong Foundation, exhibits art from the Fujian province of China, while the new river wing and entrance overlooking the Singapore River is home to the Khoo Teck Puat Gallery that will permanently showcase the 9th-century Tang Shipwreck ceramic collection. “With these new extensions, the museum will have more room to express its dedication to exploring the…

FEELING FLIGHTY One leggy gal went down on social media, claiming a desire for a low profile, but has no qualms calling editors asking to be on magazine covers. To peacock or not to be, that is the question. SLIM PICKINGS If patrons at late-night eateries, drive-throughs and hawker centres saw a bevy of ballgowned and tuxed-out diners one night in September, there’s a cost-cutting gala organiser to thank. It was crystal clear that five courses of appetiser-sized servings barely put a stretch in anyone’s Spanx, and guests left early to grab supper. SCHOOLMARM CHARM? Which mother of a 20-something has been emulating the style of another mother of teens, who raids their wardrobes? Well, the big hair just has to go, if the skater dresses stay……

LANDMARK COLLECTION SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK NOVEMBER 4, 5, 18 The private collection of US billionaire A Alfred Taubman, who died in April, is one of the most valuable ever to go to auction. Spanning from antiquity to contemporary art and valued at US$500m, it is offered in three sections: Masterworks on November 4, Modern & Contemporary on November 5, and American Art on November 18. Highlights include an untitled work by Willem de Kooning (left, at an estimate of US$25-30m) and The Great Florida Sunset (US$7-10m), an oil painting by Martin Johnson Heade. sothebys.com PERFECT EXPOSURE PARIS PHOTO NOVEMBER 12–15 More than 140 galleries from 33 countries will present a broad cross section of fine art photographs at the Grand Palais. One of the headliners is Briton Adam Fuss, who…

THIS SG50 YEAR HAS BEEN a flurry of activity, from supersized celebrations to commemorative collections, but actress Janice Koh, despite various involvements, calls it her “break year”. Coming out of an eventful two-and-a-half years where she was a nominated member of parliament (NMP) championing culture, heritage and the arts, she’s spent the past year doing the things she loves, nothing too big. So what prompted her musical debut playing nightclub owner Mummy in this month’s Beauty World? “I was completely bowled over when I watched the original production staged by TheatreWorks more than 25 years ago. I fell in love with the songs, which have become an iconic part of the Singapore theatre repertoire. Yet, because performing in musicals requires a specific kind of talent or training, which I lacked,…

How better to deepen your appreciation for horology than over a private session with the Master of Complications itself? Franck Muller hosted an intimate evening at its Ion Orchard boutique where Singapore Tatler’s watch aficionados got a preview of the Swiss watchmaker’s Vanguard Lady collection. Within the cavernous boutique designed like a luxurious private study, guests exchanged notes while discovering the intricacies of various new models and strapped on their favourites. Cocktails and canapes by TWG Tea served by butlers added to the evening’s elegance.…

A host of Singapore Tatler friends was among a privileged few to be the first in the world to view the first female-centric watch by Urwerk. The watchmaker duo of Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner flew in from Switzerland for the occasion, and introduced the UR-106 Lotus, which The Hour Glass managing director Wong Mei Ling predicts will surely become collectors’ items 20 to 40 years down the road. The lucky ladies got up close and personal with the two iterations of the UR-106 over lunch at Iggy’s, and were the first to post images of the timepieces on social media.…

Designer Peter Dundas, who joined Emilio Pucci from Roberto Cavalli in 2009 and has recently headed back there as creative director, injected an unapologetically sexy slice of rock ‘n’ roll into Pucci during his tenure, and his final collection, replete with Led Zeppelin soundtrack, op-art thigh-high boots, backless dresses and sultry velvet trousers, was no exception. A strong astrology motif cropped up everywhere in the autumn/winter collection, from bold printed sweater dresses to delicate embroideries on velvet blazers and floor-sweeping capes. For the finale, Dundas sent out a string of his favourite supermodels in long jersey dresses, each with their own zodiac sign: Lily Donaldson in Aquarius, Anja Rubik in Cancer and Joan Smalls in Leo (top right). The illustrations were bold, sweeping and rendered by hand, just like Emilio…

URING THE PHOTO SHOOT AT CLINTON ZHENG’S BESPOKE shoe store, Diamond Walker, there were few signs that he’s an ex-model. Tall, handsome and camera-ready, yes, but uncharacteristically humble, polite and formal to a fault. No bad boy, too-cool-for-school attitude here. “The old adage, ‘the clothes maketh man’, resonates strongly with me,” he says. “Most guys want to be sexy, loud and trendy. To them, the age of chivalry is dead so there’s no need to impress.” Not Clinton. The 27-year-old wants his clothes to communicate the virtues of a gentleman. He explains, “I show respect for the people I meet by dressing well. It shows that I think they are important and are worthy of my effort regardless of their background, whether they are rich or poor.” You’ll never catch…

VIRTUE VS VICE Turn up the music and let your hair down. Urban Decay’s hotly anticipated Vice4 palette has arrived. Dubbed its most addictive Vice yet, all 20 of the dark and dimensional never-before-seen jewel tones reflect the hues of an oil slick. The range of finishes is just as impressive, from mattes and metallic to micro-glitter. Available at Sephora and the new Urban Decay stores in Bugis and VivoCity. CULTURE SHOCK The collision of French and Japanese culture is a beautiful one. Maison Kitsuné teams up with Shu Uemura for an East meets West 23-piece holiday collection. For a spirited twist, create an unusual mix of seductive smoky eyes a la Francaise and Tokyo’s youthful tangerine cheeks with the Beauty Remix Smokey Eye and Cheek Palette in #plum. FLOWER…

THIS YEAR, STORIED WATCH manufacture Girard-Perregaux reiterates its desire to be the vanguard of horological innovation. While detractors insinuate that mechanical watchmaking no longer retains relevance in modern society, Girard-Perregaux’s newly unveiled postmodern stalwarts beg to differ. With the Minute Repeater Tourbillon with Gold Bridges, Girard-Perregaux asks: what should a chiming mechanism look like to qualify as a “minute repeater”? And even if a chiming watch does not correspond to the criteria of traditionalists, is it any less a feat of engineering? Emblazoned with the trademark gilded bridges that have become the marque of the watchmaker, the enchanting Minute Repeater Tourbillon is dressed to kill. The striking difference of this timepiece is how its appearance is in fact built around the pursuit of the perfect chime. Dubbed The Minute Repeater…

TO CALL A COLLECTION Tradition—described as the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation —is risky business. Not only does it place great responsibility on the shoulders of said collection to live up to high expectations, but it can also imply that the timepieces are archaic relics of the past. For Breguet, however, the word Tradition is laden with meaning: it is a name steeped in the weighty legacy of its founder Abraham-Louis Breguet. It would be impossible to list here all the traditions that A L Breguet has passed down: he pioneered countless technical breakthroughs, including the creation of the anti-shock pare-chute system that protects the movement from unexpected jolts; he invented the tourbillon as well as the Breguet overcoil on the mainspring. He introduced an elegant…

AT THE BASELWORLD fair in March this year, I spotted Yacine Sar, head of communications at Urwerk, wearing a diamond-studded timepiece that looked like a dazzling version of the UR-103. My interest was piqued, because as far as I could stretch my memory, I couldn’t remember a women’s-only watch from the Swiss watchmaker. She smiled, and said that sure enough, the brand would be launching its first women’s collection later this year. In September, the founder duo of Urwerk, chief designer Martin Frei and master watchmaker Felix Baumgartner, flew into Singapore for the worldwide launch of the UR-106 Lotus. They reveal that at the beginning of the Urwerk story, they had designed one-off timepieces for women, hence the watch on Sar’s wrist, but an entire collection dedicated to the fairer…

WITH HIS STOCKY FRAME clad in a black V-neck, drawstring trousers and a pair of flip-flops, Sevan Bicakci (pronounced as bichachi) makes for an imposing figure. That is, until your eyes rest on his hands and fingers, which are adorned with rings and stacks of bracelets. The Turkish jeweller is in Singapore for Edit Lifestyle’s Turkish Delight Pop-Up, and if I expected a shy and reticent artist, I meet just the opposite. He is a larger-than-life personality, and upon reflection, it bodes well with the works that he produces. It would be sacrilegious to call Bicakci merely a jeweller—he crafts masterpieces from precious stones and metals, and the word artist would better suit his endeavours. “I started my journey as a jewellery maker, definitely. But right now, my dream is…

World Leaders, captains of industry and celebrities travel by Private Jet... ...but few do it at the heights of profligacy that wealthy Arabs take it to. Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a nephew of King Salman, famously owns several jets including a Boeing 747 decked out in gold (he more famously plumped for a US$300m Airbus A380 and another US$200m to pimp it out with facilities including a Turkish bath and garage space for a Rolls-Royce; he sold the airliner without ever using it). Then there are the unfathomably rich Middle Easterners who fly into London for shopping sprees during the “Ramadan Rush”, accompanied by bodyguards, assistants and chauffeurs—and their Gulf-registered ultra-modified supercars and hypercars flown in just for those few weeks, that they race through the streets in…

PORSCHE CAYENNE The flashy Porsche can match the Range Rover Sport’s road-going performance, but it’s only a soft-roader when it comes to mud plugging. But that doesn’t seem to harm sales. BMW X5 The car that inspired Range Rover to build the first generation of the Sport. It’s aggressively styled and has plenty of street cred but little rank in the countryside. JAGUAR F-PACE Smaller than the Sport, the long-awaited Jag SUV was revealed in September and it’s pretty. We’ll have to see if it’s any good off-road, but the 5L V8 version will be faaaast. LAND ROVER DISCOVERY The no-nonsense option. Not as quick or dynamic as the Sport, but plenty of versatility and great for off-roading, towing and fitting an entire Ikea suite in the boot.…

YES CHERYL LEE Yes it is, although it depends very much on the format of the dinner. I usually attend formal dinners with my husband and occasionally with my sister and good friends. Being part of a circle of gourmands and foodies, it’s unconditional that we will (and can) happily sample each other’s differing courses discreetly and in a guilt-free manner. Of course, what we’d do is share and divide up the sampling bits with a fresh set of cutlery. Sampling with people I’m comfortable with also allows me to engage in more meaningful and varied conversations with my companion or friends, as well as with the chefs on the occasions that they do mingle with diners. Also, as formal dinners don’t dictate second helpings in general (with some exceptions…

CLASSIC MEDLEY The Singapore Lyric Opera marks its 25th anniversary with a gala concert on November 13 at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Conductor Joshua Kangming Tan will lead a nostalgic performance of excerpts of previously staged operas, including numbers by Mozart and Puccini. singaporeopera.com.sg SPEEDY HOOFS The Longines Singapore Gold Cup returns on November 15 at the Singapore Racecourse, with Taiwanese actress and Longines spokesperson Lin Chi Ling clocking in an appearance. The sixth edition of the race has a $1.35m prize purse. goldcup.sg TO THE HIGH SEAS On November 27, the Italian Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its 15th year in Singapore with a gala night at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove. The association is honouring Italy’s yachting industry and Italian marine team, so come in your best nautical-inspired…

OUT TO LUNCH Imagine having 800 ingredients, and then some, to do a taste test on before whipping up new dishes. TWG Tea’s new group executive chef David Thien did just that, and concocted a new tea-infused menu that sees the house’s single-estate harvests and exclusive blends infused, powdered, smoked, marinated, blanched, confit, seasoned and even pickled, in 35 new dishes. The black cod is not to be missed; pan-roasted, it is complemented with dashi broth that’s infused with Meleng Tea and French Earl Grey. Desserts get the tea treatment too. The chocolate truffle cake, topped with a scoop of Earl Grey Fortune & Chocolate ice cream is best paired with a hot cup of Vanilla Bourbon Tea. twgtea.com GOLD HIT If gold watches, pens and bathroom taps are simply…

In a fitting commemoration of the recent inscription of the Singapore Botanic Gardens as a Unesco World Heritage Site, City Developments Limited’s deputy chairman Kwek Leng Joo hosted esteemed guests to a gala dinner. The event at The St. Regis Singapore was graced by then-minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong as guest of honour. His arrival kicked off an evening of cultural performances and speeches. Young flautists from The Flute Academy charmed guests with their skilful thrills, before making way for the graceful ballerinas from The Dance Academy and the soothing vocals of Corinne Ho and company, who performed a medley of songs including Singapura, Sunny Island. During a video presentation, the history of our best-known tropical botanical institution, a symbol of the late Lee Kuan Yew’s vision…

SHEPHERD’S PIE, HICKORY Norwegian salmon and meringue French Napoleon are some of the dishes Alan Tan samples on his daily rounds at his production kitchen at Pandan Loop. He loves the constant discovery of being in the food industry, but ask the managing director of Rasel Catering what his favourite food is and his answer is surprisingly simple: porridge. It’s a reminder of the entrepreneur’s humble beginnings. Growing up, he shared a small bedroom with five other siblings, an early lesson on being grateful for what one has. “It teaches you treasure where you are today, to never forget your roots and the importance of having empathy for others,” says the father of two sons, whom he teaches the same. In 1997, with former colleague Chris Loh, he started Rasa…

For Christopher D Martin Jr, turning five called for a big celebration with a garden party inspired by his favourite fictional character Paddington Bear’s voyage from Peru to London. Elaborately planned by mum Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi, the party saw the birthday boy and his friends taking over the grassy lawn of Raffles Singapore, curiously exploring various activity mats where they solved London-themed puzzles, strung necklaces with Peruvian beads, had their faces painted or listened to a Paddington Bear tale. A magician also amused them with a few tricks up his sleeves, while a buffet of English and Peruvian bites and fruity beverages satiated hungry guests. Door gifts took the shape of mini suitcases, inspired by Paddington’s own, packed with sweets and a customised globe in the form of a beach ball.…

You could smell them well before you saw them. There was no way to count the number of roses, orchids and hydrangeas that covered the walls and decorated the Rose Room at Takashimaya. Friends of Singapore Tatler and guests of Vietnamese fashion label Phuong My were invited to an intimate fundraising shopping event. All the proceeds from the sale of the 15 one-of-a-kind designs, the result of a collaboration between the label’s founder and creative director Tran Phuong My and 11-year-old art protege Gelyn Ong, as well as paintings by the latter, went to Make-A-Wish Foundation. While ladies queued to try on the dresses, others enjoyed small bites by Hashida Garo and busied themselves with wefies. Ladies couldn’t resist picking up a piece or two. Fashion for a cause —who…

KNIT WIT Great-granddaughter of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and daughter of artist Lucian, Bella’s provenance is steeped in bohemian glamour. She trained under Vivienne Westwood in the ’80s before launching her eponymous label in 1990 and has since gone on to charm the fashion world with her idiosyncratic designs. MAKING SWEATERS SEXY Freud’s witty word jumpers come in an array of super-luxe brightly coloured Merino wool. They shot to cult status when Alexa Chung was papped in the “Je t’aime Jane” jumper in 2011, and with other scrawls of “Ginsberg is God” and “1970”, Bella’s are most definitely the fash pack’s jerseys du jour. JUMPER HEAD The autumn/winter collection is called 7 Heures du Matin and celebrates the recklessness of the music scene of the ’70s. The new word jumpers are…

How is Tom Ford Beauty different from Tom Ford, the fashion label? Sensuous is a word I like to use a lot. Beauty that is sensuous is touchable. You want to touch the skin; you want to experience it in a tactile way. Sensuality, not sexuality, is more important to me right now. Sexuality implies you’re actually going to have sex. Sensuality is something else. Who is your muse? I think of myself. I am my muse and my own target group. I simply make things that I like and that inspire me. Care to share your favourite products? If you can only buy one thing, I would say the Brow Sculptor. The eyebrow is the one and only thing you can alter on your face without cosmetic surgery. You…

VERSO This night cream contains Retinol 8, a vitamin A derivative that is also an effective anti-ageing ingredient. More potent than traditional retinol, it aims to stimulate collagen production for improved skin tone and skin elasticity. EVE LOM With its buttercream texture and a rose oil scent, Radiance Lift Cream delivers intense hydration to soften fine lines and wrinkles. As comforting as a cupcake, but without the guilt. CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ Liquorice extract, which combats sagging, is the active ingredient in the Synactif Eye Care Ritual. Massage the eye cream (pictured) on before applying the eye mask (15min is all you need) to combat dryness and smoothen the appearance of fine lines.…

HE KNOW THE DRILL, BECAUSE it has been part of our beauty regime for years. Foundations blend out our uneven skin tones, concealers cover up dark spots and unsightly dark circles around the eyes, and lip glosses plump up dehydrated lips. We live in the age of quick fixes, but as Celina Lin, Cheryl Lee, Stephanie Lee and Valerie Tan concurred during our Lancôme Beauty Party (p.75), the latest lipsticks and the best highlighters can camouflage the flaws, but dehydrated ageing skin cannot stay hidden and buried forever. Effective skincare is a crucial base to beautiful make-up. “The better the skincare, the more confident I feel about baring my face,” Lee shares Cheryl, and Celina chimes in: “No surgery can replace good skin.” The ladies discovered how Lancôme’s Absolue range,…

WHETHER YOU consider them tasteful or not, erotic watches have long featured in the watchmaking repertoire —17th-century pocket watches featuring enamelled scenes from the Kama Sutra, made for the Emperor of China, for instance. The following century would see automatons mimicking coitus. While they still constitute a relatively niche market, such erotic watches have become valued collector’s items. Richard Mille jumped on the bandwagon with its own inventive take on erotic watches this year: the RM 69 Erotic Tourbillon (Richard Mille knows not subtlety), to be launched in December this year, reveals its wearer’s innermost desires with a series of sensual and sexual phrases. It might not be the most romantic way to be propositioned by a man, but it is certainly a step up from cheesy pick-up lines. The…

BLACKENED WATCHES popularised by furtive military organisations were veritable game changers: ebony watches introduced a varied aesthetic for the nonconformist civilian, creating a ruggedness unmatched by stainless steel, gold and leather. Before long, women, too, were bucking feminine watch trends in favour of black ceramic timepieces forged by elegant fashion houses. While jet-black watches are an idea lifted from the armed forces’ cover and concealment handbook, legibility is of no issue for ultra-luxury timepieces like Hublot’s All Black bevy. Despite being swaddled in a uniform shade, these discreet operatives display their numbers, pointers and added functions clear as day, by employing contrasting combinations of matte and polished finishes. Hublot’s new hand-assembled ceramic and titanium endeavour, the Spirit of Big Bang All Black, does exactly so, utilising varying tones and sheens…

WHEN IT COMES to jewellery, there’s no address more prestigious than the Place Vendôme. The Paris landmark is the birthplace of the world’s most influential and creative jewellery maisons; it’s here that Chaumet was started more than 230 years ago by Marie-Étienne Nitot, who was soon to be commissioned to create jewellery for the wedding of Napoléon Bonaparte and Joséphine de Beauharnais, France’s first emperor and empress. Stepping into Chaumet’s headquarters, one gets a feel of how deeply the brand is steeped in history. Its opulent grand salon, which was decorated by the French architect Bélanger for Louis XVI’s minister of the navy, features gilded wooden panels, ornate flooring and frescoes of angels on the ceiling. Frédéric Chopin composed his last mazurka within the walls of 12 Place Vendôme. It’s…

“FASHION IS WHAT YOU’RE offered four times a year by designers. Style is what you choose.” Former model and actress Lauren Hutton got it absolutely right, as style is more than just clothes: it’s also about the person’s attitude, confidence and social graces. When Singapore Tatler conferred the Award for Style 2015 to Shabnam Arashan last month, it was not just a celebration of her uber-trendy wardrobe and her passion for fashion, but it was also an accolade to her warmth, her deprecating sense of humour, her strong family ties and her ambitions as a lawyer. We further discovered the many shades of Shabnam as a Singapore Tatler contingent escaped the haze and flew to Dubai for our cover shoot. Despite the searing 35°C heat, she soldiered on, pushing herself…

THE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) will be moving to its new premises in Sungei Tengah in Choa Chu Kang this December. The new 7,700sqm compound is triple the size of its current facility in Mount Vernon Road, and is designed by RichardHO Architects. Joining a bustling neighbourhood of other animal shelters and local farms, it will boast animal housing and an adoption centre. Other amenities include an education centre, exercise areas and a clinic. SPCA’s benefit gala on November 19 will raise funds for the remaining phases of the $7m project. The lively Brazilian-inspired theme has helped entice both animal and non-animal lovers to purchase tables for the event at the Island Ballroom at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, says organising committee chairperson Peggy Jeffs. The menu…

nov See the world in a new light, traditional and modern art collide, and a musical icon returns —all happening this month ONGOING NIGHTSCAPE 2050 Explore the interactions between cities, light and people, along with the evolution of Singapore’s nightscape at this travelling exhibition by lighting specialists Lighting Planners Associates. Till November 21, at National Design Centre. facebook.com/lpa.exhibition 5 SOUL & SENSIBILITIES Artist Lin Lu Zai incorporates Chinese calligraphy and brush painting with photographer Kwek Leng Joo’s images of nature in this one-of-a-kind collaboration, on show at Galerie Belvedere. Till November 30. galerie-belvedere.com 12 AFFORDABLE ART FAIR Discover works by up-and-coming artists the likes of Myanmar’s Byardate (left) and established names such as Singapore’s Lim Tze Peng at the fair’s sixth autumn edition at the F1 Pit Building. Till November…

The SingHealth Duke-NUS partnership was forged a decade ago for the single purpose of improving the health of the public through research and education. And on this August evening, doctors, reseachers, educators and donors gathered not just to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the partnership but also to pledge their commitment to pushing the frontiers of medicine through A-star standard research and education. The evening at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, saw associate professor and college master of Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, Toh Han Chong, kick things off by welcoming guest of honour deputy prime minister and minister for finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his wife Jane Ittogi. In between dinner courses was a video welcome address by professor Thomas Coffman, dean at Duke-NUS, a video screening commemorating the achievements of…

ISABEL DE PEDRO Your favourite hoop earrings (our pick du jour is by Tiffany & Co.) aren’t just for daytime. They are the perfect understated accent to a cocktail dress and an updo RINA DHAKA A dress with elaborate embellishment calls for a simple yet showstopping satin clutch. This Oscar de la Renta hits all the right spots RICHARD NICOLL Petite or not, achieve pins for days with pointy-toed stilettos like this Roger Vivier heel from its latest collection…

Vaunting the highest level of exclusivity, deLaCour introduced its bespoke brand to a coterie of Singapore Tatler readers over cocktails and canapes inspired by local Singapore cuisine. The event was held at deLaCour’s Wisma Atria boutique, where guests discovered how the brand offers customisation of each and every element, from the aesthetics to the complications and even the movements. Justin Lum, business development manager of the brand, shared more about deLaCour’s values, speaking of its ultra-high levels of craftsmanship and quality.…

McLaren tapped on the spirit of the Formula One season in Singapore with a private garden party in September where Singapore Tatler was the official magazine. Together with its star driver Jenson Button, the marque unveiled its new limited edition supercar, the 675LT, at Raffles Singapore to more than 200 McLaren car owners, business partners and friends (many wore outfits with a pop of orange, the marque’s signature colour). The afternoon party also saw McLaren’s full range of cars on display, alongside the 675LT, which had guests ogling over the Ultimate Series P1, Sports Series 570S and Super Series 60S. SMOKIN’ RIDE The new McLaren 675LT is said to be the marque’s lightest and most exclusive…

1. Floor to Ceiling Some windows give you a view of the world outside. The windows of Louis Vuitton draw you into a world inside. This page-turner that is Louis Vuitton Windows features the house’s most captivating store window displays. We love the mannequin perched on her golden pet dinosaur! 2. History Class From Michael Jackson’s crystal-blanketed glove to the chandelier at the Metropolitan Opera House, Swarovski: Celebrating a History of Collaborations in Fashion, Jewelry, Performance, and Design highlights Swarovski’s contributions to creative industries in the last 120 years. 3. Meeting of Minds Bottega Veneta: Art of Collaboration pays homage to the collaborative efforts of creative director Tomas Maier and the world’s most renowned photographers and contemporary artists such as David Armstrong and Mona Kuhn. Photography enthusiasts, add this to…

GLOW UP Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation is so good they named it twice. Not only does it instantly deliver a dewy glow and flush of colour, over time it helps to sculpt the appearance of a youthful facial architecture. FIRM FRIENDS One part foundation, one part concealer, La Prairie Skin Caviar Concealer Foundation Sunscreen SPF 15 firms up the skin with a flawless finish. Available in 12 shades to suit all skin tones, the lightweight formula is perfectly matched with an in-cap concealer for under-eye darkness. MAKE THAT TWO Estée Lauder gets us. The new Double Wear Makeup To Go Liquid Compact gives you the coverage of a foundation with the convenience of a compact. Eight hours of smooth, luminous and natural complexion? We won’t say no to that.…

GOOD CURL For effortless “I had a wild night” hair, Robert Resnick, education manager of ghd Asia, has these tips: Prep hair with a holding cream or spray. Glide a curling tool on sections of hair from roots to ends, rotating as you go. Flip your hair upside down and brush from roots to mid-length to preserve tighter curls at tips. Part deep on the side and tease the crown area for more volume. Blow hair on the sides away from face, using the cool setting. Finish with hairspray.…

IT WAS CREATED TO BE AN icon. Its design, a threefold tribute to Rome’s 2,700-year history, multifaceted women, and the only visible form of energy, light, or luce, as the Italians say it. Bulgari’s Lucea watch collection, which debuted in 2014, was vaunted as a contemporary classic that took its design inspiration from the sundials of ancient Rome, when the notion of time as we know it—12 hours of day, 12 hours of night—was first conceived. In the house’s unmistakable style, a deep pink rubellite cabochon adds a gem-tastic pop of colour in the prominently shaped winding crown, while the linked bracelet recalls the iconic Serpenti bands. Lucea is feminine, quietly sophisticated, confidently understated. Until now. Like the many sides to the woman that is Bulgari’s muse, Lucea too has…

GOLD STANDARD Upholding Arnold & Son’s quest for chronometric precision, the TBTE Tourbillon is a beauty inside out: the movement has been inverted, and the beating mechanism can be enjoyed from the dial side, providing an unrestricted view of the watchmaker’s attention to detail with finely polished components. Boasting a true beat seconds mechanism and a tourbillon, this technical stunner is available in a 44mm red gold case, with only 28 pieces up for grabs. LAP THIS UP The seed of the idea for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher was sown by the racecar driver himself, who challenged the watchmaker to create a mechanical watch that could measure and record consecutive laps. The Laptimer features two seconds hands that run simultaneously and fly back to zero…

MUGA RIOJA PRADO ENEA GRAN RESERVA 2006 Amazing traditional Rioja with a complexity and beauty of ripe fruit and long ageing. Unique. A full body, ultra-fine tannins, tobacco, vanilla, plum and prune. It lasts for minutes. Aged three years in oak and three years in bottle. 80% tempranillo plus the classic varieties, all from high-altitude vineyards. 98 points MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA RIOJA CASTILLO YGAY 2007 The aromas show amazing freshness of flowers and herbs such as lavender, rosemary and violet. Then it goes to raspberry, candy, currants and liquorice. A truly great nose. Full-bodied, racy and linear. It’s like a red ruby. 86% tempranillo and 14% mazuelo. Give it three years or so. Or decant two hours in advance. 98 points ARTADI RIOJA VIÑA EL PISÓN 2012 A gorgeous purity…

THE MOST RECENT VINTAGE of one of Chile’s most famous wines, Almaviva 2013, was released in early September and sales were brisk, to say the least. The 2013 is yet another super red from the wine estate jointly owned by Chile’s Concha y Toro and France’s Château Mouton Rothschild. I rated it 97 points. But what few wine lovers around the world realise is that a large percentage of the Almaviva 2013 sold came from a select number of wine merchants in Bordeaux. It may sound strange to some, but Bordeaux wine merchants, or negociants, as they’re called in France, sell a handful of iconic non-Bordeaux wines each year, just like they sell their region’s unbottled wines as futures (en primeur) or a recent release in bottle. As well as…

THE STANDARD OPERATING procedure when testing a Range Rover is to dig out the Hunter wellies, dust off the wax jacket and head to somewhere boggy. Which I have done. But on this occasion, the 4x4 awaits me in New York City. It’s to this urban jungle and others like it that so many of Britain’s finest all-wheel-drive exports are deployed, where the wildlife includes restaurant valets and yummy mummies. The lifestyle ideal, of course, is to have an SUV that can fight its way down Fifth Avenue during the week and then head for the lakes and mountains on weekends. But any SUV can do that. The Range Rover Sport, particularly in the guise I’m testing, the 5L V8, is overqualified in every department. It’s the automotive equivalent of…