Heart of the Matter

By P Ramakrishnan. Images courtesy of Seasons Fitness.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger had to undergo a heart-operation a few years ago, many a couch potato must have taken a double-take as the news appeared on the ticker-tape on CNN. Schwarzenegger. The man described by the Guinness Book of World Records as, brace yourself for this, "the most perfectly developed man in the history of the world".

If he had a heart condition, what hope is there for mortals and mankind?

The fact of the matter is, you may be as thin as a rake or a gym gorrilla, but you can still have an unhealthy heart. Anil Ahuja from Pure Fitness, explains, “For both men and women, there are many factors that contribute to heart problems. A few examples are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lack of regular exercise, family history, age and smoking. I advise anyone to take a moment to look at their lifestyle, family history and their general health.”

Unfortunately, in many cases, not only does the next generation inherit potentially fatal heart conditions, but they also mirror their parents’ exercise habits – which in some cases are non-existent.

Adam Fabbian, a personal trainer at New York @ Hal, warns, “If your heart is weak, less blood is going to your major organs and muscles so that makes you short of breath and tired, even when going about your daily life. These symptoms are an indication of what’s to come”

They say a message hits you with a pebble first, before the brick slams it in. Rob Devereux, Regional Director of Fitness Development at California Fitness, agrees but is quick to point out, “Often the brick hits without warning - for 20 percent of individuals, the first indication that they have heart disease is death. Atherosclerosis (fat deposition in the arteries) is often called the "silent killer" so preventative measures are key.”

The good news is, you can change the pattern and start… well, now. Rob says, “If you haven't exercised for a long time (or never) it is always best to consult with a doctor first to establish whether there may be any health related risks. Assuming that you obtain a clear bill of health, the best option would be to start by walking or stationery cycling as these can be performed at low intensity and have no learning curve.

“Starting with 10 minutes and building to 30 minutes over a period of weeks will ensure that the body adjusts to the increase in activity. Starting out too fast and for too long, apart from being potentially dangerous, can lead to rapid burnout.”

Raymond Chan, Fitness Manager at Seasons Fitness, offers baby steps to get into a program, “In the morning, even before you get out of bed, do a set of stretching exercises, perhaps a couple of sit-ups on the mattress. Do two the first day, then three and so on. It really wakes you up. When you go to work, take the stairs, not the escalator in the MTR. Sometimes, it’ll take you time to find those stairs – a brisk walk in search of it will do you good. When you go shopping, I always recommend that you take your time, walk around, carry your grocery bags. Internet shopping is reducing our fitness level – forget the web sites.”

People with dogs seemed to have a lower risk of heart disease because their routine included walking the dog – even a daily simple stroll does wonder. Says Anil, “Tht may be true in the west, but in Hong Kong of course, it’s the maids with lower risk of heart disease.”

Point taken.








TAKE FIVE

Raymond Chan from Seasons Fitness, offers 5 easy exercises that you can start immediately to benefit your heart:

1) Brisk walking. Moderate amount of exercise can do wonders for your cardiovascular health. Walking around in Hong Kong is free, you can do it anywhere and its easy. Take the stairs when and where you can.
2) Explore new sports – if you’re a loner, cycling or running in Tai Tam is great. Group sports like soccer, basketball in game centres and Victoria Park are easy to join in. In fact, find someone in your office who does a sport, a work out buddy is a great. The first step is the hardest, so find someone else who exercises to help ease the burden.
3) Make a schedule three times a week, 30 minutes a day. Find activities that use a lot of muscle group like swimming or biking. Using as many muscle groups as possible helps boost your heart rate.
4) Do different things every week. Each successive day, aim higher. If you swam one lap on week one, swim two the next. Push yourself for a result. It’ll be hard at first but focus. Focus equals fat burn!
5) Aerobics, dancercise, jazz-ercise, yoga-size, do a fun activity that you haven’t done before. Anything that gets your heart pumping more.



Anil Ahuja shares five mental notes to keep in mind:

1) Control your blood pressure and cholesterol level. Treating high blood pressure can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke, Your diet is a key part of lowering high cholesterol levels.

2) Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight puts a strain on your heart and arteries. Exercise and a low-fat diet can help you lose weight. Being overweight means you have a higher risk of suffering from many other health problems, especially diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

3) Exercise regularly. Remember, your heart is a muscle. It needs regular exercise to stay in shape. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, jogging or biking, gives your heart the best workout. You can also use fitness equipment like exercise bicycles, treadmills and ski machines when exercising indoors.

4) Eat a low-fat diet. Keep fat calories to 30 percent or less of the total calories you take in during a day and avoid saturated fat (the fat in meats and coconut oil).

5) Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease If you stop smoking, you can lower your risk of a heart attack by one third within two years. Breathing smoke from someone else's cigarettes is also bad for your heart and lungs. If you live with someone who smokes, encourage him or her to quit.

Fine'n'Rhine

Playing around with designing a huge banner/poster for my friend Suj's shop Fine'n'Rhine in Central HK. Someone else has taken over the spot but... its something to think about.

A Matter of Taste: Pierre Gagnaire

Another day, another month, another dishy issue of Crave. Pick up NOW!




Even for France's history of fine chefs, Pierre Gagnaire has made a special name for himself. Crave meets the culinary legend and learns how his global reach has not altered how he judges good food.

Words: P.Ramakrishnan
Images: Courtesy of The Mandarin Oriental.

Tom and John woo Hong Kong: Press conference in Hong Kong with Tom Cruise, John Woo: SCMP,

One of my earliest celebrity assignments... maybe even my first, while I was in HKU, had to do a write up on the Tom Cruise/John Woo press conference as they did the media route across Asia.

Tom Cruise flew in on his own jet, which he piloted and the press conference at The Peninsula was intense. Tom and John were the only two people on stage (and Winnie Chung on the side translating) and over 120 media reps in the audience. Basically anyone with a press badge - that of course included me. Was writing for South China Morning Post's official entertainment site and had to file the feature within hours. Didn't have the luxury of weeks like the magazine scribes. 'Twas fun and got a kick out being published.

I still get a kick out of my title - the fact that it got got approved and went to print.

Ah to be young and restless again...

Postcards from the Past

A stunning collection of vintage photographs of Hong Kong showcases not only the merits of a vast array of Asian photographers, but also captures the transient face of an ever-changing city unlike any other in the world. P.Ramakrishnan was granted access to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum before the ground opening ceremony of the exhibition and offers a preview of the collection of the images.

Documenting Hong Kong's vast changes in a supremely aesthetic manner, the latest exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum has piqued interest among not only photographers, but also collectors of classic cameras. "Camera's Inside-out" showcases old cameras - an incredible range of gadgets collected by David Chan - and the collective works of a group of local photographers from the 1950s to the hot shots of today.

Featuring more than 100 cameras manufactured in different periods and countries, the exhibition is a linear compilation of the technological history of photography. Cameras from Germany in the 1960s, French ones from the 70s, and models from Japan, China and even Hong Kong, are all on display.

Mostly through black and white photography, it's also a look at some long forgotten aspects of Hong Kong; markets and farms and greenery now extinct in the main metropolis and concrete jungles of Central and Wan Chai and shots of Happy Valley when it was nothing but a swamp, not the cluster of residential blocks and racecourse that it is today. With each successive turn among the labyrinth walls, showing a smorgasbord of photographic artistry, it's a true trip down memory lane.

Entering "Cameras Inside-out" on the second floor of the cavernous building, the first item on view is a gigantic box, with a black hood and an accordion shutter. This contraption happens to be a vintage camera, Godzillian next to the palm-sized Digi-cams that many people have today. As David Chan, renowned collector of cameras, cars and gadgets (who generously donated many items to the museum) says, "In the old days, it was a privileged few who could afford to get their picture taken, let alone own a camera. In the early days, it was all 'salon' photography. Families dressed up and came to a studio and sat seriously as they spent a lot of money to get their picture taken. The cameras were these wonderful, revered machines - I've loved them and collected them for years."

Indeed the cameras are held in glass cases like precious jewels. For collectors like Chan, the camera itself is a piece of art with considerable historical value.

With framed photographs by more than 30 forefathers of local photography, such as Kan Hing-fook, Tchan Fou-li, Leo K.K. Wong and Ngan Chun-tung, the beautiful collection of images perfectly complements the machines displayed in front of them. Local contemporary artists and photographers have also submitted their own work for display, including Almond Chu, So Hing-keung, Bobby Sham Lam Wai-kit and Chow Chun-fai. While some found inspiration in nature, others in architecture, faces enamoured some, while being caught unaware was a theme for others.

Dr. Leo K. K. Wong graced the opening and walked around with the media, the legendary photographer discussing at length the evolution of Asian photography as those in the trade worked as both documentary makers of a period, and were artists in their own right. when asked if his Doctorate title is an Honorary one, he chuckles and says, "In my time, photography was never considered a 'real' job so I did my Doctorate too!"

As we tour through the labyrinth of sepia toned canvasses, he says, "Though photography is a product of art and science, to me, it is an art. As an art form, photography is a perfect means of human expression. Anyone can be a cameraman these days and photographers had to work harder in the past. Modern technical advancement makes it all much simpler today. However, not anyone is an artist."

As we pass one of the more modern pieces that appears entirely out of focus and just seems a blur of hazy colours, it's hard not to nod in agreement. "If I must commit myself to answer which era showcased the best work, I think in Hong Kong photography the 'golden age' may have been the period between 1955 and 1975 when monochrome photography prevailed and many classic, good works were produced by the local pictorial enthusiasts. My favourite photographer was Ernst Haas and I was much inspired by his book, "The Creation." In recent years, I have been greatly influenced by the old, classical masters in Chinese ink painting and calligraphy for their abstraction."

Tapping the glass case that seals a rare Canon camera, he says, "I started photography as a serious hobby in 1966 and my favourite cameras were then medium format (Rolleiflex & Hasselblad). In recent years, I changed to a 35mm (Canon EOS). Nature is a favourite subject of mine to shoot, especially the changing faces of nature in different seasons and at various times of the day because it elicits different responses in me, impressing upon me the endless cycle of life. Pressing the shutter at the decisive moment and capturing an image which transcends nature gives me endless pleasure. I have always preferred outdoor photography to studio work."

As current postcards of Hong Kong bear well-lit skyscrapers and serpentine traffic as the face of the city, it's hard to believe that the most of the shots in the exhibit - of the country, children in rivers, birds in flight, open landscapes, priests, singers, ships and boats - were taken right here.

As we pass by a row of portraits, I ask if there's a reason why people always seem to look better in black and white pictures? "I think that it's that the simple elements of monochrome can better convey and express the mood and feeling of the human being," Wong responds with a barely discernible smile. "I am still using colour transparencies and am not at all keen on post-production. In recent years, multiple exposure has become my favourite method of photography. At this stage of modern technical advancement, I still consider that a digital camera and Photoshop does not produce the final image that I expect. With film, the moment I press the shutter, the final image produced by multiple exposure is the end-result of the reaction between light, colour and the emulsion of the film - in essence, that means that it is a photo-chemical reaction rather than superimposed digital diagrams."

What does Wong think of the current state of photography in Hong Kong? "Although there is always the argument between pictorial versus documentary photography, I am rather optimistic about the future of local photography. I see that there is ample space and opportunity for the harmonious development of all types of photography in Hong Kong under the heading of photographic art."

Images courtesy of LSCD.

From Top to Bottom; Struggling by Tchan Fou-li (1967, (Hasselblad Camera), Small Photographer by Lo Tak-cho, (1935 - 1944, Rolleiflex Camera), Approaching Shadow by Ho Fan (1956, Rolleiflex 3.5 F Camera)

Sneak Attack: A Menswear Shoot on Sportswear and Athleisure

Sarah Jessica Parker's alter ego in Sex and the City had a closet full of shoes and no savings - a plight most women (Imelda Marcos I'm talking to you!) somehow related to. 

Gentlemen are not that far behind as guys like comedian Jerry Seinfeld, musicians P. Diddy, Kanye West, rap and basketball stars collect sneakers and casual chic shoes like the devil possessed. In the ensuing pages come prized possessions that should star in your closet.

Photography: Jonas Lille
Stylist: Jolene Lin
Hair and makeup: Megumi Sekine
Models Adam and Adyr from Model International

UPDATE: The first shoot we ever did. Still in touch with Adyr, Adam, Jonas, Jolene, Megumi! Spending a day creating, life-long friends. 

Colette Koo: A Tribute.

Over the last few weeks, the team at KEE magazine was deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of the multi-talented Colette Koo. Actor, personality, bar/club owner/director, social staple, entertainer, celebrity (the good kind) and so much more, she was an indefatigable spirit that finally succumbed to cancer at the defining age of 50. 

Few knew about her inner battles as she waged them privately and in good cheer. For many unsuspecting, the news of her life interrupted was a shock, to say the least.

She had done so much for so many people that tributes and anecdotal tales are echoing across the island, a chorus of well-wishers that have much to say with sincerity, kindness and love. The same of which can be said of her; sincere, kind and loving.

Joining the bandwagon of folks with a folk tale on her, we have our own voice to add to the oral history of Collette.

A few years ago, for this very magazine, we had a thematic shoot where we were looking for an apt, musical location for a grand background to host three afro-coiffed divas in the style of Dreamgirls. In a culture glutted with “What’s in it for me?”, we did the usual rigmarole of PR exercises and calling in favours from a lengthy rolla-desk of contacts. The signs were not good, especially the steep dollar ones, as it was the year of tightened budgets and unstrung purse-strings. While a certain club down Sheung Wan wanted $25,000 for location cost, others kept hankering on for more and more... and more.

We ran into Miss Congeniality herself as she was harpooning across the crowded streets of Hollywood Road with her distinctive strut. Having just exited finds as she made her way to drop, Colette asked, “Why so glum, Rama lama ding dong?” (Er, she had a way with words too!).

When told of the logistic nightmare, she slapped us awake into reality, “Do it at drop! I’ll keep it open on the weekend, can you be out by 6?”

“Sure.”

We shook on it. Well, air-kissed on it, and off we went our merry way. No questions asked, no pecuniary demands made, no drama, just good karma.

Days later, a steamy, eight-hour long shoot with multiple models and wardrobe occurred, and the images came out much to our satisfaction. But what we remember best is that unquestionable generosity and understanding that made the images glow more than the on-set lighting. Collette had arranged her staff to open the place early, left us the bar, open access to everything, and asked us no questions.

Colette’s life is a long list of publicised achievements but there are many unsung anecdotes – of greater or lesser extent - like the above that’ll inspire her legend further. So many random, ordinary acts of kindness by an extraordinary person. So much good will, her passing will be interlocked with the dual words untimely and unfair.

A clink of the signature watermelon martini, m’love. we at KEE chose to salute & toast your living and loving memory.

Cheers.

Words: P. Ramakrishnan.

Image: Courtesy of Christof Van der Stichele

CEO Series: Simon Murray, CBE & David Tan, OBE

Simon Murray, CBE, Founder and chairman of Simon Murray and associates, CEO of GEMS.
David Tang, OBE, Founder and Director of Tangs Department Stores, CEO of DWC Tang Development Ltd



For this special Hong Kong themed edition of The Peninsula, it was a difficult decision to choose between the most talked about and the most written about CEOs in town. Do we pick up the well-read and the popular or the adventurous and the unstoppable? Why pick one when we can double the pleasure for good measure?

Presenting the inimitable David Tang and the incredible Simon Murray, men of power, vision, style and savvy, as heads of their respective companies, every year they add a paragraph to their lengthy list of achievements. Both good friends and a Dictaphone's delight, we sent them the same list of questions only to get disparate responses, indicative of the distinctive personalities who made it big in Hong Kong.

It's an achievement of sorts when you've got an entry and web page in Wikipedia and spurious as it may be, but Leicester-born Simon Murray, 66, certainly does. Mostly because his achievements could indeed fill a page in an encyclopedia but let's dispel some myths fabricated online. For the record, he is the writer of Legionnaire: An Englishman in the French Foreign Legion, an account of the five years he spent in the parachute regiment of the French Foreign Legion. He does head GEMS but it has nothing to do with jewels or diamonds; it's a Hong Kong-based private equity investment arm and an acronym for General Enterprise Management Services Limited. In 2004, at the age of 63, he became the oldest man to reach the South Pole unsupported. Founder and chairman of Simon Murray & Associates, his corporate success sometimes seem incidental, compared to the array of accomplishments he has achieved outside his office.

Perhaps one of the most famous Hong Kong exports and one of the brightest sparks in the international social circuit, David Tang O.B.E., 52, always seems ahead of the curve. Whether it's dressing Whoopi Goldberg for a television show with his brand of high fashion, or discussing world politics with Margaret Thatcher and the last governor of Hong Kong, Chris Pattern, or heading to an island resort with his wife and their good friend supermodel Kate Moss and co, Tang has done it all with panache, style and remarkable wit. For a man deeply grounded in Hong Kong, a city he calls home despite his extensive travels, his posh British baritone seems like an antithesis. Just like his title of being a "Taipan Anglophile", a "a philosopher socialite" and other labels that the media has slapped him with - none of which he takes seriously, he assures. A man of many seeming contradictions, he's also a journalist's dream; full of bon mots and quotables. He was on a flight when he sent responses to this Q&A via his new best friend; his blackberry.



P.Ramakrishnan: As the head of your companies, what qualities do you think a leader should preternaturally possess-and what are the ones that you learn with experience and time?

Simon Murray: I don't know what preternaturally means, but the key quality a leader needs is to be able to choose good people (support comes from below, very seldom from above) and also to remember that people follow those in whom they trust.

David Tang: A leader must always have the confidence and conviction of his staff. They must also believe you know best. And it's best to be able to explain your decisions in simple and convincing terms.

How would you best describe yourself? "I am a ..."

SM: I am a hunter - but I like the chase more than the kill - and I love the excitement of life and am interested in all of it, from the morning mist as the sun comes up to the night stars - from dancing to deals - from history, to predicting the future - boredom is a sin.

DT: I am always, as a businessman, looking for niches. Anything I choose to do should be exceptional. All good business should be based on a single idea which then needs to be focused, focused and focused more on.

What is the source of pride and joy in your company? Which particular achievement stands out?

SM: We created something of value and the operative words are "created" as in "birth" and "we" - as in a team.

DT: Any business that matures and becomes profitable for 10 years is a good foundation. And any business which sustains profitability, more or less, for 20 years, is a good achievement.

During troubling times - fiscally, during SARS, the rise and fall of the stock market/trade and such - where do you find the strength to continue?

SM: There are many sources of energy from where we get our inner strength. Hate and love are great sources of energy - as are greed and fear - but the greatest source is hope.

DT: The strength comes from the knowledge that the business are not geared or leveraged or under-capitalised.

Who was the great influence in your professional career?

SM:The greatest influence in my professional career was Li Ka-Shing because he taught me much and gave me more. The role models for life were those I read about in the school library in my young days - Livingstone, Nelson, Burton, Scott, Nansen, Cook, Drake, Churchill and Al Capone.

DT: Anton Rupert for his vision, and Warren Buffett for his valuation of building a business with products and services.

What is one thing/person that can have you racing out of the office as soon as the clock hits 7:00pm?

SM: It's confidential - and it isn't "Dallas".

DT: When someone you don't know very well, or not at all, telephones you and asks whether he could pick your brain and "explore opportunities".

The adage is, the secret of success is doing what you love to do. Was there any job in the past that you did just because it paid the bills?

SM: At eighteen I worked in an iron foundry in Manchester, because it was a job (and they were hard to come by in the 50s) and yes, it paid the bills. It was not dissimilar to working down a coal mine in Victorian England except the coal mine would have been less polluted. I hated it so much I ran away to join the Foreign Legion in Algeria for five years.

DT: More important than doing a job that pays the bills is the notion of preoccupation. I was a floor assistant, kitchen washer-up and cashier when I was young, having to look for pocket money. But whilst I was doing all these jobs, I didn't not stop thinking about other things, and I spent a lot of time reading.

As new graduates hit the market and go job hunting, what would you say to them? When it comes to hiring people, what key qualities do you look for in a person?

SM: I am old-fashioned. I look for honesty, integrity, loyalty and passion combined with modesty and some achievement already accomplished. They must have done something, and having a sense of humour is also a great asset.

DT: Anyone coming for an interview with me most show that they have done some homework on the companies for which they are applying for a job. For them to say that they are committed and will work hard and believe that they have talent is simply not good enough - and boring. I like those young people who know what they want to start doing and get on with it before thinking about higher ambitions.

If you could turn back the clock, what would you do again differently?

SM: Nothing. We do not regret the things we do, we regret the things we left undone though the opportunity was presented.

DT: In business, I wish I was more aggressive and more thick-skinned and more ruthless in personnel.

What is the ultimate goal for your company? What can we expect from you in the future?

SM: Not much. I am three years off 70 in the year of the Pig. It's nearly time to hand over the keys of the front door and time to start coming in by the side door. The company belongs not to me, but the team, and they will take it on up the hill.

DT: Sustainability is the only goal I wish to achieve for all my businesses. If they are still going strong when I was dead, that is what I would call success.

Top Tier: Interview with Crown Jeweller David Thomas: "The British Monarchy Returning the Kohinoor to India is..."

The term priceless is so overused and more often than not falsely stated. In fact, the word has virtually lost all value - except when David Thomas, the Crown Jeweller, says it. P.Ramakrishnan meets a true blue connoisseur of the finer things in life. 

Portrait by Hyvis Tong.

Every year, a long missive requesting the return of the Kohinoor ('Mountain of Light' in Persian) diamond to Indian authorities is sent from some nether office in New Delhi to Buckingham palace. Originating from India, the 105 carat (21.6g) rock is one of the largest diamonds in the world that historically belonged to Indian and Persian rulers for the past five centuries. When Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877, the sizeable rock made its way into the crown jewels but since the country's independence, certain parliament minds in post-colonial India think that the spoils of war need be returned. The Queen, however, is not amused. As David Thomas, the Crown Jeweller says, "I think the letter is sent every month but the chances of returning the diamond from the crown jewels does seem..."

Preposterous? Laughable?

"Er...unlikely," he says with utmost decorum, in the polished English accent that he has surely acquired from his close proximity to the Royal family. The Queen herself in fact. Seated in the bejewelled enclave of Lane Crawford at Hong Kong's ifc mall, where the majestic gems and jewellery of Garrard are on display, during his first visit to the SAR, the man who has handed and maintained the priceless bounty of the UK Royals is fully aware of the history and value of all the individual pieces of jewellery that the family owns. Correction, that the family has access to - as the Crown Jewels belong to no one, but the Sovereign State.


Like many legendary jewels, the Kohinoor that sits on the crown has a fantastic myth orbiting around it; reputed to bring misfortune and death to any male who wears or owns it. However, conversely, it is supposed to bring good luck to its female owners and, all the long living, long-reigning sovereigns of United Kingdom are aware, there's something to be said for the legend.


Well, the Queen is 81 now and rarely travels, and certainly never with the Crown. "The Crown Jewels in the Tower are not allowed to leave the country," explains Thomas. "Because many, many years ago, they did roam about and the kings and queens of those days were not trustworthy and the jewels wouldn't necessarily come back. In 1911, when George V and Queen Mary went to India to be crowned Emperor and Empress, he needed a crown. But the crown in the Tower couldn't possibly cross borders so another one had to be made. All the coloured stones were sent over from nobility of India, diamonds were supplied by Garrard and it was in December 1911 when they made another crown on foreign soil, and it came back. And it has been worn once and once only. Now it rests in the Tower.

One wonders, should any crafty thief decide to try to get their hands on any of the sizeable bounty in the Tower of London (as many a Bollywood hero has done in Hindi films; stealing the crown as in the plot of the latest Indian blockbuster, Dhoom 2) what the repercussions would be. Do the guards circumnavigating the tower stay on high alert for burglars?

"They are always on high alert but, for me, it's really not a major concern as the last time anyone tried to steal the Crown Jewels was in 1671 and they didn't get very far. They barely got to the east gate of the Tower of London," says the Crown Jeweller, encyclopedic with dates and details. "You know, everybody thinks it was a put up job by the then King to get money, but the person who did it, Kernel Blood, was pardoned and given land in Ireland and told not to come back. Everyone who did something wrong was sent off to Ireland - don't ask me why."

David Thomas joined Garrard in 1986 and was invited to apprentice with the Crown Jeweller, with the idea of succeeding the man who held the position before him. "It was a position to consider when my predecessor retired. I trained alongside him for five years and it wasn't foregone conclusion that I would get the job - as the appointment is conferred by the Sovereign and only the Sovereign, that is the Queen herself. The first Crown Jeweller was appointed in 1843, and its succession has gone on and it is now an Act of Parliament. Someone has to be there to take care of and maintain the Crown Jewels. Ten Crowns, numerous dishes, bracelets, rings and cups - in addition to the private collection of the Queen, are collectively designated as the Crown Jewels. After Queen Victoria and Queen Mary's time, there was such large collection that it required someone to watch over it all. Many of the private pieces are not kept in the Tower but in Buckingham Palace itself, as the Queen likes to wear them. Well, she has to wear something, the poor woman!"

As the largest reigning royal figure on the planet and one of the wealthiest, Queen Elizabeth II is the sole figure who can authorise where and to whom any of the jewels may be bestowed upon. "When Queen Mary died and then Queen Victoria, these are the pieces that Her Majesty inherited. They're given to the nation and can't be sold (despite some people having tried many years ago). They belong to the people really and have to be handed down. When the Prince of Wales was married to Diana, there were heritage pieces that were given to her by the Queen that originally belonged to Queen Mary and she knew, tragically killed or not, at the end of her day, they would have to go back."

The late Diana did toy with the jewels given, well, loaned to her. Remember the bandana she made with some notable pearls? "Yes, well, she didn't deliberately set out to do anything controversial then. Little known fact, she was sun-burnt in Australia and it pained her to wear them around her neck so they became a bandana." Since her death, the piece does now rest within the aegis of Thomas. "Heritage pieces travel generations. I guess it will go to Prince William when he gets married. I say 'guess' because it's entirely up to the Sovereign."

With a slight pause and sip of water, he continues in a slightly hushed tone, "I am not privileged to all the information of what the Queen has planned, but I have some idea."

Like the caves mentioned in Ali Baba, the sheer size and breadth of the Monarch's collection one imagines would make one spoilt for choice, but as the confidante to the Queen says, she always returns to classics. "The Queen always wears her pearls. Always, always, always. Three or four strands of pearls, her diamond earrings, and her engagement ring. The ring is never off her finger. She's absolutely devoted to The Duke of Edinburgh, despite whatever reports you read in the paper. You try and it get if off her finger just to get it cleaned and she says, 'Well, it is coming back in five minutes isn't it? Five minutes.' And then she walks around impatiently until it comes back."

Tabloid rumours of gauging Her Majesty's mood according to what jewels she's wearing is pure conjecture, assures the man who likes to clear up common misconceptions of the most written-about family in Europe. "She will pick and choose her own items. There really isn't a correlation between what she gives to the family and how fond she is of the person, and it's cruel and speculative of the media to suggest this. It's not unlike people assuming she's unhappy because she has her blue brooch on. It's entirely a wardrobe choice. Sapphires with blue outfits, rubies with red, and so on."

With a sudden spotlight on rubies in the press, again, it is incredible that there are thousands of websites, hundreds of books, films and TV shows dedicated to the Monarchy and its possessions. "Everyone's interested in royal jewels not just because they are big and beautiful artefacts, but because of a genuine fascination of history and knowing where these pieces come from. The Duchess of Cornwall was wearing this staggering ruby necklace in the US last month and people tried to find out where she got it from, but no one knows the secret of how it was acquired in history."

"It is easy to spot the inaccuracies published," he continues. "There are one or two inaccuracies in the books on royal jewels (which author Suzy Menkes is aware of too). And I constantly read wrong descriptions; something is described as a sapphire diamond brooch and I know it's a diamond brooch, or that it was given by a certain person when I know it wasn't. The press tend to look up their archives in a rushed manner instead of going through the right channels. They just want the photograph out quick and to be the first with the story and not necessarily be accurate and, as the British press does, puts in an apology or a correction the following day in a little square somewhere."

Apologies that should have been printed when online scribes wrote that Garrard was "duplicating" designs from the vaults of the Queen's collection? The company is doing no such thing as Thomas clears up immediately, "You cannot replicate the insignia of the Royal emblem, but the pieces are inspired by the curves, colours and stones that are in the royal collection. That's all. We wouldn't pass off anything and say this is one exactly like what's in the Queen's armoire. The curves of the Royal sceptre have influenced the curves in an earring for example. These are very high end piece where the focus is entirely on quality. The "Wings" collection has been, pardon the pun, flying off the shelves, and people can't get enough of it. All the pieces have been made with the finest stones. As the official jeweller for the Royal family, one does have standards to maintain."

But of course.

Barefoot in the Park: Fashion shoot in Germany for The Sentinel

Collette Dinnigan butterfly dress (from The Swank), shoes from Versace, necklace, bracelet and earrings from Wellendorff

Necklace and earrings from Wellendorff, Plein Sud pink floral dress (from The Swank), shoes from Tods

White flora on black coat by Antonio Marras (from The Swank)

Kimono pants and white flora on black coat by Antonio Marras (from The Swank), stylist’s own umbrella, black leather shoes from Tods

Floral print silk top from Fine’n’Rhine, earrings, necklace and bracelet by Wellendorff, stilettos by Versace, Kenzo pink and white floral print bag (from The Swank)

Flower-patterned mini dress from Arrogant Cat, pink suede heels from Tods

Click on images to enlarge

Put a spring in your step this fall. Muted shades and the seasonal lull in the dull palette is all but over, as fashion falls for a bit of pre-winter colour. Looking at the collections, it reigns flora and fauna as leading designers don’t shy away from patterns most oft seen in spring and summer. Shot in the verdant pastures of Berlin, Paris-based photographer Dirk Schwan flew down specifically to shoot supermodel Dzenita Hasovic. Fall/winter never looked this vibrant before, as, perhaps a sign of the times, hope springs eternal.

Producer: P.Ramakrishnan
Photography & Art Direction: Dirk Seiden Schwan
Hair & Makeup: Sina Velke (http://www.vivienscreative.com.au)
Model: Dzenita Hasovic from IMG Models, New York

BEHIND THE SCENES;

One of two shoots in Germany, with one of my all-time fav models Dzenita. She looks like a Rembrant painting come to life.  We met in Hongkers, shot all around Germany, happy days. Back in the glory days of publishing when we had budgets to fly to location. Now, we're lucky if we have the time to go to Victoria Park for a shot.