Breitling CEO Georges Kern on Celebrating 140 Years of Breitling and Expanding the Evolution of the Historical Watch Brand

A centenary Swiss brand is making waves in China—but what took so long? Longstanding Breitling leader Georges Kern answers this, and many other insights in a lengthy chat. It’s all about the right timing for Breitling CEO Georges Kern, who will soon be clocking 30 years in the horological industry. While passing through Hong Kong, he gave Robb Report Hong Kong an exclusive one-on-one chat about leading Breitling as it celebrates its 140th anniversary.

Marking “140 Years of Firsts,” Breitling unveiled not one, but three limited editions of its flagship models—the Premier, the Navitimer, and the Chronomat. Launched in Hong Kong to great fanfare to an assembly of collectors, connoisseurs, and celebrities, guest of honour, singer, and actor Raymond Lam joined hands with Kern to unveil the three novelties in Hong Kong.

But for watch enthusiasts, the cynosure of all eyes will perpetually be Kern, who, in his tenure as CEO, opened Breitling’s doors to China with a 2019 star-studded event in Beijing featuring brand ambassadors Brad Pitt, Daniel Wu, and legendary photographer Peter Lindbergh. Famed as an alpha-masculine brand for decades, Kern invited Charlize Theron to be the ambassador of a new collection and collaborated with Victoria Beckham on a special-edition Chronomat.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

1880 Hong Kong at Taikoo Place is the Social Club You Didn’t Know You Needed—Until Now

Four floors of Two Taikoo Place in Quarry Bay are set to become an elevated members’ club and innovative social experience.

In partnership with Swire Properties, social club and private members’ club 1880 Hong Kong will debut by the end of this year and span four floors at Two Taikoo Place.

A hybrid space dedicated to work, pleasure, and leisure, the idea is to build a “new category in workspace entertainment that reimagines the ‘future of work’ by seamlessly integrating work and play,” says founder Marc Nicholson. “It will serve as a place where people can come together for conversations, be exposed to new ideas, and build thriving communities.”

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Monet’s “Nymphéas” Just Sold For a Staggering HK$233 Million at Auction

Now that’s a lot of Monet at Christie’s Hong Kong’s inaugural sales at its new HQ.

In a stunning display of artistic prowess, auctioneering excellence, and exquisite curation at its mint new home at The Henderson, Christie’s Hong Kong’s inaugural sales proved to be a resounding success, amassing a total of HK$1.25 billion (around US$162 million).

For art lovers and connoisseurs, buyers and collectors, purveyors and voyeurs, critics and editors, the place to be in the last days of September was on the 7th floor of the recently opened commercial development The Henderson, the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed tower from where Christie’s Hong Kong’s new Asia-Pacific headquarters loom large over the city.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Top Five Skincare brands in Hong Kong: Simply the Best of the Best

 

The best grooming products of the year are...  in my not so humble opine;

Hydration
Dr Burgener Switzerland Collagen Intense Face Serum

Dr Burgener’s “intense” face serum is surprisingly light to the touch after a wash and application before bed. In the thick of Asia’s tropical heat and humidity, it provides a milky, second-skin-like feel, thanks to the key ingredients of marine plankton extract and Dr Burgener’s unique Hyalnature formulated complex, made up of three natural hyaluronic acids that help to boost collagen, reduce signs of fine lines, smoothen wrinkles, and lend a glow to your complexion. With regular usage, the active solution hydrates and softens the skin, while the gentle aroma is a bonus.

Lifting
La Mer Lifting Firming Serum

As we look at 40—from the wrong direction—the need, not the luxury, of the Lifting Firming Serum has come to be. Drops dabbed upon the skin can help sculpt the face to restore youthful balance and create a lifted feeling around the upper and lower structural zones. Among the ingredients, the sea kelp, minerals, and vitamins in La Mer’s fermented Miracle Broth base aid cell regeneration, leaving the skin renewed and radiant. With the product tried and tested, we’re comforted to know that while we may not be able to revert from original sin, we can return to original skin.

Eye Care
Guerlain Abeille Royale Double R Renew & Repair Eye Serum

As some of the first visible signs of ageing appear around the eyes, the credit-card swipe on Guerlain’s Abeille Royale eye serum becomes a self-investment we’d like a tax rebate on. Enriched with white-honey concentrate, fragmented hyaluronic acid, and a peptide, this formula can reduce puffiness and dark circles, and illuminate the eye area for a brighter, smoother look and feel. All the efforts of innumerable bees (Guerlain has been working diligently with honey and French royal jellies—hence the recurring bee motif) help to change the epidermis from peasant to posh.

Face Cream
La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream

La Prairie launched its new Skin Caviar Luxe Cream with an even more evolved “caviar science” formula, building on the foundations of its original 1987 iteration. The secret of its success lies in the key ingredients, which include caviar micro-nutrients to boost the metabolism of the epidermis and maintain firm structure. Legions swear by the velvety cream as it lifts and tightens the skin. For the 2023 version, the jars have been reimagined with recycled and recyclable glass and the colour pays homage to artist Niki de Saint Phalle (who originally inspired that signature shade of cobalt blue).

Brightening
Murad Vita-C Glycolic Serum

Founded by dermatologist Dr Howard Murad, this brand has always taken a scientific approach to skincare. Its fragrance-free Vita-C Glycolic Serum, infused with the antioxidant potential of gold-stabilised vitamin C, offers deep penetration and high absorption to help fade dark spots, reduce pigmentation, and create a smooth, even complexion, while the glycolic acid in the formula helps to remove dead surface cells. A dual-chamber delivery system ensures that the elixir itself faces a lower risk of oxidation. 91 per cent of participants in clinical trials have reported smoother, brighter skin in just two weeks!

Collection
Valmont Essence of Bees

Valmont has been on our radar since the Crème Merveilleuse launch in 2021. Now, there’s the Essence of Bees collection, comprising the Huile Majestueuse face oil, Crème de Masque Majestueuse face cream, and Sérum Majestueux Vos Yeux lifting eye serum, a trio of powerhouse products with regenerative, nutritional properties derived from honey, royal jelly, and propolis, which infuse the skin with a radiant glow, repair damaged cells, and reinforce the epidermis to create a natural barrier against the elements. In the battle against free radicals attacking your skin, Valmont’s Essence of Bees range is the kind of heavy firepower you want in your arsenal of skincare.

More at Robbreport.hk

Top Five Shoes: Menswear Accessories that are Simply the Best: Editor's Pick: Tom Ford to Zanotti

Quality, precision, elegance, timelessness and perhaps a bit of whimsy - why not? The best in shoes I found last year. 

Boots
Giuseppe Zanotti Jaure

When a brand is a staple on the red carpet, known for its bejewelled heels and glittering leather accessories, the men’s section often gets relegated to a forgotten corner. Not today—Italian luxury footwear brand Giuseppe Zanotti has consistently had a men’s footwear section boasting key components of style, refined aesthetics, and incomparable quality. Our latest peek at the gentleman’s department of Zanotti reveals vibrant sneakers, fashion-forward moccasins, and urban-inspired boots, but our eyes are drawn to the Jaure ankle boots, with a shearling inner lining and chunky soles. Practical and functional are not often operative words in fashion and accessories, but Zanotti does it so effortlessly, and the Jaure is elegant to boot. Pun intended.

Oxfords
Perry Ercolino Audley

Custom-made Perry Ercolino shoes have been featured in Robb Report for years and, upon revisit, it’s not a comeback to the list, but a reminder of why he’s still among the best in the business. In his own words, Ercolino has been creating—not following—footsteps in fashion: “With proper care, shoes at this level can last many years. In 2023, the trend that seems to be most prevalent for young professionals is getting back to being well-dressed, both for casual and work attire. Show them great options and they will respond; the men and women who are looking to reset their wardrobe choices can and should be a bit more discriminating. Classics still rule the day, and a timeless piece of clothing or footwear will pay dividends every time.”

Brogues
Silvano Lattanzi EG1 in Alligator Leather

Since 1971, Italian shoemaker Silvano Lattanzi has been handcrafting exquisite leather footwear for discerning gentlemen, drawing from his vast archival “laboratory” of textiles, patterns, colours, and patinas to inform his creations. “All of the collections that I have ever designed and made personally from 1971 to today are stored. Each model can still be reproduced today,” says Lattanzi of his extensive library, which includes this two-tone stunner inspired by a Van Gogh painting. “In Italy, the work of manual skills has not been completely lost, and the shapes [and] styles that are worn by royalty are still on trend.” He tells Robb Report Hong Kong that “the good God, he sent me to Earth to make good shoes.” Amen to that.

Loafers
Tom Ford “Sean” Alligator-Print Tassel Loafers

Start your look from the feet and work your way up, as per the stylist of the dapper man, in which case, let the sartorial canvas begin at the toes of Tom Ford. Bring out the hidden rockstar in you with almost any of the patterned designs from his footwear line, but we are head over heels for this pair of alligator-print tasselled loafers—the quality is next-level, and we’re figuratively and literally at the feet of Ford as he struts away from the empire he built. As the American fashion designer has famously stated, his range is for “men who appreciate detail and quality.” Hence, “the product must be the best.” Ford may be offloading his eponymous business to Estée Lauder to focus on film projects, but he’s sure stepping out in style.

Japanese Shoemaking
Yohei Fukuda Ebony

Patience is key when it comes to getting your hands on a pair of bespoke shoes crafted by Japanese artisan Yohei Fukuda—his years-long waitlist can attest to that. Fukuda’s most recent visit to Hong Kong in spring 2023, a by-appointment-only trunk show at The Armoury, was a scintillating affair for shoe aficionados who appreciate style and precision. Fukuda, a master craftsman who trained at the Tresham Institute in Northamptonshire, has always eschewed trends for timelessness: “We don’t intend to make a shoe that’s about fashion. I want my shoes to be classic so the customer can wear them for 20 or 30 years.” You can pick up a pair of Ebony full brogues in black calf leather from his ready-to-wear collection, but if and when you get an audience with the shoemaker, do yourself a favour and go for custom.

More at RobbReport.hk

La Prairie’s New HK$15,000 Life Matrix Haute Rejuvenation Cream is the Ultimate Anti-Ageing Innovation

 

Beloved by keepers of the skincare faith, the brand is getting new converts as its new scientific prowess show sensational results.

Even though skin is the body’s largest organ, taking care of it is too often seen as a narcissism, a superficial cosmetic upkeep for the vain and the dandy. Here’s a truth bomb: it’s self-care at its purest form, all under the auspices of the epidermis, from protecting oneself against the elements to seeing the first signs of an internal misalignment and, of course, being the harbinger of ageing. Investing in our skin’s upkeep and care is essential on a primordial—nay, cellular—level.

Here’s where La Prairie’s raison d’être comes in, as the famed Swiss beauty brand has homed in on skincare for the past 90-plus years, long before it was fashionable among the famed and those burdened with great fortune. Back in 1931, at Clinique La Prairie, Dr Paul Niehans’s discovery of the significance of cellular therapy as an essential component of skincare was a game-changer, a key that “unlocked the secret of eternal youth,” as per the brand literature.

Each year, historically sceptical of brands that sell hope in a jar, the grooming editors of Robb Report investigate the science and significance of a range of skincare products—particularly the dearly priced ones—with a fine-tooth comb. La Prairie has consistently been among the top draws; its iconic Skin Caviar Luxe Cream, Skin Caviar Nighttime Oil, and White Caviar Eye Extraordinaire are counted among a treasure trove of balms and salves, serums, and oils. La Prairie has offered skincare and elixirs, innovative care routines, and formulations from its native Switzerland to the visages of the most prominent denizens of the world.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

New Stefano Ricci Store at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong Presents Refined Menswear, Dazzling Accessories, and Patented Shoes to Boot

 

Catering to top-drawer clients in Asia since 1993, the brand is favoured among men of great power and style.

Stefano Ricci has just opened a new store at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong and the maison’s second iteration in the city is as refined as the first, hard-to-miss store that opened in 2018 at The Peninsula Hong Kong. All the signature Stefano Ricci boutique characteristics are there, from the dark colour motifs to the glass-encased cabinets filled with dazzling accessories, the oak furnishings, and the unmissable eagle theme—the fierce-looking bird has its talons entrenched in every store. Behind gilded doors, there’s a rarified air of privacy and panache, as the groomed staff in immaculate uniforms are at the guests’ beck and call. Sit back as things are brought, unveiled, unfurled, and unclipped just for you, like in a members-only club for the elite. One can’t remember if white gloves were on, but they were certainly implied as the latest pieces of a manicured selection were brought out.

What a store. In the handsomely appointed showroom decked with lacquered furnishings, a rich patina envelops the entire room. Gleaming, polished cabinets spotlight the latest accessories such as exotic-skin belts, ties, shoes, and bags, all for the eyes of an in-the-know clientele. The menswear and accessories are so polished and pristine, the only tags worth looking at are ones about the finesse of the fabrication, and how to take care of them. Silk ties, crewneck linen t-shirts, shirts, tapered jeans, and Bermuda shorts are all crafted with meticulous precision—take a jeweller’s loupe to see the exact stitching, hidden buttons, lambskin leather inserts in blousons, and decorative hardware of precious metal.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.