Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2023 i Tatler Malaysia

TATLER HONG KONG In this issue, Corey Andrew Barr, fair director of Art Central, talks about his journey to becoming the head of Hong Kong’s leading fair for emerging artists. He also shares his excitement at the return of international collectors, who were largely absent from the city in recent years due to pandemic restrictions. TATLER MALAYSIA Influencers, entrepreneurs and power couple Jane Lau and Ma Han Pin give us a rare look behind the glamour of their fashionable lives and get real about marriage, living authentically in the social media sphere—and staying true to what matters most to them in an increasingly unpredictable world. TATLER INDONESIA Meet Mesty Ariotedjo, a paediatrician who’s making waves in the world of philanthropy in Indonesia. She is a co-founder of WeCare.id, an online…

For one night only, Tatler and Allianz Malaysia presented Off Menu x Allianz Malaysia, an exclusive dinner featuring one-of-a-kind dishes crafted by the chefs of Pavilion Hotel and Banyan Tree. The theme of the night was “A Night of Enchantment”, reflected in whimsical decorations that adorned Pavilion Hotel’s courtyard, which was transformed for the evening. Guests arrived dressed beautifully in accordance to the theme and were served a variety of cocktails, wines, and punch. A selection of pre-dinner drinks were provided courtesy of Allianz Malaysia. Chinese master chef Kenny Lee and dim sum chef Dino Lee of Jade Pavilion crafted a range of canapés that included crispy fried lychee dumplings, duck skin with beancurd, and fried abalone mushrooms, which were all a hit with the guests. The night opened with…

“Someone once told me that walking into a space without art is like walking into a city without architecture,” shares Patrick On, the founder and advisor for Qing Gallery, who is an art collector himself. The contemporary artistic space located in Desa Parkcity, Kuala Lumpur, allows guests to indulge in and explore curated artworks, which are arranged according to shows or themes. And one of the main reasons for the opening of the gallery, according to On, was to give residents as well as visitors to the locale a space to appreciate and enjoy art forms. “After two years of the pandemic and staying at home, I felt that there’s a lot of passion in art that have been pent up and couldn’t be shared. As a collector, when this…

Ever wondered about the delicate sprinkling of green that garnishes your dish? Well, apart from elevating the aesthetics of your plate, you’ll be happy to know that besides being 100 per cent edible, microgreens are actually good for both you and the environment. Chock-full of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, microgreens pack a nutritious punch to the gut—most contain 40 times more nutrients compared to their mature counterparts. This is because microgreens are usually harvested during their early developmental stages, which is when they actively accumulate fresher nutrients. Additionally, they are also grown in controlled environments that holistically maximises their nutritional uptake without the use of chemicals. That’s not all—other than its health benefits, these seedlings are also proven to be a more sustainable, eco-friendly option compared to large industrial farms…

Celebrating the spirit of giving and moments big and small, the highly anticipated Tatler Christmas Ball of 2022 commemorates its 33rd year. Welcoming faces both new and familiar, the ball hosted its philanthropic auction, raising funds to support charitable organisations that help disadvantaged communities. One of the many highlights of the night was the awards ceremony, where three outstanding individuals: eight-time squash world champion Datuk Nicol Ann David, Family Frontiers president Suriani Kempe and breakthrough artist Abdul Hafiz Abdul Rahman, also known as “Katun”, were awarded the Diamond Award, the Impact Award and the Cultural Icon award respectively for going above and beyond in affecting change in their own respective fields.…

RINGING IN ROMANCE The hypnotic geometry of Chanel’s iconic quilted motif is made even more entrancing by the sparkle of diamonds. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS From the overlapping curves to the clean, criss-cross incisions carved across the gleaming gold surfaces, Coco Crush’s designs satisfy a craving for beauty. FINDING FOREVER Invest in people and experiences as enduring as Chanel and its exquisite creations, including this timeless fine jewellery collection. MODERN WOMAN Coco Crush creations draw you in with its combination of strength and delicacy, simplicity and density, softness and rigor—embodying the compelling contradictions within every woman.…

RAINBOW BRIDGE Louis Vuitton’s Bravery Collection is true love set in stone. The Le Multipin necklace is the collection’s statement piece, stringing together a rainbow of colourful gemstones ranging from tourmalines to citrines, aquamarines to tanzanites. A 42.42-carat lagoon blue tourmaline commands the most attention, while 100 carats of gemstones aligned in three rows add to its radiance. The magnificent diamond-encrusted gem is a stylish representation of the Louis Vuitton trunk closure mechanism. PEARL CULTURE Monsieur Fred Innerlight is a collection of 24 high jewellery pieces created across six design themes that embody the personality and definition of a modern jeweller. Pinkish-white South Sea or Akoya pearls are set atop asymmetric lines of white gold and pavé diamonds to create the Dare the Unexpected high jewellery theme. A bracelet, necklace…

ARMED WITH TENACITY To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland Expedition, Tudor paid homage to the Ranger, a tool watch that played a vital role for members of the armed forces involved in that scientific mission in the Arctic. The watch features Manufacture Calibre MT5402, a 39mm case and a clasp with rapid adjustment system. The model rose to prominence after the expedition on account of its accuracy and reliability amid the harshest conditions on the planet. ROSE GOLD HEAVEN The New Irony Chrono by Swatch in rose gold and black is a fail-safe wardrobe staple. The black dial features three sub-dials, with the date displayed at the four o’clock mark. The quartz movement is housed in a 43mm robust case and completed with a black rubber…

Seated opposite me in 8 Mayfair, one of three private dining rooms in the Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill at Sunway Resort Hotel—all rich red and forest green furnishings with brass accents—Gordon Ramsay mentions beef Wellington, his signature dish, about five times throughout our interview. One of those mentions is a not-so-humble brag: “In order to leave your mark on the table and upset everybody [at a potluck dinner], I’d bring the perfect Wellington because no one can ever beat my Wellington.” He has reason to be this confident. Throughout his career, Ramsay’s restaurants worldwide have earned a total of 17 Michelin stars; in the global ranking, his establishments come third, behind those of only Joël Robuchon and Alain Ducasse. More recently, less than a year since it opened, the…

“We’ve been photographed so often together that people say we’re starting to look alike,” laughs Ma Han Pin with a playful glance at images of himself and his wife, Jane Lau (or Jane Chuck, as she goes by) during this photo shoot with Tatler. Looking at the power pair standing poised in front of the camera, it’s easy to see what he means. It’s perhaps more fitting to say that the couple exudes the same upbeat energy and easygoing confidence stemming from their similar temperaments. “We’re very much alike in that we’re both very chill,” Lau remarks. “We each listen to the other person and we respect each other’s opinions. But this didn’t happen in one day. Over time, we sort of grew together and learned to understand where the…

CHARLES AND RAY EAMES, INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS My favourite couple is Charles and Ray Eames, whose joyful body of work speaks volumes about the creative alchemy they shared. Spanning iconic chairs such as the Eames lounger and Eiffel chair to the sculptural Hang It All hook rack, the first couple of American modernism worked together to create designs that still inspire today. The pair began their relationship as colleagues at the Cranbrook Academy of Art where architect Charles and artist Ray worked on a chair to submit for a furniture competition. Although early catalogues list only Charles’s name as the designer, he advocated Ray as an equal partner in their creations. These days, all their designs bear both names. Their complementary talents culminated beautifully in the home they built together in…

In Yellow Mountain, Viscountess May Lin de Chezelles shares a biographical fiction of her grandfather’s migration from China to Malaya, based on her mother’s diaries. It creates an arresting portrayal of the pain endured by countless Chinese gentry, known as the Mandarins, who were forced to leave behind their ancestral, spiritual and cultural identities to reinvent themselves in new lands. Her grandfather, Loke Wang-Lei, was a judge, military man and confidante to the imperial court in China. Loke took two years to plan their migration as it involved taking a large family and entourage of staff from Canton to Singapore and then north in the Malay peninsula where they eventually settled, in Taiping. On the boat out of China, Loke and his daughter, Susan Loke, forged a bond that strengthened…

Like always, the Tatler Ball is one for the books, as seen from the smiling faces of our glamorous guests and the surge of #TatlerBall22 posts that flooded social media over the first weekend of December 2022. Attended by corporate magnates, local celebrities, style icons, and royalty, Tatler Ball marked the end of another challenging year with a meaningful evening in celebration of friendship, charity and goodwill. Despite rainy weather and rush-hour traffic on a Friday evening, our esteemed guests made their entrance at the grand ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur dressed in a stunning array of mesmerising looks inspired by the White Christmas theme. Chopard, being the premium sponsor of the ball, lived up to its reputation as a red-carpet jeweller, with many of the stylish…

Late at night, the excitement along the streets in Kuala Lumpur is palpable; a large crowd of pilgrims gather in front of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Chinatown for the procession of Lord Murugan’s silver chariot. And as soon as the gates open, gasps of awed reverence ripple across the crowd; lighting up the dark sky in a fluorescent display of silver and white, is the utsavamurti (the idol form) of Lord Murugan, the Hindu Tamil god of war. An annual three-day celebration dedicated to the deity, Thaipusam is held on the full moon day (pusam) in the Tamil month of Thai (January-February). Preparations for the festival begin as early as months, if not weeks, prior to the main event. A time for devotion, sacrifice and self-purification, devotees are to…

In another universe, one where Yayoi Kusama is not an artist with a prolific seven-decade career and sell-out art shows around the world, the Japanese nonagenarian would have certainly been a fashion designer. Her label, Kusama Fashion Company, would sell dresses covered in her signature polka dots or, even more daringly, holes that exposed their wearer’s breasts or buttocks. And today, when cut-out clothes are less of a shock than they would have been to the average, mink-coated Bloomingdale’s customer 60 years ago, Kusama would be a fashion star. As it turned out, Kusama still became a fashion star—but her story played out differently. She debuted Kusama Fashion Company during her stint in New York in the late 1960s, and her radical designs even warranted their own “Kusama corner” at…

POLISHED TO STUN Chopard’s white diamond choker is quickly becoming a celebrity wardrobe staple with the likes of Poppy Delevingne and Simone Ashley wearing it to A-list soirées. The necklace is made of 204.35 carats of diamonds set in 18-karat Fairmined white gold. Delevingne teamed the statement piece with two rings: one made of 6.58 carats of asscher-cut diamonds set in 18-karat Fairmined white gold while the other contained 6.54 carats of round diamonds set in 18-karat Fairmined white gold respectively, both from Chopard’s Haute Joaillerie collection. LADY IN RED Burmese rubies are becoming increasingly scarce. However, Ronald Abram has a swoon-worthy collection of the brightly coloured stones. This ring celebrates a 6.48-carat oval-shaped Burmese ruby, surrounded by oval-shaped white diamonds that form a floral design, while a white diamond-encrusted…

Last year marked the 60th anniversary since the first Bond film, Dr No, came out in 1962; and Omega launched two 007-inspired novelties to celebrate the occasion. Omega has been a part of the James Bond movie journey since Goldeneye in 1995, when the British spy freed himself from an armoured train by cutting through a steel plate, with the help of a laser built into his Seamaster Quartz Professional Diver 300M. The new Seamaster Diver 300M 60 Years of James Bond comes in two versions—stainless steel and gold—and the brand managed to incorporate movie magic into the timepiece through a rather elegant use of the central seconds hand and a sapphire disc. While the watch dial and bezel feature the design codes watch lovers have come to expect from…

THE TATLER TOP 20 AKÂR DINING Chef Aidan Low brings hyperlocal and endemic flavours to the next level through beautifully plated dishes that exude elegance and modernity. Terroir is its headlining dish, a harvest-forward offering that lets fresh herbs and ingredients do the talking. ALIYAA This beloved Bukit Damansara restaurant, led by chef Siva, transports diners to the coasts of Sri Lanka with its fresh seafood and fragrant spices. The Aliyaa Experience brings out the best of the cuisine in one meal with the sweet appam promising a sweet ending. BACK ALLEY PASTA Despite being housed in a small space, Back Alley Pasta goes big on flavours and innovation. This intimate eatery led by chef Jay churns out plates of fresh pasta that bring complementary Asian flavour profiles and ingredients…

JULIE LIU Julie Liu is a Montrealraised, London-based fashion stylist and art director whose work has appeared in magazines including Vogue Ukraine, Document Journal and Tank, and for brands such as Theory and Uniqlo. She finds inspiration from her third-culture upbringing and in adding unexpected humour to her work. Liu styled this month’s fashion shoot (p.96). MUGHNI CHE DIN Mughni Che Din describes himself as a multi-hyphenated fashion creative who is no stranger to the Malaysian fashion scene. He has come a long way since starting his career in fashion back in 2010, and has gone from reporting at the major fashion weeks to styling photo shoots with the biggest names in film, music and fashion. For Tatler, he styled Su Kim Hock for his feature interview (p.134). RONI AHN…

A meal at Singapore’s two-Michelin-star restaurant Thevar is a dining experience that’s bound to make you change your mind about what you know about Indian cuisine. Firstly, the presentation of the food is beautiful, exquisite even, then you take a bite and an explosion of flavours burst in your mouth. For a chef who hadn’t had any prior culinary experience in Indian restaurants, Mano Thevar has garnered critical and public acclaim for his innovative Malaysian-inspired Indian food since he opened his restaurant in October 2018. Incorporating modern European techniques he’d learned working at international establishments, the self-taught chef draws on the familiar, comforting flavours of dishes he grew up eating and presents them with a modern flair. “When people come into my restaurant, it’s like people coming into my home,”…

In this day and age, it is rare to find brands with a legacy that spans centuries—and even rarer still to find one that continues to be safely guarded by the family that first started it. Cognac brand Martell boast slightly over 300 years of passion and audacity, having been founded by Jean Martell in 1715 at the height of French art de vivre, when gastronomy, taste, and craftsmanship were celebrated and enjoyed with style. In fact, in Malaysia itself, the cognac house is documented to have been present since 1874—just reaching the century-and-a-half mark. To celebrate the maison’s heritage, Martell flew in its Martell Heritage Team, which among others, include Amaury and Thierry Firino Martell—brothers who are the ninth-generation members of the Martell family. Speaking to them about the…

Maintaining a healthy cash flow is a significant hurdle every business faces. Often, they need help collecting payments on time. The fact of the matter is companies need a reliable system in place to issue invoices and receive payments regularly. This is the problem that entrepreneur Zac Liew and his co-founder Steve Kucia wanted to solve with their fintech startup Curlec. Liew, who previously worked in law, banking and tech, said Curlec focuses on helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with collecting recurring payments, hence the name, which is a combination of the words “recurring” and “collect”. Growing up, I was exposed to entrepreneurship at a young age, as both my parents were entrepreneurs. My father was a lawyer before he became a property developer, while my mother left hospitality…

10 The Christmas tree by The Melium Group was 10-feet tall 304,315 RM304,315 was raised for three charities 1,800 The number of edible flowers used in the dishes 800 800g of caviar consumed 1,481 1,481 “snowflakes” and icicles used for the décor 300 More than 300 guests 1,920 Plates used for dinner service 14 14 different dishes served at the ball 4 There were 4 silent auctions to bid for 1,300 1,300 canapes served 8 8 types of Hennessy cocktails served 900 900 wine glasses used during the night…

INFINITY AND BEYOND Louis Vuitton has activated full-on Yayoi Kusama mode with a history-making collaboration. Ten years ago, then-creative director Marc Jacobs featured the avant-garde Japanese artist’s dots on a range of bag styles in a collection heralded as the house’s most significant collaboration with an artist since the Steven Sprouse collection in 2001. First teased at the label’s Cruise 2023 show, a second incarnation has been released, featuring all manner of Louis Vuitton products, from apparel to accessories, adorned with Kusama’s instantly recognisable motifs. Expect this to be one of the most covetable releases in recent memory. ROMAN HOMIN’ Fendi’s first home decor and lifestyle accessories collection, developed under the creative direction of Silvia Venturini Fendi, sees tableware, glassware, textiles and classic games ornamented in the Roman house’s codes…

COLOSSAL BLOOMS We know, we know: florals for spring, groundbreaking. But flower appliqué really is going to be big news this season, and the bigger, the better, as seen on Max Mara and Erdem. SUIT YOURSELF Classic country style gets an update for the new year in edgy yet unapologetically feminine suits and separates. Embrace your inner lady of the manor; wellies and Barbours optional. BAG IT UP Supersized totes are the gender-neutral stars of the coming season. Whether slouchy or structured, these versatile pieces will serve you through work and play. Just be sure not to overfill them; hunching over with an overweight bag is never chic. THE MIDAS TOUCH Go for gold in more than just your jewellery choices this season. Add a subtle bit of bling with…

BLACK RAINBOW The 45mm Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Polychrome is based on Tag Heuer’s celebrated Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon Nanograph, and features its signature case, bezel and strap designs. The all-black case is made of ultra-lightweight, finely brushed, black PVD grade five titanium with a fixed carbon tachymeter bezel. A special engraving on the sapphire caseback indicates the watch’s release number—one of a set of 150 limited-edition pieces. The highlight of the watch is a rainbow-hued skeleton dial that adds a splash of colour to the black beauty. A matt black alligator leather strap with a rubber lining completes the look. TO SPACE AND BEYOND Mention the word Starwheel, and watch collectors’ eyes will light up. The 1990s model has been sought after since its release, but Audemars Piguet has given it…

In certain circles, travelling for food has long meant collecting Michelin stars rather than connecting with local culture. But increasingly, travellers of all backgrounds are focused on discovering dynamic dining scenes that show off native ingredients, celebrate diversity and let them experience the city like a local. The following destinations are on the radar of the most discerning diners—naturally, Tatler approves. BERLIN, GERMANY Berlin’s reputation as a hot dining destination is picking up speed faster than a techno beat at Berghain, thanks to an eclectic mix of street food, casual-cool eateries, vegan kitchens and fine dining. There’s an emphasis on ingredients sourced from local farmers and foragers, like at the innovative Lode & Stijn, helmed by chef Lode van Zuylen who “strictly rejects factory farming”; or the cult-favourite bistro Mrs…