Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Tatler Singapore

TATLER HONG KONG On the cover of Tatler Hong Kong this month is Syed Asim Hussain, the co-founder of dining group Black Sheep Restaurants. Founded in 2012, the group has more than 30 restaurants to its name, two of which have been awarded a Michelin star each. In 2020, Black Sheep Restaurants shared its Covid-19 playbook in support of the industry. tatlerhongkong.com TATLER INDONESIA Previously a lawyer before becoming a social entrepreneur, Helianti Hilman is on a mission to save the rich diversity of food in Indonesia. Through her artisanal food company, Javara Indonesia, she partners with local farmers to sell indigenous, natural and organic products to promote sustainable production and consumption. tatlerindonesia.com TATLER MALAYSIA Tatler Malaysia profiles Cindy Ong, a two-time World Masters swimming champion. She discusses the merits…

It was on a Monday in February last year, only weeks before international travel was grounded due to Covid-19, when Russel Wong received a text message from a friend in Kyoto: there is a forecast for snow in the city on Friday morning. When the forecast remained on Wednesday, Wong immediately bought his plane ticket and arrived in Kyoto on Thursday night, just in time to capture the winter scene at the golden pavilion of the iconic Kinkakuji Temple the next morning (see p.24). Such are the lengths that the Singaporean photographer, renowned for making portraits of Hollywood celebrities such as Jackie Chan, Zhang Ziyi and Isabella Rossellini and numerous Time magazine covers, would go to get the perfect shot. You see, it hardly ever snows in Kyoto—and Wong would…

We can say with great conviction that there’s no jewellery designer in the world quite like Nadine Ghosn. It’s not just that her eponymous jewellery brand is famous for its unique and irreverent take on contemporary pop culture iconography—think diamond-studded gold burgers, Lego blocks carved from jade, and diamond rings featuring five interlaced carrots—Ghosn herself as an individual is also singularly unique. After graduating from Stanford University with a degree in art and economics—an unusual combination, by most accounts—Ghosn seemed to have a young overachiever’s dream career. She was recruited to the prestigious Boston Consulting Group, and then joined Hermès’ two-year management rotation programme. At 25, Ghosn was poised on the edge of a job that many would kill for—the head buyer for London at Hermès—when she decided that she…

POWER PAIRS May sees two powerhouses, French designer Alexandre Vauthier and Italian shoemaker Giuseppe Zanotti, collaborate on a series of sexy jewelled and sculptural footwear. The shoes are executed in signature Zanotti style, with an injection of Seventies and Eighties nightlife glamour from Vauthier. “Working with Alexandre has felt very natural; right from the beginning I’ve realised we speak to the same woman with our work. I believe you’ll see this energy running from the clothes to the shoes and vice versa,” says Zanotti. The collection of 90 pieces, ranging from sandals to booties, hits stores this month. NEW DIRECTIONS This season, historic leather goods house Moynat welcomes its new creative director, Nicholas Knightly, who previously designed handbags for Louis Vuitton. In his first collection, the British designer presents modern…

Hawaii became the first US state this year to ban the sale of any sunscreens containing ingredients linked to the harming or destruction of coral reefs: oxybenzone and octinoxate. Since then, the US Virgin Islands and the island city of Key West in Florida have followed in Hawaii’s footsteps with similar bans. But it was the Pacific archipelago of Palau, which prides itself on being a “pristine paradise” for divers, that set the precedent in 2020 when it became the first country to ban “reef toxic” sunscreen. “This is a big issue for reef environments that rely on tourism and heavy people traffic,” says Craig Leeson, who directed the documentary A Plastic Ocean. It’s estimated that up to 6,000 tonnes of sunscreen wash into the world’s coral reefs each year,…

Joy may be hard to come by in the wake of a pandemic, but jewellery label La Joie is intent on bringing that bit of light back to the world. The solution? A brilliant collaboration with Nicola Formichetti, the celebrity stylist and close collaborator of Grammy award-winning artist Lady Gaga. In a project conceptualised by Tatler Asia, the two creative forces have come together to create a scintillating pandemic essential with a fun twist: bejewelled face masks. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 more than a year ago, face masks have swiftly become part of our style lexicon. Why then should this most visible accessory of our times not be something precious, stylish and cool? Enter the collaboration between La Joie and Formichetti. The mask itself is made from silk—long held…

Caroline Scheufele calls me from her office in Geneva. She’s Chopard’s co-president and artistic director, and has been preparing for the launch of the brand’s new limited-edition Happy Sport watch, which made its debut in 1993. “It’s become a watchmaking icon,” she tells me. “It’s had a few face lifts over the years and I thought it’s about time we go back to its roots.” The case and bezel maintain the watch’s steel appearance as well as its signature seven diamonds, which move freely between two sheets of sapphire crystal above the dial. This is a style that dates back to the original nearly 30 years ago, and which the rest of the industry didn’t look too kindly on. “At that time, combining steel with diamonds was an absolute no-no,”…

He is the reserved French chef who, in a bid to raise the quality and value of his offerings, defied conventions by increasing his food costs to almost 80 per cent—more than double the industry norm and a potential financial suicide—and was rewarded his third Michelin star. A protégé of legendary chef Joël Robuchon, he is known by gourmets around the world for the quintessentially French haute cuisine he presents at Les Amis: each course is decadently generous yet with a refined lightness and purity. Think a starter comprising discs of tender roseval potatoes topped with a cloud of crème fraiche and adorned with micro-blooms, served around a handsome dome of glistening caviar; or an ethereally light sea urchin flan given weight by a velvety fennel sauce and slivers of…

In Marcel Dzama’s family home in Winnipeg, Canada, a photograph of the artist and his father hangs above the television set. The image, taken a few years ago, shows the duo on the edge of Hong Kong’s famous harbourfront in Tsim Sha Tsui, smiling at the camera and standing in front of the historic Clock Tower, which marked its 100th anniversary in operation this March and is the last remnant of what was once the southern terminus of the Kowloon-Canton Railway line. The room where the photograph now hangs is where his parents spend most of their days. “So it’s a good spot for it,” says Dzama. “It’s a nice memory of being in Hong Kong.” And it was this moment he referred to for a new work created especially…

STAYCATION CRUISES: It wasn’t long ago that cruises seemed like a cautionary tale, but they are now poised to be one of the first holiday offerings to resume operations. Pilot programmes such as Royal Caribbean’s Cruise to Nowhere in Singapore have jump-started the trend of staycation cruises, where guests enjoy all a ship has to offer while sailing in international waters. Similar ventures are being rolled out in Australia and the UK from June, the latter to be operated by Cunard Line. royalcaribbean.com; cunard.com REGIONAL SAILINGS: There’s much excitement for the world’s first cruise trip post-pandemic this month, from Israel to Cyprus and Greece, paving the way for other vessels to embark on regional itineraries. One of the most anticipated this year is Silver Moon, Silversea Cruises’ newest ship, which…

Given our familiarity with Penfolds’ famed red wines over the past few decades, it’s no surprise that many wine drinkers would reach for the familiar Bin 389 cabernet shiraz or Penfolds Grange for a special occasion. Yet there are so many reasons why you would be tempted to savour a Penfolds chardonnay or riesling, whether you desire a light, fresh tipple at sunset or a more serious, mature match after dark. Penfolds’ new Meet Extraordinary campaign seeks to do just that: to showcase its white wines in a new light. After all, when the fledgling South Australian winery started in 1844, its light and sweet white wines were all the rage then. Part of the reason why Penfolds’ white wines are so consistent and polished is that it has been…

We are familiar with the long-running US reality show The Apprentice. In March this year, The Apprentice: One Championship Edition made its debut across Asia. Hosted by global sports media One Championship’s chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, the Asian edition, which will eventually be distributed to 117 countries worldwide, promises a tougher, more exhilarating experience for 16 contestants who hail from 11 nations—each vying for a position to be Sityodtong’s protégé and a US$250,000 job offer at One Championship. Sityodtong shared: “Dreams are great, but nothing beats old-fashioned hard work. I need to see the P.H.D. trait in my protégé—someone who is poor, hungry and determined—who works for every penny as if their pockets were empty. It means to hustle for every deal as if you had nothing in your…

In many New Age shops, the process of purchasing crystals involves sifting through bowls of small, colourful stones. Hong Kong-based independent crystal dealer Stone and Star does things a little differently. “Selecting and owning a crystal is extremely personal,” says Joyce Tsang, founder of Stone and Star, which takes a personal approach to helping serious collectors find speciality stones to suit their energetic and spiritual needs. “In Hong Kong, we have a lot of requests for pyrite, as it’s a crystal known in feng shui for wealth and prosperity, and for being beneficial for business. It’s a very masculine, outwards-energy stone, which is good for motivation and creativity,” she says. “Other energies that are requested are love and emotional healing, anxiety relief, repelling negativity, harmony and support in meditation practices.”…

Tell us about your latest collection, Shakti. I had been thinking about how to create a collection around the concept of shakti, which is energy that’s responsible for creation [in the Hindu tradition]. This idea came together when I observed how the women around me were dealing with our “new normal” after lockdown was imposed early last year. At this point, I knew that the collection should be dedicated to the strength of independent and intelligent women. It seems you were also inspired by art deco. I’ve always loved art deco, particularly the Darbargadh Palace in Gujarat, India, which was influenced by the final phase of the European art deco movement. It was built by the last Maharaja of Morvi in the 1940s and I just love the palace’s faded…

Supermodel and activist Adwoa Aboah has partnered with John Hardy on a 14-piece capsule collection called Mad Love that’s made of recycled gold or silver. It’s Aboah’s second collaboration with the Bali-based company—in 2018 she launched a 34-piece AAxJH collection with the brand. The collection features an elegant interpretation of a heart motif and has been designed so that it’s easy to stack and layer. In addition to her John Hardy collaboration, Aboah has also been working on her nonprofit Gurls Talk, which she founded in 2015 to advocate for the mental health of girls and young women.…

Matching couple watches are designed such that the men’s version is usually larger than the women’s. But the new A Lange & Söhne Little Lange 1 Moon Phase bucks the trend. The 36.8mm-wide watch, with a white gold case, features a solid-silver dial coated with shimmering dark-blue gold flux—the mesmerising watch face with glittering copper particles reminds one of a star-filled night sky. The ladies’ version (or more accurately, the bejewelled one) boasts the same case measurement and dial design but its bezel is set with 56 brilliant-cut diamonds. They can be acquired as a pair or simply solo, to be worn on workdays as well as on the weekends. Little Lange 1 Moon Phase by A Lange & Söhne…

How has the pandemic impacted Zenith? It has definitely forced us to develop new ways of working but almost immediately we found ways we can still be efficient, despite being restricted to our homes. On a personal level, it’s been hard because I like meeting people, so while we’ve been successful at digitising the company, not being able to meet collectors is something I’ve missed. What have you learnt over the last year? One big learning curve for us was e-commerce, which we had initially intended to develop over the next 18 months. Of course, because of the pandemic, we had to master it over just 18 days—my team has been super-fast. I wouldn’t describe it as pleasant but we successfully started e-commerce for Europe in June and the US…

CYNTHIA CHUA Founder and chairman of Spa Esprit Group Cynthia Chua has the Midas touch. The relentless entrepreneur is a tastemaker in the truest sense of the word. Since 1996, the savvy founder of the Spa Esprit Group has built an entire lifestyle empire encompassing some of the city’s most noteworthy F&B venues as well as beauty and wellness brands. The 16 brands (and counting) span over 100 outlets in 10 cities including Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Chua has an uncanny ability to give consumers what they don’t know they want yet. She has dynamically introduced new concepts—to much fanfare—into the Singaporean market such as natural wine bar Drunken Farmer, farm-to-table dining experiences Noka, and Open Farm Community, and gut-friendly and gluten-free venue The Butcher’s Wife. The group,…

DARREN GABRIEL LEOW A fashion and commercial photographer based in Singapore, Darren Gabriel Leow frequently contributes to Tatler Singapore and other lifestyle publications, as well as shoots campaigns for various local and international brands. This month, he shot culinary power couple Sebastien Lepinoy and Olivia Lee for the cover story (p.138). HO YUN KUAN Having been an editor, copywriter and content strategist for the past decade, Ho Yun Kuan has covered everything from pedagogy to business, but her favourite topics are horology and very expensive, very shiny jewellery. She loves her job but would not work so hard if not for A5 Wagyu beef and her pet parrot. This month, she previews Chanel’s latest high jewellery collection (p.110). ANH KIET DUONG Anh Kiet Duong is a fashion photographer based in…

IN GOOD COMPANY DAVID YIP Canton porcelain from the 19th century to mid-1900s A truly wonderful dining experience goes beyond a thoughtfully curated menu, says David Yip. For the chef, restaurateur and food journalist, it is the tableware that sets the tone and mood of the meal. “It shows implicit respect for the guest and also makes a great conversation subject and enriches the entire experience.” The seasoned host is the owner of a Guangcai famille rose set of classic Canton porcelain pieces dating back to the 19th century. But that’s not all, as his two cabinets of porcelain objets d’art also include Geisha lithophane sets from pre- and post-World War II as well as a set of 24 karat gold cutlery from the early 1900s, among many others. The…

“More than just condoms” is the tagline for Project X, the non-profit organisation helmed by Gen.T honouree Vanessa Ho—and it perfectly sums up the wide-ranging work the NGO does on a daily basis. It also describes the complexities of the sex industry as a whole, which Project X has to navigate as the only organisation of its kind supporting sex workers in Singapore. Project X was founded in 2008 by social worker Wong Yock Leng, who saw a gap in the services that support sex workers. It offers social, emotional and health services to sex workers of all sexual orientation, gender identity and background, and this ranges from distributing safe sex resources to counselling, legal services and educational talks. Since Ho came on board as its executive director in 2011,…

At first, it looks like an exorcism. Dancers from the ages of 16 to 64 convulse, writhe and gyrate in crisp shirtdresses and blood-red heels to the sound of Massive Attack’s Angel. Then come blurry flashes of shimmering dresses covered in vermillion paillettes, and sober coats with rose graphics, as the dance intensifies. Trance-like, you find yourself inexplicably glued to the screen. This was what Dries Van Noten wanted you to experience when watching a film he created around his fall-winter 2021 collection. “We actually had tears in our eyes when we saw those dancers move on stage, after not being able to perform for a year,” the Belgian designer tells me over a video call. “It was like everybody released all the raw energy they had pent up inside,…

RING TRUE It’s time to get creative with the way you wear your rings. Italian jewellery house Pomellato is known for its playful Nudo collection, which is set with numerous coloured gemstones, including amethyst and rose quartz. Sleek, sophisticated and cleverly mounted with a no-prong setting, this elegant line features designs that can be stacked, mixed and matched. Nudo rings in rose gold set with white topaz and diamonds by Pomellato PINK THINGS Bronze-tinted sculptural pieces from the brand-new Muse collection by Hong Kong jeweller Forms wrap about the wrist in unique ways. Slender silhouettes made using mixed-metal designs can be layered, piled and put together so you’re ready for any occasion. Choose one with a centrestone that’s fuchsia-pink or cherry-red for extra oomph. Bangle in rose gold and bronze…

1 Untreated coloured gemstones About 90 per cent of gemstones are heated to improve their colour or clarity. Some of the rarest untreated coloured gemstones are Kashmir sapphires, so it’s likely these will be very popular at auction this year. 2 Pink diamonds Less than 0.1 per cent of diamonds mined worldwide are pink and they are only found in certain areas, such as the famous Argyle mines in Kimberley, Western Australia. Last year, the Argyle mines closed for good, and prices for pink diamonds reportedly shot up 40 per cent. 3 Spinels For hundreds of years, people believed that rubies and spinels were the same stone. Look for spinels that are unheated and preferably from Myanmar. A strong colour with as few inclusions as possible is also desirable. 4…

A suit, perhaps a tie, and a spritz of Chanel No 5 on the wrist—since the summer of 2018, this has been Patrice Leguéreau’s ensemble for going to the office. He may have turned heads, not least because he’s a man wearing a scent originally dubbed “a woman’s fragrance that smells like a woman”. But if he did, Gabrielle Chanel would probably have approved. After all, the now-iconic perfume was always meant to be a head-turner. Launched in 1921, Chanel No 5 broke perfumery norms of the early 20th century with its bold combination of floral notes comprising May rose, jasmine, ylang ylang and sandalwood. Legend has it that upon completing the fragrance, Gabrielle Chanel invited her friends for a celebratory meal at a popular restaurant, where she debuted her…

Annie Darling Watches & Jewellery Director of Tatler Asia Roger Dubuis’ monster Excalibur model now comes equipped with a revamped double flying tourbillon. Available in pink or white gold, this new watch boasts sapphire crystal, a skeletonised dial and a daredevil tourbillon that’s constructed out of titanium and mirror-polished cobalt chrome. This watch’s complex movement, Calibre RD108SQ, is made up of 319 components and provides a 72-hour power reserve. Both models are limited to eight pieces each, so act fast. Excalibur Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon by Roger Dubuis…

The Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade is the last iteration of H Moser & Cie’s Swiss Alp Watch saga that’s had collectors scrambling for their wallets since 2016. “The Swiss Alp Watch was an instant success for us,” says H Moser & Cie CEO Edouard Meylan. The original 50-piece run sold out in the first 48 hours of its release. “From there, we’ve developed the collection using different materials, like white gold or steel, as well as different dials and high-end complications.” The first thing you’ll notice about these watches is that they look nearly identical to the Apple Watch. The watchmaker’s latest edition comes with an ultra-modern, rounded rectangular-shaped case. Its super-slick dial is coated with Vantablack. “We’re been using Vantablack for a couple of years,” says Meylan. “It’s…

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Heritage Gallery is dedicated to preserving and showcasing our brand’s legacy. Housed in the oldest building of our Vallée de Joux manufacture, the space was refurbished in 2017. Aged archives and documents line the shelves of this museum, as do some of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most iconic timepieces, most of which date from the 1920s to the late 1980s. We were able to buy back most of them through auction houses. I’ve been with Jaeger-LeCoultre for over 20 years and in that time hundreds of vintage watches have been displayed at our Heritage Gallery. There is, however, one yellow gold model from the 1980s that will always be important to me. It is the smallest and thinnest Reverso ever made thanks to quartz technology, which revolutionised the industry in the 1970s…

Artist Christine Ay Tjoe was about 18 when she began to see the world in a new way. “When I was a child, we lived in a very densely populated area in Bandung,” says Ay Tjoe, 47, referring to the Indonesian metropolis where she still lives today, now on its outskirts. “Our house was in a small alley. Around me, there were only buildings.” It wasn’t until her late teens, when she was studying graphic design at the Bandung Institute of Technology, that she started exploring the tropical forest that surrounds the city—and fell in love. “Trees are living creatures, but they are so different to humans. They are so calm, not aggressive, but can grow so big.” Ay Tjoe has turned to nature for inspiration ever since, especially in…

There’s a cardboard crate of wine sitting near my desk that feels, in the context of our Covid-19-fixated world, like a relic from a bygone era. “Don’t get off the couch,” it urges in a large, friendly voice. “It’s wine o’clock.” It seems to harken back to a time when a spell on the couch with a glass sounded like a tempting indulgence, rather than the only option after yet another set of plans got Covid-cancelled. Indeed, who among us has not logged more couch time than we ever thought possible? In this work-from-home, learn-from-home, play-from-home era, it’s certainly understandable to seek a little escapism through wine, which, with its inextricable link to its place of origin, can transport us to remote places and eras, at least in our minds.…