Category: People

Jimmy Choo talks about fashion, passions and everything in between

Jimmy Choo

It’s not everyday that you get to meet someone who’s in history books. So when world-renowned designer Jimmy Choo came to town to speak at the ‘Fashion Challenges’ Business Conference for Fashion Asia 2017, we just had to grab the opportunity to talk to the living legend about all things fashion.

You have had the most successful career spanning decades. What are your passions that still drive you?

Designing shoes is not a livelihood for me, it’s my passion. My clients have become my friends and staunch loyalists over the decades. Now their daughters come to me to get their shoes made for special occasions.

After I sold the rights to my brand Jimmy Choo, I formed another company Zhou Yang Jie, after my Chinese name that my mother had given me. I have had the honour to design for royalty, pop artists, key influencers, movie stars and so on.

But for me right now, teaching is the most important thing. Educating young designers so that they can find their own foothold in this immensely competitive industry is what drives me everyday.

Tell us more about your mentoring programmes.

I have been mentoring young designers for quite some time now. As a footwear education ambassador at London College of Fashion and as a spokesperson for British Council, I try to reach out to a lot of international students. I have also been chosen as a director in The Diana Award’s Mentoring Programme.

In the recent past, I have been proud to mentor Illiza Ho, who used to work as my assistant designer. Every time my students do well, my heart fills with pride. Mentoring is a big responsibility; you have to put your heart and soul into it.

You have received so many rewards and recognition. Is there any that stands out?

I have been lucky enough to get a lot of love and respect from people. Yes, of course, getting an OBE or a Datuk (highest honour in Malaysia) is a humbling experience. But for me, my biggest reward is that children in my home country read about me in their history books. It makes me proud to think that even when I pass away, kids in Malaysia would read about me and know about my work. To me, there’s no award or recognition that can top that.

With a consumer shift towards affordable luxury segments in 2017, how do you think the luxury fashion industry will fare in the future?

High-end fashion is still very much in demand. Luxury products do have an aspirational value. Of course, you’ll probably get cheaper items which also look good in their own right, but the quality is definitely not the same. People who seek high-end fashion become loyalists of their favourite brands over time. My clients, who over the years have become my friends, keep coming back for new shoes. I think, as long as luxury fashion houses keep coming up with new ideas, new stories and new innovations, the market for luxury fashion will continue to thrive.

With increased competition and shorter fashion seasons, how do designers fight the creativity crisis?

Indeed, with more design schools coming up, there are a lot of new players in the fashion industry. However, the sad part is that most of them are one-season miracles. To last out in the fashion industry, one has to have genuine talent and insight. The crisis in creativity is real, but not something that can’t be overcome.

Thank you.

Interview by Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

 

Of Land and Sea: Azimut and Apollo party a true VIP event

Luxury yacht maker Azimut and Apollo, the boutique hypercar manufacturer, hosted an exclusive event at the Hong Kong Yacht Club to celebrate their newest products. Azimut unveiled its latest Grande 27 Metri design, while Apollo put the spotlight on Intensa Emozione, a V12 superleggera automobile. Local celebrities and socialites turned up in full force for this unique event including Cantopop star Pakho Chau, singer/actress Shiga Lin, model Zelia Zhong, JW and Kelvin Kwan.

From start to finish, Azimut and Apollo pulled out all the stops to ensure the celebrations were truly memorable. The evening began with Hong Kong celeb Julian Cheung serenading guests with a live set atop the Azimut Grande 27 Metri. Dinner entertainment featured a procession of seven Azimut yachts through Victoria Harbour near the venue, much like models walking down a fashion runway. The VIPs were even treated to a first look at Apollo’s stunning new flagship Intensa Emozione hypercar.

Nelson Piquet Jr makes Jaguar team debut at HK Formula E

The streets of Hong Kong played host to the FIA Formula E electric race series for the second time last weekend. Ten teams representing top automotive brands from around the world participated in what was the first race of the 2017-2018 season. Among the eager drivers clamouring for a podium position was Nelson Piquet Jr, the winner of the E-Prix’s inaugural series in 2015.

Coming from a strong familial racing heritage – his father, Nelson Piquet Sr, won three Formula One championships – Piquet Jr made his Panasonic Jaguar team debut this year, placing fourth in the first race. His teammate Mitch Evans went on to grab a prized podium spot the following day.

We sat down with Nelson Piquet Jr to find out more about his passion for racing, his views on Formula E, and his hopes for the Panasonic Jaguar team.  

Edible Stories: Creative culinary flair helps Tate keep Michelin star

Tate features delicious French-Cantonese fusion cuisine

Few fine dining restaurants are abuzz with activity on a Wednesday night, especially when the eight-course tasting menu promises to set you back some HK$1,600. However, Tate Dining Room & Bar manages to pull an elegant crowd even on weeknights, with diners flocking to try the restaurant that has won a Michelin star every year since its inception in 2012.

Tate, a French-Cantonese fusion restaurant in Sheung Wan, is the brainchild of Vicky Lau, an NYU Graphic Communications graduate who indulged her love for food at Le Cordon Bleu Bangkok. “I discovered that food, as a medium of expression, was a far more liberating canvas to explore creativity because of the added dimensions of taste and smell,” says Lau.

Chef Vicky Lau heads Tate

Last March, Tate re-opened its doors after relocating from its “humble” home on Elgin Street to a space twice its size on Hollywood Road. On the first floor, a neon light blinks at you from the street, spelling out “POEM”. At this patisserie celebrating the iconography of Hong Kong, Lau collaborates with pastry chef Nocar Lo to create delicate pastries and chocolates inspired by the city’s nostalgic flavours (think oolong tea mousse and chocolate red date cake). On the second level, a staircase opens up to a space not unlike a contemporary art gallery.

Lau is in the kitchen, hard at work less than a year after giving birth to daughter Kory. “Since moving to Sheung Wan we’re serving more customers every night,” she says. “We are constantly changing; in the culinary scene the only constant is change.”

Sleek Tate interiors

The latest menu, entitled Odes to, is inspired by Chilean poet-diplomat Pablo Neruda. It begins with Ode to Balance: marinated hiramasa (yellowtail kingfish sashimi) with yuzu cream, avocado and cucumber ice cream. Our group thought it was a strong start; subjected to a democratic vote, the fresh first course tied with the chicken rice risotto as the overall favourite.

The Ode to Nostalgia risotto – cooked in a supreme chicken broth with goji berry – would appeal more to Asian palates. The hot and comforting dish is an interpretation of oriental classics such as drunken chicken and rice congee.

Tate features delicious French-Cantonese fusion cuisine

Other highlights of the menu included a 10 vegetables broth poured over pan-fried red mullet fish and the generously marbled Kagoshima beef striploin with Sichuan puree. The latter, however, drew mixed reactions. Some appreciated the fatty meat, while others declared it a heart attack waiting to happen.

The lettuce-wrapped, pan-fried foie gras was a paragon of fusion cuisine: shaped like a dumpling, the leaf pocket was stuffed with dried mushroom, then steamed and deliciously paired with pine nut cream. Cantonese specialties, including dai lin abalone with vegetable ribbons and scallop espuma with fermented tofu butter, were other welcome additions to the menu.

Ode to Bees creation at Tate restaurant

Unfortunately, the dessert – an apple espuma with fermented apple and apple pie ice cream – was underwhelmingly bland. However, the mignardise (bite-sized sweets) saved the day with its assortment of honeyed creations. Aptly named Ode to Bees, the macaroons and confections – served in a beehive-shaped plate tower – wowed both visually and sapidly.

The menu unveils itself much like an art exhibition, with a story behind each dish. Lau calls her approach “culinary expressionism”, and it is this creative outlook that helped her land the title of Hong Kong’s only female chef with a Michelin star.

Tate serves up pretty dishes like Ode to Nostalgia

An optional wine pairing (HK$480/3 glasses or HK$780/6 glasses) consists of carefully curated labels hailing mainly from France. An eight-course vegetarian menu (HK$1,380) “for lovers of Mother Nature’s treasures” is also available.

“I am truly honoured to be considered among the ranks of the greats,” says Lau.

Tate's new address in Sheung Wan

A trip to Tate is truly an immersion in gastronomy and design. Lau’s harmony of art, science and story-telling continues to produce a winning formula which all but assures Tate’s tables will remain full for many more weeknights to come.

Tate Dining Room and Bar. 210 Hollywood Rd, Sheung Wan. Dinner 7pm to 11pm (closed on Sundays). +852 2555 2172, +852 9468 2172. info@tate.com.hk, tate.com.hk

Text: Julienne C. Raboca
Images: Tate

Former tennis star John Hui on pro career and helming the relaunched Fleming Hotel

Gafencu gets up close and personal with John Hui. Hong Kong’s top-ranked tennis player is now growing into his new role as owner and managing director of The Fleming – a revitalised boutique hotel in the heart of Wan Chai.

Let’s start at the beginning – when did you start playing tennis professionally?

I was 15 when my parents approached me and asked, ‘Do you want to quit school and play full-time?’ Back then I was already on the junior circuit, but being a typical teenager, I thought, ‘No school? Hell yeah!’

Reality didn’t quite match the fantasy, though. For a year, I travelled all over with my coach; I didn’t really get to experience teenage life. After that, I continued to play but was also homeschooled.

Instead of turning pro in my teens, I went to college for four years at Pepperdine University in California. They have an incredibly rich history in tennis and my coach there was excellent. He’s still coaching today and is probably one of the most successful instructors at the collegiate level.

At 20, I decided to take the plunge and competed for four years. I loved it and have no regrets. I’d started when I was 12 and didn’t stop until 24. After I went pro, I’d train for four to seven hours per day including off-court work. It was extremely tough, both mentally and physically.

You are the most successful Hong Konger yet to compete in pro tennis – attaining an overall ATP ranking of 157 at the age of 24. How did you achieve this feat?

I discovered my passion when I was very young. Obviously, you have to love the sport. I lived for tennis and put my blood, sweat and tears into it. Like any sport, if you don’t have the passion for it you’re not going to be any good. You have to have the hunger. A solid foundation and the desire to improve are essential.

Good guidance is also key. When I went to Pepperdine I was lucky enough to have not one, but two world-class coaches who influenced my decision to turn pro.

Was there a particular catalyst for your decision to shift career paths from professional sports to the hospitality industry?

Eventually I got to a point in my career when I had to decide whether to continue playing for the next decade or switch professions. I believed I had done quite well in tennis, having achieved a certain ranking, so I decided to retire from the sport, return to Hong Kong, get married and pursue hotel management.

What made the redevelopment of The Fleming hotel such a special project?

For a long time, my family operated the property as a serviced apartment. I convinced them to convert it into a hotel in order to capitalise on our proximity to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. ‘Fleming 1.0’ was focused on business travellers.

For the current iteration, I wanted to develop a hotel property that stayed true to Hong Kong. We didn’t want to take those New York and LA properties and shoehorn them into a completely different city.

Why did you choose to partner with Max Dautresme for the re-launch of The Fleming?

We met several overseas and local designers but felt a strong connection with Max. He designed restaurants that I’d always enjoyed going to like Bibo and The Ocean. Max is a passionate designer and – this being his first hotel – he was as excited about this project as we were.  

You’ve said that your goal is to launch a hotel that authentically represents Hong Kong. How has that been achieved?

When you arrive, right from the get-go, it’s unmistakably a Hong Kong hotel. In the concierge area, you’ll notice a narrow twisting passageway that’s reminiscent of back alleys in Kowloon. In reception, you’ll see bamboo walls and post boxes that hark back to old Hong Kong. Our rooms follow the dimensions of ferry cabins; even small things like the umbrellas were designed to resemble Chinese oil parasols. Much of the furniture throughout the hotel is reversible, much like the seating on the Star Ferry!

You’ve known your wife, Jacklyn Fu, since the age of 12. How have you two managed to maintain such a long and successful relationship? 

We used to play tennis together in Hong Kong. When we were 16, we won two of the big local competitions as partners in the mixed doubles category. There are many ups and downs in marriage – you have to be able to give and take. It’s not always easy raising three fast-growing kids, so it’s important to help one another.  

Do any of your children have a talent for tennis?

Well, my eldest son is on the national tennis squad for Hong Kong, and my youngest was on the national team for wushu. I play casually with them but that’s about it – it’s extremely hard to coach your own children. I read an article recently about Bjorn Borg. He never even watched his son play tennis! As for my daughter, she loves gymnastics and dance. Each one of them has diverse hobbies, which is great. 

Thank you.

Text: Randalph Lai

Hidden Treasures: Yusuke Takada wows and challenges with Épure pop-up menu

French fine dining establishment Épure welcomed Chef Yusuke Takada from two Michelin star La Cime for a special pop-up event last weekend. For three nights, the Osaka-based chef devised an eight-course extravaganza designed to challenge preconceptions of French-Japanese cuisine.

Where most high-end restaurants plate dishes to show off whatever delicacy is on offer, Chef Takada’s creative offerings were more akin to a game of culinary hide-and-seek.

His Sea Urchin, Crab, Kobucha, Yuba was a prime example. Much like an iceberg, the layers of crab and yuba (tofu skin) were submerged under a kombucha-flavoured foam leaving just the sea urchin to peak through the top. The complexity of this multilayered appetiser was only revealed with the first bite.

Ditto the La Royale Oyster, Endive, Mojama, covered in a coating of surprisingly subtle goat cheese and walnut shavings, the Crevettes, a reinterpretation of prawn sushi using glutinous rice and hidden under a layer of amaranth leaves, and the beautifully plated Blue Lobster, cocooned in purple lettuce leaves and served with kumquats and squash.   

The main fish and meat courses were a more straightforward affair. The former was an Amadai fish steak topped with cockles and Jerusalem artichoke slices. The latter featured perfectly marbled melt-in-your-mouth A3 Kagoshima Wagyu Beef accompanied by taro and bresaola.

But lest anyone’s taste buds got too comfortable with conventional flavours, Chef Takada whipped up some truly eyebrow-raising desserts. The milder of the two was a blue cheese and caramel blend sandwiched by succulent pear slices. But the true stunner was the rather dubiously named Chestnut, Beer, Malt, featuring Guiness beer and malt whipped to a custard-like consistency paired with a whole chocolate-covered chestnut.

Chef Yusuke Takada showcased his legendary skills and creative culinary genius with his Épure tasting menu. Each course had hidden depths, both literally and figuratively, and featured non-traditional interplay of textures and flavours designed to challenge diners’ preconceived notions on French-Japanese cuisine. It comes as no surprise, then, that the three-day event at Épure sold out two months in advance.

Text: Tenzing Thondup

 

On Taps: Gessi unveils new Equilibrio and Inciso collections

Luxury Italian bathroom specialist Gessi showcased several new lines including its nature-inspired Equilibrio taps and industrial Inciso collection at a special cocktail party held at long-time partner colourliving’s expansive showroom in Wanchai. Gian Luca Gessi, son of brand founder Umberto Gessi and the company’s President, was on hand for the special occasion. 

Already renowned in Europe for transforming bathrooms into emotive personal spaces, Gessi’s luxury products were first introduced to Hong Kong in 1992 thanks to colourliving’s efforts.

“Colourliving has been a fantastic partner for Gessi for over 20 years,” shared Ilker Mat, Gessi’s Commercial Director, “Colourliving matches our philosophy 100% in terms of design, products and the storytelling approach, which is essential to selling a luxury product.”

The fruits of this partnership were clearly demonstrated as the city’s elite flocked to the special cocktail party introducing the Equilibrio and Inciso collections. Guests were treated to music performances, speeches and live demonstrations throughout the night.

The unique rock formations which inspired the Equilibrio taps were a big hit with attendees. “Equilibrio was born in the wild,” explained Gian Luca Gessi, “the inspiration came from the best designer in the world – Mother Nature.”

Gessi also debuted its new Inciso line at the party. Crafted in partnership with American designer David Rockwell, the Inciso (Italian for engraving) collection merges industrial-era materials with artistic engravings for a truly contemporary finish.

To see Gessi’s Inciso, Equilibrio, Rettangulo K or 316 collections, drop by colourliving’s showroom in Wanchai or its website: http://www.colourliving.com/.

 

Larry Jewelry and Lotus Arts de Vivre introduces dazzling Asian-inspired jewellery

Larry Jewelry CEO Mandy Lam and Lotus Arts de Vivre founder Rolf van Beuren jointly hosted an intimate party to unveil a stunning new collection of Asian-inspired jewellery and accessories. We caught up with Lam to learn about the collection, and what’s next for the Hong Kong jewellery company

How did the partnership between Larry Jewelry and Lotus Arts de Vivre come about?

Larry Jewelry has established itself as one of the city’s finest jewellery retailers for over fifty years. This year we implemented a new ‘Silk Road’ strategy where we will bring unique jewellery pieces from every region between China to Egypt.

Thailand was the first target of this Silk Road strategy. We scoured the country for the best jewellery house with unique designs that our clientele haven’t encountered before. Lotus Arts de Vivre and its stunning Asian-inspired creations perfectly fit our bill. 

What is your favourite piece from the Lotus Arts de Vivre collection on display?

I love the Wing Scarab Cluster Earrings with pink tourmaline diamonds. Its amazing green colour was inspired by the scarab beetles prized by ancient Egyptians.  

What other partnerships can we look forward to from Larry Jewelry?

The next instalment of our Silk Road plan focuses on China. We’re working with some extremely skilled jewellers to create a new collection with Chinese-inspired pieces. I don’t want to reveal too much, but I can tell you that pandas are one of our main themes.

What else does Larry Jewelry have planned for the future?

As you know, Larry Jewelry pieces are usually reserved for the city’s elite. Each item is only accessible to the wealthiest segment of society and worn only on special occasions. Next year we are aiming to launch a new line of jewellery that will deliver high quality designs at a more affordable price, items that you can wear everyday. This will allow us to target an even bigger market segment.

Thank you.

The Lotus Arts de Vivre collection will be available at Larry Jewelry until the end of December this year.  

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Gigi Ip, Larry Jewelry

Interior design guru Eric Fung on his career, inspirations and his own home

Eric Fung, Chief Design Director of EF Design Limited, reveals how he tackles the quintessentially Hong Kong problem of home designing in limited spaces, as well as balancing his personal artistic vision with client preferences.

Sitting in the living room of his picturesque Marinella residence, the interior design guru also chats with Gafencu about the inspirations behind its layout, with a special focus on his daughters’ room and his treasured Memories Wall.

Home-grown ballet sensation dazzles at Prix de Lausanne

At just 15 years old, Hong Kong-born ballerina Christiana de Blank has danced her way to become the city’s first ever female semi-finalist at the internationally renowned Prix de Lausanne ballet competition!

For the uninitiated, the prestigious Prix de Lausanne selects just 80 ballet up-and-comers to participate in a week-long competition in Switzerland. Winners are awarded scholarships and access to funds to springboard them into a professional classical ballet career. With world-famous alums like Darcey Bussel, Alina Cojocaru, Miyako Yoshida and Carlos Acosta, it is easy to understand why aspiring ballerinas clamour for a chance to compete.

This makes de Blank’s achievement all the more impressive, but not unexpected given her unique upbringing. At four years old, she stepped into her first ballet class. By age 10, Christiana had already decided to dedicate her life to dance.

Since then, de Blank has trained intensively at the HK Youth Ballet Academy under the careful tutelage of a team led by Mr. So Hon Wah, the city’s first and only male dancer to date to become a Prix de Lausanne semi-finalist in 1989. She has also performed in soloist and principal roles in several of the Academy’s productions.

De Blank will be starring as Princess Aurora in the upcoming production of Sleeping Beauty (9-10 December) before heading back to Switzerland for the Prix de Lausanne Finals.