Malaysia_Tatler__February 2018

. R A O R A Y 

February 2018 

ROEN CIAN NAGAPAN 

AND CAREY NG 

 

 

FEBRUARY 2018 

RM15 

www.malaysiatatler.com 

PP6732/06/2013(032251)

AROUND ASIA 

PARTY 

HEARTY 

From realised 

dreams to love 

and anniversaries, 

our regional 

editions find plenty 

to celebrate 

SHANGLIU TATLER 

BIRTHDAY 

CANDLES 

This month’s issue takes 

readers inside the Shangliu 

Tatler Ball for a glimpse of the 

glamour, revelry and joie de 

vivre enjoyed by the guests, who 

included piano virtuoso Lang 

Lang. Elsewhere, entrepreneurs 

and celebrities gather with 

families in front of the lens for 

a very candid photo shoot. 

HONG KONG TATLER 

DREAM 

COME TRUE 

Cover star Peter Woo, the 

seasoned entrepreneur 

behind property developer 

Wharf Holdings, discusses 

the reopening of the Murray 

Building as the city’s latest and 

most exciting hotel, a project 

that saw a long-term dream 

become reality. Elsewhere, a 

travel feature reveals Lisbon’s 

numerous attractions. 

PHILIPPINE TATLER 

HAVE A BALL 

The splendid spectacle that was the 

Philippine Tatler Ball takes centre stage, 

with exclusive insights into the glamorous 

evening. Gracing the cover are five recipients 

of awards at the ball—most stylish lady 

Elvira Echauz-Angara, philanthropist David Bradley, 

Senator Loren Legarda, designer Cary Santiago and queen 

of luxury retail Zenaida Tantoco. 

TAIWAN TATLER 

GONG XI FA CAI 

Ben Lin, his wife, Emily Wang, and their children are this month’s 

cover stars. Familiar Tatler faces, the couple share the secrets 

of marital success after 25 years together. Elsewhere, celebrities 

share their wishes ahead of the Lunar New Year. 

THAILAND TATLER 

JUST A NUMBER 

On the cover of this 

Valentine’s Day-themed 

issue are newlyweds Pimdao 

Sukhahuta and Pierre- 

Alexandre Darbois. Pimdao, 

one of the three sisters 

behind the fashion brand 

Sretsis, reveals what brought 

them together and their plans 

for the future. Elsewhere, the 

magazine tells the love stories 

of fi ve couples whose age 

gaps are 10 years or more, 

proving age is no barrier to a 

happy and healthy marriage. 

SINGAPORE TATLER 

PASSION PROJECT 

Sports enthusiast and 

entrepreneur Chatri 

Sityodtong is this month’s 

cover star. With longtime 

friend and investor Saurabh 

Mittal of Mission Holdings, he 

talks about the challenges— 

and rewards—of launching 

mixed martial arts platform 

One Championship in 2011 

and turning it into one of 

Asia’s most successful 

sporting firms. 

6 malaysia tatler . february 2018

CLASSIQUE DAME 9088 

HISTORY IS STILL BEING WRITTEN... 

MARIE-ANTOINETTE (1755-1793) 

FAITHFUL BREGUET CLIENT – WWW.BREGUET.COM

MALAYSIA TATLER 

FEBRUARY 

L I F E . E X T R A O R D I N A R Y 

110 

FEATURES 

110 Keep Calm and Carry On 

Power couple Roen Cian Nagapan and Carey Ng 

retrace their journey back to when they first met 

and how their relationship has evolved since 

118 Every Dog Has Its Day 

In light of the year of the dog, owners of 

furkids share their heartwarming experiences 

130 Taking the Trans-Siberian Home 

Khairun Nisa Mohamed Zabidi shares the second 

part of her exciting adventure—this time in Russia 

which is teeming with history 

136 Asia’s Most Eligible 

Some of the single ladies and men in Asia that 

contribute to the fashion, business and travel 

scene, who you would want to get with 

144 Society Girls 

Twenty-one young women from elite families make 

their big debut at Le Bal de Débutantes 

RUSSIAN 

BEAUTY 

130 

144 

malaysia tatler . february 2018 . vol 296 . no 342 9

CONTENTS 

SOUND 

OF MUSIC 

A beautiful and unforgettable 

performance by a rising star 

42 

28 

56 

CONCIERGE 

28 Inbox 

We take a look at a charity initiative 

and some stories from the grapevine 

30 Small Talk 

Get up close with Paul Augustin to 

learn more about his previous and 

upcoming musical journey 

32 Tatlergram 

A throwback to the Year of the Rooster 

as we prep for the Year of the Dog 

36 What’sOn 

The sensational events and concerts that 

will keep you on your toes this month 

FACES 

42 The Invitation 

Jim Tan and Eyna Chen tie the knot 

in a fairytale celebration to mark 

living happily ever after 

48 Soiree 

Exciting celebrations including a 

birthday bash and the launch of a 

stunning bridal collection 

56 Leading Ladies 

Three women remind us that a pop of 

colour makes you stand out in the crowd 

60 Close-up 

Aliya and Farouk Khan, plus Altimet share 

their stories revolving around the arts 

68 Onlooker 

The glitz and glamour from fun-filled 

events around town 


CONTENTS 

STYLE 

88 Style Profile 

Entrepreneur Adoravelle Tay shares her 

love for colour as she talks to us about the 

evolution of her brand, Medea Treasures 

92 Posey Power 

Stay in full bloom as this season showcases 

flower power with elements of simplicity 

and elegance in these striking silhouettes 

102 Universal Romance 

Three timepieces that will have the 

universe on your wrist, with unique 

dials and mechanisms 

88 

156 

LIFE 

156 Doyen ofFine Diningi 

One of Asia’s top chefs shares with us 

the elements that have helped him grow 

160 Liquor Rich 

The bottles that will steal the show at any 

dinner party and makes for a great offering 

166 Not Horsing Around 

The excitement when watching a race 

comes from the jockey riding it, and these 

showjumpers thrive to make their mark 

170 Age of Rediscovery 

Photographs and memories from a 

trip to Lisbon will leave you in awe 

of Portuguese beauty 

DEPARTMENTS 

170 

Around Asia 6 

MalaysiaTatler.com 14 

Editor’s Note 20 

Contributors 22 

Generation T 176 

malaysia tatler . february 2018

L’ HEURE DU DIAMANT

MALAYSIA TATLER.COM 

HIGHLIGHTS 

F E B R U A R Y O N L I N E E X C L U S I V E S 

FAB IN FEB 

From top: 

Nadia Nasimuddin; 

the Chinese tradition 

of serving tea 

FEATURES 

A-dress-ing Bloopers 

Fashion blunders are utterly embarrassing 

but affect even discerning mavens. We 

speak to some prominent fashionistas on 

their unforgettable Chinese New Year 

fashion faux pas and find out how they 

handled it with grace and wit. 

Interracial Romances 

Multicultural relationships are the heart 

of Malaysian diversity, and a source of 

fascination. From crash courses in cultural 

studies to speaking each other’s mother 

tongue, high society’s mixed couples share 

the colours of their romance. 

VIDEO 

Starring Role 

Our Woman on the Rise recipient is truly 

an icon, as a career woman and mother 

of two with a unique fashion sense. Get 

up close with Nadia in a smouldering 

behind-the-scenes video shoot in Malacca. 

DINING 

Forging a Feast 

We take a look at some of the creative 

reasonings that Chinese restaurants 

employ to create their lavish festive 

menus this lunar new year. 


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Vice President Sebastien Lamunière 


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Kathlyn D’Souza, Samantha Lim, Rachel Ng 

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Managing Editor–Regional Content 

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FEBRUARY 2018 RM15 

www malaysiatatler om 

PP6732/06/2013(032251) 

EDITOR’S NOTE 

L I F E . E X T R A O R D I N A Y 



AND CAREY NG ON 

HOW BABY SHAELYN REY 

CHANGED THEIR LIVES 



United in Love 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

aaron lee 

STYLIST 

sarah saw 

HAIR & MAKEUP 

bibian leong and khir khalid 

ON THE COVER 

on roen: shirt, dior homme; 

inner shirt and blazer, cos; pants, 

prada. on carey: dress, prada; 

jewellery, lazare necklace, 

earrings and ring by degem 

This month we are celebrating both 

Valentine’s and Chinese New Year— 

which therefore calls for a double 

celebration! And the common 

thread for these festivities, besides 

the colour red, is the upholding of love and family. 

Even your best buddies can give you this familial 

feeling. I’ve always loved this line by Vin Diesel: 

“I’ve got no friends, I’ve got family.” Family or 

not, this circle of trust is a gift to be cherished and 

treasured, not to be taken for granted. 

Early last year, Roen Cian Nagapan and 

Carey Ng tied the knot in an elegant ceremony. 

Now they’re proud parents to a beautiful baby 

girl, Shaelyn Rey and they couldn’t be happier. 

Despite being in the public eye, our February 

cover stars are pretty low-key and actually enjoy 

living a quiet life. Family means a lot to them 

and they keep their circles tight and close. Now 

that they have a daughter, everything they do 

revolves around her, saying that her presence 

gives them an ultimate purpose in life. Turn to 

page 110 to get an in-depth view of their private 

world, and their next steps moving forward. 

Let’s also not forget that pets too bring 

warmth and colour to your life, as Cesarine Lim, 

Joel Neoh, Daryl Foong, Angelyn Chong, and 

Kristine Goh can surely attest to. In honour of 

the Year of the Dog, we ask them what their 

beloved furkids mean to them. Check out their 

super cute photos from page 118 onwards. I 

guarantee you’ll go ‘aaawww’ and laugh at the 

dogs’ comical expressions. Tres adorbs, I tell you! 

On to romance of astronomical proportions, 

we highlight three beautifully crafted timepieces 

that will give you the stars, the moon, and the 

Milky Way… all condensed into a miniature 

wrist-sized version, for one to admire no matter 

the condition of the weather. Take a gander at 

it on page 102. Perhaps it is time to update your 

collection of wondrous things? 

Before I sign off, we at Tatler would like to 

wish our beloved readers Gong Xi Fa Cai! And 

please don’t forget to flip to page 160 to take a 

look at our selections of whisky to toast in the 

lunar new year. Selling at five figures a bottle, 

you’ll no doubt be toasted as the host(ess) with 

the mostess. So let’s bring on the ong, shall we? 

—Elizabeth Soong 

Managing Editor 

FURRY LOVE 

Kristine Goh 

and her furkids 

are featured 

in our story 

Every Dog 

Has Its Day, 

along with other 

dog lovers 


CONTRIBUTORS 

 

BIBIAN LEONG 

This hair stylist puts her deft 

touches in glamming up 

Roen Cian and Carey Ng 

for this issue 

Who would you most like 

to be stuck in a lift with? 

Defi nitely Kevin Hart. I’ll need 

his humour to calm me down. 

The one nostalgic memory 

that you will never forget is? 

My childhood; it truly was 

some of the most carefree 

times in my life. 

What’s your biggest fear? 

Losing my parents—they mean 

the world to me. 

What are the top three 

things on your bucket list? 

To get married, go backpacking, 

travel and see 

the world. 

AARON LEE 

Lenswork Studio’s talented 

photographer perfectly 

captures the relationship 

of the power couple in 

our cover feature 

What is the greatest gift 

you’ve received of all time? 

A gift from God, which is the 

birth of my son, Anson Lee. 

Who would you most like 

to be stuck in a lift with? 

My darling wife, but of course 

we’d behave. 

What is your least favourite 

memory from travelling? 

My trip to Paris, because my 

wallet got stolen. 

The one thing about your 

lifestyle that you would like 

to change is... 

To get more sleep—I always 

sleep late, then regret it 

during the day. 

SARAH SAW 

A stylist who fl aunts her 

skills by deftly putting 

together the looks for 

our cover stars 

What’s a perfect day 

for you? 

When I can chill out with 

family or friends. 

My day is completed with... 

A nice meal and catch-up. 

The three things you 

can’t live without? 

My purse, phone and lipstick. 

Which items do you always 

have stashed in your fridge? 

Lots of beer, wine and 

according to my boyfriend, 

I’m hoarding too many 

types of cheeses. Haha!


CONCIERGE 

This month’s must-do list 

PAGE 

36 

JAPANESY 

Go somewhere different for your 

reunion this year. It’s good knowing 

that Isetan The Japan Store offers 

customisable party plans in any 

of their six restaurants that 

would be perfect for 

your CNY gathering 

28 

INBOX 

We highlight Shangri-La 

Kuala Lumpur’s charity efforts, 

and share some new gossip 

30 

SMALL TALK 

A retrospective show on 

Malaysian music and old vinyls 

will be taking place this month 

32 

TATLERGRAM 

As we welcome the Lunar 

New Year, we look back at 

the past year’s celebrations 

38 

FEAST 

We take a look at the meaning 

behind some of our favourite 

Chinese New Year food

CONCIERGE | INBOX 

RUMOUR 

MILL 

GLOWING HEARTS 

Shangri-La Hotel KL’s annual charity project raises 

funds to help disadvantaged children 

Dubbed ‘Embrace the Gift 

of Life,’ Shangri-La Kuala 

Lumpur’s annual charity 

project succeeded in raising 

four million ringgit in 

December to aid children with heart ailments 

and other afflictions. Donors who pledged a 

minimum of RM1,000 received one of 190 

ornaments, which were labelled with their 

names, and used to adorn the towering tree 

EAT, DRINK AND BE MARRIED 

Golden couple SM FALIQ SM NASIMUDDIN 

and CHRYSEIS TAN tie the knot this month 

The two scions of Malaysia’s business dynasties— 

the Naza and Berjaya groups—are each other’s match in 

every single way possible. Faliq and Chryseis have known 

each other since their school days and of cially began 

dating in 2014. Faliq, having successfully executed a 

proposal on June 30th last year (with oral arrangements, 

candles and ‘Will you marry me?’ set on the background 

wall), marries his betrothed on February 2nd, 2018. 

THE PERFECT GIFT The offi cial 

tree lighting ceremony was a real 

treat for the visiting group of children 

in the hotel’s lobby. Lovingly crafted out of 

chocolate and marzipan by the hotel’s pastry 

team, each bauble represented a life given to 

a child. Replete with food, festive carols, gifts 

from Santa and more, the official tree lighting 

ceremony was a real treat for the visiting group 

of underprivileged and refugee children from 

Tasputra Perkim, Pusat Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak 

Cacat Taman Megah and the United Nations 

High Commissioner for Refugees. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRYSEIS TAN @CHRYSTAN_X 

YES, NO, 

I DON’T KNOW 

It’s tough to keep up 

with relationships, or 

‘situationships’. A couple 

in society are constantly 

on and off, so people tend 

to ask. However, when 

you ask the guy, he says 

‘no’, but when you ask 

the girl, she says ‘yes’. 

How now brown cow? 

DOG-GONE DIVORCE 

When you’re divorced, 

it’s only natural to split 

things—money, property, 

even kids. But a couple 

that recently split up are 

ghting for the custody 

of their dog. Think of the 

emotional trauma that 

their pet must be going 

through! 

MEANT FOR 

MARRIAGE 

A socialite is ‘training’ 

her daughter to get a 

good match, insisting 

that she tail her at events, 

even though she’s a 

busy and successful 

entrepreneur. We guess 

status still matters in the 

end, even though women 

are becoming more 

independent. 


CONCIERGE | SMALL TALK 

PICKING UP 

THE PIECES 

Paul Augustin, the founder/festival 

director of Penang Island Jazz Festival 

chats to Kathlyn D’Souza about his 

upcoming show at Ilham Gallery and 

crate-digging adventures to find old vinyls 

What led to the organisation 

of Jumpa Dalam Reban: On 

The Malaysian Vinyl Trail? 

I received a phone call from 

Daryl Goh (journalist, deejay 

and music enthusiast) who was 

approached by Ilham to put 

together a vinyl listening session 

for old Malaysian music, and 

he asked me if we could do it 

together, because he knew 

that we had some interesting 

vinyls and recordings in our 

Penang House of Music 

Collection, and I agreed. 

How did it all start? 

It all began as a passion when 

we started putting together 

personality profi les of Penang 

musicians for the Penang Island 

Jazz Festival’s Jazz Gallery 

sometime in 2007; it came to 

the attention of the Penang 

State Museum which led to a 

collaboration between them with 

James Lochhead and I, to set 

up the fi rst exhibition entitled 

‘Penang’s Popular Music of 

the 1940s and 1950s’ in 2010. 

At the same time, James and 

I started with what we called 

the Penang Musical Heritage 

Project—it was more of just 

collating as much material as 

possible for the initial exhibition 

and then we were asked to 

do another decade: ‘Penang’s 

Popular Music in the 1940s, 

1950s and 1960s’ in 2013. 

What happened next? 

After the exhibitions, we were 

approached to put what we 

had into a book, which saw us 

doing more research and fi nally, 

Just For the Love Of It was 

published in 2015. By the time 

the book came out, we had 

collected thousands 

of photographs, 

press articles 

and hundreds of 

recordings from 

our research. We 

intended to set up a 

Resource Centre in a 

public area, to share 

what we discovered— 

an intangible history of 

Malaysian music with 

a specifi c initial focus 

on Penang—and were 

shown a possible space 

and was asked to put a 

proposal together not only 

for the Resource Centre but 

also a Gallery. The Penang 

state government, through PBA 

Holdings Berhad, then allocated 

a budget for the Penang House 

of Music—this was when 

the crate digging went full 

swing and took us to several 

interesting places. 

What about those 

interesting places? 

I have seen documentaries 

on ‘hoarders’ and was quite 

surprised that they also exist 

among Malaysians. There was a 

house which I went into where 

things were stacked up to the 

ceiling and was told that there 

were two organs and a piano 

in one of the rooms which I 

couldn’t see unless I looked 

really, really hard! There was 

another place where a person 

had about 3,000 to 4,000 vinyls 

(78s, 45s, 33s). The owner was 

not interested in selling 

only a few pieces, it 

was all or nothing as 

he wanted to get rid 

of all of it; I found some 

gems within that pile! 

What do you hope 

for people to take away 

from the show? 

Since we started researching 

on ‘Penang’s Musical Heritage 

Project’ and with the setting up 

of the Penang House of Music, 

we realised how colourful and 

diversifi ed Malaysian music 

is, and the importance of 

documenting all of this for 

posterity. The longer we wait, 

the harder it will be to fi nd. 

We are hoping to share some 

knowledge on the music and 

musicians in Malaysia at that 

time and we also hope to show 

that Malaysian music had a 

sound of its own. 

BLAST FROM 

THE PAST 

Jumpa Dalam 

Reban: On The 

Malaysian Vinyl 

Trail will take place 

on February 10, 

at Ilham Gallery 


CONCIERGE | TATLERGRAM 

OVER THE MOON 

As we welcome the Year of the Dog this 

Lunar New Year, we look back at how our 

friends celebrated the Year of the Rooster 

@kelvintanap 

Datuk Kelvin Tan 

My strength, my Mommy. 

As always, came all the way 

to show her support at the 

auspicious occasion of TSH 

Resources Berhad CNY. 

#Love 

#Unity 

@yvetteyvents 

Datin Yvette Kang 

May you be in the 

pink of health this 

2017 and may the 

Year of the Rooster 

bring all of you 

abundant prosperity 

and happiness. 


@yongmeifong 

Yong Mei Fong 

Happy Chinese New 

Year from the Yongs! 

#cny 

#angpao 

#cny2017 

#family 

@leenersyap 

Yap Po Leen 

#alldressedup for open house #cny #chinesenewyear 

#ootd #ootn #potd #outfit #fashion #instafashion 

#instapict #stylefile #style #lookbook 

@hubertwhoi 

Hubert Hoi 

Never gets old ... 

#cheongsam #red 

#LoveYeeSang 

@celestthoi 

Celest Thoi 

Happy Year of the Rooster! 

#kids 

#gongxifacai 

#blessed #familyphoto 

#familyreunion 

@sally_quah 

Sally Quah 

Happy Chinese New 

Year teachers! 

malaysia tatler . february 2018 33

CONCIERGE | HOT TICKET 

FROM SCREEN 

TO STAGE 

Ola Bola The Musical is undoubtedly one 

of the biggest and most-anticipated shows 

in the country, and as it premieres this 

month, we get up close with its cast 

LIM JIAN WEN (AS AH CHAI) 

Why should we watch the show? 

“Belum tengok, belum tahu. Sekali 

tengok, hari-hari mahu.” (You have 

to see it to know, and once you do, 

you’d want to see it frequently). 

STEPHEN RAHMAN- 

HUGHES (AS HARRY) 

Talk about your roles. 

“I’m the choreography 

supervisor and 

movement director, plus 

I play the coach, who 

speaks English—which 

should be easy, I hope.” 

LUQMAN HAFIDZ (AS ALI) 

What was the highlight of being 

part of this sensational musical? 

“Nothing beats doing a live 

performance for a musical production 

of a much-loved local fi lm.” 

Ola Bola The Musical: February 8 to 

March 11, Istana Budaya. Purchase 

your tickets at galactix.asia 

IEDIL PUTRA (AS RAHMAN) 

What did you enjoy the most 

about working on this production? 

“Being surrounded by a dedicated, 

hardworking team who shares your 

vision to showcase a wonderful story!” 


CONCIERGE | WHAT’S ON 

feb 

February is a month of love and 

prosperity, offering a slew of events 

for you to take a date to 

1 

ALEGORI 

Contemporary art 

expressions from Malay 

manuscripts is on its last 

few days until February 

4, as Galeri Petronas 

invites us to explore 

cultural aesthetics from 

visual experiences. 

galeripetronas.com.my 

3 

PAU MAN 

CONCERT 

GALA 2018 

The muchanticipated 

Pau 

Man 2018 will 

present Malaysia’s 

first K-pop 

concept dance 

with electronic 

dance music, 

fashion shows 

and collaborations 

with Malaysian 

celebrities. 

ticketcharge. 

com.my 

9 

KHACHATURIAN 

SPECTACULAR 

Choreographed by 

Armen Grigoryan, 

part two of MPO’s 

Ballet Festival 

features conductor 

Karen Durgaryan 

and the Ballet of 

Armenia performing 

Aram Khachaturian’s 

ballets. mpo.com.my 

13INCUBUS 

LIVE KL 

Alternative 

rock fans 

rejoice! Incubus is set 

to perform a onenight-only 

concert 

at KL Live, as they 

make their second 

stop in their Asia Tour. 

ticketcharge.com.my 

15 

TSAI CHIN 

CHINESE NEW 

YEAR EVE 

Pop and folk singer 

Tsai Chin is best 

known for her 

Mandarin and Hokkien 

hits, and has won 

many hearts in the 

late 70s till the mid- 

90s and still remains 

popular. Fans can 

join her at Genting’s 

Arena Of Stars to 

welcome the new 

year. ticketcharge. 

com.my 

16 

CALL OF JAPAN 

Isetan The Japan 

Store brings you its 

Restaurant Guide & 

Festive Food Gifts 

Catalogue—featuring 

Japan’s fruits, drinks, 

confectionary as 

well as party plans 

to make your CNY 

celebrations all the 

more merrier. Call 

03-2382 7777 

25 

GRANDEUR 

AND TRIUMPH 

Stanislav 

Kochanovsky 

demonstrates 

his versatility 

in two great 

German 

masterpieces: 

Wagner’s Die 

Meistersinger 

von Nürnberg 

and Mahler’s 

Seventh 

Symphony. 

mpo.com.my 

ST MORITZ 

FEBRUARY 4–18 

The White Turf races draw 

35,000 spectators to a frozen 

lake in the Engadin valley for 

a fortnight of gourmet treats, 

entertainment and nail-biting 

horse racing on ice. whiteturf.ch 

VIENNA 

FEBRUARY 8 

Join celebrities from the worlds 

of culture, business, politics, 

academia and sport along with 

150 debutantes waltzing the 

night away at the Vienna Opera 

Ball. wiener-staatsoper.at 

RIO DE JANEIRO 


The annual spectacle of street 

parties and samba parades will 

see more than a million revellers 

bring some real heat to the 

streets for the legendary Rio 

Carnival. riocarnaval.org 

PYEONGCHANG 


The snow-clad South Korean 

county sets the stage for the 

2018 Winter Olympics, with 

some 3,000 athletes from 90 

nations competing across 17 

disciplines. olympic.org 


CONCIERGE | FEAST 

TRIBUTE TO TRADITION 

Superstitious or just super-delicious? Put down your chopsticks and 

discover the meanings behind your favourite Chinese New Year treats 

1 

TOSS IT! 

YEE SANG 

Guests stand up and toss the yee sang as high as they 

can to result in a welcome mess which signifies one’s 

fortunes rising and expanding in the forthcoming 

year, as each component carries symbolic meanings. 

For example, leek in Chinese sounds like the word 

for ‘ideas’, cucumber has a similar pronunciation 

to ‘returns’, carrots with its vibrant orange hue 

resembles a pile of treasure and peanuts symbolise 

being blessed with many descendants. 

2 

GOOD AS GOLD 

MANDARIN ORANGES 

Not only does this juicy citrus have the auspicious orangegold 

colour, its name in Chinese is also ‘kam’ or ‘gat’ which 

sounds similar to the word for gold and luck respectively. 

Mandarin oranges with the stem and leaf attached also 

symbolise long life and fertility. Couple that with its 

roundness (symbolising fullness and wealth) and you have 

the perfect good fortune fruit. Don’t forget to exchange 

them in even numbers though! 

3 

SOMETHING FISHY 

STEAMED WHOLE FISH 

Pronounced ‘yu’ in Chinese, a whole fish is usually served in 

the middle of a course meal for the fact that it is a homophone 

for the word which means ‘surplus’, ‘abundance’ or ‘having 

leftovers of money’. There is also a saying that goes ‘nian nian 

you yu’ meaning ‘may the year bring prosperity’. The fish is 

usually served whole to signify unity with the head pointing 

towards the most distinguished guest as a mark of respect. 


4 

DELICIOUS SEDUC(K)TION 

PEKING DUCK AND DUMPLINGS 

Crispy skin and tender meat make this dish a Chinese New 

Year favourite. Easily distinguished from the everyday roast 

duck, the Peking duck has a beautiful reddish (auspicious) 

glaze to its skin and has been on menus since the Ming 

Dynasty. Duck symbolises fidelity too, while dumplings are 

shaped to represent ingots—another wish for prosperity 

for the coming year. 

5 

KOOKY OVER COOKIES 

CNY COOKIES 

In Chinese, the word for prawn sounds like laughter and 

prawn rolls symbolise wealth due to their colour and 

shape which look like gold bars. Kuih bangkit are made 

in a plethora of animal or floral shapes such as goldfish 

for prosperity, pineapple for luck and so on. Arrowhead 

chips a.k.a nga ku symbolise a good life. Pineapple tarts are 

considered lucky because in Chinese, ‘pineapple’ sounds like 

‘fortune comes’ hence the pineapple tart represents fortune 

arriving. Peanut cookies represent the wish for longevity and 

having plenty of descendants. 

ILLUSTRATION: SZETOO WEIWEN 

6 

STICKY SITUATION 

NIAN GAO 

Also known as ‘year cake’, the sweet sticky brown puddinglike 

cake made from glutinous rice tastes good whether 

steamed or fried. Myth has it that it was given as an offering 

to the Kitchen God; the nian gao would make his mouth 

sticky and sweet so he wouldn’t report anything negative 

about the household that offered it to him. It’s also eaten 

because ‘nian’ and ‘gao’ also mean ‘year’ and ‘higher’ 

respectively, indicating a year increasing in prosperity and 

fortune. The sweetness symbolises a rich, sweet life. 

39


FACES 

The people, the parties and the events 

PAGE 

42 

EVER EVER 

AFTER 

Enya Chen and Jim Tan performing 

their first dance in an unforgettable 

Disney-themed wedding 

48 

SOIREE 

A birthday bash, and an 

exciting bridal fashion show 

56 

LEADING LADIES 

Three ladies dress to impress 

and look hot in a cool shade 

60 

CLOSE-UP 

Get up close with Aliya and 

Farouk Khan, plus Altimet 

68 

ONLOOKER 

The glitz and glamour from 

fun-fi lled events around town


THE INVITATION | FACES 

Ever Ever After 

A dream is a wish your heart makes, as Cinderella 

famously sang. For Jim Tan and Enya Chen, their fairy tale 

wedding was a dream—and a wish—that came true 

Once upon a time, an 

engineer by the name of 

Jim Tan met the gorgeous 

chartered accountant, Enya 

Chen, in the Land Down 

Under. Alas, they had to 

endure the challenges of the 

(evil) LDR, otherwise known as Long Distance 

Relationship—as Jim had to travel to the Land 

of the Rising Sun, while Enya traversed to the 

distant lands of Europe, both for work. Each 

however kept the faith that one day, they 

would be man and wife. At last their stars 

aligned, and both moved back to Malaysia to 

start a new chapter. 

Jim and Enya laboured to transform their 

dream of a fairy tale wedding into a reality. 

The festivities started with a gate-crashing 

ceremony, where Jim sought to ‘win’ his bride 

by overcoming (more) obstacles set by the 

bridesmaids with help from his groomsmen. 

This was followed by the tea ceremony, 

where the couple performed their filial duties 

by serving their elders tea, while dressed in 

traditional outfits. 

The finale took place at the grand ballroom 

of the Mandarin Oriental KL—as the couple 

fulfilled their fairy tale fantasy with a lavishly 

adorned pumpkin-shaped carriage and a 

Disney-themed castle backdrop for photos. 

Among the spectators who witnessed 

and cheered on the couple’s joyous union 

included prominent individuals such as 

Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Ahmad 

Zahid Hamidi, Governor of Bank Negara 

Tan Sri Muhammad Ibrahim and Laksamana 

Madya Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor from 

Boustead Holdings Berhad. 

WEDDING OF 

JIM TAN AND 

ENYA CHEN 

WHEN 

December 2, 2017 

WHERE 

The Mandarin Oriental, 

Kuala Lumpur 

Parents of the groom, 

Tan Sri Tan Kean Soon 

and Puan Sri Shirley Law 

DID YOU KNOW 

Both of the groom’s attires were 

designed by Dato’ Sri Bernard 

Chandran, including a faithful 

recreation of a Cinderella’s 

Prince Charming suit. Puan 

Sri Shirley was also wearing 

a Bernard Chandran gown. 

43

FACES | THE INVITATION 

SOME ENCHANTED 

EVENING 

Once the ballroom doors opened and 

everyone took their seats, a video about 

the couple’s relationship was aired— 

after which the couple, their parents 

and their bridal entourage made their 

entrance. After dinner was served, a 

series of speeches were made by 

Jim’s parents, followed by his 

younger brothers Tan Kay Vin 

and Tan Kay Shen. A highlight 

of the night was the couple’s 

first dance as a couple, where 

they danced to music from 

the Disney classic Cinderella, 

as well as a surprise 

performance by Jay Jay. 

Datuk Seri Nik Norzrul 

Thani Nik Hassan 

Wai Sing Yam 

and May Ling Low 

Dato’ Mohd Noor, Dato’ Chin Yew Sin 

and Tan Sri Muhammad Ibrahim 

Tan Ah Hock and Ng Ah Nya 

Parents of the bride, Dr Liming 

Lin and Dr Guang Chen 


Kor Ee Lyn and Tan Kay Shen 

Datin Seri 

Hamidah Khamis 

Tan Sri Tang Yeam Soon 

and Puan Sri Lilian Tang 

Puan Sri Che 

Puteh and Tan 

Sri Azumi Mohd 

Richard Fostier and 

Puteri Sarah Muna 

THE 

INSIDER 

Family and friends 

from all four corners 

of the globe flew in 

for the special occasion 

Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi 

Junyi Ong, Tiffany Lee, Tan Kay Vin, 

Melanee Low and Marcia Low 

Tunku Dato’ Seri 

Utama Naquiyuddin 

and Tunku Nurul Hayati 

Puan Sri Wendy 

Lim and Tan Sri 

Lim Huah Leong

FACES | THE INVITATION 

Dato’ Roshdi Noordin, Datin Sabariah Kassim, 

Dato’ Wira Tajri Alwi and Datin Wira Rosnani Ghani 

John and Karen Clare 

One of the highlights 

of the evening was 

when Jim led Enya for 

their first dance, to the 

tune from the Disney 

classic, Cinderella 

Dato’ 

Tracy Ong 

Dato’ Sri 

Mustapa 

Mohamed 

46 

Ericsson Law, Dato’ Dr Eric Law 

and Romeo Baguio

Datin Virginia Leung, Yi Lu 

and Zhang Chun Hui 

Datuk Ben Tay 

Teoh Chee Leong 

and Claire Phang 

David Tay and 

Laura Roseto 

Tan Sri Asmat 

Kamaludin 

Tan Kean Seng 

Datuk P Kamalanathan and 

Datin Shobana Subramaniam 

Hafi eq 

Ahmad Zabidi 

THE 

INSIDER 

Jim’s vivacious 

younger brothers 

Kay Vin and 

Kay Shen paid a 

touching tribute 

to the couple’s 

romance, to Puan 

Sri Shirley’s pride 

47

FACES | SOIREE 

Florence Fang and 

Dato’ Zaha Rina Zahari 

Datin Chai Schnyder 

Tunku Datuk Mudzaffar 

and Tunku Dara Naquiah 

Winning Pack 

DATO’ SUFIAN MAJID’S 

‘RAT PACK’ BIRTHDAY BASH 

The party host extraordinaire celebrated 

his birthday in a glitzy, Vegas-themed style, 

welcoming well-heeled guests with his wife 

Datin Alissa Fitri at Shangri-La Hotel KL. 

Their dearest friends and family enjoyed a 

sensorial sit-down dinner and partook in 

entertainment showcasing the family’s flair 

for singing and public speaking. Aissa gave 

guests a preview of her EP with a vocal 

performance; and proceeds from sales of her 

CD were donated to the SPCA that evening. 

Dato’ Sufi an Majid, Raisa Sufi an, 

Datin Alissa Fitri and Aissa Sufi an 

Dato’ Donnie Simon Ray Radford and 

Datin and Christine Mina Foong Chin 

Sonia Jones, Billy Phillips and Jade Morgan 


Aissa Sufian presented a lively musical performance 

Zulfitri Aziz and Alinna Zulfitri 

Dato’ Ding Pei Chai 

and Datin YM Ding 

Datin Mina Foong 

Datuk Raziah Mahmud-Geneid, 

Dato’ Seri Farah Khan and 

Puan Sri Dato’ Habibah Yusof 

THE 

INSIDER 

Dato’ Sufian performed a 

duet with Dato’ Sheila Majid, 

and proved a worthy match 

Nur Lisa Idris and Normann Shay 

Dato’ Dimitri Pantazaras 

Dato’ Muzaffar Hisham and Datin Lisa Mokhlis 

with their children Aaron, Emma and Hanna 

49


Dato’ Rosemarie Wee and 

Captain Wee Eng Lee 

Sonia Jones impressed 

with her powerful vocals 

Keeping faithfu l to the theme, 

Dato ’ Sufian 

enlisted Dato’ Ding Pei Chai and Donnie 

Ray Radford as his own Rat Pack circle 

Haekal Hashim and Kelsie De Francia 

Enzia Schnyder 

Tan Sri Ariffin Yusuf and 

Puan Sri Abedah Seman 

Datuk Hafez Mohamed, Dato’ 

Sri Sharifah Sofianny Syed 

Hussian and Dato’ Syed Haris 

Dato’ Mohan 

Karthigasu and 

Datin Usha Nair 



Kavita Sidhu and 

Roberto Guiati 

Datin Sri Chris Abishegam 

and Devan Linus Rajadurai 

Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran 

and Datin Sri Mary Lourdes 

THE 

INSIDER 

Rizni Ismail welcomes guests to 

St Regis Kuala Lumpur by 

uncorking a bottle of champagne 

Samuel Wong 

Fairy Tale Fete 

DATO’ SRI BERNARD CHANDRAN 

LAUNCHES BRIDAL COLLECTION 

St Regis Kuala Lumpur transformed its state-of-the-art 

ballroom into a floral wonderland for Dato’ Sri Bernard 

Chandran’s first ever Bridal Collection fashion showcase. 

Under the glittering Austrian crystal chandeliers, 

the collection which Dato’ Sri Bernard described as 

‘fairy tale, vintage, contemporary’ walked the runway 

for the first time—wowing guests with its intricate 

embellished details. Guests were treated to a lavish 

supper by St Regis as well as a generous free flow of 

champagne and other spirits to cap off the grand event. 

Datin Daniella Gandhi and 

Dato’ Dr Ghandhiraj Somasundram 

Hanny Osman 


Irene Khoo and Khoo Yee Song 

Zara Mohd Shaidin, Nik 

Amanda and Nik Amanie 

Bella Kuan and 

Su-Quinn Teh 

Shahriman 

Sri Abdullah 

and Dato’ Nad a 

Marni Shahriman 

Antoine 

Bakhache 

Ennis Lee, Chai Kah Fei, Jessica 

Chai and Chow Chee Song 

Faiz Sabri and 

Rozana Mumtaz 

Winnie 

Chee 

53

FACES 

Benoit Thebaut 

From left: Andrew Rogers, Zita Ong, Simon Kahn 

H 

THE 2017 BMW HOTELIER 

AWARDS 

Studio City in Macau hosted more than 

400 guests for the fourth edition of the 

BMW Hotelier Awards, which recognise 

excellence in the hospitality sector across 

Asia and Greater China. Winners in 2017 

included Ana Gorjão Henriques of Mandapa, 

a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Bali (General 

Manager of the Year for Asia) and Janet 

McNab of the Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel 

and St Regis Macao (General 

Manager of the Year for 

Greater China). A new 

honour was introduced 

in 2017, the Rising Star 

Award, which went to Benita 

Nathania Bunawan, a student 

at the Blue Mountains International Hotel 

Management School at the Suzhou campus 

of Australia’s Torrens University. Her award 

includes an internship at a top five-star hotel 

of her choice around the world. 

Walter Junger, H12 

Philippe Bruneau, 

W Guangzhou 

Michael G Lumbres, 

City of Dreams Manila 

Janet McNab, 

Sheraton Grand 

Macao Hotel 

& The St Regis 

Macao 

Ana Gorjão Henriques, 

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton 

Reserve Bali 

Nguyen Cong 

Chung, Sheraton 

Hanoi Hotel 

Denise 

Matthijsse, 

Fairmont 

Sanur Beach 

Pearl P 

Maclang, 

Marco Polo 

Davao 

Cindy Zhang, 

Grand Kempinski 

Hotel Shanghai 

Hildegard Anzenberger, 

The Langham Shenzen 

Teresa Huang, 

InterContinental 

Sanya Resort 

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FACES | LEADING LADIES 

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FACES | CLOSE-UP 

AT THIS STAGE 

Altimet has decided to quit 

performing music soon, and 

now dips his toes in theatre 

Caught in an Act 

Kathlyn D’Souza chats with Altimet about his starring in and 

writing music for Ola Bola The Musical, as well as producing 

albums before his self-imposed retirement by age 40 

When altimet 

got a call from 

Puan Sri Tiara 

Jacquelina of 

Enfiniti Vision 

Media, the 

producer and 

director of Ola Bola The Musical, he had said 

yes to writing rap segments for the show, and 

also ended up being cast as Drill Sergeant 

Ahmad. This wasn’t an entirely unwelcome 

turn of events, as Altimet remarks: “Initially, 

it was just to write lyrics, but I love a 

challenge and being out of my comfort zone.” 

Then he adds, “I think Puan Sri Tiara was 

thinking about it holistically, because being 

the guy who writes the rap parts, I have to 

coach the actors on how to do it properly 

during rehearsals as well, right?” 

This transition from artiste to actor marks 

Altimet’s first foray into theatre, and some 

of his friends and family had forewarned him 

about how time- and energy-consuming it 

can really get. Of course, this didn’t deter our 

challenge-driven friend. “I like being the guy 

with the least amount of experience, who 

would have to work extra hard,” he admits. 

He had watched the rest of the crew—many 

of them younger than him—perform and 

transform into their roles, which made the 

exchange and synergy utterly enjoyable. 

“They’ll go ‘Oh man, this is Altimet, the 

legend!’ and I’ll say ‘No, bro! In this situation, 

I’m the new guy, I’m trying to learn from 

you!’” recounts Altimet. 

Learning by observation is just one way 

Altimet tried to mould himself into character, 

but he confessed to watching movies that 

have drill sergeants in them, mentioning the 

one in Apocalypse Now as being his favourite. 

It is a bit exaggerated, but the production 

team have got a pretty good idea of what 

the sergeant should be like. “Again, this is 

a musical, so Ahmad can’t really be that 

overstated. In a musical, all the characters— 

no matter how stiff or upright they are— 

have to break into song or dance one time 

or another,” he reasons. 

Altimet’s debut on stage aside, he also 

spoke of his announcement to retire at 

age 40. Does he still stand by this decision? 

“Yes, I do,” he affirms. It’s time for new 

challenges. I’m going to stop being a 

performing musician quite soon.” Would he 

then consider professional acting perhaps, 

seeing as he hits the stage this month? He 

wouldn’t mind that, if that’s where the road 

leads to, but he won’t be as passionate about 

it as he is for music. In fact, he is slated to 

release two albums this year, where the last 

album tells of a story on how he meets a girl, 

falls blissfully in love, but eventually ends it. 

“It really is about music,” he explains. “My last 

album is going to be about me breaking up 

with music, about how we’re finally done.” 

We end the interview on a high note— 

about the best thing someone’s ever said 

to him about his music. He tells the story: 

“There was this guy, a toll operator who had 

excitedly asked me, ‘Bro, you Altimet ah?’ 

I said yes, and he listed down a bunch of 

my songs that he really liked, before saying 

‘thank you for telling our stories’. And there 

was this lady who had come to a roadshow 

with her grandkids, and wanted to take 

pictures with me. She said to me, ‘You know, 

I don’t like Malaysian music, and particularly 

not rap. But I like your songs.’ So, these are 

my two trophies. They give me much more 

satisfaction than any physical trophy.” 

We also have a little chat with some of the cast 

members of Ola Bola The Musical—see page 34 

PHOTOGRAPHY: BRIAN FANG /M8 STUDIO; ART DIRECTION: SYAHLIA ALBINA SARI 




Down to a Fine Art 

Samantha Lim sits down with Aliya and Farouk Khan to 

assess the cultural cost of their colossal collection, 

which goes far beyond economic value 

Two minutes on foot 

from the Malaysia 

Tatler office, the Khan 

residence is an art 

lover’s Xanadu— 

62 

a place where both 

aesthetic beauty and 

deep intellect come into play. The Khans 

and I stroll from room to room, them playing 

the role of well-versed ‘gallery attendants’ 

and I, the awestruck guest. 

Kuala Lumpur, the couple opines, is 

such a cauldron of contemporary art—first 

generation contemporary art, to be more 

specific—much of which is wrought by 

non-nationals, expatriates or foreigners. 

“It’s often the outsiders who can look in 

and see what truly is in front of your eyes 

all along,” remarks Aliya sagely. 

Her usage of ‘your’ rather than ‘our’ 

strikes me as curious, and then I recall 

reading somewhere that the couple once 

lived in Singapore. They confirm this fact: 

respectively born in Pakistan and Singapore, 

Aliya and Farouk moved to Malaysia 

permanently in 1995. Like the artists whom 

they invest in, the Khans are highly cognisant 

of and curious about the nation’s goings-on. 

“We learned a lot about Malaysian society 

through our collection,” says the missus. And 

I inquire what that might be. 

ART AND THE TIMES 

“Malaysia is interesting,” muses Farouk. 

Eyes glinting and moustache bristling, he 

is a hair’s breadth from launching into a 

tirade. “The influx of the rural or agrarian 

society into today’s modern society has met 

a lot of resistance. There was such a strong 

emergence of the middle class that it’s a 

struggle for the elite to comprehend the 

entirety of the situation.” 

“Artists address this on a macro basis,” 

interjects Aliya. “Because the development 

of their brains is different, they see the 

big picture. They are always reflecting on 

urbanisation and its repercussions. It is then 

up to us to analyse the subliminal messages.” 

The couple’s message is this: Less 

soothsayers and more scribes, contemporary 

Malaysian artists are carrying out the crucial 

role of historical documentation. 

“For instance, when I first moved to 

Malaysia in the early 90s, friends would 

say, ‘I’m going out for a teh tarik. Today 

everybody wants to drink a cappuccino— 

even the office girl wants a cappuccino!” 

titters Aliya. Her large kohl-rimmed eyes 

dart around the room before resting on a 

canvas. “This whole mindset is encapsulated 

by Azad Daniel, a young artist in his thirties.” 

She waves at the artwork which portrays a 

pixelated bot. ‘Space Invaders’, she explains, 

is a double entendre alluding to the 1978 

arcade game as well as foreign influences 

that are permeating Malaysian life. 

Often fêted for its sheer scale, the 

AFK Collection encompasses some 1,223 

titled works today, but many discount its 

‘knowledge value’. The art cognoscenti are 

certain of one thing: that their collection 

captures the root of today’s revolution. “After 

all,” booms Farouk. “History is a study of the 

past and art is a study of the present.” 

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHAFFIQ FARHAN


ART IS 

SHORT, LIFE 

IS LONG 

The AFK 

Collection will 

likely outlive 

its founders 

and document 

their legacy 

APPRECIATION AND 

ACQUISITION 

Many have wisened up to the value of 

contemporary local art, as evidenced by the 

increasingly stiff competition among art 

collectors throughout the nation. 

“When we started collecting 20 years 

ago, the artists would actually thank us for 

purchasing their works!” said Farouk. 

“If I’m even the slightest bit late to a show 

now…” adds Aliya. “It all comes down to 

accessibility, which on a scale of one to 10, 

used to be one; today it’s nine.” 

Though admittedly frustrating, the 

growing demand for art is a harbinger of 

progress, think the Khans. “It’s a great sign 

for the local contemporary art movement. 

Malaysians of my children’s age group, 

well-educated, younger generations, now 

have this desire for art,” states Aliya. 

The art cognoscenti are confident 

of one thing: that their collection 

captures the root of the revolution 

ROOM FOR REFORMATION 

Speaking up for the arts time and again, 

the duo believes there is plenty of space for 

growth. Farouk grieves, “The contemporary 

movement has not seen enough engagement 

from local institutions and museums.” Worse 

still, some even throw a wrench in the 

works. “Society has entered a contemporary 

environment but there are forces that work to 

suppress the changes which have occurred or 

are occurring,” portends Farouk. 

A lack of professionals in the industry 

is also lamentable, as curators and writers 

help bridge the gap between artists and the 

public. “I can barely name a top curator in 

the country—somebody who can curate a 

show, anaylyse the iconography, build an 

interpretation of what’s being discussed, and 

connect it to the times,” says Aliya. 

Meeting the Khan’s daughters, however, 

imbues me with hope. ‘Children are the 

future,’ as they say. Leila, with her affinity 

for micromanagement, handles the AFK 

Collection whereas Zena, who works 

independently, is a contemporary art curator 

and writer. Mindful of the power of art, the 

whole Khan family certainly walks the talk. 


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CLOSE-UP | FACES 

Chalks and Charity 

Doubling as a diamond dealer and an innovative hobbyist, 

Lilian Lo chalks it out to Kathlyn D’Souza about her 

groundbreaking ‘Chalkapella’ and work in charity 

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHAFFIQ FARHAN 

What started 

off as a love for 

shiny crystals 

and running 

a diamond 

wholesale 

company called 

Bludiamond with her husband for the past 

15 years, proved just to be the beginning for 

Lilian Lo. This jeweller had a rather interesting 

hobby; a hobby which she described, was 

inspired by “the great migration of Myanmar 

refugees fleeting down to Malaysia in boats”. 

Struck by the disheartening pictures of children 

hanging onto the corners of the boat, in filthy 

clothes and wearing sad expressions, Lilian 

decided to do something about it. 

Driven by her love of creating, discovering 

and having fun, Chalkapella was invented. 

It means ‘The Singing Chalk’, but its other 

meaning is something more profound. Going 

back to the Myanmar refugees, Lilian thought 

to herself, “It would be 

great if I can invent a 

piece of clothing that they 

can draw on, and once 

they wash it, the artwork 

would be gone. And so, 

they can create another 

masterpiece the next day.” After a whole 

year, the ‘Chalk-A-Tee’ finally materialised— 

Wear, Wash and Repeat serves as its tagline. 

Unlike traditional chalks, Chalkapella does 

not smudge, plus uses non-toxic, food grade 

materials and the artwork lasts the whole day 

until it is thrown into the washer. Upon the 

success of that, the first 400 pieces of Chalk- 

A-Tee were donated to the PRIDE Foundation 

to raise funds for breast cancer patients. But 

that was not all for Lilian as she has also been 

donating the T-shirts to Myanmar refugee 

camps, orphanages, child cancer patients, 

orang asli settlements and the Charles Kao 

Foundation for Alzheimer’s patients. “Words 

cannot describe the happiness I feel at seeing 

“The smiles on the 

kids’ faces remain my 

greatest achievement” 

these unfortunate children enjoying their 

own creations,” Lilian enthused. Fortunately 

for Lilian and Chalkapella, more was coming 

her way. After successfully launching her 

campaign, ‘Chalk for a Good Cause’ (where you 

buy one tee and Chalkapella will also donate 

one to a child in need), Books Kinokuniya 

had noticed her product and was keen to sell 

it in their store at KLCC. Three months later, 

Chalkapella was seen in Times Bookstores, 

Isetan, Hamleys and is now internationally 

available in Singapore, Australia, Japan, 

Germany, Canada and Hong Kong. 

She is a very busy woman, but diamonds 

and art are her source of energy, so it has 

proven to be fulfilling to her. “I am happy 

if anyone enlists Chalkapella for corporate 

CSR projects, so we can donate more to the 

kids. The smiles on the kids’ faces remain my 

greatest achievement,” said Lilian. “But people 

laughed at me—being a diamond dealer who 

was rolling chalks and ironing tees at home 

with my mum and my 

children! I had to try to get 

my orders fulfilled at home 

since it was a hobby, and I 

didn’t have the right tools 

until it became a consumer 

brand.” There were plenty 

of challenges, however; she was thankful being 

a diamond jeweller made her a perfectionist, as 

the work requires a lot of grit and hard work. 

Lilian’s fondest memory of Chalkapella was 

when she was in Pahang to deliver 200 pieces 

of Chalk-A-Tee to the orang asli children. The 

kids were then asked to draw their dream, and 

a few of them had drawn KLCC, but had never 

seen it up close. Shortly after, some NGOs were 

able to fulfil their dream when they took them 

to KL (with their Chalk-A-Tees) the following 

week. “It was so sweet, realising dreams and 

adding colours to someone’s life. But I have a 

million dreams to fulfil. The team is growing 

and we are here to stay to bring more fun and 

colour to the world,” added Lilian. 


FACES | ONLOOKER 

Watch Out 

AN AFTERNOON 

WITH BREGUET 

AND SINCERE 

FINE WATCHES 

Vivienne Cheng and 

Datin Julie Yeong 

Malaysia Tatler hosted 

an intimate luncheon at 

Marble 8, KLCC in honour 

of Breguet and Sincere Fine 

Watches, to celebrate the 

art of time. Fabien Levrion, 

the brand manager for 

Breguet delivered a short 

welcoming address as guests 

proceeded to admire the 

timepieces displayed, before 

relishing a scrumptious 

three-course meal. 

Anna Lee 

Daryl Foong, Dato’ Simon 

Foong and Jamaluddin Zakaria 

Dato’ Sri Jeffrey Raymond 

and Fabien Levrion 

Gary Chow 

and Chan KM 

Dato’ Sri 

Jackie Tor 

68 Datuk Kelvin Tan malaysia tatler . february 2018 

and Datin Sri 

Joey Tor


Cho Kangchui, Park Sungkyung and Yoon Chunghyun 

THE 

INSIDER 

Parkson’s auction 

proceeds are to 

assist the Home for 

Handicapped and 

Mentally Disabled 

Children in 

Banting, Selangor 

Komarruzaman 

Abdul and Mikie Tan 

Malek Bekdache 

and Lau Sook Ping 

Dato’ Joyce Yap 

Tiong Li San and Thalia Thin 

Puan Sri Chelsia and Tan Sri William Cheng 

Terrific 

Thirties 

PARKSON 

CELEBRATES 30TH 

ANNIVERSARY 

Chery 

Wong 

The night kicked off with 

a roaring twenties dance 

performance before Parkson 

pulled out all the stops, 

with performances by 

Dato’ Sheila Majid, Harith 

Iskander and Alvin Chong. 

The glitzy event also saw the 

auction of Parkson’s brand 

ambassador Datuk Wira 

Lee Chong Wei’s specially 

autographed paraphernalia 

and Carolina Herrera’s Good 

Girl perfume for charity. 

n, E 

a ong 

70


Jeslyn Chen 

and Sharon Law 

Dato’ Sri Koh 

Yock Heng and 

Chin Ten Hoy 

Maybel Ang 

and Vichian ED 

Fun Capers 

THAI AIRWAYS– 

MASTERCARD 

AWARDS NIGHT 

Guests were told to come 

in fun outfits, but were 

surprised to be led into an 

enchanting speakeasy—Suzie 

Wong—and greeted by Nivat 

Chantarachoti, the GM of 

Thai Airways. Held to honour 

Thai Airways’ partners, the 

event was graced even by 

the ambassador of Thailand, 

HE Damrong Kraikruan. 

The crowd enjoyed exciting 

performances and had the 

chance to win prizes by 

answering questions on 

the airline, while partners 

walked away with gifts which 

included a flight to Austria. 

Nivat Chantarachoti 

and Jeannie Lee 

Siti Sufi za, Mohd Mohidin 

and Afi qah Agus 

HE Damrong 

Kraikruan 

Ice Wong and 

Crystal Gooi 

THE 

INSIDER 

During the event, it 

was also announced 

that Thai Airways 

had just launched a 

new route to Vienna, 

and that their 

inaugural flight had 

safely landed 

Kanchalee 

Nongpayak 

72 

Mike Loh


THE 

INSIDER 

Guests were invited to have their 

black and white portraits taken 

in a pop-up photobooth, wearing 

a timepiece by either Hublot or 

Girard-Perregaux 

Juliana Chong 

and Kelvin Wong 

Auspicious 

Eight 

THE HOUR GLASS 

NEW STORE 

OPENING 

SK Teh and 

Dr Hew Yin Keat 

Watch fans and consumers 

have reason to be excited 

when they spy a new Hour 

Glass boutique in Mid 

Valley’s ground floor. This 

is the fine watch retailer’s 

eighth boutique in Malaysia, 

punctuated with a grand 

opening in the presence of 

VIP guests, valued customers 

as well as the media. There to 

welcome all who came was SK 

Teh, general manager of The 

Hour Glass, who encouraged 

everyone to enjoy the warm 

atmosphere of the boutique— 

and of course repeated visits 

to the store. Guests were 

plied with delicious canapés 

from Nathalie’s Gourmet, as 

well as champagne, Japanese 

whisky and Italian coffee. 

Surveying the 

timepieces in-store 

Maurice Lim 

and Nicole Mak 

Andrew Goh 

and Michael Sim 

Nicholas Aw Yong, 

Alan See, Tim Saw 

and Eric Yeow 


A 

STYLISH 

WAY 

TO 

LIVE


Caroline Wong and Doris See 

She’s a Dame 

BIRTHDAY 

CELEBRATION 

OF PUAN SRI 

CATHERINA LEE 

The vivacious Puan Sri 

Catherina Lee was the life of 

the party as she celebrated 

her 71st birthday with her 

friends and loved ones in 

attendance, including her son 

Lee Poh Heong and daughter 

Lee San San who came with 

her husband Richard Samuel 

and their kids. Guests were 

treated to a belly dancing 

performance by Puan Sri 

Catherina herself, while some 

of her friends even sang a few 

numbers for the birthday girl 

before they called it a night. 

Toh Puan Ena Ling and 

Datin Maylene Yong 

Datuk Seri 

Alan Tan and 

Evelyn Teo 

Tan Sri James Foong 

Puan Sri 

Susan Cheah 

Puan Sri Catherina 

Lee together with 

her beloved family 

Cindy Lai and Tan Sri 

Rosemary Chong 

Toh Puan Helen Chen 

THE 

INSIDER 

The birthday girl’s 

son, Lee Poh Heong, 

travelled from 

London (where he 

resides) for this 

special occasion 

Dato’ Robert Lim, 

Datin Janet Yeoh 

and Tan Kim Leng 



Richie Chai, 

Tan Hui Teng 

and Kim Il Tae 

Good as Gold 

24K GOLD PAINT 

EXHIBITION 

Kim Il Tae, a South Korean 

artist who is renowned for 

using the purest gold available 

as the main medium for his 

artworks recently held his first 

solo exhibition in Malaysia, 

at Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala 

Lumpur, where 25 selected 

unique canvases were displayed. 

Joseph Sau 

Keifer Cher and 

Jessica Lim 

Swami Sai 

Ravichandran 

Siti Nor Amila 

Tengku Dato’ 

Hishamuddin Zaizi 

James Chow and Peter Bilitsch 

Serena Ong and 

Norafi da Ramlee 

Tengku Amalluddin 

Sani Raja Aad Sufi an 

Bok Siew Mun, Faridz Zulkifl y, 

Hasrul Jasmi and Azliza Razali 

Up in Smoke 

LAUNCH OF 

TRINIDAD LA 

TROVA CIGAR 

The Pacific Cigar Company, 

the exclusive distributor for 

Cuban cigars in the APAC 

region, celebrated the global 

launch of Trinidad La Trova 

at La Casa Del Habano KL. 

The cigars are only available 

at La Casa del Habano stores. 


ONLOOKER | FACES 

Dato’ Kenny Tan 

Dato’ Michael Ong 

Lovell Ho 

and Leng Loh 

Angie Kok, Raja Dato’ Seri Nadzatul 

Shima and Bassam Azakir 

Anders 

Dimblad 

Opaque Magic 

KORLOFF BLACK 

DIAMOND BALL 

The Korloff Noir is the world’s 

largest black diamond, recently 

revealed at the Mandarin 

Oriental Hotel KL. The ball 

hosted Korloff’s VIP customers 

as well as business leaders, 

including the president and 

CEO of Maybank Group, Datuk 

Abdul Farid Alias. Guests were 

also treated to a fashion show 

and French ballet performance. 

Good Pairings 

WINE AND DINE 

WITH PENFOLDS 

The Shangri-La Rasa Sayang 

Resort and Spa held a night 

of gastronomic excellence at 

Feringgi Grill, in collaboration 

with Penfolds—a premium 

wine label. Each course was 

excellently paired with wine 

from the award-winning 

Napa Valley vineyard. 

Ravichandran Manikam Achari 

and Viveka Ramoo 

CK Lam and Catherine Thong 

Sam Stephens 

Claire Lacey 

Tan Bee Gaik, Kang 

Ren Lam and Albert Tan 


SOFA SO GOOD 

WE MAY NOT GIVE IT MUCH THOUGHT, BUT OUR SOFAS AND SEATING OPTIONS 

CAN MAKE OR BREAK A SPACE. THANKFULLY, KING LIVING IS HERE TO 

STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT SO THAT WE CAN SIT PRETTY AND COMFORTABLY

KING LIVING SPECIAL 

MOST PEOPLE DON’T take into account 

the impact and affect seating arrangements 

and furniture play on the overall space 

of a home. And while we usually notice 

the dramatic lighting and fl oor-length 

curtains when we enter a house, sofas and 

armchairs are so much more than merely 

things we primly sit or slouch on with 

reckless abandon—if the goal is to create 

a comfortable space for long conversations 

and to hang out, good seating is vital. In 

one way or another, it is closely associated 

to the quality of life. 

Enter King Living—the seating expert 

who has transformed and reformed the 

way people see and use chairs since 1977. 

From every single construction detail to 

the design (especially the design!) the 

brand proves that there really is more to 

the everyday objects that we call chairs, 

and that there is a relationship to be 

developed between furniture and its users. 

And perhaps one of King Living’s greatest 

missions is to foster such a relationship. 

At many levels, the brand has already 

accomplished the feat. Design-wise, not 

only has it established a capable team of 

in-house designers based in Sydney, King 

Living who is known to be the champion of 

Australian aesthetics has also collaborated 

with external talents such as Australian 

designer Charles Wilson to produce the 

most beautiful and innovative sofas. 

The Zaza sofa and the Seymour 

armchair, for instance, are fruits of the 

collaboration. The versatile features such as 

an engineered steel frame with detachable 

backs and arms, as well as the cool option 

of three different back support heights, 

comprising low, mid and high back for extra 

head support, stem from King Living’s belief 

that seating is never just a surface-deep 

endeavour, and that having good quality 

foundation truly matters. Plus, to further 

prolong a person’s relationship with his or 

her favourite throne, the brand has come up 

with a range of premium upholstery fabrics 

that can be conveniently removed and 

cleaned or replaced, which are excellent for 

easy customisation to suit various interiors. 

Such attention to detail fully explains the 

many prestigious awards King Living has 

received over the years—each a testament to 

their passion and craftsmanship. 

For more info on King Living’s award-winning designs, visit their showroom at: 

Level 1 IPC Shopping Centre No. 2, Jalan PJU 7/2 Mutiara Damansara, PJ. 

Tel: 03-7732 0272 Web: kingliving.com 

Clockwise from 

top left: Reo 

recliner; Zaza 

sofa; King 

Boulevard 

sofa and chair; 

Seymour chair 

with footstool

88 

ACCESSORY ACE 

Adoravelle Tay dishes 

about her style and label, 

Medea Treasures 

86 

ISLAND GETAWAY 

You don’t have to go to the 

islands anymore as Louis Vuitton 

brings them right to you 

90 

A MILE IN HIS SHOES 

We speak with Mario 

Moretti Polegato, the 

chairman of Geox 

104 

HEARTFELT 

Celebrate Valentine’s Day 

and the Year of the Dog 

with these playful pieces


STYLE 

Beautiful things to have and hold 

IMAGE: DOLCE & GABBANA 

POSEY POWER 

Whatever the look you’re 

going for, be it sexy, chic 

or casual, floral elements 

will provide a touch of 

elegance and femininity. 

We’ve got you covered with 

our curation of this season’s 

chicest floral finds for your 

dressing pleasure

STYLE | NEWS 

Shine On 

The future looks so bright you’re 

going to need these sunnies from 

Fendi as you make your Chinese 

New Year rounds this year 

A tropical travel attitude is infusing 

collections everywhere this season and 

Fendi isn’t going to hold back on the theme 

either. Introducing the Fendi Tropical Shine 

range of sunglasses, a dash of Caribbean 

colour and flavour gives you these oversized 

sunnies in gorgeous dégradé shades of light 

blue and tobacco, peach and flame, or crystal 

and black. It’s the perfect opportunity to 

match your cocktail to your sunnies as you 

lounge by a poolside readying yourself for 

that Instagram-worthy picture. 

MADE FROM OPTYL AND METAL 

The sunglasses celebrate Fendi’s expertise 

at combining materials for an elegant yet 

hardy combination 

PAWS FOR THOUGHT 

Whether you’re Team Feline or Team 

Canine, Salvatore Ferragamo has 

something for everyone so there’s no 

need to go all cats and dogs on which is 

better! Ring in the lunar new year with 

an adorable scarf to help hide the tell-tale 

signs of heat (read: sweat) or to snuggle 

into when the weather takes 

an unexpected turn. 


TICKLE MY FANCY 

Got a date night looming 

on the horizon? Go 

straight out glam and 

reach for these feathered 

Yves Saint Laurent 

heels. Pair them with 

a silky sleek shift and 

load up on the bling to 

make a jaw-dropping 

impression—think modern 

reinterpretation of 

The Great Gatsby. 

FASHION FENG SHUI 

Draw in the luck this lunar 

new year with sumptuous 

silks, unique prints and 

hand-stitched embellished 

3D details in Maarimaia’s 

latest collection, Bloc & 

Flo. Many of the pieces 

feature roomy pockets cleverly 

hidden within voluminous 

skirts that you can’t help 

but want to dance in. 

Feminine and functional! 

DOGGONE IT! 

Bottega Veneta killed two birds with one 

stone in The Canine Collection, a sweet 

capsule line of playful pieces embellished with 

man’s best friend. Crafted in supple leather, 

the wallets, pouches and key holders come 

in red and pink—perfect for Valentine’s Day or 

New Year gifts for yourself or a loved one. 

WONDER 

WEAVE 

Available at The Studio @ The 

Gardens Mall, Maarimaia 

clothes are made from woven 

materials so don’t worry about 

the vibrant hues bleeding out! 


STYLE | NEWS 

ISLAND GETAWAY 

You don’t have to go to the islands anymore 

as Louis Vuitton brings them right to you 

Feel the tropical breeze blowing as 

spring and summer makes its gloriously 

warm appearances. If you’re going 

somewhere for rest and recreation, 

why not chill out on a remote spot 

under swaying palm trees and blue skies 

surrounded by azure waters? Better 

yet, dress the part with Louis Vuitton’s 

spring/summer 2018 collection for men. 

Colours are beginning to slowly inch 

back into collections as the new year 

unfolds, as opposed to the monochrome 

shades that fashion runways were 

swathed in during winter, and we 

couldn’t be happier. The French fashion 

house takes on an archipelago of islands, 

hopping from New Zealand to the Easter 

Islands and even Hawaii, which is home 

to exotic, loudly printed shirts and 

surfer styles. Louis Vuitton however has 

toned it down a bit, pairing loose pants 

reminiscent of suited up board shorts 

and voluminous trench coats with jeweltoned 

Hawaiian print shirts. We’re not 

complaining though as it does make the 

look more acceptable for everyday wear, 

and not merely for that one Hawaiianthemed 

party. 

LOOSE 

AND EASY 

Take a step 

back and relax in 

casual comfort 

that’ll brighten 

up your wardrobe 

a notch, with 

cool accessories 

to match 


BAG-PACKING 

Every traveller needs a trusty bag to tote along 

and stash their worldly possessions. This season, 

Saint Laurent revives the Aztec print and touristy 

embellishments in the form of patches to give your 

new bag that well-travelled look. Roomy and multifunctional, 

you can opt to carry your bag to the 

gym if that’s as far as you’d like to travel, or up to 

the ruins of Machu Picchu if you so wished. 

PACK RAT 

Kitschy logo, patches or tribal 

prints? Make a travel statement 

with whichever bag you pick 

MAD FOR MOCCASINS 

The comfy slip-on shoes from 

Tod’s are back—and in some 

versatile new colours and materials 

too! Distressed denim takes the 

moccasin for a new look and Tod’s 

has also included a stripy new 

pattern into the mix this season. 

HAUTE AND COLD 

Still feeling the chill in the weather? Or maybe 

your offi ce is compensating for the rising heat 

outside by turning the temperatures way too 

low. It’s not an issue though when you have 

jackets such as these ones from Coach’s 

Pre-Spring collection. Just don’t blame us 

if your lady decides to ‘borrow’ it for good, 

because it looks so smokin’ hot! 


STYLE | PROFILE 

Accessory Ace 

Adoravelle Tay is a vibrant personality who holds a strong 

appreciation for the world of colour and a passion for handcrafting 

jewellery, as this fashionista-cum-entrepreneur creates unique 

and bespoke pieces for instaperfect summer memories 


Adoravelle 

Tay’s world of 

fashion is one 

that is bold, 

distinctive 

and unique. 

Growing 

up in a multicultural society allowed her a 

life full of colour, while also giving her an 

understanding of the various perspectives 

in the context of fashion. After graduating 

with a law degree from Cardiff University 

and living in the United Kingdom for a little 

over five years, she practised as a lawyer for a 

short period of time. It was not long after that 

when she decided to realise her long-lived 

hobby for making jewellery. 

Adoravelle experimented with a lot of 

ideas, trying to figure out what her forte was, 

but never really considered handcrafting and 

designing jewellery to start with, despite the 

trade coming naturally to her. 

It all started in the summer of 2017, when 

she travelled to Greece and her partner’s 

parents encouraged her to take a leap, and try 

it out. “I’ve been doing this as a young girl, 

and I was lucky to be able to turn this hobby 

into a career with the support of family.” 

Not long after that, Adoravelle gained 

some traction and knew she had to establish 

a foothold in the industry. Having researched 

 

 

the local market, she identified a growing 

interest for having the perfect beach 

accessories. “We often get caught up looking 

at all these pretty things on Instagram, but 

struggle to find them, especially here in Kuala 

Lumpur,” she noted. 

The chirpy fashionista is determined to 

add value to her label by establishing a strong 

presence across different social platforms as 

she noticed that millennials today consume 

fashion differently and follow trendsetters 

over social media—who have become 

increasingly more prominent in shaping 

the fashion scene all over the globe. 

Adora teamed up with three others who 

have experience in handcrafting, logistics 

and business development. Now with brand 

enthusiasts worldwide, she will showcase her 

collections at the Queen Victoria building in 

Sydney, as well as London in the near future. 

“We want to have those designer classics, 

but also the bright and fun pieces that we 

can truly enjoy—pieces that are less of a 

commitment, and bring a lot more excitement 

and joy when we step outside. That’s what 

Medea Treasures aspires to do.” A brand that 

showcases her vivacious personality while 

providing consumers with the accessories 

needed to complete their summer wardrobe, 

the results are instaperfect photos with the 

perfect accessories to match. 

Coffa 

Ketupat 

IN BAG 

ESSENTIALS: 

Fenty matte 

skinstick 

Hand-stitched 

purse 

WORDS: PRIYANKA MOHAN; PHOTOGRAPHY: SHAFFIQ FARHAN; 

ART DIRECTION: SYAHLIA ALBINA SARI; LOCATION: THE GOOD CO 

Sousista 

Chyna 

Sousista 

Alexandria 

“Accessories are the 

condimentstoyour 

main.Withoutit, 

there’snotaste!” 

Lancôme 

mascara 

Chloé 

perfume 


STYLE | FASHION 

A Mile in His Shoes 

Necessity is the mother of invention, a statement which Mario 

Moretti Polegato can attest to. His career leap from wine to shoes 

was a vast change, and today he is the chairman of Geox 

Group, a company that manufactures lifestyle casual footwear 

HOLEY SOLE 

If there ever was a heaven for feet, 

Geox shoes would be it. Made 

with breathable soles that remain 

lightweight and waterproof, these 

shoes are defi nitely made for walking 

90 malaysiaa tatler . february 2018

Why the change from wine to shoes? 

I’d never have imagined entering the footwear 

market; we were so heavily engaged with our 

Villa Sandi and Villa Gioiosa brands, the seven 

cellars and 40 million bottles a year, 70 per cent 

of which is sold overseas. Nothing was 

premeditated, I simply followed my instinct. 

How did you come to think of the breathable 

rubber bottom shoe soles? 

In the Nineties, I went to Reno, Nevada for a wine 

convention. After an important meeting, I decided 

to take a walk, so I changed shoes, put on some 

rubber-soled sneakers and headed off into the 

Nevada desert. My feet were suffering; it was too 

hot. I had a penknife in my pocket, so I cut some 

holes [in the soles]. A bit of ventilation made such 

a difference. When I returned to Italy, I looked 

around for shoes that could offer some proper 

ventilation, but I couldn’t fi nd any. It was diffi cult, 

because I wanted something that was waterproof 

and breathable at the same time, but traditionally, 

any kind of perforation allows water in. So I found 

a way, using a waterproof membrane that I 

discovered in the US, to create a perforated sole 

that could also be waterproof. I had brought new 

technology into the shoemaking business and I 

quickly got a patent. The idea is now protected 

in more than 100 countries worldwide. 

WORDS: RACHEL NG; IMAGES: GEOX 

How did you break into the shoe industry? 

At fi rst, I didn’t think that I would start 

manufacturing footwear; I planned on staying 

in the wine business. I approached a range of 

shoemakers in Italy, wider Europe and the US, 

but no one believed in the idea or wanted to 

take it on. That rejection was tough, but it drove 

me to try to manufacture the shoes [myself]. 

I started off with a small leather company in 

Montebelluna, which is a small town not far 

from Venice. The business was made up of fi ve 

young people, each with their own role: sales, 

manufacturing and so on. 

What was the process like, inventing and 

patenting a totally new technology like that? 

We work constantly to research on both sides: 

technology and comfort, plus also style and 

design. We invest 2 per cent of the turnover in 

research—currently we have 35 patents, but 

we have a further 10 applications pending 

approval. We believe creations must be 

continuously innovated. Making a shoe that 

breathes isn’t enough, we work every day in 

our laboratories to improve its performance. 

What are the elements that make 

up the perfect shoe? 

Shoes have been around for millennia, but 

Geox shoes ‘breathe’ and this makes our 

creations perfect for our body! Breathability, 

Technology, Wellbeing, ‘Italianity’ and Style are 

the key factors of Geox collections and success. 

Where do you get your 

inspiration from? 

I travel the world visiting countries 

where Geox has a presence; there I 

meet people and take some time to 

observe and speak with them to learn 

about their many differences and needs, 

their tastes and unique sense of fashion. 

Please share a little about your 

company’s growth. 

Today Geox produces more than 20 million 

shoes per year. In the headquarters, around 

500 people are working in the administration, 

development and marketing departments. 

It’s a global brand, with 1,200 stores worldwide, 

and it’s Italy’s largest shoe company. 

What do you consider your greatest 

success/achievement? 

Having seen some of the most infl uential men 

in the world wearing Geox shoes, from the 

Pope to politicians and celebrities. 

Who inspires you and why? 

Great explorers from the past—people who have 

been pushed beyond the world’s limit by their own 

curiosity and passion for discovery. 

What is one of the biggest life lessons 

you would love to share? 

Believe in your own ideas. 

SHOE-STRUCK 

Mario made the 

life-changing 

decision to step 

into his own shoe 

business when 

he could not 

fi nd anyone else 

who believed 

in his idea of a 

breathable shoe 



POSEY POWER 

It’s spring, the flowers are out in full bloom and you’re tempted to purchase 

that bunch of vibrant blossoms to brighten up your space—but then you 

remember that flowers fade in mere days. What’s a girl to do? If live posies 

need too much upkeep, wear them in the form of these floral finds 

 

 

3D embellishments really can make a 

piece pop. Can’t deal with the upkeep of 

a trellis of blooms? Don’t worry, Carolina 

Herrera’s Cruise 2018 collection has 

you covered—in flowers that is. Gauzy 

blossoms spring up across bodices and dot 

the front of jackets. Simple silhouettes 

and vibrant block gowns take on a splash 

of colour with a fist-sized chrysanthemum 

bloom nestled at the waistline. Want 

to add to the spring maiden look? Don 

a crown of posies and you’ll be right at 

home with the forest nymphs. 

WORDS: RACHEL NG; IMAGES: RESPECTIVE BRANDS 


Florals first took to the runway this 

year in several cruise collections, and 

Balenciaga takes on the challenge of 

making florals in fun and exciting hues 

amplified in neon bright. Flowy dresses 

are still the in thing for spring, but why 

not take it to maxi lengths and forget 

about your worries of doing a Marilyn 

Monroe in the middle of a stroll? 

BLOOMIN’ 

BEAUTY 

 

 

Try going head-to-toe floral 

with Salvatore Ferragamo’s Pre- 

Spring accessories. Ranging from 

bags, scarves, keychains, shoes to 

wraparound and cuff bracelets, there 

are plenty of options. Pair slingback 

heels in cheery violet, red and pink 

flowers on white for a garden party, 

then switch to a classy pair of black 

mules accented with flaming flowers 

for a night time of comfort and 

style. Add on some arm candy in the 

form of a chic cuff bracelet or just 

decorate your bag with a leather 

flower keychain for a girly take on 

the floral look. 

Flowers take centre stage 

in the form of vintage 

looking prints on clothes 

and accessories 



 

 

Diane von Furstenberg strikes a 

balance between bolder prints for 

nighttime wear and ethereal breezy 

florals for casual everyday outfits. Take 

a tip out of the runway lookbooks and 

try pairing your blooms with another 

print, say stripes, for a contrast to spice 

it up a little. If full-on floral is a tad too 

much, start off with a pouch or bag in 

lush vermilion and blue to get you on 

the road of rustic blooms. 

 

Let’s not forget that with spring/ 

summer fashion flooding in, it 

also heralds the Lunar New Year. 

Khoon Hooi’s QiPao collection is a 

welcome sight for those who aren’t 

too fond of the overly constricting 

forms of traditional qi pao. The 

feminine cuts are enhanced with 

exaggerated sleeves for a modern 

look. Sumptuous brocades feature a 

lush field of peonies while smooth 

silks capture lotus blossoms rising 

out from tranquil waters, paying 

homage to two of Chinese culture’s 

revered flowers. 


Dolce&Gabbana are coming up roses. 

The fashion house revitalised the flower 

crown during their S/S18 fashion show 

and it’s giving us all the sultry earth 

goddess vibes, but what really caught 

our eye were the glorious enamel rose 

accessories. Adorning flowing locks in 

a unique (and longer-lasting) take on 

the fresh flower crowns, wraps around 

wrists and dangles in heavy clusters from 

earlobes and on the frames of snazzy 

looking sunnies—the enamel flower trend 

is a brilliant way to wear your favourite 

flowers without worry of crushing them. 

Add on a pair of chunky floral heels and 

you’re good to go, flower girl! 


STYLE | BEAUTY 

Duet for Two 

It’s double the joy this month as we celebrate Chinese New Year 

and reaffirm our love to those dear to us this Valentine’s. 

What’s great about both is that they’re the perfect time 

for gifts, as compiled by Kathlyn D’Souza 

LET’S GET IT ‘ONG’ 

Reunion dinners, gatherings, mandarin 

oranges and paper envelopes will be in 

abundance—and so will the colour red, 

which signifi es good fortune, luck and 

joy. In lieu of that, here are some limited 

edition products that some brands have 

especially crafted for this festival. 

Givenchy 

Boasting festive decorations 

which pay tribute to three strong 

symbols in Asian culture— 

the colours red and gold plus 

cherry blossoms—Givenchy 

rings in the new year with 

its iconic lipstick, Le Rouge, 

and its emblematic loose 

powder, Prisme Libre. 

SK-II 

For the fi rst time, 

SK-II’s iconic Facial 

Treatment Essence 

bottle is fully featured 

in the signifi cant colour 

of red. Inspired by the 

Chinese character 

‘Meng’ which means 

‘Dreams’, the limited 

edition’s new design 

encourages women to 

embrace the new year 

with new dreams. 

Lancôme 

Lancôme’s auspicious red 

packaging would make any 

woman excited, especially 

with the release of its Rouge 

lipstick, and Advanced 

Génifi que which for this 

season, comes in red with an 

elegant cushion case. 


PRESENTS 

OF PASSION 

Let us help ease 

you off the pressure 

of getting the perfect 

gift for Valentine’s 

day with some of 

these suggestions 

NARS 

Pamper your loved one 

by indulging their inner 

NARSissist, with NARS’ 

new Wanted Eyeshadow 

Palette—featuring 12 rich 

colours, ranging from 

mattes, lustrous satins, 

coveted shimmers to 

glittering metallic fi nishes. 

Dior 

Say it with roses 

—but with 500 

of its petals in 

Dior Prestige’s Le 

Cushion Teint De 

Rose. Considered 

the richest of Dior 

cushions, it offers 

skin the perfect 

colour and the 

featherlight touch of 

a rose petal. 

Paul & Joe 

Paul & Joe products are 

known to be adorable, 

dainty and sweet, 

capturing the free-spirited 

bubbly charm of youth 

and femininity, as seen 

through its packaging. 

Aesop 

The Enigmatic Mind gift 

kits, focus on various social 

experiments and human 

behaviour. Each of the six 

kits are named after a social 

experiment and is ideal for 

your sophisticated half. 

Salvatore Ferragamo 

Salvatore Ferragamo’s 

Amo Ferragamo 

is a fragrance that 

encapsulates modern 

femininity. Amo, the 

Italian world for ‘I love’, 

is a declaration on 

its own, and etched 

onto the bottle. 

Chanel 

Inspired by Naples, Chanel’s new 

spring/summer 2018 collection is 

a tribute to the city that is antique 

and contemporary at the same 

time, with colours that are grand, 

indomitable and optimistic. 

La Prairie 

The Platinum 

Rare Cellular 

Night Elixir, 

is a splendid 

gift for those 

who would like 

to retain their 

youthful looks 

and get ultimate 

rejuvenation. 


STYLE | BEAUTY 

VEGAN LOVE 

Feel as good as you look by 

using products from brands 

committed to ensuring their 

ranges are free of animal 

testing and by-products 

HYDRATING FLORAL ESSENCE 

BY 

TATA HARPER 

One of the brand’s purely 

vegan products, this toner has 

21 moisture-boosting natural 

ingredients, including hyaluronic 

acid, gotu kola for fi rmer skin, and 

rose and lavender hydrosols to 

combat redness. 

WRINKLE WARRIOR EYE GEL 

BY KATE SOMERVILLE 

This well-reviewed eye gel from the crueltyfree 

brand is incredibly effective in lightening 

dark circles, making you look as if you’ve 

had twice as much beauty sleep. 

ORGANIC GLOBAL 

BABY SENSITIVE 

SERUM BY 

LINA HANSON 

With Kalahari melon 

and cucumber seed, 

this multipurpose serum 

from the cruelty-free 

and organic skin care 

brand soothes and 

nourishes sensitive 

skin. It’s gentle enough 

for babies, and also 

works to increase skin 

elasticity and treat 

stretch marks. 

MIDAS TOUCH BY BEAUTY BLENDER 

Still one of the best products when it comes to 

flawless make-up application, this limited edition 

set from the vegan brand includes one Beauty 

Blender and a solid mini Blender Cleanser. 

TATTOO LINER 

BY KAT VON D 

A cult favourite from the 

purely vegan makeup 

brand, this liquid 

eyeliner has a uniquely 

shaped brush tip for 

precise application. 

NATURAL ORGANIC 

LIPSTICK IN IDENTITY BY 

AXIOLOGY 

The brand’s 100 per cent 

vegan lipsticks support 

women artisans in Bali, are 

made of organic, non-GMO 

ingredients and provide a 

vibrant and long-lasting fi nish. 

ENCHANTED ISLAND 

SALT SPRAY BY RAHUA 

Missing a good-hair day? 

This pink sea salt-based 

styling spray from the 

vegan and cruelty-free 

brand gives hair perfectly 

textured waves. 

To see a complete list of 

vegan and cruelty-free beauty 

brands, visit peta.org 

AMBIENT LIGHTING PALETTE BY HOURGLASS 

YouTube’s top beauty bloggers swear by this palette. 

It has three universally flattering finishing powders that 

filter out harsh light and bring a glow back into the skin 

after you’ve applied foundation. It’s also one of the 

brand’s vegan products. 


BEAUTY | STYLE 

Pink Multicoloured Glitter 

by Make Up For Ever 

Highlighting Powder in Sunrise 

Glow by Bobbi Brown 

Brock 

Collection 

Sugar Candy Tinted Lip 

Treatment by Fresh 

Ryan Lo 

Goal Getters Contour Brush 

by Tarte 

Eye Shadow Singles in Ballet 

by Anastasia Beverly Hills 

TICKLED PINK 

With cupid due to come knocking, set hearts aflutter with 

the most romantic hue of them all 

Jacquemus 

Just Peachy Velvet Matte 

Eyeshadow Palette by Too Faced 

WORDS: CHERRY LAI; IMAGES: JASON LLOYD-EVANS 

Contour & Strobe Lip Set by 

Huda Beauty 

Plush Up Lip Gelato by 

Elizabeth Arden 

x sy u 

Final Cut Collection by Nars 

Be mine, sweet Valentine? 

Magenta, dusty rose, shimmery 

champagne... You name it, 

there’s no shade that screams 

romance—or just a jolly good 

time—louder than a good dash 

of pink. With the year’s most 

romantic occasion around the 

corner, set the mood for love 

with a feminine-yet-flirtatious rosy make-up look, but don’t 

limit the candy colour to your cheeks and pout. Make-up 

artist Gucci Westman at Brock Collection has us rethinking 

pink eyeshadows with a smudged-up bubblegum eye, 

sans eyeliner, using berry-tinged bronze powders under 

fuchsia shadows that’s just short of looking too dolledup. 

If you’re feeling bold, go all-out with Ryan Lo’s feline 

lashes coated with multi-hued pink glitter, or load up on 

the mauve crème blush on the apple of your cheeks as seen 

at Jacquemus. The finishing touch? A swipe of rose-tinted 

lippie and you’re oh-so-ready for your smooch. 


STYLE | WATCHES 

CANADIAN 

REPRESENTATIVE 

Ryan Reynolds 

lends his handsome 

looks to advocating 

the Piaget Altiplano 

Ultimate 910P 

WHAT NOW 

THIS TIME? 

Samantha Lim rounds up new features, faces 

and facets in timekeeping—the shortest month 

of the year is by no means the least stirring 

Measuring 41mm 

wide (run-of-themill) 

and 4.30mm 

thick (rare), the 

Altiplano Ultimate 

Automatic gives Piaget yet another reason to 

rejoice. Not content to rest on their laurels 

after celebrating the 60th anniversary of 

the Altiplano line in 2017, the ultra-thin 

watchmaker can now take credit for the 

world’s slimmest self-winding watch. 

Those who get engrossed in technicalities 

should like to know that 219 components, 

some literally a hair’s breadth, are affixed to 

the main plate cum case. With lots of room 

left for creative licence, Piaget then filled up 

the right expanse of the dial with a gemstudded 

chamfered and sunburst bridge. 

CHARMING TO A T 

Does one truly require a rhodium-plated brass tortoise from which 

emerges a singing bird? While the honest answer is no, such 

gizmos and gadgets are what infuse our world with charm. For all 

its resemblance to a child’s toy, Kelys & Chirp, the outcome of a 

powwow among watchmaker MB&F, luxury music box manufacturer 

Leuge and automaton specialist Nicholas Court, is comprised of a 

whopping 480 components and two distinct movements. 


SPRING IN 

YOUR STEP 

Pre-launched in Asia ahead of the 

Western world, red timepieces such 

as the 36mm Dior Grand Bal Fête du 

Printemps (left) and 25mm La D de 

Dior Satine (right) are studded with 

diamonds and weighted with pink 

or red gold, bringing meaning to the 

saying ‘A prosperous new year’. 

ELEGANT IN ENAMEL 

Meaning ‘great fi re’ in French, the Grand Feu 

enamelling technique subjects decorative elements to 

high temperatures in a kiln, resulting in a lasting sheen. 

Enter Breguet’s inaugural timepiece of 2018—also the 

brand’s fi rst Grande Complication to be outfi tted with 

a ‘Grand Feu’ enamel dial. Powered by Calibre 581 

and boasting an impressive 80-hour power reserve, 

the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique 5367 

sees atypical traits such as the off-centre numerals. 

BEST OF THE COASTS 

True to The Art of Fusion, Hublot’s 

latest engagement brings American 

street artists onboard its newest 

numbered collection. Respectively 

representing Los Angeles and New 

York City, Hush and Tristan Eaton 

drew inspiration from Hollywood 

culture and the Charging Bull 

monument in the Financial 

District, resulting in the Big 

Bang West Coast Ceramic Black & 

White and the Classic Fusion Bronze. 


STYLE | WATCHES 

ANCIENT MATTER A large turquoise, a precious stone long coveted by kings and prophets throughout 

history, takes centre stage in the caseback of the Lady Arpels Planétarium 

Universal Romance 

Samantha Lim indulges in stargazing while seeking 

out extraordinary timepieces with astronomical complications 

Save your sweet nothings 

this Saint Valentine’s Day. 

Instead of promising your 

beloved the sun, the stars 

and the moon, gift him or 

her the universe—by way of 

an astronomical timepiece. 

While constellations can only be savoured 

in the black of night, star-studded dials can 

be relished round the clock. Ranging from 

quartz to mechanical, analog to digital, and 

automatic to self-winding, astronomical 

watches are as divergent as space matter. 

Twinkling with all the lustre of the Milky 

Way, the Lady Arpels Planétarium is both fine 

jewellery and luxury timepiece. Part of Van 

Cleef & Arpels’ whimsical collection dubbed 

Poetic Complications (light-footed fairies, 

rhythmic ballerinas and star-crossed lovers in 

Paris are frequent themes), the self-winding 

mechanical watch is a throwback to the 

Midnight Planétarium of 2014. Regardless 

PHOTOS: RESPECTIVE BRANDS 


PATEK PHILIPPE REF 6002 

The arabesque designs on the two 

crowns indicate which direction to twist 

them and what purpose they serve 

While constellations can only 

be savoured in the black of 

night, star-studded dials can 

be relished round the clock 

OVER THE 

MOON 

Unlike the Midnight 

Planétarium, 

the Lady Arpels 

Planétarium includes 

Earth's selenic 

satellite: the Moon 

of the smaller diamond 

case (reduced from 44mm 

38mm), cleaner aesthetics (fewer 

planets) make for more negative 

space, allowing the aventurine dial 

to shine all the brighter. Most aweinspiring 

of all is the knowledge that 

each planet—Mercury in mother-ofpearl, 

Venus in green enamel, and Earth 

in turquoise—orbits the pink gold sun 

at precisely the same speed as in real life. 

While the Sun is often considered 

our Solar System’s centre of mass, brands 

such as De Bethune position the Moon at the 

centre of the dial. A debonair timepiece for 

the modern gentleman, the DB28 Digitale 

sees timeless bodies in space presented in a 

novel fashion. Surrounded by flame-blue steel, 

the spherical moon-phase indication doesn’t 

deviate once but every 1,112 years, while a blue 

expanse of sky arching from the 9 to 3 o’clock 

marker is punctured by white gold stars. 

Beaux arts buffs are more likely to 

gravitate towards Patek Philippe’s Sky Moon 

Tourbillon Ref 6002. A successor to the Ref 

5002 Sky Moon Tourbillon, the maison’s most 

complicated wristwatch, the Ref 6002 houses 

the same mechanism. That being said, you’d 

have to look twice to recognise the two as 

kin. Think of the latter as the artsy tattooed 

DE BETHUNE DB28 DIGITALE 

A hand-guillochéd barleycorn motif 

ripples across the dial of this timepiece 

sibling: ornate embellishments cover almost 

every surface of the Ref 6002, down to the 

most microscopic detail. The moon-phase 

display, for instance, even sports craters 

enamelled using the champlevé technique, 

for a touch of realism. 

A triumph over mankind’s transience, 

astronomical complications convey love 

everlasting. So pledge your love till your 

dying day, but know that the planets will 

keep spinning, and that your timepiece will 

continue ticking long after. 


STYLE | JEWELLERY 

HEARTFELT 

There’s nothing more beautiful than love—and this season we 

celebrate love and all the memories made along the way with 

jewellery that will stand the test of time, just like true love will. 

Chopard thus celebrates the tiny details in love with their Happy 

Hearts collection. Exquisite white or rose gold chains are set 

with large diamond encrusted hearts plus a tinier heart that 

houses a moving diamond—a sweet and playful feature sure 

to delight. Bangles employ the same approach too, giving its 

wearer a sparkle that is only second to their smile. Embrace the 

season of amor and give the gift of love with Chopard. 

KEY TO YOUR HEART 

Cupid has struck at Tiffany’s with 

a dainty collection of love offerings. 

Rose gold earrings in the shape of 

a petite lock and key make for the 

perfect everyday accessory as well. 


Fetching Fortune 

Soleluna 

Puppy Love 

The Moon Puppy 

PUPPY LOVE 

The dog, ever the loyal companion and 

loving friend is immortalised in threedimensional 

carved matte gold and 

diamonds in DeGem’s Fortune Canine 

collection. Designed especially for the 

Year of the Earth Dog, it is an auspicious 

collection to kick off the new year. The 

golden pups are crafted frolicking with the 

reinterpretation of the word love (Puppy 

Love), a boxy reinterpretation of the 

Chinese word for prosperity (Fortune Dog), 

a diamond studded money bag (Fetching 

Fortune) and a luminous jade disc moon 

(The Moon Puppy). If yellow gold isn’t your 

thing, look for the Soleluna rose gold origami 

pup with its movable diamond-encrusted tie 

for a quirky yet adorable piece. 

EYES ON 

THE PRIZE 

The watchful eyes of love are 

interpreted in Swarovski’s 

latest collection ‘Luckily’ 

or perhaps they’re simply 

star-struck eyes as seen 

from the dazzling number of 

Swarovski crystals encrusted 

on the surface of each of the 

bejewelled peepers. 

LUCKY DOG 

Adorably chubby, 

thechowchowis 

recreated by Poh 

Kong. Featuring 

ancientcoinsfora 

body, the lucky canine 

is the guardian of 

wealth and a symbol 

of protection this 

Chinese New Year. 


Jewel of a Memory 

Luciano Rodembusch is unequivocally full of enthusiasm 

as he regales Elizabeth Soong about Tiffany and how the 

brand is part of people’s own personal stories 

Despite Audrey 

Hepburn’s iconic 

movie, when it 

comes to Tiffany, I 

always picture this 

scene from Sweet 

Home Alabama: 

Reese Witherspoon giving a gasp of surprise 

when the lights come on and she realises 

two things—she’s in Tiffany’s plus she sees 

MacDreamy proposing to her. 

Apparently proposals like this do happen 

at Tiffany’s all over the world. During a tête-à 

tête with Luciano Rodembusch, the group vice 

president of Tiffany & Co for Asia Pacific in 

their new Pavilion store, he tells me the story 

of one of their store managers in Cancun, 

whose son asked her for assistance for his 

own proposal. He says, “It was so nice to 

see a whole cycle closed. It’s her that creates 

that for her clients, and now she had the 

opportunity to do that same thing for her son. 

PERSONAL TOUCH The engaging storyteller, Luciano Rodembusch; 

the Blue Box Café features the iconic robin’s egg blue in its colour palette 


JEWELLERY | STYLE 

PRECIOUS 

KEEPSAKES 

Whether it’s a 

piece of jewellery or 

even a timepiece, 

they are all related 

to special moments 

in people’s lives 

“We are human beings, and regardless of our heritage, 

wehaveverycloseneeds—andcelebrationsencapsulate 

moments or memories, which is a very human need” 

malaysia tatler . feb uar 20 

8 

I think this speaks a lot about us, 

being a community—it has a different 

meaning when it’s close to your heart.” 

He went on to share another story of 

a gentleman in Mexico, who wanted to 

do something special for his wife to mark 

their 25th anniversary. At his request, they 

cleared out the store except for two rings, 

which actually belonged to them. When he 

brought his wife to the store, she had no idea 

what he was planning. She was reminiscing to 

the store manager about these amazing rings 

she received and how special they are to her. 

When she came to the two rings in the store, 

she was so touched by what they represented, 

and that extraordinary moment was made 

complete with flowers and champagne. 

Tiffany has always been synonymous 

with life milestones that are 

commemorated with pieces of 

jewellery, or even a timepiece—as 

Rodembusch shares a story of a 

customer who was telling him 

about the Atlas watch that she 

bought 20 years ago, to celebrate her 

first job. “We are human beings,” he says, 

“and regardless of our heritage, we have very 

close needs—and celebrations encapsulate 

moments or memories, which is a very human 

need. We are so honoured that the clients 

who decide to shop with us chose to share an 

important moment of their lives with us. They 

could decide for another type of product, or 

pick another company, but instead they choose 

us, and this makes us very, very proud.” 

Tiffany celebrates a milestone of its own 

when it finally opened its very own Blue 

Box Café, which was a tremendous success, 

according to Rodembusch. Fans have been 

lining up to get a taste of their own Breakfast 

at Tiffany’s moment at the cafe, which serves 

up a menu that goes beyond Holly Golightly’s 

favourite pastries. Situated on the fourth 

floor of Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue flagship, 

along with their newly unveiled home and 

accessories collection, the eatery overlooks 

Central Park. With such a romantic spot 

like that, Rodembusch surmises that he can 

imagine one proposal happening per day— 

and judging from the rich, captivating stories 

that he seems to have an abundance of, we 

couldn’t agree more. 

107

MAKING A DEBUT 

Lily Webster is one of the 21 young debutantes 

to watch at the annual Le Bal des Débutantes— 

pictured here with a bevy of cavaliers


FEATURES 

PAGE 

110 

Keep Ca 

Roen Cian Nagapan and CareyNgon 

how they navigate life 

as a unit 

PAGE 

118 

Its Da 

Five parents to adorable furkids revealthe 

joys of having their pet pooche 

PAGE 

130 

Taking the 

Trans-Siberian 

Home 

Khairun Nisa Mohamed Zabidi continues 

on the second part of her epic journey 

PAGE 

136 

Asia’s Most 

Eligible 

We compile a list of Asia’s most alluring 

singles in the continent 

PAGE 

144 

Society Girls 

Discover a reservoir of positivity, 

personal development and philanthropic 

thinking at the Le Bal des Débutantes

POWER COUPLE 

On Roen: Inner 

shirt and blazer 

by COS; pants by 

Prada; On Carey: 

Dress by Diane 

von Furstenberg; 

necklace, earrings 

and ring from 

DeGem’s ARchT 

collection 

Keep Calm 

and 

Carry On 

Success, romance, fame and now 

parenthood—Roen Cian Nagapan and 

Carey Ng brave through life’s curveballs 

with their heads held high. In our 

exclusive cover story, Lily Ong traced 

their journey from young ambitious 

starters to the powerhouse brand they 

are today 

PHOTOGRAPHY AARON LEE 

STYLING SARAH SAW

“Give me a serious expression, no 

smiles!” Our photographer was 

instructing Roen Cian Nagapan 

in his solo shot, to which the 

serial entrepreneur deadpanned 

in response, “Oh, don’t worry. I 

have a RBF. We will nail this shot 

in five minutes.” 

Alluding to the above, Roen, who cofounded entertainment 

hub The Roof, co-working space Common Ground and juice 

company LifeJuice, is often labelled as unfriendly due to his 

serious demeanour at first impression—a fact disproved by 

his wife Carey Ng. “Roen is actually a people person. It is easy 

for him to click with anyone once you talk to him. And when 

he connects with you, you’ll see how playful he is—especially 

when he turns on his charms,” she says fondly. 

In fact, when they first met five years ago, he upped the 

voltage of his charm so much that Carey was wary about 

his intentions. They were first introduced when she was 

competing for the Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 title, which 

was held at one of the restaurants he owned, The Hill. 

“Naturally, I had a lot on my mind when we met because I 

was focused on getting through the competition. We spoke 

briefly, but I put that encounter out of my mind because I had 

been warned about ‘men like him’, and I perceived him to be 

playful. I think my lack of interest drove him mad; Roen is 

used to being remembered,” she shares, smiling at the memory. 

“I knew she would win the contest,” Roen told me 

confidently when I cross-checked with him about their first 

encounter. “I am not going to blow smoke and say it was love 

at first sight. Physical attraction played a big role but I also 

noticed this enigmatic quality about her. When I looked at 

her, I was filled with this curiosity to find out more about her.” 

As Roen predicted, Carey got crowned as Miss Universe 

Malaysia and skyrocketed to fame. “Before the pageant, 

I thought my life would follow a linear path: graduate with 

my architecture degree, find a job with a firm and so on. 

Competing for the pageant turned my life upside down 

and took me on another path. I was not ready to have a 

relationship at that time, what more with someone as 

high-profile as Roen,” she says. 

STYLISH DUO 

On Carey: Dress 

by Tory Burch; 

earrings, bracelet 

and necklace 

from DeGem’s 

ARchT collection; 

On Roen: 

Cardigan and 

pants by COS 

Roen knew his advances had a lukewarm response during 

their first conversation, but he was unfazed by it. Unable to 

stop thinking of her while on holiday in Taiwan, he purchased 

a perfume for her and used the gift as an excuse to invite 

her out on a date. That date marked the beginning of their 

relationship, which started casually before evolving rapidly, 

thanks to shared values and ambitions. 

“Although Roen was pursuing me, I didn’t fall in love with 

him because he owned clubs and because he was a prominent 

entrepreneur. The turning point for me came after I spent 

time with his family. When I saw how much he cherished his 

parents and brothers, I realised his charm and outgoing nature 

was just one part of him. There are deeper layers to him that 

meant so much more, like a love for family that mirrored my 

own values,” she reveals. 

In turn, Roen knew she was the one for him when he saw 

how quickly she adapted to every aspect of his life. “Carey 

is versatile, like a chameleon. That is so important for me. 

My life as an entrepreneur is demanding—I own restaurants, 

soccer fields, co-working spaces, juice bars—but she adapted 

to my life. We have a limited time on earth, so attitude 

matters. You have to roll with the punches and Carey does 

that well. She never loses her cool, she gets things done and 

she handles difficult situations without complaints,” he says. 

FACING THE GLARE 

As the couple embraced the direction their relationship was 

heading, they also made a decision to go public in a big way. 

Carey was the first of the two to become active on social 

media. After the pageant, she used Instagram to connect 

with her fans. “I utilise my Instagram as a diary to motivate 

myself. For example, if I take a picture of myself working out 

at a gym, I will put the phone aside and make sure I do what I 

posted. Step by step... soon it became a habit,” she elaborates. 

Spurred on by Carey, Roen began building his social media 

following as well—elevating his profile as a businessman. 

Together, they opened up their lives via social media 

and accumulated a legion of followers. Soon, brands came 

knocking on their doors, eager to work with them as a couple. 

“We share many commonalities. We are go-getters, we 

socialise a lot, we enjoy going on holidays and we love 

being healthy and fit. That’s when brands like Adidas, 


BOLD FRONT On Carey: Jumpsuit and 

jacket by BCBG Maxazria, and DeGem’s 

Forevermark Diamond collection; 

On Roen: Sweater and pants by Dior Homme 


“Carey and I try to reply every single DM, 

we try to help and give advice when we 

can, if our followers ask. We are honoured 

we could inspire others as KOLs and that’s 

the lens on how we view our success on 

social media influencing” 

Shawn Cutler and more approached us to work with them, and that’s how 

#keeproenandcareyon became a real thing,” he reveals. 

Just like that, they became a brand. Until today, the couple share about 

their relationship with their followers. “Carey and I try to reply every single 

DM, we try to help and give advice when we can, if our followers ask. We are 

honoured we could inspire others as KOLs and that’s the lens on how we view 

our success in social media influencing,” says Roen. 

On the subject of the double-edged effects of fame, he says prag, “As long 

as there is love, there is hate. You have to embrace both sides. The truth is, 

Carey and I know what we stand for. We make an honest living; what we 

do doesn’t hurt or harm anybody. Knowing this fact makes it easier for us to 

identify negative comments that come from a place of insecurity or jealousy. 

Just unfollow us if you don’t like us, it’s fine. Or turn off the social media, go 

out into the real world and do something with your life instead of becoming 

a negative person. We stay focused on what matters, sharing what is real and 

true to us.” 

Carey, who encountered cyber bullying throughout her journey in Miss 

Universe as a contestant and as a national director for the Miss Universe 

Malaysia Organisation (MUMO) in 2015, recalls how her past experiences 

have readied and toughened her up to live life under the spotlight. 

“I had haters who thought I was not beautiful enough for the crown. I 

accepted that I was flawed and strove to improve the parts I thought I was 

lacking. But I won’t lie. There were days where the comments affected me. I 

would doubt myself and ask, ‘Am I really not good enough? Am I really that 

ugly?’ And social media amplified things even more. But I have grown so much 

since then. Like Roen said, it is about our conscience. We communicate a lot, 

with each other and with the people closest to us. As long as we don’t feel like 

we compromised on our conscience, it is easy to stay focused,” she expresses. 

MAKING WAY FOR SHAE 

In 2016, while in the middle of a blizzard in Iceland, Roen got down on one 

knee to propose to Carey. “I couldn’t even hear him because of the blizzard; 

I kept going, ‘What? What did you ask me?’” 

Exactly one year ago, the couple tied the knot; first in an intimate, 


DADDY’S GIRL 

On Roen: Shirt 

by Dior Homme; 

inner shirt and 

blazer from COS 

“Shae is now my focus. Today, I work 

on businesses that are evergreen but 

have high gains. I want more time for 

my baby girl so everything I do is to 

#makewayforshae” 

heartwarming rooftop ceremony at Signature at The Roof, Roen’s restaurant, 

before they hosted a large-scale reception at the Majestic Hotel KL. Both 

events accurately showcased the couple’s philosophy in life: the rooftop 

ceremony was strictly only for family and loved ones, while the second party 

was a glamorous affair which was apt for the high-profile power couple. After 

an unforgettable honeymoon in Hawaii, the couple marked their return to the 

spotlight with a big announcement—they were expecting their firstborn. 

Little Shaelyn Rey Cian (75 per cent Chinese and 25 per cent Indian, as Roen 

jokingly said) bounced into their lives in September 2017. The arrival of Shae 

crystallised a new purpose for the couple as they adapted to parenthood in 

their own way. Roen, who was used to a fast-paced life, immediately looked 

into slowing down things so he could have more time with his baby girl. 

“Dad was my role model, maybe not in a business sense but as a man. 

He loved my mother and respected her, he provided for the family until his 

retirement and raised three boys with their lives on the right track. We weren’t 

rich growing up, but we were happy. He worked hard so he can send all of us 

overseas, he survived three bypass surgeries and never let the lows keep him 

down. He’s a real trooper. Above all, he taught us good moral values and work 

ethics. I am so happy he is still around to see Shae, his first grandchild.” 

For Carey, motherhood threw her into the deep end; though it is an exciting 

journey. “I am a planner but nothing can quite prepare you for something 

like motherhood! After Shae was born, I spent months taking care of Shae 

by myself. My two responses to motherhood has been either to deal with it 

gracefully or flip out—I can honestly say I have done both! Now, I think I have 

adapted better to motherhood, and it has certainly made me understand the 

notion of unconditional love. It makes me feel vulnerable, and I welcome every 

moment of this tiring-but-worthwhile journey,” she says. 

That being said, with Shae’s arrival and the building of their new home, 

does that mean the couple will be slowing down on their careers and the 

public front? “I think I’m more capable of balancing things now, I still work but 

am more conscious of the time I spend away from her,” says Carey, who speaks 

candidly on her social media about how life is like for her as a new mother. 

Roen agrees that he too is now more mindful of how he uses his time. “Shae 

is now my focus. Today, I work on businesses that are evergreen but have 

high gains. It’s all about building, sustaining and also exiting businesses—the 

latter an option if sustaining isn’t feasible. I want more time for my baby girl 

so everything I do is to #makewayforshae,” concluded Roen with a wink and a 

wide, loving smile—RBF no where in sight as he posed for the final shot of the 

day with baby Shae in his arms. 

MAKEUP: KHIR KHALID; HAIR: BIBIAN LEONG 

116

Every 

Has

One could say that these pampered pooches were 

lucky to be adopted, but Samantha Lim discovers 

it’s their owners who feel fortunate for the 

companionship of their ‘furkids’ 

Art Direction SYAHLIA ALBINA SARI 

Photography SHAFFIQ FARHAN

Cesarine Lim 

Country manager, 

Tiffany and Co

Buddy 

Bella 

uddy and Bella bounce off the walls of 

Cesarine Lim’s apartment in Mont Kiara 

as ‘the humans’ sip from steaming mugs 

of coffee, taking care not to spill any. 

Eyeballing the poodle and the Pomeranian with 

some trepidation, a burning question spills from 

my lips: How does the country manager of Tiffany 

& Co preside over a luxury jewellery empire, cater 

to her family, and tend to two hyperactive dogs? 

Her answer, though, is unexpected: “I think having 

pets actually balances my needs!” 

Cosying up to the canines, Cesarine opines, 

“Regardless of how hectic your day-to-day 

schedule is, I always find time to spend with 

my pets—they help to take my mind off work 

and reduce my stress.” Bella, the ‘baby of the 

family,’ shoots us a look with the wettest eyes 

imaginable, which prompts a visit to the kitchen 

for a new packet of dog snacks. “They’re also 

a great form of exercise. See? They get you up 

and moving,” chirps Cesarine. 

Called ‘man’s best friend’ for good reason, 

dogs, unlike most household pets, have the 

capacity to sympathise with our sentiments and 

experience a roller coaster of emotions, from 

ecstatic joy to crippling grief. When the Lim 

household lost Roxy, their two-year-old poodle, 

to liver failure in 2016, every member of the 

household felt the blow. 

Cesarine recalls, “I remember coming home 

from the vet after saying my last goodbyes to 

Roxy. I then had to tell my kids and Buddy that 

Roxy was gone. There was a deep sense of 

sadness during my heart-to-heart with Buddy. 

He sat on my lap and we both grieved.” Sticking 

close to one another over the next few weeks 

helped both parties push past their melancholy 

and move forward. 

Cheer eventually found its way back to the 

family by way of a sprightly white Pomeranian. 

“We got Bella to keep Buddy company after the 

loss of Roxy. She is named after Bella Swan, 

from Twilight, and yes, I am a big fan!” laughs 

the candid Cesarine. “Bella reminds me of a little 

vampire as she’s always biting on our ankles and 

anything else she can get her teeth into!” 

Fun facts about the Poodle and the Pomeranian 

Poodle: A distinctive look for poodles is ‘cording,’ which is something akin to dreadlocks. 

Pomeranian: This breed was named after the Pomerania region in Germany and Poland.

Mika 

inter is here in Joel Neoh’s condominium. The 

air-conditioner is operating at full capacity the day 

we waltz in, which is coincidentally Mika’s 10th month 

anniversary. Looking remarkably like a polar bear 

cub, the Samoyed puppy bounds up to us with great gusto, almost 

knocking this writer to the ground. 

Joel chuckles. “People ask, ‘Is Mika a good guard dog?’ As you 

can see, the answer is ‘Absolutely not.’ She loves everyone. If she 

could, she would open the door and invite everyone into the house, 

including thieves. She might even show you where the money is, in 

exchange for a treat.” 

A high-maintenance breed, the Samoyed is most comfortable in 

cooler temperatures. It takes a total of three hours to groom Mika 

from the tip of her nose to her tail. Nevertheless, her antics and 

buffoonery make it worthwhile. 

“Mika provides unconditional joy—until she chews up my 

favourite book. If only she could speak! But she’s always there 

for a good cuddle. She helps me feel that no matter how bad the 

situation, everything will be okay, eventually. I start and end most of 

my days with Mika, who accompanies me during my morning and 

night routines.” 

When asked ‘Why Mika?’ Joel confesses, “I didn’t choose the 

name—she did. I spent a good half hour Googling a list of names 

and reading them out at random. She ran over when she heard the 

name Mika.” 

Fun fact about the Samoyed 

An ancient breed domesticated by nomads, the Samoyed enjoys 

running errands like herding reindeer (or nowadays, fetching balls). 

122

Joel Neoh 

Founder, Fave

Daryl Foong 

Marketing manager, 

The Body Shop

Wicked 

nybody who’s been fortunate enough to 

share their life with a pet will understand,” 

muses Daryl Foong. “A certain 

communion forms between pet and 

owner, perhaps due to the limitation of words. We 

come to rely on body language, subtle behaviours 

and minute voice inflections. It is harder to hide our 

feelings from our pets, and they recognise when 

we need comfort while others might not. This love, 

which is given so freely and without condition, can 

only be rivalled by that of a parent’s.” 

Lounging by the pool in Daryl’s Balineseinspired 

home kindles an anecdote about Wicked, 

his ancient German Shepherd with a loping gait: 

“When Wicked was younger, we trained him to 

drag us to the shallow edge of the pool using a 

rope. He took it upon himself to be our very own 

furry lifeguard and watches carefully whenever 

we go swimming. One day I was blowing bubbles 

underwater. He got frantic when he couldn’t find 

his rope, stuck his head in the water, grabbed a 

mouthful of my hair, and yanked my head out. He 

must have thought I was drowning!” 

Guard dog duties aside, Wicked is, at the 

end of the day, just a ‘bro,’ tells Daryl. “When a 

friend came to visit from London, Wicked was 

absolutely smitten and wouldn’t leave her side. 

On her part, she would pet, cuddle and fuss 

over him—which he loved. When he wouldn’t 

leave the living room on our orders, it earned 

him a scolding, which he took poorly on account 

of it being in front of his new crush,” Daryl 

guffaws. “I didn’t know it was possible for a dog 

to be morose and sulky until that point! He put 

his head down, whined incessantly, spat out any 

treats I fed him, and refused to even look at me. 

It was only after a judicious round of cuddling 

from the Londoner that he felt better.” 

The marketing manager of The Body Shop 

Malaysia, the first global beauty brand to put its 

foot down on animal testing, is opinionated about 

reducing the number of strays on the streets. 

“There must be some greater consequence to 

our actions, be it self-imposed, or by the will 

of the people and the courts. Our laws have 

been reinforced thanks to organisations and 

campaigns led by SPCA Selangor and The Body 

Shop in 2013, which led to the tabling of the first 

comprehensive Animal Welfare Act in Malaysia in 

2015,” he mentions with a touch of pride. 

Fun fact about the German Shepherd 

Deemed the third most intelligent breed after Poodles and Border Collies, 

the German Shepherd played an important role in combat during World War II.

Boba 

y sisters and I always thought that 

Boba (like bubble milk tea) would 

make a cute, catchy name, but I 

never found the right opportunity to 

use it until I met this cream-white puppy with three 

distinct circles on its face!” beams Angelyn Chong. 

A loud snort interrupts us. Angelyn glances at 

the eight-month-old puppy with a half-bemused, 

half-exasperated expression akin to that of a 

wearied parent. 

“When Kok Wah and I first brought Boba 

home, we didn’t expect him to be such a quick 

learner! We showed him a few tricks just once or 

twice, which he picked up immediately despite 

his not-so-intelligent face,” she teases. Patience, 

it seems, runs deep in the pre-school teacher at 

Nooked Playgroup and Library. It is a struggle 

to seat Boba for his pet portrait, but Angelyn 

is accustomed to his whims. After coaxing the 

camera-shy star out from under the console table, 

we finally manage to capture a perky mugshot. 

Despite Angelyn grumbling about the French 

bulldog’s rumbling snores, reluctance to exercise 

and voracious appetite for new chew toys 

(sometimes household items), we detect deep 

affection for the puppy. 

“Ever since I married last June and moved 

to a new home, Boba has really helped me 

curb my homesickness. I have two dogs at my 

parents’ and grew up surrounded by pets,” 

shares Angelyn. Beyond a sense of familiarity, 

there is certain comfort to be had in caring for 

a pet, she explains. “Taking care of him has 

become a hobby—I don’t even feel the time pass 

by whenever I attend to him. His visits to the vet 

or the groomers are planned in advance so Kok 

Wah or myself will be free to take him. It makes us 

happy to make him happy.” 

When asked to tip off first-time pet owners, 

the sweet-natured lass turns solemn. “My 

advice is to always picture your pet’s place in 

the future—visualise its entire life span and not 

just a one-year plan—so you can minimise the 

unexpected,” she says. “Read up and learn about 

your pet’s characteristics, nutritional needs and 

more, prior.” Ill-planned preparations irk Angelyn, 

who bemoans, “Many strays find themselves on 

the streets because their owners did not plan 

beforehand. Make sure you have enough space 

and a proper place for your pup to live before 

taking it home. Pets require a lot of effort, but 

the love you receive in return is incomparable.” 

Fun fact about the French Bulldog 

Those with a French Bulldog for a pet in the early 1900s were deemed the crème de la 

crème of society. One French Bulldog even travelled aboard the Titanic in first class. 

126

Angelyn Chong 

Teacher, Nooked 

Playgroup and Library

Kristine Goh 

Founder, Fiftysix 

Degrees whisky

Barley 

Isla 

T 

hose curious eyes and cherubic cheeks! 

It’s all the Malaysia Tatler team can do 

not to crowd around and coo over little 

Leo. Kristine Goh’s firstborn, who turns 

nine months this month, beams at the strangers 

surrounding him. Her older ‘kids,’ however, 

watch a little more warily. 

When asked how the three get along, Kristine 

replies, “Isla is a very sweet and caring ‘big sis’ 

to Leo. Whenever he cries, she tends to come 

around and sniff about to see if he is okay. 

“Barley, on the other hand, has a wonderfully 

chilled temperament, but doesn’t care much for 

loud noises. Unlike Isla, she will run in the opposite 

direction of a crying baby. She is also a little 

jealous. Since the addition of Leo, she sometimes 

acts up or retreats to her corner to show her 

dissatisfaction.” 

Like a parent who has to exhibit fairness, 

Kristine has her own means to restore harmony in 

her home. “With Leo taken care of, I try to stick to 

a routine to ensure that I spend quality time with 

both Barley and Isla each day. In the mornings we 

have 15 minutes of play time, and before bedtime, 

we spend quiet time just cuddling.” 

While some deem it a chore to care for pets, 

dogs can prove a surprising comfort when you 

least expect it. “During my pregnancy, I went 

through really bad morning sickness for months,” 

reminisces Kristine. “Isla and Barley could 

somehow sense that I wasn’t fit to play, and 

instead, they would protectively lay by my side the 

whole time.” 

Pets can also be a reflection or an extension 

of their owners. While Isla was christened prior to 

adoption, Barley’s naming is a clear indicator of 

the Goh family’s passion for drinking and dining. 

“It had to be something from the kitchen,” explains 

Kristine, a whisky connoisseur. “Our past dogs 

were called Pepper and Sausage, so we just stuck 

to the trend! 

“Growing up, I always had dogs. At one point 

we even had six in total,” she recalls. “With them 

around, my home is complete.” 

Fun facts about the American Cocker Spaniel and King Charles Cavalier 

American Cocker Spaniel: A far cry from the ‘lone wolf’ persona, it abhors being left alone. 

King Charles Cavalier: King Charles II (1630-1685) bestowed this breed its moniker.

Taking the 

Trans-Siberian 

Home 

par 

Khairun Nisa Mohamed Zabidi and her two children 

made their way home from London by train—we left 

them in Warsaw, after being faced with a visa issue, 

and rejoin them on the second leg of their journey

Day 9Warsaw – St Petersburg 

It felt like a cop out to board a plane when the plan 

was to commute by train, but we made friends 

with other travellers and their enthrallment at our 

story made me feel slightly better—they were right, 

it was an adventure. We got to St Petersburg, 

and my parents met us at the hotel. They brought 

Brahim’s meal travel packs and we had nasi 

biryani! We went for coffee when bad luck struck 

again. As I was getting an Uber nearby, some 

people crowded around my son, and as my father 

got up to check, an affiliated crook lifted his wallet 

out of his pocket and jumped onto a passing bus. 

Dad shouted for help, but no one stopped. We 

spent the rest of the night at the police station. 

Day 10 St Petersburg 

Dad felt better after speaking to his insurance 

company and we all assured him that we had 

enough for the remaining trip. We decided to get 

on the Hop On, Hop Off bus tour so we can hit 

all the main sights in a day. The kids slept most of 

the way but I was captivated by the history of the 

city. We completed the 90-minute bus loop and 

then got off at the massive Palace Square with the 

Alexander Column in the centre. We headed to the 

State Hermitage Museum, which was once a Winter 

Palace to the Romanovs before being declared a 

museum after the 1917 Revolution. The kids saw 

the movie Anastasia before our trip and were excited 

about the paintings, sculptures and decorative art. 

RUSSIAN 

ADVENTURE 

Reunited with 

my parents after 

a visa mishap in 

Warsaw, crisis 

occurred again 

when my father 

got pickpocketed 

a day after in 

St Petersburg! 


Day 11 St Petersburg – Moscow 

On our last day in St Petersburg, we visited 

the Fabergé museum—home to the second 

largest collection of Imperial Fabergé eggs. We 

enjoyed the delicate desserts at the museum 

cafe before going on to cross the Neva River to 

explore the Peter and Paul fortress and drink 

in the tragic ending of the Romanov rule. We 

walked around Peter the Great’s original citadel 

and were pleasantly surprised by the Museum 

of Cosmonautics and Rocket Technology at 

the grounds. We ended the day with our fi rst 

overnight train to Moscow. In the second class 

cabin, we shared four comfortable and plush 

berths between my parents, the two kids and I. 

And so began our Trans-Siberian journey.

Day 14 Moscow – Kazan 

We headed to Izmailovo market, also known as 

the Wooden Kremlin, a tourist market for souvenirs 

and Armenian barbecue. I got some hand-painted 

Russian dolls for my aunts and a set of CCCP 

tools for a friend. We took our time to walk through 

Izmailovsky Park and treated the kids to a ride 

on an electric toy jeep, which I reckon was their 

favourite part of the entire trip—oh the simple joys 

of childhood! Then, Kieran took us to an amazing 

Georgian restaurant in the hip part of town for 

dinner before we detoured to get our luggage 

and headed to the train station for our second 

overnight journey. 

Day 15 Kazan 

After another comfortable overnighter, we arrived 

in Kazan. At this point, we are halfway across 

our journey. After two weeks of travel, the kids 

and I were tired and decided to take it slow. The 

days were sunny and we had ice cream on the 

grounds of the city’s Ministry of Agriculture—with 

an imposing wrought-iron tree that stood out as 

a magnificent piece of architecture. We explored 

the (unfinished) Temple of Multiple Faiths, and then 

the kitschy Museum of Soviet 

Lifestyle in the centre of town, 

a tiny two-storey shoplot filled 

floor to ceiling with cultural 

knickknacks—housing an 

odd collection of household 

items used between the 

1910s-1970s. 

Day 12 and 13 Moscow 

We pulled into the Leningradsky railway 

station in Moscow at 7am and were 

surprised to find our family friend Kieran 

already at the door of the train. Kieran was 

at Goodenough College the same year 

we moved in, and was a big part of the 

kids’ year in London before he moved to 

Moscow to do fieldwork for his PhD on the 

Russian revolution. He was our host for this 

leg of the trip, armed with pre-loaded travel 

cards and an amazing kid-friendly itinerary. He 

took us to the Red Square—the kids loved how 

the colourful domes of the St Basil’s Cathedral 

looked like ice cream cones—and the massive 

children’s complex (which coincidentally is 

opposite the KGB headquarters) that housed 

toy stores, play areas and games that would 

fulfil any child’s dream. We spent hours in the 

Kremlin armoury which housed many of Russia’s 

treasures, like carriages, clothes, imperial dining 

ware, weapons, armour, and the world’s largest 

collection of Fabergé eggs and more. Then we 

had coffee near Gorky Park; there is a market 

fair just outside the Kremlin and we bought ice 

cream and jam. Our days were much too short 

to appreciate everything the city had to offer! 

HISTORICAL 

CHARM 

From top: 

The Ministry 

of Agriculture 

building with 

its imposing 

facade; 

enjoying the 

grounds of 

Izmailovsky 

park; souvenir 

shopping 

at Izmailovo 

market. 

Opposite: The 

Hermitage 

Museum 


SOVIET 

STYLE 

From left: 

The Kazan 

Kremlin; the 

Church on the 

Blood which 

holds a piece 

of Russian 

history 

Day 16 Kazan – Yekaterinburg 

We checked out of our apartment and booked 

our luggage into the baggage drop at the train 

station. The kids napped on the grass slopes of 

the Kremlin. We picked up some items, did our 

laundry and repacked for the long train rides to 

come. We got a shock at a local restaurant which 

charged us 250 Russian roubles (about RM18) 

to use some Tabasco sauce to add spice to our 

meals. Must remember to bring our jar of sambal 

belacan out with us next time. We got an Uber to 

the train station before boarding our night train 

to Yekaterinburg. 

Day 17 Yekaterinburg 

We found out that the times stated on our train 

tickets were printed in Moscow time. This meant 

that the arrival time at the subsequent Russian 

cities will be later than our original schedule. 

We arrived in Yekaterinburg in the afternoon, 

instead of the morning. I explored while the kids 

rested; the Church on the Blood fascinated me. A 

house once stood on this site, where the ill-fated 

Romanov family were placed under house arrest 

before being marched into the basement and 

violently executed by the Communist Bolsheviks. 

Imperial Russia ended here, and a new Soviet 

rule dawned. 

Day 18, 19 and 20 

Yekaterinburg – Novosibirsk – Irkutsk 

After we left Yekaterinburg, the city on the east of 

the Ural Mountains, we were fi nally in Siberia! After 

that, it was trains for days and days, stopping only 

briefl y in Novosibirsk, Russia’s third largest city 

after Moscow and St Petersburg, to break up the 

journey and stock up on food. The trains we were 

on were slow trains. Unlike the new Firmeny ones 

we took on the fi rst few legs of the journey, these 

trains made many stops along the route—pausing 

for as short as two minutes where no passengers 

got on or off, and as long as an hour at busier 

cities. As we were now travelling by day, there was 

more to see. Little stalls were set up on the train 

platforms, selling essentials, dried food and drinks. 

The train ride, although long, was still a lot of fun. 

The kids never complained of being bored, and 

climbed up and down between berths, looking 

out the windows along the aisles. We kept busy 

with books and games, making shapes out of the 

clouds and chasing double rainbows. When it got 

dark, we would watch movies before bed on my 

laptop. Finally we arrived in Irkutsk, on the lip of 

Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake 

and the gateway to Mongolia. We had offi cially 

crossed Europe to Asia but have still a way to go 

before we arrived home.

SLOW GOING 

The last three 

days were spent 

in the train. We 

offi cially entered 

Asia through 

Irkutsk, passing 

Lake Baikal, 

the gateway to 

Mongolia 

Khairun Nisa is a Chevening scholar who now consults 

high-profile clients on future-proofing their businesses 

with PwC Malaysia’s Sustainability and Climate Change 

practice. She took this journey because she believes that 

sustainable tourism is possible—a lesson she wants to 

pass on to her children, Aidan and Aria. 


ASIA’S 

M ST 

ELIGIBLE 

Our round-up of Asia’s most alluring singles proved to be 

the most popular feature in all eight Asia Tatler regions last 

year. So we thought we’d treat you to a new, updated list. 

Meet the most charming, witty, good-looking, successful, 

savvy and, most importantly, unmarried men and women 

of the continent 

Words by MARIANNA CERINI, OLIVER GILES & CHERRY LAI 


HONG KONG 

GREG 

MCNAMARA 

WHY HIM? The art 

collector and professional is 

only 28 but already boasts 

a successful art consultancy 

under his name, McNamara 

Art Projects, as well as a 

new gallery in Wong Chuk 

Hang. He’s going places. 

SIGNATURE STYLE A 

fedora or panama hat. He 

collects them and never 

leaves home without one. 

LOUI LIM 

WHY HIM? Besides his 

incredible good looks, 

you mean? Well, let’s 

see: Loui is the vicepresident 

for brand 

strategy, marketing 

and communications of 

his family’s company, 

Dream Cruises, an 

architect by training and 

an enthusiastic art lover. 

Check, check, check. 

EXTRA PERK Given 

his family’s business 

interests, it should come 

as no surprise that he 

loves to travel. 

IMAGES: CRAZY ROUGE; MOSES NG; PJ LAM @ FAST MANAGEMENT; RICKY LO 

YEN KUOK 

WHY HER? The founder 

and CEO of luxury 

consignment company 

Guiltless, Stanford 

graduate Yen is the 

youngest daughter of 

Shangri-La and Kerry 

Group founder Robert 

Kuok. Smart and with 

swanky digs to boot. 

Enough said. LOVES 

Skincare—and it shows. 

She’s pretty flawless (plus 

you can probably raid her 

beauty cabinet and get all 

the best products). 

PEARL SHEK 

RUTH CHAO 

WHY HER? This boho-artsy 

infl uencer is the cofounder 

of Indicube, one of the city’s 

most dynamic digital creative 

agencies. You’ll never get 

bored with her. THAT’S 

NOT ALL Ruth is passionate 

about travel, loves to socialise 

and doesn’t take herself too 

seriously. Perfect match? 

WHY HER? Pearl Shek might be petite, but 

her sassy attitude and entrepreneurial spirit are 

both forces to be reckoned with. A graduate 

of London’s Imperial Business School, she’s 

the beauty and brains behind popular Thai 

restaurant Apinara Hong Kong and one of 

the city’s smartest young businesswomen. 

You go, girl. MAJOR PLUS Her 11-yearold 

pug Yogi. He’s so cool he even has his 

own Instagram account. And probably more 

followers than you (more than 1,000 at the 

time of writing). 

MARIO HO 

A graduate of MIT, Mario is 

one of Stanley’s younger sons. 

His mum is businesswoman 

Angela Leong. He runs his 

own tech venture out of 

Shanghai. A European football 

fan, Mario travels around the 

world to watch games, pose 

with players and hang out with 

his siblings. 


MALAYSIA 

JOE FLIZZOW 

WHY HIM? Joe has put Malaysian hip-hop on 

the global map. As well as his success as a solo 

artist and as a member of hip-hop duo Too 

Phat, Joe is the founder of Kartel Records, one 

of the biggest record labels in Asia. Among 

many other successful artists, Kartel now 

represents Malaysian rapper Altimet and singer 

SonaOne. But he isn’t just a one-trick pony. 

The guy also runs a successful salon called 

Joe’s Barbershop. PERKS You’ll get front-row 

seats at every gig in town. 

DEVAN LINUS RAJADURAI 

WHY HIM? A fi nancial whizz, Devan 

cofounded Malayan Traders Capital (MTC), 

the fi rst hedge fund in Malaysia. CAVEAT If 

you wanna be his lover, you gotta get with his 

friends. Devan co-founded MTC with two of 

his closest friends, Aaron Yew and Donovan 

Ng. He’s also close friends with fi tness guru 

Aidil Azman. PSSST Being a natural with 

numbers runs in the family. In the 1960s, 

Devan’s grandfather became the fi rst Malaysian 

to be appointed chairman of the then Stock 

Exchange of Malaysia and Singapore. 

LIM MAY SHEN 

WHY HER? The cofounder 

of the Nail Parlour chain of 

salons, which now number 11 

outlets around the Klang Valley, 

Lim May Shen is as smart as 

she is stylish. When she’s not 

building her business empire, 

you can fi nd her treating herself 

to weekends away at luxurious 

resorts around the world. 

CAVEAT She’s incredibly close 

to her sister, Lim May Jian, with 

whom she cofounded the chain 

of salons. If you want to win 

Lin May Shen, you’ll have to 

impress her sister too. 

PANDELELA RINONG 

WHY HER? Pandelela Rinong is a national 

treasure. She fi rst exploded into the public’s 

consciousness when she won a bronze 

medal at the 2012 Olympics for 10-metre 

platform diving. She’s since added to 

her medal haul at various international 

competitions, including the World 

Championships. THAT’S NOT ALL On top 

of her demanding training 

schedule, she’s currently 

studying for a sports 

science degree at the 

University of Malaya. 

GUILTY PLEASURE 

K-pop. Especially 

boy band Big 

Bang. 

TENGKU FAHD 

MU’ADZAM SHAH 

WHY HIM? Now that Prince Harry is off 

the market, single royals are few and far 

between. The young prince of Pahang state 

(he’s only in his early 20s) recently returned 

home to Malaysia after completing his studies 

in the UK and the US. Now’s your chance. 

NATURAL HABITAT Outdoors. Fahd loves 

sports and is a passionate advocate for 

conservation and the environment. 

SARAH LIAN 

WHY HER? Smart, funny, athletic and incredibly 

beautiful, model and TV personality Sarah Lian splits 

her time between Canada and Malaysia. As she 

has everything going for her, the real question is: 

why not? CAVEAT She loves durian, so you better 

be able to put up with the fruit’s pungent smell. 

PSSST Judging from her weekly Instagram post, 

#hotmalemondays, Sarah’s type is muscly male 

models. If that’s not you, it’s time to hit the gym. 


THAILAND 

ARDHAWADEE 

JIRAMANEEKUL 

WHY HER? You may know 

Ardhawadee as an awardwinning 

singer (she’s released 

four albums with GMM Grammy 

and Sony), but she’s now 

stepped out of the spotlight to 

work as PR director for Minor 

International, the hospitality 

group that operates resorts 

under the Anantara, Four 

Seasons and St Regis brands, 

among others. PERKS Free 

stays in resorts around Asia 

managed by Minor. Think of all 

those romantic beach moments. 

VARIT HONGSANANDA 

WHY HIM? If you’ve seen his face, then you 

wouldn’t bother asking this question. The son of 

Sakchai Leesavan and former Giggle hair salon 

owner Visaka Hongsananda, Varit is a model, actor 

and one of Thailand’s best-looking men. But don’t 

let his good looks fool you—Varit has plenty of 

brain power too. On top of his acting work, 

he’s currently leading the expansion of 

his family’s business, FAW Supreme 

Truck Thailand, which makes vehicles 

for the local market. He also holds a 

degree in interior design from London’s 

prestigious Chelsea College of Arts. 

CAVEAT If you win his heart, be 

prepared to receive some hate mail 

from his more than 200,000 loving 

Instagram followers. 

YANIN VIRAVAIDYA 

WHY HER? The daughter of doctor and 

businessman Sunya Viravaidya, Yanin helps 

her father manage Pattaya International 

Hospital, which he founded in 1974. She also 

manages the successful Sugar Hut resort in 

Pattaya, which was also established by her 

family. PSSST If you really want to impress 

her, you’ll have to know your way around 

the kitchen. Yanin is an avid cook and has 

worked in the kitchen of Hélène Darroze 

at The Connaught in London, a restaurant 

boasting two Michelin stars. She also collects 

cookbooks from around the world. 

KANACHAI 

BENCHARONGKUL 

WHY HIM? A man of many talents, Kanachai 

is a highly successful photographer and a 

keen amateur cook and surfer. PERKS As 

his other half, you’ll get to accompany him 

on adventures around the world. Recent trips 

include partying with Paris Hilton in Phuket, a 

dreamy safari in Kenya and a trip to Myanmar to 

photograph refugees for the United Nations High 

Commissioner for Refugees. GUILTY PLEASURE 

He’s a big collector of Swatch watches. 

CHAKRIT BENEDETTI 

WHY HIM? Love food and wine? Then Chakrit is 

the man for you. The scion of the Italasia Group, 

which imports food, wine and 

kitchen equipment from 

Europe, Chakrit is a 

fun-loving bon vivant. 

THAT’S NOT ALL 

He’s also the secretary 

for the Thai-Italian 

Chamber of Commerce 

and runs four of his own 

restaurants “on the side.” 

NATAPREE 

PICHAIRONARONGSONGKRAM 

WHY HER? Natapree comes from a long line of 

impressive women. Her grandmother, Khunying 

Supatra Singholka, founded the Chao Phraya Express 

Boat company, which shuttles tourists and locals up 

and down Bangkok’s main waterway. Over time, the 

family’s business empire has expanded to include the 

Riva Surya boutique hotel, the Tha Maharaj riverside 

mall and restaurants in Bangkok and Hua Hin. Natapree 

now works for the family business as managing director 

of Supatra Real Estate. NATURAL HABITAT Around 

horses. Natapree was an avid rider as a child and 

teenager and rekindled her passion for the sport when 

she moved back to Thailand after graduating from 

university in the United States. 


SINGAPORE 

BRYAN TAN 

WHY HIM? Bryan is the brother of ultra-eligible Mae (see 

her bio to the right; hotness runs in the family) and a 

member of the 2017 class of Generation T as well. This 

25-year-old handles the operations and management 

of cult multi-label fashion store Surrender, known 

for bringing alternative and street-leaning apparel 

brands to Singapore. PERKS Dapper style for days. 

Unsurprisingly, Bryan has the fashion chops to match his 

job and regularly fi nds himself on best-dressed lists. 

MAE TAN 

WHY HER? Like her brother, this 2017 

Gen.T lister is part of the genius curatorial 

mix behind local multi-label store Surrender, 

for which she does creative marketing. 

She’s also made it big on her own terms. 

The fashionable infl uencer hosted her own 

reality show in South Korea and is one of 

Singapore’s most famous It girls. THAT’S 

NOT ALL Not only does she handle the 

marketing direction of a gazillion fashion 

brands, she also jostles her online presence 

like a real pro. Her account, @marxmae, has 

70,000 followers and counting. 

PATRICIA CHEONG 

WHY HER? The medical doctor 

is the daughter of society couple 

Dolly and Bernard Cheong. She 

only recently returned home to 

Singapore after eight years of 

studying and living in the UK, but 

she already has a beeline of suitors 

trying to impress her. PERKS Free 

medical check-ups. 

ANDREW LI 

WHY HIM? This outgoing Hong Kong native is 

the boss behind one of Singapore’s most iconic 

brands, Zouk, and has been taking it to greater 

heights since he became CEO in January 2017. 

Business-savvy and stylish. What else could you 

want? THAT’S NOT ALL Andrew likes to train 

for and compete in triathlons, often alongside 

his two brothers. PSSST He knows his way 

around spaghetti bolognese—whether it’s 

cooking it himself or knowing which restaurants 

make it superbly. 

ZEENA TAN 

WHY HER? The daughter 

of society couple Linda 

Soo-Tan and Tan Bock 

Seng, this lawyer is not 

afraid of hard work and 

she’s a seriously smart 

cookie. WIN HER HEART 

The 27-year-old graduate of 

University College London 

enjoys reading, writing, 

photography, the theatre 

and travelling. Pick one of 

those things or, better still, 

all of them to wow her. 

RAJ DATWANI 

This Singapore-based New 

Yorker describes himself as 

a “serial entrepreneur,” and 

with good reason. For one, 

he and his business partner 

brought the electronic 

dance music festival Ultra 

to the city. He also owns 

The Kitchen at Bacchanalia, 

which has a Michelin star, 

and is the founder of private 

club Madison Rooms. 


PHILIPPINES 

CAMILLE TANTOCO 

WHY HER? One of a matched 

pair—she has a twin sister, 

Nicole—Camille belongs to a 

family that has long made its 

name in the Philippine luxuryretail 

sector. Consistently 

ranked among Manila’s 

most stylish, this graduate of 

Enderun Colleges works as a 

marketing assistant for Royal 

Duty Free. CAVEAT She has 

a serious penchant for clothes, 

so you’d better be ready 

for lots of shopping. 

DEREK ARTHUR RAMSAY 

WHY HIM? Besides the fact that he’s an 

award-winning actor, a consummate golfer, 

a master at Beach Ultimate Frisbee, a 

coveted brand ambassador and an 

incredibly good-looking fellow? What 

else do you need? PERKS He owns 

a Ferrari and is an enthusiastic roadtripper. 

CAVEAT He’s dated quite a few 

models, athletes and TV personalities, so 

only confi dent people need apply. 

PETER ANGELO 

RODRIGUEZ 

WHY HIM? Known as Paj, the 

30-year-old is the executive vicepresident 

of Asian Aerospace 

Corporation, which owns the 

private jets venture AirTaxi.PH. 

Date him and you’ll be able to fl y 

anywhere you want. FAVOURITE 

HOBBY Travelling, of course. And 

learning stuff about planes. 

CHERYL TIU 

WHY HER? A seasoned and 

brilliant writer, Cheryl is an editorat-large 

for Lifestyle Asia and a 

columnist for the Philippine Star 

and Forbes Asia. She always 

has the inside scoop. THAT’S 

NOT ALL A passionate foodie, 

Cheryl has been a critic for the 

World’s 50 Best Restaurants, 

and a judge on Eat List Star, a 

reality TV cooking competition 

on Singaporean television. 

NATURAL HABITAT Top 

restaurants around the globe. 

PIA WURTZBACH 

WHY HER? Miss Universe 2015, 

Pia is hot. Smoking hot. She’s also 

incredibly talented, and has been 

acting and modelling since a young 

age. She’s also a stylist and beauty 

writer. The queen of looking good, 

basically. ADDED BONUS Pia is 

involved in raising awareness about 

HIV/Aids. CAVEAT She’s been 

stepping out with racing car driver 

Marlon Stockinger. 

INDONESIA 

CINDY ANGELINA 

WHY HER? A fashion maven 

and beauty enthusiast, Cindy 

cofounded ESQA Cosmetics, 

Indonesia’s fi rst local vegan 

cosmetics brand, with her best 

friend, Kezia Toemion. Gorgeous, 

innovative and eco-conscious, 

she’s the perfect 21st 

century entrepreneur. 

THAT’S NOT ALL The 

Pepperdine University 

graduate is also an 

avid traveller. 

PIOLO PASCUAL 

WHY HIM? Actor, singer and producer, 

Piolo is idolised by millions for his looks, 

talent and showbiz accomplishments. No 

pressure, but snatch him and you’ll feel 

pretty chuffed about yourself. NATURAL 

HABITAT On the road, running. THAT’S 

NOT ALL He even founded a running 

and cycling event that incorporates his 

name, the annual SunPiology race. 


FITRIA YUSUF 

The entrepreneurial former 

model works with her 

family’s business, the 

investment management 

company PT Citra Marga 

Nusaphala Persada, 

in the position of vicepresident 

director. Fitria is 

an adventurous type and 

loves travelling to locations 

such as the Galapagos 

Islands, Bhutan and 

various countries 

in Africa. 

RALINE SHAH 

WHY HER? The holder of 

degrees in political science and 

new media and communications 

from the National University of 

Singapore, Raline is an incredibly 

popular model and actress. 

THAT’S NOT ALL She also 

volunteers at Rumah Harapan 

Indonesia, an organisation that 

provides support for critically 

ill children from low-income 

families. She’s basically the 

woman we all want to be. And 

we’re speaking for men, too. 

TAIWAN 

CHIA YING HSIEH 

WHY HER? A passionate 

historian, Chia is a published 

author (albeit under the 

pseudonym Hsieh Jinyu) 

and the founder of Gushi.tw, 

Taiwan’s largest educational 

online platform for history and 

literature. Lots of intellectual 

conversations to be had. 

WIN HER HEART Take her 

to the opera. She’s a huge 

fan and never misses a 

performance. 

SAMUEL WONGSO 

The 27-year-old manages his 

family’s long-standing business, 

Wong Hang Distinguished 

Tailor, which specialises in 

high-end formal suits for men. 

His loyal customers are highprofi 

le celebrities and public 

fi gures, and he is frequently 

sought out to design wedding 

tuxedos. Get him to expand his 

horizons a little further and start 

designing for women, too, and 

you’ll have a personal tailor and 

designer at your fi ngertips. 

MAXIM LIN 

INDRA PRIAWAN 

DJOKOSOETONO 

WHY HIM? Indra is an 

operational manager with his 

family’s business, Blue Bird 

Group, one of Indonesia’s 

largest taxi companies. He 

graduated with the highest 

distinction from the University of 

Indonesia and then obtained his 

master’s degree from the Hult 

International Business School in 

the US. NATURAL HABITAT 

He’s a globetrotter and is often 

on the road in different countries. 

GUILTY PLEASURE He 

collects cars and has a portfolio 

that includes BMW, Ferrari and 

Mercedes-Benz, to name a few. 

PERKS Between his job and his 

collecting, you’ll never have to 

wait for an Uber again. 

RIKI KONO 

BASMELEH 

WHY HIM? This half- 

Japanese, half-Indonesian 

hottie is making his mark in 

the F&B industry as the CEO 

of Omiyage Inc Indonesia, 

a company specialising in 

souvenir confectionery that 

he founded with two friends. 

One of its projects is to bring 

popular Japanese cheesecake 

brand Doré by LeTAO to 

Jakarta. GUILTY PLEASURE 

Unsurprisingly, sweet treats. 

WHY HIM? Don’t be fooled by 

the chiselled looks and boy bandworthy 

grin. The tenth-generation 

scion of the Wufeng Lin family is an 

art curator with business acumen to 

boot. He’s chairman of art auction 

house JSL. WIN HIS HEART You’d 

better love the ocean—he once said 

he would like to propose to his future 

wife underwater or during a seaside 

candlelit dinner. 

DANNY WEN 

WHY HIM? The 

suave globe-trotter 

is constantly on the 

move and has lived in 

seven countries. The 

cofounder of luxury 

travel and private jet 

chartering agency Le 

Mont Travel, Danny is 

an adrenaline junkie who 

loves mountaineering 

and skiing. PERKS 

The world—at least the 

private jets that whisk 

you around it—at your 

fi ngertips. CAVEAT 

A nomadic lifestyle. 

142

ANGELA SHAO 

WHY HER? This University of 

British Columbia-graduate is no 

wallflower: the daughter of Xue 

You Shao, the founder of 

luxury homeware dealership 

Danese & Lealty (known 

for bringing Rolf Benz 

and Bang & Olufsen to 

Taiwan), she’s worked her 

way up to become CEO of 

the company. NATURAL 

HABITAT Wine-tasting at the 

world’s top wineries, as she’s 

somewhat of an oenophile. 

CHARLES 

TONG 

WHY HIM? The 

handsome son of 

legendary Taiwanese 

actress Hsu Feng is the 

vice-chairman of luxury 

property investment 

holding company 

Tomson Group. WIN HIS 

HEART Brush up on your 

art. He’s an avid collector 

of works by Zeng Fanzhi 

and Zhou Chunya. 

MAINLAND CHINA 

NI WANG 

WHY HER? The 29-year-old is a 

multi-hyphenate, so there’s no risk of 

getting bored with her. She runs her 

own retail trading company, which 

imports Italian brands, is studying to 

become a chartered financial analyst 

and is constantly on the move, with 

a demanding travel schedule every 

month. PSSST She loves a good 

party and has a thing for house 

music, though a childhood spent 

studying the flute means she also 

appreciates a good old classical 

concert. Take her to the theatre, then 

out for a dance. 

ALEX HUA TIAN 

WHY HIM? China’s fi rst and only 

Olympic equestrian (he took eighth 

place in eventing at the 2016 

Rio Olympics), this dapper 

Etonian sportsman has a good 

seat on and off the course. 

CAVEAT Good luck being the 

eye-catcher if you’re on his arm. 

Alex was named “one of the 10 

most handsome equestrians on 

the planet” by The Horse Rider’s 

Journal. 

LAN YU 

WHY HER? Hailed as the Vera 

Wang of China, Lan is the creative 

mind behind her eponymous haute 

couture label, which specialises in 

wedding dresses and evening wear. 

She has dressed a good number of 

the country’s celebrities, including 

Fan Bingbing and Angelababy, and 

recently branched into ready-towear. 

CAVEAT Business-driven, 

her main focus is her brand, so 

don’t expect lots of playtime. 

LANG LANG 

WHY HIM? Flamboyant showmanship meets 

astonishing talent in the Shenyang-born piano 

virtuoso, who has embraced technology to bring 

classical music into the 21st century. PSSST 

He’s got a heart of gold. As well as his Lang Lang 

International Music Foundation, he serves as a 

United Nations Messenger for Peace and a Unicef 

Goodwill Ambassador. 

JEN HAU 

WHY HER? A health and wellness 

enthusiast, Jen is the cofounder of 

Jova Health, a holistic lifestyle brand 

that does detox juices, scented 

candles and the likes. Hence the 

glowing complexion, ultra-slim 

fi gure and aspirational attitude. 

THAT’S NOT ALL Jen is also 

a trained fi tness instructor 

in barre, piloxing and yoga. 

CAVEAT You gotta like 

fi tness and healthy eating. 

WIN HER HEART Bring 

her a juice, but make 

sure it’s from Jova. 

For the full, 

updated list 

of Asia’s most 

wanted 

guys and 

gals, head to 

hk.asiatatler.com 


Photography 

As she shares the preparations of 21 

privileged young women for their big night at 

Le Bal des Débutantes, Marianna Cerini 

discovers a reservoir of positivity, 

personal development and 

philanthropic thinking

I you look up debutante in the Oxford 

Dictionary, you’ll find it defined as “an upper-class young woman making her first appearance in 

fashionable society.” But it’s much more than that, I find after spending four days with 21 such 

women in Paris for Le Bal des Débutantes. From the moment we meet to their gathering on the 

grand staircase of the Peninsula for a group photo before the ball, the debs are constantly in 

the limelight. Rather than the polite young women of yore introduced to a genteel high-society 

marriage market in search of a suitable mate, they conjure in my mind images from Hollywood. 

They give numerous interviews, run to fittings across town, sit for hours of hair and make-up, 

then even longer hours in photo sessions—not just for the Asia Tatler titles, but also for Vanity 

Fair, Grazia China, Vogue India and Paris Match. 

IN GOOD COMPANY Standing: Gauravi Kumari in Tarun 

Tahiliani, Ava Phillippe in Giambattista Valli, Laila Blavatnik 

in Ralph & Russo, Helena Alesi in Emanuel Ungaro, 

Ananya Panday in Jean Paul Gaultier, Maria Francisca de 

Bragança in Laurinda Farmhouse, Paris McCaw in Oscar 

de la Renta, Alice de Séjournet de Rameignies in Guo Pei, 

Costanza Diaz della Vittoria Pallavicini in Valentino, Alice 

Ho in Christian Dior, Cecily Lasnet in Chanel, Éléonore 

Cochin in Stéphane Rolland, Charlotte Bell in Monique 

Lhuillier. Seated: Amina Martinez de Irujo y Casanova in 

Zuhair Murad, Jeanne Malle in Vivienne Westwood, Lori 

Harvey in Elie Saab, Lily Webster in Alexis Mabille 


“It’s kind of a dreamy weekend. It’s about gorgeous, 

smart young women having a great time and 

looking amazing” 

As the cameras flash at the glamorous 

group on the staircase, paparazzi and curious 

passers-by outside crane their necks for a 

glimpse. Make-up artists and hair stylists 

watch vigilantly from a corner, ready to 

run to the rescue should lipstick smudge or 

tresses lose their shine. On the other side, 

debs’ mums—and entire entourages in some 

cases—angle their smartphones for pictures 

and videos. The scene screams Oscars red 

carpet more than genteel high-society event. 

But this is the 21st century, and this is what 

a cotillion looks like in our media-centric 

era. “This is the ball everyone wants to come 

to,” says 16-year-old Spanish deb Amina 

Martinez de Irujo y Casanova between shoots. 

“My friend Daniela [Figo, the daughter of 

footballer Luis Figo] participated last year, 

and she told me how great it was. I’ve been 

dying to attend ever since.” 

The hype is real. Since Le Bal des 

Débutantes was launched in 1992 by PR 

maven Ophélie Renouard, it has become the 

most coveted gala of its kind among both 

European aristocrats and American business 

and showbiz types. A number of debutante 

balls take place around the world, particularly 

in the US, and let’s not forget the famous 

Vienna Opera Ball, but Le Bal is the pinnacle. 

That’s because it’s the only ball that is strictly 

by invitation only, and the only one that 

requires its debutantes to don couture gowns, 

paired with jewellery by Payal New York. Add 

to that the old-world glamour of Paris and 

you’ve got the perfect formula for a bash to 

remember—and to yearn to be part of among 

today’s upper echelons. 

“It’s not a rented crowd,” says Renouard 

of those who attend, “and that makes all the 

difference. The girls feel privileged to be 

chosen and to wear world-famous designers, 

often for the first time. What’s more, they 

get to be shot by illustrious publications. It’s 

a well-heeled tradition woven with fashion, 

media and glamour.” 

While some might think the concept of a 

debutante ball old-fashioned and outdated, 

“it’s actually a really cool event,” says Lily 

Webster, 17, the daughter of American 

businessman William Mendenhall Webster 

IV. “I’m having a wonderful time. I’m really 

into fashion, so seeing all the dresses is great. 

Not to mention the opportunity to meet 

girls from all over the world. We all have 

different perspectives, all come from different 

backgrounds, and it’s really interesting to 

experience that.” 

Indeed, Le Bal’s pedigree is international. 

Besides Europe and the US, China, Vietnam 

and the Philippines have all been represented 

in recent years, as have Egypt and India. This 

2017 edition, the 25th, numbers a princess 

from Rajasthan, Gauravi Kumari of Jaipur, and 

Bollywood actress Ananya Panday among its 

debutantes. Alice Ho, the youngest daughter 

of tycoon Stanley, is here from Hong Kong 

via Boston, where she is enrolled at MIT. “I 

live in a bit of a nerd world—I’m very much 

passionate about maths and computer science 

myself—and Le Bal is the complete opposite 

of that,” she says. “It’s this glitzy, fun, fabulous 

thing, and I’m honoured to be here, but I’m 

also having a blast. Plus, I’m wearing a gown by 

Dior that’s just phenomenal.” 

The mix of heiresses, aristocrats and 

celebrities’ offspring is nothing new for Le Bal. 

Past years have welcomed Olympia Taittinger, 

scion of the champagne family, Princess 

Lorenza of Liechtenstein and Ella Beatty, 

daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette 

Bening. There have been other Hollywood 

A-listers too: a Stallone, an Eastwood and a 

Willis. This time the big name is Ava Phillippe, 

the 18-year-old daughter of Reese Witherspoon 

and Ryan Phillippe. Lori Harvey, another 

American, also has celebrity cred; she’s the 

step-daughter of TV show host and comedian 

Steve Harvey, and is a social media star and 

model on the rise. Ava and Lori have around 

500,000 followers each on Instagram. In the 

age of digital sharing, presences like theirs add 

to the aura of the event, along with the many 

Insta stories and photos they and the other 

debs will post after Le Bal (Renouard forbids 

any sharing during the event, which no doubt 

further enhances the mystique). 

“This is totally different from anything else 

I have ever done,” says Lori, who at 20 is one 


148

BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS 

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Ananya Panday, Lily 

Webster, Ava Phillippe, Paris McCaw and Laila Blavatnik with a 

Peninsula bellboy; Cecily Lasnet, the daughter of former British 

model Stella Tennant and French photographer David Lasnet, with 

her cavalier, Antoine Dwernicki; Ananya during hair and make-up; 

Lily just after her debut; Laila snaps the other debs. This page, 

from left: Ava, Lori Harvey, Alice Ho and Laila; Alice dances with 

her cavalier; Natasha d’Arenberg, Maria Pia de Jong d’Orléans et 

Bragança, and Charlotte de Nassau strike a pose in the hotel’s foyer

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER 

Above: Four of the debs—Costanza Diaz della Vittoria Pallavicini, Maria Pia de Jong, Princess Charlotte de Nassau and Donna Giacinta dei 

Marchesi Brivio Sforza on the staircase of the Peninsula. Below, from left: Ava Phillippe waltzes with Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur; Jeanne 

Malle makes an entrance with her brother and cavalier, Lucien; Alice de Séjournet de Rameignies on the arm of Bollywood actor Ahaan 

Panday, Ananya Panday’s cousin 


“Le Bal is a special way to celebrate womanhood. 

And a unique bonding experience, too. We girls 

need more of this, whether in ball form or not” 

of the seniors. “And I’ve modelled for 

D&G. It’s kind of a dreamy weekend. 

Princess-like.” She pauses. “Okay, the 

word does sounds a little naff, but 

what I mean is, it’s about gorgeous, 

smart young women having a great 

time and looking amazing.” 

“And waltzing,” laughs Ananya, 

19, the daughter of Chunky Panday, 

Bollywood’s answer to Richard Gere. 

“I’m actually slightly worried about 

dancing with my dad because I know 

he’ll put his own twist to it, but I loved 

taking dance lessons. It also helped 

with my career,” she adds, referring to 

her leading role in a coming film. 

For most of the young women I 

talk to, Le Bal is also an opportunity 

to engage with serious issues afflicting 

the world’s less privileged. The ball 

raises funds for two charities—the New 

York-based Seleni Institute, which supports 

the reproductive and mental health of teen 

mothers, and Enfants d’Asie, which promotes 

education for girls in Southeast Asia. 

“The charity element of Le Bal was the 

main draw for me,” says Helena Alesi, the 

daughter of former French Formula One 

driver Jean Alesi and Japanese actress Kumiko 

Goto. “As young women—as wealthy, lucky, 

advantaged women—we have to get involved 

with the many, many things that are wrong 

with our world today. It’s our duty.” 

“It’s an opportunity to make a difference,” 

agrees 18-year-old Laila Blavatnik, the 

daughter of billionaire British-American 

businessman Len Blavatnik, the owner of 

Warner Music Group. “The fact that all the 

fun and gloss stand for something makes the 

event inspirational.” 

“All the debs I select reflect a certain 

profile,” says Renouard. “They share strong 

values. They are very concerned with the 

world. They are switched on, as a lot of young 

women are today. They come from excellent 

backgrounds, yes, but they aren’t brats.” 

During my time with them, I’ve seen 

nothing but positive energy. Three hours into 

their first hair and make-up session, a group 

chat is created on Whatsapp to exchange tips, 

info on where the next shoot is, and group 

selfies. The sentence I hear most often as I 

pass the debs in the hallways is, “I can’t wait 

to see us all together in our dresses.” There’s 

incessant chatter about what university 

everyone is applying to, and words of advice 

from those already there. “It’s empowering, 

this,” says Alice. “A special way to celebrate 

womanhood. And a unique bonding 

experience, too. We girls need more of this, 

whether in ball form or not.” 

Their big night finally arrives and the 

young women are radiant in their gowns, 

accompanied by their cavaliers, as they are 

announced to a room full of flashing cameras. 

With cooing parents and society figures from 

around the world, they enjoy a lavish fourcourse 

dinner during which their comradeship 

is ever more palpable. It grows even stronger 

as the party moves to the Peninsula’s Etoile 

Ballroom, where fathers and cavaliers lead 

the debutantes into their first waltzes. Much 

later in the night, with couture off and regular 

clothes back on, and with parents tucked up 

back in their rooms, they sing in unison at the 

nightclub Arc until hoarse. 

“This is just a great weekend” says Alice. 

“A really wonderful weekend.” 

ARRIVING IN 

STYLE 

Alice de 

Séjournet de 

Rameignies, 

Costanza Diaz 

della Vittoria 

Pallavicini, 

Alice Ho and 

Jeanne Malle 

pose with Le 

Bal’s custom 

Renault 


SCENIC WALKS WITH 

OCEAN BLUE SKIES 

The awe-inspiring Portuguese 

setting will leave you enraptured in 

this land of ancient modernisation


LIFE 

Wine, food, culture, travel and philanthropy 

156 

FOOD 

One of Asia’s most 

renowned chefs 

shares his exciting 

thoughts with us 

160 

SPIRITS 

We check out 

some exquisite and 

fine liquor for the 

CNY celebrations 

162 

ART 

The top artists to 

look out for at Asia’s 

biggest art fair coming 

up next month 

166 

EQUESTRIAN 

Watch out for these 

10 riders who will 

be competing at the 

races this season 

170 

TRAVEL 

A cultural experience 

in the city of Lisbon— 

a place of rich history 

and great sights

LIFE | FOOD 

Pavilion of Plenty 

Sofitel’s Wan Chun Ting is a culinary journey into the heart 

of Cantonese cuisine. No poetry necessary as Rachel Ng 

waxes lyrical about the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Springs 

June, wan chun ting’s 

outlet manager offers 

me a dainty plate of egg 

tarts and Pu Er tea as light 

refreshments while awaiting 

the chefs who were 

preparing the other dishes. 

Surrounded by wooden oriental screens and 

stunning interpretations of Chinese lanterns 

hung from the lofty ceiling, I feel like a 

princess as I sip the tea and nibble on the bitesized 

egg custard tarts. A light, flaky, buttery 

crust cradles sunshine yellow custard that’s 

the opposite of the dreary weather outside. 

TRADITIONAL 

TREAT 

The charcoal 

skinned har 

gow and trio 

styled chives 

dumpling 

aren’t just 

aesthetically 

pleasing, but 

tasty too! 

It was a precursor for the feast that was to 

come, and I was in for a culinary journey— 

the flavours just right and made exactly the 

way I remember my favourite Chinese food. 

A bevy of dim sum arrives not long after, 

the steam still wafting from the steamer 

baskets. The har gow’s (shrimp dumplings) 

translucent wrapper is traded for a thin 

charcoal one, imparting a hint of smokiness 

to the fresh succulent prawns within that 

spill their sweet briny juices the moment I 

bite into them. My favourite dim sum house 

dish is next, prawns wrapped in beancurd 

skin and fried to golden twists of perfection. 

For someone who doesn’t like the entire 

allium family, a tri-coloured trio of dumplings 

proved me wrong. Wan Chun Ting’s dim 

sum chef, Chong Chin Kee showcased his 

creativity with the steamed trio styled chives 

dumpling, transforming an often side-lined 

garnish into a tasty morsel and a star in its 

own right, a particularly eye-catching one 

too with the natural colours of the chives on 

display. However, my favourite has got to be 

the steamed yam custard bun. Not only did it 

have the cute factor—it looks exactly like a 

giant Chinese mushroom from afar—the yam 

154

ASIAN 

AIR 

Dark wood 

furnishings, 

lattice cut 

screens and 

mesmerising 

string 

‘lanterns’ 

lend Wan 

Chun Ting 

an oriental 

ambience 

FROM FIELD TO SEA From left: Tender wok-fried venison with ginger and spring onion; crunchy deep fried prawn 

dumplings with salted egg yolk 

PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS LEONG 

custard is delightfully creamy with a subtle 

natural sweetness. The fried food doesn’t 

lose out either, featuring deep fried prawn 

dumplings with salted egg yolk over a tiny 

bed of melted cheese and wok-fried radish 

cake with a spicy kick from dried shrimp 

paste—but beware, they’re dangerously 

addictive and you’ll be inclined to continue 

eating long after you’re full. 

A venison, spring onion and ginger stirfry 

is next. The saucy meat beckons, and me 

being the carnivorous creature I am, cannot 

resist that siren call. Lusciously soft and 

tender, the meat tears apart at the slightest 

bite. The taste of ginger is subtle, unless 

you decide to devour an entire slice of it, 

while the spring onions provide a nice little 

crunch as well as a vibrant pop of green. 

The winner of the bunch? Chef Lee Siew 

Hong’s wood-fired Peking duck. With glossy, 

crispy skin over juicy meat that bears none 

of the usual gaminess, the duck gives such a 

burst of flavour as to outshine everything, 

even the honeyed sweet sauce with hints of 

nuttiness that it is paired with—which is 

already excellent in its own right. Smoked 

using lychee wood from China, the natural 

sweetness of the duck meat is drawn out and 

amplified by the addition of the sauce. Top it 

off with thinly shredded cucumber and spring 

onions wrapped in a chewy crepe and you’ve 

got a dish worthy of an emperor right there. 

Take all the childhood memories of 

Sundays spent sitting together with your 

family, chopsticks hovering over the hot, 

steamy dim sum; the feasting at every Chinese 

festival or birthday with the lavish spreads 

of lip-smacking delicacies... combine all that 

with your favourite dishes and there you’ll 

have Wan Chun Ting. 


LIFE | FOOD

Doyen of Fine Dining 

Spreading his dominion across Asia-Pacific, Ryan Clift stopped 

by the St Regis KL for a brief stint as a guest chef, during 

when Samantha Lim stole him aside for a speedy chat 

Some chefs are competent, others 

are commendable, and then 

there’s Ryan Clift. If spearheading 

Tippling Club—ranked among 

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and 

The World’s 50 Best Bars list—doesn’t deserve 

deference, how about hosting one’s own show 

on the National Geographic Channel? It’s 

hard to discount a man with his own brand 

of professional chef knives or the knowledge 

that he worked cheek by jowl with Shannon 

Bennett, Raymond Capaldi, Peter Gordon, 

Emmanuel Renaut and Marco-Pierre White. 

Clift, who turned 41 last year, forayed into a 

few firsts mid-2017. Located at the L Hotel in 

Seminyak, Bali, GROW and GROW UP are his 

inaugural projects outside Singapore, both of 

which herald sustainability. 

The Burmese-English bloke completed a 

few prompts put forth by Malaysia Tatler: 

ECLECTIC 

BISTRONOMIE 

Clockwise 

from left: 

Ryan Clift, the 

steak tartare 

at GROW, 

and GROW 

UP in Bali 

My tattoos are not like 

those of American chefs 

who have got bloody 

onions, garlic and cross 

sections of beef on their 

bodies. Mine expresses 

my love of Japanese 

culture plus art, and 

my two boys. 

I got to where I am 

by not taking any 

prisoners and not taking 

no for an answer. 

My kitchen brigade see 

me as a mentor, a father 

and a guiding force. 

The biggest sacrifice 

I’ve ever made was 

committing myself to this 

industry. Unfortunately, 

top-tier dining is 

relentless. You miss 

weekends, Christmas, 

birthdays... You basically 

give up everything to 

make customers happy. 

The best kitchen knives 

are the ones I make 

in Bali called Blades 

Of The Gods. They’re 

black Damascus, folded 

260 times by hand, 

and contain meteorite 

through the blade— 

absolutely stunning but 

also extremely pricey and 

there’s a two-year waiting 

list for them because only 

one guy, Empu Ketut 

Mudra, makes them near 

Ubud. He implements old 

Balinese techniques— 

the same used to make 

Keris daggers. 

While filming Chef on 

the Road the craziest 

thing I did was drink 

camel’s milk straight from 

a camel without a cup. It’s 

got a very funky flavour— 

exactly how you would 

expect camel to smell. 

My biggest ethos is 

staying true to your 

own standards and not 

allowing people to give 

you second-best. I’m only 

ever asking for first place. 

Turning 41 last year is 

a relief. Didn’t think I 

would make it. It marks 

29 years of professional 

cooking. I do feel a bit old 

when I see kids’ resumes 

these days. 

A little known fact 

about me is that I’m 

actually a big softie and a 

bit of a romantic. I’m not 

as scary as I make out to 

be—it’s all a big show. 

Sustainable cuisine is 

every chef’s responsibility. 

We’re killing our 

environment and chefs 

need to play their part. 

Try to import as little as 

possible and use as much 

local produce as you can. 

GROW, my first 

restaurant in Bali, is a 

very rewarding project. 

We spent a lot of time 

training young Indonesian 

chefs, teaching local 

farmers to deliver better 

quality products, and 

putting more money into 

their pockets. 

GROW UP, on 

the other hand, 

is a bit tongue in 

cheek. It’s a very 

stunning rooftop 

bar that overlooks 

all of Seminyak. 

Bali has a very 

big culture that 

revolves around 

the magic hour 

of sunset. 

If ravenous 

(and omnivorous) 

aliens visited Earth 

I would serve them 

Donald Trump 

because there’s a lot 

of him to feed off and 

he’d probably taste 

bad, thus they would 

leave us alone. 

Keep track of Ryan Clift’s 

ventures via tipplingclub.com 

and growbali.com 


LIFE | WINE 

TOP 10 NEW 

ZEALAND 

WINES OF 2017 

It was oceans of sauvignon blanc 

that first put New Zealand on 

the world wine map. But after 

tasting more than 500 wines on 

a week-long trip to the island 

nation, James Suckling and his 

team found great depth across a 

wide range of styles, marking a 

significant diversification of interest 

for collectors and drinkers. 

Here are the 10 wines they 

judged the best of 2017 

1TRINITY HILL SYRAH HAWKES 

BAY HOMAGE 2015 

A superb wine. Possibly the 

greatest expression of syrah that New 

Zealand has produced. The level of 

complexity and concentration, the 

layering of flavours and textures, the 

length of tannins—there is so much to 

admire. Fruits are in the raspberry, red 

plum and blackberry spectrum, doused 

in pepper and every imaginable woody 

spice. Hints of chocolate, too. A thrilling 

and vibrant syrah. 99 points 

2 

FELTON ROAD PINOT NOIR 

CENTRAL OTAGO BLOCK 5 2016 

A powerhouse with grand cru-like 

poise, this edition has plenty of charm. 

Aromas of red cherry, nori, forest wood and 

herbs as well as a stony edge. The palate 

has a smooth surface layer of fine, plush 

tannins across a deeper inner core, and a 

long serve of fresh, ripe red berry and cherry 

fruit. A magnificent, long and precise finish. 

A seamless wine. Drink now and for some 

years to come. Screw cap. 98 points 

BELL HILL PINOT NOIR 

WAIKARI 2014 

The sense of majesty is irresistible. 

A wealth of beautifully interwoven ripe 

red cherry, redcurrant, blueberry and red 

plum is dressed in cooler herbal accents 

and framed in spicy, well-chosen oak. 

The palate has almost unending length 

delivered in an elegant, flawless run of fine 

tannins. The purity of fruit shines through. 

Brilliant wine. Drink now and for some 

years to come. Screw cap. 98 points 

RIPPON PINOT NOIR 

CENTRAL OTAGO 

TINKER’S FIELD 2014 

A spicier, more fragrant and more 

graphite-infused pinot noir that 

has impressive deep dark cherry 

and plum that sit in a very pure, 

fresh and powerful stance. The 

tannins are commanding—they 

clutch long and hold firm. The 

dark cherry and plum flavours are 

striking—so long, fresh and pure. 

This is profound pinot noir. 

98 points 


LIFE | WINE 

5ATA RANGI PINOT NOIR 

MARTINBOROUGH 2016 

This has all the cherry, spice and perfume 

that defines this consistently stunning pinot noir, as 

well as a sense of immense freshness. The palate 

has deceptive lightness and tannins that are supple 

and caressing and that kick fresh and expansive out 

through the finish. Succulent and elegant. A great 

vintage for this wine. Drink now. Screw cap. 

98 points 

7 

BILANCIA 

SYRAH HAWKES 

BAY LA 

COLLINA 2015 

Slick and polished with 

superb fresh fruit in the 

blackberry and red plum 

spectrum dusted with 

peppery aromas and a 

spicy mocha-scented 

oak. Hints of graphitelike 

dark stone. The 

palate runs a deep line 

of flavours, and tannins 

draw long with a sense 

of purpose and depth. 

9 

Succulent, lithe and juicy 

finish. Best from 2021 

and for years after that. 

Screw cap. 97 points 

10 

PYRAMID VALLEY PINOT 

NOIR CANTERBURY ANGEL 

FLOWER 2015 

Spectacular. Entrancing fragrance and 

weightlessness but it delivers purpose and 

power. With vibrant red cherry, it smells fresh 

and mouthwatering, with hints of rosehip 

and pomegranate, underlying spices and 

background foresty notes of wood and earth. 

It delivers a smooth-wrapped ball of red cherry 

flavour into the middle of the palate and unfolds 

in all directions. Expansive, velvety and supple, 

it opens like a flower. Drink now. 97 points 

6FROMM WINERY PINOT 

NOIR MARLBOROUGH 

CLAYVIN VINEYARD 2015 

The darker hue heralds pristine ripe 

purple cherry, raspberry and mulberry 

sitting in an attractive pose with gentle 

oak spices. The palate has superb 

depth and detail. A super wine that 

marries power with elegance. A lowpH 

vintage. This is a New Zealand 

benchmark. Drink from 2020 to 2030. 

97 points 

8 

BELL HILL 

CHARDONNAY 

CANTERBURY 

BELL HILL 2014 

This has cleverly played 

winemaking influence 

and oak cask against 

concentrated lemongrapefruit 

citrus as well 

as yellow nectarine and 

flinty, stony notes. The 

palate has plenty of 

power and depth, with 

intense pithy citrus fruit, 

lemon curd flavours and 

some warmer toasty oak 

built into the long finish. 

Drink now. Screw cap. 

97 points 

ESCARPMENT 

PINOT NOIR 

MARTINBOROUGH 

TE REHUA 2015 

A dark and brooding pinot 

noir with big, swarthy tannins. 

Dark cherry and dark violetlike 

florals, toasted spices and 

dark herbal notes, too. The 

palate has a smooth shell-like 

outer, opening to powerful, 

succulent tannins that really 

command. A concentrated 

Te Rehua, this is one of the 

best to date. Drink from 2020. 

Screw cap. 97 points 

To see more of the top 2017 wines from 

New Zealand, visit jamessuckling.com 


LIFE | SPIRITS 

LIQUOR 

RICH 

Aaron Pereira toasts to the host 

who boasts the most—and what 

better way to humble brag than 

by offering guests, at the reunion 

dinner or otherwise, a taste of 

these fi ve-fi gure offerings 

M 

This single malt by 

The Macallan is 

bottled in exquisite 

Lalique crystal, 

which accentuates 

the spirit’s natural 

rosewood hue. 

Designed by Fabien 

Baron, each M 

decanter is individually 

numbered and priced 

at RM22,000. 

ROYAL SALUTE 62 GUN SALUTE 

Raise your glasses, and standards, with the 62 Gun 

Salute—a majestic blend of refi ned indulgence. 

Named after the highest ceremonial honour in 

British tradition, each bottle takes 40 hours to craft 

and can be purchased from RM13,500 upwards. 

LOUIS XIII 

The house of Rémy 

Martin brings you the 

Louis XIII. Originating 

in 1874, it began 

as a vision of Paul- 

Émile Rémy Martin, 

passed down over 

the centuries, now to 

cellar master Baptiste 

Loiseau. The eauxde-vie 

is sourced 

solely from Grande 

Champagne and set 

aside to rebirth the 

cognac decades later. 

A 70cl bottle will set 

you back RM13,800. 

PORT ELLEN 

With only 2,988 individually 

numbered bottles worldwide, 

this 37 year old whisky packs 

a 51 per cent ABV punch. 

A rare gem, it is one of the 

oldest Port Ellen ever released 

and unsurprisingly the most 

expensive special release yet, 

costing RM13,600 onwards. 

IMAGES: RESPECTIVE BRANDS 


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ART | LIFE 

1O ARTISTS TO LOOK 

OUT FOR AT ART BASEL 

Asia’s biggest and arguably most important art fair opens next 

month, drawing curators, collectors and critics from around the 

globe. Oliver Giles brushes up on 10 creative talents to seek out 

at Art Basel in Hong Kong 

IMAGE: NICOLAS PARTY, THREE SEASONS, COURTESY OF XAVIER HUFKENS, BRUSSELS. PHOTO: ALLARD BOVENBERG 

1. NICOLAS PARTY 

XAVIER HUFKENS 

When making his brightly-coloured portraits 

and still-life paintings, Swiss artist Nicolas 

Party mines art history for inspiration—and 

it shows. You can see the influence of Botero 

in his fleshy, round-faced subjects, the impact 

of Cézanne on his stripped-back still lifes and 

the mark of David Hockney in his continued 

use of vivid, fresh-from-the-bottle colours. 

Like the artists of yore who inspire him, Party 

seems destined for great things. He’s not yet 

40 but has already had a major solo exhibition 

at the esteemed Hirshhorn Museum and 

Sculpture Garden in Washington DC. 

2. WANG YIN 

VITAMIN CREATIVE SPACE, BEIJING 

While many contemporary Chinese artists 

have earned international acclaim by making 

boundary-breaking digital art, Wang Yin has 

remained faithful to the traditional medium 

of oil paint. Each of his paintings provides 

a snapshot of life in contemporary China, 

giving viewers a glimpse into both bucolic 

countryside and bustling cities. In one recent 

painting, Wang illustrates farmers tilling the 

soil beneath a picture-perfect sky; in another 

work from the same period, a faceless man 

sits cramped in a windowless, four-bed berth 

on a train. Look closely at his paintings in 

the Vitamin Creative Space booth and you 

might see the influence of Wang’s idol, Paul 

Cézanne, in the elegant, long-limbed figures. 

3. TAKEO HANAZAWA 

GALLERY SIDE 2, TOKYO 

Japanese painter Takeo Hanazawa is obsessed 

with mixing East and West, old and new, high 

art and pop culture. His painting Nirvana 

(Street Dreams) on view at the Gallery Side 

2 booth, is a perfect example of his varied 

interests. It features the Japanese cartoon 

character Totoro, aliens from the Disney film 

Toy Story and a Picasso-esque painting of a 

bull all on one canvas. His playful approach to 

art has won Hanazawa some powerful fans; in 

2014, the fashion label Alexander McQueen 

commissioned him to make a site-specific 

installation for its boutique in Tokyo. 

4. JOSH KLINE 

47 CANAL, NEW YORK 

Josh Kline is worried about the state of 

humanity and uses his art to air his fears. 

One of his installations, Skittles (2014), was a 

fridge filled with brightly coloured, healthy 

looking juices of the sort you’d find in trendy 

health food shops around the world. But 

when you read through the ingredients, it 

became clear that all was not as it seemed. 

One juice contained “kombucha, agave, 

quinoa, credit card, American Apparel,” 

another “banana, Red Bull, infused vodka, 

self-tanner and Axe body wash.” While 

this installation was an acerbic comment 

on consumerism, Kline’s other works have 

tackled issues such as the surveillance state 

and how technology will take our jobs. 


5. WU CHI-TSUNG 

GALERIE DU MONDE, HONG KONG 

Taiwanese artist Wu Chi-Tsung is a rising star on 

the international scene and a favourite of luxury 

brands, having previously collaborated with 

Dior and Rolls-Royce. He primarily works with 

photography and video but has also created 

some ambitious and daring installations, 

including one that featured live ants crawling 

through sugar. The Galerie du Monde booth 

will showcase some of Wu’s large cyanotype 

prints (pictured right), which can be more than 

two metres wide. These calming blue-and-white 

works resemble traditional Chinese landscape 

paintings but are actually produced using a 

photographic printing process. 

6. LEE BAE 

JOHYUN GALLERY, BUSAN 

Lee Bae, who has lived in Paris since 1990, 

loves charcoal. He first began using the 

material because it was cheap enough for him 

to buy in bulk when he moved to France, but 

he soon realised that it was also a poignant 

link with his homeland of South Korea, where 

a stick of charcoal is traditionally tied on the 

front door of a house after a child is born. 

As well as using charcoal to make abstract 

drawings on paper, Bae creates imposing, 

ominous sculptures made of blocks of charcoal 

bound together with cord. 

7. MARIA TANIGUCHI 

TAKA ISHII GALLERY, TOKYO AND 

NEW YORK 

A master of minimalism, Filipina artist Maria 

Taniguchi is famous for filling enormous 

canvases with thousands of tiny hand-painted 

grey bricks. When she’s not painstakingly 

working on brick paintings, she’s making 

prints, videos and sculptures, many also 

exploring the idea of slow, repetitive labour. 

Her video work Figure Study, for example, 

is simply a recording of two men digging 

a hole in the jungle. Taniguchi’s thoughtprovoking 

works might not be as attentiongrabbing 

as other pieces at Art Basel, but her 

contemplative paintings might be a visual 

tonic after a busy day at the fair. 


IMAGES: COURTESY OF GALERIE DU MONDE (WU CHI-TSUNG); COURTESY OF TREVOR YEUNG & BLINDSPOT GALLERY (TREVOR YEUNG); MICHAEL COOK 

8. MICHAEL COOK 

THIS IS NO FANTASY + DIANNE TANZER 

GALLERY, MELBOURNE 

Australian Aboriginal art is some of the oldest in 

the world, dating back more than 30,000 years, 

but photographer Michael Cook brings it into 

the 21st century. Cook’s Bidjara heritage informs 

all of his images, which explore Australian 

history and the oppression of indigenous people. 

This photo (top left), from Cook’s Majority 

Rule series, imagines what Australian life would 

be like if roles were reversed, with Aboriginal 

people making up 96 per cent of the population 

and others just 4 per cent. 

9. DOUG AITKEN 

303 GALLERY, NEW YORK 

Californian artist Doug Aitken makes art 

for the Instagram age. Whether he’s taking 

photographs, making sculptures or designing 

house-size installations, all of his art looks 

scintillating on social media. But that is more 

of a happy coincidence than the driving force 

behind his work, which Aitken hopes will 

encourage people to consider complex ideas 

about time, space and memory. So drop by 303 

Gallery’s booth to experience some innovative 

mixed-media art—but don’t forget to take that 

snap for social media. 

10. TREVOR YEUNG 

BLINDSPOT GALLERY, HONG KONG 

From Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s chilly depictions 

of winter to Claude Monet’s legendary oil 

paintings of water lilies, the natural world has 

long been a source of inspiration for artists. 

Yet no artist has used nature in their work in 

quite the same way as Trevor Yeung. As much 

a botanist as he is an artist, Hong Kong-based 

Yeung has made a name for himself by building 

large-scale installations incorporating living 

plants, molluscs and even tanks full of fish. 

Yeung’s installation Music Box (Bedroom), 

pictured left, will sit alongside works by fellow 

Hongkongers Leung Chi-wo and Sarah Lai in 

Blindspot Gallery’s booth. 

Art Basel in Hong Kong takes place from March 

29 to 31 artbasel.com/hong-kong 


LIFE | EQUESTRIAN 

NOT HORSING AROUND 

A new generation of showjumpers is making its mark on the international 

equestrian circuit. Oliver Giles introduces 10 riders to watch 

Olivier Philippaerts at 

the 2017 Longines 

Hong Kong Masters 


If you want to rub shoulders with celebrities, aristocrats and even royalty, there are 

a few events you must attend, but they’re not necessarily the parties you’re thinking 

of. You can skip the Oscars, miss Paris Fashion Week and spend the Cannes Film 

Festival on a yacht far from the madding crowds of La Croisette. Instead, get yourself 

a ticket to a major showjumping competition, such as this month’s Longines Hong 

Kong Masters. Long a sport favoured by the global elite, showjumping is now dominated by the 

sons and daughters of rock stars, actors, Silicon Valley tycoons and royalty. While these scions 

canter around the course, their parents sit in the stands, cheering between sips of champagne. 

Although many showjumpers come from money, their life on the saddle isn’t simply a 

means to idle away their time or fritter away the family fortune. Showjumping is a demanding 

sport requiring hours of training every day, often with no breaks at the weekend. To make 

it professionally, equestrians have to commit to a series of competitions around the world, 

meaning they’re regularly away from family and friends. And if they’re successful, the prize 

money at leading showjumping events can run into the millions of US dollars. But most 

showjumpers, including the athletes listed below, aren’t in it for the money. These talented 

equestrians compete for the sheer love of it. 

IMAGES: AFP; PHOTO: CALVIN SIT 

Olivier and Nicola 

Philippaerts 

Showjumping 

runs in the Belgian 

twins’ blood. Their 

father, Ludo, is a 

four-time Olympian and 

their mother, Veronique, 

competed in high-level dressage 

competitions. In 2012, Olivier became 

the youngest rider ever to win the CN 

International Grand Prix at the CSIO 

Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament 

in Alberta, Canada, and in 2017 he won 

the Hong Kong Tatler Trophy at the 

Longines Hong Kong Masters. Despite 

his recent international successes, 

Nicola defeated him at the Belgian 

Championships last year to claim the 

trophy. Although they normally compete 

against each other, the twins pair up 

to model for H&M’s equestrian portal, 

H&M We Love Horses. 

Zara Tindall 

The oldest granddaughter of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II 

and 16th in line to the throne, Zara Tindall is the daughter 

of Princess Anne. She began riding at the age of three 

and has never stopped. She currently competes in 

events around the UK and won a silver medal at the 2012 

Olympics in the equestrian team event. 

Eve Jobs 

Just as Steve Jobs and 

Bill Gates went head to 

head in Silicon Valley, 

their daughters Jennifer 

Gates and Eve Jobs are 

now facing off at equestrian 

events. But anyone expecting a 

vicious rivalry will be disappointed. 

The pair are on friendlier terms than their 

fathers were. Jobs only recently graduated 

from high school but she’s already making 

waves. She was named Rider of the Month 

in March last year by the Kentucky-based 

Show Jumping Hall of Fame. 


LIFE | EQUESTRIAN 

Charlotte Casiraghi 

Another royal, Charlotte Casiraghi is 

the daughter of Caroline, Princess 

of Hanover, and granddaughter 

of the late Princess Grace of 

Monaco. One of Gucci’s offi cial 

equestrian ambassadors, she 

can be seen sporting the Italian 

brand’s threads at showjumping 

competitions around the world. 

Alex Hua Tian 

Nicknamed ‘one in a billion’ because he’s the fi rst person 

to ever compete for Mainland China at an 

Olympic equestrian event, Alex Hua Tian 

is a champion rider, an ambassador 

for Gieves & Hawkes and an allround 

gentleman. He competed in 

the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and 

2016 Olympics in Rio, and is now 

training for the 2020 Olympics which 

takes place in Tokyo. 

Edie Campbell 

When Edie Campbell isn’t 

walking the runway or 

fronting campaigns for 

brands such as Chanel and 

Louis Vuitton, you can fi nd 

her competing in equestrian 

events up and down the UK. 

She dreams of competing 

at Badminton and Burghley, 

Britain’s two premier events, 

and is well on her way. 

Jennifer Gates 

The 21-year-old daughter of Bill and Melinda 

Gates has been riding since she was six and 

showjumping competitively since entering her 

teens. To support their daughter, the 

tycoons bought two equestrian 

estates—the US$18 million, 

92-hectare Rancho Paseana in 

California and an US$8.7 million 

property in Wellington, Florida. 

The investment is paying off; 

Gates won the US Equestrian 

Federation Under-25 National 

Championship in November last year. 

Jessica Springsteen 

The daughter of rock 

star Bruce, Jessica 

Springsteen has 

represented the 

United States 

at the Olympics 

and picked up a 

couple of wins on 

the Longines Global 

Champions Tour 2017. While she was 

born in the US, she is based in the 

Netherlands to be close to her trainer, 

Edwina Tops-Alexander. 

Reed Kessler 

Just 18 years old when she qualifi ed for the 2012 

Olympics in London, Reed Kessler was the youngest 

rider in showjumping history to compete at the Games. 

As well as riding on the US equestrian team, Kessler is a 

key member of the Hermès US showjumping team. Her 

father, Murray Kessler, is the president and chairman of 

Lorillard Tobacco Company, but you won’t catch her 

puffi ng on a cigarette. 

The 2018 Longines Hong Kong Masters takes place from February 9–11 at AsiaWorld-Expo. 

For tickets, visit longinesmasters.com 

IMAGES: AFP; PHOTO: CALVIN SIT 


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LIFE | TRAVEL 

Age of 

Rediscovery 

Once the centre of an empire, Lisbon has more 

recently endured seriously hard times. But it’s now 

enjoying a well-deserved renaissance fuelled by 

the creativity and self-reliance forged by those hard 

times, writes Madeleine Ross 

IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK; PHOTOGRAPHY: MARISSA DESAI

VIBRANT CITY 

Clockwise from top 

left: A sign declares 

love for the fi shing 

village of Cova do 

Vapor in Lisbon’s 

southeast; pastelcoloured 

houses 

line a narrow lane; 

azulejo tiles; street 

art in Lisbon; the 

underside of the 

Rua Augusta Arch; 

the statue of King 

José I on Praça 

do Comércio. 

Opposite page: 

A tram plies Alfama, 

a fascinating 

maze of narrow 

cobbled streets 

The pastel streetscapes of Lisbon are 

perpetually bathed in a soft, diffused 

light reflected off white cobblestones 

polished by hundreds of years of traffic. 

Fresh seafood is the staple of every 

menu, handsome beaches are on the city’s doorstep, 

and the historic Bairro Alto district buzzes with 

some of the best nightlife in Europe. But for all its 

blessings, the picturesque Portuguese capital has only 

just become fashionable. 

“Until very recently, Lisbon looked like it had 

been bombed,” says Bruno Gomes, founder of the 

ironically named We Hate Tourism, which runs tours 

of the city’s hidden corners. “When I was growing 

up, I saw Lisbon as an elegant older lady who would 

have been very pretty when she was young. Lisbon 

20 years ago was an empty city. Buildings were 

falling apart and young families would move to the 

suburbs.” Sculptor Fernanda Fragateiro remembers 

the waterfront district of Baixa as “very quiet, full 

of empty spaces and abandoned buildings,” when 

she moved into a studio there in 1999. “Sometimes it 

was scary to walk alone at night.” 

The city’s fortunes have ebbed and flowed over 

the centuries. The heights of colonial wealth of the 

Age of Discovery were followed by the catastrophic 

devastation of an earthquake in 1755. More recently, 

a repressive fascist regime arose in the 20th century 

and fought an unsuccessful 13-year war to hold onto 

African colonies before democracy was restored in 

1974. Then a flowering of the city triggered by its 

hosting of the World Expo in 1998 was cut short by a 

crippling recession that lasted from 2000 and 2014. 

But there was a silver lining. The dive in 

property prices and rents drew artists and 

young entrepreneurs from around Europe. And 


TASTE OF 

LISBON 

Clockwise from 

top left: Michelinstarred 

Alma 

serves modern 

Portuguese 

cuisine; scallops 

with caviar at Loco 

Restaurante; the 

wine bar at Altis 

Belém Hotel & 

Spa; a squid and 

crab dish at Loco 

Restaurante; a 

shrimp bisque 

emulsion at Alma; 

Portuguese tarts 

at Pastéis de 

Belém 

the hard times, Gomes says, forced locals to 

become resourceful, generating a kind of creative 

renaissance. “It was a really, really rough period, but 

for me it was amazing because we became conscious 

that there was no one to help us, no one was going 

to look after us, no one was going to give us a job, 

so what we really needed to do was create. In many 

ways, this was the best time because we started to do 

what we really wanted.” 

Property prices are now beginning to soar as the 

glam crowd descends on the city. Madonna bought a 

seven-million-euro home here in September last year, 

and the number of foreign tourists visiting Portugal 

soared 13 per cent—the sixth straight record year 

for tourist arrivals. Tourism has been instrumental 

in bolstering the fragile economy. “Sometimes we 

talk about the gentrification and touristification 

of Lisbon, and without a doubt there are negative 

aspects to this, but I would say tourism has brought 

a lot of good things because we have a city that is 

being renovated and renewed,” says Gomes. “My 

grandfather is 90 years old and when I take him out 

now, he says he’s never seen it as pretty as it is today.” 

Headlining Lisbon’s creative renaissance is the 

Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology 

(MAAT). The sweeping, organic structure was 

devised to revitalise the historic Belém riverfront and 

serve as a platform of encounter between the local 

and international art scenes. Director Pedro Gadanho, 

previously curator at New York’s Museum of Modern 

Art, says its impact has been extraordinary. “Our 

first year was beyond my best expectations. We had 

half a million visitors, which is quite amazing when 

you consider that the city itself is 700,000 people. I 

think it’s part of this excitement that’s happening with 

many foreigners discovering or rediscovering Lisbon. 


WHERE TO EAT 

For a star-studded night 

ALMA 

Henrique Sá Pessoa serves up creative, 

contemporary Portuguese cuisine in a refi ned 

atmosphere. The restaurant recently earned 

a Michelin star. 

BELCANTO 

Portuguese haute cuisine at its best. With 

two Michelin stars, it’s presided over by the 

city’s most fabled chef, José Avillez, and has 

only 10 tables, so be sure to make a booking 

well in advance. 

Just a few years ago Lisbon’s culinary 

landscape was dominated by rustic, 

family-run restaurants serving farmers’ 

portions of bacalhau, grilled sardines 

and boiled vegetables. No longer 

TRAVEL | LIFE 

For something a little more relaxed 

MINI BAR 

Molecular gastronomy meets pork sliders at 

this buzzing low-lit joint in the Chiado district. 

Excellent cocktails and surprisingly modest 

prices. Book well in advance. 

BAIRRO DO AVILLEZ 

Beautifully cooked meat and seafood 

in generous portions ideal for sharing. 

The decor is rustic but elegant, and the 

atmosphere is relaxed. Request a table in 

the Taberna section of the restaurant, which 

boasts a spectacular indoor garden. 

For the best pastel de nata, 

or Portuguese tart 

MANTEIGARIA 

This hole in the wall in Bairro Alto makes 

only one product, so it’s no surprise that 

its Portuguese tarts are the best in the 

city. Expect crisp, warm treats with perfect 

custard fi llings, thanks to the use of whole 

eggs, butter instead of margarine, the 

absence of preservatives and painstaking 

hand-working of the pastry dough. 

PASTÉIS DE BELÉM 

This establishment has been baking 

Portuguese tarts since 1837 using an ancient 

recipe from the neighbouring landmark 

monastery, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. Beware 

the long queues. 


IMAGES: BRUNO LOPES, FUNDAÇÃO EDP (ANA JOTTA, BILL FONTANA); FERNANDO GUERRA, COURTESY EDP FOUNDATION (MAAT)

TRAVEL | LIFE 

WHERE TO STAY 

Lisbon offers a huge variety of fi ve-star and boutique hotels, but here are our favourite spots 

SANTIAGO DE ALFAMA 

Located in the historic district 

of Alfama, just below São Jorge 

Castle, this recently renovated 

15th-century palace offers all the 

modern amenities of a fi ve-star 

hotel while retaining spades of 

character (pictured). 

BAIRRO ALTO HOTEL 

This charming boutique hotel 

boasts a fabulous location between 

the fashionable Chiado and Bairro 

Alto districts, but it’s closed for 

renovations until August this year. 

Its rooftop bar also offers one of the 

best views over Lisbon, so be sure 

to head upstairs for a pre-dinner 

cocktail once it has reopened. 

ALTIS BELÉM HOTEL & SPA 

On the bank of the Tagus River, 

this modern hotel boasts views of 

the 16th-century Tower of Belém. 

Facilities are its strong suit and 

include an outdoor swimming 

pool, a spa with a hammam, and a 

Michelin-starred restaurant. 

OLISSIPPO LAPA PALACE 

If old-world opulence is your speed, 

this hilltop 19th-century palace won’t 

disappoint. The Tower Room in the 

Palace Wing features original azulejo 

tiling and two private balconies, one 

of which is the turret of the original 

palace. If that isn’t lavish enough for 

you, there’s always the 145-squaremetre 

Royal Suite. 

Creativity is firing at a grassroots level too. LX 

Factory in Alcântara is a hub of hipster eateries, 

book shops, fashion boutiques, theatre and music. 

This former industrial complex is the place for 

start-ups, freelance photographers, designers and 

artists. Gomes will often go there to eat at Cantina, a 

refurbished 1800s workers canteen, which serves one 

of the city’s best incarnations of octopus à lagareiro— 

octopus that’s boiled and then baked in olive oil with 

potatoes in a traditional wood-fired oven. 

Just a few years ago Lisbon’s culinary landscape 

was dominated by rustic, family-run restaurants 

serving farmers’ portions of bacalhau, grilled 

sardines and boiled vegetables. No longer. “Cooking 

in Lisbon right now is hot, it’s really novel,” says 

chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, who trained in the US 

before returning to Lisbon in 2002. “The cooking 

revolution in terms of haute cuisine is very recent. 

It’s really only happened in the last five years.” 

At Alma, his Michelin-starred restaurant in the 

fashionable Chiado district, he serves contemporary 

Portuguese food that incorporates flavours and 

techniques he has picked up from travelling the 

world. His signature dish is suckling pork belly, 

cooked for 24 hours at 64 degrees Centigrade, then 

roasted until the skin crackles, and served with 

sweet potato puree, bok choy and orange sauce. 

“One of the things everyone needs to know when 

they come to Lisbon is that our seafood is amazing,” 

says Sá Pessoa—and one of the best places to find 

it is the Time Out market in trendy Cais do Sodré. 

Expect to fight for a seat as it’s extremely popular, 

but the excellent wine and wide range of cuisine 

from the city’s best chefs make it well worth a visit. 

Don’t leave Lisbon without taking in the gardens, 

library and impressive collection of ancient and 

modern art at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, 

centuries of tile work at the National Azulejo 

Museum, and the splendour of the Palace of the 

Marquesses of Fronteira. But perhaps the most 

memorable aspect is walking the streets of the 

city centre. Set out early to avoid the heat and 

crowds. Visit the skeletal Carmo Convent, a 

medieval relic, on your way down to the majestic 

Praça do Comércio. Climb the Rua Augusta Arch 

for breathtaking views of the city, before snaking 

your way up the maze-like streets of Alfama to the 

Moorish battlements of São Jorge Castle. Have a 

coffee and do some shopping in the upscale Príncipe 

Real and head in the evening to the picturesque 

neighbourhood of Bica, known for its small bars 

and funicular, or neighbouring Bairro Alto for some 

Fado, traditional Portuguese singing. 

For a serious night out, brace yourself for the 

renowned waterfront nightclub Lux Frágil, coowned 

by the actor John Malkovich. “I think Lisbon 

has one of the greatest night scenes in Europe,” says 

Sá Pessoa. “The nights can be long. Now that I’m in 

my forties, 3am is my limit, but the night can easily 

go until midday the next day.” 

If you’re contemplating a trip to Lisbon, go now, 

because it hasn’t yet become a museum. “What 

happened to Barcelona in the ’90s is happening in 

Lisbon now. We must be careful that our city doesn’t 

lose its character and identity,” says Sá Pessoa. Gomes 

feels the same. “We’re already becoming a bit of a 

projection of ourselves. We’re beginning to see the 

commodification of culture.” He is trying to change 

the way visitors consume culture, encouraging 

genuine engagement with, and sensitivity towards, 

the local population. “I really believe we have that 

responsibility. We can’t just travel looking for trophies 

the way we have been doing in the past. I think we 

should really travel to become better people.” 

ARTISTIC 

ROUTE 

Opposite page, 

clockwise from 

top left: Street art 

in Alcântara; the 

Museum of Art, 

Architecture and 

Technology; open 

day at LX Factory; 

a street performer 

in Alcântara; 

an installation 

by artist Bill 

Fontana at the 

MAAT; Bonus, 

an installation by 

artist Ana Jotta, 

also at the MAAT 


GEN T SPOTLIGHT 

MARK 

CHOO 

Behind his boyish 

charm and disarming 

smile, lies a young 

and capable 

entrepreneur—the 

mastermind behind 

TeleMe and Tribe— 

who shares some of 

his insights with us 

FAVOURITE TRAVEL 

DESTINATION 

London is defi nitely a place I love to visit, 

it has a blend of the old and new, plus the 

smell of the tube always brings me back 

to the fi rst time I went there on a family 

trip. Also, the duck rice in London is my 

all-time favourite dish. 

WORK-LIFE 

BALANCE 

As an entrepreneur, especially 

one that is fi rst starting out like 

myself, it is a little far-fetched to 

think of work-life balance. Little 

things like scheduling outings a 

week in advance allows you to 

look forward to some time out. 

Working on the weekends will 

also help you be more prepared 

for the upcoming week. 

GOALS 

FOR YOUR 

BUSINESS 

For TeleMe, the healthcare app 

for doctors and patients, one 

of our many goals is to keep 

generating awareness that 

there’s an online alternative for 

first and second opinions. We 

want to increase our user base 

and achieve higher levels of 

growth. For the boxing studio 

TRIBE, we want to make it the 

destination for anyone looking 

for a killer workout while creating 

a strong community feel. 

My philosophy in life 

EMBRACE FAILURE; FAILURE IS INEVITABLE 

WHEN VENTURING OUT OF YOUR 

COMFORT ZONE. BY EMBRACING FAILURE 

AND SEEING IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO 

LEARN, WE KEEP GOING, EXPERIMENTING 

AND KNOW WHEN TO TAKE RISKS. 

SELF-MOTIVATION 

Celebrating the small wins keeps me 

motivated—that feeling when you 

set and achieve micro goals and 

overcome obstacles gets you more 

excited and prepared for the next. 

Generation T 

are young 

individuals that 

Malaysia Tatler 

considers to be the 

brightest connectors, 

creative visionaries 

and influential 

innovators who 

are transforming 

Malaysia.

Malaysia_Tatler__February 2018

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