Behind the Scenes: On set

 

My two fav models David Oshry and Melanie Z. 

On set with photographer Olaf Mueller. 

Galaxy Macau days. 

For... believe it or not.. Galaxy magazine. 

The Shot: Behind the Scenes

The shot... 

And behind the scenes lols. 

One of my all time fav cover girls - lovely Kelly - on set and on screen! 

Cover shoots are long and tedious - get yer laughs when and where ya can. 

Shot at Galaxy Macau... 

The crew behind the scenes for that single solo cover shot... 

Tasha Ling - stylist. 

Karen Yiu - hair and makeup team. 

Feature: Auction News

 

Remembering The Swank

Over the weekend, Brunello Cucinelli was in Hong Kong to promote a documentary and, ever the gent, he was brilliant with the local media. Affable and charming, you feel like you've met a long lost friend. Not his first, or even second trip to HK, Facebook reminded me that we had met back in 2012 - when his brand was under the aegis of The Swank. 

I went looking for The Swank and their team - Elaine Tai! -  but completely forgot that The Swank shut shop two years ago. Out with a whimper, not a bang... 

The Swank has essentially wound down all its operations in Hong Kong after nearly 70 years in retail.  Joining a sad roster of flagships that were once unique to the city. Its owner, ENM Holdings Limited, officially announced that it would not renew the lease for its flagship store in Central Building on Pedder Street upon its expiry on 30 September 2024. The multi-brand retailer ceased operations at its primary Central Building flagship, as well as its satellite locations across Hong Kong (including Lee Garden Two and Elements).

The Swank had previously shut down its online shopping portal in August 2022. While its outlet presence at Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau cleared out remaining stock, the brand no longer maintains active full-line retail stores in the territory.

It marks the end of an era for Hong Kong's fashion landscape, given that the boutique—originally founded by David and Nora Sun in 1955—was widely credited as the pioneer that first introduced high-end European fashion brands like Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, and Givenchy, and yes, Brunello to the local retail market.

Shifting economic tides severely strained traditional multi-brand operators. The acceleration of direct-to-consumer flagship boutiques by global luxury conglomerates, alongside structural changes in tourist spending habits and the rise of digital e-commerce, severely compressed margins. 

Guess those behind the scenes (and behind the seams) read the tea leaves long before we in lifestyle/luxury media did, as the closure was a surprise to many of us. 

I try not to be nostalgic for a time that didn't exist... but scrolling throught the archives, we had a good time. It was great until it lasted... Such a typical Hong Kong mantra, out with the ol', in with the new. 

Antonino! Yana!! The Swank

 

From the archives, for this waaaaay back Wednesday; Yana - my all time fav model/photographer/human - and Nino'... we did several shoots together at Prestige, My Place, Runway... 

Why this sudden throwback to look at The Swank... more tomorrow.... 

From Hermès to Richard Mille: The Best Watchmaking Novelties of 2026

 

Eight standout novelties from this year’s drops, spanning storied Swiss houses, fashion maisons and the classics reborn, all landing in boutiques across Singapore.

Eight standout novelties from this year’s drops, spanning storied Swiss houses, fashion maisons and the classics reborn, all landing in boutiques across Singapore

Here is a number worth sitting with: across the roughly 60 to 65 maisons exhibiting at Watches & Wonders Geneva alone, somewhere between 500 and 800 new references get unveiled in a single week every April. Add in the brands that skip the fair entirely (Rolex, Richard Mille, Chanel), the ones that drop novelties year-round, and the sheer breadth of categories on offer, from steel sports watches to eight-figure minute repeaters, and you see the problem. Nobody, not even the most caffeinated watch editor, can meaningfully cover a year in horology in one sitting.

So consider this the first of many chapters.

We are picking out the pieces that made us stop scrolling, the ones with a genuine story behind the reference number, and making sure every single one is something you can actually walk into a boutique here in Singapore and see for yourself, whether that’s on Orchard Road, at Marina Bay Sands, or at ION.

Read the full feature here at GQ Singapore.

Jewellery and the Alpha Male: Your Guide to 2026’s Finest Accessories

 

For decades, the unspoken rule for the well-dressed Singaporean gentleman was restraint: a good watch, cufflinks on special occasions, perhaps a signet ring passed down from a grandfather or favourite relative of pride and providence. That rule has quietly collapsed. Walk through Ngee Ann City, Marina Bay Sands or ION Orchard today and the maisons that once catered almost exclusively to women – Cartier, Graff, Van Cleef & Arpels – are dressing their windows, and their campaigns, around men. The discerning gentleman of 2026 doesn’t just wear a fine watch. He wears a brooch, a chain, a cuff of hand-carved gold, and he wears it with the same confidence his female counterparts have carried for a century. A list of our timeless favourites… for this season!

Read the full feature here at GQ Singapore.