Hong Kong Cinema Icon, Actress and Famed Beauty Rosamund Kwan: Interview and Cover shoot

For Hong Kong cinema buffs, here's an all-too-familiar face; the effortlessly elegant Rosamund Kwan Chi-lam. Born into industry royalty as the daughter of Shaw Brothers icon Kwan Shan and actress Cheung Bing-sai, beauty was practically her birthright. Yet, as audiences across the globe would soon discover, Kwan was far more than an heiress to cinematic lineage; she was the undisputed face of nineties screen glamour.

Making her feature film debut opposite Chow Yun-fat in 1982’s The Head Hunter, Kwan’s porcelain features and expressive, almond-shaped eyes instantly captivated directors. Throughout the boom years of Asian cinema, particularly Hong Kong cinema's movie empire, she became the ultimate leading lady to the region's biggest titans. 

Whether trading banter with Jackie Chan in high-octane blockbusters like Armour of God or matching romantic sparks with Andy Lau in sleek urban dramas, her presence elevated every frame.

Her career reached mythical heights when auteur Tsui Hark cast her in Once Upon a Time in China. As Thirteenth Aunt, a spirited, Westernised beauty straddling the divide between tradition and modernity, Kwan delivered an iconic performance opposite Jet Li. Wearing minimal makeup on screen to highlight her natural elegance, she transformed a classic period archetype into an enduring cultural icon.

Stepping away from movie sets in 2007 after a career spanning more than 60 films, Kwan pivoted gracefully into entrepreneurship, fashion design, and high-profile real estate investment. Today, she remains a timeless fixture in Hong Kong’s social register - a living testament to an unrepeatable era of cinematic magic. 

Giddy, would be the word to describe the team as we photographed for the cover of LIfestyle, the perfectly divine Ms Kwan. Here's our exclusive conversation. 

Before this interview I spoke with a film critic who said, “Oh Rosamund, she was so beautiful in her movies.” That’s the enduring image that’s etched on moviegoers’ minds: how lovely you looked.
Rosamund Kwan: That’s sweet. Of course I’m happy that people are saying nice things about me, but it’s a bit of a pity that people always say I’m pretty in movies but they aren’t saying that I’m a good actress, except for a few films like Once Upon a Time in China – that got me a lot of compliments for my performance. Actually, there are times when I do wish people would think, oh I can act also! I always wanted people to appreciate my talent.

Did you enjoy working in the movie industry?
To be honest... no, not really. When I started, it was all the martial arts movies. I really appreciate Maggie [Cheung]. She had a really good time in that period. She did some wonderful movies. In the 1980s and early ’90s, there were few women’s movies. I felt that of the lot, Maggie got some of the best roles. I got all the commercial movies, the action and so on.

What do you consider beautiful?
I can’t tell from the face of people what’s beautiful. I only find beauty these days in art, in paintings, in sculptures. When it comes to people, I don’t think about beauty. I look at pictures when I look for beauty. I think what’s beautiful is also very abstract. From the scenery I see when I travel, to watching children playing in the street, and of course in galleries around the world.

Is your house filled with art?
Hopefully it will be. I’m just in the process of moving into a smaller house, so I don’t know. I don’t know why, maybe my ex-husband gave me some inspiration, but I really love colours these days.

Now that you don’t have a busy movie schedule, are you enjoying travelling?
Very much so. Recently I went to Paris and Venice. Earlier I went to India, and I saw the colours varying from street to street – that was really beautiful. I was in New Delhi and beautiful Bodh Gaya. The faces of the people were so serene and so beautiful.

In Hong Kong, you’d be recognised on any street. Did the anonymity in India help you just be?
It was nice that no one knew me or recognised me, so I did whatever I liked, went wherever. I wasn’t bothered. Here in Hong Kong I’m aware of being looked at. But I enjoy living here now. I was born here, brought up here, I went to Maryknoll School. This is definitely my home.

Haven’t your fans asked you to act again? Do they wonder why you stopped?
I don’t know what the perception of me is. When people come to me, they’re always saying, “I hope you’re happy and hope you’re living well and are healthy.” Some fans ask me to come back to movies, but I don’t miss it. I don’t feel it, not even a little bit. I don’t think I did any great work. There are so many newcomers in this business who are doing well, so I don’t think I’ll do any more.

I think you’re being modest. You did some wonderful films. Wasn’t there anything about the Hong Kong film industry that you enjoyed?
I did enjoy the process when I started. I was very young, aged 18. My father was in the business. He didn’t really encourage me, but I did it anyway.

When I was young, all my father’s friends and family were in the film industry, my auntie and uncle, and they were all perfect looking, in my eyes. Only the most handsome men worked at Shaw Brothers Studio and the prettiest girls in China were there. Maybe I was a bit dramatic when I was young, so I wanted to join the film business.

My point of view of the film industry was very different then. When I grew up, when I knew what the world was about, I found it a bit cruel. It’s a hard industry. But I think I was lucky. I did enjoy parts of it.

You acted with all the big stars of the time.

All my co-stars and colleagues really treated me well and with respect. I was always treated like a princess on set. I don’t know if it was because I was second generation, because my family was in the industry, or because they found me attractive. They weren’t gay! But my co-stars were always very nice to me. Andy [Lau] took good care of me. Jet Li, Jackie Chan, all were good and we’re still good friends.

It would be hard to ignore the fashion of that era. Has your fashion evolved drastically since your movie days?
I don’t think I wore too many of those terrible, over-the-top ’80s fashions. I don’t look back and cringe or laugh. There were definitely some weird things I wore, especially as a teen. When I was 18, I had a long, thick perm. I never wore wigs when I was working in movies; that’s all me. The wigs back then were terrible quality and itchy. I always styled my own hair. When I look back at photos, I think, it’s OK, it’s not too bad. Fashion always changes and evolves, but I changed and evolved, too.

Now it’s a lot simpler. I like to buy a lot of fashion. I think I have too many things now. As I’m moving homes, I can see how many things I have. I think I’ll have to rent storage to sort everything out, so I feel I need to stop buying things. I’m going to mix and match what I have and keep things simple and easy.

What advice do you have for women today?
I think women should have their own work, business and money. I know most women have their family and kids to take care of – unlike me. It’s just me and my dog! I know it isn’t easy to manage a household, but still I feel that women should be independent. There’s power and beauty in a self-sufficient woman. Women should take care of themselves – as well as their kids and husband, but not put themselves last.

Finally, when you see yourself in the morning, do you see how beautiful you are?
When I look at the mirror in the morning, I think, “My God, it’s a disaster!” [She laughs.] That’s why I said beauty’s not in the face, not from the exterior but from within.

More from this cover shoot and feature at PrestigeOnline. 

Photoshoot, my dream team;

Photographer: Olivier Yoan
Stylist: Tasha Ling

Just Roll with it: Rolls-Royce

 

When we were doing the first shoot at The Regent in Hong Kong, the Rolls-Royce swung into view and the model said, matter of fact, "No one's going to look at me - they'll all be looking at the car."

True.

One of the shots was a double-page-spread. 

Van Cleef & Arpel's Perlee Extraordinarire Fruits Enchates Watches are Timely Accessories

 

Van Cleef & Arpels (@vancleefarpels), renowned for its artistic and culturally inspired approach to dazzling accessories, has once again captured the imagination of connoisseurs with its Perlée Extraordinaire Fruits Enchantés watches. Its exquisite creations, inspired by the vivid vitality of nature, embody a masterful blend of artistry and innovation that is quintessentially Van Cleef & Arpels. 

Death and Desire: Sotheyb's maison's Eros/Thanatos Exhibition

A remarkable showcase offering an immersive exploration of the dualities of human experience, ‘Eros/Thanatos’ delves into the intricate dance between desire (Eros) and death (Thanatos) through diverse artistic mediums. A sequel to the recent success of ‘Corpus - Three Millennia of the Human Body’, which captivated audiences, this exhibition positions Sotheby’s Maison (@sothebys) as the talk of the town, an epicentre of cultural engagement in the region. 

Read the full article on robbreport.hk.

Smooth Operator: Interview with CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Tom Purves

Friday Flashback: This was once the most read interview and feature with Tom Purves, who served as the chief executive officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd from July 2008 until 2010, after a long career leading BMW operation in North America. I flew to Singapore to conduct the interview during the car launch and flew back. Glory days when media had... budget! 

Why today? I was at the dentist and rifling through a magazine and found this article.... and the interview was by me!! He was great chat. I've stated this several times, my features are as good as the subject and person I'm interviewing. I always credit the speaker more than my... typing. 

The latest car to roll off the finest production line in the world was showcased for the first time in Asia in Singapore, at an exclusive event hosted primarily for correspondents from leading Asian magazines and newspapers. Even among the most severe critics and car enthusiasts, the new Rolls-Royce 200EX was greeted with applause and breathtaking adulation. It is a gorgeous car. A powerful machine. An icon. The timing of the release, however, did come into question, among many other issues. We sat down with the CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Tom Purves, for an exclusive one-on-one chat.

Just before I walked into a private business conference room to meet one of the most powerful and certainly most enigmatic figures in the automotive world — even before the other gathered VIPs — I caught a sneak peek of the new Rolls-Royce 200EX. In a grand ballroom, images of the new wonder car were being hoisted by four men carrying huge canvases bearing beautiful photographs of the sleek new machine. They were taking them to the room prior to the event and grunted, huffed and puffed their way across the Capella resort in Singapore, adding the finishing touches to the venue in the private rooms that would later be revealed to the media and the teeming car dealers. Seeing that briefly put into perspective the grand efforts that have gone on behind the scenes to launch a new car.

The new Rolls-Royce succeeds the Phantom Coupé, which did great business and was well received by the finest collectors and automotive media scribes. So when most people in the industry received invitations to see an even newer model within months, we cocked an eyebrow in surprise. We were told repeatedly that it is not a better or newer version, merely a sister car, part of the family of Rolls-Royce models.

Even before the unveiling, it was safe to say the car would be great. Rolls-Royce’s legend is bigger than the car itself, and rightfully so. But it was the timing that raised questions. Since last November, even the wealthiest people in the world have tightened their belts and purse strings as the words “economic downturn”, “Madoff”, “recession” and “depression” have become part of everyday vernacular. Let us not forget that a Rolls-Royce, whatever the model, shape, size or vintage, does not come cheap. As Jerry Garrett of The New York Times once said of one of Rolls-Royce’s previous, younger, less expensive models: “Money talks, and ‘Drophead Coupé’ is a US$407,000 way to say ‘convertible’.”

Unlike other luxury cars such as a Porsche, BMW, Bentley or the stretch limousines that litter Hollywood, a Rolls-Royce is for the collector of collectors, the über-wealthy, the truly famous and fortunate — certainly not for the nouveau riche. No matter how new the model or how techno-savvy, sinewy and sophisticated it may be, Rolls-Royce is patronised by classic, old-moneyed people with a refinement and sophistication that comes from heritage, lineage and, perhaps most notably, power.

So how will this car be received in China? As we go to press we do not yet know, as the 200EX, the latest experimental car from Rolls-Royce, was presented at the Auto Shanghai show on 20 April 2009. It is a contemporary four-door saloon that indicates the direction for the RR4, a new model series from Rolls-Royce due for production in 2010.

According to the press release: “RR4 will be powered by a brand-new 6.6-litre turbocharged V12 engine unique to Rolls-Royce. The engine will be combined with an eight-speed automatic ZF gearbox. This new drivetrain will significantly improve fuel and CO₂ efficiency over the already class-leading Phantom series of cars. Engine power will be upwards of 500 bhp.”

Prior to that event in mainland China, correspondents from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Japan and Hong Kong were invited to Singapore to preview the 200EX. Given its significance, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ CEO Tom Purves and the chief exterior designer Marc Michael Markefka flew in to host the event.

As we sit down for a chat, I ask the newly appointed CEO Tom Purves (previously Chairman and CEO of BMW (US) Holding Corp. and President of BMW of North America, LLC) about the challenges of launching a new luxury car in this market, and whether any dramatic changes were made or budgets reconsidered.

He says: “The fact of the matter is, a project like designing a new model for Rolls-Royce has been in the making for years. The design, the execution and the construction have been progressing for much longer than the current economic climate, so the short answer is no. No changes. We went ahead as planned.”

Experimental models have always played a significant role in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, from the first — 1EX, built in 1919 — to the most recent — 101EX, built in 2006. Unlike a concept car, the experimental models developed by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have always been fully functioning vehicles, residing in a tangible world of wood, leather and metals rather than clay and foam. EX cars offer designers and engineers the opportunity for real-world innovation and have been used to showcase new components and engineering techniques as well as exterior and interior designs.

“Modern automotive engineering is a balance of creativity, innovation and application. 200EX is an opportunity to assess these new ideas,” explains Helmut Riedl, Director of Engineering. Tom Purves adds: “We have more in common with aircraft and shipbuilding than we do with other cars. The fact is, we’re in the luxury business; we build aspirational products and, by the nature of that, they become very expensive.”

Leaning back into his chair, he continues: “We also know that our customers who buy our cars are influenced by everything going on around them, including style and luxury, which are heavily influenced by things outside the auto business. Customers also need to be understood. The Rolls-Royce customer has a different style and motivation from most other car customers. If you’re a Ferrari customer, for example, you are probably 90 per cent sure to be a car fan, because you would have to be a car fan to want to own a Ferrari!”

But isn’t that true of a Rolls-Royce customer too?

“Yes, but there’s also more,” agrees Purves. “Our customers come from a wide range of professions. Beyond that, they are from all walks of life. We have a large number of entrepreneurial business people — self-made ones — many heads of state, royalty, film stars, pop stars and athletic stars. Success is a common thread.”

There are many expensive cars on the market, but Rolls-Royce has become a status symbol more than perhaps any of its competitors. Has the car always been a status symbol?

“Historically, if you go back to the beginning, when Mr Henry Royce bought a French car, he was very disappointed with it. He said, ‘I could make a better car,’” says Purves with a little chuckle. “He set about doing it. His aspiration was to build a better car. Whether he wanted to build the best car in the world is unknown; he wanted to build a better car. He was a brilliant engineer. Having built a few cars in the past, he knew that a certain size and structure would probably be everything that people wanted at that time. It eventually became known as the ‘Silver Ghost’. Until about 1924 it was pretty much unchanged for decades because it was so good. It established Rolls-Royce as the pre-eminent luxury car. And at the time it was definitely the best, aiming to be the best of all. From about 1906 it had set the tone for Rolls-Royce: to be the best.”

Indeed. However, when it comes to experimental cars we do not need to turn the dial back too far. 100EX was the first experimental car unveiled after Rolls-Royce Motor Cars was relaunched under BMW Group ownership in 2003. Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in 2004, the two-door, four-seat convertible was built to mark 100 years of Rolls-Royce motor-car design and engineering. Just two years later, 101EX was presented, exploring modern coupé design.

Following on from this success, the same group of designers and engineers has created 200EX, itself pointing the way to RR4, a new Rolls-Royce model scheduled for production in 2010.

The brief for 200EX was to create a modern, lithe and dynamic Rolls-Royce that bears all the hallmarks of the great cars that have gone before it: effortless performance, unparalleled refinement, exquisite quality and confident design.

As the limelight fell upon the car for the select crowd in Singapore and again at the auto show in Shanghai, you could literally tick off each aspect of the car’s shiny ambitions: it had the refinement, quality and design all present and correct. The exterior design is dominated by large, uninterrupted surfaces, while finely sculptured horizontal lines add definition and geometric precision. In combination, the upward-sweeping sill line and low-cut roof create a powerful profile. The tapered rear is enhanced by powerful shoulders and flanks that draw in sharply, narrowing as they flow from the rear wings to the taillights.

“Unlike other cars, Rolls-Royce only sells a certain number of cars — not for any shortage of demand, but of supply,” says Purves. “We are in close contact with nearly all our customers and rely on their feedback and comments,” adds a company representative. This is clearly not a mass-produced product for mass consumption, but a classy one.

Short of time, as Mr Purves has been pulled into multiple interviews during his brief stint in Asia, it boils down to a rapid Q&A.

Q: What would Rolls-Royce represent in this modern age?
A: Refinement, success, elegance, style, glamour.

Q: But style and fashion are so transient and temporary. I thought Rolls-Royce has always set out to become timeless.
A: Let’s use a fashion brand as an example: Hermès. Hermès has always been in style, and yet it is an old brand. Some fashion brands actually have to be consistent — consistently good, of consistent high quality. By consistently delivering, they become more than a fashion brand; they become a promise that builds over time, and then they become timeless.

Why would you say champagne is used even more today as a celebration of success than it was 100 years ago? Because young people today love champagne; it has been passed from generation to generation. Of course there has been some clever marketing, but again that consistency of product quality is terribly, terribly important.

For a car that has to deal with the rough and tumble of the road, quality is even more important.

There’s no car company that has succeeded with purely marketing.

Q: How important is the China market this year, especially on the heels of the Western economic recession?
A: China is an important market no matter what the year. 2009 is a year of transition for us and, in the economic environment, China will play an important role, but it is a country that is as important as anywhere else. I don’t expect the greatest results and great growth overnight, but if I look ahead five years, China will become an increasingly important market. There’s no question about it. In fact, it has already done so in many ways.

Last year, in Beijing, Rolls-Royce had the third-largest single dealership in the world, ahead of Beverly Hills and London. I think we could have sold more if we could have supplied more. Yes, China is very important.

Q: There has been a lot of mumbling in the press that taxation on car ownership will go down considerably in China over the coming year. Would something like that affect you?
A: Any time you have a substantial change in areas like that, it does make a difference. Perhaps a bit less for a car like a Rolls-Royce than for other cars, but there is an effect. If the taxes go up and people have to pay a bit more, it has a sort of sticker-shock effect. But after a little while that goes away.

Q: Does the infrastructure of a city make a difference to selling a quality car like a Rolls-Royce? In capital cities with poor infrastructure, I assume that Rolls-Royce is not even available.
A: That’s a really interesting point you’ve made. I think it would be less of a problem for Rolls-Royce than it would be for some of the other expensive brands, such as an Aston Martin or a Lamborghini, that would need smooth roads.

Rolls-Royce is a good car in terms of ride quality and its ability to deal with less-than-wonderful roads. But maybe the other aspect is that people don’t want to own a car unless there’s a nice road to drive it on.

I remember years and years ago I was trying to sell cars in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and I was stunned at the lack of response. At the airport I was sitting there with a long face — there weren’t many Europeans there at the time — and this chap came up to me and said, “What’s your problem?” I explained to him. He then said, “Ah, you’ll never sell a single car here until they open a hotel. As soon as they open a luxurious hotel, you’ll sell as many cars as you need.” Do you know, he was right?! As soon as the InterContinental hotel opened in Riyadh, we started selling cars. Customers wanted a destination. It wasn’t just enough to own the car — many there could afford to do so — but you needed to take it somewhere.

My customers from Riyadh already had Rolls-Royces in London or Paris, but they had an SUV or a Jeep or something in Riyadh at the time. You need a good theatre for the car. You need an ambience for it.

And, finally, what is the common link between a Rolls-Royce customer in the West and one in the East?

"There are two common strings among Rolls-Royce collectors: the desire to have the best,” concludes Purves, “and the ability to acquire it.” 

Dream Visions: Karena Lam’s Subconscious Art Meets Louis Vuitton’s 200th Anniversary Trunk

From dreams and rice bowls to a love letter for Hong Kong, the actress-turned-ceramicist channels gratitude, memory and craft into her Louis Vuitton collaboration. In exclusive conversation with P.Ramakrishnan. 

For Louis Vuitton’s bicentennial "Louis 200" celebration, Hong Kong-based actress, curator, and artist Karena Lam was invited alongside 200 global creative visionaries to reimagine the maison's iconic 50×50×100 cm trunk as a canvas. 

At the Hong Kong viewing, many could see a handful of curated trunks in full display often with the artist in tow. Lam’s creation stands out for its serene blending of fine art, local cultural tribute, and tactile ceramic craftsmanship: she adorned the white trunk with a vibrant sky-blue, hand-painted floral window motif prominently featuring "HONG KONG" emblazed in all cap lettering and topped the piece with dozens of hand-thrown, unglazed white ceramic bowls stacked across its top surface. This juxtaposition transforms the traditional travel vessel into an intimate sculpture that pays homage to her artistic roots, ceramic practice, and connection to Hong Kong's intrinsic cultural identity.

When the opportunity came to interview her exclusively for the magazine, it was an easy yes. Lam wears so many hats so beautifully - actress, mother, wife, artist, sculptor - yet when we meet during the eight-day exhibition at H Zentre in Tsim Sha Tsui, Karena Lam is focused on the trunk she has designed with Louis Vuitton. 

The former Prestige magazine cover girl moves easily between multiple roles, but here, on this fine day, the artist leads. Her latest piece for the house’s 200th anniversary continues a thread that began years earlier: work drawn directly from dreams and the subconscious.

“The common area is that they’re both derived from my dreams and subconscious,” she says of her collaborations with Louis Vuitton. The first involved a magnetron and other images she paired with Lubicon painter Charlotte. This year she returned to Charlotte again. 

“I told her I had this other dream. She’s like, you’re always dreaming. Like I know but isn’t this great?! You can dream about it and then you can actually put it into action. I think that’s one of the best parts about my job.”

As an actress she knows the script by heart long before the cameras roll, but when starting her sculpture or ceramic, she has no idea what the final end result will be. “You read the script like a million times. You go to the set, you’re like, I’ve seen this before, I’ve said these words before and I know this person I'm about to portray... and everything just feels right because your subconscious is so strong.” That same force shaped the new trunk. She chose the Bauhinia flower - Hong Kong’s own bloom - because the piece would travel the world and eventually sit in the house museum in Asnières, France. 

“I really wanted, amongst the two hundred trunks, you can just see this from afar and know it is from Hong Kong.”

She also made two hundred rice bowls. A practising potter, Lam created every single one herself. Louis Vuitton gave her seven days; she stretched it to nine. “It was a killer, because there was one day that I did, I was pulling bowls for twenty hours.” The finished bowls travelled to France while she remained in the city she calls home. The choice of form was deliberate. 

“Rice is something very humbling because you know, to actually grow rice and harvest rice is not easy - it requires patience. I participated in a six-month rice workshop. I grew rice! Oh my god, the labour! All that work - for one bowl of rice is four thousands of those grains. It is so much time and effort - but now every time I have rice, I find it really is precious, not to be taken for granted.”

She cleaned her bowls carefully, each by hand. The shape itself mattered. “The reason why I decided to stick with the form of a rice bowl is because it’s two hands pressed together, so as to give and to receive. It is a very humbling, very simple, very basic gesture. So, I really want to show my gratitude to Louis Vuitton because of their heritage and the craftsmanship and also this is also to show my gratitude to Hong Kong. I call it a love letter to Hong Kong,” she says as we circle around her prized piece. 

The ceramics themselves demand absolute presence. People in the pottery community called her crazy for even attempting two hundred bowls in such a short period of time. She worked twenty-hour days, four days of creating, then the rest of the week trimming, glazing and firing every piece by hand. “When I’m making ceramics, I don’t think about my kids, I don’t think about my husband, I don’t think about what I’m going to do after. I’m there. That’s why in my studio I don’t put a clock. I don’t have music on. My phone is off. And I’m just there. I just feel if you don’t have that kind of dedication, then just don’t do it. I really force myself, but I really enjoy it. I’m not stressed.” 

The deadline, instead of being the Sword of Damocles hanging over her head, only sharpened the care. “Although it is rushed, each bowl was handled and trimmed and glazed and fired by me. I feel that this is precious because taking one’s time is precious.”

Her pieces kept growing by the hour, day by day, it came to form and fruition slowly - but steadily. “My works are getting bigger and bigger and I find it really interesting because I’m wondering why is it getting bigger? Why am I not making, small, delicate pieces? I just feel like once you’re toiling on bigger works, it’s like your body, it’s like going with my heartbeat, coiling around. And  I don’t know when to stop. Because your heartbeat is so confident, you keep going at it and you’ve got this momentum, which is just taking you further - so I don’t have to think anymore, just do. No stressful thoughts, just action." 

Acting and clay remain equal parts, central to her occupation and interest. “For me they’re both the same, because it is self-expression. You’re still creating things that didn't exist before, and you’re learning about people, the humanity of life. And you see a lot inwardly."

"Clay has memory. So whatever emotion you bring into the studio that day, that clay, it sucks it up. That’s what I find really interesting in the process.” She never studied pottery at school. The medium found her only during the pandemic. 

“I’m surprised that I didn’t pick it up in school. It was because of COVID, I took up this hobby - and now, I really like this medium.” The physical cost amuses her. “Sooner or later, I’m giving up the hand model job [she laughs]. I don't know if I'll be using my hands when acting - all my expressions are now molded in clay."

As we stroll around the room and meet LV's other guests, and gander about the lot looking at other trunk inspired work, Lam narrates how the work came about. Her relationship with the brand deepened after she saw the work behind the monogram. 

“I’ve always known of Louis Vuitton - I mean, who in Hong Kong doesn't know the brand? When you’re younger you can’t afford the items, you would buy what's accessible like the perfume, then accessories, then the bag - its a growing relationship.”

 Later, during the time-capsule project around 2018, she visited the house museum and the ateliers in Italy where the trunks are made. “I saw that in each department; they still use their hands. So, you realise, why some of the items are so expensive, it’s not because of the logo or branding or advertising, it is the effort and artistry. It is because of the stories, it’s connected to people, it’s the heritage. It’s how they still put it all together, they are still very firm about making it with hands, not machines. Seeing that tour of the trunks I was just so overwhelmed by it, the people behind the work.”

At cocktail, as celebrities, socialites, artists swan in and around, we would be remiss to not discuss style. Fashion, for her, is quieter than red-carpet expectation. On the day we meet she wears an oversized Louis Vuitton ensemble she chose for herself. “I liked the fact that they had these lifts, because I’m not very tall, I like it looking vintage. Even though I’ve worn it, it could belong to my dad. It’s so voluminous.” 

On the red carpet her priorities are clear. “Hide all my flaws! You’re not getting any younger. Basically, don’t try to be sixteen on the red carpet. I like to portray my own age. I think beauty comes from acceptance. I’m not going to go back to sixteen by some miracle, so I’m not dressing that way; I want to dress my age.” 

She notes that Asian skin often ages kindly. “Because we don’t go in the sun - we are clever people! We’re always shaded. When I went to Phuket in Thailand and I'm told, 'You’re all covered up, enjoy the weather!' I’m like, nah, ten years down the road, I'll look like a bag!” She laughs when people react to her age. “I love telling people my real age - and they’re like, wow! Asian skin - no sun!”

We titter unbecomingly for a posh event and find a corner, far from the madding crowd. When it comes to travel - we are celebrating the traveling trunk with LV after all - she says museums and galleries remain her preferred form of adventure. “I love going to museums in every country I visit. I’m a big fan of the arts. I feel museums or galleries are like therapy groups for me. It’s like you learn a lot from other artists, you observe a lot, you’re inspired by the work, knowing that they’ve struggled in different times, lived in different eras, all their work is a reflection of their time on earth.” 

One thing she hasn't cared for is tech in sacred spaces. Digital viewing leaves her cold. “How can you just buy art just from zoom? For me it takes time, I need to see it with my own eyes, feel it, I just need to be there, to be witness to great art.” 

When Louis Vuitton offered a digital option for the anniversary trunk she refused. “They said do you want the digital form or the physical? I wanted the real!"

"I know what NFT is - but I didn’t think that, if I was to sign digitally, and create something in the ether... that wouldn't be me. I said No! so quickly. I need the physical trunk. For me the physicality of making things, to touch these, plays a really important role. So, for me I’m still a very old-fashioned kind of girl when it comes to physical sculptures and great art. They have to be real... not surreal."

Cover shoot at The Peninsula, Hong Kong