Sonam Kapoor for Prestige Hong Kong

Such a stunning shoot - June 2014 cover story for Prestige Hong Kong, the first Indian actress EVER (possibly the first and last now), Sonam Kapoor!

Seems an era ago now!

Matters of the Art: Art Connoisseur Kate Bryan: Lifestyle

In conversation with Kate Bryan, Director of Contemporary at The Fine Art Society, P. Ramakrishnan takes a virtual roam at the hallowed gallery to discuss the Asian scene.

London’s oldest commercial dealership, The Fine Art Society is but a group of like-minded, passionate art collectors. Although it became best known for secondary dealing in Victorian and modern British material, since its founding in 1876 it has been very much about championing the artists of the day.

The former gallery director at The Cat Street Gallery in Hong Kong, Kate Bryan joined The Fine Art Society in 2011 and has reawakened its Contemporary Department. With her picture-perfect visage beaming out of art-based television programmes as a regular contributor and presenter, she’s easily one of the most well-informed and well-travelled art experts in the mix. She recently visited China to present a BBC Two The Culture Show special on Chinese painting, so we brushed up against her for a Q&A:

What’s happening in Asian art, and what makes it so interesting?
Kate Bryan: Contemporary Asian art was largely marginalised until around 2005, which marked a tipping point. Quite suddenly there was an active market for the work and very quickly this translated into big auction results and museum recognition on an international stage for a handful of artists, most of whom were Chinese. It was such a thrilling time for those involved and indeed for spectators because it was a completely new kind of art from a region the West still had little real experience of.
However, it took some time – and indeed it must be an on-going process – for this frenzied pocket of activity to settle into something more consistent and permanent. The emergence of contemporary Asian art was radical – I suppose that was its teenage phase, very hot and happening. Now that it’s an older market, it’s maturing into something more substantial that doesn’t need to rely on trends and fads. For great art to be created and understood, it needs institutional support and recognition at home. Thankfully these things are happening at a great pace now across the region.

Who are the Asian artists we should know? What makes them special?
Everyone ought to know the Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei, who is an artist of such clarity and integrity that he not only communicates truths and contradictions about life in China today, but he also taps into something much deeper about human behaviour that relates to every culture throughout history. He is China’s Picasso and will be known for centuries to come as one of the most important cultural forces in this century. It may take some time for China to fully comprehend their rebel son, but when they do I suspect he will be a national hero.

Everyone’s looking for the next art superstar. How do you spot his or her emergence?
Contrary to what most people might assume from reports in the papers and overzealous art dealers, the birth of a great artist is a very slow and unsteady process. That said, there are factors to consider when buying art which should give an indication of future status. How old is the artist? Have they got a notable mentor? Is this a solo show with a well-considered premise behind it? Is the standard of work good across the whole show? Where else have they exhibited? Who with? Have they got institutional support – are they being bought or shown at museums or private collections? Are they being written about in a serious fashion? If it’s affordable now and some of the above criteria are met, then it may well turn out to be a good investment. I just exhibited the work of a young Chinese artist called JS Tan in London and he ticked many of these boxes, which is why I gave him a show. But more importantly I think he’s a great painter.

Art as investment is not new in Hong Kong. From a non-financial point of view, is that a good or bad thing? Are the punters not appreciating the work itself as much as its resale potential?
There were a lot of people who tried to capitalise on the fast rise to fame of some of the first wave of contemporary Asian artists to be sold at auction, and ultimately they don’t do the market any favours long term. A small pocket of people pushed prices into absurd territory, and whilst some stars continue to shine brightly, others have faded, which is an alarming prospect for collectors. Thankfully we have a much broader and deeper range of people interested in the market now, who nurture it and sustain it for the future. Ultimately, art should be bought to nourish the soul, not the bank balance. If you buy something you love, you need not worry about it is an asset class, and more often than not if you bought it sensibly at a good price it will increase in value over the years while you enjoy it.

After your most recent visit to Beijing, do you find that people in China appreciate its art history and want to preserve centuries-old works, or is modern China less interested in its past as it grows into the largest economy in the world?
The fact that hundreds of regional museums have opened in the past couple of years in China is testament to an increased desire to preserve and collect cultural artefacts and artwork. It’s not all positive news, though, because for such a long time culture was neglected in the country and vast swathes of material have been destroyed, lost or taken overseas. But what I’ve always been impressed by in China and Hong Kong is that even when there’s a lack of government support, people find ways of showing art, creating pop-up spaces, taking art into an alternative realm, and it really seems to have flourished in the fringes. The same thing had to happen with the birth of modern art in Europe at the end of the 19th century. There is always a precedent.

You’ve worked in Hong Kong and the London art world. What are the differences?
The major difference is the number of artists living and working in each city. When I worked in Hong Kong, all my artists were based elsewhere. It was not a viable option in 2005 when we started to show local artists, and they were so few. In London there are countless artists – I can’t move for them! – probably more than at any other time in history. There are more opportunities to go to art school, to visit hundreds of museums, and being an artist is not considered a side-line career.
With a Basel Art Fair and a world-class museum opening soon, there are big signs of change in Hong Kong. I can name several artists from the city who are doing great things, including Kacey Wong, Stanley Wong and Nadim Abbas. It’s going to take some time for it to fulfil its potential. We have an art market in place but not an art world. It’s a mental gearshift that’s needed.

In previous conversations five or six years ago, you brought up the rise in interest in Korean art. Did that trend catch on?
Very much so. Korean art for me remains one of the most robust and diverse art markets in Asia. Many artists have found a place on the international stage, including two of my favourites, Doh Huh So and Nikki S Lee. Debbie Han, an artist I championed when I was gallery director at The Cat Street Gallery, has gone on to do great things and remains a vital force.

Finally, on a personal note, what pieces have you invested in? What artwork would we find at your house?
I have some beautiful celadon heads by Debbie Han. They are at once traditional in their material but inventive in their approach. I have an awesome neon work by the British artistic duo Rob and Nick Carter. When I started to show their work in Hong Kong a few years ago, they were selling for about HK$50,000, and we just recently sold their new work for HK$1 million. They also became the first living artists to exhibit at the Frick Collection in New York. A painting that has been in pride of place in all my apartments over the years is a great modernist night-time pool scene by the young Australian painter Paul Davies. He has sold out nearly every exhibition he’s ever had. I also have a few Peter Blake silkscreens, an affordable way to collect one of the UK’s greatest artists. 

Playlist: Jun Tyler

What I’m listening to: all kinds of genres. I love classical music, including Bach, Chopin and Ravel. I also love jazz artists such as Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and Roberto Fonseca. But I also listen to rock and heavy metal such as Metallica.

What I’m reading: I should be reading more, but I have the concentration span of a six year old. I do read the papers every day. I enjoyed reading Bruce Lee’s Tao of Jeet Kune Do. The Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levine is a great book to learn from. I never bothered when it sat on the piano stool 10 years ago, but now I can finally appreciate it.

What I’m watching: I enjoy British comedies and stand-up, Mock the Week in particular. I’m not very good at keeping up with the latest “it” shows. Recently I saw Gone Girl and thought it was mind-blowing.

What artists I’m following: nobody too crazy, but I think Roberto Fonseca is a great artist – a great pianist and a great live performer.

Where I’m surfing: I’m listening to a lot of music on Spotify. As I’m always searching for knowledge and inspiration, I’m always on Google and Wikipedia. Plus I’m watching a lot of boxing on YouTube.

(As told to P. Ramakrishnan)

A quick Q&A with Jun Tyler.

Pianist and model. 

Play List: David Klar: Ballroom Dancer Extraordinaire is Grooving to The Beat

Noted ballroom dancer David Klar has a quick chat with more the column. 

Published in South China Morning Post, 2014

Estée Lauder's granddaughter Aerin designs opulent homes and interiors

Aerin Lauder

Estée Lauder's granddaughter designs opulent interiors, but she still lets her children play on the furniture, writes P. Ramakrishnan

(ramakrishnanp at hotmail dot com!)

Aerin Lauder's interior design book Beauty at Home by Aerin Lauder peeks out from the corner of her hotel suite. With pages depicting chic living spaces, the patina of grandeur and old money is displayed in shades of blue and white in a book filled with grand interiors.

For those in Hong Kong living in small apartments, the book is like a staycation for the senses, a journey into large rooms swathed in Montrose linen, where gold-dipped seashells decorate tabletops with an elegance normally found in biopics about Jackie O.

"I haven't been to anyone's private residence yet. But I'd love to sneak a peek at homes here. I like what I've seen of Hong Kong and China, and I've been here several times," says Lauder, 43.
"I'm interested in the sense of tradition and family values, the adherence to heritage, which is a counterpoint to the city that's constantly growing.

"That sense of tradition meshes beautifully with the refined modernity found here. My design philosophy is 'heritage with a twist' and I can see permutations of that all around Hong Kong.

"From a design perspective, I love certain shades of jade and gold. There's an other-worldly elegance to them that fascinates me. The porcelain white with exquisite ink-blue artwork in fine china is a motif that crops up in my homes," she says.

Homes. Plural. The meticulously appointed residences in Manhattan, the Hamptons and Aspen are peppered with exquisite artefacts and all the accoutrements that define good taste.

Large, well-appointed living spaces face on to verdant pastures, with airy halls dotted with mahogany furniture designed by Karl Springer, sideboards by André Arbus with finishing in gold leaf, paintings by Helen Frankenthaler bought from Art Basel in Miami, in addition to chairs handed down from her famed grandmother.

Billionaire Lauder's own brand, which channels this world of erudite sophistication and is available at Lane Crawford, offers attainable luxury. Lauder's curated collection of beauty, fashion accessories and home decor was unveiled among Hong Kong's high society, who came en masse to meet her. The grand dame of beauty, Estée Lauder opened an office in Hong Kong in the 1960s, because she was fascinated with the East. She was also intent on expanding her brand.

It's no surprise that her granddaughter is following in her footsteps.

"Well, beauty is my heritage," she says. "And we have a family style; the importance of family. My home is my passion. I'm always happy to go straight home after work, so comfort and aesthetics are key at home and in the office for me. Wherever you spend most of your time should be your sanctuary."

Grand visuals are the order of the day in the catalogue and her book; rooms where gold-painted Edgewood console tables are flanked with Ming vases, Chatham coffee tables are lacquered to perfection, trimmed in gold and decked with vintage portraits.

"A quick way to transform a cold and clinical room is to add warm lighting," she says. Edgemere and Bedford floor lamps, and Hampton wall lights that vary from minimalist chic to opulent gold, crop up throughout the catalogue.


Then there's the fragrance line, five of them which range from the heady Ikat Jasmine to the genteel Evening Rose.
"The olfactory sense can trigger so many memories. When I walk into my home, it isn't just the visual stimuli that affect me. I'm embraced by the warm aromas of a lived-in residence, of family, food and flowers. An aroma is so important," she says.

Family is a theme that she often returns to. "My father [Ronald Lauder] was once a diplomat, so when we were young, we saw the world, and that has informed my sense of aesthetics."

With sojourns in Europe and vacations around the globe, Lauder picked up knick-knacks and ideas that coloured her global view, bringing the world at large into her own private abode.

"Travel is a huge part of my life, and that of the modern, working woman. We travel to Europe often, especially Belgium and France. I pick up ideas from Palm Beach or the Hamptons as much as I would in Morocco or Japan."

Though it has been a globe-trotting life, the aesthetic is somehow all-American; it's very feminine and it has an effortless ease and elegance that has found fans around the globe. We volley back and forth regarding the good ("plush pillows can instantly warm a room"), the bad ("when I see a short curtain, I literally have to stop myself from going down on my knees to hem it and make it longer with some trim"), and the ugly side of furnishings.


"Well, I don't know about ugly," she says. "One woman's trash might be another's treasure, so I look at things differently. Things aren't wonderful or horrendous, they're just different. I'd hate to see every single home look like every other. Your personal artefacts should dot your home. I've framed the paintings my sons did when they were very young, and I'd value them as much as someone else might a Matisse."

Are the children banned from jumping on expensive objects like the Thompson chaise? "Absolutely not," she says. "Rooms should be livable. Every space in a home should be used. There is no area in the house that is cordoned off from my sons. A truly elegant home is supposed to be lived in, not just looked at in a magazine."


This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as A wealth of Detail

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

HK-based designers have eyes on Woolmark prize

Designer Harrison Wong

Three of Hong Kong's hottest young designers - Hei Lau, Harrison Wong and Polly Siu - are out to impress the judges in the regional final of the International Woolmark Prize competition in Tokyo next week.

Wong is the only Hongkonger in the menswear category. "Working with Merino wool is surprisingly easy, as it's a natural fibre," he says.

"It isn't an unfamiliar material to designers in Hong Kong as, even though we may not have sub-zero winters here, we have a large population that travels in winter - they head to ski resorts, travel to Canada or Beijing in winter and so on, so they do buy winter wear."

With a preponderance of outfits in black, it's no surprise that his aesthetic veers towards the dark side. "I used to design womenswear only and then I switched," he says. "Some might say it's limiting to work on menswear, but within these restrictions I found an exciting challenge. There's an elegance to black menswear. There are some colours in my collection but mostly navy and black. It becomes about the design and the cut, the texture, so the focus goes on design, a natural and easy elegance - with an edge."

Competitions are nothing new for Wong, having won both the Hong Kong Young Designer's Contest and the Asian Fashion Grand Prix Contest in Japan. Acquiring a master's degree with distinction from the London College of Fashion before launching his own retail fashion business, Wong broadened his credentials by designing seasonal collections for international runways in New York, Milan, Sydney and Asia. His first menswear retail shop recently opened at Hong Kong's latest design hub, PMQ. "As everyone knows, rent in this city is a killer. To help young talent and emerging designers, we need more PMQs."

In 2009, Polytechnic University graduate Lau took the leap to launch her own label. "Having worked in the business side of fashion I feel I understand the industry a bit better. It is not just about great design and aesthetics - as important as they are. Is it commercial - will this sell, will people want to buy it or own it? These are the questions in designers' minds."

Designer Hei Lau

Since launching, Lau has showcased in Paris every season. "I attend trade shows a lot and find my customers are worldwide. Hong Kong is not the only market for Hong Kong designers."

When asked to describe her collection, she emphasises draping and elegance. "The challenge in Hong Kong is also that there are too many options and too many brands that have flooded the market. How can an independent voice be heard in this brand chorus?"

Also in the mix is Hong Kong-based Australian designer Siu with her brand Nishe, which she launched in 2008.

"Although my brand and company is in Hong Kong, I think the handwriting of my brand is very English, so working with wool is nothing new for me. My customers are not just here, but globally as I retail online at Asos. In Hong Kong, it's available at Ztampz."

Designer Polly Siu

With a glamorous debut in London in 2010, Siu has customers worldwide. Having studied textile design at Central Saint Martins, Siu faces the challenge of working with wool head on.

"I can't reveal what I plan to do, but it won't vary too much from my brand's natural aesthetic; young, sexy and contemporary."

A panel of judges (from fashion, media and business) will be at the July 17 event to decide which two brands will go through to the final for the menswear and womenswear categories. Winners from each region (Asia, Australia, Europe, India and the Middle East, and the US) receive A$50,000 (HK$363,000) towards their next collection, as well as an invitation to take part in the international finals early next year.

A fiercely competitive enterprise, last year's judges included Franca Sozzani, editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, and L'Uomo Vogue Italia; Colette Garnsey, director of Australian Wool Innovation (managing company for The Woolmark Company); Frida Giannini, creative director at Gucci; Tim Blanks, editor-at-large of style.com; British fashion commentator Alexa Chung, and a host of other fashion players.

Last year, Hong Kong-based designers Kain Picken and Fiona Lau (from ffiXXed) impressed - they placed second - with their exquisite work in shades of navy and white. Their clever reworking of woollen accessories won universal acclaim.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Designers hope to impress with their original spins

Click to enlarge/read!

Behind the Scenes: Magazine Cover shoot

Click to Enlarge

Behind the scenes of our best cover shoot yet. Joy to work with stylist Christie Simpson (first collaboration), photographer Olivier Yoan and co.

Lenka Korbova for Lifestyle magazine, 2014

Lenka Korbova for Lifestyle magazine. 

Lifestyle, the annual publication by Burda Publishing - not the web site! 

At the Chow Tai Fook gala cocktails at The Grand Hyatt.Hong Kong

Lenka Korbova, Teresa Teague and Gordon Lam at the Chow Tai Fook gala cocktails at The Grand Hyatt.Hong Kong.

June 2014

I did the Society pages - I would never put myself in - the above went to print, below, for keepsakes! ;0)

Playlist: Joey Lee Pieterse

Photo by Douglas Pieterse

Joey!! One of my fav people in Hong Kong! Get fit people. Head to 9 Dragons.

Website that rents luxury accessories takes off in Hong Kong

If your glamour budget doesn't stretch to the tens of thousands, a site that rents high-end accessories might be right up your street, writes P.Ramakrishnan (ramakrishnanp at hotmail dot com!)

From SCMP. com

It isn't a novel idea, but it's a good one: a website that offers luxury designer bags for rent at a fraction of their retail price.

LuxTNT.com launched in November and is the secret of savvy sartorialists, local celebrities (or their stylists) who use it to pick up rare baubles such as the Swarovski Dragon Minaudière by Judith Leiber (retail price around HK$33,000) for HK$627 per day. Others include a dual-beaded leather clutch from Valentino that usually retails for about HK$20,770 but can be rented for a mere HK$395 per day or HK$2,405 per week.

The owners of these glamorous accessories are fashion purveyor Bobo Rok, model and celebrity Rosemary Vandenbroucke and Tim Kau, a businessman with a hi-tech backgound.

Having seen a similar site in New York (and more notably in the film Sex and the City, which name-dropped the site Bag Borrow or Steal and nearly broke it with a click avalanche), co-founder Bobo Rok says: "When we first launched, we thought why isn't there a similar site and why hasn't anyone done this in Hong Kong?"

The company's office and storage unit in Kennedy Town houses a breathtaking array of accessories from Chanel, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Elisabeth Koch and enough other emblematic labels to make any fashionista salivate.

Their Judith Leiber assembly is a prized collection in itself. "Leiber stopped making bags in 1998 and there are only 50,000 bags in the world she herself made. When we buy rare pieces online, we've found ourselves competing with the House of Leiber, which is buying back pieces for a museum retrospective in New York," says Rok.

But do the brands frown on this "borrow, don't buy" platform? "Hardly," says Vandenbroucke. "We are not cutting into their market - we are helping these brands, educating our audiences and manually curating this collection. We buy the bags at full cost. We are showcasing the fine 'it' bags - the most trendy and seasonal bags for the consumer - for them to try it out. If they want to buy it, they can."

"It's like test driving a Ferrari," says Rok. "Guys do that all the time. Look at a site like net-a-porter, an online portal which sees 40 per cent returns. People try [something], but if they don't like it they return it. When the site stopped the return policy, the trial option, they saw a dramatic drop in overall sales. We've seen that ladies who particularly like a piece will go out and buy their own after trying it out."

Vandenbroucke says: "We buy unique pieces from the fashion houses and they are aware of it. We even collaborate with brands that are perhaps not as well known and they are using this site as a platform to launch their brand into Hong Kong or Asia."

European fashion houses clearly like their business, as Rok has been invited to Paris to speak at the Luxury Conference.

"Hong Kong might have not have been savvy in fashion a decade ago but ... now consumers are well versed. They are looking for the experience, not just the brand and logo. It's educational for our audience as well as the suppliers," she says.

"Initially, people came to the site as they were attracted by the brand names. But designers they are not familiar with, such as the many brilliant European brands who don't have the advertising budget of a Louis Vuitton or Dior, want to expand into Asia. They have beautiful designs and quality to match the deluxe brands. And a banner on a site is a fraction of the cost of a billboard."

The biggest surprise they've seen? "The mighty pink dollar," says Rok. "I never expected men to come and rent clutches. With my past in the mining industry, the fashionably fabulous wanting to rent clutches or request 'murses' [men's purses] has been a pleasant surprise. They've requested a men's line. That's something we will have to expand into - clearly, there's a demand for it."
Indeed, expansion plans are ongoing. "We already have hats, jewellery is next and we've opened an office in Shanghai," says Vandenbroucke.

Kau continues: "Hong Kong is our home base and we will actively expand more product lines here. We are also soon to launch in major cities in China. The great part about spreading our vision of trying new fashion is that it's a global concept and not limited to one place."

With fashion's ever-changing trends and a constant need for the new, the trio need to keep stock of what's in style and sell stock that is no longer considered the 'it' bag or accessory. "The other surprise is once people have been photographed with a particular bag or accessory, they won't be seen wearing it again," Rok says.

Surely you mean the celebrities in tabloids?

"No. Everybody. We're in the era of Instagram, everybody is a celebrity who's been photographed and 'selfied' - and no one wants to be seen wearing the same thing on their own account. It's a new online world out there."

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as From bags to riches

Sonam Kapoor rocks the cover of PRESTIGE Hong Kong

In some small measure - and I do mean small - I had the utter joy of working behind the scenes of this sensational cover shoot and interview with Bollywood fashionista Sonam Kapoor, for PRESTIGE, Hong Kong.

Over the year, I had been in touch with one of my fav film scribes Meera Joshi (who has written often about my fav subject in the world: Sridevi!) who did the Q&A in Mumbai.

I had seen and stalked Anushka Menon for her exquisite portraiture. Originally, I was in touch with Ms Menon (of Kerala origin but more of a New Yorker methinks) to invite her to do cover shoot of Galaxy magazine but logistics were tough. Glad we stayed in touch as when the editor of PRESTIGE Hong Kong, the inimitable Jon Wall, and I had a chat over getting a Bollywood star on the cover for the first time in the magazine's history, I knew one gal in India would and could deliver a great shoot of international standards. And boy, did she deliver!

For the cover, I had three superstar names in mind to pitch Jon Wall (I cannot emphasize enough the importance of Mr Wall in this, who had the original brainwave to go beyond borders for an exquisite  cover girl); Aishwarya Rai (but of course), the current sensation Deepika Padukone and B'wood's overwhelming fashionista Sonam Kapoor.

When Ms Kapoor was in Hong Kong for a Dior event, she sealed the deal. She was so charming, so gracious and so gorgeous in person, she floored the folks she met here (including Vincenzo La Torre, Prestige mag's Deputy Editor and notable HK fashion writer Divia Harileila - who didn't know who she was, but said she was lovely!).

And her innate fashion sense and Cannes-do appeal (- more on that later), she was 'the' one for the cover. There's an immense likability factor to Ms Kapoor and to top it all, the gorgeousness factor.

Not just because I'm Indian and a Bollywood-ite to the core, but its the best damn cover the mag's had in years; and that's saying something considering how stronge PRESTIGE mag's covers usually are...


Out in newsstands in HK now! Pick up!! NOW!

Rama

Far Out: Interview with Farhan Akhtar: Writer, Director, Actor and now... Singer! The multi-hyphenate Crooner

Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar has appeared in many guises, but his latest avatar is that of a Hindi-singing rock star. P.Ramakrishnan writes.


The transformation came in the film Rock On! Although he had been known mainly for his behind-the-scenes work until the 2008-released movie, the main songs featured in the film became anthems among students – and the 40-plus star was born.

 “When we did Rock On! it needed that rawness and roughness to add that touch of authenticity for the film. It was about a struggling garage band that dreamt big, and it worked in the film.”

Rock On! is not your usual Bollywood film, as it tells the story of a rock band and doesn’t deal in the usual boy-meets-girl musical grooves.

Akhtar’s rasp was one of the most notable elements of the movie, but he’s not just a singer and actor, also wearing the hats of multiple award-winning writer, director, producer, emcee and reality TV judge.

Akhtar is bringing his rocking live show to Hong Kong not long after he picked up trophies galore  for his performance in the biographical drama Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (“Run Milkha Run”, 2013) earlier this year. The Muslim actor played the role of Punjabi Olympian Milkha Singh and also sang in the film.

The music in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, the triumvirate men who have composed for nearly all his films. “When I first had to record a song, I was so conscious of it, we recorded the number in the dark,” he says.

“I turned of all the lights and just sang. I moved around, got into the spirit of the song and let it riff. It was the first time I was looking out facing the microphone – usually I’m on the other side of the studio box, asking the singers for a retake or complimenting them or asking them for a particular emotion or pitch. It was strange to receive those same notes from another director.”

The unusual tactic worked, as that little film with (at the time) no stars went on to box-office gold, record sales and awards to boot.

“Music is a great way to unwind. As a director, you’re trying to find control in chaos. Movie-making isn’t a one-man entity. With music, that’s when I’m truly creating something of my own. As the actor playing the part on screen, I also had that unique opportunity to put in the exact emotion to the voice, knowing what my arc was.”

So out of all the guises he appears under, what does he like to do the most? “Depends on the month, week or day. If movies are creating order in chaos, with acting you’re being the most honest you can at the moment. And with music, I feel liberated. On stage, while you’re singing and the audience reflects back what you put out, there’s nothing like it. And whether you’re a 19-year old who knows all the words and sings along or a 65-year-old who just sways along to something you created, there’s a reason we all want to rock.”

Farhan Akhtar LIVE in Hong Kong
Mar 28, 8pm, Convention and Exhibition Centre, Harbour Rd, Wan Chai, HK$350-HK$2,000, HK Ticketing. 
Inquiries: 9037 8869, 9461 3676



UPDATE: 

Show cancelled. Feature got pulled out of the papers at the last minute. Drrrrama! But it was great fun to chat with the man who made one of my all-time fav Bollywood films; Dil Chahta Hai. Never short for words, Akhtar's an interviewer's delight. 

Had a much longer chat with the director for Post magazine when Don II was released.




 

Playlist: Angela Kan

A quick chat with the gorgeous Angela Kan.

Pieces of Mind

Wendy Yue

Sleepless nights help jeweller Wendy Yue conjure up the ideas for her dreamlike designs, writes P.Ramakrishnan


There is an understated elegance to fine jewellery designer Wendy Yue, and yet her phantasmagoric collections are certainly not for wallflowers. Hers are ornate pieces with resplendent stones, inspired by flora and fauna, animal shapes and legends. It is the vast ocean of her imagination that makes her exquisite, multicoloured collection something to behold.

"I don't sleep much and I'm often most inspired when I have difficulty sleeping," she says while in transit in Taipei, on her way to Hong Kong for a reception at her stockist Plukka's pop-up store in the Landmark. A restless night where she had garish visions of snakes invading her floor led to a serpentine collection a few years ago.

"A lot of times I am on the road, whether driving to work, home, dinner, or running errands, my mind is often in its most stimulated state and all kinds of ideas are generated," Yue says. "I am a multitasker in that sense, I can never be doing one thing at a time."

And yet, among her travels, all roads led to the field of design. Yue, a Hong Kong native, spent her early days studying language and culture in Europe.

"I love Europe. Vienna was a stepping stone into the European culture. It's filled with ancient history and architecture and I find it very calm and soothing whenever I'm there," she says.

She documented her travels with her coloured pencils, sketching everywhere she went. Patterns and shapes formed the basis of future jewellery designs.

"The idea of creating jewellery to be worn daily reminds me of my travels," Yue says. "They are an enduring monument in remembrance of the bits and pieces of my expeditions."

Yue established her atelier, Diamond Tree, in 1998, and for years she worked with haute joaillerie, supporting famous luxury brands as the woman behind the scenes. It wasn't until 2008 that her eponymous brand, in collaboration with Annoushka Ducas (founder of Links of London), came about.

Whether from Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, or select boutiques across Europe, the US and Asia, there are many femmes fetale studded with Yue's whimsical creations.

If there's a trend away from simple rings and subtle earrings studded with a single stone, Yue might be the harbinger, springing away from the delicate and the darling to "statement pieces" of bold design and chunkier stones.

"I don't think statement pieces are necessarily a fashion trend; instead, they [reflect] the changing taste of Asian women in general. They have definitely opened up to a wider range of styles, without compromising either end of the spectrum. I think the Asian woman has always been confident."

Rapacious Rose necklace

While other design houses might find inspiration in endearing images of cats and nature, there's a strident, serrated beauty in Yue's designs, such as a sapphire-studded frog, sprawling on an aquamarine and jade swamp; or a floral piece intertwined with a serpent with evocative, sapphire-studded eyes, glistening with wicked glee.

"The narrative, of course, is inspired by nature, but I have also turned my focus towards more classic shapes, especially with earrings and necklaces," she says. "In the past I may have been known for my statement cocktail rings, but this year I chose to focus more on earrings and chokers, incorporating nature in a figurative but more classic way."

Egyptian Scarab ring-cuff set

But does the stone inspire the design or does the design lead her to the stone?

"For the most part, it all begins with the stones," Yue says. "I have a passion for stones and I have a huge safe filled with beautifully odd and unique gemstones. Many times it's an interwoven process: I have an idea and concept in mind, then I draw from memory my database of gemstones and know exactly which centre stone would match my design concept. It can be the stone that comes first, if I have the inspiration, but it is almost something that is in sync.

"Most of the pieces with carved centre stones or large centre gemstones are one of a kind. It is not in my interest to mass-produce my designs."

Dragonfly dip earrings

Yue eschews the cliché of East meets West. "I do not see my pieces in dual East-West cultural terms. Often it can be a mix, extracting from different cultural myths. Many times it is from my personal travels or experiences," she says.

But is there an Asian element to the collection?

"Certainly," she says. "I do have Buddha and oriental elements. I once had a coral cuff named 'The Lucky Seven' that came from a traditional Chinese story of seven children for good luck. I come from a traditional Chinese family so I do have inspiration from my background."

While Yue has her own "by appointment" gallery/show space in Sheung Wan, the designer's work has already spread worldwide. Her pieces have caught the eye of pop princesses such as Katy Perry and Rihanna and Hollywood actresses Glenn Close and Frieda Pinto.

"I feel honoured and humble seeing my jewellery worn by anybody who appreciates my pieces. Sometimes you can see the sparkle from their eyes when they look at a piece; it's truly an unforgettable feeling," Yue says. "But, of course, it's reassuring to some [customers] that top style icons such as Katy Perry and Rihanna have worn my pieces."

She says if there is one type of woman she designs for, it's "a woman who isn't afraid to show character".

Swan Fantasie cuff

E-mail: ramakrishnanp at hotmail dot com

Galaxy Spring 2014

Working the famed Ralph Lauren red dress, Asian model Ying worked the cover like no other.

Shot by Rex Tsui, styled by Tasha Ling, with hair and makeup by Karen Yiu, the latest issue of Galaxy stands out in the crowd.

Looking at our past few covers... every one is different. 

At the Ideal Charity Spring Blossom Gala Dinner: Lenka Korbova in David Yurman Diamonds and Maje

Earlier this week, we were all at the Ideal Charity Spring Blossom Gala Dinner: Lenka Korbova in David Yurman Diamonds and Maje. 

Rosemary Vandenbroucke and Lenka Korbova at the gala dinner. 

 

Art Basel Hong Kong 2014 : The Prestige Hong Kong booth

Hong Kong's model citizens, the newly engaged Lenka Korbova and David Oshry at Art Basel 2014. 

Burda had its own booth, posters and presence at the week long affair. 

More images - 100 of 'em! - in the April issue of Prestige Hong Kong. Grab yer copy! 
 

Laughing Matters: Trio of Irish stand-up comedians bring celtic humour to Hong Kong

Woo hoo! Feature out in 48 hours. The weekly magazine that's out with South China Morning Post on Thursdays.

A trio of Irish stand-up comedians bring Celtic humour to Hong Kong

Three Irish comedians are here to paint the town green, writes P. Ramakrishnan

P.Ramakrishnan

• 

Keith Farnan.

Hong Kong comedy fans will have a bit of the luck of the Irish when three comics from the Emerald Isle, P.J. Gallagher, Keith Farnan and Andrew Stanley, take to the stage of the Punchline Comedy Club this month.

And the Gaelic proverb "when the tongue slips, it speaks the truth" is sure to resonate as the funny men put their spin on life as we know it.

Gallagher is perhaps the best known of the trio. As the star of television shows Next Week's News and Naked Camera he has found fans beyond Ireland. "My first TV series, Naked Camera, was a hidden-camera show set in Dublin and it was the best fun I've ever had," Gallagher says.
Andrew Stanley.
"I love making TV shows and being part of a team working together to make something. Stand-up comedy is great, but you are always ultimately on your own and hoping for the best. With TV you really get the feeling that you are building something and can always revisit it, I love that side of it. I also like the idea that you are performing to people in their own houses. It's like a personal little show that everyone can be a part of."

In his current show, two of the more popular characters have been a mentally unstable taxi driver and the wickedly fun "Dirty Auld One", an elderly woman who makes wildly inappropriate sexual innuendoes. It's obvious that Gallagher finds inspiration in both the marvellous and the mundane.

"My family is very funny, but they have no idea. I suppose the funniest people never really think they're funny and they can even get angry if you point it out to them," he says. "My mother is the funniest person I've ever met, mad as a box of frogs too, but I'd never change her.

"I've got no idea what my first joke was, but I'll bet it was me impersonating someone off TV from the '80s. Comedy was so much easier when I was six and the audience was my parents."
But humour can also come from dark places. Many comedians who have experienced tough times have managed to transform this into comedy gold, but Gallagher says he found a different route. "I think the day-to-day stuff is where the real humour is," he says.
P.J. Gallagher.
"Everyone is doing something funny, and it's fun to try and find out what it is. I know a lot of comics who have great stories about personal triumphs and tragedies, but I want my gigs to be a break from all that. I like the idea of a stand-up show just being an hour of fun where you don't have to think about anything other than laughing."

When it comes to his heroes of humour, Gallagher names Jason Byrne as his "adopted comedy dad". "Jason Byrne is pretty much the reason I do comedy at all. He's the best live stand-up I've ever seen and turns so much material around every year that it's unreal. He started booking me for gigs long before I thought I was ready and coached me into being a stand-up."

With his Twitter feed dominated by photos of dogs and bikes, there's obviously more to Gallagher's life than funny business.
"Racing bikes and my dogs are my two first loves," says Gallagher. "I really only ever started telling jokes so I could buy bikes and parts. I love dogs a lot too, and they feature in my stand-up a fair bit. I actually really like all animals and I'm a vegetarian. I still eat fish though, because they are idiots. Kind of like fruit with gills."


Punchline Comedy Club featuring P.J. Gallagher, Keith Farnan and Andrew Stanley March 13, 8pm, March 14, 9pm, Tamarind, 2/F Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; March 15, 9pm, Grappa's Cellar, B/F Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central, all shows HK$320. Inquiries: punchlinecomedy.com


From SCMP.com
http://www.scmp.com/magazines/48hrs/article/1442937/trio-irish-stand-comedians-bring-celtic-humour-hong-kong