Christian Louboutin: Sole of a Legend

This sounds like an empty boast, but I've met Monsieur Christian Louboutin many times - and he'll remember, almost none of it. Mostly because he does so much press and he's so impressive and personable, it makes the writer feel they are ol' chums. 

This is not new information but the uninitiated, Christian Louboutin’s path to becoming the world’s most recognisable shoe designer began in Paris, where he was born in 1963 [Same year as Sridevi - this will come up later]. A teenage runaway drawn to the city's nightlife and cabaret culture, he spent his early career designing shoes for the Folies Bergère before working under Roger Vivier. In 1991, he opened his first boutique in Paris, and a year later, the iconic scarlet sole was born - a stroke of genius inspired by painting his assistant’s nails with red polish. Today, that flash of crimson remains the ultimate global marker of luxury, seduction, and empowerment. His relevance endures because he views footwear not merely as an accessory, but as structural art that transforms posture, attitude, and confidence.

Global Modernity & The Hong Kong Chapter

Louboutin’s bond with Asia - and Hong Kong in particular - runs deep. Long before the region became a global luxury powerhouse, he fell in love with Asia’s vibrant colors, rich craftsmanship, and cinematic energy, drawing endless inspiration from its heritage.

Hong Kong held a special place in his expansion strategy. The Maison made history in 2007 by opening its very first Asian flagship on On Lan Street in Central. It has since moved to Prince's Building but really, you'll find his accessories in several luxury outlets in the city. Over the years, Louboutin was a frequent visitor to the city, regularly flying down to oversee collections, launch new concepts, and connect with local style connoisseurs.

Where to Buy in Hong Kong Today

• Landmark Prince’s (Central): Flagship boutique carrying full women’s and men’s collections.

• IFC Mall (Central): Dedicated women’s footwear and leather goods location.

• K11 MUSEA (Tsim Sha Tsui): Featuring latest seasonal collections across footwear and accessories.

• Harbour City (Tsim Sha Tsui) & Pacific Place (Admiralty): Dedicated boutiques and luxury department store counters (Lane Crawford).

Latest Line Highlights

The current collections merge signature theatricality with modern ergonomics:

• Women: Sleek, sharp iterations of the iconic Kate and So Kate pumps, updated with metallic finishes, seasonal embellishments, and comfort-focused engineering.

• Men: Heavy emphasis on hybrid silhouettes- combining signature spiked loafers (Dandelion) with elevated, sporty luxury sneakers (Loubishark) and refined evening boots featuring subtle red accents along the welt.

Love for Cinema, Bollywood, and Sridevi

Louboutin’s creative spirit is deeply intertwined with cinema, particularly his grand love affair with India and Bollywood. Having first traveled to India as a teenager, he developed an abiding obsession with the color, drama, and larger-than-life narrative style of Indian film.

Among his greatest muses was the legendary Sridevi. Louboutin expressed admiration for her screen presence and warmth, often hosting her and her family during his visits. Sridevi embodied the exact blend of grace, drama, and timeless glamour that his shoes celebrate. Imagine my pleasure at sitting down with him across the table as we discussed at length, my favourite topic in the world; the iconic Indian actress. Funnily enough, he was a huge fan of Sridevi, and not so much of Aishwarya Rai - we argued over la Rai, while Jing Zhang (who was moderating the talk), giggled at how serious we took the denizens of la la Bollywod. 

Up Close at The Upper House

During one of his memorable visits to Hong Kong, Louboutin took center stage at The Upper House for an intimate Up Close talk in the Sky Lounge. Attendees were treated to the quintessential Christian: intensely charming, remarkably candid, and wonderfully funny. Popular fashion scribe Jing Zhang was emcee and moderator. 

Rather than delivering a dry lecture on fashion, he regaled the audience with self-deprecating anecdotes - recounting his early days sneaking into Parisian theaters, the accident that led to the red sole, and his unbridled joy for travel. His warmth and wit left an indelible mark on the city's editorial and creative community. One slightly inebriated guest asked "Why are your shoes so painful - why don't you make them more comfortable?" He quipped back, "When my sales drop, I'll change the design. Why fix something that isn't broken?"

Post pandemic Loub has not returned to Hong Kong - we wait with breath that is baited. 

How to buy a good bottle of wine without paying the earth as explained by wine connoisseurs

By P. Ramakrishnan


Simon Tam, head of wine for China at Christie's Auction House, says there actually are ways of buying wine on a budget.

"A lot of good wine in hotel chain-linked restaurants can be available for HK$500 to HK$700 per bottle - and that's a very good price to work on for the budget-minded." And an insider's tip would be that a lot of Chinese restaurants - not Western - don't charge for corkage, which is a great way to save money by buying retail and doing "BYOB".

When buying at a department store, how can one home in on a good bottle? "In Hong Kong, we're very lucky that something in the vicinity of HK$500 is available to us for any kind of wine, except perhaps a good Bordeaux - which is always a bit more expensive," Tam says.

"There are so many labels on display, and the truth of the matter is, for a lot of people, it's a matter of palate and appreciation. If you've spent HK$1,000 and it doesn't agree with their taste buds, then [your guests will] think it's cheap wine. I strongly suggest, in this scenario, buying a bottle of champagne. People might profess not to like it, but pop open a chilled one and everyone raises a toast. It becomes an occasion."

Picking the right bottle for the uninitiated is luck of the draw. Most people, by habit, simply look at the price to gauge its quality. "The cheaper the wine is, the more the mark-up is," says Kavita Devi Faiella, wine director of the Press Room Group. "Restaurateurs know that the cheap bottles will fly off the shelves. But owners want to move the expensive bottle, too, so they might mark it up by just a fraction."

The price of the wine can depend on whether you head to a chain restaurant or a stand-alone. Chains offer better value than independent restaurants. "Wine is priced more competitively in an independently run restaurant," Devi Faiella adds. "Global restaurants' in-house numbers are unpredictable because they buy in bulk and distribute them.

"If there's a chain run by the same management that has a restaurant here in Hong Kong [which has no tax or luxury tariff] versus in India [which has a great deal of taxation on wine and whisky], they level the prices as they're looking at the overall scale."

Can you get a great wine that's cheap? Tam says no: "If you really want the good stuff, you have to pay for it. I've taught classes on wine tasting, and the two things I promise all my students is you'll end up buying and appreciating expensive wine and you'll never go back to the cheap rubbish. If you appreciate wine, it's nice to pay for quality wines. There are no 1961 Chateau Lafites for HK$200."

The Last Frontier: Space travel in 2027?

Ground Control to Major Tom... its Astronaut Colin Bennett! 

Virgin Galactic's spaceflight program has fully embraced the last frontier and sent so many "civilians" to outer space already - by 2027, there will be three flights a week heading up to the great unknown. 

Many thanks to Intriq Journey and Petrie (Linda ❤️ ) for the invite. You really are elevating luxury travel in Asia up to the ultimate level. Private islands, exotic destinations, bah humbug, look up at the stars for extra-terrestrial inspiration. 

To pilfer a quote from Carl Sagan, "That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam."

Meeting Sridevi: Indian Cinema's Ultimate Leading Lady

On this day, back in 2012, at the JW Mariott in Mumbai, the great Sridevi swanned in and I got to meet and briefly chat with an icon of Indian cinema = and my forever crush. A longer chat with film director Gauri Shinde followed - which led to my first cover story with Post magazine here - pre publicity for the fab film English Vinglish.

Was strange to have every teenaged dream come true all at once....

,...then on Feb 25, 2018, wake up to the news of an endless nightmare. 

That's the thing with supernovas, there're visible for a minute and gone in a flash.  

The Party Line: Christian Louboutin x Sabyasachi, Intimissimi, Ferragamo and more

 

In a welcome change from the large-scale unveilings and champagne soirées that constitute much of our socialising here at The Party Line, last weekend we enjoyed an intimate sit-down luncheon in the penthouse duplex of the most popular couple in town, Lumen and Andrew Kinoshita. Needless to say, the food was delicious, the company delightful and the cutlery designer. It’s well known, of course, that Lumen is a serious collector, which is our polite way of saying she’s a designer hoarder whose storage units would be the envy of Lane Crawford Lifestyle. We’ve learned more about lacquered finishes, mother-of-pearl-embossed plates, and vintage silver chez Kinoshita, where there’s a prince’s ransom-worth of auction-bought art, sculptures, books and knick-knacks. I’m pretty sure there’s an emerald ring lost in the recesses of that plush interior that Lumen’s been looking for since 2014 – but we’re not allowed to talk about that as Andrew hasn’t heard about it. Yet …

More importantly, we all met the new rescue dog the couple recently brought home. All the guests were absolute suckers for the puppy eyes as she lay on our laps hoping for samples and crumbs to fall off plates.

We also had the privilege of attending the preview of the collaborative efforts of Christian Louboutin and Indian couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee at Duddell’s. Truth be told, we expected to see every one of our red-bindi-dotted aunties in the city that night – Sabya and Loub are no strangers to the affections of desperate housewives everywhere – but the crowd turned out to be mostly purveyors of fashion and serious buyers, to whom every bag and clutch on display was sold within the hour. The designers posed for many a selfie, but it was their fantastic chat (a talk was moderated by local fashion authority Jing Zhang) that was the highlight of the evening. Models, teetering on colourful, Louboutin-designed stilettos paraded around the crowded venue dressed in brocades with exquisite hand-stitched embroidery. This collection is available at Christian Louboutin.com. To top this off, Sabyasachi has partnered with Lane Crawford, which now stocks his contemporary womenswear line. Check it out here.

Cara G

Italian lingerie label Intimissimi hosted a cocktail and celebration of love at its flagship store in Causeway Bay, where it showcased its latest collection alongside a replica of Juliet’s Wall in Verona, the brand’s hometown. Guests took the opportunity to express their affections on the wall by posting unique love notes inscribed by calligrapher Wendy Tang. The paparazzi were out in full force – a roomful of ladies in lingerie, what a surprise! – but our favourite moment was when model Stacey Monaghan fanned out over meeting Cara G.

Friday night saw two mega events – a grand affair celebrating the reopening of the Salvatore Ferragamo store on Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, and the opening night of Secret Theatre Project Mayhem. Somehow we got tickets to the latter (which model/actress Rosemary Vandenbroucke might have had something to do with) and were completely blown away by the immersive, tactile, blood-and-sweat experience. Dinner and drinks were included (courtesy of The Butcher’s Club), and we can’t think of a more memorable night out in the city. Log on to Ticketflap for information about the play and how to buy tickets. Wear comfortable shoes. That is all we’ll reveal.

Well, that’s it for now. Up ahead, there’s a massive Bulgari party in Beijing that we’re heading off to, a dinner at The Woods that’s in the works, and also cocktails at Yojimbo, the latest venture by Dining Concepts.

Cheers chums.

Note: The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

Model moment: The stunning Caroline Santos

From Christian Cowan shows to AS29 campaigns and Prestige, Post magazine adn Vogue Hong Kong editorials, this Paris-based talent is making her mark across continents.

Over the past 20 years, models and strutted in and sauntered out at casting so often, after a while, they all blur into memory. While doing shoots for Prestige, Runway, Post magazine, Style, Galaxy, My Place, West-East... the genetically blessed (and some doctored!), painfully thin (body positivity has yet to hit Hong Kong - the city likes 'em all sample size) sometimes leave an impression, others leave a headache. 

Certain faces capture the quiet confidence that defines modern elegance. Caroline Santos, say her name out loud, represented by Mademoiselle Agency in Paris now, is one such presence. With a growing international roster that includes Official Model Management in New York, Independent in Milan, PRM in London and MGM Models in Hamburg, she moves fluidly between European runways, Asian, and Western editorial pages.

Her recent seasons have seen her walk for Christian Cowan, appearing in both the Fall/Winter 2024 and Spring/Summer 2025 shows - collections celebrated for their bold, optimistic energy. Beyond the catwalk, Santos has lent her poise to commercial and editorial work, including the 2022 Dolce & Gabbana Casa campaign photographed by Branislav Simoncik and a stylish Cosmopolitan France story.

It is her early time in Asia that reveals a particularly refined chapter. In 2021 she featured in a Christian Dior special for Vogue Hong Kong, shot by Ken Ngan, bringing a fresh international perspective to the magazine’s pages. The same year she became the face of AS29 Fine Jewellery’s campaign. The Hong Kong-based brand, known for its contemporary diamond designs and playful yet luxurious aesthetic, found in Santos a natural embodiment of modern femininity- effortless, confident and perfectly at home with fine jewellery meant to be worn every day. 

Caroline for AS29 Jewellery
Photographer: Ruby Law
Stylist: Justine Lee

The casting done by the brand's visionary designer Audrey Savransky, and together with the dream team of photographer Ruby Law and stylist Justine Lee - they found in Santos the perfect muse. A collaboration that created one of the most sensuous, gorgeous jewellery campaigns shot entirely in Hong Kong, that showed that luxury was attainable, could be worn daily, was effortless and elegant. 

I was on set that day and found this chameleon in motion, working every shot with such ease and grace... mesmerised. As stunning as she looks in her photographs, it doesn't do her justice - even more panther like in her slow movement, transitioning shot by shot, pose by pose... And it was all so ... chic. I went on to work with Caroline at Prestige magazine, Runway and recommended her to Post magazine (as ol' chums were working there back then).  She wowed one, she wow'ed 'em all. I KNEW she would! 

These projects underscore her ability to connect Western fashion houses with the sophisticated markets of Hong Kong and beyond. Whether fronting jewellery, denims, gown or glory, Caroline continues to build a career defined by versatility and quiet strength and dignity, proving that true presence travels seamlessly beyond borders.

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Carl Ng: Hong Kong's own

Saw Carl Ng while rushing through Central, Hong Kong and he's always got a word for me. Usually funny and mostly unprintable. 

Born in pre-handover Hong Kong, 50-year-old actor Carl Ng spent his formative years navigating two distinct worlds. Sent to Surrey’s progressive Frensham Heights boarding school at age 12, he later earned a degree in global corporate strategy at the University of Westminster. Yet, while mastering business models in London, Ng was quietly honing a different ambition in evening classes at the Tony Grecos Acting Studio.

Inheriting his sharp, Anglo-Chinese features from his late father- the iconic Hong Kong screen star Richard Ng- and his mother Susan, a British stylist who famously coiffed Bruce Lee, Carl returned to Asia on his own terms. Before the camera caught him, he was living in Thailand as a certified scuba instructor. When he finally landed back in Hong Kong in the early 2000s, his 6-foot frame and carved jawline made him an instant modeling sensation, fronting major campaigns for Sony and Motorola. There was a massive three-storey poster of him with a beer in Times Square that imposed heavily on passersby. 

The media, naturally, was obsessed. An infamous local tabloid print run featuring secretly snapped photos of Ng sunbathing nude at a beach cemented his early bad-boy mystique. But Ng steered his momentum straight into acting, bypassing easy nepotism by auditioning independently. His brooding intensity quickly translated to edgy celluloid projects: Yonfan’s cult erotic art drama Colour Blossoms (2004), the acclaimed crime prequel Infernal Affairs II (2003), and Olivier Assayas’ international thriller Boarding Gate (2006), along with a long-running TV star turn as DSP Glenn in Singapore's Point of Entry.

Steering clear of standard high-society socialite loops, Ng’s identity remains rooted in cinema and creative craft. Following his father’s passing in 2023, Ng keeps a relative low-profile stance. Blending European cool with East Asian grit, he selectively works on regional film sets while spending time outdoors, staying focused on fitness, and living on his own terms. 

The picture is deceptive; he's the chill one. 

• Earlier shoot and feature with Carl Ng for Style magazine here.

在香港中環匆忙趕路時偶遇吳嘉龍（Carl Ng），他總會跟我寒暄幾句——通常既風趣，又大半「不宜公開」。

現年50歲的演員吳嘉龍出生於主權移交前的香港，成長歲月一直穿梭於兩個截然不同的世界。他12歲被送往英國薩里郡（Surrey）提倡自由進步的 Frensham Heights 寄宿學校，其後在西敏寺大學（University of Westminster）取得全球企業戰略學士學位。然而，當他在倫敦研習商業模式時，私下卻在 Tony Grecos 表演工作室的夜間課程默默磨練著另一種抱負。

吳嘉龍繼承了已故父親——香港一代影壇巨星吳耀漢，以及母親 Susan（曾為李小龍設計髮型的英國造型師）的中英混血精緻輪廓。他憑藉自己的方式重返亞洲：在鏡頭捕捉到他之前，他正身處泰國，是一位考取執照的潛水教練。2000年代初，當他終於回到香港，6呎高的魁梧身材與深邃的下顎線條讓他迅速成為模特兒界的新寵，一舉拿下 Sony 和 Motorola 等大品牌的巨型廣告。當時銅鑼灣時代廣場外更掛著一張整整三層樓高、他拿着啤酒的巨型海報，氣勢壓人。

傳媒理所當然地對他極度著迷。當年某雜誌獨家刊登了他在沙灘裸體日曬的偷拍照，這篇轟動一時的報導更奠定了他早期的「壞男孩」神秘魅力。但吳嘉龙並沒有沉溺於此，而是直接將這股勢頭轉向演練，拒絕依靠父蔭，堅持獨立參加試鏡。他那深邃而帶有壓迫感的眼神，很快便轉化為大銀幕上的鋒芒作品：包括楊凡的教父級情色藝術電影《桃色》（2004）、備受好評的警匪經典前傳《無間道II》（2003）、奧利維耶·阿薩亞斯（Olivier Assayas）的跨國驚悚片《登機門》（Boarding Gate，2006），以及在新加坡長壽電視劇《Point of Entry》中飾演 DSP Glenn 的代表作。

吳嘉龍一直刻意避開傳統的上流社會社交圈，其身份認同始終深植於電影與創意創作。自父親於2023年離世後，他一直保持相對低調。他融匯了歐洲的冷峻酷感與東亞的堅毅韌性，除了挑選合適的區域電影項目外，其餘時間皆投入戶外活動、專注健身，自始至終按自己的方式生活。

照片也許帶有欺騙性；其實他才是那個最隨和、最 Cool 的人。

點擊此處回顧早前為《Style》雜誌與 Carl Ng 拍攝的專訪與大片。

在香港中环匆忙赶路时偶遇吴嘉龙（Carl Ng），他总会跟我打个招呼——通常既幽默，又大半“不宜公开”。

现年50岁的演员吴嘉龙出生于香港回归前的时代，成长岁月一直穿梭于两个截然不同的世界。他12岁被送到英国萨里郡（Surrey）提倡自由进步的 Frensham Heights 寄宿学校，随后在威斯敏斯特大学（University of Westminster）获得了全球企业战略学士学位。然而，当他在伦敦研习商业模式时，私下却在 Tony Grecos 表演工作室的晚班课程中悄悄磨炼着另一种野心。

吴嘉龙继承了已故父亲——香港一代影坛巨星吴耀汉，以及母亲 Susan（曾为李小龙设计发型的英国造型师）的中英混血精致轮廓。他凭自己的方式重返亚洲：在镜头捕捉到他之前，他正生活在泰国，是一名持有执照的潜水教练。2000年代初，当他终于回到香港，6英尺的高挑身材和棱角分明的下颌线让他瞬间成为模特界的宠儿，一举拿下索尼（Sony）和摩托罗拉（Motorola）等大牌的广告代言。当时铜锣湾时代广场外甚至悬挂着一张整整三层楼高、他拿着啤酒的巨型海报，给路人带来极强的视觉冲击。

媒体理所当然地对他极度着迷。当年某八卦纸媒独家刊登了他被偷拍的沙滩裸体日光浴照片，这篇轰动一时的报道彻底奠定了他早期的“坏男孩”神秘魅力。但吴嘉龙并没有顺水推舟，而是将这股势头直接转化为演艺动力，拒绝走裙带关系的捷径，坚持独立参加试镜。他那深邃而富有张力的眼神，很快便转化成大银幕上的锋芒作品：包括杨凡的教父级情色艺术电影《桃色》（2004）、备受赞誉的犯罪电影前传《无间道II》（2003）、奥利维耶·阿萨亚斯（Olivier Assayas）的跨国惊悚片《登机门》（Boarding Gate，2006），以及在新加坡长寿剧集《Point of Entry》中饰演 DSP Glenn 的代表作。

吴嘉龙始终远离传统的名流社交圈，他的自我认同依然深植于电影与创意创作。自父亲于2023年离世后，他一直保持着相对低调的姿态。他融合了欧洲的冷酷随性与东亚的坚毅韧性，只挑选合适的区域电影项目，同时把时间投向户外、专注健身，始终按自己的方式生活。

照片是有欺骗性的；其实他才是那个最随性、最酷的人。

点击此处回顾早前为《Style》杂志与 Carl Ng 拍摄的专访与大片。