Darshan Mehta, President and CEO of India’s Billion-Dollar Luxury Retail Company Reliance Brands Limited, Confirmed as Keynote Speaker at Leaders of Luxury Summit 2024

The president and CEO of Reliance Brands Limited, the biggest player in the lifestyle and luxury market in India, is heading to Robb Report Hong Kong’s first summit.

Robb Report Hong Kong is delighted to announce that Darshan Mehta, the president and CEO of Reliance Brands Limited (RBL), a subsidiary of US$125 billion market-cap company and India’s largest conglomerate Reliance Industries Limited, is joining the highly anticipated Leaders of Luxury Summit 2024 as our opening keynote spotlight speaker.

In the dynamic landscape of luxury retail, few figures stand as prominently as Darshan Mehta. As part of the vast portfolio owned by the Ambani family—the wealthiest in Asia and the 9th wealthiest in the world, as per Forbes—there’s little the family company can do without causing ripples across the nation.

At the helm of one of India’s foremost luxury retail companies, Mehta has been instrumental in redefining the contours of the luxury market in the country, melding global brands with local sensibilities while maintaining the essence of exclusivity. Famously, Mehta has stated that he doesn’t like the word “luxury” and its connotations, and prefers to eschew it to embrace “the finer things in life.” He casts a wide net with that phrase, for it could mean something as simple as bringing franchise food chain Pret a Manger to India, or the finest fashion from Ferragamo. Mono brands, global brands, designer brands, jewellery—he has overseen partnerships that have elevated the fashion stakes in India.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Van Cleef & Arpels’s Radiant Perlée Collection Celebrates Craftsmanship and Elegance

Indeed, the path to bejewelled heaven is paved in gold and diamonds.

With a legacy stretching back to 1906, in the illustrious world of haute joaillerie, few names resonate so profoundly with star, high society, and celebrity with the same level of prestige as Van Cleef & Arpels. Even today, the French maison continues to push the boundaries of creativity and craftsmanship, and the Perlée collection—the house’s latest offering—is a resplendent testament to this enduring commitment to fine jewellery.

A little history tidbit here: the Perlée motif has been a Van Cleef & Arpels signature since the 1920s. Perhaps not as instantly recognisable as the famed Alhambra motif that has been all the rage since its launch, but the beaded collection—perlée in French refers to the bead pattern—remains a firm favourite. As the gold- and diamond-studded spherical beads mix and match with any look, intermittently, the maison has released novel ideas and stones to add to the formidable roster of bejewelled accessories. Just this past summer, Van Cleef & Arpels revealed this latest line in pictures, and come November, another take is expected on our shores as the latest additions to the exalted Perlée collection roll into the city.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Prada and Axiom Space Unveil New Spacesuits, a Stylish Leap into Lunar Exploration

One small step for man, one giant leap for space-age fashion.

In a groundbreaking collaboration that fuses high fashion with cutting-edge aerospace engineering, Axiom Space and Prada have finally unveiled the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit, destined for NASA’s Artemis III mission.

Almost exactly a year ago, we first wrote about this high-fashion and high-space partnership as it made ripples in the fashion hemisphere. Now, the innovative design has just been revealed at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, showcasing a fusion of creativity and engineering that promises to redefine spacesuit functionality and aesthetics.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Sunday blues:

Funny cause its true... 

 

I amaze myself...

 What a Saturday... 

Couturier Guo Pei on Dreaming Fashion, the Evolution of the Global Fashion Narrative, and Celebrating the Beauty of Simplicity and Complexity

Her work leapt off the pages of fashion magazines to the art world early on, but her exhibition at a venerated museum solidifies her legacy as an artist of note.

“Overwhelming” is the word that comes to mind at first glance of the red, alien bridal number from the Legends collection, a hedonistic chapter, and one of five, on exhibit in the cavernous halls of M+ contemporary visual arts museum. The 40 pieces on display, standing on elevated platforms, are curated designer confections from the grand portfolio of Guo Pei, each piece etching its mark in the annals of fashion history.

Guo, possibly the most famous couturier to emerge from China on the global stage, is the visionary designer renowned for her intricate craftsmanship and artistic acumen, creating otherworldly ensembles that fuse art, history, and craftsmanship in ways hitherto unimagined. She has even captured the imagination of audiences worldwide, particularly since songstress Rihanna wore her golden cape to the Met Gala in 2015.

As Guo prepares to showcase some of her most iconic works, one early morning before the crowds saunter in, we at Robb Report Hong Kong had an exclusive conversation with the couturier. Delving into her creative process, the significance of her journey, and her reflections on the evolving landscape of fashion, much was discussed.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

TBT to 14 June 2015: Post magazine fashion shoot with Olivier.

Incredible shoot in Post magazine by the amazing Olivier Yoan Passebecq Buyse!

To get this done... a lottttt went on behind the scenes. TBT to 2015

Shot in Hong Kong, Olivier made it look like we had the budget to shoot somewhere exotic..