Now that's a stretch: Tiana Harilela swaps luxury for Yoga

Many in the Hong Kong "in" crowd might remember Tiana Harilela, 36, from her spell working at a luxury champagne company and frequent appearances in social columns.

Dressed in her designer gear and blinged out, she was by no means unfit, but she's now in the best shape of her life, and she attributes it to yoga.

Her first experience of physical or hatha yoga was with her late grandfather, businessman George N. Harilela. "He taught me my first ever yoga pose. He was also the first person to introduce me to the yogic kriyas [cleansing rituals] at a young age. But his biggest influence on me was his subtle teachings of the 'true self' and the inner aspects of yoga. He is still in my heart as my first teacher."

While among the glitterati, she says she was far from a spiritual being. Up until her early 20s, she kept a distance from everything spiritual and Indian.

"I knew I needed a practice with a challenge, so I turned to Ashtanga Vinyasa as taught by the late Sri K Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India. This was one of the most powerful yoga practices I had ever seen and tried. I was hooked."

Frequent trips to Mysore have followed. She cites Paul Dallaghan, who runs the beautiful Samahita Yoga Thailand retreat in Koh Samui, as one of her biggest influences. Dallaghan's master, Sri O.P. Tiwari, is the head of the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute in Lonavala, near Mumbai. Through their guidance, Harilela is now an Ashtanga yoga teacher teaching simple pranayama, a special form of breathing exercises.

"It is one of my favourite things to teach because it brings everything inwards and I have personally seen how it has transformed me," she says.

What's been the biggest effect of doing yoga?

The biggest surprise for me is how it has changed my body. Physically I am stronger and leaner. There is a lightness about my body now. Because the asana practice I do is about two hours long, postures flowing one into the next, and practised six days a week, there is a wonderful effect on the respiratory system. You sweat out toxins and allow for your body to move back into balance. Ashtanga Vinyasa is a very cleansing practice.

What do you preach and teach?
I teach Ashtanga Mysore style, which is the best way to learn yoga. It's like having a private class with other people in the same room. You learn in the correct way pose by pose. You only move to the next pose once you have mastered the previous one. Everyone is doing the same sequence within a time frame at his or her own pace. Nowadays, there is a lot of rock 'n' roll and music in yoga classes. In this class, the music is the breath, and it is one of the most beautiful things to witness and try. It also allows for independence in the student. The teacher is there to guide and to help.

How did yoga help your recovery from the motorcycle accident you had in India last year?
I smashed the right side of my body and face. I was unable to fly back to Hong Kong due to complications. I still suffer pain in my face from nerve damage, and I have problems with my right shoulder and hip from the crash. I never thought I would be back to my practice. It took a long time to be able to do some of the things I was doing before. Meditation, yoga asana and pranayama brought me back. There was this inner sense of spirit that kept me going. It's a story I tell my students when they think they cannot do something. The human spirit is unbeatable when it shines.

Your Hong Kong friends may be surprised at how fit you are now. What do you tell them?
It's a combination of yoga and balance. While I am still working on balance in life, I feel my levels are better. I eat healthy as much as possible. I have a green and predominantly wheat-free diet. I sleep early. It's a different lifestyle altogether from what I was doing years ago. It's peaceful and there's less chaos and drama, which I feel adds to looking and feeling good on the inside and out.

Have you changed your diet?
I have. I have a predominantly vegetarian diet, eating fish once in a while. I have also changed my thought process about food. I pay attention to the foods that have acidity in them and those that are alkaline. My husband is a great chef and mainly cooks healthy vegetarian cuisine. He is always showing me herbal substitutes to take. I think maintaining a good diet and having fun cooking is the best way. You cannot just exercise and not add the food part in. We aim to show it can be fun and delicious to be healthy.

What's your indulgence?
Well, that's easy: chocolate.

Pic Caption: Tiana Harilela credits her late grandfather, George, with introducing her to her first yoga pose and the cleansing yogic kriyas.
Photo: Edmond So

March 25, 2012
Byline: P. Ramakrishnan

Where to launch a fancy dragon-themed vodka (in the Year of the Dragon)? Dragon-i, of course

No stranger to ostentatious parties, Dragon-i was the place to be last week for the launch of Royal Dragon's new vodka collection. As the Jamie Foxx party anthem Blame it (On the Alcohol) aptly echoed into the wee hours, partygoers included model Ana Rivera, restaurateur Bonnie Gokson, fashion blogger Denise Lai, Cove and Zue Overly, Nisa Huber and Olivia Buckingham.

One power couple, Andrew and Lumen Kinoshita, were seen limping from foot injuries. "Can you not mention that?" We wouldn't dare.

Dragon-i's Gordon Lam had hurt his leg too and was clunking along with a cane. At this rate, a bejewelled walking cane might be the season's most fashionable must-have accessory.

Michel Morren, creator of the vodka, said: "It is the Year of the Dragon, Dragon-i's the club to be seen [in]. Where else, and when else, could I launch the finest vodka in the world called Royal Dragon Vodka?"

Gokson said: "It's very smooth, I like it. The bottle itself is beautiful."

The hand-blown bottles, with a glass dragon inside, were stunning, especially the limited-edition bottle "The Emperor", crowned with a Royal Dragon pendant of 18 carat gold and festooned with 35 certified diamonds. The bottles were flanked by bodyguards as many guests tried to snap photos on their iPhones.

Outside, there was a dragon's roar of another kind. Lamborghini presented special-edition models, the Gallardo LP560-4 Bicolore, Gallardo LP560-4 Noctis and Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder (each bearing a gold dragon imprint), which loudly zoomed through Wyndham Street during the launch party, letting all and sundry know of the vodka's grand arrival.

Byline: P. Ramakrishnan
March 27, 2012

Boree and FashionTV put their feet together to launch hot summer flip flops on a chilly night

At shoe brand Boree's launch in dragon-i, some notable names from the fashion industry tried to heat things up on a freezing night.

The FashionTV cameras covered the event. Having joined hands with Boree, a brand under mainland firm Baofeng modern International, well, in this case, feet, it was a celebration of the launch of their first joint branded shoe collection. Loads of colourful flip-flops embossed with ftv logos.

Shoe lovers celebrated the new venture, including Ana Rivera, Shirley Hiranand, Reyna Harilela, Audrey Chiu, Gisele Koo and Scott Crolla. FashionTV's chief executive Yaron Jakubowicz, who flew in for the night, and Chen Qingwei, executive director of Baofeng Modern, also attended. Though she wasn't among the gals in bikinis, Rivera was definitely the cynosure of most eyes.

"I like them, they're comfy, I like the bead work on the ones I got to wear," she said, before she sashayed off into the night under a shower of flashbulbs that followed her.

German model Laura Weyel, who led the show, in her new pixie haircut, was also excited for a new summer shoe closet update.

"The flip flops are so beautiful and colorfully designed. I like the ones with the high wedges - they make you taller of course," she said. "But also, they are very comfortable to wear, more so than most of my high-heels and peep toes."

Caption: Baofeng's Chen Qingwei, Ana Rivera and Fashion TV's Yaron Jakubowicz

Byline: P. Ramakrishnan
March 12, 2012

Behind the Label: Awon Golding Millinery

Who started it? Former magazine editor and Hongkonger Awon Golding (left, wearing her award-winning diamond-shaped hat). After a stint at the London College of Fashion, Golding worked for couture milliner Edwina Ibbotson and followed that up with a millinery course at Kensington Chelsea College, where she was pushed to enter international competitions and, in 2010, was named Hatmaker of the Year by the Worshipful Company of Feltmakers of London.

Why we love it: although horse racing is big in Hong Kong, the choice of headwear seen at Happy Valley and Sha Tin cannot hold a candle to that worn at Britain's Ascot or Australia's Melbourne Cup, where Golding's hats add just the right accent and lift to an outfit. Her flights of the imagination have led to, well, feathers - a notable motif in her latest collection.

What we'd pick: for a touch of Parisian chic, the Bonjour Boater (bottom right; HK$4,680), the flora of Jersey Cream Silk Flowers (centre right; HK$2,980) and the flattering feathers of the Cerulean Coolie (top right; HK$7,800).

Where can you get it? Awon Golding Millinery is available at Hatwoman, Man Yee Arcade, 68 Des Voeux Road, Central, tel: 2167 8337, www.hatwoman.hk. For one-off pieces and be-spoke commissions, visit www.awongolding.com.

Caption: Pictures by Jeff Hahn
February 26, 2012
Byline: P. Ramakrishnan

Behind the Label: Cherie D

Who started it? Born and bred in London, Sherina Dalamal trained at the city's Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and at L'Ecole Lesage, in Paris, France, where she studied couture embroidery. With internships at Alexander McQueen and Nicole Farhi, Dalamal's Indian aesthetics gained a deeper understanding of Western cuts and sensibilities. Her collections encompass myriad silhouettes, from baby-doll dresses to tapered shirts, and outfits enhanced by subtle embroidery and beadwork to add that hint of glitz and glamour. Having relocated to Mumbai two years ago, Dalamal is creating a niche on the subcontinent while wooing international markets from Britain to Hong Kong.

Why we love it: because she proves that a quintessentially Indian brand can create a Western-inspired outfit without making it look costumey. With the right stroke and imprint of arabesque touches and handcrafted embroidery, her glamorous ensembles are a fabulous mix of the exotic and the quixotic. Her latest collection is inspired by the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, with a palette that runs he gamut from rosy pinks to black. Dalamal skills are put to good use on fabrics such as tulle, georgette, shimmery chiffon and broderie anglaise.

What we'd pick: for its silhouette and appliqués, the black chain-mail cocktail dress (far left; HK$3,000) and the black tulle kaftan with cord-work embroidery (left; HK$3,500).

Where can you get it? Cherie D is available at Fine n' Rhine, 2/F, V-Plus Building, 68 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 3118 7338.

Caption: Pictures by Sabrina Sikora
Byline: P. Ramakrishnan
March 4, 2012

3.1 Phillip Lim

Lim and her More than 400 points of sale in 55 countries later, a standalone 3.1 Phillip Lim boutique has opened its doors in Hong Kong at long last. The fashion label's 800 sq ft store in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, has all the latest goodies from the much-loved New York designer.

Architects (and brothers) Dominic and Chris Leong of Leong Leong Architecture, a New York-based design studio, have designed a curved interior that deceptively elongates the small store. Here stands the sixth dedicated 3.1 Phillip Lim store worldwide, following those in New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Seoul and Singapore.

"Hong Kong is one of the fastest growing markets in the world," Lim says. "So it made sense for us to open our international store here. I'm excited to be able to connect with our customers here on a more personal level."

Multifunctional bags, womenswear and accessories (no menswear yet) line the racks and shelves. Between the walls of marble with champagne gold accents lie reversible, light and airy dual-toned tops (HK$3,990), purses, clutches, leather bags (HK$2,990 to HK$8,590) and dresses, such as the flashbulb print dress (HK$6,190). Don't be fooled by the apparently simple ensembles, as the magic of Lim's designs largely lies in the silhouette and movement of the clothes. Inspired by the aerodynamics of a kite, there's a light and breezy feel to the latest spring-summer collection.

3.1 Phillip Lim is in Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2113 0311.

March 4, 2012
Post magazine,
South China Morning Post
Byline: P. Ramakrishnan

Pleasure & Pain: Exclusive interview with shoe designer Sam Edelman

Shoe designer Sam Edelman knows what women want, and how much they're willing to suffer for it, writes P.Ramakrishnan.

Sam Edelman wears loafers - a far cry from the forbidding footwear he creates for women. "I personally wear classic shoes from brands like J.M. Weston and a few European designers. They're great, they're comfortable, they're timeless," he says. "But working with, and working for women is much more fun."

The American shoe designer was in Hong Kong recently to launch his Spring-Summer 2012 collection at Lane Crawford, where two exclusive styles - "Lizette" (below) and "Addy" - are about drawing the fine line between fetish and fashion.

"It's always been that way when you look at the history of fashion for women," says Edelman. "From corsets to foot binding, clogs to perilously high heels, women can put up with a lot of pain for the price of beauty. I think that's one of the surprising things I've seen over my 30 years in the business.

"To be beautiful, to have beautiful things, the perception of beauty, there will always be a great demand for it. It's recession proof."

It may be oft said, but the designer has seen for himself the cyclical nature of fashion. In the early '80s the Edelman flat ballet shoe was the iconic must-have, which helped launch the brand by capturing the zeitgeist of the moment. The stilettos, platforms, boots and wedges have come and gone, and the flat, in its latest, gilded avatar (in silver, gold, metallic shades with sparkling embellishments) is back again.

"It may be back, but of course it's different," says Edelman. "You can't pull out the old '70s shoe from the back of your closet and try to work it. Technology and quality has improved by leaps and bounds. Even in a classic shoe, there's innovation there."

As Edelman expands into the Asian market, he says it's clear to him that women, from any part of the globe, want the same things. "Whether it's a lady from New York or New Delhi, China or Chicago, they want to be in trend, they want to be noticed. So even if it's a cowboy-range style - which I think will be in for this coming year - it'll be the same. I don't change my designs or ship out any item to a market based on the people in that market. They're the same," he says. "A fashionable woman in New York to a fashionable woman in Shanghai, they get the same quality product. It goes without saying, but the fashion world's got smaller. Women are educated about what's in, so you can't fool them."

March 2, 2012
Style magazine