Max Mara opens new store in IFC Mall with star-studded cocktail reception

Max Mara opened its new store in the IFC Mall with a cocktail reception attended by guests wearing the latest designs by the Italian fashion house.

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Based on the brand’s flagship store in London Old Bond Street, the boutique was designed by Duccio Grassi Architects and covers over 2000sqm.

The reception was attended by Sammi Cheng, Korean Star Ha Ji-won, Jennifer Tse, Yen Kuok, Michelle Ong Cheung, Maya Lin and Denise Yeung, among others.

The event featured a menu designed by Andrea Accordi, the Executive Chef of Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, and Max Mara is selling 66 white Manuela coats made from 100% cashmere to celebrate the new store.

Macau Award Night: An evening to remember

The recent Gafencu Award Night in Macau was a time to celebrate the achievements of some of the city’s outstanding individuals, but it was also an occasion for friends to come together and enjoy the live entertainment, fine dining and, of course, the free-flow booze.

Held at the Four Seasons Hotel Macao, the exclusive guest-list at the award night was filled with recognisable faces who took full advantage of the event to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

Guests at the event included Jonathan Wong, Narcisa Pheres, Real Ting and many more.

Designer Addy van den Krommenacker showcases collection at Dutch Days

The Consulate General of the Netherlands and Asia Week Hong Kong celebrated the Dutch Days in Hong Kong last month. To kick-start the festival, the highly anticipated Addy van den Krommenacker Fashion Show was held at the Consulate-General’s residence in Hong Kong. Acclaimed designer Krommenacker showcased a selection from his Fall 2016/2017 range named ‘Bosch by Addy’. The collection is inspired by the iconic Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch.

Chopard takes guests out of this world at Cannes SPACE Party

Chopard hosted one of the most eagerly-anticipated events of the Cannes Festival last week, SPACE Party.

The exclusive event was attended by a veritable who’s who of A-listers, including Julianne Moore, Rihanna, Will Smith, Eva Herzigova, Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid.

The party was hosted by Chopard’s Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele and the stars at the party fully embraced the “Galactic with a touch of diamond!” dress code.

“The Cannes Festival is a must for Chopard. Each year, I seek to dazzle my guests by offering them an original and unforgettable evening,” said Scheufele.

Guests enjoyed dinner served in a space shuttle, while models adorned in the latest red carpet creations from Chopard and wearing clothes by Elie Saab paraded past.

The evening was also a celebration of the collaboration between Chopard and Rihanna, who wore jewellery from the Rihanna ♥ Chopard collection earlier in the day at the festival.

The Outnet’s Andres Sosa talks women’s online fashion

With the ever-increasing number of fashion stores and outlets in Hong Kong, traipsing up and down the hilly roads looking for the perfect outfit can turn into a hike. For women who prefer not to break a sweat when looking for new clothes, online retailer The Outnet makes shopping a little bit easier.

Established in 2009 by the same people who founded Net-a-Porter, The Outnet stocks over 350 previous-season fashion brands for women and is available on mobiles, tablets and desktops.

Andres Sosa, the executive vice president of the sales, marketing and creative department for The Outnet, was in Hong Kong recently. Sosa has more than 20 years of experience working in luxury fashion and he is responsible for developing globally integrated strategy and retail marketing for The Outnet’s global sales, marketing, creative and e-commerce teams.

We spoke to Sosa about who The Outnet customer is, the company’s global strategy and selling to the Asian market.

Who is The Outnet customer?

When we launched in 2009, we originally thought that The Outnet customer would sit in a younger demographic and be someone who might not initially be able to purchase luxury brands at full price – but we were soon proved wrong.

We know that our customer is savvy but she isn’t necessarily motivated by price as she shops for both current and previous-season fashion. She has a great lifestyle and travels on average six to nine times a year for leisure and is around 35-38 years of age.

For our customer, The Outnet is a reliable source of unique finds from her go-to designers. As a retailer, it is key for us to influence and help our customer without dictating to her, as we are aware she knows what she wants and is a confident shopper.

How do you build a relationship with a market when you have so many different markets? A customer in Asia is not necessarily going to be the same as in the Middle East.

Being able to understand the customer is so important for us. We have an incredible customer insights panel of over 10,000 people globally, who we reach out to regularly. This means we can create an overarching global strategy, which can then be easily adopted to each of the eight key markets we operate in.

Having this knowledge means that we know our customer so well. We have the ability to tell when and how she shops, what brands she loves the most and what she wants to see on site. For example, we know that brands such as Marni, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino and our in-house brand Iris & Ink all resonate highly with our Hong Kong customer.

Having access to this information means we are able to tailor our approach for different markets. We can react to the obvious factors such as the weather between the two hemispheres, but we can also employ geo-targeting for the region which enables us to personalise content and target specific designers and promotions for our customer. This also extends to the site as we are able to create home pages with different designer offerings in relation to the preference our customers have in different markets.

For example, Hong Kong customers will see designers in the dropdown menu which perform best in the region. We can also cater for key calendar moments, such as Chinese New Year and Singles Day. Having the opportunity to visit in-market also allows us to talk to customers first hand – we have a very hands-on approach. The customer is at the foundation of everything we do.

How has The Outnet been received by the Asian market?

Asia in general is a really interesting market for us and we were very lucky that our business grew quite organically, allowing us to garner a loyal and devoted customer base. Our challenge now is to continue to gather new customers whilst still ensuring that we speak to our original base, without trying to grow too fast.

It’s also important for us to drill down deeper in Asia and not to generalise – we know that our customers are very different across the Asian markets that we operate in. It’s really important for us to ensure we provide a strong selection of choice and variety. Offering high-end luxury brands that we know perform well locally alongside the contemporary brands provides a curated edit that really is the best in the marketplace. This combined with our discounts of up to 70 percent off makes us a compelling and exciting shopping prospect.

What exactly is the VIP Front Row initiative and is it available in Hong Kong?

We wanted to create a dedicated programme to reward and engage our high-spending and loyal customers, hence the birth of Front Row which is now in its second year of operation. We see great engagement from our Front Row members in Hong Kong. As a part of the initiative, we offer key functions and treats including private and preview sales, giving customers the opportunity to shop for coveted designers such as Balmain, Emilio Pucci and Valentino before they are uploaded to the site.

We also offer a Personal Assistant function which is our instant messaging service, giving our customer easy access to our dedicated customer service team who are on hand 24/7 to offer styling tips and to assist with any queries. They are also able to reserve products for VIPs wherever they are based in the world. Alongside this we offer invitations to in-market events such as our recent tours in Hong Kong at Art Basel and our intimate dinner with Para Site. (Click here to view the story)

What do you make of the retail landscape in Hong Kong?

It’s interesting for us as a brand and has huge potential as the shopper is so engaged and has a wealth of choice. Brick-and-mortar stores are still key, which you can see especially when you walk through Central – the wealth and breadth of stores is incredible, it’s a real consumers market. We know the trend of online retailing across APAC is at an all-time high and this is definitely the case in Hong Kong. It’s a really switched on and aware market, especially when it comes to technology, so it’s important for us to continue to drive forward and stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technology and shopping trends.

Are you optimised to sell via smartphones?

Very! We know that over 50 percent of our customers shop from mobile devices as she can do this whenever and wherever it suits her. We added the Android app to our digital offering late last year and we are excited to see the growth from the APAC market, especially as we know that within the region mobile use now over-indexes desktop, accounting for over 50 percent of sales in the region.

As a brand, the ongoing development of mobile-first technology is a key focus. We are continually updating our site, ensuring that we provide a seamless shopping experience across multiple platforms that resonates locally whilst continuing to speak to a worldwide audience.

What part of your job inspires you the most?

Can I say everything! I’m very lucky – being EVP of such a global brand allows me to travel regularly. Being in-market and seeing the current retail landscape and meeting customers first-hand is one part of my job that I find really inspiring – and then having the ability to translate this actionable strategy is the exciting part. Hearing our customers say such positive things about The Outnet really cements why we all come to work each day – it’s great to hear.

Who do you admire in fashion?

I think it would be hard to pinpoint just one person. I’ve been so lucky to have the opportunity to work with some really inspirational people throughout my career. You can admire people for so many things, for their vision and entrepreneurial skill through to their innate and amazing sense of style. That’s one of the best things about fashion and the creative industries, it’s such a fantastic melting point of so many different people – it can inspire every day.

Text: Andrew Scott

Enviable ensembles: The best dressed women from Macau Award Night

Award nights are the perfect occasion for those in attendance to show off their latest outfits and flaunt their style. And the “Time to Shine – The Inaugural Macau Award Night” was no different.

All of the guest at the glitzy event dressed to impress, which made picking out the best dressed women a tricky task, but we managed!

Check out our photos of the best dressed women from this year’s Macau Award Night and see if you agree with the picks.

Insta-cool: 13 best photos on Instagram from Macau Award Night

Guests at the recent “Time to Shine – The Inaugural Macau Award Night” showed off their photography skills with snaps from the exclusive event appearing on Instagram.

The Award Night was a chance for the VIPs in attendance to share photos of their dashing and beautiful outfits with their Instagram followers.

The snaps from the Four Seasons Hotel Macao also gave those who couldn’t make the event a sneak-peek at what was happening.

We have selected some of the best Instagram photos from the The Inaugural Macau Award Night.

Victoria Beckham unveils Puyi Wardrobe Pop-up Store in Hong Kong

Former Spice Girl and fashion icon Victoria Beckham was in Hong Kong this week to unveil the Puyi Wardrobe Pop-up Store in Pacific Place.

The internationally acclaimed designer spoke about her fashion philosophy, eyewear trends, styling tips and the must-haves she keeps in her wardrobe.

The event was attended by Jeffery Yau, chief executive officer of Puyi Optical, Dr Margaret Lee, Sabrina Ho and many more.

Puyi Optical is the exclusive distributor of the Victoria Beckham Eyewear collection.

The Puyi Wardrobe Pop-up Store is open until 21 May.

Dress to impress: Non-profit bids to keep cheongsam relevant

Cheongsam, for many, is the embodiment of a bygone era where older women would attend a formal event and spend the entire evening sitting or standing uncomfortably in the figure-hugging one-piece dress.

However, one non-profit organisation is trying to change this perception by reviving and fostering appreciation of cheongsam.

Cheongsam Connect, founded in 2015, recently held an event at the FCC to promote the traditional dress. The event was attended by seven designers who showcased the unique cheongsams they’d designed for the wives of consular generals from Finland, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Korea, Malaysia and Turkey.

The seven designers created unique designs of the traditional dress for each lady. One dress specially designed for the wife of the Irish consulate general, featured a shamrock pattern on lace and the green, white and orange colours of the Irish flag.

We spoke to one of the designers, Grace Choi, and co-founder of Cheongsam Connect Donna Cheung about how they promote cheongsam and how it’s marketed to younger women.

Designer Grace Choi

What’s your involvement with this event?

I designed a cheongsam for the Malaysian consulate general’s wife. I actually designed it for her to wear to a gala dinner event to show off cheongsam culture and my brand.

What made you quit a successful career as a model to start your company, Yi-Ming?

My life has been surrounded by fashion so I have learnt a lot about fashion, design, marketing and sales. A lot of my friends kept on asking me where to buy cheongsam. It was then that I realised it was a good market to get into because there is no real choice, especially in modern styles.

How is cheongsam received by younger women in Hong Kong?

It isn’t that popular to be honest. If you look at Japan where girls wear a kimono on the street, you don’t really see younger women wearing cheongsam here. They will only wear it for special occasions.

It is only really middle-aged women who wear cheongsam, but what about the younger generation? If the younger generation fails to embrace this culture then it will disappear. That’s why my designs are aimed at younger people.

How do you try to attract younger women?

This is where the design is really important and what sort of material I use. Traditionally with cheongsam, women will use a traditional tailor. But in the modern day, women don’t have the time to choose the fabric, go for a fitting and wait three months for the dress.

Now they can walk into a shop and get the size and walk out. It makes their life easy. If you don’t do it this way, then less and less women will choose to wear cheongsam. It needs to be suitable for this day and age.

How has western style influenced your cheongsam designs?

You can see a lot of western colour patterns and fabrics and materials. Usually the traditional cheongsam uses silk and patterns with a dragon, phoenix or flowers. I still use a lot of floral patterns but the design is slightly different. I will use my own photos of flowers and then put the digital print on the dress.

Also, stretchy fabric is really important. In the past a woman would have to wear the same bra when she goes for the fitting and when she wears the cheongsam. Nowadays we make cheongsam from flexible and stretchy fabric. It is also important that the cut isn’t too tight so a woman can sit down comfortably.

Cheongsam Connect co-founder Donna Cheung

What’s your role with Cheongsam Connect?

I co-founded Cheongsam Connect with Anita Tsang over two years ago. It happened by accident actually.

I attended a social dinner and we all decided to wear cheongsam, which was the first time I’d worn the dress in 40 years. During the dinner, I was taken in by the elegance of the women wearing their cheongsam and this opened my mind to this beautiful dress. Since then Anita and I have organised more social events to promote cheongsam.

How do you promote cheongsam?

We wear cheongsam for all occasions. Traditionally it is associated with formal wear: wedding banquets or galas. We try to advocate wearing it to work in a simple plain colour or a modest colour. To wear with jackets or on business trips and even luncheons and teas.

We also have young women who wear cheongsam for sport. A lady actually ran the Boston Marathon in one. I play ping pong in my stretchy, casual one.

Text: Andrew Scott

Claudia Shaw reveals how she juggles family, spirituality, writing and a successful career

Claudia Shaw is a buyer and head of style advisory for Chanel and has also co-authored two cookbooks.

As someone who was raised in Hong Kong, do you feel like it’s a good environment to grow up in?
Yes, I did and I do. I think a lot of people think of Hong Kong as a very dense city with not a lot of open spaces – but we have so many amazing and beautiful parks, mountain trails and beaches. I think that is a side of Hong Kong not many people realise we have. Growing up, I spent a lot of time outdoors. My mother is Austrian and we did a lot of hiking and swimming and that was all very much a part of my childhood. I always feel I was very fortunate to have grown up in a bustling metropolis that also has a great deal of nature and outdoor activities. So it was a great mixture of the two.

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We have so many country parks that are protected so you can actually walk and not see any high-rise buildings and find yourself out in nature where there are snakes and wild boar. Just the other day I was out walking and I came across a little python strewn across the path. And quite recently near my home I came across a wild boar rummaging right next to me and I just thought how incredible that is for such a busy city.

You are renowned for your style and your fashion sense. Is that something you have to work at?
I would say it comes quite naturally and it is not something I find incredibly difficult. I think that is because I am quite relaxed about it and I never try too hard to be something. I don’t follow fashion religiously or believe something is the style for the season so you must have it. When you are relaxed about things they come easier. It’s also about knowing your own style. I know what is comfortable and what works for me. I was also fortunate enough to grow up with a mother who had a great sense of style so I guess that was instilled in me.

How would you describe your sense of style?
I think there is a sense of timelessness to it and I feel like that is why my relationship with Chanel has been so long and solid, because it is very much my sort of style. I wouldn’t say it is simple but it is timeless. There is no wildness about it. It is not overtly anything but it has a very classic sophistication without being outdated.

You mentioned your relationship with Chanel, can you tell us what that entails and what it has meant to you?
It affords me a lot of interaction with people and that is what I have very much enjoyed over the years – not just with Chanel but also developing relationships with clients, giving them confidence and advising them to try different things to expand their horizons and step out of their comfort zones a little bit.

The other side of the industry is being involved in the buying. For example, going to Paris several times a year and really tapping into your creative side – not that I am creating, but you still feel the buzz and you feel the creativity, and that gives you a sense of excitement.

You also enjoy cooking and have written two cookbooks. What motivated you to do that?
It was quite simple actually. A friend and I were both sitting at lunch and discussing how we both love cooking, we both cook a lot for our families and we come from families where food is such an important part of daily life.

So we were talking about how much we enjoyed eating at each other’s houses and I think I mentioned that I would love to write a cookbook one day. Then we just said ‘let’s do it’ without thinking about whether it would be complicated or how we would go about it. It was just one of those things where nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.

You have used the proceeds of your books altruistically. Can you elaborate on that?
The first book benefitted a group of local charities and proceeds from the second book went to Room to Read (an organisation to improve literacy in the developing world). It’s about giving back. I feel that we are so fortunate and life should not always be about oneself. It should not just be about me. You need to ask, ‘What can I do to give back?’ I feel that is one of the great purposes of life.

Are charities something you feel strongly about?
I’m not sure I would say charities in particular but rather service, the act of giving back. How can I be – without sounding too lofty – of service to humanity? It’s this whole idea of giving and the idea that as you give, so shall you receive.

I understand spirituality is something that you are quite involved with?
For quite a few years I have been studying with a teacher who founded a meditation centre called the Samadi Training Centre for the Soul. It’s a place where you can go to connect and meditate, and for me that has been very grounding. It’s as if I have a world on the outside connected to people and society and beautiful clothes and glamour. And then I have a side that is very much focused on being centred and grounded in a much more spiritual way.

Are you religious?
I find religion quite man-made. There are a lot of rules and they can be quite exclusive whereas when I say ‘spirituality,’ it is inclusive of all religions.
I was brought up Catholic so I am very comfortable in a Catholic church. But I find religion and spirituality can be two different things.
I find organised religion too dogmatic. I am not sure God, being all benevolent, meant for us to live by all those rules.

What is a typical day for you?
Usually I am up quite early and I start with a morning meditation session for an hour. It is the perfect way to start the day. In the beginning, it was a little difficult with the early morning practice but even the Dalai Lama is up at 3:30 in the morning. When you talk to Buddhists they always say meditation should be done early in the morning because that is when your mind is the calmest and the energies in the world are the calmest.

You have a successful career and a public persona as well as a close family and your private persona. How do you manage to juggle all that?
Sometimes I feel a little frazzled and feel like I’m being pulled in different directions. But my spiritual practice has involved not letting the mind control feelings. If your energy is a certain way, that is the way you will think, so it is really about pacing yourself and prioritising. Sometimes family takes priority and other times work does, but the main thing is to avoid cutting corners.
Whatever you are doing, do it all the way and don’t move on to something else until you are done. Give 100 percent and stay in the present.

So you are not one of those people that wish there were more hours in the day?
Well yes there are times! Sometimes the outward persona is not what is happening on the inside! But you know what they also say: ‘Fake it ‘til you make it.’ There are those times when you have to pull yourself together and put the theory into practice.

What is your advice for women looking to enjoy a successful career and a family?
I think you have to do it because you love it. If you are doing it for any other reason and you are not happy doing it, you won’t be successful. I have to say in the beginning it was difficult juggling motherhood and work but I was really fortunate with Chanel in that they allowed me the time to be with my children so I feel I am successful at work but I wasn’t an all-out career woman. I had the ability to be with my children when I needed to be, thanks to the company. If I hadn’t had that freedom and if I had been made to choose one or the other, my kids would certainly have come first.

Has motherhood had a dramatic impact on you?
I think I became less self-centred. Before you have children life revolves around you, because you have no one else to be responsible for. When you have children life is about them and you come out of yourself and you have to think about someone else for a change. In the same vein at work, if you are not listening to your boss or your colleagues you are not a good employee.
I can’t imagine life without my kids. They drive you crazy sometimes but they are an absolute joy as well.

What was your dream profession as a child?
I wanted to be a ballerina as a kid, I really loved ballet. I also love the art world but when I first came back to Hong Kong (the art scene) was quite small. I kind of fell into fashion but I believe that the universe is precise so I must be where I am meant to be.

What does the future hold for you?
I would like to see how I can give back and be of service. Learn more in order to give more. If anything, that is what I hope my future holds. Maybe using my experiences – whether they be good or bad – and helping someone else who finds themselves in a similar situation.

Thank you.

Text: Hans Schlaikier