Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2023 i Tatler Singapore

TATLER HONG KONG Annabelle Lopez Ocho, the choreographer behind Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion Icon, a joint production between the Hong Kong Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Queensland Ballet, speaks about the legendary designer’s impact on her own life, and how she chooses the subject matter for her works. TATLER INDONESIA Kevin Maharis and Ricky Maharis, the brother duo behind cosmetic dermatology-focused Maharis Clinic, discuss their passions, the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. TATLER MALAYSIA Afghan playwright Salah Sepas is the founder of Kuala Lumpur’s Parastoo Theater, and an Asia’s Most Influential 2022 honouree. He speaks to Tatler about empowering refugees through the arts, the challenges of life in a creative industry, and what he misses most from home. TATLER PHILIPPINES Four public service trailblazers leading…

JAMIE NONIS Jamie Nonis likes to talk to strangers. For more than 20 years, the independent journalist, host and podcaster has enjoyed a front‑row seat discovering first‑hand what makes interview subjects, from Oscar‑winning actress Nicole Kidman to Olympic champion Joseph Schooling and Singapore’s president Halimah Yacob, tick. For this issue, Nonis spoke to Lia Nicholson, the head of sustainability at Terrascope. ANDONI AND ARANTXA Spanish couple Andoni Mesa and Arantxa Santamaria, who go professionally by Andoni and Arantxa, met in 2004, setting up a photography business after travelling the world together. Their clients include Cartier and L’Oréal, as well as international publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair. They are now based in Paris, where they shot this month’s fashion shoot for Tatler. KEE FOONG Kee Foong is…

WWF‑Singapore CEO R Raghunathan on how sustainable finance is key to a climate-resilient future, Terrascope’s head of sustainability Lia Nicholson is on a mission to help large companies decarbonise, and three home-grown businesses adopting a circular economy approach to sustainability…

The year 2022 was the world’s joint fifth-warmest on record, according to US scientists. In fact, the past decade has been the warmest since pre-industrial times, putting the 2015 Paris Agreement’s goal to limit global warming to 1.5C in a precarious position. “Energy transition is ever more pre-eminent,” says Frank Phuan. And it requires coordination and alignment with everyone, from governments to corporates, among others. “Incorporating sustainability and ESG [environmental, social and governance] considerations in companies’ strategies will help propel us further toward our net-zero targets and accelerate the energy transition.” Phuan should know, for he is the co-founder of Sunseap, which has played a vital role in engineering and reducing the levelised cost of solar energy in Singapore, with noteworthy milestones including the country’s first grid-connected photovoltaic system and…

NUTS ABOUT BAMNUT WHATIF FOODS Bambara groundnut, or bamnut, is a hardy legume native to West Africa, but is now widely grown in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia India and Australia. It is also the main ingredient used in WhatIf Foods’ plant-based milk. What makes it an excellent ingredient, says co-founder and CEO Chris Langwallner, is that it is a complete food rich in protein, fibre and natural minerals. Moreover, it gives the milk that desired “smooth and creamy texture with a slightly nutty flavour” and can hold its own when mixed with other beverages. The BamNut Milk Barista, for instance, is extra creamy, which gives body to lattes and cappuccinos. GOING ORGANIC THE MILK CO Almond is the nut of choice for home-grown brand The Milk Co’s plant-based milk…

FURA Fresh off the closure of their first plant‑forward bar concept Mallow at Intercontinental Singapore Robertson Quay, Christina Rasmussen and Sasha Wijidessa are ready to introduce their second venture: Fura. Meaning “pine” in Swedish, the new cocktail bar will open on Amoy Street next month, with plans to launch its more food‑focused restaurant later on. Championing what the pair calls “collaborative survival”, a term and philosophy distilled from their time operating Mallow, Fura leans on a conscious way of living. Apart from being aware of provenance and including more plant‑based options in meals, the business and life partners want to bring the conversation further by adding to their repertoire invasive species that have thrown ecosystems off‑kilter. Bringing along with them the previous format of an à la carte and tasting…

The Louis Vuitton trunk show in Singapore was a big deal before it even happened. The French fashion brand’s last runway show here was in 2021, when its presentation in the ArtScience Museum was dialled down by pandemic‑related restrictions. That was not the case this March, when celebrity guests, VIP clients and members of the media congregated at Pasir Panjang Power Station at the maison’s invitation. This time, Louis Vuitton spared no extravagance: it projected its supersized LV logo on the building’s façade, set up not one but three photo walls inside for its glamorous guests, plied them with Armand de Brignac champagne before and after the fashion show, and set the sprawling space alight with rows of old‑school light bulbs. That last detail, along with the red walls, tied…

PRESS RI-FRESH Since Rihanna performed at the Super Bowl in a custom Loewe bustier, moulded bodices and breastplates are officially on the radar—think Schiaparelli and Alexander McQueen’s sculpted designs, or Burberry and Gabriela Hearst’s statement corsets. Off the runway, layer over a dress or under an oversized blazer. STRAP IN In yet another Noughties trend that won’t go away, skinny-strapped sandals are everywhere for spring-summer 2023. As seen at Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Ferragamo, the chic style is the go-to with everything from a sleek suit to a dazzling evening gown. SHEER BRILLIANCE Level up your layering game: as seen at Chanel, Prada and Molly Goddard, sheers are here to stay. This season, the look marries the visible branded underwear and extremely sexy sheer evening gowns that have both…

Watchmakers are constantly striving to raise the bar in horology; how do you do this while caring for the planet? Zenith has taken many actions to respect the environment and fight against climate change through our Zenith Horizon initiative. For instance, we have installed 560 solar panels on the roofs at our own manufacture [in Le Locle, Switzerland] to generate clean energy. We have also introduced a paperless approach within our organisation. What do you consider your biggest personal contribution to leaving behind a better world for future generations? I wish I could do more for the environment, but I focus on a variety of small actions at work and at home to contribute to the global [sustainability] effort; [for example,] I do my best to avoid using paper and…

Fresh blooms abounded in Gucci’s Hortus Deliciarum High Jewelry collection at Paris Haute Couture Week. The additions to the range include a geometric, diamond-studded, interlocking chain contrasting with a nature-inspired, statement-making pendant; the central stone, a round-cut mandarin garnet, is surrounded by tendrils made of diamonds and emerald-studded shoots.…

Mention Bulgari and its Serpenti icon inevitably comes to mind. The serpent is firmly woven in with the brand’s history and has become synonymous with the Roman jeweller today, 75 years since it was first introduced on a jewellery watch designed to be wrapped around the wrist. At that time in 1948, the image of the Serpenti was rather stylised; its linked body was crafted using the revolutionary Tubogas technique of metalworking, which gave the bracelet flexibility and suppleness by wrapping strips of gold around a coiled spring without soldering. It was not only an indication of Bulgari’s innovative spirit, but also foreshadowed the transformative, future‑oriented nature of the Serpenti that was to come. In religion and mythology, snakes and serpents have long been symbols of rebirth and renewal, as…

Pharrell Williams is beyond happy. The artist and businessman is striding between recording and mixing rooms at a studio in Paris at 1.03am. One moment he’s recording a verse for his upcoming song, hitting a high note that most prepubescent boys would struggle to reach; the next, he’s in the adjacent room with rapper Kid Cudi, debating the merits of one song versus another and composing runs on a keyboard. The temperature in the studio is not much warmer than the Parisian winter outside, there is an entourage of half a dozen individuals around the singer, tapping away on laptops or aiming cameras and smartphones in his direction, but his whole world at the moment is just a one-metre radius from the keyboard. This is Pharrell in the throes of…

Favourite place in Singapore? At home with my family. It’s my sanctuary, where I go to detach from the world and recharge my batteries. I also love going to Marina Bay Sands. It reminds me of when I first moved to Singapore and how my journey here started. My son calls it “Daddy’s boat” whenever we drive past, which makes me feel very proud. Favourite book? Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew Grove, and Zero to One by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters. These really helped me on my start‑up journey. I never thought I’d be a CEO, let alone the founder of a company. I took solace in listening to other people’s successes and failures, and tried to pivot that into what I was doing. Favourite restaurant in Singapore?…

I’ll be honest with you: the theme for our April issue, sustainability (chosen because Earth Day falls on the 22nd of the month), is something I often think about with no small amount of trepidation, mainly because it’s such a beast of a subject. Sustainability covers an entire world of eco‑friendly and responsible practices, and we wanted to make sure we tackled the subject in a meaningful way, so we reached out to some of the best and brightest minds in the Tatler community and the world to show how we can all start crafting a more sustainable path, be it through baby steps or big ones. For our cover feature, we speak with Benjamin Swan, co‑founder of Sustenir and founder of Beco Ventures, who shares his vision for improving…

HONG KONG For nearly three decades, Lindsay Porter has been the world’s leading expert on pink dolphins, aka Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, as well as on the Indo-Pacific finless porpoises that are also indigenous to Hong Kong’s waters. She settled in the city in 1994, attempting to fill an important knowledge gap by studying the behaviour of the dolphins ahead of the construction of the new Hong Kong International Airport, which would affect their habitat. She intended just to stay for her PhD; she’s still there today. Over the years, she has been affiliated with about half of the universities in Asia on various projects, and has worked at sites around the region. She is also the vice chair of the scientific committee at the International Whaling Commission, responsible for the…

AYE AYE, CAPITÁN She made a fashion name for herself after hit collaborations with Gucci and Charles & Keith, and catchy handwritten messages; now Spanish artist and photographer Coco Capitán has joined forces with fashion retailer Yoox to make deadstock resort-appropriate. A 21-piece deadstock capsule produced by 8 by Yoox features ready-to-wear, accessories and homeware. Shirts and hoodies are made from 100 per cent organic cotton, while shorts and trousers comprise 72 per cent polyamide, 23 per cent cotton and 5 per cent acrylic. Some of the garments are made from materials certified as ReLiveTex—a signal that they have been removed from the process of being sent to landfill or incineration. FINNISH FIRST Known for printmaking and its colourful Nordic spirit, Finnish design house Marimekko presents a new season of…

The equivalent of a rubbish truck-full of unwanted clothing ends up in landfill every second worldwide, according to the Hong Kong-based non-profit environmental organisation Earth.org. To create a change in brands’ and manufacturers’ business strategies, in consumer behaviour and in government regulations is no mean feat, but thanks to the efforts of those advocating for change, we might finally be moving in the right direction. Tatler speaks to Christina Dean of sustainable fashion NGO Redress, Dounia Wone of luxury resale platform Vestiaire Collective, and Edwin Keh of The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel to learn about how they are moving the needle. CHRISTINA DEAN, REDRESS Christina Dean founded the NGO Redress in Hong Kong in 2007 with a mission to promote sustainability in fashion. She is also…

Is it a spaceship? Is it a pocket watch? No, it’s the La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton Tambour minute repeater. This timepiece is special because it displays the creative genius of an independent watchmaker while paying homage to the maison’s 200-year-old legacy. With a push of a button, a celestial light and sound show is activated on the dial: a rocket with diamonds in its cockpit launches into space, planets spin, stars shoot and the monogram flower rotates. And the jacquemart automaton function, which means it chimes like a cathedral gong, only adds to the theatrics.…

1 THE BAG An emblem of quiet luxury, Loro Piana’s new Bale bag marvellously resembles the bundles of fine cashmere that the brand’s legacy is built on. 2 THE NECKLACE Sculpted like the lace collars of 17th‑century courtiers’ costumes, Chopard’s Fairmined‑certified ethical white and rose gold necklace comes adorned with diamonds and pink sapphires. 3 THE WATCH Sport a colourful collision of coral, black spinels, chrysoprase, tsavorites and diamonds with the new Cartier Clash [Un]limited watch. 4 THE SHOE Make a glitzy entrance with Valentino Garavani’s crystal‑studded Tan‑Go platform shoes, now in the trendiest colour of the year.…

Would you say your father has learnt lessons from you on impact investing and conscious living? I’d like to think that my lifestyle choices, such as becoming vegan five years ago and shopping sustainably, have made him reconsider things. Rather than just making an impact with our investment portfolio, he now sees that we can also make an impact with our life portfolio. He’s now much more conscious about his daily choices, such as what he eats and buys, and how he invests. How does impact investing fit into wider philanthropic activities such as giving to charities? On the social finance spectrum from pure philanthropy to ESG investments, every investor has their own idea of contributing, and I think they’re all meaningful since we are ultimately heading towards the same…

Growing up in Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean had a massive impact on Lia Nicholson’s decision to devote her life to climate action. At age six, she witnessed a Category 5 hurricane rip through her home town and lived through the effects of the devastation. “I remember the neighbour’s roof was in our yard, and we had no power for three months and had to collect and ration rainwater. Growing up with that awareness, I’ve always been driven by an understanding of what’s at stake from a very personal level, and how that risk profile is changing over time, but also getting excited about the solutions,” says Nicholson. Last December, she moved from New York to Singapore to undertake the role of head of sustainability at Terrascope, an enterprise‑grade,…

If you could put a face to the word “fortitude”, you will be met with that of Zhou Lihan, co‑founder and CEO of biotechnology company Mirxes. The China‑born, Singapore‑based scientist and entrepreneur was key in driving the company’s significant scale‑up in both the production as well as the local and global deployment of the Fortitude Kit, Singapore’s first diagnostic kit for Covid‑19 developed in 2020 by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and its clinical partners, in the early days of the pandemic. Formed in 2014 by former A*Star researchers, Mirxes’s claim to fame is developing GastroClear, the world’s first RNA‑powered blood test for the early detection of gastric cancer. The team’s goal is to turn what they have researched in academia into a product that can be…

No one would have foreseen that an influencer-led capsule collection would become one of the fastest-growing brands globally, especially when the whole industry was up against the pandemic and parties were on pause. Scandinavian influencers, stylists and former fashion editors Thora Valdimars and Jeanette Madsen were approached by Danish retailer Birger Christensen in 2018 to work on a collaboration that was meant to last one year. Five years on, Rotate Birger Christensen is available in 40 countries and stocked at 450 retailers including Net-a-Porter, Mytheresa, Printemps and Lane Crawford; global sales increased by 75 per cent from 2021 to 2022, according to Vogue Business. “We first launched the brand in the tiniest venue with the tiniest audience, and progressively our show has grown,” Valdimars and Madsen tell Tatler by email.…

GET SET GO If Tag Heuer’s latest Carrera Chronograph is any indication, orange is the new black—again; in this case, the sparks of heat made by a Porsche on the asphalt. The 44mm case houses the Calibre Heuer 02, an automatic movement with a column wheel and vertical clutch that provides a power reserve of 80 hours. The fiery reddish orange gives the outlines of the sub counters, the seconds hand, strap seams and Porsche logo pop subtly against the black calfskin leather strap and ceramic bezel. Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Porsche Orange Racing COCO AND CAMELLIAS In an ode to Coco Chanel, who was often seen wearing a pincushion on her wrist, the Mademoiselle Privé Pique-Aiguilles collection of timepieces features a bold and beautiful dome that commands attention.…

The year 1932 was an extremely dark one around the world, a period where most countries were fraught with economic hardships brought on by the Great Depression. The decade‑long economic downturn that began in the US was the longest and most severe one in modern history, collapsing consumer demand and causing mass unemployment as well as severe increases in poverty and inflation; the overall outlook was grim. In France, like everywhere else in the world, morale was low and in the midst of the slump, there seemed to be no end in sight. However, it is from the darkness that the strength of the human spirit often emerges. From that year on, a series of surprising events unfolded, providing beacons of hope and encouragement to the country, from the long‑awaited…

Can you imagine wanting a good salad so badly that you launch a multimillion‑dollar urban farming company and develop groundbreaking technology that not only yields quality produce but completely disrupts the farming industry? Benjamin Swan did exactly that. What started as a mission to grow some delicious leafy greens became a rude awakening about the global food crisis, ultimately leading Swan to work “like a mad scientist” to develop high‑tech systems to replicate—and, eventually, even improve—nature’s growing processes. It certainly helped that he is a trained engineer. Swan first moved to Singapore from Australia to lead the construction of the SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands (MBS). “Today, whenever we drive past MBS, my son calls it ‘Daddy’s boat’,” Swan says with a smile. He then joined Citibank, where he oversaw…

Bangkok has long been renowned for its street food. But increasingly, gourmets are turning their attention to its high-end restaurants, helped by the likes of the Michelin guide and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. Leading the charge is a clutch of innovative, independent venues helmed by overseas-trained local chefs who are redefining what constitutes Thai food, elevating it to fine-dining status in the process. One of the newest arrivals is Potong, a glamorous paean to the mixed Thai Chinese heritage of its founder Pichaya Utharntharm and the humming Chinatown district in which her forebears settled. Better known as Chef Pam, she conceived the idea for Potong after visiting the landmark 120-year-old Sino-Portuguese shophouse which now houses the restaurant with her father and grandfather; the building has belonged to four generations…