Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2024 i Tatler Singapore

TATLER HONG KONG Record-breaking long-jumper Tiffany Yue leapt into an interview with Tatler to talk Paris 2024, body image and what motivates her to jump further each time she competes. TATLER MALAYSIA Dr Raja Iskandar Shah, an infectious disease authority and president of the Malaysian Aids Council, spoke to Tatler about the critical role of HIV prevention and treatment in curtailing transmissions. TATLER PHILIPPINES Over tea with Tatler, the UK’s ambassador to the Philippines spoke about her work tackling online abuse of children, her passion for developmental issues, and the importance adding value to her host nation, wherever she is posted. TATLER SINGAPORE Fourth-generation shipping tycoon and passionate proponent of conscious entrepreneurship Chavalit Frederick Tsao explained how family businesses are uniquely empowered to change capitalism for the better. SHANGLIU TATLER…

HUNGMC Hungmc is a fashion photographer with a passion for capturing the essence of style, elegance and individuality through his lens, showcasing the artistry and craftsmanship of fashion while celebrating the uniqueness of each subject, and celebrating colour, shape and emotion. For the February edition, he photographed the fashion shoot in Hong Kong. DARREN GABRIEL LEOW A fashion and commercial photographer based in Singapore, Darren Gabriel Leow frequently contributes to Tatler Singapore and other luxury lifestyle and fashion publications, as well as shoots campaigns for various local and international brands. He shot Julien Royer, the chef-owner of Odette, Tatler Dining Guide’s Restaurant of the Year 2024. RICHARD LORD Richard Lord is a Hong Kong-based freelance journalist. He has written for and edited a number of newspapers and magazines, including a…

With the sand under her feet, amid a special dinner celebrating Sentosa’s 50th anniversary in 2022, culinary doyenne Violet Oon found inspiration within herself. This wasn’t just another beachside soiree. As if the stars aligned, her reunion with the people behind the philanthropic organisation Community Chest at the event led to the beginning of her gastronomic overture called Empowering Lives: Food for Good. Laying the foundation for Oon’s poignant vision of turning meals into notes of change, the initiative sets out to engage with members of the food and beverage community—from talented chefs and culinary experts to restaurant and hospitality groups—to come together for a year‑long fundraiser to raise money for the charities under the umbrella of Community Chest. From her early days as a restaurant critic to representing Singapore…

The path to becoming a fine artist is seldom a straight line, a truth vividly embodied by Singaporean artist Wyn-Lyn Tan. With an initial academic pursuit in business, a stint as a lifestyle magazine writer, and finally a full-time dedication to fine arts, Tan’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of a calling and the courage to answer it. “I’ve always known I wanted to do something in art, and one day realised that ‘hey, it’s now or never’,” she says, reflecting on her decisive leap into the art world. Educated at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and later at the Art Academy in Tromsø, Tan’s multicultural and multidisciplinary background is a rich palette from which she draws her…

DOUBLE THE PLAYFULNESS Two of Japan’s designers of the moment have joined forces to blend fashion and art. Kenzo’s artistic director Nigo tapped Verdy, the graphic designer behind Tokyo-based brand Girls Don’t Cry, to collaborate on his spring-summer 2024 collection. Known for his bold, playful designs and vibrant colours, and bringing influences from skateboarding, hip-hop and manga to his graphics, Verdy incorporated stylised versions of the maison’s motifs into a collection of varsity cardigans, dresses, denim and softly tailored pieces. ELEGANT ESSENTIAL While Sofia Richie and Gigi Hadid may have put this ultimate stealth wealth accessory in the spotlight, it is its understated elegance that ensures its timeless appeal. The Loro Piana Extra Bag, the roomier iteration of the signature Extra Pocket Pouch bag, has quickly become an It-girl favourite.…

PRETTY CRAFTY We’re always here for a bit of shine, but there’s a balance to be struck between shimmer for the sake of it and elegance. Fashion houses are mastering incorporating delicate embroidery, refined beadwork and subtle sequins into modern silhouettes and accessories, adding a touch of sophistication without overwhelming the design. LONG CURVES In pre-spring lookbooks and on spring 2024 runways, we saw designers emphasising the waistline—especially in suits and tailored pieces—but without corsetry or similarly constraining design. Creating curves this season is all about the cut. TIE IT UP The fashion world is still obsessed with bows, but delicate knot details are also popping up more in both women’s and men’s fashion this season. At Balenciaga, trench coats are more stylish closed with a belt, while kimono-style jackets…

AVANT GARDE The Open Gear Flying Tourbillon Underworld by Chronoswiss is an extremely limited edition, with only 15 released. The 44mm stainless steel model features a black hand-guillochéd dial that sets the stage for the purple movement. Its key feature is a flying tourbillon positioned at six o’clock. The alligator leather strap glows with a luminous purple tinge in the darkness, providing an air of mystery; the hue extends to the unique purple CVD coating on the Côtes de Genève-embellished main plate. The timepiece is powered by the Chronoswiss manufacture calibre C.303, a semi-skeletonised, hand-wound movement with a power reserve of approximately 60 hours. BLUE BEAUTY Powered by Zenith’s El Primero high-frequency movement, this ocean-inspired timepiece displays 1/10th of a second on the dramatic metallic blue gradient dial representing the…

VACHERON CONSTANTIN A showcase of the brand’s expertise in engraving and enamelling, the new Metiers d’Art The Legend Of The Chinese Zodiac – Year Of The Dragon 40 mm watch is available in 950 platinum and 18K 5N pink gold (pictured), limited to 25 pieces each and featuring a Grand Feu enamel dial in deep blue and brown respectively. Taking pride of place on the watch face—where motifs depicting airflow and clouds create a dreamy, refined backdrop—is a delicately hand‑engraved dragon, a symbol of strength, luck and nobility, complete with some 300 scales and reaching for a hand‑engraved pearl, symbolising wisdom. There are no hands obstructing the view of the majestic beast; instead, there are four apertures indicating the hour, minute, day and date. PIAGET Piaget soars into the new…

A watch’s dial can serve as a fascinating canvas for artistic expression. Despite its size—or perhaps because of it—artists and artisans often captivate horology enthusiasts with what they can produce. To fully comprehend this, you need only look to the Memorable Places watches from Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department featured here. Part of the Récits de Voyages collection, which charts the expansionary journey of the house from its home in Geneva to different parts of the world, they feature on their faces exquisite miniature recreations—in three shades of gold, no less—of architectural landmarks in the East, representing key destinations in the brand’s journey into Asia: the Old Summer Palace as well as the Confucius Temple and the Imperial College museum in Beijing, China, and Angkor Thom in Cambodia. In a…

What originally drew you to jewellery design? My father [André Messika] is a diamond dealer; I joined him in his business in 2000. After a few years, I discovered that his industry was so stiff [and dramatic]. As a young girl, I [dreamt of creating] jewellery that could be cool and wearable every day. [I didn’t want] the designs to be too complicated. [I wanted] to pay tribute to the beauty of the diamonds … I really wanted to express the magic [of jewellery]: that’s why ours is [thin and] very flexible. You can transform a double ring into a single one; you can play with your jewellery, by having ear cuffs or diamonds for your nose or belt. I wanted to tell customers that you can be cool and…

K-EVERYTHING THE RISE OF KOREAN CUISINE It’s everywhere—music, television, film, and now, gastronomy. As the Hallyu wave continues to take the world by storm, Korean cuisine has followed suit, be it the intricacies of palace cuisine or the satisfying sear of Korean barbecue. If you need any indication that the K-food wave is coming on strong, just cast your gaze to Seoul, where the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 awards ceremony will be held this March. In the world of fine dining, Korean cuisine is already as important as its French or Japanese counterparts. Take Hansik Goo in Hong Kong, which earned its one Michelin star in 2022, just two years after its opening. Its head chef Steve Lee also clinched the Young Chef Award at the Michelin Guide Ceremony…

OFF MENU SWEET LEGACY AMI PATISSERIE For Japanese pastry chef Makoto Arami, desserts are no afterthought—and he showcases this in his brand-new Kyo-machiya-inspired concept on Scotts Road. A pastry-led chef ’s table discovery menu awaits where he fuses classic French techniques honed in the kitchens of renowned restaurants, including Beige Alain Ducasse Tokyo, with his Japanese heritage to create desserts that toe the line between sweet and savoury. Arami’s alcohol-infused seasonal fruit tarts are always a hit, especially the best-selling Shizuoka crown melon tart with layers of Cointreau vanilla custard within flaky filo tarte and crown melon balls for texture. Other creations such as the signature choux are exemplary of the chef ’s shokunin spirit, in the mastery of one’s craft. LOVE LOCAL PÂTISSERIE CLÉ Through Pâtisserie Clé (clé is…

GRANT ASHTON Asia’s Most Influential 2023 Founder, 67 Pall Mall Grant Ashton made a notable shift from finance to his passion: wine. His ambition: to build “the world’s foremost wine club”. In 2015, he launched 67 Pall Mall in London, turning a historic vacant building into a landmark for wine aficionados. In 2022, he opened its Singapore outpost. “I am passionate about our mission to bring a wider range of wines and wine knowledge to Singapore.” His plans for growth are ambitious. More club locations are underway in Beaune and Bordeaux, France. A prime site has also been secured in Melbourne’s renowned shopping district, often referred to as the “Paris‑end of Collins Street”. 67 Pall Mall will introduce the En Primeur membership this year. “This will open our membership base…

Less than two per cent of annual global philanthropic giving goes towards preventing climate change, according to research by ClimateWorks Foundation. The research is part of the first Asia‑focused climate philanthropy report by the World Economic Forum’s Giving to Amplify Earth Action initiative, and was launched at the COP28 Singapore Pavilion in Dubai in December last year in collaboration with Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA) and ClimateWorks Foundation. It highlights the importance of philanthropic‑public‑private partnerships when it comes to addressing climate and nature challenges in Asia and beyond. Funders in Asia see opportunities in expanding funding across various sectors, identifying gaps across nature and energy sectors, and enabling environmental strategies. A collective approach is the way forward to solving climate challenges, says PAA CEO Lim Seok Hui: “The multi‑stakeholder value chain…

FEATURE On February 10 this year, many around the world will celebrate Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year. Unlike New Year’s Day, which always falls on January 1 of the most widely used Gregorian calendar, the date for Chinese New Year is determined by the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar, which indicates the moon phase and the time of the solar year—the position of the sun in the Earth’s sky. These are calculated separately and then synchronised. The year 2024 is also the Year of the Dragon, as every year in the Chinese calendar is associated with one of the 12 zodiac animals. Reading a specific date in the Chinese calendar is combined with the zodiac sign, element, yin or yang…

What is the biggest strength you bring to the business? That I was never raised and educated to become what I am today. That may not be a strength for other brands, but for Richard Mille, it’s different. The first time I [started working in] the luxury world, I was 27 years old. I [had been] to law school, and [then] to cinema school to graduate as a film director. But in those [subjects], I was taught to analyse everything and understand it [from an artistic point of view]: how to analyse text in a movie and translate that into emotion. When you’re a brand director, how can you take your inspiration, an emotion, and translate it into a watch that will be understood by everybody? When I entered the…

Many high-end watches from the past were often clunky and to be handled with great care, up till Richard Mille made his unforgettable debut in 2001 by slamming his first timepiece, the RM 001 tourbillon watch, to the ground. After it absorbed that devastating impact, monsieur Mille showed the bewildered onlookers at the now-defunct watch and jewellery trade show Baselworld that the six-figure watch continued to keep time. By leveraging high-tech proprietary case materials and a circuitous system of cables and shock absorbers, the intrepid Frenchman introduced watches that shunted fragility in favour of ultra-toughness—slim and lithe accessories that could be worn for any activity. He emphasised that his watches could withstand immense G-force, by strapping them to the wrists of top athletes, and this was how the Richard Mille…

1 THE WATCH Express your love for the queen in your life with Breguet’s Reine de Naples 8925 Valentine’s Day Edition. Limited to 28 numbered pieces, the watch features striking red accents on an elegant white mother-of-pearl dial, with tiny red hearts marking the hours. 2 THE CLOCK The Tiffany Taxi clock, the latest horological creation from Tiffany and Co takes inspiration from the New York City taxicabs of the 1950s. With details such as a tailfin fender and a yellow taxi sign in its design, the clock is hand-crafted from aluminium with a Tiffany Blue body. It is equipped with two independent movements: one keeps the time, which is displayed on rotating stainless-steel disks on the hood of the car, and the other powers the “engine”, where the pistons…

Sometimes, life’s mission comes calling in the most unexpected of places. Daniel Thong’s aha moment happened during his university days in London when he was hunting for a home cleaning service. After finding one through an app, it made him wonder if he could develop his own version in Singapore. The end goal? To help uplift the lives of frontline workers. Fast forward to 2024, and Thong is now the co-founder and CEO of Nimbus Facility Services. The online B2B and B2C property management platform allows enterprise owners and residential users to book cleaning and management services. With a 200-strong workforce and a footprint that recently extended to Melbourne, Nimbus was recognised as one of the fastest-growing companies in Singapore by Statista and The Straits Times in January. Since establishing…

ONE TO KNOW David Gan is the first to admit that he is hardly a beach person. But at the height of the pandemic in 2020, when travel borders were shut and Singapore initiated the circuit breaker, the 31-year-old co-founder and executive chairman of home-grown hospitality group Tipsy Collective found himself dreaming of a beach getaway over conversations with close friend Derek Ong, the group’s late co-founder. “This idea really resonated with us because we were stuck in Singapore and the only place where we could feel like we were overseas was in Sentosa,” he says, adding that beach clubs for them recalled memories of drinking by the beach in Bali, for instance, and just having a good time with friends. This yearning for a beach holiday became the seed…

It was as quiet as the grave in the main hall of Hong Kong’s M+ museum when Park Chan-wook strode in for his film masterclass in December last year—a very deliberate metaphor when it comes to the award-winning South Korean director best known for his canon of brutally violent cinema. Park’s rare visit to Hong Kong was to promote his latest feature film Decision to Leave (2022), which is his first release in six years. Fans, museum staff and the media were curious to see what new and twisted method he would employ to sentence his characters to death after three decades of bewildering imaginations—the antagonist in Oldboy (2003) puts a bullet in his brain; in Lady Vengeance (2005), a child murderer is mutilated by the victims’ families who queue…

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 7010/1R-013 is a reimagining of the original quartz model that features a 32mm rose gold case with a wave pattern on a purple lacquered dial, a blend of refined aesthetics and classic design. The case, inspired by a porthole, showcases alternating polished and satin finishes, enhancing its visual appeal. The bezel is adorned with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds adding up to 0.8 carats. Completing the look is a rose-gold bracelet with a Nautilus fold-over clasp. From peacock feathers to horsehair marquetry: take your pick from these artistic masterpieces…

By all counts, Rolex is a behemoth. Long-term vision is at the heart of the Rolex philosophy and the company’s various activities. Its core values – a passion for quality, a taste for innovation, and a quest for excellence – are based upon concepts of longevity that define its mission across all its activities. It has always been the company’s mission to manufacture watches that support human achievement. These achievements now incorporate sustainable development to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Every day, Rolex takes action to contribute to this crucial collective effort. Long before sustainability entered the public consciousness, or became a buzzword, creating durable products was already part of the Rolex playbook. Its watches, as we know, are…

In the world of luxury watches, the Swiss have been the longstanding benchmark for their unparalleled precision, quality and craftsmanship. With such an esteemed history and reputation, it can be difficult for watch brands from other parts of the world to make their mark, especially from countries that are perceived to be newer to the watch industry such as those in Asia. But that has not stopped Singaporean entrepreneur Benjamin Chee from taking up the challenge. Over the past 12 years, he founded three watch brands and, on top of that, has been proudly flying the flag for Asian watchmaking. While studying law at university in London, Chee developed a passion for history and design, which eventually led to him venturing into the watch business. “Living in London, I was…

Watch influencers and dedicated watch appreciation accounts are aplenty on social media—and there is certainly one for every kind of horological enthusiast. Still, it is very much a male-dominated space, even though things are changing with the rise of more female watch collectors such as Deborah Wong and Stephanie Soh. The close friends are co-founders of TickTockBelles (@ticktockbelles), a women-centric timepiece appreciation community that they started on Instagram in 2022. “We aim to support women’s interests in watch collecting by promoting watch appreciation as a passion and timepiece collecting as a hobby,” shares Wong, who is a business development leader in the IT industry. “Our vision is to forge a gender-friendly watch community that embraces the female collector.” The bulk of TickTockBelles’ content centres on showcasing how watches, ranging from…

Boucheron has managed to combine the essence of luxury with unconventional designs once again. Korean actor Han So-hee wore the Once in a Blue Moon necklace at the brand’s exhibition in South Korea last November: a white-gold necklace with a rare 5.28 carat cushion-cut tanzanite from Tanzania as the centrepiece. The tanzanite’s deep blue hue is complemented by 1,039 shimmering round diamonds totalling 23.39 carats, while decorative lacquer in shades of blue and black adds bold pops of colour. With its mix of precious gemstones and innovative design details, this creation is a playful work of wearable art. Bold and beautiful engagement rings to profess your larger-than-life love…

FEATURE While sitting together in the VIP room of Boucheron’s newly refurbished boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands in December, Hélène Poulit-Duquesne tells us that it was her first time in Singapore. It comes as a surprise given that the French native is a veteran of the luxury industry, having started her career at LVMH before joining Cartier in 1998, where she worked until 2015 when she took on her current role of CEO at Boucheron. This visit is significant and also emblematic of Poulit-Duquesne’s plans for Boucheron. While the Paris-based jeweller is a prestigious name in Singapore, it has not shared quite the same prominence that other brands of its status have here. But this is changing under Poulit-Duquesne’s leadership, not just in Singapore and Asia but…

With her straight black hair pulled neatly into a low ponytail, a shy smile and a plainT-shirt hanging off her petite frame, Funa Nakayama came across as any other quiet teenager as she politely waited her turn at the skateboarding rink in Hong Kong’s Hysan Place. Nakayama, along with a few other Japanese skateboarders, visited the city in November last year for Lee Gardens’ Skateboard Fest. Once she mounted her skateboard, however, it was like she flipped a switch. Leaning her body forward, she propelled herself down the slope and flew off a platform with a dexterous command of her board and an air of self-assurance. Then, she popped her board and slid smoothly on a ledge before ending her ride with a powerful flip trick. But this was only…

The best thing about Stavanger is … the proximity to mesmerising nature attractions and fjords, as well as the quaint and cosy atmosphere due to its smaller population [as] compared to [that in] bustling cities. And, of course, the lifestyle and slower pace. My favourite restaurant is … Re-naa—not that I am biased or anything. It’s the only two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Norway, which offers creative play with flavours inspired by the best produce available from the culinary region of Rogaland. At the restaurant, the main focus is using the best produce from the sea, fjords, forests and mountains in the fertile and generous region of the west coast of Norway to create innovative dishes with good flavours that represent the region and country. My favourite supper spot is … home,…