Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2023 i Tatler Philippines

TATLER PHILIPPINES Eighteen-year-old racing star Bianca Bustamente put on the brakes long enough to chat to Tatler about overcoming imposter syndrome as a rare woman in the sport and inspiring other girls to get behind the steering wheel. TATLER INDONESIA Pop phenom Raisa Andriana and actor Nicholas Saputra appear on the May cover, having worked on the music video for Raisa’s song Nyaman Tak Cukup. The pair spoke about their mutual respect, and their work beyond their respective day jobs. TATLER MALAYSIA Meet the six winners of the Front & Female Awards Malaysia 2023, including Xin Yu Lim, who co-founded The Asli Co, an accredited social enterprise that gives orang asli mothers the tools, resources and training to produce high-quality, handmade artisanal gifts and receive an income they wouldn’t otherwise.…

NIGEL BARKER The internationally renowned photographer and creative director opened his New York studio in 1996. He has been shooting for Tatler since 2007 with his first cover shoot with the magazine being the supermodel Anna Bayle. He served 17 seasons as photographer and judge on America’s Next Top Model. His latest hit show Top Photographer is gearing toward a second season. In this issue, he photographs Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel (p. 150). KAREN PEREZ She started her fashion career in retail at 16 years old. Right after college, Perez worked her way up from retail management to an executive position with a women’s streetwear brand, while also pursing my styling career part-time. After a few years working in corporate fashion, she started her full-time styling career at 25…

The award-winning artist Jefre Manuel Figueras or Jefrë has changed the cityscape of several cities with his iconic landmark works. His oeuvre, featuring towering figures and public art, was the subject of his exhibition Points of Connection at the Orlando Museum of Art—making him the first Filipino-American artist to mount a solo museum show in the US. With its success, JEFRË brought the pieces to the Philippines last February, renaming his exhibition Points of Origin as a homage to his roots and to share his personal story and advocacy. Aside from international works, scaled-down models of his renowned works in the Philippines were installed in several spaces of The M: Time from his Baks series at SM Megamall, Bayani at DoubleDragon Meridian Park along EDSA Bay Area, and his installation…

Though used to red-carpet and gala events attended by the A-list crowd in New York, the stylist PJ Pascual would instead celebrate his 45th birthday with an intimate party with his closest friends in the Big Apple. Josie Natori, a Filipino-American fashion designer, hosted the party at her home. “She is like a mother to me,” Pascual admits. “She makes sure that I am okay. The next day, she and I went to church to receive the graces from God. I am blessed to have her in my life.” A large cherry blossom arrangement welcomed the visitors at the entrance of the designer’s home. The esteemed guests were a mixture of fashion designers, editors, publicists and clients. Despite her hectic schedule for the MET Gala, Vera Wang also made time…

One used to be in politics, the other is still in journalism and more. Both are stressful careers with busy schedules. Can a relationship between the two ever work? But Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez-Roxas did it, and 20 years later, their bond is stronger than ever. Mar was 47, and Korina was 39 when they first met, a bit different from the age when couples usually get married and start a life together. Still, it offered an opportunity for two determined—and in love—individuals to work at making a beautiful future, and they grabbed that. Tatler Philippines’ 8th-anniversary issue in September 2009 featured the couple, an issue Korina cherishes. “It was a milestone cover for both Mar and I,” she says. “I still wear that red Valentino gown, whereas Mar…

A 2020 Gen.T honouree himself, George Royeca has become a notable name in the transportation sector. Known as the CEO and co-founder of motorcycle-hailing platform, Angkas, Royeca and his wife, Angeline Tham, have made it their mission to provide commuters with solutions to an almost impossible urban quagmire. Traffic in the Philippine metro is notorious for its congestion. For major cities such as Cebu and Metro Manila, congestion often comes with personal and economic consequences. Fortunately, a solution has presented itself: Angkas, a revolutionary way Filipinos can get around. The app itself leans on the versatility of motorbikes, which have become a popular and reliable mode of transportation. Not only do they allow one to bypass traffic, but motorcycles have also become effective in navigating the narrow streets often found…

The Belo Medical Group has been a part of the lives of innumerable patients for nearly 33 years. There’s a good reason why they have coined the term “Belo Babies”, and it’s because the warm bond they foster with patrons doesn’t end within the confines of a single visit to the clinic. The beauty journey is, rather, shared across decades and generations, and the brand’s top 50 clients can surely attest to this. Drs Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho recently welcomed this set to the Manila House Private Membership Club to launch their latest addition to the patient experience: the Belo Privilege Club (BPC) Elite programme. “We invited our most loyal clients to help shape the future of Belo Medical Group with us,” Dr Kho said . “As trailblazers in…

VICE GANDA With her irreverent humour, Vice Ganda has dominated the entertainment scene for over a decade. She’s making a royal comeback after a four-year hiatus with her concert, Your Memejesty, Queen VG. SMART Araneta Coliseum IBARRA In time for the 125th year of Philippine independence, Jomar Fleras’ award-winning play Kanser was reworked by its choreographer Paul Alexander Morales, musical director and composer Joed Balsamo, and director Frannie Zamora and now titled Ibarra. GSIS Theater JR DE GUZMAN International stand-up comedian JR De Guzman comes to Manila for the Asia tour of his Later That Evening show. Born in the Philippines and raised in the US, he received recognitions, including Variety’s Ten Comics to Watch 2022. The Theatre at Solaire FRA LIPPO LIPPI Fra Lippo Lippi’s lead vocalist and keyboardist…

A SPECTACLE The Dior Fall 2023 collection, presented in Mumbai against the landmark Gateway of India monument, was one for the books. India is known for its intricate handicrafts and long-standing role in manufacturing European high fashion, and that artisanship was front and foremost throughout the collection. Maria Grazia Chiuri worked closely with Karishma Swali, director of Mumbai’s Chanakya Atelier and the Chanakya School of Craft, to create 99 looks that celebrate embroidery, Madras check and Benarasi brocade fabrics, mirror work, Nehru collars and kurta tailoring, as well as the revisited toile de Jouy in an India-inspired colour palette. Tatler’s top pics include silk blouses and dresses with decorative motifs and heavily embroidered handbags that carry the wealth of Indian savoir-faire. SEASONAL BREEZE While style should be timeless, there is…

1 Rolex introduced an unexpected edition of the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date at Watches and Wonders 2023 that it describes as “full of joy and energy”. Turn the crown and you’ll see why: You can choose to display one of 31 different emojis in the date counter, as well as encouraging words like “Peace”, “Faith” and “Gratitude” in the day counter. This whimsical attitude is emphasised by a vibrant dial constructed using champlevé enamelling in a jigsaw puzzle pattern. The hour markers are baguette-cut sapphires in colours that correspond to the dial. 2 Featuring three models in blue, green and pink stainless steel mother-of-pearl dials, matching rubber straps, and features essential to divers, the new Aquis Date 36.5 mm collection has been Oris’s most successful wristwatch over the past decade. With…

We have had a rough start to the year, with high inflation and rising interest rates. Startups are facing tougher fundraising conditions than last year, which has pushed many of them to focus more on generating revenue and controlling costs. But as we’ve seen throughout the pandemic, an economic slowdown doesn’t necessarily equate to a slowdown in innovation. In fact, you could argue that we’re advancing scarily fast right now. And the Leaders of Tomorrow on this year’s Gen.T List are some of those leading the charge. Whether it’s using artificial intelligence to make industries more efficient or tapping into nature’s resources for healthcare solutions, the honourees we recognise this year—and every year—have one goal in common: to create a positive difference in the lives of others and those that…

He was not pulling a prank when Christopher Quimbo asked Alodia Gosiengfiao to go steady on April 1. He did not mind that it coincided with what’s commonly known as April Fools’ Day; what concerned him more was if Alodia would believe him and say yes, even after only a month and a half of meeting each other. Alodia believed Christopher and seemed equally in a hurry to make their relationship official. On the following Valentine’s Day, one year to the day they first met, she was already walking down the aisle in a Mak Tumang creation. “We were able to make a lovely gown on time. It was designed with some elements of a dragon since I was born that year,” the bride explains. Her cousin, Melissa Yeung Yap,…

At last, the excitement over the secrets of Ballet Philippines’ Diyosa ended with its premiere night in April. Whispers about this multi-disciplinary ballet by the architect Carlo Calma came with promises of a new sensory experience in the footsteps of current international productions. The audience was transported into a mythical world of gods and goddesses in five acts lasting almost two hours. They viewed a magical collision of dance, architecture design, electronic music and fashion in celebration of Filipino culture. Even aerial silk dancing by BP’s Jemima Reyes showed incredible strength, flexibility and grace. She and the rest of the dancers have levelled up in technique, thanks to the training by the company’s artistic director, Mikhail Martynyk. Even before the curtain rose, the mix of art forms was already rolled…

SINGAPORE Jackson Aw is the founder and CEO of Singapore-based Mighty Jaxx, a technology-driven integrated future culture platform that designs and produces digital and phygital collectibles in partnership with some of the biggest brands in the world. The company has collaborated with global brands including Netflix, Formula One, Hasbro, Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers and Adidas, shipping millions of phygital collectibles to more than 80 countries yearly. A collector himself since he was young, the 2019 Gen.T honouree now focuses his time on Mighty Jaxx’s future growth and its mission to empower future pop culture brands with an end-to-end supply chain of collectibles, including artist development and incubation, proprietary IP operation and providing access to experiential retail for consumers around the world. TAIWAN Arthur Huang, co-founder and CEO of Miniwiz, is…

“Music is an important part of my life,” says Bombi Balquiedra. The frequent DJ of Nokal, Kampai and The Spirits Library adds that it jumpstarts his day and helps in expressing himself every time he plays. “It is also my escape from the craziness of life,” he adds. Balquiedra does not remember the first song that made him fall in love with music, but he clearly recalls that he grew up listening to jazz. With a father who is an FM jock and an audiophile, he was first given a mixer when he was just in the sixth grade and seriously started his profession right after college. He credits his strong attachment to music to his father who was once the vice president of ABS-CBN’s radio department. In following in…

“It’s important to know your non-negotiables,” says Mon Abrea, founding chairman and chief tax advisor of the Asian Consulting Group. The real world is a fearsome battlefield of strength, wits and conscience, where some people cannot distinguish right from wrong. “We take pride that we help people do the right thing,” he says. Since his childhood years, Abrea has had a love for solving problems and finding solutions. This led him to be a certified public accountant. This and his Masters in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School are the keys that help him push his advocacy. “After my one-year programme, I realised that not all problems can or must be solved right away,” he explains. “We should not be biased, and we should not focus on the personalities or…

What is the biggest challenge in your role? The most difficult problem is putting together a collection that reflects the brand and that customers can recognise and [differentiate] from other companies, [but which is] also commercially relevant and sustainable. You can be really sharp [in design aesthetics] and on-brand, but you risk missing the commercial components, such as trends. As a result, there will always be a need for a balance, which we must strike between customer reality, being a commercially relevant brand, and the product portfolio. Ladies’ watches, for example, are an important part of IWC, but there were times when we primarily focused on men’s pieces, which helped establish a really crisp and recognisable brand profile. How do you find this balance between commercial needs and design aesthetics?…

Chopard has been the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival since 1998, and has left a trail of sparkles on the red carpet by draping Hollywood’s top stars in its high jewellery and watches. In keeping with tradition, the French maison’s Red Carpet Jewellery collection stole the show yet again this year: a pearl necklace with a floral theme made of Chopard’s Fairmined ethical 18-carat white gold and studded with beryls, opals, peridots, sapphires and tourmalines stood out to us, especially when paired with the matching earrings made of cascading strings of pearls. BEJEWELLED LANDSCAPES Get lost in the magic of Harry Winston’s new crop of colourful gemstones. Tatler adores the Rainforest suite from the Majestic Escapes high jewellery collection, which includes earrings, a ring and a necklace. The…

You would have to have been living under a rock to not have seen the ultra-viral image of Pope Francis rocking a trendy, oversized white puffer jacket. But dapper as he looks, make no mistake about it, this #ootd did not happen IRL; rather, it was generated by artificial intelligence (AI). It was created based on prompts, or instructions, which its creator had entered into the generative AI imaging tool Midjourney. That this hyper-realistic image hoodwinked many into thinking it’s real is just one of the reasons why the sudden proliferation of generative AI tools has become among the most hotly debated topics in technology in recent times. There have also been reports about how AI can be used to spread disinformation, with generative text tools like ChatGPT, for example,…

SCAN TO SEE THE OTHER HONOUREES FROM ACROSS ASIA ON THE GEN.T LIST 2023 EDUCATION Empowering populations through new learning tools Arizza Ann Nocum CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, KRIS FOR PEACE With one Christian and one Muslim parent, Arizza Ann Nocum knows about the importance of overcoming prejudice. Her organisation Kris For Peace promotes peace and development through education and youth leadership, including scholarships, educational materials, training and disaster relief. It has also implemented Extremely Together Philippines, part of former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan’s global anti-extremism movement, which has trained over 1,000 young Filipinos and provided grants to 20 youth organisations. Kevin Yang CO-FOUNDER, PROOF OF LEARN Kevin Yang’s web3 education platform Proof of Learn allows its students to earn rewards for learning. It operates Metacrafters.io, a game that…

Having supported athletes in the past, the Ayala Group discovered the need for a sustainable programme to fill in the gaps in the local sports community. Exemplifying the conglomerate’s commitment to nation-building, the Ayala Center for Excellence in Sports (ACES) launched last March 2022 the Atletang Ayala programme, which seeks to assist the country’s emerging Olympic bets with healthcare services, access to state-of-the-art sports facilities and, most importantly, career opportunities. Through the programme, Ayala aims to be part of the tedious journey of Filipino athletes more strategically and with a lasting impact. “It’s a way for us to support these athletes when they are just starting their sports career, as we believe that’s when they need assistance the most,” says Francisco Romero Milan, managing director and corporate resources group head.…

Favourite place in NYC? Central Park. I enjoy going there for morning walks to start off my day right. Currently reading, watching, listening to? Next in Fashion show, currently reading Limitless by Jim Quick, listening to KBong music. Favourite place in the Philippines? Smith Street in Manila. I love hanging out on the street where my father grew up. I have memories of walking down the corner to buy pandesal for breakfast, enjoying the fiesta parade and playing the card game tong-its with the neighbours’ kids. Favourite travel destination? Indonesia or anywhere tropical and warm with a body of water that I can go to swim in. A beach, river or lake makes me feel at peace. Favourite scent? Baked cookies because I love sweets! Who is someone you admire?…

As we enter the halfway mark of 2023, we at Tatler realise a new era has come. Individuals are unprecedentedly breaking boundaries—from athletics to science, from the classroom to the boardroom. These “Leaders of Tomorrow” refuse to be held back by stereotypes or preconceived notions but move forward to the beat of their drums. Our annual Gen.T list (now in our 8th edition, since 2016) was born to highlight these individuals and inspire future generations. Some of these include Bianca Bustamante, the first Filipino to win a Formula 1 Academy race (at only 18!); Jaime González Fernández and Bien Lee, whose ever-popular Pickup coffee franchise bagged PhP2.2 billion in a recent round of Series A funding; and Raffy Magno, the director who uplifts our fellow citizens in need by mobilising…

It all began in the early Sixties when Albert [del Rosario] invited me to join the Manila Jaycees. He brought me to the club and introduced me to his fellow Jaycees, among them past presidents Greg Licaros, Manny Abello and Pepito de Leon. Later in the year, Albert included me in his ticket for the election of Jaycees board members. Led by Albert, I was elected one of the directors together with Sonny Belmonte, Ting Bengzon and Ronnie Buencamino. By acclamation Albert was the choice for the president. This election is memorable to me as it began my later entry into the political arena. Twenty-three years later, in the Eighties we were celebrating Albert’s 60th birthday. During the celebration, I thanked Albert for introducing me to a friend who helped…

BEAUTIFUL CHAOS One of the hottest trends this summer is experimenting with mixing and matching unexpected colours and prints in a single outfit for a unique, eye-catching look. Floral prints, stripes, polka dots: throw them all together because anything goes. THE LIFE OF THE PARTY This season’s party dressing trends are once again all about making a statement. From Versace’s forever-glam dresses to Ferragamo’s tie-dye blouses, these rave-inspired items are all you need to turn heads on the dance floor. URBAN JUNGLE Designers have been incorporating classic safari elements into modern, streetwear-inspired looks. Think utility jackets, earthy tones and natural materials like canvas, leather and linen for a rugged, adventurous aesthetic. THROW SHADE The most stylish sunglasses for men and women are a mix of retro and modern styles: go…

Through the years, Seiko has successfully pushed back the boundaries of where sports and divers’ watches can go and be used, but always taking into consideration the safety and reliability of every product. Today, the brand introduces a new movement in its long-trusted 6R family. Dubbed the Caliber 6R54, the timepiece has a GMT function, a power reserve extended to a full 72 hours and, additionally, a striking piece to wear and admire. The Caliber 6R54 is presented in three varying interpretations of the Prospex. For starters, the GMT hand can be set independently in one-hour increments without interrupting the time-of-day hands; this feature allows the wearer to see at one glance the time in another time zone. For free divers, the Caliber 6R54 is a great companion as all…