Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i Tatler Singapore

TATLER HONG KONG Double Olympic medallist Siobhán Haughey opens up about the aftermath of her history-making Games, what motivates her to keep chasing new personal bests, and how she handles fame and attention. TATLER INDONESIA Jais Darga Wijaya is a prominent figure in the Indonesian world of arts. She has been an active art dealer since the 1980s, and in 1997 she opened Darga Gallery in Sanur, Bali, with a comparative exhibition of European and Indonesian modernists, followed by another space in Paris. TATLER MALAYSIA This month, we catch up with Eric Cheng of Carsome on some of the milestones reached, including the development of the first Carsome Certified Lab. He also shares on some of the upcoming plans and previous successes of the company. TATLER PHILIPPINES We speak to…

Hasnor Sidik, also known by his DJ name Mr Has, is known for his killer fashion sense, friendly demeanour and genre-bending beats that leave you wanting more. The former music director for local hospitality company The Lo & Behold Group, and W Hotels in Asia-Pacific has also graced stages around the world, performing in Bali, New York, Berlin and Puerto Rico. More recently, he’s been growing his lifestyle brand Rawjak, a playful spin on rojakthe Singaporean slang word used to describe people of mixed racial heritage. “Rawjak is about diversity, it’s a lifestyle defined by music, fashion and all things soulful,” explains Hasnor. “What started as a mixtape, turned into a monthly podcast, turned into a music label, event and an ever evolving brand.” A key figure in Singapore’s electronic…

While Asians in general may be leading investments in cryptocurrency, globally twice as many men invest as women. And the numbers of women spending the currency or working in the industry are even smaller; several reports from the last couple of years put those statistics in single figures—a not dissimilar position to the finance industry when Vivian Khoo joined Goldman Sachs in 2000. After spending nearly two decades working for the most prestigious name in investment banking, she moved to a very different type of organisation as chief operating officer in March 2019: Bitmex, the Seychelles-registered, Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange that was founded in 2014, quickly went supernova, and has since found itself mired in bucketfuls of regulatory trouble in the US. After that rather dramatic introduction to the crypto…

When her daughter turned two last year, Grace Sai wondered if she still had the energy to build another start-up. The serial entrepreneur had by then started three ventures, including co-working space Found, which in 2019 merged with its peer Collison8 to form Found8, and Ravel Innovation, which designs corporate innovation programmes for organisations and government agencies such as the Singapore Tourism Board. Her venture fund, Found.Ventures, was also fully deployed, investing in nine early-stage tech start-ups across Southeast Asia. As it turned out, she did have “one more start-up in me”. Sai reached out to 20 of the brightest people in her network to identify a pressing problem they thought she could help to solve. Most of them led her to one global issue: climate change—to help more businesses…

Read a little bit about Calvin Lo, and you’ll find the same descriptions keep coming up. This, you’ll hear, is the world’s most reclusive billionaire, the richest person you’ve never heard of, someone who dodges the limelight almost obsessively. And while that most certainly used to be true, in recent years he’s been coming out of his shell a bit—largely because Covid has completely changed his attitude to philanthropy. Hong Kong-based Lo made his money in insurance, but not as an insurer, and not by insuring people in the traditional sense, where the idea is to offset potential future costs. Instead, his company, RE Lee, the world’s largest life insurance broker, has been in the vanguard of the explosion over the past two decades of so-called jumbo life insurance, an…

KOK HENG LEUN The theatre veteran and former NMP facilitates community discussion of social, environmental and cultural issues through his socially engaged productions. NOORLINAH MOHAMED The theatre artist and arts education specialist has brought her experience to bear in guiding drama students and educators, and through projects that highlight lesser-known issues. KAVITHA KRISHNAN The artistic director of Maya Dance Theatre integrates the differently abled into the dance community by giving them the opportunity to work with dance professionals. JEAN LOO A champion of disability inclusion and community engagement, Loo co-founded Superhero Me to empower underprivileged and special needs children through art.…

VEAL BEAUTY Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Queen of Hungary, also known as Sisi, was renowned throughout Europe for her beauty. She had long, luscious hair that took hours to style, kept a slim figure through rigorous exercise and “tight-lacing”, but was most famous for her youthful appearance—which she was allegedly obsessed with maintaining. Sisi famously wore a leather mask filled with raw veal or crushed strawberries to sleep, almost like a modern sheet mask. Strawberries, a natural source of alpha-hydroxy acid and vitamin C, brighten and smooth skin, while the fats and proteins in veal would have kept her skin moisturised. As few people today would sign up to wear raw meat on the face in the name of good skin, just use a glycolic toner for the same…

A common misconception about cultivated diamonds is that they are fake or similar to cubic zirconia. However, this is not the case. Cultivated diamonds are atomically the same as natural ones, with identical chemical compositions. The only difference between the two is their respective origins. The price difference between natural and cultivated diamonds is the primary reason that people choose the latter. Lab-grown diamonds are atomically the same as their natural counterparts, but cost 50 to 75 per cent less than natural diamonds when comparing specimens between one and three carats. A natural one-carat brilliant round diamond in F to G colour with VS clarity, for example, typically retails for US$8,000 to US$10,000, while a cultivated stone with the same specs goes for US$3,000 to US$5,000. If you want to…

In the vast Dior universe, there is no symbol more enigmatic than the rose. Besotted with the bloom that reigned in his mother’s garden, Monsieur Christian Dior made certain that the flower of his fascination blossomed all across his couture creations. The French fashion designer conjured his legendary New Look by making skirts wide like the corollas of a rose. He borrowed the pink from its petals—the “colour of happiness and femininity”, as he called it—to create blushing ball gowns. He even bottled the rose’s sweet scent for his first perfume, Miss Dior. Today, the rose still blooms in the House of Dior. You might find it embroidered on a dress by Maria Grazia Chiuri, or printed across Kim Jones’s menswear collections. The maison even has an everlasting garden of…

You can count on Cartier to unveil technical and artistic marvels every year, and the maison didn’t disappoint at Watches and Wonders 2022. Highlights included a mysterious watch fitted with a movement that doubles as its own oscillating weight, as well as a timepiece with a flexible surface that redefines the very idea of tactility in a wristwatch. This is creativity at its most sublime, given form with the right technical expertise, and thoroughly Cartier in spirit. Here, the brand’s director of image, style and patrimony, Pierre Rainero, shares his perspectives on some of these pieces—and more. One of Cartier’s most impressive creations this year is the Coussin de Cartier, which has a flexible, deformable surface. What led to the development of this timepiece? I think the culture at Cartier…

In the early 1980s, Brendan Dawes’s grandfather gave him a tiny computer. While he couldn’t do much on it compared to today’s advanced computers, “it forced me to learn how to code and program to make it do something”, Dawes recalls. “I was fascinated; I could type words into this black box and have it make things.” He first used his newfound coding powers for evil rather than good, in the form of a prank. He went into a branch of electronics store Dixon’s, where they had several ZX81 computers each joined up to a TV, and quickly reprogrammed each one to infinitely repeat “Dixons is sh*t” across the screen. “I guess that moment taught me how powerful code could be.” Thus began the much sought-after digital artist’s passion for…

At the 17th World Car Awards in New York in April, Hyundai stole the show. The South Korean carmaker’s Ioniq 5 won in three categories: World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. The recognition was not only a win for Asian carmakers, but also signalled endorsement of an industry rapidly evolving to phase out internal combustion engines (ICEs). “Our game-changing electric vehicle (EV) has made a strong impact on increasingly eco-conscious and demanding consumers around the world, and its success supports the acceleration of electrification of the automotive industry,” said president and CEO Jaehoon Chang in a statement. With 2.45 million sales in 2020, Asia-Pacific is becoming a significant driving force in the adoption of electric vehicles, largely thanks…

Common wisdom holds that travel infinitely broadens the mind, and, dear reader, that is something that we at Tatler strongly espouse. With the lifting of travel restrictions in Singapore and to most countries in the world (at the time of writing, Japan has most excitingly committed to open its borders to international tourists this month), there’s no better time than the present to pick up your monogrammed passport holders, dust off your trusty Rimowa luggage and book a flight somewhere. I, myself, have been taking full advantage of the newfound freedom to travel, most recently to the United States, where I hiked in one of the country’s most beautiful national parks—Yosemite—and took in its expansive natural beauty. The breath-taking mountain vistas and dramatic waterfalls refreshed one’s mind and left me…

1 The Shoe Up your sandal game with Roger Vivier’s exuberant take on the perennial warm weather style staple elevated with the brand’s signature sparkly crystal-embellished buckle. 2 The Watch Harry Winston’s beloved Ocean Biretrograde 36mm gets a summery guise—set with yellow and white diamonds, and with a matching strap in yellow. 3 The Necklace The finest yellow and white diamonds are brought to life in this high jewellery necklace from Graff’s Tribal collection—a summer-worthy showstopper. 4 The Bag Giddy-up this season with Hermès’s zesty new offering: the Maneggio bag. This sleek number is crafted from Epsom leather and is made to be insouciantly slung across tanned shoulders for languorous days in the sun.…

ARMED AND READY For Mighty Jaxx chief strategy officer Bryan Tan, whiskies “foster camaraderie and spark solidarity”. That’s why the tech and lifestyle company partnered whisky bar The Chambers by Cask to launch a special whisky collection. Dubbed the Mighty Cask, it comprises the 20-year-old Caperdonich, 22-year-old Glen Keith and 23-year-old Glen Grant single malt whiskies housed in 700 ml sculptured bottles that respectively depict Guan Yu, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, the legendary generals in the Chinese literary classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms, armed and ready for battle. The first 138 customers who get their hands on these will be able to authenticate their purchase on the Mighty Jaxx app and mint the digital designs. Holders of the said NFTs will also be invited to purchase a set…

HOMETOWN GLORY Female athletes are the absolute embodiment of the power and beauty of female strength, so it’s no surprise that Dior invited nine champions to model the new Dior Vibe line conceived by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Sporting new bowling bags, Dior Star sneakers, biker shorts, polo shirts and jackets, the sports stars include Zhang Hong (right), the first Chinese athlete to win a gold medal in speed skating, at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, and Taiwanese karateka Wen Tzu-yun (above), who took home a bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. ECO FANTASY There’s definitely magic in the air with Stella McCartney’s new Disney Fantasia collaboration. The playful, unisex range pays tribute to Mickey Mouse’s character in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice segment and the Greek mythology motifs of The Pastoral…

Olivia Rodrigo, the 19-year-old Filipina American pop star who rewrote the heartbreak narrative with her 2020 album Sour, is the first celebrity ambassador for Glossier. This partnership is a new avenue for the cult millennial beauty brand—previously it relied on user reviews and It girl recommendations for word-of-mouth marketing. Rodrigo wore a full face of Glossier to both the American Music Awards in November 2021 and this year’s Grammys, opting for her signature look: a winged eyeliner and berry lip combination. She elevated the make-up at the latter event with a sparkly lid, which complemented the three Grammys she won rather nicely. Her collaboration with the brand kicked off with a curated set of her three favourite products: Boy Brow eyebrow gel, Pro Tip liquid liner and Ultra Lip shine…

CHECKS AND BALANCE Cartier’s Sixième Sens collection is a masterclass in high jewellery design and craftsmanship. Case in point, the Meride necklace, which uses the chequerboard motif to offer up a delightful play of contrasting materials including onyx, diamond, and rock crystal. What’s more, these elements are set at slightly different levels to further accentuate the play with light and shadow, with masterfully crafted white gold holding them all together in a supple, eminently flexible structure. Sixième Sens par Cartier Meride necklace by Cartier BLOOMING LOVELY The blossoming sakura in Japan has inspired Mikimoto to extend its Cherry Blossom Collection with new additions this spring. They include two styles of earrings and a pendant in pink gold depicting the outline of the cherry blossom and featuring the cultured pearls that…

“Beautiful design makes a beautiful life” – CHARLES LEWIS TIFFANY Few things in life can weather the inexorable test of time; a treasured story, passed down reverently through the ages, is one of them. A treasured story filled with dazzling passion, brilliant creativity and bold risks? Even more so. That is where we find ourselves today, 185 years down the path of history, with legendary American jeweller Tiffany & Co. If you’re an ardent fan of the brand like yours truly, you would have heard the echo of its glorious past from friends, family and associates: founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany, the store in its first iteration operated as a respectable stationery and fancy goods emporium in New York City. Its remarkable reputation grew swiftly over the next…

BULGARI OCTO FINISSIMO ULTRA This year marks the 10th anniversary of the current generation of Bulgari’s Octo line. The collection is arguably best known as Bulgari’s platform for showcasing ultra-thin watchmaking and the brand didn’t disappoint—with the Octo Finissimo Ultra, yet another world record in thinness has been broken. At 1.8 mm high, this timepiece is now the world’s thinnest watch and, for all intents and purposes, the same thickness as Singapore’s 20-cent coin. The Octo Finissimo Ultra is the perfect bookend to Bulgari’s first decade with the new Octo, but also points to the brand’s culture of innovation. Note how the barrel’s ratchet wheel has been engraved with a QR code, which grants access to the NFT that accompanies each watch. This is a limited edition, by the way,…

HANNAH BECK Hannah Beck is a British fashion stylist and creative director currently living in London and working internationally. Her work is strongly influenced by her experiences of growing up on the south coast of England, living in Italy and travelling with her family as a child. Her styling has a strong sense of narrative, is often romantic and poetic, and inspired by the past and different cultures. Hannah styled this month’s fashion shoot in Spain taking inspiration from the traditional matadors and flamenco dancers (p.76) SIMON LIPMAN The photographer behind this month’s fashion shoot is London-based Simon Lipman. His work is influenced by documentaries, and he often crafts scenes and scenarios from real life. “Having previously shot at the [equestrian art school] Real Escuela for a personal project, I’ve…

“Beyond investment, we need more mentorship and representation to encourage women into entrepreneurship” “People don’t always take women seriously in the tech world,” says Leanne Robers. The co-founder of She Loves Tech, which runs the world’s largest start-up competition for female entrepreneurs as well as its acceleration platform for women and technology, has faced both implicit and explicit biases as a female founder. “Before building She Loves Tech, I was a tech founder myself. At meetings with potential investors, male investors would look past me and speak to my male co-founder instead; many times, they wouldn’t even look at me even though I was the CEO of the company,” she shares. And she has been called “feisty” multiple times. “I didn’t think that was an issue because I was so…

“I was in hotel school when my interest in wine took a more serious turn. A group of us decided to participate in a wine competition, and it required a lot of studying and tasting. This triggered my interest and it has endured. The enjoyment of Château Talbot 1988 Half-Bottle, Vieux Château Certan 1985 and Champagne Gosset 1973 started me on my wine journey in 1999. When it comes to wine, the time when you open and drink it is important because wine is a living thing. The same bottle opened a year or even six months from today will taste different. Other factors that can affect your experience: the company you’re with, the drinking vessel and the food you’re consuming while drinking it. I share my interest with a…

The Foundation for the Arts and Social Enterprise nurtures and promotes arts groups, in particular those in the performing arts space. How does social good factor in? The arts is not just a means to social good. It is social good, because it helps the whole of society, whether you’re handicapped or psychologically damaged. The arts can help you lift yourself. The basic premise of the foundation is that the arts is in all of us. When you’re a baby, you have to be creative to navigate the world, to grow and thrive. Before you’re an engineer or a doctor, you’re an artist. This creative force is in each of us and is something that drives every individual. So, whatever we can do to promote that in us is good…

Alongside the many established names at last year’s Met Gala, themed “Part One: In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”, was Conner Ives, whose graduation work made its way into the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute exhibition for 2021. The American-born, London-based designer was invited by Anna Wintour to dress model Natalia Bryant and attend fashion’s biggest night out—but this was not his first Met experience. In 2017, top model Adwoa Aboah already wore a custom-made Conner Ives dress to the ball. “It felt really surreal to be able to be there by the time I was 21,” Ives recalls, “and then attend four years later myself with one of the dresses I am most proud of.” After Rihanna saw that first dress, she employed him for her brand Fenty.…

HEAVEN SCENT Make new memories with your father courtesy of Byredo’s latest unisex perfume, De Los Santos. Creative director Ben Gorham said, “I wanted to create a way to celebrate my memories, to honour the beauty of life and to translate that into scent.” The fragrance blends crisp notes of sage and citrus with a woody base of amber and musk, creating a herbal aroma that’s ideal for warmer weather. THERMAL GLOW Spas aren’t for every father, but when they can enjoy the treatment at home, there’s no reason yours shouldn’t take a few moments to unwind. Peter Thomas Roth’s Hungarian Thermal Water Mineral-Rich Atomic Heat Mask contains hydrating ingredients such as shea extracts and jojoba oil, and heats up when you add cool water, to better invigorate the skin…

Yve Chan is a Hong Kong based-designer, gemologist, craftsman and entrepreneur who established his independent jewellery platform Dawn Jewellery in 2014. One of the brand’s recent collections is a set of 20 cranes formed in 18-karat gold, set with jadeites and each topped with an Argyle pink diamond. These gems are particularly rare—and increasingly so. Here, Chan explains more. Most pink diamonds come from one mine “Before the 1980s, production of pink diamonds was sporadic and limited to regions in India, Brazil, Africa and Indonesia. The commencement of the Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia in 1983 was a watershed event in the global diamond industry as it became the source of over 90 per cent of pink diamonds globally. The mine closed in November 2020, so the value and…

Three models. Three guises. Louis Vuitton’s mascot Vivienne takes her place on the dial across a trio of references in the new Tambour Slim Vivienne Jumping Hours line, which offers a playful, whimsical take on watchmaking—with metiers d’art to boot. This is yet another of the maison’s unique interpretations of watchmaking, with a creative vision given form by keen technical capabilities. A UNIQUE FORMAT The Tambour Slim Vivienne Jumping Hours is a time-only watch, but displays the hours and the minutes in a highly atypical way via a modified jumping hour complication. Typically, this complication involves an aperture in the dial that displays the hour digitally via a disc, which makes an instantaneous jump at the start of every hour to reflect the new time—hence the complication’s name. Meanwhile, the…

Belonging to a private members’ club has long been a unique representation of wealth and power in Asia—particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, the elite couldn’t get enough of their local country club’s slatted plastic deckchairs and poolside club sandwiches (that were mediocre, at best). Now, there’s a new breed of private members’ club that caters to the next generation’s appetite for culture and community. More substance than status symbol, these spaces serve as conduits for creativity through programmes that revolve around the arts, current affairs and networking, alongside exclusive, intimate experiences. One such establishment is Mandala Club, owned by Singapore-based real estate and events company Mandala Group. “Everything we do is blanketed in the human need for meaningful connection, whereby we can create depth of community,” says Ben Jones,…