Monday 28 March 2011

Red, white... and the blues: Fashion shoot for Kee magazine: Menswear

Inspired by the colours of the Japanese flag, for this menswear shoot, we handpicked wardrobe and accessories in shades of red and white, while we felt blue. Like the rest of the world, the earthquake and Tsunami that hit Japan early March was a horrifying vision that united the world, voyeurs to such personal and national calamity. What can we do to help? The creative team assembled for this shoot to take part of this special edition of KEE, doing our own little bit to voice our concern and support for a beleaguered nation. Bake sales, we don’t do! This story was born of tragedy, and yet, hope springs eternal.




Photographer: Douglas Pieterse
Art Director and Producer: P. Ramakrishnan
Stylist: Reema Khanna
Hair and Make-up, tattoo art: Karen Yiu
Model: David Oshry from Models International
Location courtesy: TREE at Horizon Plaza, special thanks to Ms Anna Mugglestone.



Below shots are NOT the final images - only for reference and credit!




Givenchy shirt from Lane Crawford, Ermenegildo Zegna tie, Balenciaga shorts from Lane Crawford, Kim Kiroic shoes from Lane Crawford.




Pants by Roberto Cavalli from The Swank, VOID white leather-strap watch, Tattoo art by Karen Yiu.




Striped shirt and pants by Comme De Garcons from Lane Crawford, gram shoes, Bothos bag,



Pen by St Dupont, pants by Brooks Brothers, Bruuns Bazaar shirt from Harvey Nichols, Balmain scarf from The Swank, gram shoes, bag by Gucci.



Pants and sweater from Brooks Brothers, white linen shirt by Ermenegildo Zegna, bag and white pants by Gucci, shoes are model’s own.




Jacket by Versace and pants by Gucci.



Kitson pants from The Swank, Trussardi shoes from Lane Crawford, VOID watch.





Original Fake shirt from Lane Crawford, Balmain Jeans from The Swank and VOID watch.

BEHIND THE SCENES
















Tuesday 22 March 2011

Aliya with a Z: Behind the scenes of a shoot for Style magazine: Olaf Mueller, Aliya Zaidi, Karen Yiu. Dream team

Coming soon... 

Perhaps the only good thing to come out of the trauma of the now-defunct Prive Asia, an implosion predicted by few, seen by many, was that I got to meet the bril Aliya Zaidi. 

Was thrilled when a leading fashion mag asked me to write a feature and do a shoot with her. Frantic calls were made, got together with my bud Olaf Mueller (who does all my cover shoots) and his team, the awesomeness that is Karen Yiu, and my kiddo Angie U to help out. 

Then, got on phone with some serious diamond peeps - Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpel and Graff - and wardrobe from Versace, Lane Crawford, Armani for a day-long shoot. Threw in some clothes from Aliya's own wardrobe too. 

Results to appear in a special issue of the magazine.  

Monday 21 March 2011

Tech mate


Gadgets are a man's new best friend in fashion.


P. Ramakrishnan

Mar 11, 2011

It's no longer the high-fibre thread count but the high fibre-optic thread count that's revolutionising the world of fashion.


Take the iWallet. It's a biometric, carbon-fibre piece that comes with a thumbprint scanner so only the owner can open this pocket Alcatraz. Potential pilferers can try to grab the cash inside, but as they swipe their finger-tips on the thumbprint scanner, the wallet will merely flash a red light and stay shut. Extra protection comes in the form of the wallet's Bluetooth connectivity - link it up to your mobile phone and if either prized pocket possession is more than 1.21 metres away from the other, an alarm will sound and the thief will be caught red-handed. To top all this magnificence, the company is adding a GPS tracker later this year, giving you another way to find back your pint-sized stronghold. The polycarbonate iWallet starts at US$299. (iwalletusa.com)



If there's a gadget that won't compress your bank balance, but your shirt, would you be up for it? The Under Armour E39 ("E" for electric) compression shirt is for the geek with an athletic proclivity. The T-shirt has a removable "bug" sensor that can measure the wearer's heart rate and breathing and records data of one's movement and performance in real terms, by tracking heart-rate, muscle movement, breathing rate and so on. Information that sports scouts, A-list coaches and trainers would love to have as they go hunting for the next big sports star. Sounds hyperbolic? Well, the American National Football League (NFL) has gifted its wanna-shine star athletes and players with the E39 shirts. In the not-so distant future, the results of T-shirt's recordings could potentially replace under-performing players on the spot, as the stressed-out coaches see what the players' hearts are doing in real-time. (underarmour.com)

Zegna Sport was the first in the market with its Ecotech Solar Jacket, a stylish windbreaker made from recycled plastic with detachable solar cells, but California-based fashion company Silvrlining has gone that extra mile.

The technology-embracing company recently launched its GO Collection, with a selection of rugged outdoor wear. The range features specially designed, extra-large pockets which each house independent solar panels. Stick the device in your pocket and let the healing power of the sun do all the work. The collection includes a variety of clothes for every fashion type, from a hip-length director's jacket to urban cargo pants, each patterned in an appropriate cell-print design. (silvrlining.com)

For those on the move, the SportVue from the Motion Research Corporation is a heads-up display that can be attached to most helmets and visors; the device provides critical data, including speed, distance and location. (motionresearch.com)

Similarly, from Zeal Optics and Recon Instruments comes the world's first GPS-enabled skiing goggles - made specifically for snow-based sports, it stands out from other display technology by essentially being a mini-computer embedded inside the eyewear. While tiny on the goggles itself, when attached the virtual projection micro-LCD blows up to appear as large as 1.8 metres to the viewer, displaying such essential information as speed, altitude, temperature, distance, location. It's enough to make a man want to take up a death-defying sport. (zealoptics.com)

Sunday 20 March 2011

Classy Acts: The 6 Most Stylist Men in Hong Kong.

Six men, six looks: in a city teeming with uniforms and uniformity, we find six gentlemen who dare to colour outside the box, as they take their innate style into their realm of work and pleasure. Some had great spousal support (behind every successful man…), others turned to film and music icons for inspiration and then there are those who’ve studied the art of sartorial significance and found a space in its infinite possibilities.

Text: P.Ramakrishnan
All images by Hyvis Tong

Photo and lighting assistant: Acid Fong
Art Direction Hyvis Tong, Rama and Reema Khanna
Locations courtesy: Kee club, Hyde, Barney Cheng studio, Joseph Li studio and G.O.D Central.

ALEXIS KWONG ALVAREZ


Having recently jumped ship from the music business to television, Alexis Kwong Alvarez has managed to retain his hybrid look of casual elegance that fits him as well as his ‘pencil fit’ Levi’s.

“I am lucky that I don’t have to suit up for work every day,” he says between shots at the stylish new club Hyde, his suit jacket and casual denims perfectly combining form and function. Not a fan of monogrammed brands, he favors a more independent streak. “I prefer European designers who are different and creative. As I can't travel to Paris all the time, I do a lot of my clothes shopping from Kapok, on Sun Street in Wan Chai. They are very good at selecting European designers like the young French designer Berangere Claire. They pick people who are great at what they do – but aren’t ubiquitously famous.”

For style inspiration, he doesn’t look at the screens at work, but archival films. A huge Hitchcock fan, his fashion-savvy screen idols include Cary Grant and James Stewart. “But there are some modern style icons, like Neil Barrett and Jil Sander. Both are functional, understated and fitted; and quite timeless.”

It hasn’t always been a flawless repertoire he assures. Biggest fashion faux pas? “Blond highlights and not that long ago. What was I thinking?”


Five Favourite Accessories
1) Watch - VOID
2) Belt - 20 year old Replay
3) Shoes - Manhattan based Common Projects, bought from Kapok
4) Cologne - Eau Sauvage Extreme by Christian Dior
5) Sunglasses - Vintage Wings by Bausch and Lomb


GLENN ROOT



Businessman Glenn Root tries to explain what he does for a living, something that includes importing and exporting rubber and tyres. There was also mention of a family business, but what we really want to know about was where he got his shoes from. "Prada," his wife Marina chimes in. Root doesn't really care about the nitty-gritty of brands he sports - he just looks good in them. "And most of the accessories are from Lane Crawford,” she adds.

“Style to me is looking good in a manner which suits your personality and, importantly, being absolutely comfortable in it," says the affable root. "I'm actually quite classic in my signature look. While I love blue jeans at home and at weekends, during the week I prefer to wear a suit or at least a jacket."

The man was built to wear a suit – he’s modeled for television and print, and looks as if he just stepped out of a Ralph Lauren campaign. “I don’t believe in trying to emulate anyone in particular as one’s style has to reflect your identity," says Root. "But stylish men on screen include George Clooney - he always looks good whether in casuals or suits; Marcello Mastrioani - I love his look in La Dolce Vita; and Bryan Ferry - cool but well dressed. And I like the way Johnny Depp always looks cool and comfortable whether in ripped jeans, a quirky hat or a tuxedo.”

For a man who goes for classic brands that suit his classic all-American look - Giorgio Armani, Gianfranco Ferre, Canali, Hugo Boss, Prada - he’s made a few fashion faux-pas too. “I wore all denim to a dinner years ago which I thought was super casual and others turned up in suits. Had I worn a crisp white shirt instead it would have saved me some embarrassment.”

His biggest tip for men of a certain age, “Dress your age – don’t try to be a young fashionista. And if you’re unsure about the dress code, it's always better to be slightly overdressed than under-dressed.”

Five Favourite Accessories
1) Pocket watch, family heirloom
2) Scarf from Paul Smith
3) Cologne DKNY
4) Tie from Canali
5) Sunglasses by Prada



DOUGLAS YOUNG




As the enterprising name behind the quirky Goods of Desire (G.O.D.), Douglas Young has hit headlines in Hong Kong for his sartorial selection. Not exactly a crime of fashion, but selling t-shirts bearing an emblem associated with a notorious triad group did land Young in a kerfuffle, and he wears a sample of a scarf soon to be sold at G.O.D with a casual confidence that suits him well.

“I like things that are artistic, interesting and mean a bit more than the obvious,” says Young as we snake around G.O.D in Central, sitting ourselves in a picture-perfect faux dining room as customers mill around. “One of the benefits, if you can call it that, about working in G.O.D. is that I get to be the test dummy for many of the products. I’m the guinea pig to try out things like the new laptop bag or scarves that we want to launch in the clothing section – the pajamas and shorts and bed sheets with photographs of vintage Hong Kong buildings and skyline have done well.”

Young’s signature look rings casual chic; China-chic in fact, with many homages and odes to vintage Hong Kong, a celebration of Chinese colours and prints. “My house is a mishmash of modern and old, things I inherited from my grandparents, things I bought from Europe when I was a student, and my style is a mixture of modern and vintage, East and the West. I like jeans that look ‘lived in’, I like my shoes to be well-worn, or at least look like that, even if they're brand new.

“Fashion should have a sense of style," he concludes. "But more importantly, a sense of fun.”

Five Favourite Accessories
1) Shoes by Dr Martens
2) Scarf, by G.O.D.
3) Evil eye bracelet from Italy
4) Bracelet watch, streets of Hawaii
5) Laptop bag by G.O.D.


BARNEY CHENG



It’s unfair to enlist Hong Kong’s most recognizable fashion exports, but of all the teeming designers that clomp the streets of Hollywood Road, Barney Cheng can be distinguished for his body of work and, well, body. The the tight-fitted tops, the dark-rimmed signature glasses, it’s easy to spot the designer to the stars as he struts to his office above Lan Kwai Fong.

“Well I guess I’ve always been interested in fashion – I used to watch my aunts get dressed up and be fascinated by the ritual – and the transformation,” says Cheng.

“Getting into the business has been educational, you find out what things really cost. The alligator jackets I’ve been wearing for a while now are of my own design – elsewhere, it's really hard to get it at a reasonable price. I’ve seen one that was half a million US dollars. When I started designing with alligator, or diamonds for accessories, I started going directly to the source and I realised how much the brands are marking up their prices.”

Though Cheng says he doesn't live solely for one brand, he does believe in investing in some pieces from Bottega Veneta, Hermes and other vintage fashion houses. "I'm happy to buy something that’s inexpensive, knowing its not going to last me long, and then chuck it later. But there are some things like a good winter jacket or a timeless scarf that should last for years.”

His advice for the modern man? “I think men should be a bit brave enough to sport a few bits of bling,” he says, pointing to his own diamond-studded ear. “Be it an earring or a jewel encrusted cuff link or even a thin, diamond studded bracelet that peeks out from the cuff. I wouldn’t recommend you wear that 24/7 though.”

When asked about the biggest fashion mishap he's seen in town, Cheng bursts out laughing. "I'm not telling you his name as he’s a friend, but this star is sporting a lot of leopard print. It may be in fashion but if it doesn’t suit you, you shouldn’t wear it," he says. "We all make these mistakes, when I was younger, I dressed older – I always wanted to look more mature. Now when I look back on those photos, I groan.”

Five Favourite Accessories
1) Scarf by Hermes
2) Earring, an investment piece
3) Diamond ropes by Barney Cheng
4) Ring, cufflink, necklace all by Celebration by Barney Cheng
5) Ski shades by Kris Van Assche


WY CHAN



That unmistakable hair, the all-black wardrobe, the extraordinarily sharp metallic accessories, Wy Chan, director at Yamanyamo - and graphic artist, music-video director, designer, art director - is a sartorial force to be reckoned with.

“I really don’t like colour on my skin and body,” he says. “Nearly 99 per cent of my entire wardrobe is black. Other colours just don’t suit me. I go for texture, the cut, the fabric," he says. "But I have no issues with other people wearing colour.” Japanese trends are clearly a source of inspiration for this artist. Yohji Yamamoto’s name is sprinkled into conversation, as are the harem pants that have somehow leapt from the music videos of the last decade, onto today's catwalks.

“Japan is a great and unpredictable style destination. You think you’re going to find something, and when you get there it's completely different," says Chan. "I always look forward to exploring Japan. I find nameless, brand-less items during my trips and things that are beyond the ordinary – like this,” he unfurls a hair band from his head. A hairclip with a black scorpion in striking position, cubed in plastic is handed over. “I don’t know if that’s a real scorpion that’s been embalmed, but it’s different.”

Five Favourite Accessories
1) Shoes by Dior Homme
2) Hair-band from the streets of Japan
3) Watch by Isaac Mizrahi
4) I-pad rib-cage cover, Hong Kong streets
5) Coin purse by Riz


JOSEPH LI




Most noted for his creative womenswear, designer Joseph Li’s stints at Parisian fashion house Lanvin and Hong Kong’s most recognised brand Shanghai Tang, have made headlines in fashion press around the world. Now with his eponymous label at hand, fashion is serious business for him, albeit with a touch of whimsy. We’ve seen his signature style spill into his own wardrobe on more than one occasion too.

“My style is classic - whatever that means,” he says with a toothy grin. “Style should feel both in the moment and timeless.” The unexpected can be expected from Li, who has been seen in an electric blue suit - more Broadway star blue than banker blue.

For this shoot, he braved the denim-on-denim trend oft seen in the early ‘80s and yet managed to pull it off with panache. “My influences are too numerous and varied to pin down. It's never one dimensional.” He picks L'Uomo Vogue fashion editor Robert Rabensteiner as a style icon, adding that he's a fan of late American artist Jean-Michel Basquuait: "I really appreciate the energy that comes out of his work.”

His fashion advice to men in Hong Kong? “Less is more.”


Five Favourite Accessories
1) Byredo Parfum
2) Vintage weave belt
3) Persol sunglasses
4) Paper Mate pen
5) Vintage tie clip

Monday 7 March 2011

Reality Chick: Cara Grogan



An exotic mix has its perks for this model, writes P. Ramakrishnan. Photo by Hyvis Tong.


According to the reality show America's Next Top Model, the world of modelling is a jet-setting, high-paying, glamorous vocation for the chosen few. Reality TV needs a reality check.

"I was at a casting in Singapore with this sunglasses brand and had to meet these two Italian guys in a hotel room," recalls model-turned-VJ, Cara Grogan. "And this girl came out of the room crying. They wanted her to pose completely nude. I called my agency immediately. Outside the room I saw a long line of girls - most in their teens - waiting in the corridor in a panic, calling their agents. There are some dodgy folks out there."

"Folks" is a euphemism for the word Grogan used but you get the gist. Her ascent from print to television may seem rapid but she's been working hard for the past decade: from the best ("commercials shot in Prague, Canada, Japan with the best team in Asia") to the worst ("I was asked to wear a string bikini that barely covered. I refused to step out of the dressing room").

Grogan's the versatile model whose dimpled smile and flawless skin has stared out of numerous ads, her mixed background working to her advantage in every market she's worked in.

"I had a complicated family history, so at 14 I left home and started working," says the 26-year-old. "I've been working ever since." When she came to Hong Kong seven years ago, it was intended to be a short stint; but she kept coming back. "Now, Hong Kong's definitely where I'm grounded."

Grogan grew up in Australia's Victoria and Gold Coast. The mix of Chinese, Swiss, Irish, German and Arabic has its benefits, language not being one of them. "I speak Australian, American and English. I never picked up any other language despite my travels and mixed origin. Shameful isn't it?" She laughs. "One of the best things about being a mixed mutt is that wherever I land, people think I'm from there. When I was in China, they thought I was Chinese, when in Japan, I was Japanese and so on."

Grogan says that while she has been working hard, jobs do come in waves. "Sometimes you're busy every day, rushing to gigs and other times, well, it's me walking my dog through Soho."

As we sit and chat in a trendy new bar tucked away at the crescent of Hollywood Road and Lyndhurst Terrace, an editor of a luxury magazine strolls by. "We've worked together before right?"

Grogan nods, gives a warm hug and mentions a multiple-page fashion shoot she did with them. They agree to work together on another shoot and the editor makes a note to call her agency. "I think it's important to be nice to the people you work with, the diva tantrums don't work anywhere," says Grogan. "You don't get cast again or recommended if you behave badly. I'm really happy when someone rings me back again for a job."


It was probably this attitude that helped propel her into the limelight at Channel V. "The VJ gig happened by chance," says Grogan. "I had auditioned several times before but never gotten through and, on a lark, a friend of mine asked me to audition again. I hesitated a lot, having been rejected so many times before, but they said to me `You're older now, it's a different look; you'll have a lot more to say than before.' So I did go back - and got the job."

Grogan enjoys working on screen, and says her love of music helps her to think on her feet. Perks of the job include meeting the biggest names in the music industry, award shows and of course, travel. Her first modelling job was also something she landed by chance, during her travels around Asia. "I was in Bangkok and I sent a message home saying I was modelling and no one believed me. `Bet you're a hostess,' they laughed."

According to Grogan, she was far from the prettiest girl in class when she was growing up. "Not even close! I wasn't a thin teenager at all, I was pretty chubby - there's a photo my mother put up on Facebook and my boyfriend didn't even recognise me. No one ever found me in a mall and said I had to be a model," she says, laughing. "Then the weight fell off, no crash diet or exercise. Just in the genes I guess, but even then, I didn't have any pretensions of being Elle Macpherson."

Having done countless editorials and worked around the continent, there are a few tricks of the trade Grogan's picked up. "I always know when a shoot's going to go bad," she says. "When there are a lot of people hanging around a set doing nothing, there's trouble ahead. They won't know how to style and just throw everything into one shot. The best photographers work with the best hair and makeup artists; it's a package."


Sunday 6 March 2011

The Making Of...















First shoot for Post magazine's fashion pages. As the widely distributed weekend magazine with The South China Morning Post, there is no other English publication in Hong Kong to compete with their weekend edition distribution numbers.

More nervous for Reema than myself, her first day back at work and as a stylist, after years of martial bliss and two kids ended up being painless and really fun - she says so herself!

Weeks of planning, endless e-mails, delivery fiascos, location snafus (thank God for... oh wait, atheist Kate, thank the cosmos for Kate Bryan at Cat Street Gallery/The Space!) and last minute cancellations, it's never as easy as aim, click, done.

BUT, with an able team, 'twas all good.

It was brilliant to work with the very cool, calm and collected photographer James Gabbard. He did my first ever cover at Sentinel when it was at its earliest stages. He did such an amazing job, his name topped a post-it on 'must work with again' list. But after the initial few months, the budgets at the old office kept shrinking with every issue, until all shoots were done at some undisclosed location with clothes with the brand-names on its sleeve, un-retouched images (and no, not in the cool retro-chic way, more of a 'we have no dollars or sense' sorta way). Ugh.

This is the only shoot I've ever worked on where I was a bit snappy, but we had a tight deadline (there were other events being held at the very busy gallery!) and being an over-caffeinated monkey, there was little time for pleasantries. Delivery guys dropping accessories to the neighbours, a dozen art students landing for a tour of the location of the shoot (pfft children!), model getting stuck in Hong Kong's ever-increasingly heinous traffic and to top it all, Karen Yiu wasn't there! Make-up artist and friend, she was multi-booked and wasn't on location which always makes me nervous. Apart from being one of the best in biz on the planet, she's a zen-like influence as she's done 90 per cent of ALL my shoots and knows the rhythm and flow of a shoot. Bless her socks, she did do hair and makeup at her studio and of course, it was perfection.

On the plus side, shoot ran smooth as butter once it kicked off, we finished earlier than expected, the final shots are phenomenal, the art and the sculptures at The Space (and Cat Street) just enhanced the overall look of the shoot - way beyond the mental brief I had on what this would/should/could look like.

Gabbard's dedication to getting the perfect shot was only met with David's single-minded focus on holding the position until he got the shot. The staff at the gallery are getting buckets of goodwill and positive thoughts ushered to them (if I had the dosh, I'd be sending 'em all flowers and champagne) as they were kind and helpful beyond belief.

Reem and I didn't fight or argue once (yeah we might be growing up at long last!), was far more organised than I am at a shoot, there were notes and images refs and entire looks laid out and looks tried on the night before on a test model and what not. It was also great to see how enthusiastic she was on the shoot 'cause at this stage, I'm sure I'm a little jaded. But I swear I can fake enthusiasm with the best of 'em,

Its about 'post' impressions after all.

Photography James Gabbard
Styling Reema Khanna
Art Direction P.Ramakrishnan
Hair and Make-up Karen Yiu
Model: David O at Models International
Location: The Space, Cat Street Gallery