/
Теги: fashion magazine fashion vogue magazine female fashion clothes women's clothes
Год: 2024
Текст
ISSUE 32 june Vogue Voices: SHANTI PEREIRA on building a better sporting culture in Singapore 45 Watches & pages of Jewellery the greatest in horology and gems
CONTENTS 028 InVOGUE 020 SKY ALFONSO The brain behind Orchard Road Fashion speaks to Vogue Singapore on Singaporean style, content creation and the rise of digital media. 022 ALL TIME HIGH As luxury fashion’s price points seem to have hit a point of no return, one editor unpacks the resulting consumer fatigue. 026 SLIP ON Timeless and effortlessly flattering, the slip dress makes a return. Switch things up for pre-autumn by opting for varied fabrics such as leather or a bold, textural print. 028 IN HINDSIGHT This season, it’s all about showing off—your back, that is. Explore dramatic cutouts, elaborate designs and draping to make a statement in an unexpected way. 030 032 034 8 BLANK SLATE This pre-autumn season, opt for a full white ensemble for maximum impact. To elevate your look, experiment with material, shapes and detailing. TIED UP No detail is ever too small, which is why scarves are a standout accessory this season. Opt for lighter fabrications to make the trend work for our climate or consider built-in iterations for seamless wear. LIKE THE BOYS Borrowing from menswear hasn’t gone out of style. From textiles and sharp suits to vests and boxer shorts, try out masculine cornerstones for a wardrobe switch-up. 036 EQUESTRIAN KNIGHT Burberry’s Rocking Horse bag offers a fresh take on heritage, featuring subtle equestrian nods alongside contemporary details. 038 A NEW FRONTIER In commemoration of Kering’s three-year research collaboration with the National University of Singapore, chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer Marie-Claire Daveu delves into why Asia is the springboard for impactful change. 041 SCULPTURED ELEGANCE For spring/summer 2024, Braun Büffel introduces its new Spiralig bag inspired by ceramic art. 042 SUMMER SPLASH Rimowa welcomes summer with fresh seasonal hues of mint and papaya for its Essential line of suitcases. 044 PLAY MY MUSIC Inspired by island vibes and a playful summer style, Loewe takes vibrancy and flair to another level with its Paula’s Ibiza 2024 collection. 046 MOMO In tandem with Onitsuka Tiger’s 75th anniversary, the singer, rapper and dancer of K-pop nonet, Twice, reflects on a decade in the industry, her evolving style as well as the little moments that keep her grounded. 050 THE EDIT Make an impact with the most collector-worthy statement bags from fashion’s biggest legacy brands.
CONTENTS 076 BEAUTY 052 053 054 056 10 MICHELLE PHAN The Vietnamese-American entrepreneur has come a long way since launching her YouTube channel in 2007. Vogue Singapore sits down with the legend to get the lowdown on her beauty philosophy, go-to fragrance and more. SWATCHED It’s time to bring timeless rouges back in rotation. These latest variants pack a pigment punch while moisturising and nourishing your lips. BEAUTY DESK Get your finger on the pulse. Vogue Singapore takes you through what’s buzzy, bold and bursting with untapped potential in the beauty sphere this month. FOOD FOR THOUGHT In a world of appetite-curbing jellies and meal replacement shakes, are we making advancements within the nutritional space or simply glamorising disordered eating? 058 HOT CHILD IN THE CITY As the mercury rises, so too should the saturation in your favourite shades. Turn it up with these dynamic brights. VITRINE 087 THE CASE FOR CHANGE Parisian jeweller Boucheron rolls out its revamped, environmentally minded packaging in Singapore this month. 088 RISING STARS In the realm of gemstones, a new wave of precious favourites are on the rise. 090 A WORLD UNTO ITSELF Tiffany & Co’s chief gemologist Victoria Reynolds discusses the American jeweller’s legacy. 067 WONDERS ABOUND The latest and greatest of 2024 in watchmaking. 076 EAU DE ATELIER K-pop superstar Jennie models the freshest Coco Crush creations by Chanel and talks life since founding her own agency. 093 A CUT ABOVE Vacheron Constantin debuts its first Égerie timepiece designed in collaboration with couturier Yin Yiqing. 084 FINAL TOUCH Brooches are the statement jewel style of the moment to know. 094 THE KING OF METALS The eternal allure of gold shines in these jewels, from bold sculptural forms to finely nuanced designs. 086 SUCCESSIONS Cult jeweller names from decades past are making a comeback, with modern revivals on the way.
Lights across the grounds of The Macallan Inviting the past to join a present they ensured would see this day. Discover more at themacallan.com Crafted without compromise. Please savour The Macallan responsibly.
CONTENTS 124 100 GUIDING HAND At Buccellati, reverence for Renaissance-era craftsmanship sets the Milanese house’s jewels apart. 102 LUCKY CHARMS It’s a tale as old as time; closely held precious talismans worn to bring one luck and protection. 104 WANDERING EYE Migratory jewels escape their usual place, finding themselves in the nooks and crannies of the body. IMPACT 124 BUTTERFLY EFFECT How has fashion impacted the way we view the world? In an ode to Wong Kar-wai’s influential and atmospheric cinematography, Chinese photographer Leslie Zhang lenses the striking Xiaowen Ju in romantic evening wear from the trailblazing Asian designers to know now. 138 GO GIGI! On the starting line for Vogue World, Gigi Hadid remains the reigning champion of fashion. 154 LAST PAGE Legendary Singaporean philanthropist, writer and doctor Ang Swee Chai sheds light on how her organisation is sending medical aid to Palestine. LIFE 110 STARTER PISTOL As she gears up for the Paris Olympics, Singaporean sprinter Shanti Pereira reflects on her past, present and future. 116 CINEMATHEQUE Nicole Midori Woodford is one of Singapore’s most prominent independent filmmakers today—and her debut feature is a tender triumph. 118 12 INTO THE WILD The slow-paced Kangaroo Island brims with spectacular coastlines, divine produce and an abundance of animals in their natural habitat.
NEW CLARIFY & REPAIR CREME 8 YEARS OF DARK SPOTS CORRECTED IN 8 WEEKS1 HONEY FROM OUESSANT ISLAND2 RESTORING WHITE HONEY. 1 Clinical evaluation by a dermatologist based on the density of the pigmentary spots – Asian Skin Aging Atlas, R. Bazin & F. Flament – 47 women, twice a day. 2 In a blend of honeys.
EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Desmond Lim Digital Editor Janice Sim Watches & Jewellery Editor Gordon Ng Chief Sub-Editor Jacqueline Danam Associate Lifestyle Editor Chandreyee Ray Digital Writer Azrin Tan Writer Jesslyn Lye Editorial Interns Nurul Firdousee, Elizabeth Chee, Christina Yang FASHION Fashion Features Editor Maya Menon Stylist Jasmine Ashvinkumar Stylist Nicholas See Fashion Features Writer Bryan Ho BEAUTY Beauty and Wellness Director Alli Sim Associate Beauty Editor Emily Heng ART Designer Jason Thien Contributing Designer Venus Loh PUBLISHED BY CONDÉ NAST Chief Executive Officer Roger Lynch Global Chief Revenue Officer & President, U.S.Revenue & International Pamela Drucker Mann Global Chief Content Officer Anna Wintour Chief Financial Officer Nick Hotchkin Chief People Officer Stan Duncan Chief Communications Officer Danielle Carrig Chief of Staff Samantha Morgan Chief Product & Technology Officer Sanjay Bhakta Chief Content Operations Officer Christiane Mack CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Jonathan Newhouse SALES Group Commercial Director Michelle Ong Senior Sales Manager Farah Dinah Sales Manager Chinmay Daswani Senior Campaign Executive Angelle Sun Campaign Management Intern Emily Aye WORLDWIDE EDITIONS France: AD, GQ, Vanity Fair, Vogue Germany: AD, Condé Nast Traveller, Glamour, GQ, Vogue India: AD, Condé Nast Traveller, GQ, Vogue Italy: AD, Condé Nast Traveller, GQ, La Cucina Italiana, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Wired Japan: GQ, Vogue, Wired Mexico and Latin America: AD, Glamour, GQ, Vogue, Wired Middle East: AD, Condé Nast Traveller Spain: AD, Condé Nast Traveler, Glamour, GQ, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Vogue Niños, Vogue Novias Taiwan: GQ, Vogue United Kingdom: Condé Nast Johansens, Condé Nast Traveller, Glamour, GQ, House & Garden, Tatler, The World of Interiors, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Vogue Business, Wired United States: AD, Allure, Ars Technica, Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, epicurious, Glamour, GQ, LOVE, Pitchfork, Self, Teen Vogue, them., The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Wired MARKETING Senior Marketing Manager Marc Braydon PUBLISHED UNDER JOINT VENTURE Brazil: Glamour, GQ, Vogue PRODUCTION Group Production Director Anna Tsirelnikova Media Traffic and Client Services Coordinator Dao Thu Ha PUBLISHED UNDER LICENCE OR COPYRIGHT COOPERATION Adria: Vogue Australia: GQ, Vogue Bulgaria: Glamour China: AD, Condé Nast Traveler, GQ, Vogue Czech Republic and Slovakia: Vogue, Wired Greece: Vogue Hong Kong: Vogue, Vogue Man Hungary: Glamour Korea: Allure, GQ, Vogue, Wired Middle East: GQ, Vogue, Wired Philippines: Vogue Poland: AD, Glamour, Vogue Portugal: GQ, Vogue Romania: Glamour Scandinavia: Vogue Singapore: Vogue South Africa: Glamour, GQ, House & Garden Thailand: GQ, Vogue The Netherlands: Vogue Turkey: GQ, Vogue Ukraine: Vogue DIGITAL AND CREATIVE PRODUCTION Producer David Bay CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS Feedbeng, Heejune Kim, Leslie Zhang, Lucile Leber, Nawang Cahyani, Paula Latimori, Sayher Heffernan, Stefan Khoo, Studio Oooze, Yoon Soni, Zantz Han CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND STYLISTS Amelia Chia, Audrey Hu, Aurora Sansone, Choi Minhye, Eunji Shin, Gayeong Ryu, Kihoh Sohn, Park Min-hee MANAGEMENT Publisher Bettina von Schlippe Managing Director Natasha Damodaran PREPRESS Senior Reprographic Prepress Technician Ngo Thi Hong Phuong Reprographic Prepress Technician Bui Thi Lan Anh Digital Imaging Graphic Assistant Nguyen Phan Anh IT IT Manager Roger Valberg ACCOUNTS AND ADMINISTRATION Accountant Seinn Kyaing Account Receivables Hui Ying Soh Editorial, Sales and Marketing Assistant & Office Manager Tetyana Babina GROUP COO/CFO Aleksandr Trefilov PRESIDENT Michael von Schlippe Published by Media Publishares Pte Ltd (202016673N), MCI (P) 055/03/2024, ISSN 27374351, PPS1919/07/2022 (026020) 1 Syed Alwi Road, #02-02 Song Lin Building, Singapore 207628, Tel: (65) 6225 4045 By permission of Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007, USA Printer: KHL Printing Pte Ltd, 57 Loyang Drive, Singapore 508968 The views expressed in the articles and materials published are not necessarily those of Media Publishares Pte Ltd (202016673N). While every reasonable care is taken in compiling the magazine, the publisher shall not be held liable for any omission, error or inaccuracy, and accepts no responsibility for the content of advertisements published. Please notify the publisher in writing of any such omission, error or inaccuracy. Editorial contributors are welcome, but unsolicited materials are submitted at the sender’s risk and the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage. All rights reserved by Media Publishares Pte Ltd (202016673N). No part of this publication may be reproduced and/or transmitted in any form without the publisher’s permission in writing.
For strong women Enamoured by style Driven by purpose Subscribe now 10 print issues for $89
Editor’s LETTER I ’ve learnt that out of the 10 issues we produce a year, there are at least one or two that test the human spirit—something my team can vouch for. As I’m writing this letter, it is safe to say that this issue is one of those. The cover alone had us scouring London, New York and Los Angeles before we finally brought production back to Asia, all in two weeks. It’s been just nine hours since we wrapped our cover shoot and I am still feeling the adrenaline rush. With ‘Impact’ being the theme of this issue, the sheer weight of the word felt hefty. But it’s also proven that impact need not necessarily be something far-reaching or cogent. Take Sky Alfonso, for instance, the elusive and Banksy-esque street style photographer who is famed for his Orchard Road Fashion series on social media. In this issue, he shares his views on the intricacies that make up local style—from societal expectations to, yes, even the weather. “My goal is to inspire individuals to embrace their unique style confidently while simultaneously showcasing the vibrancy of Singaporean fashion to a global audience.” This is a notion that I’m sold on, given that there’s a unique sense of pride and purpose surrounding our underground fashion scene in recent times (page 20). And speaking of pride, associate lifestyle editor Chandreyee Ray speaks to Shanti Pereira, Singapore’s national sprinter, about her blockbuster season of setting and smashing records as she gears up for the race of a lifetime: the Paris Olympics. Here, Pereira talks about her past, present and future, and delves into why building a better sporting culture in Singapore is more vital now than ever before (page 110). On another note, the chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer of Kering, Marie-Claire Daveu, was in town last month to forge a partnership with the National University of Singapore, honing in on ecosystems, biodiversity and nature. It was insightful to hear her take on the ever-evolving landscape of sustainability in fashion, overconsumption, as well as the dire need to drive impactful change (page 38). This month, we are introducing Vogue Singapore’s inaugural Watches & Jewellery special, spearheaded by watches and jewellery editor, Gordon Ng. This section comprises a whopping 45 pages, entirely redesigned and curated. Flip through the pages for the greatest in horology and jewellery making, alongside necessary stories about the current favour for vintage. It also features a trio of shopping edits that touch on ultra-trendy lucky charms and an assortment of uncommon yet fast-rising gemstones to know and acquire this coming season. And finally, land on our last page, featuring the legendary Singaporean philanthropist, writer, doctor and co-founder of Medical Aid for Palestinians, Dr Ang Swee Chai. Here, she pens a few words on what impact means to her while shedding light on the emergency in Gaza. You will also find a donation link to send immediate and urgent medical aid to Gaza through a trusted organisation. At Vogue Singapore, we believe no action is too small when it comes to driving change for good. Xiaowen Ju wears Bad Binch Tongtong jumpsuit; Chaumet Bee My Love earrings, ring and bracelet Photographer LESLIE ZHANG Stylist AUDREY HU Desmond Lim Editor-in-Chief, Vogue Singapore 16 Make-up YOOYO KEONG MING Hair MINGHU ZHANG
A club like no other Insider access, exclusive gifts and special events for Members only.
19–51
Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello blazer and shirt Hair and make-up, Zhou Aiyi/Makeup Entourage using Make Up For Ever and Keune Singapore.
VOGUE Introduces SKY ALFONSO The mind behind Orchard Road Fashion speaks to Vogue Singapore on Singaporean style, content creation and the rise of digital media. Photography ZANTZ HAN Styling and words BRYAN HO As Singapore continues to push the fashion envelope and evolve into a hub of selfexpression, there has been a steady influx of media platforms that have looked to document its cultural renaissance. Leading this charge is none other than eminent social media account Orchard Road Fashion, a digital street style page that has gone viral on Instagram and Tiktok over the last two years for its unabashed display of cosmopolitan flair and youth culture. Helming it is 35-year-old photographer Sky Alfonso, whose prior experience working in the world of creative advertising sparked a genuine interest towards Singaporean style. “I initially launched Orchard Road Fashion out of sheer curiosity to explore the local fashion scene, but it swiftly evolved into a fervent passion project,” shares the communications graduate. He reveals that getting the account up and running required trial and error, consisting of six months of site reconnaissance to pinpoint optimal shooting locations and angles. Taking inspiration from street style accounts based in fashion capitals such as New York, Seoul and Tokyo, there is a level of unfiltered charm and raw beauty present in his work. Alfonso is quick to acknowledge the appeal street style photography has on the masses, stating: “It provides an authentic glimpse into the diversity and dynamic of the local scene, serving as a trend barometer for what is currently à la mode.” He adds that short-form content in today’s digital age provides a constant stream of freshness and abundance, allowing consumers of all backgrounds and ages to be exposed to a vast array of ideas and experiences. As for what defines Singaporean style, Alfonso believes it boils down to comfort and versatility. “The climate and societal perceptions play significant roles in these tendencies, often stifling creativity and opportunity for experimentation.” His wardrobe is certainly an indication of that, with relaxed silhouettes and strong colour-blocking making up the casual ensembles he dons. “I tend to shop from emerging labels across Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and Japan”, he muses. “High-street design that is unserious and wearable resonates the most with me.” Looking ahead, Alfonso is optimistic of what is to come for Orchard Road Fashion. “We’ll continue to expand our reach regionally, fostering partnerships with designers, brands and content creators from all around Asia.” Locally, he wishes to champion more initiatives and spearhead events to grow the community further. “My dream is to revive Singapore Fashion Week, to provide a distinguished platform for our designers to shine. After all, Orchard Road Fashion is a celebration of the hope and vibrancy present within the industry.” 21
InVOGUE Viewpoint All Time HIGH As luxury fashion’s price points seem to have hit a point of no return, one editor unpacks the resulting consumer fatigue. Words MAYA MENON t’s been a trying time for fashion. Watch the clock and you’ll notice that this pendulum swing comes around every once in a while—if not month to month, then year to year. As we navigate a new economy and consumer landscape, the changes we’re reckoning with reflect larger issues at hand. New and unexpected faces at the helm of major legacy fashion houses, raising prices of star products and a general lack of connection to the archetypes we’ve come to know and love. In Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster, fashion journalist Dana Thomas breaks down this cyclical phenomenon in 2007. “The way we dress reflects not only our personality, but our economic, political and social standing and our self-worth. Luxury adornment has always been at the top of the pyramid, setting apart the haves from the have-nots. Its defining elements—silk, gold and silver, precious and semiprecious stones, fur—have been culturally recognised and sought after for millennia. In prehistory, humans set themselves apart by decorating their furs with bits of bone and feathers. The Chinese enriched their appearance with silk embroidery as long as 12,000 years ago, as did the Persians and the Egyptians in the second century BC,” Thomas writes. “The display of luxury signified one’s power and achievements and brought on both scorn and envy.” Thomas’s account of the turn-of-themillennium appetite for luxury is clear even today. Luxury fashion has seen a steady hike in pricing since 2019. Many have attributed this to the domino effect of the pandemic and a global impact of inflation on a regional scale. Fast forward five years and with a gentle amount of distance from an international crisis, however, and product pricing has been more jarring than ever. Take, for instance, Chemena Kamali’s debut as creative director for French maison Chloé. The much anticipated autumn/winter 2024 show and collection, titled Intuition, was met with rave reviews. Kamali had punctuated a full circle moment, after having worked there twice before. Her showing was innately and thoroughly interlinked with the DNA of the house, a bold yet humanised assortment of the ever-emulated boho chic (popularised by the days of Nicole Richie and Sienna Miller). The result? A sumptuous offering of long, frilled dresses, sheer separates and the ultimate covetable accessories, from oversized sunglasses to headbands. In an interview with Vogue earlier this year, Kamali said: “It’s how it makes you feel and how you want to feel. There’s this connection where today, as a woman, you need to be able to follow your intuition and be yourself. 22
InVOGUE Viewpoint PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALLYSSA HEUZE/TRUNK ARCHIVE “The way we dress reflects not only our personality, but our economic, political and social standing, and our self-worth.” It’s very much about an intuitive way of dressing, about lightness, movement, fluidity and emotion. I also love the power of nostalgia; where you go backwards, you go forwards— you also think of today and what women want to wear now.” Kamali’s debut lends into the ‘era’ frenzy that fashion is no stranger to. It’s the sort of appeal that draws throngs of enthusiasts to the stewardship of different designers: Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, Raf Simons at Dior, Phoebe Philo at Celine and John Galliano at Maison Margiela. With this, comes the rising price tag. Part of Kamali’s assortment (and subsequently raising a few eyebrows) was a brown silk dress that retailed for US$26,000. Following closely behind? A leather trench coat for just below US$11,000. Prior to that was the first drop of Philo’s much-anticipated eponymous line ranging from US$450 to US$25,000. With couture fashion offerings running an average price range of US$25,000 (for daywear) to US$250,000 (for bridal), the rising costs of ready-to-wear is a nail-biting exercise that might be rewriting the course of fashion as we know it today. So what exactly is driving this change? There isn’t just one answer, of course, but there are key driving factors. The aim for fair production, coupled with the costs of raw materials, has made a sizeable difference. Most critical, however, is how consumers are reacting to these price increases. And while a good number of them have been phased out, those who are able to meet rising costs are inadvertently all that is needed to keep the cycle going. Amid this, however, is the slow and steady takeover of secondhand consumers—a no-longer niche group of buyers who take into account the timelessness, circularity and origin of a product. “There’s a market that serves fashion-fluent customers who might be on the verge of being priced out of purchasing from favourite luxury brands. It’s why platforms such as Vestiaire Collective continue to do well. It’s season-defying, arguably better for the planet and there’s also the ultimate kick of finding something that might no longer be in production anymore, something that’s rarer,” shares fashion creative and ardent secondhand shopper Delphine Ong. “There will always be aspirational consumerism, people are always going to want to own the coolest or the hottest thing. But if you’re going about this in a practical way, then that isn’t going to be feasible. So what’s the natural next step? Investing in amazing finds. Sometimes even that extra bit of effort to hunt something down makes it that much more special.” As prices continue to soar, who will be luxury’s newest set of consumers? On the flipside, however, there’s a certain strength in numbers; this could be the start of thoughtfulness and an innate understanding of one’s taste and self—the gateway to a new, and arguably even better, kind of opulence. 25
Givenchy dress, $6,800, and jacket, price upon request; Bottega Veneta boots, price upon request
InVOGUE Trends 3. 4. 2. 1. Slip ON Timeless and effortlessly flattering, the slip dress makes a return. Switch things up for pre-autumn by opting for varied fabrics such as leather or a bold, textural print. Photography STEFAN KHOO Styling JASMINE ASHVINKUMAR 5. 6. 9. 8. 7. 1. Valentino 2. Burberry 3. Jil Sander dress, US$2,520 from Moda Operandi 4. Khaite dress, $5,800 5. Etro dress, US$3,250 from Moda Operandi 6. Stella McCartney 7. Balenciaga 8. Victoria Beckham dress, US$1,650 from Moda Operandi 9. Balenciaga dress, US$2,450 27
InVOGUE Trends IN Hindsight This season, it’s all about showing off—your back, that is. Explore dramatic cutouts, elaborate designs and draping to make a statement in an unexpected way. 1. 2. 7. 3. 5. 6. 4. 1. Issey Miyake top, $1,005 from Club21 Singapore 2. Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello bodysuit, $2,230 from Luisa Via Roma 3. Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini 4. Givenchy 5. Balenciaga dress, $5,550 6. Junya Watanabe skirt, £820 from Dover Street Market London 7. Rick Owens skirt, £855 from Dover Street Market London 28
THIS PAGE Hermès top and pants, prices upon request FACING PAGE Dior top, price upon request; Sportmax skirt, $1,179; Church’s x Miu Miu shoes, $2,000; Miu Miu socks, price upon request
Tod’s dress, price upon request; Givenchy pants, $1,590; Bottega Veneta earring, $1,090
InVOGUE Trends 4. 1. 3. 2. 5. 6. 7. Blank SLATE 8. Opt for a full white ensemble for maximum impact. To elevate your look, experiment with material, shapes and detailing. 9. 1. Victoria Beckham 2. Louis Vuitton 3. Valentino Vlogo Moon bag, $3,600 4. Courrèges pants, US$1,560 5. Bottega Veneta heels, US$1,100 from Moda Operandi 6. Alaïa belt, US$4,970 7. Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini skirt, US$935 8. Prada bag, $9,000 9. Loewe shoes, $890 31
Burberry top, price upon request; Ferragamo shorts, $850; Chanel scarf, $1,810; tights, stylist’s own 1. 5. 2. 3. 32 4.
InVOGUE Trends Tied UP No detail is ever too small, which is why scarves are a standout accessory this season. Go for lighter fabrications to make the trend work for our climate or consider built-in iterations for seamless wear. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1. Ludovic de Saint Sernin top, $279 from Farfetch 2. Loewe scarf, US$761 from Net-a-Porter 3. Toteme scarf, US$757 from Net-a-Porter 4. Victoria Beckham scarf, £290 5. Alaïa dress, US$2,708 from Net-a-Porter 6. Phoebe Philo scarf, £800 7. Chanel 8. Louis Vuitton 9. Stella McCartney 33
InVOGUE Trends 2. 1. Like the BOYS Borrowing from menswear hasn’t gone out of style. From textiles and sharp suits to vests and boxer shorts, try out masculine cornerstones for a wardrobe switch-up. 4. 5. 3. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. Alexander McQueen top, $2,235 2. The Row jacket, US$3,100 3. Dior 4. Bottega Veneta top, US$1,380 from Net-a-Porter 5. Miu Miu boxers, $845 6. Prada top, $2,850 7. Louis Vuitton pants, $3,150 8. Versace 9. Courrèges 10. Dries Van Noten loafers, US$955 34
Givenchy jacket, price upon request, and shirt, $2,450; Hermès earring, price upon request; Church’s x Miu Miu shoes, $2,000; pants, stylist’s own Hair, Yuhi Kim using Dungüd from Woorailoora; make-up, Clarence Lee using Kosas; manicure, Ann Lim using Shellac from CND; photographer’s assistant, Alif; model, Meng Yao Wang/NOW
InVOGUE Style Equestrian KNIGHT Burberry’s Rocking Horse bag offers a fresh take on heritage, featuring subtle equestrian nods alongside contemporary details. urberry’s legacy gallops forward, carrying the equestrian essence woven into its very threads. Founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, a man as passionate about the outdoors as he was equestrian pursuits, the brand has become synonymous with its iconic check pattern—an enduring motif introduced in the 1920s and now instantly recognisable the world over. This spirit of innovation, a hallmark since its inception, continues to fuel the British house. The latest chapter in this storied legacy? The Rocking Horse bag, a design that reinvents equestrian influence for the modern maverick. The brand’s Winter 2023 collection by creative director Daniel Lee ushers in a new era, with the Rocking Horse bag emerging as a modern masterpiece. Paying homage to the brand’s initials, the new interlocking ‘b’ hardware serves as a prominent symbol, alongside a playful uppercase ‘B’ stitched detail on the straps. Peek inside select styles and you’ll find a flash of tradition with the classic check lining—a subtle reminder of the brand’s DNA. Transcending mere arm candy, the bag boasts a marvel of engineering hidden beneath its saddle-shaped flap. A circular fastening ingeniously pivots to secure the bag, transforming into a lowercase ‘b’ with a satisfying click. This seemingly simple movement is powered by an intricate mechanism discreetly embedded within the design—a testament to Lee and his team’s dedication to pioneering design. Made from smooth calf leather with a luxurious embossed checked leather lining, the bag’s unique shape is meticulously constructed using precise cutting techniques and a custom-carved wooden mould. Even the adjustable strap, featuring brushed metal prongs inspired by horse reins, showcases meticulous attention to detail. Requiring only gentle pressure to open, it ensures a seamless transition between shoulder and crossbody wear. Subtle nods to Burberry’s rich heritage are woven throughout the new silhouette. The Equestrian Knight Design, a symbol chosen nearly a century ago, is proudly embossed on the back of the bag. From the bag’s saddle-shaped silhouette to the rein-inspired straps, equestrian influences are readily apparent. The playful detail of the bag gently rocking when placed on its base further reinforces this connection, evoking the image of a beloved childhood toy—the rocking horse. This subtle movement adds a touch of whimsy while reinforcing the heritage at the heart of Burberry’s design. This visionary approach spills over into a global campaign that shatters cultural barriers. A dazzling cast of international stars—Thai actor Bright Vachirawit, South Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun, Chinese actress Tang Wei and Japanese actress Asami Muziwaka—ignites the bag’s universal appeal. Each star brings their unique perspective, showcasing how the design can be effortlessly integrated into a variety of looks, from classic elegance to bold, contemporary looks. A symbol of Burberry’s rich legacy, the Rocking Horse bag is a conversation starter for a global audience, making it the perfect accessory for those who love to rewrite the rules while embracing heritage. 36 IMAGE COURTESY OF BURBERRY Words NURUL FIRDOUSEE
The curved shape of Burberry’s Rocking Horse bag is inspired by childhood rocking horses and features a ‘b’ closure.
InVOGUE Sustainability A New FRONTIER In commemoration of Kering’s three-year research collaboration with the National University of Singapore, chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer Marie-Claire Daveu delves into why Asia is the springboard for impactful change. Words MAYA MENON 38
f you’ve been following the sustainability efforts of major luxury fashion players, you’ll be aware of the significant strides made by the global luxury group, Kering, since its inception in 1963. Today, the group oversees the development of fashion, leather goods and jewellery brands such as Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent and Boucheron. Under the leadership of chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer Marie-Claire Daveu, Kering has revolutionised best practices for sustainable fashion. Prior to her involvement in the fashion industry, however, Daveu had an illustrious career in agriculture and environmental matters. To date, she has worked with the French government, serving as chief of staff for the minister of ecology and as the technical adviser to the prime minister. She assumed her role at Kering in 2012. During her tenure, Daveu has overseen the development of the group’s Environmental Profit And Loss (EP&L) account, a tool that measures the environmental impact of its operations. Additionally, she has overseen the conceptualisation of the Material Innovation Lab in Milan, a dedicated hub to the sourcing and creation of sustainable fabrics and materials. Daveu’s visit to Singapore marks a three-year research collaboration with the Centre of Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School. As an incentive to combat climate change, NUS is looking to conceptualise concrete remedies. This is set to be implemented in three phases: two blocks of nature-related obstacles and one on climate adaptation. The ultimate goal? To provide data with regard to present-day nature and climate practices and spotlight deficiencies. In an exclusive interview with Vogue Singapore, Daveu expands on the biggest fashion and textile pollutants, the definition of a truly sustainable brand as well as the meaning of impact. Hi Marie-Claire, what brings you to Singapore? Kering is starting a new three-year partnership with the Centre of Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore Business School and it will be focused on our ecosystem, biodiversity and nature. So why Singapore? When Kering’s chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer, Marie-Claire Daveu. you are in the fashion and luxury industry, nature is key because most of our raw materials come from there, such as leather, gold, precious stones and cashmere. For ethical reasons, it’s important to have a positive impact on biodiversity. And on the business side, without raw materials, we can’t do anything. Singapore is able to manage its urban side with its natural side, which I think is unique. And the National University of Singapore plays a key role in Asia Pacific to set trends in biodiversity and the environment. You’ve had an illustrious career within the domain of sustainability. What first piqued your interest in this sector? I was always passionate about animals and their welfare, which is what prompted me to study biology. I also wanted to work for the public sector because in France, the public sector plays an important role in defining policies. When I started my first job, we had to push a lot even when we were speaking about climate change. Unfortunately, now, because we see the consequences of climate change, there is finally a big shift all over the world. Kering is a leader in the luxury fashion industry when it comes to advocating for sustainability. The company’s EP&L is a great example of this. What are some of the benefits of the systems that have been put in place? There are many different answers to this. Firstly, when Kering’s chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault decided 20 years ago to put sustainability at the arc of the company, it was for ethical reasons. Because we are in luxury fashion, we set the trends and have the responsibility to raise awareness. Secondly, even though we are a big company, we are not big enough to change the paradigm alone. This is why we have to open source all our best practices, such as the methodology for EP&L. When I joined the company, people were saying that luxury is about fur. And thanks to François-Henri Pinault, we are the first group to have banned fur. It’s what we call modern luxury. It’s about savoir faire, heritage and quality. What are some of the biggest pollutants from the fashion and textile industry in 2024? It’s about overproduction, which creates leftover waste. Furthermore, there’s overconsumption of materials, which 39
InVOGUE Sustainability impacts pollution, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This is particularly significant when discussing the textile industry as different segments operate differently. Luxury segments, for instance, prioritise small volumes. It’s therefore interesting to note that the fashion industry as a whole is undergoing significant transformation. This is evident in initiatives like Fashion Pact, which includes fast fashion, sport brands and luxury brands, all committed to driving change. This brings us to the France-Singapore forum, Nature In The City. What is your aim for this? The first thing we want to do is to start a conversation. This partnership will last three years, so we have a short time frame. Perhaps you’ve already seen the results of the first report which is a map and diagnosis of how businesses and companies are paying attention to biodiversity in Asia Pacific. This report aims to raise awareness and demonstrate that many other businesses, not just in the luxury or textile industry, are heavily reliant on nature. In the future, for example, we’ll organise workshops, bringing together students and people from the business side. As a partner, Kering will be involved in this, too, to consider how we can support companies in implementing action and raising awareness among individuals who will eventually join companies and institutions. One thing that Kering has dedicated itself to is its Material Innovation Lab. Can you tell us more about this? Our textile-focused hub opened in 2013 in Italy with dual aims: enhancing sustainability through raw material selection and fostering disruptive innovations. The Material Innovation Lab now offers over 8,000 samples, enabling designers to 40 incorporate more sustainable materials into their creations. Our focus extends beyond textiles to innovations in our brands like mycelium-based products at Balenciaga or Gucci’s Demetra bio-based material. By encouraging suppliers to source sustainably, we aim to transform the entire supply chain. Inspired by the Material Innovation Lab’s success, we launched the Jewellery Lab in 2020 to support brands like Boucheron, Qeelin and Pomellato. Despite initial challenges, collaborative efforts between technical and design teams have driven our progress. How would you define a truly sustainable brand? First thing, produce what you sell. Secondly, ensure full traceability in raw materials because without it, sustainability criteria can’t be implemented. Maximising the use of recycled raw materials helps avoid reliance on new ones. Additionally, brands should encourage product usage, whether through repairs or resale. Each production should consider environmental and social aspects, ensuring fair wages in the supply chain. It’s easier for brands to embed sustainability from the beginning, starting with design. Beyond products, sustainable brands consider their shops, certification, transportation and advertising. A holistic approach is crucial, measuring the overall footprint, including boutiques and marketing strategies. A clear framework and systematic approach are essential. Brands must consider sustainability in every decision, just as they do with cost. Starting with sustainability from the beginning is crucial as retrofitting later can be difficult. What does impact mean to you? It is to have positive benefits for people and the planet. IMAGES COURTESY OF CAROLE BELLAICHE (MARIE-CLAIRE DAVEU) AND LORENZO PALIZZOLO (MATERIAL INNOVATION LAB) Kering’s Material Innovation Lab is a dedicated hub to the sourcing of more sustainable fabrics and materials.
Style IMAGE COURTESY OF BRAUN BÜFFEL The Spiralig collection is characterised by ‘U’ curves to emulate the precision in ceramic art. Sculptured ELEGANCE For its spring/summer 2024 collection, ÁwЮ Óù¨ introduces its new Spiralig bag inspired by ceramic art. Words NURUL FIRDOUSEE F or more than a century, Braun Büffel has been synonymous with exquisite leather goods, renowned for its virtuosic designs and meticulous German craftsmanship. For spring/summer 2024, the brand introduces the Spiralig collection, a testament to the enduring beauty and functionality of its products. Inspired by the grace of ceramic art, the collection translates the elegant curves and sculptural forms into bags made from the finest, most supple leathers. Imagine the soft, undulating lines of a hand-thrown vase reimagined for modern life. Spiralig is a love letter to both form and function, a perfect blend of heritage and innovation. This is the essence of the Spiralig collection, its name echoing the core design element—a continuous spiral of elegance. The precision shines through in every stitch and seam, a hallmark of the brand’s dedication to crafting quality pieces. But beyond the technical prowess lies an artistic flair, the graceful curves and sculptural lines evoking a sense of fluidity, blurring the boundaries between fashion and functional art. The Spiralig collection puts a fresh spin on a classic favourite—the hobo silhouette. Soft, luxurious leather is sculpted into subtly padded ‘U’ curves, creating a contemporary update on the classic slouchy bag. This design element adds a touch of structure and dimension, elevating the hobo style to a new level of sophistication. A unique knotted ‘O’ ring connector not only complements the collection’s aesthetic but also subtly echoes the season’s empowering theme, ‘ünleash your üniqueness’. The launch of the Spiralig collection is elevated by a unique collaboration—an immersive ceramic workshop—with Vogue Singapore and Common Touch studio. Participants explored the art form that inspired the collection, learning the craft from skilled ceramic artisans, Fyon Cheong and Zestro Leow, who are the founders of Common Touch. By witnessing the transformation of clay into art, the participants were given a peek into the meticulous shaping process behind each piece in the Spiralig collection. This collaborative event celebrated artistic expression, fostering a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship that Braun Büffel brings to its exquisite leather works. 41
Summer SPLASH Rimowa welcomes summer with its fresh seasonal hues of mint and papaya for its Essential line of suitcases. Words AZRIN TAN
InVOGUE Style IMAGES COURTESY OF RIMOWA This all-new radiant shade of papaya takes its cues from the sun-soaked beaches of California. n the world of luxury travel, German brand Rimowa has earned itself a first-class seat at the table. From its stylish aluminium offerings to its highly functional range of Essential polycarbonate suitcases, the brand’s distinctively grooved designs have travelled far and wide, having been spotted in airports across the globe. Most recently, Rimowa took to Miami, where it gleaned inspiration for its latest seasonal hues—mint and papaya—for its Essential collection. Rimowa introduced its seasonal range of colours for the polycarbonate Essential line in 2019, with sage, saffron, coral and slate. With each new season, the shades have always been reminiscent of places that embody the essence of travel—that of the journey, rather than the final destination. Think of vast landscapes you might spot when you look out the window on a flight, such as Pink Lake in Western Australia, which served as the inspiration for coral, or the canola flower fields of Tuscany, which lead to saffron. Or how the vast landscape of the Mojave Desert gave way to the dusty washes of desert rose and cactus. For Rimowa’s latest offering, it is the sun-soaked atmosphere of California’s beaches and the soft, eclectic hues of Miami’s art district. The ensuing result is a bright, radiant orange and a dreamy, delicate green, which have been employed to dress the polycarbonate’s entire exterior for a flawless, monochromatic aesthetic. Guaranteed to make a splash wherever it goes, Rimowa consequently hosted an event in Seoul for the grand preview of its latest summertime hues—in line with its early launch exclusive in South Korea. Earlier in April, the buzzy S-Factory in the burgeoning district of Seongsu was transformed into a cascade of pastels that took its cues from the Essential line’s new colours. In attendance was a bevy of stars, including South Korean star Rowoon, Thai actor Mile Phakphum, members of K-pop groups Exo, Seventeen and Treasure, and Rimowa’s famed house ambassadors, Blackpink starlet Rosé and F1 stalwart Lewis Hamilton. Notably, each star was spotted with different variations of other polycarbonate styles that have also received the brand’s latest seasonal colour treatment, such as its Personal collection, which now comes in an uplifting colourway of white gloss and mint. Whilst this trusty range served as the perfect arm candy for the evening, it is Rimowa’s range of alternative accessories and unique embellishments such as packing cubes, wheel sets, luggage tags and a Miami-themed sticker set—rendered in the splashy new colours—that will deliver a seamlessly coordinated aesthetic on one’s future travels. 43
InVOGUE Style PLAY My MUSIC Inspired by island vibes and a playful summer style, Loewe takes vibrancy and flair to another level with its Paula’s Ibiza 2024 collection. Words NURUL FIRDOUSEE
IMAGES COURTESY OF LOEWE The Paula’s Ibiza 2024 collection boasts a wide array of bold designs and vibrant hues. oewe has unveiled its latest Paula’s Ibiza collection, a vibrant ode to island vibes and a playful summer style. Drawing inspiration from the carefree nature of music and all things colourful, the collection bursts with bold graphics and energetic hues. A star-studded campaign photographed by Gray Sorrenti captures the collection’s laidback spirit. Featuring a diverse cast, from Grammy-winning artist and American singer Yebba Smith to Loewe global brand ambassador and member of Korean boy group NCT Taeyong, it highlights the line’s relevance to a global audience. The Paula’s Ibiza womenswear assortment dazzles with eye-catching prints and edgy designs. This rainbow-hued collection boasts an extensive variety of pieces, including dresses and tops with bold, asymmetrical cuts and distinctive prints. The range also features the work of artist Douglas Abraham, adorning T-shirts, shorts, sweatshirts and swimwear in playful teddy bear, planet and dice motifs. The collection’s playful spirit extends beyond its clothing and into a vibrant array of accessories. Among these are woven leather charms inspired by fruits, vegetables and even parrots. These embellishments add a whimsical touch and personalised flair to your handbags. For eyewear, the collection introduces its newest addition, a sleek wraparound Sporty Mask carefully crafted from acetate, fusing practicality with modern style. And it doesn’t stop there. Ranging from breezy espadrilles and light, airy sandals to foam slides and delicate open mules adorned with floral embroidered canvas, the collection’s footwear selection offers a spectrum of sophisticated styles. In contrast to the radiant assortment, the collection diverges into an urban chic feel, with leather biker boots in soft suede as well as slip-on sneakers, also available for men. Leather also takes centre stage when it comes to Paula’s Ibiza 2024 bags. The collection introduces new woven raffia versions of Loewe’s Puzzle and Puzzle Fold tote, as well as its Font tote and Iraca basket, presenting a fresh take on its classic designs. Available in new colours, these refreshed renditions blend the luxurious texture of leather with the rough charm of raffia. Further enhancing its appeal, the reimagined version of Puzzle is decorated with graphic stripes, intricately woven in harmony with the cuts of the tote, adding a dynamic and vibrant touch to the bag. A vibrant celebration of summer’s carefree essence and dynamic vitality, Paula’s Ibiza 2024 collection invites wearers to embrace the spontaneity of the season and dance to the beat of their own style. The campaign seamlessly weaves in elements of music, underscoring the collection’s inspiration and enhancing its joyful vibe. With its captivating prints, personalised accents and vibrant designs, this collection transforms everyday fashion into self-expression and adventure. 45
InVOGUE Style THIS PAGE Onitsuka Tiger top, pants and Tiger Rodeo heels FACING PAGE Onitsuka Tiger top; earring, stylist’s own
MOMO In tandem with Onitsuka Tiger’s 75th anniversary, the singer, rapper and dancer of K-pop nonet, Twice, reflects on a decade in the industry, her evolving style as well as the little moments that keep her grounded. Photography YOON SONGYI Styling CHOI MINHYE Words MAYA MENON
InVOGUE Style t’s been a busy year for the nine-member K-pop girl group, Twice. In just the past few months, the group has scored its inaugural Billboard number one debut via With YOU-th, a booming EP consisting of energising synth-pop and drum and bass anthems such as ‘I Got You’ and ‘One Spark’. At the heart of it? A celebration of female friendship and a noholds-barred love letter to each other. It seems fitting that almost a decade since their debut in 2015—via JYP entertainment’s survival show, Sixteen—Momo, Sana, Mina, Nayeon, Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, Jeongyeon, Dahyun and Jihyo have formed an unbreakable bond. It’s their camaraderie that has earned the third-generation band the nod of Nation’s Girl Group, underscored by numerous accolades, from sweeping international success to bona fide chart dominance. Playing an integral part in this is 27-year-old singer, rapper and dancer Momo Hirai, who is better known as Momo. The Japan-born starlet has won the hearts of fans all over the world for her dance prowess, but she’s since shown her mettle in other areas. In October 2022, she was named the ambassador for Japanese brand, Onitsuka Tiger, decked out in its high-impact spring/ summer 2024 offerings. Hirai, who is known for her off-duty yet striking outfits, is steadily becoming one to watch in the fashion universe. “I always try out different styles because you never know if it’ll look good on you or not until you give it a go. These days, I get a lot of inspiration from old music videos and magazines.” Now, fresh from the Fashion Week circuit and having wrapped up the Ready to Be world tour, Hirai is gearing up for her most impactful season yet. Here, she talks about a decade of growth, the importance of rest and what she’s looking forward to next. Hi Momo! It’s been nearly a decade since Twice debuted. Could you share how this has influenced your career? There’s a certain emotion that comes up during concerts that I don’t feel on a daily basis. When interacting with our fans, I feel infinitely grateful for them. Since we have been doing a lot of individual schedules these days, I don’t see my fellow members every day anymore. So when I do meet up with them, it always feels like home and I feel a sense of security. On a personal level, I think I have matured mentally and grown a lot while experiencing unexpected hardships and happenings. What have been some of your favourite songs or milestones from the past decade? My favourite song is ‘Feel Special’. The lyrics are really meaningful and our fans love it when we sing it at concerts. Dancing is one of the biggest reasons why I am a part of Twice. I would say I’m the happiest when I’m dancing. Your fashion sense has evolved over the years. How did you discover your personal style? 48 After I debuted, not only did I have the opportunity to try a lot of different pieces, but I also learnt a lot from our fans’ reactions to different looks. I love discovering new clothes and brands. Tell us about your ongoing relationship with Onitsuka Tiger. In the beginning, I had the chance to work on a magazine shoot with Onitsuka Tiger. I instantly fell in love with the brand, so it’s such a big honour to be working with them as their ambassador. I love that Onitsuka Tiger’s pieces come in beautiful colours that are unique to the brand. Their designs are simple yet serve as the perfect finish to every outfit. What were your favourite moments from our Vogue Singapore photo shoot? I tried on a chic make-up look during this shoot which I usually don’t wear often, but my stylists were cheering me on the whole time, complimenting me on how cool the images looked. How do you maintain your physical and mental well-being amid the demanding tour schedules? My mental well-being is not an issue for me thanks to my fellow members. If there is something on our minds, we listen to each other and talk it out with one another. It’s important to express your feelings when you’re having a hard time. Physically, I try to rest and relax when I’m not working. I work out when I have a lot of time on my hands, but I don’t push and force myself to exercise. Working out intensively and forcefully makes you more tired, so I like to go when I feel at peace mentally. Reflecting on the Ready To Be world tour in 2023, were there any standout moments for you during your visit to Singapore? I always eat chilli crab and fried rice with my fellow members whenever I visit Singapore. During this tour, we ate it as soon as we got to the hotel. Also, whenever I visit, I think back on the time we went there to film a reality show in our early days. What are some of your favourite memories from the world tour? Every city we go to has a different crowd, so interacting with them is always a fun aspect of touring. Also, I love that we are able to try delicious traditional foods from different cultures. Are there any specific goals or aspirations you hope to pursue? My goal is to meet as many Once fans from as many countries as possible together with my fellow members and just have a fun time performing. Also, I would love to rank number one on Billboard 100. What’s next that fans can look forward to? Twice, Misamo and I have a lot of group and individual schedules prepared for the future and will always continue to try our best, so please look forward to our upcoming schedules and I hope to see our fans more often.
Onitsuka Tiger dress, vest, socks and Tiger Rodeo heels Hair, Lim Jinhee/Kitts; make-up, Won Jungyo/ Bit&Boot; photographer’s assistants, Park Sungeun, Baek Juwon and Shin Hyeoni; retoucher, Kim Jisoo; stylist’s assistant, Jeong Chaewon; hairstylist’s assistant, Kang Chaeyeon; make-up artist’s assistant, Lee Haeram; production, A Prject; executive producer, Kelly Suh; production coordinator, Indigo Choi.
InVOGUE Trends TheEDIT Make an impact with the most collector-worthy statement bags from fashion’s biggest legacy brands. Edit NICHOLAS SEE 2. 3. 1. 5. 4. 6. 8. 7. 9. 50
10. 12. 11. 15. 14. 13. 17. 16. 18. 1. Vintage Chanel bag, $525,795 from Farfetch 2. Vintage Dior bag, $35,343 from Farfetch 3. Bottega Veneta bag, $11,270 4. Schiaparelli bag, €8,500 5. Louis Vuitton bag, $9,600 6. Loewe bag, $5,900 7. Loro Piana bag, US$3,400 8. Miu Miu bag, $4,700 9. Vintage Saint Laurent bag, $2,424 from Farfetch 10. Gucci bag, $3,350 11. Burberry bag, $7,500 12. Ferragamo bag, US$3,800 13. Prada bag, $3,950 14. Balenciaga bag, $7,600 15. Fendi bag, $8,250 16. Givenchy bag, $3,000 17. Delvaux bag, €2,700 18. The Row bag, US$5,190 51
BEAUTY Muse 1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 3. MICHELLE PHAN The Vietnamese-American entrepreneur has come a long way since launching her YouTube channel in 2007, paving the way for aspiring beauty YouTubers along the way. Vogue Singapore sits down with the legend to get the lowdown on her beauty philosophy, go-to fragrance and more. Collage NAWANG CAHYANI Words EMILY HENG 1. My three desert island beauty essentials First, a tinted lip treatment. The Em Cosmetics Lip Cushion Tinted Lip Luminizer, which I developed, does the job. I love my lip balms with a touch of colour. I don’t have a lot of brow hair, so I use a warm-toned taupe eyeliner as a brow pencil and eyeliner. And lastly, a tinted sunscreen with at least SPF 50 since I’m on an island. A book I’m currently reading Achieving Oneness With The Higher Soul by Master Choa Kok Sui. I try to find new tools to help with my spiritual practices. 2. The best beauty hack I picked up on recently To apply my base make-up with the Piccasso Makeup Spatula. It makes my skin look smoother and airbrushed because of how thin and even the layer is. 3, 4 & 5. My signature fragrance I have more than one. Off the top of my head, it has to be the Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait. It carries a majestic energy that I love wearing for special occasions. My everyday scent is the D.Grayi White Rabbit. It is inspired by my favourite candy from childhood called White Rabbit and is a wonderful mood-boosting fragrance. My second daily scent is the Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724. It has a clean linen scent that makes me feel fresh. A skincare step you never skip Sunscreen. I’ve been wearing it since I was a teenager. It’s a habit, like brushing my teeth. What self-care looks like to you Taking a soothing bath and lighting my favourite scented candle. Spending an hour doing my make-up, because why not? Indulging in moments where I just love myself, essentially. The one beauty lesson you wished you picked up on earlier I wish I had known about finding my personal colour when I was younger. Your beauty philosophy Less is more. Bring more focus to your favourite beauty attribute. I’m also a huge believer in radiating good energy like kindness and grace. 6. The most impactful make-up item in my arsenal These days, it’s the Em Cosmetics Portrait Mode Setting Powder. Even on days when I wear zero base make-up, I want my skin to look matte but not chalky, and for it to have a blurring effect to reduce the size of my pores. This powder gives me a finished look and it doesn’t feel like anything on my face. 52
Swatched 1. 8. 2. KISS & Make Up 3. 4. It’s time to bring timeless rouges back in rotation. These latest variants pack a pigment punch while moisturising and nourishing your lips. Photography and styling STUDIO OOOZE Words EMILY HENG 7. 6. 5. 1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Lipstick in Royal Red, $37 from Sephora 2. Gucci Beauty Rouge à Lèvres Mat Matte Lipstick in 209 Mona Lisa Cameo, $65 3. Dior Rouge Dior in 028 Actrice Satiny Finish, $66 4. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Supermodel, $55 from Sephora 5. Nars Powermatte Lipstick in 133 Too Hot to Hold, $48 from Sephora 6. Pat McGrath Labs Satinallure Lipstick in Nude Fantasia, $45 from Sephora 7. Hermès Rouge Hermès Matte Lipstick in 97 Pourpre Figue, $75 8. Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in 57 Rouge Feu, $67 53
BEAUTY Trends Serene sanctuary Traditional Chinese medicine. Ayurveda. Reiki. Rekoop, the latest social wellness hub to hit our shores, has them all. Beyond a comprehensive range of holistic practices, this tranquil oasis also houses a variety of facilities designed to soothe and enlighten the mind, body and soul. Think infrared saunas, ice baths, vitamin showers and cryo chambers, to name just a few. What’s more, each guest will be guided along by a dedicated concierge who will provide recommendations to meet any needs related to movement, nourishment, community, mindfulness, habits, feelings, energy and aspiration. Rest or recharge here, the choice is yours. Rekoop is located at 18 Robinson Road, Level 4, Singapore 048547. BeautyDESK Get your finger on the pulse. Vogue Singapore takes you through what’s buzzy, bold and bursting with untapped potential in the beauty sphere this month. Words EMILY HENG All fired up The courageous and fiercely independent Amazonians served as the inspiration behind Hermès’s latest limited-edition lipstick drop: the Rouge Hermès Rouge Amazone, $132. Revered for their physical prowess and tenacity in battle, it seems only fitting that the lipstick bullet comes in an intense red that vibrates with panache and verve, of which is engraved with an illustration of the Duc attelé by Alfred de Dreux—the drawing that prompted artisan Émile Hermès to create the house’s emblem. Its matte, powdery finish translates into a pigment-packed formula that clings on for hours, making it a timeless and immaculate addition to anyone’s make-up arsenal. 54
Mane attraction If there’s one thing the designers who showed their spring/summer 2024 collections can agree on, it is that hair accessories are the epitome of style du jour. At Giambattista Valli, tresses were adorned with blooms and bows, perched jauntily atop ponytails and weaved in between braids. Chanel, on the other hand, opted for an amalgamation of the two with silk rosettes. And not forgetting Givenchy, of course. The house paid homage to the zig-zag headbands of the ’90s with gold renditions used to push back sleekstraight ’dos. Under the sea Mermaidcore is back and better than ever. Shower-fresh strands were spotted at Ashi Studio and Miu Miu’s spring/summer 2024 shows, while Elie Saab and Masha Popova opted to send their models down the runway sporting seafoam blue hues on their lids and nails respectively topped with a holographic finish—a look that’s reminiscent of shimmering fish scales. Coming up roses A flower like no other. Renowned familyowned French haute parfumerie Henry Jacques has dropped a new limited-edition range in celebration of the discovery of the HJ Rose de Mai absolute, a delightful blossom that spawned the birth of a limited-edition trio of fragrances with only 500 sets available. The triad that makes up Collection de l’Atelier, $14,220, comprises Rose Soleil, a warm, spicy, concoction containing sandalwood and patchouli; Rose Très Rose, a deeply evocative and sensual fragrance; and Rose Azur, which skilfully weaves dry, woody notes alongside citrusy-fresh zest.
BEAUTY Wellness FOOD for THOUGHT In a world of appetite-curbing jellies and meal replacement shakes, are we making advancements within the nutritional space or simply glamorising disordered eating? Vogue Singapore finds out. Words EMILY HENG Content Warning: This story contains mentions of disordered eating and body image issues, and may be triggering or disturbing for some. “I f any Gen Z is wondering why every Millennial woman has an eating disorder, it’s because in the 2000s a normal thing to say to a teenage girl was: when you think you feel hungry, you’re actually thirsty so just drink water and you’ll be fine,” tweets Lucy Huber, an American writer, podcaster and aspiring comedian. Her post went viral in 2021, accruing 70,500 likes and replies within a matter of days. A pitch-perfect encapsulation of this particular point in time, Huber’s post captures the fatphobia that ran rampant in the early aughts. Think Britney Spears being shamed for her paunch at her 2007 MTV Video Music Awards performance, or movie plot lines that paint average-sized women such as America Ferrera and Anne Hathaway as ‘chubby’ and ‘unattractive’. Such messaging was pervasive, spawning reactionary measures in the form of crash diets and extreme workout regimes. For some, these sentiments are impossible to fathom. Body positivity permeated the mainstream consciousness a decade ago, after all, and has endured to our current day and age. Major clothing corporations have rolled out more inclusive size options, while the celebrities of today are outwardly vocal about acceptance and self-love at every size. Amid all this, however, are new entries into the wellness space including metabolism-enhancing powders, appetitereducing vitamins and detox teas. It brings forth the question: have we truly changed our attitudes with regard to fatness or have we merely revised the way we choose to engage in disordered eating? Calorie count “The term disordered eating is more of a behaviour than it is a diagnosis,” explains Charlotte Mei, accredited nutritionist and presenter. “It is one of the results of our messy and complicated relationship with food and could be due to various reasons, from societal pressure to being on the receiving end of body shaming.” Mei is quick to point out that there is a difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder. While the latter has specific criteria, the former is no less dangerous because of the potential health issues that could arise. “Disordered eating behaviours include a preoccupation with food as well as one’s weight and body image in a way that 56 negatively impacts an individual’s quality of life,” she clarifies. “There are feelings of guilt and shame around food or having rigid rules around food.” It’s safe to say that the conception of newfangled dietary supplements only exacerbates the actions of those who already harbour such a mindset. What’s worse, said products tend to be packaged in a way that exploits the current wellness wave which emphasises self-care. Diet pills are marketed as hunger-quelling vitamins. Laxatives as detox milkshakes. Fat burning tablets as digestive aids. “The creation of such dietary-focused items plays a part in encouraging disordered eating, but I think it has to do more with the Internet and social media. Access to information has changed the way we do everything, including encouraging different experiments in disordered eating,” muses Sheeba Majmudar, accredited nutritionist and naturopath. “Social media has facilitated the embracing of targeted information.” Admittedly, it is tough not to be swayed when the likes of Bella Hadid are touting a fistful of vitamins and a single bite of a croissant for breakfast on TikTok, or when Gwyneth Paltrow advocates for a liquid lunch on a podcast. Body positivity can only live up to its full potential when it is built on a stronger foundation that goes beyond lip service; one that is impervious to the latest fads and trends instigated by social media users. Let them eat cake? Rome was not built in a day, and neither will a healthier mentality centring on body acceptance. In the meantime, however, Mei recommends the following ethos to anyone struggling. “Honour your hunger and fullness. Recognising this helps to repair trust in your body. Challenge the food police, and explore your beliefs and rules. Where do they stem from, how did they get reinforced and are they true?” she asks. “Make peace with food and give yourself unconditional permission to eat something. This removes the intense yo-yo feeling of deprivation that builds into uncontrollable cravings over time, which often results in bingeing. And lastly, discover the satisfaction factor. When one allows oneself to eat what one really wants, in an environment that is inviting, the pleasure one derives will be a powerful force. Contentment will follow.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY NAGI SAKAI/ART PARTNER LICENSING/TRUNK ARCHIVE “Challenge the food police, and explore your beliefs and rules. Where do they stem from, how did they get reinforced and are they true?” 57
Photography LUCILE LEBER As the mercury rises, so too should the saturation in your favourite shades. Turn it up with these dynamic brights. HOT CHILD in the CITY
BEAUTY ’90s REVISITED Make ash-hued eyes and bold, blue-toned red lips great again. We love Rouge Dior Long Wear in 999 topped with a coat of Lip Glow Oil in 000 Universal Clear for good measure. 59
BEAUTY BLUSH AND BLOOM Add instant life to your cheeks with a flush of Rose Hermès Silky Blush Powder in contrasting yet complementary tones of peach and pink. Anchor the look with shade 32 Rose Pommette and use 19 Rose Abricot in place of a highlighter. 60
MASQUE UP Undo the effects of heat damage—we’re talking brittle locks, split and damaged ends—with K18’s Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask.
BEAUTY ZOOM IN Refresh parched skin and help your make-up go the distance in our humid climate with a spritz of Jungsaemmool Essential Mool Micro Fitting Mist. Made of hot spring water from the Czech Republic, the make-up maestro herself recommends popping this in the fridge for an instant perk-me-up. 63
CHERRY DIP Stare down summer in lids draped with impactful tones of red. Viseart’s Eyeshadow Palette in the aptly named 08 Editorial Brights from Sephora should do the trick. 64 MAKE-UP, NOMAS; HAIR, MANON MARTIN; WORDS, ALLI SIM. BEAUTY
GETTY IMAGES Watches & Jewellery Special 67 WONDERS ABOUND 76 EAU DE ATELIER 84 FINAL TOUCH 86 SUCCESSIONS 87 THE CASE FOR CHANGE 88 RISING STARS 90 A WORLD UNTO ITSELF 93 A CUT ABOVE 94 THE KING OF METALS 100 GUIDING HAND 102 LUCKY CHARMS 104 WANDERING EYE
Editor’s LETTER t’s a dangerous line of thought to ponder the point of luxury. The expense, the drama, the superlative excess of it all. Recently, the word ‘wonder’ seems to have cropped up a lot. There is, of course, the Watches & Wonders fair in Geneva, where watchmakers present their best and latest for the year. But the field has shifted and the audience has grown immensely. It’s no longer just about wrist-bound status symbols for a privileged few. Ideas are leading the charge, and there is expectation now for makers to entertain, impress and push the envelope. Small proof of it: what used to be a trade fair for industry insiders was opened, for only the second time this year, to the public. Geneva is far away from Singapore, but our edit of the noteworthy, especially those with the audacity to tinker with horology’s close-held traditions, brings the action close to you. In Tokyo, where everyone and their mother seems to have been, I had the pleasure of taking in an illuminating exhibition of Tiffany & Co’s 187-year history. The show was serendipitously titled ‘Wonder’; and in the opening remarks of the CEO and one of Tiffany & Co’s creative directors, the perspectives of business and creativity echoed each other remarkably. The gist: that it is the onus and duty of a luxury house and jeweller to surprise and delight. These ideas formed the impetus of this debut edition of a Watches & Jewellery Special at Vogue Singapore. A sense of never-ending curiosity and a capacity for astonishment are qualities to be treasured and nurtured. Being as inundated as we are with mindless content, an appreciation for beauty and human ingenuity should stop you in your tracks and offer an aesthetic respite. But more importantly, the hope is that these stories of design, craftsmanship and inventiveness stoke a little flame of wonder in you. Gordon Ng Watches & Jewellery Editor, Vogue Singapore 66
Watches Jewellery Special WONDERS ABOUND The newest, most wondrous designs from watchmakers this year. IMAGE COURTESY OF CHANEL Words GORDON NG Chanel’s Couture O’Clock watchmaking capsule reimagines timepieces as the tools of a couturier’s trade.
Watches Jewellery Special he world of watchmaking turns on a single event held annually. For one week, nearly every major brand is gathered in the Palexpo convention centre in Geneva for Watches & Wonders. Many come from the neighbouring regions of Switzerland, which is the home and hub of the trade. All this to say that in fine watchmaking, the world condenses and even the smallest shifts make big waves. A sense of that came this year when Rolex unveiled a platinum model of its Perpetual 1908 dress watch, complete with a baby blue guilloché textured dial. It heralded, quite clearly, the return to form of elegance. Classic dress watches with a neovintage bent that are sophisticated and timeless. Consider these a new generation of investment pieces. 68 Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse At Patek Philippe, the unconventional dress shape of the Golden Ellipse collection received an exciting update. The reference 5738/1R-001 in rose gold now sees the return of an intricate and tremendously refined chain-style bracelet. It’s a reinterpretation of decades of chain bracelet making at Patek Philippe, with the added benefits of a modern, patented construction. The hand-polished bracelet took 15 years of development and is made up of 363 parts. More than 300 of these are individual links, assembled and connected one by one on joining rows. The result of this contemporary design is a supple, comfortable fit—and which allows for easier changes to the length of the bracelet, with three adjustment notches built into the clasp. Perfect, of course, if you intend to pass one down. IMAGE COURTESY OF PATEK PHILIPPE The RETURN of ELEGANCE
IMAGES COURTESY OF VACHERON CONSTANTIN; GRAND SEIKO; PARMIGIANI FLEURIER Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Manual Winding Vacheron Constantin’s Patrimony collection is an ode to classic watchmaking from the 1950s, a line where the brand distils its know-how into as understated a form as possible. A sense of historical elegance is built in, almost archetypal in design with the subtlest of details. The cases, for example, are gently curved to better hug the wrist. As are the hands and markers on the dial, which are shaped to accommodate this consideration. This year, it is introducing two new 39mm models to its Patrimony collection in white and rose gold. The significant addition is old-silver-toned dials with a hint of a champagne hue that plays subtly against the pink gold hands and markers. To these are added new leather straps in the leading colours of the moment: olive green and azure blue. Grand Seiko Starry Night SBGW314J In 1960, the first Grand Seiko was born from the determination of Japanese designers and engineers to create an almost platonic ideal of precision, durability and beauty. That first Grand Seiko is the literal cornerstone of the brand, which has returned occasionally to these roots. This year, the Japanese watchmaker is introducing a limited-edition recreation of the first Grand Seiko with a starry night theme. Model SBGW314J is cased in rose gold and features a shimmery navy dial. Part of the brand’s Elegance collection, it maintains the vintage stylings of its 1960 source material. The blue dial is meant to evoke the eternal passage of time, with polished rose gold indexes and hands that add touches of light to the twilight scene. It’s completed with a pair of crocodile leather straps—in navy blue to match the dial, and in brown for a traditional look. Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde Perhaps the most ferociously chic interpretation of a clean, classic dress watch comes from Parmigiani Fleurier. The independent watchmaker is just 28 this year, but it has in its blood a sense of old-world decorum and elegance. This year, the brand announced a relaunch of the Toric— the collection that it debuted with back in 1996—anchored by a Petite Seconde model. The modern interpretation maintains just one aesthetic signature from the original: a neatly knurled bezel. The Toric is now offered only in platinum or rose gold, with a soft green and beige palette on the dials and straps to match. What’s especially striking are the gold dials, which are coated and brushed with an esoteric finishing method the brand rediscovered. It creates a grained and textured surface that gently disperses light, a gorgeous application of craftsmanship that strikes the right notes of elegance for the moment. 69
4. 70 5. 8. 6. 7. 9. 1. Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Selfwinding 38mm 2. Chanel J12 X-Ray Pink Edition 3. Patek Philippe Ref 5980/60G Nautilus Flyback Chronograph 4. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm 5. Cartier Santos-Dumont 6. Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Water Blue Sapphire 7. IWC Portugieser Chronograph 8. Nomos Glashütte Tangente Date 38mm in Katzengold 9. Omega Seamaster 38mm 2. 1. 3.
Watches Jewellery Special IMAGE COURTESY OF CHOPARD TASTE the RAINBOW here are three arching ideas when it comes to the colour trends of the watches announced this year. First, a taste for sweet shades. Baby blues, teals and pinks appeared a surprising number of times. On fresh and peppy new Royal Oak and Code 11.59 models by Audemars Piguet; an effervescent, almost aquamarine shade on Chopard’s Happy Sport; and certainly at IWC, where the Portugieser comes in a new saccharine blue. Second, that the variety of colours on the market speaks to a desire for character. Take it from the German watchmaker Nomos, which has created a limited-edition collection of its Tangente watch with an astounding 31 different colourways. What’s impressive is that the brand did more than just pick 31 shades to slap on the dials. Instead, each model is designed with a palette of its own, a combination of at least two to three colours that gives each a unique personality. Lastly, the simple fact that the topic of colours on watches is no longer restricted to just the dial. We can look to Cartier’s newest Santos Dumont models for a stellar example. The blue and green translucent sunray dials are beautiful works in their own right. But the Parisian brand has continued and extended those shades onto the bezel and case as lacquered surface details and paired it, as many watchmakers do these days, with leather straps in matching colours. But the vanguard for colours, as primally emotional as they may be, might be in the science realm. Take Hublot, for example. It has a new MP11 model—the brand’s unconventional mechanical wonder, which features seven stacked barrels for a 14-day power reserve—in water blue sapphire. Cool and limpid, this new material involved work on chemical formulas to achieve the desired transparency and level of polish. It’s paired, as you’d imagine, with a transparent water blue rubber strap. The dancing diamonds of Chopard’s Happy Sport meet aquamarines.
Audacious IDEAS Vacheron Constantin’s perfume watch Vacheron Constantin unveiled a novel design this year: the world’s first perfume watch. The concept timepiece, named Pleats of Time, was developed in a three-way concert between the brand, its ambassador the haute couture designer Yin Yiqing, and master perfumer Dominique Ropion. It’s a high-concept imagining of how three different ‘haute’ fields—horlogerie, couture and parfumerie—can converge. The embroidered strap is where the magic resides: pebbly capsules house the fragrance’s juice. It’s designed to respond to the movements and the heat of being worn on the wrist, and slowly releases the scent throughout the day. The perfume by Ropion—a legend of the fragrance industry—is a mineral and marine duet. It has powdery, wintry notes of honeysuckle and immortelle, sunny citrus notes, and the smoky, incense effects of olibanum, myrrh and opoponax. “A fragrance that would be universal,” described Ropion in press notes, “like time itself.” For Yin, the concept of an ephemeral scent encapsulated on a watch was to “accept the passage of time in order to breathe and be receptive to wonder”. As to the watch itself, the Pleats of Time is a modified Égérie that is simultaneously more and less detailed than production models. The dial is simplified in the sense that there are no hour markers. But it’s also intensely decorated: a dreamy, pleated lilac mother-of-pearl dial, 92 diamonds set into its bezel, and a moonphase subdial with pink gold moons and mother-of-pearl clouds. 72 IMAGES COURTESY OF CARTIER; VACHERON CONSTANTIN Cartier’s time in reverse Cartier has a bounty of icons in its modern collection. But the watch with the greatest history is perhaps the Santos. The first modern wristwatch created in 1904, it popularised the style of wearing a watch on the wrist among men and essentially invented the whole category. Now, the French maison is proving that even the most historical of watches is not above a sly wink and a humorous twist. Enter the Santos-Dumont Rewind, a gorgeous creation cased in platinum, with a ruby cabochon-set crown and entrancing carnelian dial. So far, so normal. But observe the dial and the movements of the apple-shaped hands, and you’ll see that this Rewind has its Roman numerals arranged in reverse. Its hands, correspondingly, move backwards to keep time. The Santos-Dumont Rewind is powered by the calibre 230 MC, a modified version of one of the brand’s slim, manualwinding movements. On the caseback, the signature of the watch’s namesake Alberto Santos-Dumont is engraved twice—once in mirrored reverse, naturally.
Watches Jewellery Special Van Cleef & Arpels’ fanciful automatons The rarefied name of Van Cleef & Arpels tends to summon an impression of feminine, elegant jewellery—more often than not with motifs such as flora, fauna, fairies or ballerinas. What’s lesser known about this Parisian high jeweller is the esoteric, arcane passion it has nurtured in the field of automaton table clocks. This year, the maison unveiled two new automaton designs. The first, named Apparition des Baies, is a tropical bouquet of precious metals and gemstones. At the top of its threetiered structure sits an orb, formed by rose gold fronds with multihued airbrushed leaves. When activated, a dulcet melody plays to accompany a magical sequence of events. First, these branches pivot, rotate and lower into formation like a splayed fern. Inside, IMAGES COURTESY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS “A fairy queen holding court, staging a mesmerising, enchanted dance.” a bird of white gold, diamonds and sapphires is revealed. It flaps its wings, rises into the air and lands softly before being safely ensconced once more when the leaves fold back into place. The second automaton leans into the house’s penchant for fantasy. Named Bouton d’Or, it draws as much from the paillette motif of its jewellery as it does from a house tradition of crafting precious fairies. It has a similar three-tiered structure as before, but the star of the show is entirely different. In its closed form, a ball of rose gold, laced with four crisscrossing lines of diamonds, hoists a bristling bouquet of finely polished gold discs. When activated, these branches open to reveal a vivacious stage of colour. The undersides of those gold stems and discs are lacquered, and there are flowers with lacquered petals and precious gems set into the ‘stigma’. In the centre, a gold fairy twirls in flight on beating wings of plique-à-jour enamel that look like stained glass windows, clasping a briolette sapphire in her hands and outfitted in a dress trimmed with blue lacquer. Behold, a fairy queen holding court, staging a mesmerising, enchanted dance. The vision it creates is otherworldly—and there is, indeed, almost nothing out there quite like it. 73
Jewellery Special Piaget’s super-slim marvel There’s an arms race in watchmaking in the area of thinness. For years now, several brands have dedicated themselves to the deceptively simple competition of who can make the thinnest watch. An ultra-thin watch, by itself, is no mean feat. One of the pioneers is Swiss maker Piaget, which broke historic ground in 1957 when it introduced the Calibre 9P on its Altiplano timepieces. At two millimetres thin—the thickness of a coin—it was the thinnest mechanical movement in the world at the time and opened the doors for a host of super slim designs to develop. In recent times, the competition has obviously caught up. But that doesn’t mean that Piaget is ready to relinquish its position just yet. For proof, look to the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, the house’s latest piece of technical and mechanical bravado and wizardry. The Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon is, watch and all, just two millimetres thin. There are ultra-thin contenders with a lower figure, perhaps, but not without the flying tourbillon complication that Piaget has managed to fit in there. And it’s a complication with, well, a complication. The implementation of a tourbillon demands about a fourth more power from the movement—in practical terms, that would have meant a much shorter power reserve. 74 The Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept in profile, its two-millimetre thinness pictured here to scale. To counter this power issue, the watch was almost entirely redesigned from its predecessor, which is not even a decade old. The mechanics were integrated into the cobalt PVD-treated case of the watch. New machines were devised to fabricate the extraordinarily minuscule parts, which are diamond-polished and chamfered to its finish by hand. And in several places, traditional pins are replaced by ball bearings that facilitate movement. An accumulation of tiny, monumental changes that ensured that this super slender flying tourbillon timepiece can still boast a respectable 40-hour power reserve. IMAGES COURTESY OF PIAGET Watches
IMAGES COURTESY OF CHANEL LONG on the NECK he latest in the realm of elegant timepiece designs are sautoir watches. Worn long and sensually draped, the neck is the new hotspot for watch designers. Take it from Chanel, which is basing its watchmaking capsule this year on the trade of the couturier, and whose collection includes several sautoir creations. Dubbed Couture O’Clock, the collection includes motifs such as dress forms, measuring tapes, thimbles, pins and pincushions—the tools of the seamstress’s trade, essentially. The watch pictured left is the Mademoiselle Privé Pincushion, a fantastically precious take on the quotidian implement. It comes in three versions: one worn on the wrist and one on a finger as if it were a ring. But the one that makes the biggest statement is the Pincushion strung on a chain and destined for the neck. This Pincushion is crafted from yellow gold and set with around 498 diamonds. The dial is particularly impressive. To create the spindly look of a pincushion, yellow gold ‘needles’ are set and decorated with cultured pearls and diamonds to create the look of round pinheads. The slender hands of the watch disappear a little in the illusion, which is encased by a specially shaped domed sapphire crystal that makes the watch face a pleasure to look at from almost any angle. But with a design as fancy as this, mounted on a gold and diamond chain no less, think of it as encouragement to wear it as you would jewellery. 75
Gabrielle Chanel described the moments in her life as an intersection of luck and destiny. The intersecting lines that form the Coco Crush collection’s quilted pattern represent those encounters. All clothing, watches and jewellery by Chanel
Watches Jewellery Special Eau de Atelier A new picture of JENNIE is emerging, fresh off the K-pop superstar’s founding of her own agency ODD ATELIER. Photography HEEJUNE KIM Fashion editors KIHOH SOHN and EUNJI SHIN Styling PARK MIN-HEE Words GAYEONG RYU 77
Watches Slender, mini versions of the Coco Crush bracelet debuted this year, designed to be stacked and layered. They’re crafted from beige, white or yellow gold, and offered with or without diamonds. 78 Jewellery Special
Jennie. There’s something about the name that feels new lately. Your independent label, Odd Atelier, marked the beginning of your solo activities by creating ‘attention-grabbing novelty’. As someone whose every move is exposed to the public, it’s my role to show a new side of me each time. I’m always wondering, “What new aspect of me can I reveal this time?” I wanted to create a space where I could fully immerse myself in exploring such ideas. You’ve become a leader. Are there any principles you follow to lead the company well? Whenever someone comes up with a new idea, we’ll promptly share it. We also ensure that everyone is content in their roles. I’m confident that when these conditions are met, it will foster strong synergy and lead to the creation of ‘attentiongrabbing novelty’. As you embark on this new chapter, what impactful advice has your mother given you? My mum is the type to believe in and trust me in whatever I do. We had many conversations this year, and her advice to avoid rushing and pursue my path in my own way was reassuring. You took everyone by surprise in March when you teamed up with American singer-songwriter Matt Champion on the single ‘Slow Motion’. You said: “I’m delighted to finally share my sincere feelings and message encapsulated in this song with everyone.” What emotions did you infuse into the project and what memories do you have from the collaboration? I’ve long been a fan of Brockhampton, the group Matt is part of, and I particularly admire his voice. After becoming acquainted by chance, we casually hung out in the studio and ended up making a song. We had surprisingly good chemistry and had a great time working together. Thanks to our seamless workflow, we were able to produce good results. Although it wasn’t intentional, the timing of the release seems to complement the current weather and atmosphere, enhancing the song’s mood even further. The lyrics ‘Cause you know I’m shy for you still/ So bad that it kills/ And I can’t help but feel/Like we’re moving in slow motion’ seemed like a reflection of your experiences. Your industry seniors hold you in high regard and are aware of your tendency to be shy. How have they encouraged you? I remember the advice Hyori-seonbaenim (senior) gave me when I appeared on the first episode of The Seasons: Lee Hyori’s Red Carpet. I often worry that I can’t communicate well with people I’m not familiar with, yet she pointed out that shyness was actually my defence mechanism. Overcoming shyness has long been a personal hurdle, but I came to view it from a different angle as a form of self-protection. This realisation brought me a newfound sense of comfort. Have you encountered any new, intriguing perspectives about yourself recently? For the first time in five years, I appeared as a permanent cast member on a variety show, Apartment 404, where I think I showed many fresh aspects of my personality. I gained several interesting nicknames like Detective Jen and Jen Archer (laughs). I showcased conceptual fashion that evolved with each episode’s era setting and the response exceeded my expectations. Seeing the fans’ responses with each new episode was gratifying. 79
In addition to the Coco Crush fine jewellery collection, Jennie was selected this year to front the Chanel Première Édition Originale timepiece campaign as its face and muse.
Watches Jewellery Special You’ve had a longstanding partnership with Chanel. How have you been inspired recently by this familiar companion? Witnessing Chanel’s autumn/winter 2024 ready-to-wear collection in Paris was an inspiring experience. The films projected on the large screens along the runway exuded Chanel’s romantic essence and evoked the fragrance of Deauville, a city cherished by Gabrielle Chanel. Perhaps it struck a deeper chord with me because my first journey with Chanel took place in Deauville. From the beautiful sea to the models strolling along the city’s bridge, every element on the runway, the appearances by Penélope Cruz and Brad Pitt in the short film directed by Inez and Vinoodh, felt remarkably vivid. You’re a globetrotter. Is there a particular city you currently identify with the most? Seoul, perhaps? I’ve travelled to many places, but it’s Seoul’s unique charm of blending urban life with nature that always sparks my inspiration and drive. It’s the city that I resonate with the most. When faced with the choice between embracing change and remaining authentic to yourself, which direction do you lean towards? Wow, this is something I constantly ponder about. I think I’d choose to stay true to myself. I believe my fans will embrace and support all my endeavours, so I always strive for something new. However, even in those moments, the most important thing is to be authentic. I find joy showcasing my pursuits without any forced pretences. Not only does this lead to better outcomes, it also brings a greater sense of satisfaction. Out of all the big and small decisions you made this year, which one brought you the greatest satisfaction? I’ve engaged in various endeavours since my debut, but my main focus has always been connecting with fans through music as a singer. Amid hectic schedules, however, there were moments when I had to give up activities I wanted to pursue. This year, I made a commitment to prioritise what brings me joy. This began with the release of a Christmas cover song towards the end of last year. There’s a joy that can only be felt when communicating through music, and it was fulfilling and rewarding to see many people enjoy it. You seem to understand the importance of adequate rest. Despite your busy schedule, how have you been prioritising self-care? I had an exceptionally busy year last year performing on stages worldwide. But once it all concluded, I enjoyed a long break in South Korea to recharge. I indulged in revitalising activities such as meditation and relaxing in bed while listening to my favourite music. I’m always happiest when I return home after a workout, where I can fully dedicate myself to personal time. There’s a lot of excitement surrounding your upcoming solo album. While there isn’t much that can be disclosed at this point, what’s one aspect of the new music that you can share? These days, I’ve been dedicating nearly all my time to music production and I often lose track of time. I’m working diligently with the aim of reaching a wider audience with my music, so please look forward to it. I promise to return in a manner that exceeds all your expectations. 81
Watches 82 Jewellery Special
Individuality is the name of the game with Coco Crush. The collection is available across four categories—rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets—in 65 styles. Hair, Lee Sun-young; make-up, Jo Won-yeon; manicure, Park Eun-kyung/Unistella; set design, Choi Seo-yoon/Da;rak.
Watches Jewellery Special Final TOUCH Edit JESSLYN LYE 1. 3. 2. 4. 5. 84 PORTRAIT: GETTY IMAGES 6.
7. 12. 8. While the brooch was once a functional object utilised for fastening heavy cloaks in cold climates, its use has evolved over centuries. As an ornament, the accessory came to be worn in royal courts as an affirmation of power, wealth and status. Now, its significance is almost entirely sartorial, as a statement detail or a pop of colour to elevate one’s look—a modern heirloom that’s making a grand comeback on runways and red carpets everywhere you look. 9. 10. 11. 1. Loewe x Lynda Benglis Tarantella brooch, $2,990 2. David Morris Flower brooch, $97,179 from Farfetch 3. Shanghai Tang x Jacky Tsai Porcelain brooch, $336 4. Ader Error Silver Crystal pin, US$305 from Ssense 5. Tiffany & Co Elsa Peretti Amapola brooch, price upon request 6. Stephen Webster Stingray brooch, £42,000 7. Swarovski Gema brooch, $330 8. Alberta Ferretti beaded floral brooch, $375 from Farfetch 9. Weekend Max Mara metal brooch, US$165 10. Ader Error Silver Crystal Heart pin, US$340 from Ssense 11. Lauren x Khoo Empire State Sûreté pin, price upon request 12. Dries Van Noten brass brooch, €375 85
Successions Legacy jewellery houses from the 18th and 19th centuries are back, and they’re more relevant than ever. Words JESSLYN LYE 86 IMAGES COURTESY OF VERDURA; BELPERRON; CODOGNATO E arlier this year in the FX drama Feud: Capote vs the Swans, the dramas of New York high society socialites in the ’60s and ’70s were laid bare. An unlikely protagonist emerged: the distinct, opulent jewels of the era. There is a scene of socialite and former Vogue editor Babe Paley, after a cancer diagnosis, surrounded by her jewels and doling them out to friends. A particular piece catches the eye of one of Paley’s friends—a rubellite Verdura bracelet. The show has since spurred a growing interest and fever for designs from those decades, and particularly designs by jewellers whose names had otherwise lost their lustre to time. Duke Fulco di Verdura, for one, was a designer of bold, sculptural pieces who made a mark on 20th-century fine jewellery. Before founding his eponymous brand in 1939, the Sicilian aristocrat was the head jewellery designer at Chanel and the man who introduced Maltese cross cuffs to Gabrielle Chanel. Verdura has changed hands over the decades, but in the present it is owned and run by Ward Landrigan, the former head of jewellery at Sotheby’s. In its revived form, the house creates designs from nearly 10,000 sketches that Verdura made in his lifetime. Landrigan’s efforts at continuing the legacy of storied, unsung designers might just be paying off. Since being featured on television, Verdura designs have begun to sell out. Another name that Landrigan has instigated a comeback with is Suzanne Belperron, one of the most influential— and very few female— jewellery designers of the 20th century. Her work was worn by everyone from Elsa Schiaparelli to the Duchess of Windsor, with a sensual tactile style that remains strikingly modern. Today, her ageless style is embodied in a contemporary collection that’s crafted from an archive of over 9,300 gouaches and designs by Belperron. Apart from the Landrigans, there’s the designer Francesca Amfitheatrof—presently the artistic director of watches and jewellery at Louis Vuitton and formerly the first female creative director at Tiffany & Co. She recently added a new role, concurrent to her position at Louis Vuitton, as the head of creative at cult Venetian jeweller Codognato. Family-owned and run since 1866, Codognato is known for distinctive intaglio and enamel designs sought out by royals, actors, directors and artists in the know. Amfitheatrof succeeds the late, fourthgeneration jeweller Attilio Codognato, and the two are said to have FROM ABOVE Necklace from fostered a friendship over the years through visits and conversations. Codognato, Ravenna As an outsider stepping into a family operation, and the impressive pendant brooch from influence she wields, chances are high that Amfitheatrof will usher in Verdura, and Abacus cuff a new generation of designs to draw in fresh fans and collectors at the from Belperron Venetian house.
Watches Jewellery Special The CASE for CHANGE This month, BOUCHERON is rolling out a new suite of packaging designs that offer both style and sustainability. Words JESSLYN LYE IMAGE COURTESY OF BOUCHERON W hen the topic of sustainability in jewellery comes up, there are a few efforts that immediately come to mind. Ethically sourced gold and gemstones, for example, are avenues of progress. Yet there’s one particular facet that often gets overlooked. Jewellery packaging might not appear as significant on the surface, but its impact on the environment certainly adds up. This is where Boucheron’s latest jewellery cases come in. Two years in the making, the maison’s new cases trade the 11 non-recyclable components of its old packaging for just two natural and recyclable materials: lightweight aluminium and wool felt certified with the Responsible Wool Standard. Gone is the traditional hinged form factor, simplified instead into round boxes where one can simply pull open the top to reveal its contents. The entire production process has been rewritten too, with every step optimised to ensure the smallest possible environmental footprint. The result: a collection of cases—in seven formats for rings, bracelets, necklaces and more—crafted with a level of artistry and meticulousness normally reserved for designer objects. Inspired by beauty kits of the 1980s, the lid of each case features a textured surface of carefully sculpted emerald forms, a subtle reference to the jewellery house’s logo. The aluminium and felt designs have quantifiable environmental benefits on top of their aesthetics. The simplified components mean the weight of Boucheron packaging is now reduced to just a quarter of what it used to be, and the two materials chosen can be endlessly recycled. This means a lower carbon footprint when shipping the jewellery out of Place Vendôme in Paris and end-of-life circularity for the cases. The brand’s creative director Claire Choisne is said to repurpose the cases as decorative vases in her home. The innovation with which the maison is approaching its packaging is not surprising. It was one of the earliest jewellers in the industry to publish a revealing report on its sustainability efforts, welcoming its contemporaries and competitors to share in the house’s learnings. In an industry where a jewel box is as emblematic as it is thanks to proposal culture, Boucheron’s new cases represent a bold step toward the future and a clarion call for change. 87
Harry Winston Winston Kaleidoscope spessartite pendant with peridots, yellow sapphires and diamonds, price upon request BP de Silva Pocketful of Gems paraiba tourmaline necklace, price upon request RISING STARS Edit JESSLYN LYE Boucheron Serpent Bohème ring with aquaprase and diamonds, $15,200 Caratell Opal Lily pendant with opals, pink sapphires, fancy yellow diamonds and ruby, $13,500 Omi Privé purple star sapphire, spinel and diamond ring, US$32,000 H Sena fancy intense pink diamond ring, price upon request 88 BP de Silva Jazz Age Monument padparadscha sapphire ring with diamonds, price upon request
Watches Jewellery Special When we think of gemstones, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds usually come to mind. But in recent years, a new crop of novel, rare gemstones have taken the spotlight, garnering the attention of established jewellery houses and private collectors alike. Treasured for their vibrant colours and steadily growing in value, these stones have been turning up in auctions and collections, cementing their place as a new generation of precious gems. Reza Revolution earrings with red spinels, diamonds and princess-cut diamonds, US$69,900 Louis Vuitton Colour Blossom BB Multi-Pattern bracelet with amazonite and diamonds, $15,600 Yuli Jewellery pyrope garnet sugarloaf ring with micro-pavé diamonds, price upon request Madly Gems cobalt spinel cocktail ring with diamonds, price upon request Anabela Chan Multi-Stone Drop earrings with lab-grown padparadscha sapphires, simulated blush pink sapphires, olive tourmalines and diamonds, $3,470 from Farfetch 89
Watches Jewellery Special A WORLD unto Itself As TIFFANY & CO opens a new exhibition in Tokyo, the brand’s chief gemologist Victoria Reynolds opens up on the legacy of the New York jeweller. Words GORDON NG CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Jean Schlumberger Strawberry and Fleur de Mer clips, the 128.54-carat yellow Tiffany Diamond, and an 1855 Bapst Frères brooch retailed by Tiffany & Co. 90 egacy is an interesting thing. With 187 years of history behind it, the American jeweller Tiffany & Co— despite more easily imagining and relating it with youth—has oodles of history behind it. It’s a fact that the house is now eager to reclaim and celebrate, as evidenced by its latest project: Tiffany Wonder, an ambitious brand exhibition that recently opened at Tokyo Node in the Japanese capital city. The exhibition brings together over 500 objects from the brand’s archives to offer a broad sweep of its varied history. There are the jewels, of course, designed by the many talents who have worked for the brand over the decades, and historic artefacts such as the first cash book when Tiffany opened for business. Amid all this history, I got a chance to speak with Victoria Reynolds, the brand’s present-day chief gemologist. Reynolds has spent 37 years with the jeweller, with roles previously in diamond grading, custom designs, business sales, marketing high jewellery, and since 2020, heading the brand’s diamond and gemstone acquisition. Reynolds is, from observation, a creature of habit. She wears a jewellery uniform of sorts, and if you look her up you’ll notice the same Jean Schlumberger pieces—she confesses favour for the designer—turning up. Most interestingly, she wears a black jeweller’s loupe on a gold chain. When asked about it, she let on that it was an inherited gift from her predecessor Melvyn Kirtley, the house’s chief gemologist before her.
FROM TOP A simulated window display by Christopher Young that pays homage to actual boutique window scenes designed by founder Charles Lewis Tiffany. The In Love With Japan room, which draws a connection between New York and Tokyo. The room is decorated with nods to Japanese crafts: red lacquer edges on the furniture, and walls like paper dividers.
Jewellery Special There is a particular but amorphous quality to a Tiffany & Co gemstone. Can you describe what that means? They all have to be the best in class. They have to have exceptional colour, great make and incredible crystal. But when you’re looking at, let’s say, 20 rubies or 10 sapphires, why do you pick one? It’s a bit subjective, right? So, like a great painting—I think a great painting is a good example—it has to have some emotion. A great gemstone, the way I put it, will dance for me. In the case of a diamond, it might be the cut that makes the scintillation of how light comes back to the eye. For coloured gemstones, typically it’s all about colour. Can you give us an example of a stone that gave you an emotional response? The Tiffany Diamond is an excellent example. Found in 1877 and cut in 1878, it’s been the brand’s true north for that long. It has a beauty: the yellow is so pure and the cut is magnificent. A regular gemstone in 1878 had 58 cuts, but this was cut with 82 facets because it held the yellow colour in the stone. It’s very optimistic, a pure yellow. It’s like any great thing in nature or anything that’s pure. It brings joy and that’s a once-in-alifetime gemstone. Watching people look at the diamond [at the exhibition] was a great example. You’ve no doubt seen the Tiffany Diamond a lot. Do you ever find yourself bored by it? No. Never. If I did, I would have to give my job up. If you get bored by the Tiffany Diamond, there’s no hope. I never get tired of looking at it because I find something new in it every time. I probably don’t need a plot (a diagram that charts a gemstone’s characteristics), I know that stone so well at this point. But I think to myself, with all the modern technology we have, how is it that Mr Tiffany and Mr Kunz took a year to study it, cut it and created something so perfect back in 1877? And that has held up and stood the test of time to be one of the greatest diamonds in the world. Why is now the right time to have this broad look at the history of Tiffany & Co? When you have 187 years, sometimes you have to take a step back, right? I think what happened when Mr Arnault and LVMH acquired us was they saw things in us that maybe we’d forgotten. That’s the way I put it. What do you mean by forgotten? I don’t think that we didn’t appreciate it. But I don’t think we necessarily looked at it with a new lens. And the new lens is what makes it so interesting because it’s all been there. It’s authentic and part of our history. You’ve spent 37 years with Tiffany. What was your emotional response seeing this exhibition? To see the history of the company so beautifully curated in this exhibition is why it is so emotional. Because it stands for love, for beauty and for quality. But ultimately, it’s about love and that is a very emotional thing. Tiffany Wonder pays tribute to the many designers who have worked for the brand. FROM LEFT Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso and Jean Schlumberger. 92 IMAGES COURTESY OF TIFFANY & CO Watches
A cut ABOVE VACHERON CONSTANTIN marks its first collaboration with haute couture designer Yin Yiqing. Words GORDON NG IMAGE COURTESY OF VACHERON CONSTANTIN W hen Vacheron Constantin launched Égérie, its dedicated women’s collection, in 2020, the Swiss watchmaker drew a connection between haute horlogerie and haute couture. Both fields share the quality of handmade exclusivity— echoing the brand’s tagline of ‘one of not many’. That same year, Vacheron Constantin announced the face of the collection. Not a celebrity, as many brands are wont to do, but an actual, honest-togoodness couturier in the form of the designer Yin Yiqing. Now, the brand is taking its partnership with Yin to a new level, releasing its first creative collaboration with the designer on Égérie timepieces. There is a completely novel and mind-blowing concept watch and a limited-edition Égérie Moon Phase model that taps into the couturier’s design sensibilities. The Égérie collection is defined by a number of subtle details. The first, and most obvious, is an off-centre subdial positioned between 12 and three o’clock. It’s deployed, depending on the model, to display either the date or a moonphase complication. This ring is framed, like the case, numerals and applied indices, in gold. Its neighbouring three o’clock index, in curved type, is neatly cut to accommodate the intersecting ring. But a curious eye might notice that the cabochon moonstone crown is set at two o’clock and the Vacheron Constantin logo is similarly positioned off-centre at eight o’clock. The subtle effect is a line drawn between the crown, ring and logo on the diagonal of the watch—a wonderfully understated callback, perhaps, to the diagonal bias cutting of fashion designers. It’s a possible allusion perhaps to the manipulations of haute couture fabrics. One of the most classical is the art of plissé, or pleating. On the Égérie’s design, this is realised through guilloché on the dial to create a folded, pleated texture. These nods to haute couture are all present, of course, in Yin’s 100-piece edition of the Égérie Moon Phase. The difference is a design that taps directly into the couturier’s creative language. Firstly, a dreamy lilac mother-of-pearl dial in both smooth and pleated finishes. The latter is particularly impressive as it taps on Vacheron Constantin’s guillochage expertise in working with a fragile material. The iridescent colours and textures commingle to create a dial that’s exceedingly elegant to look at. All watches in the Égérie collection feature an interchangeable system and a selection of straps. With Yin’s edition, the straps are chosen to complement and provide a contrast to the timepiece’s unique colours. There is lilac alligator for a tone-on-tone look, night blue calfskin with a slick satin effect that’s ideal for evenings and powder pink grained calfskin leather for a sweet look. Trust an haute couture designer to understand the importance of having an outfit for different moods and occasions. 93
Watches Jewellery Special The KING of METALS From assertive sculptural jewels to the nuances of fine details, the primacy of gold is undeniable. Photography PAULA LATIMORI Styling AURORA SANSONE
THIS PAGE Cartier Grain de Café earrings and ring in yellow and white gold with diamonds; Dior top FACING PAGE Pomellato bracelets in rose gold with diamonds; Fendi pants
Watches Jewellery Special Tiffany & Co Lock earrings in rose gold with and without diamonds; Valentino dress 96
Messika Move Romane earrings in rose gold with diamonds 97
THIS PAGE Roberto Coin Pois Mois and Navarro earrings and ring in yellow gold with diamonds; Max Mara turtleneck FACING PAGE Crivelli Pillar rings and bracelet in rose gold with diamonds; Tory Burch shirt Stylist’s assistant, Marco Pilone Poli; hair and makeup, Anna Maria Negri/Julian Watson Agency using Make Up For Ever and Gabriele Brunelli/GB Pro Showteam; manicure, Elisa Grieco/ Etoile Management using Manucurist Paris; model, Ksenia Lifanova/Elite.
Watches Jewellery Special
Partnership Guiding HAND A nearly obsessive adherence to rare, Renaissance-era craftsmanship sets BUCCELLATI’s intricate jewels apart. t’s a rare feat to design a recognisable icon of jewellery, much less to mint an entirely individual style. But that is what the Milanese jeweller Buccellati has achieved since it was founded in 1919. The key to that is not merely a design detail or motif, but a unique and rare adherence to craftsmanship of mind-boggling virtuosity. The brand’s signature lies in a combination of methods when it comes to working with gold. Engraving by hand is the foundation, but the brand has a host of specific techniques— often, a mixture of several on a single piece of jewellery. Turn the pieces this way, that and around, and you’ll notice that nearly every surface has been intricately worked and crafted. That skill with manipulating the surfaces and textures of gold is what earned the brand’s founder Mario Buccellati the moniker of ‘prince of goldsmiths’. Two of the brand’s contemporary collections that best exemplify this intense level of craftsmanship when working with gold are Macri and Tulle. Macri is designed to imbue precious gold with the texture and finish of silk fabrics. This is achieved with the rigato engraving technique, in which superfine lines are carved to create the effect of a textile. It’s simple only in theory: the handwork required of it is distinctive and rare. Each Macri piece contains at least 20,000 individual engravings. 100 Pieces from the Macri line are also enhanced by diamonds. But instead of setting the gemstones straightforwardly with prongs or channels, Buccellati uses one of two carving methods to create star-shaped rosettes. There is modellato engraving, which sculpts a raised rosette, and ornato engraving, where the rosette detail is carved into the gold. The Tulle collection, meanwhile, evokes the textures of precious lace. Where the Macri designs imbue solid gold with a surface lightness, Tulle does it by carving net-like openworked structures into the jewels. It’s one of the most complex methods in jewellery. For perspective, hand carving these structures into a plate of gold just half a millimetre thin takes a Buccellati goldsmith nearly a month. The brand uses two main openwork designs: radial, where lines spread out from a centre, and honeycomb, where a hexagonal pattern is formed. Within and around these openworked structures are carved and shaped borders of gold that are set with diamonds and precious gems. The use of virtuosic techniques in jewellery is not unique to Buccellati. But what sets the Milanese house apart is a dedication to these goldsmithing crafts that date back to the Renaissance, and which are so meticulously detailed they can only be enacted by hand. The result is jewels that are akin to wearable art pieces.
Watches Jewellery Special THIS PAGE Classic Macri bracelets feature a silk-like, handengraved rigato texture, and diamonds set on carved gold rosettes. Generational Butterflies FACING PAGE A Buccellati high jewellery necklace with yellow gold radial tulle and honeycomb handwork, with diamonds set onto white gold edges. 1950s butterfly brooch with baroque pearl body, designed by founder Mario Buccellati. IMAGES COURTESY OF BUCCELLATI Butterfly by Gianmaria Buccellati from 1993, with cabochon emeralds on the wings. The brand is, in fact, one of the few major jewellery firms in the world where the founding family is still actively involved. In the present, the brand is led by third-generation creative director Andrea Buccellati, in collaboration with his daughter Lucrezia. This idea of continuity was showcased in a recent exhibition by Buccellati in Venice, with four butterfly brooches designed by four generations. It showcased two remarkable things. First, and naturally, the evolution of styles, tastes and designs over decades. From the baroque eye of founder Mario Buccellati, to the glamour of his successor Gianmaria, the modern precision of Andrea and now the feminine directness of Lucrezia. Second, and more impressive perhaps, the house and family’s adherence—regardless of the march of time—to the demanding intricacies of its prized craftsmanship. The tulle openworking, the engraved textures, the sculpted shapes of gold, all present today as they ever were. Andrea Buccellati’s 1995 butterfly with two-toned baroque pearls, and gossamer tulle work on the wings. Andrea and Lucrezia Buccellati’s butterfly from 2023, with a teardrop diamond body and sunburst pattern openworking. 101
4. 2. 3. 5. 1. 6. 7. 8. 1. Sydney Evan Starburst Horseshoe necklace, $1,325 from Net-a-Porter 2. Fabergé Heritage Heart Surprise locket necklace, $20,480 from Farfetch 3. Marie Lichtenberg Love You locket necklace, $10,868 from Net-a-Porter 4. Simone Jewels From Europe with Love Cherub locket, $29,800 5. Bea Bongiasca Fortuneye Protection ring, €580 6. Goossens Talisman Clover signet ring, $460 from Farfetch 7. Harwell Godfrey Chubby Talisman ring, $6,905 from Farfetch 8. Dior Rose des Vents bracelet, $59,500 9. Monica Vinader Talisman necklace, $305 10. Ask & Embla The Sacrament ring, $187 11. Van Cleef & Arpels Zodiaque Geminorum necklace, $32,600 12. Cece Jewellery Insignia pendant, £47,390 13. Parts of Four Tall Roman ring, $1,076 from Farfetch 14. De Beers Talisman ring, $4,128 from Farfetch 102
Watches Jewellery Special 12. 9. 13. 10. 11. 14. Lucky CHARMS Edit JESSLYN LYE A sense of superstition is as old as jewellery itself. The earliest versions were worn to ward off illness and bad luck or to bring one closer to higher powers. These were typically simple stone amulets of sacred symbols, stars or floral patterns. Our modern-day talismans may have evolved into fancier designs, but they’re grounded by the same wishes. Kept close to oneself for luck and protection, think of these jewels as spiritual compasses to guide one through the chaos of life. 103
Watches Jewellery Special Chaumet Torsade de Chaumet brooch in white gold with diamonds 104
WANDERING EYE An unbound attitude to jewels that travel the body and draw the eye to its curious corners. Photography FEEDBENG Styling GORDON NG Boucheron Quatre Classique Multi-Wear in yellow, white and pink gold with diamonds and PVD worn as a belt, and Quatre Classique Bobbin pair of cuffs in pink gold and set of 12 bracelets in yellow, white and pink gold with diamonds and PVD; Dolce&Gabbana top; Hermès pants
Hermès Chaine d’ancre double tour bracelet in rose gold and silver worn as choker, Mix & H long necklace in rose gold and silver, and bodysuit
Watches Jewellery Special Dior Colour Dior transformable double ring in pink gold with diamonds and lacquer worn with chain, and dress 107
Tiffany & Co Bird On A Rock brooch in white and yellow gold with aquamarine and diamonds; Hermès bodysuit 108 STYLIST’S ASSISTANT, MIKI CHARWIN; HAIR AND MAKE-UP, KENNETH CHIA; MANICURE, ANN LIM; PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT, RIGG NGO; MODEL, LILA/MISC MANAGEMENT. Watches Jewellery Special
Cartier Agrafe necklace in rose gold with diamonds
Tory Burch dress
LIFE Voices STARTER Pistol Don’t call it a comeback. After a blockbuster season of setting and smashing records on the track, 27-year-old Singaporean sprinter Shanti Pereira is gearing up for one big race: the Paris Olympics. Here, she reflects on her past, present and future, and why building a better sporting culture in Singapore is more vital now than ever. Photography SAYHER HEFFERNAN Styling JASMINE ASHVINKUMAR Words CHANDREYEE RAY eronica Shanti Pereira is 18 years old when her two older sisters decide to write a book about her. They are standing in the bleachers at the National Stadium in Singapore, watching their youngest sister compete in the 200m sprint at the 2015 SEA Games. As Pereira blazes down the track, her sisters feel their hearts thumping in their chests, blood rushing in their ears. She crosses the finish line first. The crowd roars around them. The two older girls know: their baby sister has just made history. “They were really moved by the impact of that moment,” says Pereira, reflecting on a conversation she had with her sisters in Bali, on a trip they took a month after that fateful race. “They felt like they had to put that experience down somewhere to remember forever.” Pereira’s 2015 win made her something of a national hero— after all, she had just earned Singapore its first gold medal in the event in 42 years. With the new national record came its requisite glory. Pereira was awarded the Sports Excellence Scholarship in 2016. A year later, she added another feather to her cap: the Yip Pin Xiu Scholarship to study accountancy at Singapore Management University (SMU). Titled Go Shanti Go, the children’s book her sisters would eventually go on to write charted Pereira’s journey as an athlete from when she was a child all the way to her historic win in 2015. What her sisters couldn’t have known, however, was the setback that lay just ahead. In 2018 came a crushing injury. Pereira recalls the moment she got hurt during training with excruciating clarity, describing it as an “out-of-body experience”. A grade two hamstring injury meant that her muscle had partially torn, resulting in acute pain and loss of strength in her leg. The days that followed were a blur. “I was in so much pain that it was difficult for me to fall asleep,” she says. “Emotionally, I was lost. It was the strangest feeling to suddenly not be able to do things that were second nature to me. “All I could think about was getting back on the track, picking up where I had left off. But I couldn’t train the way I needed to without injuring myself again. It was incredibly difficult to come to terms with the fact that my body needed time to heal from a trauma.” Pereira’s goal of medalling at the 2018 Asian Games was over. The physical blow of her injury was followed by another difficult consequence: Pereira’s inability to perform at the 2018 Asian Games meant that she would be stripped of her Sports Excellence Scholarship. Then came a painful double whammy— having struggled with her mental health and unable to keep her grades up, she also lost her academic scholarship from SMU. Thinking back to the agonising few weeks when all this transpired, Pereira says: “I hadn’t had the time to process the first loss before the second happened and the wind was knocked out of me. I didn’t know if I had a career anymore.” It is October 2023 when Pereira becomes her country’s first Asian Games athletics champion since 1974. This came months after she qualified for the Olympics on merit, for an event (the 200m sprint—Pereira’s forte) that, as per her coach, had been one of the hardest to qualify for in history. Three years ago, at the Tokyo Olympics, the qualifying time had been 22.80 seconds. This year, the standard to meet was 22.57. Those 23 milliseconds might not seem like much, but in the track and field world, they represent a huge gulf. Pereira crossed that gulf alongside the finish line when she set a new national record of 22.57 seconds at the World Championships 200m semifinal, making her the first Singaporean to progress past the heats at the World Championships. 111
LIFE Voices “We need to create a safe space for our athletes so they can go out there and give it their all without being crippled by the fear that they might not get a medal.” She now holds the national record in all four sprint categories and is the fastest Southeast Asian woman in the 100m and 200m events. Pereira is 28 years old this year—a far cry from the shy 18-year-old who had shown such incredible promise on the track that had inspired her sisters to write a book about her—but she beams widely when she reveals that the support from her family has been unwavering. “My mum, dad and siblings are the most amazing people I know. Throughout my ups and downs, they gave me all the space I needed but were there for me unconditionally. Anytime I wanted to talk to someone, or just cry, I always had them to rely on. They are the ones who keep me grounded through it all.” Between a blistering training schedule and a dedicated mental health regime to keep her head in the game, other things that keep Pereira grounded are spending time with her friends, partner (“I’m looking forward to spending more quality time with him after the Olympics; maybe we’ll go on holiday!” she says with a grin) and shopping trips to Sephora. Cooking, an unexpected hobby she picked up as a by-product of trying to keep her nutrition tip-top, has also become a way for her to show love to the people around her. “I feel like an imposter saying I cook because the meals I make are super easy—like a zucchini lasagne. Still, it’s a lovely feeling when people eat the food I make and enjoy it. Or, at least, I think they do,” she laughs. Beyond these moments of joy, Pereira’s focus is definitely razor-sharp. “As athletes, the reality is that you are ultimately driven by a certain desired outcome. That can get overwhelming; you have this big thing that you want, but what can you do each day to get there?” Pereira reflects on her positive working relationship with her coach, Luis Canha, who understands her innately. “He realised that I was very outcome-oriented, which wasn’t great for my mental health. He has helped me to instead work on embracing the process for what it is. This means that every day, I have something small that I’m trying to work on—whether it’s perfecting a certain running mechanic or strengthening my competition mindset. It gives me a manageable goal that I can accomplish and is way less overwhelming.” Keeping her eye on the journey over the result has never been more important than in this moment, with Pereira’s star rising and public anticipation around her building to an all-time high. “It 112 gets harder to resist expectations as you progress further. When I won the Asian championships in July, people started to predict that I might win the Asian Games later that year. Now that I’ve qualified for Paris, the reaction I’m seeing is that some Singaporeans are expecting me to get a gold medal at the Olympics.” Pereira pauses to chuckle and shrug. “I have to bring them down to Earth occasionally with a reminder that some of my competitors are the best in the world—they are running a full second faster than me. In track and field terms, that’s a lot. It’s not about me not dreaming big enough, it’s just the reality of the situation.” She attributes this to a general lack of understanding about the field of athletics, but I sense a deeper sentiment—one that tends to rear its head whenever we have national conversations about sport and one that reflects the exacting way in which we treat our athletes. Can’t it be good enough that Pereira qualified and is the first Singaporean to have done so in years? Isn’t her inspiring journey, through all of its ups and downs, worth celebrating on its own? “It’s funny you say that,” she says, pensively. “It reminds me of the reaction people had to my performance at the Asian Games last year. I got a silver in the 100m and a gold in the 200m. I got so many comments about how I narrowly missed the double gold. I know they’re trying to be encouraging, but I wish I could tell them, how about we still celebrate the silver?” And not for nothing, given that the silver in question was the first Asian Games medal the Singapore women’s athletics scene had seen in nearly 50 years. She shares her candid thoughts on what could create a better sporting culture in Singapore—one that is able to support its athletes through the ups and downs that they are bound to face, instead of cutting them down the minute they seem to fail. “It might sound ironic that I’m saying this at this stage of the season, but I think it would be helpful to stop focusing so intensely on medals. We need to create a safe space for our athletes so they can go out there and give it their all without being crippled by the fear that they might not get a medal.” She takes a deep breath, like she’s thought about this a thousand times. “In reality, a medal just isn’t possible sometimes. What we need to understand is that anything less than a medal isn’t automatically a loss. It depends on each athlete’s goals and the journey they are on—it could still be good enough and it could still be worth celebrating.”
Hermès bodysuit; Ask&Embla ear cuffs and rings
THIS PAGE Max Mara dress; Tory Burch cuff; &Other Stories cuff and necklace (worn around ankle) FACING PAGE Tory Burch dress Hair, Dollei Seah/Makeup Entourage using Keune Haircosmetics; make-up, Lydia Thong/Makeup Entourage using Make Up Forever; producer, David Bay.
LIFE Voices “Each day, I have something small that I’m trying to work on—whether that’s perfecting a certain running mechanic or strengthening my competition mindset.” 115
CINEMATHEQUE Nicole Midori Woodford is one of Singapore’s most prominent independent filmmakers today—and her debut feature is a tender triumph. Photography ZANTZ HAN Styling NICHOLAS SEE Words JESSLYN LYE n Last Shadow at First Light, 16-year-old Ami embarks on a journey from Singapore to Japan in search of her missing mother, who mysteriously disappeared after returning to her hometown to help with rescue efforts following the 2011 tsunami. Between hauntings and hallucinations, against a landscape heavy with loss, lies a tender look at healing in the face of lingering trauma and unspeakable grief. It is a triumph of a debut feature, seven years in the making, from local writer-director Nicole Midori Woodford. Chosen to be a part of Berlinale Talents and the Asian Film Academy in 2010, and currently a film lecturer at Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design and Media, she is one of Singapore’s most acclaimed independent filmmakers of this generation. “For their first film, most directors tend to go back to their personal experiences or questions that they have while growing up. The seed of this film comes from my family and my Japanese grandmother,” Woodford shares. In the ’40s, her grandmother had missed her train to work from her home in Kure one day and thus survived the Hiroshima atomic blast. It’s a story she only shared for the first time a few years before her passing. Last Shadow at First Light deals with the aftermath of a different disaster, but its devastating impacts are no less visceral. Most of the film was shot in Rikuzentakata, a city almost wiped out by the 2011 tsunami, and its poignancy permeates every moment. “The bigger part of the story came later, after discovering the space and landscape when I started to do my research in Japan in 2017. I wanted to tell a story about a family that is dealing with their own struggles internally as well as externally. So you have the backdrop of the disaster, but you also have something that is broken and needs healing among the family members.” A day after the theatrical opening of her film in Singapore, Woodford sits down to chat about her filmmaking journey and the stories that fascinate her. She also picks out six movies by female directors that have inspired her along the way. Massimo Dutti blazer and pants; tank and shoes, stylist’s own 116 Take us back to the start of your filmmaking career. How did it begin and what has that journey been like for you? I never thought that filmmaking was in the cards for me, but I’ve always had a passion for storytelling and I loved watching films. I used to rent films from video shops and from the Esplanade library, and I was curious how they got made. At the start, what drew me in was the multidisciplinary nature of film. I could explore music and I loved to write. But eventually, I realised that you can’t do everything on your own, so the second key milestone was discovering that directing came quite naturally to me. Still, I didn’t dare to call myself a director until much later, when I was selected for two talent development
LIFE Films Petite Maman Directed by Celine Sciamma A delicate and wistful take on time travel, the mysterious power of mother and daughter relationships as well as childhood grief. programmes that were quite prestigious: Berlinale Talents, and the Asian Film Academy in Busan. After that, I didn’t look back. HAIR AND MAKE-UP: ZHOU AIYI/MAKEUP ENTOURAGE. Were there any challenges for you as a female filmmaker? When I started out, it felt like I had to prove myself first before people took me seriously as a director, whereas if a man shows up on set, people don’t question it even if he’s not known. It was strange to me because if I get the job done, why does it matter if I’m, for example, more soft-spoken? Now, it’s more of how people describe my work. They’ll say the film feels feminine, which I don’t think is a bad thing. I see it as a compliment. The Nightingale Directed by Jennifer Kent Jennifer Kent’s sophomore film is a brutal and relentless exploration of colonialism, violence and trauma as a brittle but powerful revenge film. Aftersun Directed by Charlotte Wells Do you think your relationship with filmmaking has evolved over the years? It’s a love-hate relationship, no doubt, because it’s always going to be at odds with my personal life. It forces you to make hard decisions and sacrifices because it demands so much time, energy and resources. I delayed having a baby until after the film because I felt it was going to be unfair to the child if I couldn’t be 100 percent committed, and I couldn’t live with that. In the beginning, I was living life without compromise. I was working hard on every project and not taking care of my health. But as I got older, I realised that was not sustainable because I was exhausting myself all the time, so I had to set boundaries. On the artistic side of things, I feel that I have finally found my voice. But it’s funny because now I want to try something else; I feel that I’m capable of taking on a different style as a director. That’s why film is so exciting. It’s an easy craft to get into, but a hard one to master. Most first feature films are linked closely to the director’s outlook on personal truths and more often than not they are about parent-child relationships. The ending of Charlotte Wells’s breakout debut feature is a devastating one that breaks your heart over and over again. What are the themes and stories that fascinate you? What kinds of stories do you hope to explore? The one constant is a female protagonist. Not just for representation, but also because I’m drawn to ambiguity—to the grey area of life, of the thought processes behind decisions, and conflicts that human characters face. I feel that for women in general, the battles we face are more ambiguous and they’re harder to pin down. As a storyteller, I want to unravel and discover what is behind this ambiguity. Tótem Directed by Lila Avilés Is there an ultimate goal that you hope to achieve through your work? Maybe it is a bit idealistic to say this, but the ultimate goal for me is to make works that have an influence on how people see the world. Film is a medium that you share with a group of people, not just one individual, and tapping into this collective consciousness is very evocative for me. House of Hummingbird Directed by Bora Kim Set in 1994, this is a heartfelt and loving portrait of a young girl growing up and dealing with the trials of female adolescence. Woven with empathy and care, the film is an honest and yet mesmerising take on the coming-of-age narrative. Tótem was one of my favourite films last year. It has a lot of humanity and unfolds over the course of one afternoon in a Mexican family’s life as they grapple with life and death through the eyes of Sol, the seven-year-old protagonist. Saint Maud Directed by Rose Glass Another debut film featuring a female protagonist but one where she descends into madness as she communes with an imagined God. Saint Maud questions our sense of reality and plumbs the depths somewhere between horrific and beatific. 117
INTO the WILD The slow-paced Kangaroo Island, dubbed the Australian Galapagos, brims with spectacular coastlines, divine produce and an abundance of animals in its natural habitat. Words AMELIA CHIA
PHOTOGRAPHY: SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM COMMISSION LIFE Travel The breathtaking Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island. am in the thick of one of those moments city dwellers like me truly relish. Against the inky dark sky, my senses are heightened to the comforting sound of curling ocean waves and the night breeze, which float gently into our accommodation. As I tuck into a bowl of home-made cauliflower soup, there comes a faint, scratching noise—tap, tap tap, like nails rapping on glass. Tamsin Wendt, my host at Oceanview Eco Villas on Kangaroo Island, turns towards the door with a grin. “It’s Chilli and Bingo,” she pronounces, reaching her hands out to the female kangaroo and her little joey, who had only left the pouch the night before. “Definitely your lucky night.” The marsupials, who live on the 202-hectare property, nudge her hands and sniff warily at me. Chilli and Bingo linger on our back porch for a couple of minutes before hopping off after realising food is not to be found here. I blink, hardly believing that I had just interacted with kangaroos in the wild. “The island, as you can see, is pretty special,” says Tamsin, gesturing around her. “There are no dingos, rabbits or foxes on the island. The flora and fauna you see is what South Australia looked like prior to the European Settlement. There’s nowhere else like it in Australia. You’ll see over the next few days, you can drive for 10km and not pass another vehicle. In the middle of summer, you can go to a beach and not see another person there.” It’s the unexpected magic of the wilderness that makes Kangaroo Island in South Australia one of the most remarkable places on Earth. Known as the Australian Galapagos, koalas rest in abundance in lush eucalyptus trees, while kangaroos, echidnas and bandicoots lurk all around. Driving through the island is reminiscent of a game drive because you will almost always chance upon an animal. When cars are pulled over on the side of the road, it often means a clear sighting of a koala up in a tree. Becky Westbrook, my effervescent and knowledgeable guide from Kangaroo Island Touring Company, is a genius at locating them from miles away. I have the pleasure of spending two full days with Westbrook, a mother of three who grew up on Kangaroo Island and has a passion for storytelling and the unblemished beauty of her home. She takes me down to Seal Bay Conservation Park on the south coast of Kangaroo Island one morning, home to the third largest Australian sea lion colony in the country. The sea lions, most of them snoozing on the sand while soaking in the late morning sun, are only a couple of metres away from me. I watch one stare curiously at me from the dry upper shore before it galumphs slowly under a bridge. Bottlenose dolphins are rampant too, if you gaze down on the island’s clear, turquoise waters long enough. I try my luck once on Oceanview Eco Villas’ jagged clifftop, where I sit on a camping chair with a cocktail in hand, chasing the last rays of a wondrous sunset as I hope for a dolphin to surface. It doesn’t, but a pod of pelicans fly by in an arresting spectacle. 119
LIFE Travel An explorer’s wildest dreams Australia’s third biggest island operates at a blissfully slow pace, and is wonderfully rural, which attributes to its otherworldly charm. It boasts 4,416 square kilometres of land—six times the size of Singapore—and yet is home to just under 5,000 residents. Kingscote and Penneshaw are the two main townships on the island, with a modest showing of restaurants, cafes, shops and supermarkets. Westbrook tells me that basic necessities and day-to-day groceries can be done on the island, but specific wants—dental visits, facials or shopping for a wider variety of meats and seafood—are best fulfilled in Adelaide, a 25-minute plane ride or 45-minute ferry ride away. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Muted tones in Oceanview Eco Villas’ living room; a kangaroo spotted in the wild; common pools at Southern Ocean Lodge; orange lichen on Remarkable Rocks. Kangaroo Island is also home to the purest strain of the Ligurian Bees, which makes its honey incredibly sweet and floral, and some of the best I’ve tasted. I buy some for my mother-in-law, who raves for weeks about how the honey tastes like those from her childhood. She proceeds to buy another five jars online shortly after. In 2020, Kangaroo Island experienced the effects of Australia’s devastating bushfires in its summer season. Almost half of the island was burnt, alongside homes, businesses, crops and wild animals. Now, fresh sprigs grow from the bushes and the native vegetation has regenerated itself—even with wildflower species that have not been recorded in the last 70 years. I observe this especially at Flinders Chase National Park, a vast area of wilderness sprawled out on the west of the island as its unique bushland of hakeas, mallees and yuccas show healthy green patches. The National Park is where Kangaroo Island’s renowned Remarkable Rocks is located, a geological 120
PHOTOGRAPHY: SAYHER HEFFERNAN phenomenon crafted from granite and erosion over the last 500 million years. The bright orange lichen, red succulents and grand overhang of its formation is a breathtaking sight from afar. I creep in and out of the rocks as I start to make out recognisable shapes from what is in front of me. I happily spot a lion’s head and elephant trunk before crawling under an arched rock to gawk at the foamy waves below. A few months ago, Lonely Planet named Kangaroo Island the number two mustvisit region this year, after the Trans Dinarica Cycle Route. The travel guide book publisher attributed it to its stunning beaches, sumptuous food and wine and varied wildlife. I gladly concur, I think to myself, as Westbrook takes me down the longer, windier and more scenic route to Stokes Bay Beach—Australia’s best beach in 2023. The ocean glimmers like sapphires with the sun’s rays beating down on it as I gaze out the window in wonder. On the way, Westbrook spies a few more koalas and I step on a kangaroo carcass in my excitement to snap a close-up shot of a baby koala. I might usually have been distraught, but that moment is too wondrous for that. Stokes Bay Beach takes me by surprise. Westbrook leads the way through a narrow headland of boulders—a scene straight out of an Enid Blyton novel—as I try to keep up. The passageway meanders up and down for a minute or two before I emerge onto the most pristine beach I’d ever seen. When she had told me this was one of Australia’s most prized beaches, I had imagined the likes of Bondi Beach in Sydney and not this isolated, dreamy stretch of golden sand. A sheltered, crystal clear rockpool protects the beach from the pounding surf and also makes for an idyllic swimming haven for children of all ages. I spend a moment ambling down the shoreline, breathing in the gloriously salty air as the sun warms my pale skin. I have never wanted to dive straight into the ocean more than that very moment. 121
LIFE Travel Working towards true sustainability “We’ve been on the island 18 years now,” Tamsin laughs. She is the mastermind behind all the recipes at Oceanview Eco Villas. “We thought we’d be here for two to four years, but it got under our skin.” Trained as a clinical psychologist, Tamsin and her husband Tim Wendt—a police officer at the time before joining his family’s jewellery business—decided to build Oceanview Eco Villas on their own land as a way of sharing their love for the island with others. Harnessing all of nature’s elements, the Wendts decided that the combination of luxury and sustainability would be their ethos for the two villas, and that started with going off-grid. “We sought to remain within a small footprint and work on passive solar principles. Even on long and hot summer days, the sun doesn’t actually touch the glass, and with cross ventilation, the house cools down pretty quickly,” Tamsin points out. The couple made a conscious decision that 90 percent of their building material would come from within South Australia, from the creamy limestone walls in the living room to the plush dining room chairs. She adds: “The carpets in the bedrooms is one of my favourite features as they are crafted from ghost nets rescued from oceans around the world.” The Wendts are also committed to creating a beautiful native habitat on their grounds. They started with planting over 1,000 native plants and bushes that are endemic to Kangaroo Island, and followed up two winters ago with a major revegetation 122 project that added another 5,000 trees and plants over five and a half hectares. Their worm farm compost system also ensures all organic waste is dealt with on the property and turned into fertiliser. My stay at Oceanview Eco Villas was an all-inclusive experience—a perfect way to unwind and be at one with nature. All meals are catered for by their team, from fresh fruit, yoghurt and eggs in the morning, to packed picnic lunches and a threecourse meal for dinner in the comfort of the villa. Each of the Wendts’ two-bedroom, two-bathroom villas offers jaw-dropping vistas of Nepean Bay, which I enjoy from my king-sized bed. For another top-notch accommodation option, Southern Ocean Lodge, by James and Hayley Baillie of the prestigious Baillie lodges, is open again after massive reconstruction from the bushfires. Its 25 glass-fronted suites, named after shipwrecks on the island, boast calm, muted tones, a sunken living room and curved walls made out of local limestone. The Southern Spa is worth a visit, as is the in-house restaurant, even if you decide not to stay the night. I order a coffee after lunch and settle into the Great Room—the luxury lodge’s idea of a shared space to unwind—and admire the biblical views of the raging waves from the Southern Ocean crashing onto the 40m cliffs. To me, this is renewal and rejuvenation on a whole other level in a holiday destination. I spy infinity-edged pools against bushlands, which look utterly inviting, but those will have to wait for another visit. PHOTOGRAPHY: BEN GOODE Remarkable Rocks by night.
123–153
Zhong Zixin top and skirt; Chaumet Bee My Love necklace, bracelet and ring
How has fashion impacted the way we view the world? In an ode to Wong Kar-wai’s influential and atmospheric cinematography, Chinese photographer Leslie Zhang lenses the striking Xiaowen Ju in romantic evening wear from the trailblazing Asian designers to know now. Photography LESLIE ZHANG Styling AUDREY HU 125
Maya Li dress; Chaumet Bee My Love earrings, bracelets and rings
Oude Waag dress; Buerlangma veil 128
129
THIS PAGE Samuel Gui Yang shirt and skirt; Chaumet Bee My Love necklace, bracelets and rings FACING PAGE Bad Binch Tongtong jumpsuit; Chaumet Bee My Love ring 130
131
THIS PAGE Cheongsam Parlor top; M Essential pants; Chaumet Bee My Love earrings, bracelets and rings FACING PAGE Didu dress
133
Ming Ma dress; Chaumet Bee My Love earrings, necklace, bracelets and ring
THIS PAGE Cheongsam Parlor top; M Essential pants; Chaumet Bee My Love necklace and bracelet FACING PAGE Chen Peng coat Hair, Minghu Zhang; make-up, Yooyo Keong Ming; photographer’s assistants, Jiabing Shen, You Wu and Zining Liao; stylist’s assistants, Danney Li and Loppa; production, Min Cai/Studio Creature and Gaoyin Jin/Fufu Studio; model, Xiaowen Ju.
137
On the starting line for Vogue World, Gigi Hadid remains the reigning champion of fashion. Photos captured from a video directed by BARDIA ZEINALI Cinematography MARCELL RÉV Styling VANESSA REID n 23 June, Paris will host Vogue World. Vogue World is a grand celebration of fashion and a tribute to the vitality of Paris, the eternal capital of fashion’s culture. This year, Paris takes on another title: the capital of sports. This event marries a century of couture with the centennial Paris Olympics of 2024. Anna Wintour, Vogue’s global editorial director, elucidates the philosophy behind these chic festivities. “In 2022, we aimed to revive Manhattan post-pandemic, honouring not only the city’s extraordinary fashion community but also New York itself. The event was so uplifting that we couldn’t resist doing it again in the UK last year. I am thrilled that Vogue World has now found its third home here in Paris. Vogue World Paris will pay homage to the Olympics. We envision the evening as fashion’s opening ceremony, uniting models, athletes and artists to represent each decade since 1924, the last time the Olympics were held in Paris.” This unparalleled show will take place at Place Vendôme. “Few settings capture the rich history and glamour of the city as well,” she adds. For this preview, we asked Gigi Hadid to be our star competitor. In the capital, she sprints, dives, parries and fearlessly executes flips and long jumps. Special guests such as Isabelle Huppert and Simon Porte Jacquemus are her elegant adversaries. At the finish line, fashion prevails because fashion is the ultimate gymnastics. 138
FROM LEFT Model wears Wales Bonner polo and skirt Hadid wears Chanel Haute Couture dress and sandals Model wears On top; Miu Miu shorts; Under Armour shorts; Nike socks
Huppert wears Balenciaga dress
144
Huppert wears Balenciaga dress
Hadid wears Nike bra and shin guards; Balmain turtleneck, panties and pumps
147
Hadid wears Ovalo dress; Jacquemus shirt; Nike shin guards and sneakers Jacquemus wears Jacquemus polo
150
Hadid wears Schiaparelli Haute Couture dress
Hadid wears Valentino Le Salon coat and pumps Hair, Mustafa Yanaz; make-up, Hiromi Ueda; manicure, Hanaé Goumri; production, North Six; assistant directors, Yannis Bel Lallahom, Gabriela Fin Machado, Ava Van Osdol and Lorna You; seamstress, Mattia Akkermans.
153
LAST PAGE “I worked in and survived the Sabra and Shatila massacre in 1982, during which 3,500 unarmed men, women and children—Palestinian refugees and Lebanese civilians—were brutally slaughtered in three days. Medical Aid Palestine was created more than 40 years ago and we have continued since in Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon. With the collective support of thousands of people who love justice, equality and freedom, we will continue to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of the Palestinians, making this world a better place for all. Together, we must heal their wounds and their broken lives, help give them medical care—and in so doing bind our own broken hearts too.” – Philanthropist, writer, orthopaedic surgeon and co-founder of Medical Aid for Palestinians, DR ANG SWEE CHAI Scan to send urgent medical aid directly to Gaza through a trusted organisation. Medical Aid for Palestinians works for a future where every Palestinian has access to a comprehensive, effective and locally led system of healthcare, and the full realisation of their rights to health and dignity. 154