Agenda Men: August issue of Prestige magazine

Agenda Men: August issue of Prestige magazine. 

What's hot among menswear and accessoires this season - according to the biggest brands; Tiffany and Co, Calvin Klein, Moncler, Dior, Berlutti and Armani. You know, the usual suspects... 

  

Behind the label: Palmiero

Who started it? jeweller Carlo Palmiero (left) set up his eponymous company in Valenza, Italy, in 1979, working with other companies to create stunning pieces while building his own reputation as a craftsman. As a child, Palmiero was surrounded by experts who taught him the art of jewellery-making as he was growing up in this small municipality in Piedmont, where most of the population was involved in the business of bling. Fame and fortune in the competitive world of luxury jewellery came slowly but surely for Palmiero, and, in 2000, he launched Palmiero Jewellery Design, to focus on his own creative designs.

Why we love it: for the art of its artefacts. Palmiero's latest, animal-inspired collection resembles bejewelled sculptures. Peacocks, spider webs and an array of other items encrusted in coloured diamonds and other precious stones blend the stunning with the sumptuous. The cuteness factor of the baby animal pendants is off the charts, but we prefer the more mature, nature-inspired pieces.

What we'd pick: the gold and diamond-studded Giullari pendant, and the artful peacock ring and pendant (both right; prices on request). Motifs of the colourful pea fowl have used as symbols of royalty and beauty, and these pieces stand out with complex designs and artful arrays of coloured stones. The Giullari pendant could stand alone as an objet d'art - a satirical, irreverent piece that's bound to bemuse and amuse.

Where can you get it? Palmiero is available at Masterpiece by King Fook, Central Building, 1 Pedder Street, Central, tel: 2822 8524.

An Open Secret: Carlotta Danti's exclusive interview in Hong Kong: Italian lingerie brand Rosamosario

Carlotta Danti unveils sensual luxury for women with all the right curves, writes P.Ramakrishnan.


With the tacit approval of Kate Moss, Lucinda Chambers, Natalia Vodianova, Vanessa Paradis and other fashionable femmes, the Italian lingerie brand Rosamosario, with its signature rosette motif, answers the oft-asked question: what lies beneath?

Petticoats, culottes, bustiers, night robes, corsets, virginal white laces, bold shades of blood-red ribbons, coquettish contours covered in diaphanous damasks that just barely hold the girls in. Rosamosario isn't just haute, it's hot.

"I want to bring to the world the historical heritage of Italian craftsmanship, where hands move to develop the most unthinkable and desirable luxury," says founder Carlotta Danti.

Rosamosario is made in central Milan, where the doors to its boutique and workshop are open daily to customers, "So they can breathe the air of hand-making, like in the old times," Danti says. "Silks and cottons come from Italy, bought rough and hand washed. The lace that is key to our product range is imported from Calais in France, from the main couture houses."

Danti says she likes sensual women, and created Rosamosario for them. Years after Madonna famously brought underwear out, Rosamosario has honed the conical bra concept to a sophisticated sheen. When asked how it came about that her six-year-old brand has enraptured women around the world, she replies: "Being at the right place, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York where we kicked off back in 2005. Having the right product: elegant lingerie and 'lightwear', with just the right girls."

And what girls they are. Their official website can satiate any idoliser of models, with pixel after pixel of near-nude supermodels shot by photographers such as Bruce Weber, Juergen Teller, Paolo Roversi and Mario Testino.

"I remember the day of the shoot with Bruce Weber. He shot just before the sun rose, and then again when the sun went down," says Danti. "His best works are influenced by his great sensibility for natural light. He has this incredible connection with nature, so he shows nudity in a gentle, natural way. I think his pictures can be considered a page of history, and the portraits he made with Kate [Moss] and other supermodels, are an important page of my life."

Inside the company's brochure, there are layers of tulle curved as petals for a bouquet made of fabric. It's centred on a lacy panty worn by Moss. There's another striking image of her in a black lace ensemble next to a ballgown. There's a distinctly cheeky corset, and a topless Moss in a red lace rosette-patterned undergarment, wearing nothing more than patent red leather stilettos and a smile.

Yet amid the fragile beauty and flashes of flesh, there's a distinct lack of vulgarity. "The philosophy behind my lingerie and what I call a 'lightwear' collection of dresses was developed unconsciously from my family, my attention to beauty, female bodies and their movements," says Danti. "I think of the curves of my beautiful young mother, and I always remember her as an Italian Ursula Andress. I wanted to dress women with independent dreams, full of courage and with huge personalities."

In an industry that otherwise pays obeisance to reed-thin girls and teenage whims, Danti looks to real women with curves. Women like a particular Italian actress. "Monica Bellucci has never interpreted the passage of time, her ageing, as a case of abandoning her beauty," Danti says. "Instead, her strong seductive point is her maturing beauty. Italian women are famous for being beautiful as they mature. Women like Monica Bellucci, Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren."

Rosamosario's rose-print shoes will be worn by Bellucci in the film Manual Of Love 3, where she stars opposite Robert De Niro, and the screen siren has commissioned Rosamosario to make her lingerie outfits for her seductress role.

"What I like about Monica Bellucci is her interpretation of freedom. She understands that a woman can be sensual and seduce, rather than just being seduced." Danti tried to interpret Bellucci's curves for the shoes. "I created my first ever high-heeled sandals with printed chiffon and satin silks. Since then we have begun looking into shoes and have partnered with our Sicilian partners to create a new page in the history of Italian shoes."

On July 16, Rosamosario opened the doors of its new Hong Kong boutique - its first in Asia. As the brand steps into the East, Danti has been keeping a watchful eye on the region. "The powders, the colours, the flowers, petals and lightness of our materials conceived in our products embody the fragile beauty and purity of Asian women," she says.

If it's all too clear what lies beneath, the inevitable question is, what lies ahead? "We will be launching an exclusive, made-to-measure service for lingerie, for weddings and special occasions, which I will personally oversee," says Danti.

"Ladies will also be able to personalise and custom-make their look, head to toe, from their lingerie to their shoes. Rosamosario is a world, not just a product."

Rosamosario

UG/F, Manrich Court,
33 St Francis Street, Wan Chai

Brand it like Mumbai: Luxury in India, designer brands, Bollywood and High Society: Its a return to home base for Rama as he goes back to Incredible India

Indubitably, China is regarded as one of the world’s biggest potential markets for major luxury brands. On his first visit to Mumbai, P.Ramakrishnan discovers the subcontinent’s discerning shoppers who are poised to take up the No: 1 market slot in Asia with sari-clad ease. 

All images by Ayesha Broacha. 

A perfectly pedicured foot alights a black Mercedes, following the soft tinkle of silver anklets. A white, French chiffon and lace sari, embroidered with exquisite red zari and zardosi work, streams out of the car, revealing erstwhile Bollywood superstar Sridevi Kapoor, as she steps out to a shower of paparazzi flashes. On one arm she carries her daughter and on the other a ruby red Rs 41,400 Christian Dior leather satchel, that perfectly compliments her exotic regalia. The following day the leading society columns have splashed photos of the media-shy star for the teeming masses but the real question that burns in the social harem of Mumbai’s crème de la crème is; where did she get that bag? 

Though still under the radar, unlike China or Japan, the luxury brand empires of the world are poised to hit India hard over the next year. The affluent middle class is said to number 60 million in India, while 364, 000 high-end tourists and visitors got off the jets, according to Abacus International. Status symbols such as Burberry's, Cartier, Daks Simpson, Louis Vuitton, Mont Blanc, Nina Ricci, Piaget, Tiara, Tiffany's and Versace have already left their emblematic marks on the market. Rumours of Dior’s entry are in the air while brand [Richard] Branson is up to its usual theatrics as it harpoons through the region this year. 

For the record, Kapoor got her Dior bag in New York, where she holidayed because Dior isn’t open in India. Not yet. Her movie producer husband, who is famous for collecting Gucci shoes as he is for his mammoth film productions, relishes in his foot fetish in Hong Kong and the US. 

Gucci is not in India either. Not yet. 

The world’s largest democracy should be an apt demographic target for every designer label; a nation that’s still littered with royalty (who’ve turned their palaces to chic money churning nostalgic hotels), a celebrity-fueled film industry (the largest in the world no less), swing a Fendi bag anywhere in Mumbai and you’re bound to hit an ex-Miss India, World or Universe who then go on to hit Bollywood to keep their fame alight. With modelling endorsements, they have a none-too shabby disposable income too! A leaping industrial pool (burgeoning bourgeois that’s morphing into the nouveau riche), the feudal lords (remnants from pre-colonial India who own large swathes of property) and the undisputable dollar and pound powered NRI (Non-Resident Indian) nexus that returns home or invests in his/her motherland. 

Break it all down to three simple categories: old money, with preference to classic brands, the corporate tier, with their proclivity to what’s “in” in New York, Paris and Milan and finally the nouveau riche, who know nothing of fashion but can see price tags loud and clear. It’s all about showmanship for them. For that last lot, a muted classic like Zegna would be thumbed down for a flashy, silky, multi-hued Versace, that just might glow in the dark. It signals look at me, I got the money! 

Haseena Jethmalani, a fashion savvy socialite in Mumbai, says, “The strangest conversation I had recently was a lady at a party who had flown down from Delhi and she was showing me her diamond ear-rings. She didn’t discuss carats or design but said it cost her Rs 25 lakh. Not labels or cut but cost was advertised which I found rather funny.”

Educated in London, Jethmalani has been aware of luxury brands years before they cropped up in India over the last five years. She has her own shop (closed the day of our shoot as the vendors are on strike, protesting the news that VAT might be introduced in India!) and heads the best dressed list in the city replete with the trendy and the hip. 

Heading down to Chor Bazaar, which translates to “The Thief Market”, a sobriquet that stuck the strips of shops where pre-1947, objects that “fell off a truck” from the affluent, ended up on sale in the market days later!) to pick up an antique fan. 

She says, “More and more people are holidaying abroad, they know the brands, because of the proliferation of the media, through television, through channels like fTV and the vast collection of international magazines, know what they want, know what’s in. So trying to hoodwink someone who’s even slightly aware of what’s hot in the retail industry is just not going to work. Even the fake market is tiny compared to say, places like China. You might see it on say a college girl who’s walking around with an LV fake. But she knows and everyone else knows a 23-year-old kid who goes to a local school can’t afford the thousands of rupees it costs for the original. They’re doing it for fun. Fake fun.” 

Noting where the well heeled, bellied bankers and businessmen were buying shirts, ties and suits in bulk, Donatella Versace saw that her goods were Eastward bound. She took her first trip to India in March this year. Not only promising to open up flagship stores but investing in India. She even participated in a fashion hunt program (think of it as an Indian-ised American Idol show but in search of the next top designer, not singer). At a press conference she said in her clipped English, “I love India. Indian women are chic and fashionable and elegant. Of course Versace will be in India.”  

The love for India is a phrase that cropped up when Yves Carcelle, CEO of Louis Vuitton, opened up flagship stores in India; one in Delhi which does phenomenal business and another in the hopelessly elegant Taj hotel in Mumbai. LV is categorically the first to dip its feet into the unknown waters, only to find itself swimming along “fabulously”. Says retail manager of Louis Vuitton India, Prasanna Bhaskar, “A major luxury brand jeweller from Europe opened a few years ago in Delhi and Mumbai and took it for granted that the market would just lap up the unsold, the rejected goods of Europe and Dubai and that it would sell in India. The Indian market is extremely savvy, very fashion conscious and brand aware. It’s not like the new mints of say a Russia or a China where any brand could be lapped up, real or fake.” 

With no air-kissed invitation to the celebrity circuit, Indian actors are repeatedly seen in magazines, clutching their LVs without any direct incentive given to them by the company itself. This year alone, photo-shoots with starlets Amisha Patel and former Miss India Celina Jaitley appeared with LV embossed bags in multiple magazines. It’s easy to assume someone from the brand and orchestrated the shoot. But no. 

Says Bhaskar, “When LV launched in India, we did nominal advertising. We’ve never done shows in India, no aggressive publicity campaigns and yet the goods were selling extremely well. This is a market already cognoscente of what the brand is. There was no need to educate the market. We never approached any of the stars in India nor have we worked with film magazines to use products for their shoots. When Filmfare came out with the ladies clutching their bags, which happened to be LV, that was a pleasant surprise to us.” 

Sipping coffee inches away from the Mumbai flagship store, at the Taj coffee shop, she brews on how the sales have been over the last year. “Delhi sees the best sales in all of India, in fact, all of Asia at the moment. We’re seeing sales that don’t happen in the Japanese market!”

Which is surprising indeed as Bollywood is based in Mumbai, the celebrity driven city would seem like the “it” centre for retail goods but that’s not the case. The arteries around the capital are rich in large, old moneyed families that made their millions through natural resource sales (farming, cotton, linen, cloth, steel, natural gas). 

“For example a lady will come into the shop, like something and then she’ll come back with her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, a cousin… it becomes like a family affair. In that cluster another lady will see something else and pick that up later. Women make sound sartorial, fashionable business decisions and it’s never an off the cuff sale. And we didn’t get whoever’s hot in Bollywood to sway any of them!” 

Each and every Indian actor endorses, in most cases, multiple products. There’s an appeal to the youngish crowd that will gladly pick up a Pepsi because Shahrukh Khan, the King of Bollywood, is addicted to it but for the jet-setting, bi-annual holidays in Tuscany and Paris lot, the wrong screen idol pushing a product, it can only backfire. 

Says Shobhaa De, celebrity columnist and chat show host, “The new money lot blindly follows a certain section of the society because to compensate for their own lack of self-confidence. So and so was seen wearing such and such, I must get one. But there are a few of the top families in India and the matriarchs there that make their own fashionable statements. With purchasing power that comes from their innate fashion sense, not because some star splashed on the idiot-box says so. These are the people who have a lot of disposable income. Well, access to their husbands disposable income!”

Though she herself professes to endorse no brands, her four daughters, more than make up for it. “I only have originals and don’t carry fakes,” says Arundhati De, right before regaling on her mother’s antics. “At the opening of LV at the Taj, I went with Mum and I couldn’t believe it when she took her fake bag to the opening! It was the new duffel sports sack thing which they didn’t have in the store and everyone was asking for it – I mean the original!” 

De, as always, couldn’t help being cheeky by tagging along her fake HK bought sack. “Why do I need to endorse a brand? I am my own brand! It often doesn’t go with my outfit. I like the embroidered or cloth bags that would complement an Indian outfit. Just because a particular shade or style is in, if it doesn’t go with the outfit, why bother? And I know I’m not alone in this!” 

Narendra Kumar, Indian designer to the socialites and fashionistas in the capital, who has four stores around the country, nods his head to De’s words. “Say in places like Japan which has a very different fashion vibe, they might buy the new cherry LV because its hot, its new, its in. Here it might not work as well. If you’re wearing a gold embroidered sari or something multi-hued, if the bag clashes with the outfit, the ladies won’t carry it!” 

When international brands hit home, what should they be aware of? “Price point. Unlike a few years ago, the upper middle class and especially the upper crust, they fly out of India four or five times a year, either on business or on pleasure and they do shop! If they even remotely suspect there’s something fishy about what they’re paying for a watch say in the city versus what they would pay in, lets say Changi airport (Singapore’s airport/uber mall!), then they know it. Also, I must say, even people who buy something in India, might say that they got it in Dubai or Paris or London. There’s a certain romance to saying that they got it “abroad” than down main-street you know?” 

Oh and lets not forget the caste system and social hierarchy was coined in India long before the rest of the West thought the world was flat. Status and luxury, six papers have a society column and 12 magazines, with names like High Blitz and Verve, dedicated and primarily targeted at the prolific ‘haves’. And have they got it. 

Dressed in all her finery, when a local paper published a full-page picture of Jethmalani at an event, a ring on her left hand caught the eye of millions. Flooded with calls, the paper rang her up to ask, where she got a ring? 

“You know something, I had bought my kid a cereal box from London and there was this colourful ring that came free with it. It went with my outfit so I just wore it! It might have cost 9 pence! The paper couldn’t believe it! They refused to publish that story and said it was a luxury brand!” 

Whatever works.

Sibling Revelry: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in Hong Kong for Lane Crawford

Famous before they turned one, twenty-one years later, it is no exaggeration that they’ve achieved global domination like no other celebrity – especially in the pre-teen demographic (while remaining a guilty pleasure for the young at heart!). P. Ramakrishnan was in rapt conversation with the world’s most celebrated twins and fashion-forwards; Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Over diet-cokes and still water (their respective choices over the chat), they talked about fame, fashion, frenzied fans and fanatical photographers. 

“We are sooooo coming back to Hong Kong and looking around next time, our schedule’s been so tight, I really want to see the city and maybe check out Thailand too. And India’s a dream destination where we were planning to go last year but it didn’t work out in the last-minute and…” says Ashley Olsen, 22, as she rattles off the Asian hot-spots in a frenzy of youthful exuberance and excitement as no visible signs of a 16-hour-flight from New York lags on her rosy cheeks.

And why would it? Painfully young and exquisitely well put-together in her signature line of Elizabeth and James, with costume jewellery in exaggerated portions sparkling off her finger… Scratch that. Costume? They could very well be the real deal – with a net worth of over US$1 billion, being in full financial control since 2005 when they turned 18 of their company Dualstar Entertainment Group, the Olsen siblings are not short for change. So if a girl wants a diamond ring the size of a quail egg, by George, she’ll have it! Ashley Olsen’s every bit the fashion icon her press release states her to be, confident in her stride, sure in her every step.

Each step over a pair of Balenciaga shoes which look dangerous in their black leather high-heeled extremity. when she scuttles to her chair for the chat, it seems she could trip and tip right over. With three security guards (two agents, three representatives from the company and a host of nameless faces part of their entourage) within an arm’s reach, should she teeter and fall, when an avuncular chide to be careful is said out loud, Ashley giggles and says. “Oh they’re my favourite pair! They are so comfortable.” As the precarious six-inch heel seems to engulf most of her petite frame, we’ll take her word for it.

If you fell and tore a sleeve, would you be able to sew your shirt up? “I’d give it a try,” she says with a sly grin. “It won’t be that good, but I’d try it!”

As we laugh like children who’ve shared a secret, there lies that faint recollection that this half of the multi-millionaires heiress has lived in a bubble of fame as far as memory serves.

Born to Jarnette and David Olsen in Sherman Oaks, California, the girls started their acting careers on the television series Full House in 1987. Courtesy of syndication and perpetual re-runs and an inexplicable mass appeal that crosses borders, language and cultures, the poorly acclaimed yet vastly popular sitcom took a life of its own and spawned nearly eight seasons. A few weeks shy of turning one, the girls were both cast to play one character; Michelle Tanner. Cherubs with large blue-green eyes, they were an instant hit – as was the show.

What was supposed to be a platform for three adult comics, it become the mother of all family shows, capturing a young audience (and the young at heart). Espousing good family values and a squeaky clean image, the girls played the same character with engaging expressions and precocious punch-lines which did wonders for ratings. The show lead to videos, to TV movies that went on to full length features… and more. A small empire with a big turnover was born landing them both on the Forbes power list, ranking the two as the eleventh-richest women in entertainment.

In town to promote their line of clothes, we meet a day after the launch bash at Lane Crawford’s store in IFC mall. With more gatecrashers and guests playing fast and easy with their invitations, nearly everyone brought their young ones along to meet their idol Americans. “We were a bit taken aback by the response,” says Ashley in wide-eyed surprise. “Usually when we’re meeting clients in a new market, its usually a quiet cocktail and we meet a few people, take a few pictures – but I’ve never seen so many people head straight towards us.

“People were very sweet. Some guy shook my hand and then kissed it,” says Mary-Kate with a smile. “Didn’t know who he was but everyone was being so nice. I wish we had more time to stay and take pictures with everyone and meet them all but, we were booked up.”

While their clothes were on exhibit around the shop, for most of their frenzied fans, the Elizabeth and James line spear-headed by the twins, is all too familiar. For the rest of the fashion un-savvy, Ashley tries to explain the ethos behind one of their brands (The Row line – inspired by the casual chic of Savile Row - is also under the aegis of the awesome twosome), of mixing masculine and feminine virtues. She reads her inept audience. With most in the room double her age and twice her size, it’s time for a little show and sell.

“Look at this shirt,” she says, getting up and striking a pose prior to the shoot. “It’s a guy’s shirt. Well, it could be. The stripes, the ease of it, the way the sleeves roll, the lack of frills. But it goes with this girly black skirt – it’s combining the silhouettes of masculinity and femininity in the same look. And everything in the collection is a mix and match - which really reflects our own style. With a high-end top, a chic scarf that doesn’t cost as much, everything can be put-together. Having fun with the look is so important – and making it affordable from a price-point.”

Skimming through their line of clothes, there’s the peacock Penelope dress, a stripe woven T with a simple black skirt, a lush sequin vacation dress drapes next to white tuxedo shirt - her words resonate. Suddenly you see it – get it. Colour me converted! And yet lies the hint of suspicion.

Celebrity sprinkled designer duds (Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson and the similar ilk) are often fronted by the famed, but affronted by the ‘real’ designers. As Roberto Cavalli famously stitch-slapped Madonna, “Maybe tomorrow, I get up and sing eh? And I become a rock-star. Singers should stick to singing, designers should design!”

Gently I broach the subject. Known for her turn in film and television, not having studied the craft of dress-making, when asked how involved she is in the process of the designs, says the straight-haired Olsen, Ashley, “In almost all of it. OK, I’m not a great sketch artist and I can’t sit and needlepoint but when it comes to the entire collection, from themes and ideas, to what patterns to use, to which fabric and why, how we mix and match, the colour scheme we want to incorporate, what materials to repeat and discard, what shapes we want, the silhouette we’re looking for - we are involved in the entire process. It’s our project, our name – well, our brother and sister’s name– on the items. It’s so important to be physically a part of it.”


Says Mary-Kate, “And everything we see inspires us. When we were landing in Hong Kong, the skyline of the city is so incredible. We had this mental picture of what the city would be like – but it’s so much more than its promises. The architecture, the street-style, everything’s inspiring. So in the next collection, if you see something that reminds you of Hong Kong, it’ll be because of our trip here.”

Though often reported that they named the brand in ode of their brother and sister, the girls are quick to clear up the false reports. “It was purely coincidence!” they both chime. Though the interviews were conducted in separate rooms with each individual, apart from their striking looks, they share an exquisite likeness in thought; reiterating each other’s beliefs and sentences, mirroring their philosophies. Either they’ve got the PR spiel down pat, or it’s the echolocation brought on by their unique bond. As the girls intertwine their fingers during a shoot or flow into joint poses, the phenomenon the two are becomes all too apparent.

Did your other siblings (the girls have two half-brothers) get vexed that they weren’t chosen in the final call? Did they hanker over favoritism as their monikers weren’t considered? “No, they really didn’t care. Even when the brand came out first, Trent (that’s what we call James at home) and Liz were completely surprised. We didn’t tell them in advance and they weren’t that fussed over it honestly! We were with our company’s partner and wanted to create this line of clothes with a strong name and it just so happened that these names were selected.”

Though their company Dualstar engulfs most of their empire (with video, CD, DVD, games and other Olsen paraphernalia having sold over US$150 million), why choose other names to establish a label, when their own is one of the most widely-recognised trademarks on the planet?



“We were working on names with our company partner and Elizabeth is such a beautiful name and so was James, which is so masculine and it sounds so strong,” explains Mary-Kate. “It’s as simple as that.”

How did germ of an idea come about that you guys could do this design line? Says Mary-Kate, “When we were younger, around the ages of 10, 11, 12, the show and videos were doing really well, and we were getting really well-known and we would have these events to go to – but with no appropriate clothes. What would happen is that we’d get adult designer clothes and alter them to our sizes. I’d see a great Marc Jacobs jacket but have to cut it to my size. There was this huge lack in the market for great clothes for young people. We thought we could do something about this – make great clothes at affordable prices for young people.”

A philosophy that major brands, run by men who’ve been in the business for half-a-century, try to espouse with variable degrees of success. Its alarming that these gifted girls have captured the market as swiftly as they have. “The clothes for kids were all candy-coloured and with cartoon characters, which is fine if you’re into that, but we weren’t. We had our own style...”

The bohemian hippy chic?

“Oh that was then,” laughs Ashley, near impeccable now in her polished incarnation. Lampooned by the New York Times for ‘pioneering their signature homeless look’ the girls sartorial succession was dramatic. “Every look has a season and its constantly changing – you know that. We are evolving and growing and its unfair that once the media gives you a label, you’re stuck with it. Yes, we liked over-sized clothes and scarves - but that was then!”

The press, especially the online e-media stalkers, had a field day with the girls and their every move, outfit, bag or shades. “Things I used to read or hear from others was frustrating. About how often we were at Starbucks – well, that was ridiculous,” says Ashley. “We had our morning cup and that’s the only time the press could see us out and that become our box. We were just stuck in it and what was said about us was rarely true.”

With more online sites and a flurry of tabloids dedicated to their every move and breath, how these young girls take on the sniper paparazzi cannot be fully comprehended as Mary-Kate tries to explain, “Well, in LA its just dangerous. They will do anything for a picture. In New York, people are slightly more respectful – just slightly. It’s been such a pleasure to be in Asia where the media treats us with such dignity. They are far more ruthless in the US because they have no privacy laws and no way to stop them. Even France has stricter rules.”

What’s been the most hurtful or false misconception about you?

Responds Mary-Kate, “You know what, we stopped reading anything about us. We just block it out. It’s hard to believe but its true. The tabloids, the sites, we just don’t want to know. We wake up, go to yoga, have breakfast, go to the office, have our meetings or our film or TV shoots, our work – that’s our life. The rest is not important. We try to lead our lives with as much integrity as possible and we zone out the negative.”

Having been under the spotlight for decades now, you’d think the two are immune to the harsh glare.

“We don’t go to clubs and have wild parties. We have dinners at home, our friends who we trust come over, who won’t sell us out, who won’t say false things to make an easy buck…” she continues, with a quiet pause and a reflective look out to the sea-view of Hong Kong harbour from their expansive Four Seasons suite. Mary-Kate comes back and her blue eyes pierce through. “If we meet someone, they don’t suddenly become our BFF. Trust takes time.”




The softer, more chilled out of the two, there’s an endearing insouciance to Mary-Kate that’s complimented by the tougher, straight-to-the point Ashley. Sporting a Chanel bracelet on one arm and twiddling with her ring on the other, when asked if she still wears other brands (the girls famously did the ad-campaign for Badgley Mischka, spoke to Vanity Fair about their vast collection of Juicy Couture) says Mary-Kate. “Of course. But recently we’ve been buying accessories more than outfits. If there’s a style we’d want to wear, we’d get it made!”


Images, Courtesy of photographer Olaf Mueller.

Top Mod Elle: Elle MacPherson Interview for West East Magazine, Hong Kong

In a decade that spawned cherry red-lips, blue-eye-shadow and highlighter pink blush as the accepted norm (topped with a hair-sprayed coif that defied gravity and shoulder pads that were not relegated to football players), Elle MacPherson’s freshly scrubbed, toned and beach-tanned body from the ‘80s was an aberration to the modeling scene. A hot one. The doughy P.Ramakrishnan felt no shame (nor his gym card) when he had a chat with “the body”. Images courtesy of Lane Crawford

It’s hard to believe that she’s staring down the barrel of a 44 magnum - that’s her age BTW, which she’ll happily admit to. In modeling circles that’s also a pull the trigger moment, when you’re the wrong side of 22. Still, it’s hard to imagine she’s a single woman, mother of two, in her forties, working, when she looks… oh what’s the expression? Oh yeah, so-damn-fine!

The body of work pales in comparison to “the body”, which she’ll forever be known for, but this sun-kissed, Sydney-born, six-foot hotty has done so much more than her bikini-clad Sport Illustrated cover (six times in every decade for the past three).

She’s worked with the legends of cinema (from Barbara Streisand, Woody Allen to Anthony Hopkins), appeared regularly on highly successful television shows (F.R.I.E.N.D.S, Saturday Night Live) and now she’s got a line of lingerie selling the world over, of her own design.

In a merciless industry that pays obeisance to the young, new and thin, how this blonde bombshell has managed to remain relevant deserves plaudit and praise. Over to Ms MacPherson;

You’ve seemingly done it all; magazine cover girl, catwalk queen, acting, designing, motherhood, and are still referred to as Elle “the Body” Macpherson! Which role do you enjoy playing the most?

My primary purpose is to raise two sons in a loving and nourishing environment. I have been fortunate to be involved in many facets of the entertainment and fashion industries. My favourite is right here, right now.

To quote Oprah, and who wouldn’t, life’s come full circle. From modelling in sexy swimsuits to creating your own lingerie line. Was this something you had been thinking of for a while?

20 years ago I realised I had wide recognition in both Australia and the USA but it was my image that was being used to build other people’s brand. I was not interested in gratuitous press but wanted to use my image to build my own brand. I went to Bendon, who had been in the lingerie business for 50 years, and who wanted market share in Australia. The rest is history...

Tell us how involved you are in the whole business, what is your input and what inspires you when you design?

I am very involved in the design process, working closely with Sue Dunmore (Bendon’s head designer). We talk concepts, styles, designs, fabrics, colour and fit. I meet with her six times per year and see each garment 2-3 times before it hits the rack. It’s a fantastic collaboration, one that works and one that is very enjoyable.

Not everyone has the perfect figure to pull off (so to speak!) the lingerie body – are you creating lines for all body types and sizes?

The whole point about Elle MacPherson Intimates is that its lingerie for every ‘body!’ It is beautiful, sexy and most of all comfortable.




As an “aspirational” figure for millions of young girls everywhere, you always projected a healthy body type, never looked like a stick-figure in stilettos with a history of substance abuse. You’re more of a woman of substance…

(Laughs). Thanks!

…will this be reflected in the clothes you make too?

We cater for all shapes and sizes and it’s very important that we do! Soft cups to E-cups.

As the television show “F.R.I.E.N.D.S.” is on perpetual re-runs around the world, the six-episodes you were on have been seen by all and sundry. Did you enjoy the experience of being Janine Lecroix a.k.a. ‘Joey’s hot dancer roommate”?

Working with the cast of “F.R.I.E.N.D.S” was one of my most gratifying experiences I have had. They were patient and supportive of me as a rookie.

Is it hard to keep a straight face when the punch-lines were so good? Were there a lot of outtakes?

It is live television (well taped in front of a live audience!) so there was no room for out-takes or mistakes. It was a challenge but best of all we had a laugh!

Prior to the TV show, you have appeared in a few films too. Which has been a true acting experience – where you really had to push yourself and shed the ‘model’ image and really play a character?

I have made 8 movies; “Batman” with George Clooney, “The Mirror has Two Faces” with Barbara Streisand, “The Edge” with Anthony Hopkins, “It’s a Girl Thing” with Stockard Channing, “If Lucy Fell” with Sarah Jessica Parker, “Sirens” with Hugh Grant, “Jayne Eyre” with William Hurt. A lot of people think “Sirens” was my first film, it wasn’t! My first movie was “Alice” with Woody Allen - I had one line. I had brilliant actors and actresses and directors around me. Lucky me!

I’ve read that your modeling career happened by accident, you were discovered while you were on holiday. When you look back on this long celebrity making career, what were the most exciting times?

I was enrolled into law school in Australia. I had a gap year and I was working various jobs in a theatre restaurant and in a pharmacy. A friend of mine suggested I do modeling; we had a $20 bet if I went to see a modelling agency. I lost the bet… or won the bet depending on how you look at it!

You work around the world and are photographed at the snazziest events – but where’s home for you? Australia?
Australia is always home but I live in London. My intention is be in balance no matter where I am.

What can we expect from you in the near future?

I am interested in taking Elle Macpherson Intimates global, I would definitely like to expand my body products collection, ‘Elle Macpherson The body’ available in Boots in the UK and I am presently looking for a swimwear partner.

Credit Control

Hong Kong's fashion fetish is obvious; we're definitely a designer-dud-dreaming, couture-clad mad generation (or wish to be). The laws imposed by the government should be damned, people will stand in over-crowded trains, and shove and jostle across a ridiculously packed border crossing to Shenzhen to get their hands on something that looks like it has been plucked straight off the pages of a magazine.

But there is a better way to satisfy the designer craving.

With Christmas soon upon us, there are some of the most coveted labels in town and there are things out there that are very affordable.

For the budget - and brand-conscious - shopper, there is a cornucopia of a recognisable knick-knacks to impress fussy loved ones.


Loco for Coco

Mabel Yeung, from Chanel, assures label-cravers there are trinkets in their five Hong Kong outlets that need not stretch one's credit card to snapping point. Accessories such as braclets, lockets, wrist and/or headbands or a toweling sports kit (all with the emblematic interlocking Cs) fall under $1,000.

For those who can stretch to a bit more, the square, ode-to-70s shades ($1,500) or the Coco-cool leather belt ($1,600) could put that extra twinkle in someone's eye this festive season.



Blanc & write

Inspired by the glow of animal eyes, Montblanc's jewelled pen - set in platinum, white gold and silver - gives the writing hand a look worthy of a Pulitzer, even if the written words fall short.

Here is an instrument that wants you to divorce the keyboard and find a thick sheet of creamy paper, immediately. True, it is a bit heavy on the wrist and on the wallet, but the gem of a pen is yours for $8,500 (the smaller version with gold Palmeira Citrine draws a fine line at $6,800). But rest assured that it is a gift that can last a lifetime, not just the current season.

For artists and architects, Montblanc's stocky Leonardo sketch pen ($1,500) will be handy tool. With a soft, 5.5mm thick lead that comes with a sharpened integrated head (there by keeping the tip perennially sharp), it carries the white star and gold-ringed signature look, and comes in an elegant leather pouch.

Be wise and organise

Running late yet again? Missed the flight? The deadline? The date? Do yourself or a friend a favour and get an organiser. If a digital, battery-operated gadget simply does not do it for you, perhaps you should check out Cartier's organiser collection.

These soft leather books are clad with precious metals, and there are over dozen styles available. The gilt-edged small pocket organiser ($1,250) of burgundy calfskin could easily substitute for a wallet - there is enough room for paperwork and pouches for credit-cards. The larger Pasha line ($1,250), black leather with a logo in 18-caret white gold, are for busier bees.

Black, white and red all over

Even if Madonna swears by rhinestone-studded belts with the large bull-and-horn centre clasps that are every bit as subtle as she is, rest assured it is just an evanescent trend being belted out by the effervescent diva. Nothing beats the old black classic, especially when it is by Armani. The slick strips of premium leather, with silver clasps, range from $890-$1,490.


Emporio Armani's Fall/Winter collection is a return to simple sophistication without a sparkle or vulgar colour in sight. For the ladies, a range of efficient, unassuming black purses is up for grabs at any of the four outlets in Hong Kong. Prices begin at $2,500 and end in five figure numerals. Thin is in (was it ever out?) when it comes to straps on sandals, bags or even watches. The winter look is all black and white--with flashes of red in belts, shoes (including men's) and purses. Even the jewellery collection is predominantly black. Earrings, simple string necklaces and other accessories range from $690-$1,400. Soft leather or suede gloves come in neoclassic shades of brown, black or white at $800-$900.



Cuddling up to the leather boys

The unmistakable look of Salvatore Ferragamo in shoes, bags, wallets and belts, made of premium leather, has stood the test of time and trend. However, for the impending season, new arrivals in their shops have a softer, cuter and cuddlier look. What can you get for the young or young-at-heart designer slave? The Ferragamo teddy bear, of course. Made of genuine silk, (in fact, they are made from signature scarves from this Florentine fashion house) teddy bears of both sexes (the gentleman bears sport bow-ties, while the lady bears wear bonnets) are already on display in Times Square, and soon every Ferragamo outlet will carry these distinctive designer bears.

They are not fuzzy and cartoonish creatures but brightly coloured, soft-touch accessories more suitable for decoration than being chewed and dribbled on by infants. While the multi-coloured scarves are perennially available (around $1,500 each) the bears are a seasonal specialty ($2,000). Accessories such as silver scarf rings ($700) and colour coordinated hair bands ($400) are also in the offing.

An oval idea

Legend has it that King Edward VII provided the phrase that helped launch an advertising campaign that money cannot buy: "Cartier, jeweller of Kings and King of jewellers." Stamped with their definite look, the company has maintained an unblemished standard since the mid-19th century. One of their most recognisable products in their signature lighter collection (originally introduced in 1968) and just in time for Christmas, a sparkling new selection has been released to style-seekers.


The oval shaped, invisibly-hinged lighters come in black with gold or platinum finish, as well as the standard monochromatic gold or platinum. Prices range from $1,950 to $2,400. They can be engraved upon request.

A crystal ball

As you watch Satine, the "Sparkling Diamond" in Moulin Rouge, trapeze down to the stage crooning "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" in one of cinema's glitziest entries, take note that she was in fact glittering in Swarovski crystals. Ditto Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina Fair and Grace Kelly in High Society.

With outlets scattered around town, Swarovski has already placed their Christmas collection on sale. The winter specials, such as the crystal Christmas tree, capped with a gold-plated star ($850), the reindeer ($1,275), angel ($1,460) or the little Santa ($1,960) are decorative pieces for the collectors. Their faux-diamond jewellery collection ranges from $450-$1,500. An earring and pendant set can easily fallunder $1,000, and the snowflake brooch, this season's main attractionss, is just $700.