Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i Tatler Singapore

Art collector, curator and gallerist Shanyan Koder, who is on the cover, reveals how she is shaking up the art world with a new e-commerce platform. Also profiled are actress Zhang Ziyi; industrial designer Marc Newson; and entrepreneur James Louey, who shows off his “bat cave”. Fronting the cover are Generation T 2019 honourees: TV personality Andini Effendi, fashion designer Santi Alaysius and businesswomen Felicia Kawilarang and Dayu Dara, all high-achievers in their own right, talk about the power of women. The year’s Gen.T List adds 30 names to our community of extraordinary individuals shaping Asia’s future. On the cover of Malaysia Tatler are five young leaders from the 2019 list: Abhi Veerakumarasivam, Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, Ivanna Salehudin, Eric Cheng and Renard Siew. On the cover are five young leaders…

How can small-scale farmers in India sell their perishables for a longer period of time, so they can earn a higher income? The solution that Veerappan Swaminathan came up with: a low-cost, solar-powered fruit drying machine, which can process and preserve fruits. The idea came to the founder and director of Sustainable Living Lab (SL2) in 2006 during a chat with fellow engineering science freshmen at the National University of Singapore (NUS). “We wanted to make something out of our academic life, which we felt was otherwise doomed to be mediocre.” So they brainstormed and later submitted their proposal to the Mondialogo Engineering Award after reading about it in an NUS circular. The competition, jointly organised by Unesco and automotive corporation Daimler, called on students around the globe to propose…

ONGOING TAKASHI MURAKAMI: FROM SUPERFLAT TO BUBBLEWRAP Discover the dynamic practice of acclaimed Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, from his popular “Superflat” iconography to his recent “Bubblewrap” exploration of Japan’s economic bubble crisis, in his first major showcase in Southeast Asia. Till September 14, at STPI. stpi.com.sg 10 WESTLIFE – THE TWENTY TOUR In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Irish boy band Westlife performs at the National Stadium for the first time, with a line-up of brand-new songs and greatest hits. unusual.com.sg 14 HOSSAN-AH 50! – LOVE YOU LEONG TIME! For one last time, Singapore’s veteran comedian Hossan Leong takes the stage on his 50th birthday to tickle the crowd with his satirical jokes, having lived through several of the country’s milestones. Till August 31, at Drama Centre Theatre. doubleconfirm.sg 16…

Some of Singapore’s brightest young talents gathered at Kilo Lounge in June for the unveiling of the Gen.T List 2019. Among the 400 industry leaders, entrepreneurs and creatives from the eight different markets where Tatler Asia has a presence, 50 of them hailed from Singapore. This included digital telco and consumer company Circles.Life’s Rameez Ansar, healthcare education start-up Joytingle’s Esther Wang, and award-winning industrial designer, Hans Tan. A showcase exhibition of the 50 local honourees at the entrance of the nightclub (see page 42) triggered oohs and aahs from those in attendance as well as selfies galore. Gen.T 2019 honouree, singer-songwriter Charlie Lim, later surprised guests when he took the stage to perform three songs. After which, DJ Orio kept the energy high with his mix of dance music until…

As a child, Mary McCartney knew her family was different—and not just because her father, Paul, was a Beatle and her mother, Linda, was a famous photographer. No, little Mary’s family was different because they were… vegetarians. “When I was very young, my mum and dad sat us down and said to us, ‘We’ve made a decision that we’re going to become vegetarian. It’s your decision if you want to eat meat when you’re out, but we won’t be cooking meat in the house,’” she explains. And while that might not seem like a controversial decision now, this was the 1970s, when fewer than 0.5 per cent of people in the UK abstained from meat. Today that figure has risen to about 14 per cent—thanks in no small part to…

Riding on the success of her women’s accessories and ready-to-wear lines, sustainability-minded fashion designer Gabriela Hearst has launched a menswear line. The New York-based Uruguayan designer has translated her well-known attention to detail into impeccably constructed apparel for the modern man seeking crisp cuts and simple silhouettes made from environmentally-conscious materials. Her first collection exudes a sense of nonchalant elegance, with looser silhouettes and cashmere—all in soothing tones.…

1. SUBTLE ENERGIES The Rasayana Detox Body Blend is an award-winning oil with limbu and wild turmeric that tones and rejuvenates the skin. 2. KYPRIS The intensive, yet lightweight Cerulean Soothing Hydration Recovery Mask uses algae, plankton and seawood to rescue lacklustre skin. 3. TATA HARPER This Hydrating Floral Essence Moisturising Toner is packed with moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 4. UMA The Ultimate Brightening Face Oil is infused with sandalwood and rose essential oils that deliver rich hydration to help achieve a more luminous mien. 5. RODIN BY RECINE This luxurious hair oil contains a nourishing blend of calendula, sweet almond, sunflower and neroli oils to restore shine to dull strands. 6. LILAH B Divine Duo Lip & Cheek has become a…

Brice Lechevalier, the man behind GMT magazine, Geneva Watch Tour and Watch Photo Awards, is set to launch the first exclusive offering of the Fine Watch Club, a private, members-only watch sales club he founded, this autumn. The series of 12 limited-edition Bvlgari Octo Finissimo watches in titanium will be followed by many other exclusive products. The world’s thinnest watch, the Octo Finissimo won the men’s watch prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in 2014. The limited-edition series is being created exclusively for the club. What is the concept behind the Fine Watch Club? It’s the first international watch club that offers benefits to its members all-year round, including weekly private sales. Every week, members will receive an offer tailored for them in one of four basic…

The luxury buyer of today is a tough nut to crack. Not only does she have global access to products and information that informs her every purchase, she is also a distrusting consumer who expects full transparency across the value chain. The fashion industry suffers most from this trust deficit, but the jewellery industry comes in a close second. Most of us have been led to believe that you can’t ask a jeweller for the provenance of its jewellery. It’s a trade secret, they say. The truth is, your jeweller probably doesn’t even know the answer. When a jeweller makes an order of polished diamonds from a supplier in Antwerp, Belgium, for instance, it’s usually a mixed bag of stones that are mined from a few countries. Little accounting is…

It’s part travelogue, part inspirational tool, part aspirational bucket list and all-round jaw-droppingly stunning photo portfolio. The images on the Instagram account @beautifuldestinations make you yearn and dream. They make you want to pack your bags and catch the next flight to anywhere that promises excitement and discovery. And they nourish the soul in an unexpected, almost meditative manner, reminding us that despite the troubled times we live in, there is still so much in the world that is wondrous, beautiful and pure. The man behind the Instagram account, which boasts 12.4 million followers, is 34-year-old entrepreneur Jeremy Jauncey, who also has a YouTube channel with about 230,000 subscribers and a thriving creative agency, all under the banner of Beautiful Destinations. Born in Scotland, Jeremy was once a rugby player…

LIVING BY DESIGN For interior designer Leonard Lee, each of his projects begins with a story. “I see design as a way of bringing people on an emotional journey,” says the regional managing director and creative officer for Asia-Pacific at interior architectural firm, Wilson Associates. Leonard has been with the company for nearly two decades, during which he has built an impressive portfolio of projects with big hospitality names the likes of Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La, Capella and Conrad. And like Italian carmaker Maserati, whose inventive designs exude both elegance and sportiness at once, Leonard seeks to challenge the status quo through his work. With hotels, for example, “it’s not about the start and end of a guest’s journey as much as it is about what happens in between”, he explains. “So…

BIG-PICTURE THINKING Vérité La Muse 2013 Who said sustainability has to feel austere? This merlot-dominant bordeaux blend from Jackson Family Wines of California’s Sonoma County was created to rival Pomerol’s Pétrus. With its luscious red cherry a and undergrowth aromas (and the knowledge that it comes from a low water-usage, largely solar-powered winery), it will make you feel simultaneously indulged and deeply virtuous. Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2017 There are few by-the-glass options more popular than the grassy, tangy sauvignon blancs of New Zealand’s Marlborough region, and this one packs serious sustainability cred. Yealands has used scale to support emissions-driven initiatives like burning vine prunings for electricity and developing wetlands around their vineyards to support biodiversity. Their cutest undertaking? Grass-mowing babydoll sheep. Familia Torres Grans Muralles 2011 This…

Since its founding in 2004, the Kidz Horizon Appeal has raised a total of $11m for the KKH Health Fund (KKHHF), in support of more than 1,000 needy children and women stricken with chronic illnesses, including cancer. Now in its 15th year, the charity hopes to continue its good work, raising funds through its annual gala dinner on August 24, at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. Known for its wildly fun dress-up themes, this year’s event is no different, celebrating the majesty of empires and dynasties of the world, as well as the beauty of various cultures since the dawn of civilisation. The funds raised will go towards KKHHF in helping reduce the financial burden of the families of patients whose medical needs range from special diets for premature babies to…

If I can see into the future… I want to know if we’re still thriving, or living in a society that’s just a shadow of its former self. For a sustainable future, the world needs to… waste less of everything. My favourite drink is… a pina colada. I was with a friend at a bar offering similar-priced drinks and his advice to me was to choose one that would require a lot of work, to get my money’s worth. My most useful productivity tip… Sleep, which is severely underrated. It helps to clear my mind.…

We are in the dressing room of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) with Joanna Dong. Looking suitably chic in head-to-toe Gucci, the jazz-pop singer, actress and television host is in front of the mirror adjusting the beret on her head. “Many people see me as this wholesome character with a girl-next-door image, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” she declares when we ask how the public Joanna differs from her private self. Her stage persona is decidedly more theatrical and feminine, marked by the bold colours and prints of her outfits. “I also smile and laugh a lot on stage because I’m genuinely enjoying myself, but sometimes in private, I may not be as confident as I publicly appear to be,” admits the 37-year-old, who became a…

Merle Hinrich transformed trade in Asia with his company, Global Sources. Founded in the 1970s to publish trade magazines, it has developed into a flourishing online portal that connects manufacturers and retailers around the world. Now, after a lifetime in business, Hinrich is turning his attention to philanthropy, shaking up the way scholarships are run in Asia. Let’s start at the beginning of your story. I grew up on a farm in Nebraska. I had a professor who suggested I apply for a master’s scholarship to attend Thunderbird School of Global Management, which I was fortunate enough to receive in 1964 when I was 20. Attending Thunderbird changed my life and helped me realise the importance of combining theory and practice, as many of the professors came from the world…

DID YOU KNOW... THAT THERE’S MICROPLASTIC IN NEARLY EVERY LIPSTICK? WHEN THEY WERE FIRST INTRODUCED 50 YEARS AGO, INDUSTRY EXPERTS THOUGHT MICROPLASTICS WERE A MIRACLE, BUT NOW WE KNOW THEY ARE A HUGE MISTAKE. What’s harmful about microplastic? Microplastics are some of the biggest causes of water pollution affecting earth today—83 per cent of water is contaminated with plastic, and cosmetics is one of the most polluting industries. More than one billion lipsticks are thrown away each year, and we can’t recycle the microplastics that goes into making them; it’s far too small. IS BEAUTY BECOMING MORE SUSTAINABLE? “I hope other brands follow in our footsteps. It’s in our planet’s best interest.” TELL US ABOUT LA BOUCHE ROUGE Launched in 2016, it is the very first vegan and cruelty-free lipstick.…

THE INGREDIENTS The serum is formulated with the enmei herb, and Japanese Emerald Green Silk Complex, which amplifies the herb’s healing properties. Each enmei herb is plucked on auspicious days called tenshanichi, which can be as few as three days in a single year. Shiseido has proceeded as such to ensure maximum good fortune for its new and most luxurious product. THE PACKAGING Referencing the herb’s verdant hue and the “mystic green halo” that appears during auspicious days, the serum is housed in a luminous bottle with an ombre yellow-green sheen. From the box to the bottle, the entire packaging was inspired by tools used in tea ceremony—everything looks so elegant, you’d want to keep it on your shelf even when the bottle is empty.…

With a reputation for producing some of the most avant-garde timepieces, so mechanically and aesthetically extreme that they are often referred to as “machines”, it is hard to imagine MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser being stumped for ideas. Yet, he found himself in this very conundrum when working on the Legacy Machine FlyingT, the brand’s first-ever women’s watch. “The task was virtually impossible at the beginning. Not only had I completely lost any reflexes as to how to create for someone else—because the essential goal of starting MB&F was creating just for myself—I had to admit that I have no idea what a woman wants, and often not only in timepieces!” quips Büsser. Introducing a women’s watch to its line-up this year was an unexpected move that upped the ante of…

When it comes to erudite business families, the couple behind Banyan Tree Holdings is about as good as it gets. Ho Kwon Ping, the executive chairman of this hospitality group, is also the founding chairman of the Singapore Management University. Named the first Fellow of the SR Nathan Lecture Series at the Institute of Policy Studies in 2014, he published Asking Why, a collection of his writing, last year. Claire Chiang, Banyan Tree’s senior vice president, chairs the company’s China Business Development division and the Banyan Tree Global Foundation. An advocate for gender equality and education, she was a nominated member of parliament from 1997 to 2001, and inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame in 2018. These two are obviously adept at giving cerebral answers to interview questions.…

Turning 50 this year has offered veteran F&B entrepreneur Michel Lu time for introspection. “A brand done properly can last a lifetime, and even outlive you,” he muses, as he shares his thoughts on his latest venture, The Orientalist Spirits. Lu is the founder and single shareholder, which makes the local spirits brand something of a legacy project for the serial restaurateur who has created and marketed F&B brands for the past 20 years or so. Think Centro, Hacienda, Stereolab, Foodology, The Privé Group, Wildfire Kitchen + Bar and, more recently, Savourworld, a joint venture with events company Savour. “This idea of Asian spirits has been percolating in my head for the past four years,” he shares during the soft launch of the brand’s first product, The Orientalist Origins Vodka,…

This whisky pairing dinner was an evening filled with merriment and delectable insights into the world of fine whisky. Hosted by Singapore Tatler and The Macallan, the event held at modern Italian restaurant 28 Wilkie put the spotlight on the exceptional oak casks the feted Speyside distillery uses to make its prized range of whiskies, including a couple of special releases chosen for the curated feast. There was the always-easy-to-appreciate The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old, that was followed by the Triple Cask Matured 15 Years Old. It was, however, the final two whiskies that stole the show: Rare Cask and Reflexion, which showcased two of The Macallan’s defining strengths—sherry seasoned oak casks and natural colour. These were also fine examples of non-age statement whiskies the brand has in…

It was jungle fever as our society friends, dressed in their best spots and stripes, gathered at the beautiful Caroline’s Mansion at The St Regis Singapore to fete the first birthday of Lucas and Leia Siew. Proud parents, Terence Siew and Chermaine Pang, welcomed everyone to the Wild One party, which had a foliage-filled photo wall, plenty of plush toys, a safari-themed fondant cake by aBite, and even “animal” rides. It was safe to say that guests, especially the little ones, had a roaring good time. Sugar HIGH The towering birthday cake featured two safari rangers in the likeness of Lucas and Leia Siew…

SINKING SHIP A novice F&B entrepreneur, who is the son of a well-known hospitality family, showed his lack of business ethics and integrity when he was exposed for not paying his suppliers for almost two years. Matters only escalated when one of them posted her frustrations on social media, announcing her intention to sue his company. HOT MESS This society face’s worst nightmare became reality, thanks to her own vanity. Soon after joining a beauty contest and gaining the attention of netizens for her sparkling resume, she became the target of online trolls, who dug up details of her past including the fact that she never actually graduated with a medical degree from Oxford.…

On a hot, breezy morning in September 1979, the oceanographer Sylvia Earle, togged in an armoured diving suit, was strapped to the front of a small submarine and dropped into the Pacific Ocean off the Hawaiian island of Oahu. A few metres down, the thunder of the surf and squawking of the seagulls had disappeared. At 100m, the light started to fade. By 200m, it was almost pitch black. At an incredible 381m, the sub hit the seabed with a clunk and Earle untethered herself and stepped into the darkness. For many, this would have been a nightmare. But for Earle, this record-breaking dive into the unknown was the culmination of a long-held dream—to explore the oceans from balmy shallows to icy depths, from whitewashed poles to colourful coral reefs.…

Sustainability is at the core of New York label Amur, whose name is an acronym for A Mindful Use of Resources. Founded by Ronny Kobo and Cynthia Rowley alum, Sofia Shannon, the label uses organic and reclaimed fibres in pieces designed to withstand the test of time. Bold colours and feminine lines define the collections’ silhouettes, with autumn/winter 2019 taking inspiration from faded wallpaper prints and characters from classic novels such as Miss Havisham in Great Expectations, with evening gowns in asymmetrical shapes, and day dresses with raw hems and bright patterns that exude vintage charm.…

When a then 18-year-old Arael Boo turned up at the lecture theatre in a pair of snakeskin print jeans, his classmates teased him endlessly about his bold fashion choice. But now, looking back, the 34-year-old entrepreneur was merely ahead of his time. Snakeskin is all the rage now, as seen on the spring/summer and autumn/winter 2019 runways. While Arael is still very much into fashion these days, he admits that his heavy workload and the frequent travels required for the bird’s nest processing and wholesale business he co-founded with his wife Inge Sari Restu, leaves him with little time for himself. He prefers instead to spend time with his twin toddlers, Calista and Raphael. So to stay ahead of the fashion curve, he depends on the regular consultations he has…

Pulled-back ponytails and shiny side parts are the perfect complement to this season’s all-natural, clean-scrubbed complexions. For a post-flatiron glossy finish, as seen on Missoni and Peter Pilotto’s spring catwalks, spritz hair with a dry conditioning spray or comb a nourishing serum from root to tip to ensure strands stay put. For added volume, tease your roots, adding a dry shampoo or volumising spray, but keep parts precise for a sharp, modern finish. If your hair is lightweight and likely to fall victim to intense humidity, tie at the nape of the neck for a chic, neat style that will minimise frizz.…

Girard-Perregaux launched itself into orbit for 2019, taking inspiration from the cosmos and the universe for its new horological creations. Astronomy is not simply a guiding theme for colour or decorative interpretations, but a deeper influence that has shaped the key design fundamentals of these watches. To that, the watchmaker has produced some stellar results, particularly in two bold timepieces that stand out among its other releases for the year—one takes a traditional icon of the brand into the space age, while the other comprises a visually impressive take of the very planet that we inhabit. PRINCIPLES OF LIGHT Behold the fully transparent Quasar, which holds the Neo-Tourbillon with Three Bridges movement within a case entirely made of sapphire crystal. A first for Girard-Perregaux, the sapphire case is in itself…

“Think of this as coming back to a home-cooked meal,” said Blancpain president and CEO Marc Hayek as he welcomed international journalists to the brand’s manufacturing facility in the Vallée de Joux, deep in the Swiss countryside. The simple-looking building in Le Sentier is the birthplace of many of Blancpain’s timepieces. (The brand has another facility located in the neighbouring village of Le Brassus.) And on that crisp May morning, it was also the backdrop against which Hayek and his team unveiled the brand’s 2019 horological novelties as part of parent company Swatch Group’s Time to Move press event. (Time to Move is a platform to showcase new creations by the group’s subsidiary prestige brands for the year. This is the first edition since the Swatch Group pulled out of…

We have been given 30min, not a second more, to interview the celebrated Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi and shoot at least three good portraits. And she’s running late. “Never mind. At [the] Cannes [Film Festival] nothing is ever on time. It must be the all-night partying. No one can get up early,” says a fellow journalist, herself seemingly a little hung over as she reclines on a couch at the Chopard Rooftop, an exclusive lounge for the luxury jeweller’s VIP guests on the seventh floor of Hôtel Martinez. Then Zhang arrives, preceded by the booming voice of her long-time manager, Ling Lucas. Wearing a flattering floral Louis Vuitton dress with a wide belt, her hair parted in the middle in two simple braids, she sits down before several trays of…

“You’re in room one, so if a lion roars in the night you’ll feel it in your bones,” says Etienne Fourie, camp manager at Anderssons at Ongava, a luxury safari lodge situated on the edge of Etosha National Park in a remote corner of northern Namibia. He’s not joking. Anderssons, which opened in April, is made up of eight plush huts that curl into the surrounding scrub around a central waterhole, leaving black and white rhinos, elephants, whole herds of antelope and Africa’s famous big cats free to pad in and out of the camp in search of water, sometimes mere metres from guests’ beds. Room one is the farthest into the bush, giving a front-row seat to this parade of wildlife. Within an hour of my arrival, a family…

With the term “eco” increasingly on everyone’s lips, the wine industry finds itself in a tricky spot. On the one hand, winemakers’ reliance on the environment for site-sensitive product inclines the industry to eco-consciousness. On the other, unless we all commit to drinking wine from our backyards, we’re adding a heavy, fragile product to the world’s vast volume of international cargo. Responsible practices cost money both in farming (such as managing vine canopies to reduce fungicide and pesticide use) and winemaking (for example, allowing wine to slowly stabilise in the winery versus wasteful filtration or indiscriminate additive use), so the sustainability-minded drinker should be prepared to pay a bit more per bottle. But committing to eco-friendly imbibing shouldn’t mean sacrificing on flavour. Most environmentally committed producers claim to prize above…