Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i Tatler Philippines

TATLER PHILIPPINES Twenty-five-year-old singing sensation J Rey Soul spoke to Tatler about her journey from getting knocked out of The Voice Philippines quarter-finals in 2013 to joining Black Eyed Peas as a (semi-official) member. TATLER MALAYSIA Sarawakian paper artist Ceres Lau spoke about the endless possibilities of a blank slate—both literal and figurative—and how hurdles in her life led to success and international projects. TATLER HONG KONG Gaw Capital’s managing principal and global head of capital markets Christina Gaw sat down with Tatler to discuss being a rare woman in finance, working with family, and the best advice she’s ever received. SHANGLIU TATLER Emily Stoehrer, curator of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, one of the top museums in the US, talks about the institute’s recent decision to include the…

TAWFICK DE LA ESPRIELLA Based out of New York, Colombian photographer Tawfick de la Espriella focuses on fashion, portraits and commercial photography. After quitting his job as a sous chef in Miami, he assisted an art director on TV commercials, and developed an interest in photography, so decided to study it at Miami Ad School. Since then, he has worked with fashion magazines such as Elle and L’Officiel Hommes and fashion platform Net A Porter. He shot this month’s fashion shoot. STEFANIA CHEKALINA New York City-based fashion stylist and creative consultant Stefania Chekalina spent some years working at Conde Nast International as a first assistant to the fashion director of Vogue Hong Kong before she became a freelance stylist. She has collaborated with model Maye Musk, actress Ella Hunt and…

OFF MENU Antonio Escalante, recognised by many as chef Tony Boy, is not attached to material possessions. Even if he is a car aficionado, he could let go of his most prized vehicle if it becomes too much of a chore to maintain. The same goes for his food empire. His namesake Tagaytay restaurant, which turns 21 this year, may hold a lot of distinction, sentimentalities and nostalgia, but he can let the iconic establishment go if it means providing a comfortable life for his two kids. “I’m simply not a keeper. I don’t keep things,” he says. In fact, after two decades, he loosened his grip on his business and warmed up to the idea of opening not one, but multiple branches of his beloved brands in the metro.…

Music has been an integral part of Anya Lagman’s life. “I grew up in an artistic household,” she says. Her parents, Mike and Charmaine Lagman, played instruments in college. At age four, her sister inspired her and began her piano journey. At ten, she took up the flute, following in the footsteps of her older brother. At 14, she learnt the bassoon. Through the years, music for Anya has gone beyond just learning how to play; it was also a way of bonding with her family. “My siblings and I even formed a rock band,” she recalls. “We spent our free time rehearsing for upcoming school performances or jamming together in our music room.” No one understands her drive for music better than her family. Her parents support their children’s…

In the world of interior design, certain pieces rise up to be the rage; but from among the various trending pieces , there are only a few that stand the test of time and are still desired. One of these is the Max sofa from Flexform. Truly a collectors’ item, it is even more coveted now after the renowned designer Antonio Citterio revisited the classic gem, infused it with modern touches and relaunched it as the Supermax. The Max sofa captures hearts with its sinuous lines and lightweight tubular metal structure. Wherever you put it—home or office—it keeps its understated yet powerful presence and effortlessly radiates star appeal. Its distinctive features are its kidney bean-shaped seat cushion and its cushioned cylindrical seat back, both visually attractive and exceptionally comfortable. Available…

SINGAPORE Eu Yang Sang has tradition woven into its DNA. Founded in 1879, the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) enterprise was established by Eu Kwong Pai in 1879 in Perak, Malaysia. Today the 144-year-old company is thriving, led by Richard Eu, the founder’s great-grandson. Joining the company in 1989, the younger Eu has turned the TCM retailer into a multi-outlet giant offering healthcare products and services internationally. Today, customers can buy Eu Yang Sang’s products online, on its social media channels and via messaging services. Eu also carries on his family’s legacy in philanthropy, and serves on the board of various organisations including Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities and Thye Hua Kwan Ang Mo Kio Hospital. MALAYSIA “When I was very young, I remember my parents were very hardworking,” Dato’ Sri…

The vastness of Asia and its diversity of peoples mean it is a continent of many handicrafts. Many of them were developed as a way to reflect the ethnic and racial make-up, religious beliefs, natural environments and changing social conditions of a place; today, their practitioners are finding ways to stay relevant in contemporary society. HONG KONG: STITCHED WITH HEART A bride’s embroidered slippers are a crucial element of the tea ceremony and recessional of a Hong Kong Chinese wedding. The elaborate peony patterns in bright colours, sometimes outlined by golden threads, are the perfect complement to a woman’s gold bracelets and gown on her wedding day. The shoes, called sau fa hai in Cantonese, appear at other auspicious occasions, too: at Chinese New Year, children will often wear shoes…

WHERE SOLITUDE IS LUXURY When city life seems too much to take, seek solace in a sanctuary far from the hustle and bustle. We list down five relaxing resorts for those who love the quiet. AVIN ONG Founder and CEO of The Fredley Group of Companies shares his rags-to-riches story and the business insights that fuelled the growth of his flagship franchise, Macao Imperial Tea. FRIEZE SEOUL Filipino galleries Silverlens and Drawing Room joined the much anticipated Seoul leg of the acclaimed art festival Frieze. Silverlens has put the spotlight on the works of Pacita Abad, James Clar, Chati Coronel and Mit Jai Inn. Meanwhile, the Drawing Room featured Dominic Mangila, Tomas Vu and Rirkrit Tiravanija. Follow us on social media @tatlerphilippines…

WEDDING A year of dating failed to bring Maja Salvador and Rambo Nuñez to the altar. “Work came in the way,” says Nuñez. “As young individuals establishing our careers, we were not letting opportunities pass.” But fate can be stubborn sometimes, trying once more in 2019, 10 years after they first met, to bring the two together. “This time, I chose love over career,” Salvador proudly says. Rekindling the love they once lost, both were not about to let go of each other anymore. Nuñez wanted no less than a perfect proposal. So he spent years of planning and a whole week of execution. “I’ve had the ring since 2020 but waited for that perfect moment to pop the question,” he says. What made it complicated was his wish that…

On June 22, 2023, the American Ballet Theater (ABT) celebrated the premiere of Like Water for Chocolate at the Metropolitan Opera House Lincoln Center. The debut of this great masterpiece was inspired by Laura Esquivel’s novel, Como Agua Para Chocolate. The three-hour three-act ballet features the award-winning team of the choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and composer Joby Talbot, with scenery and costumes by Bob Crowley, lighting by Natasha Katz and video design by Luke Hall. Principal Dancers Christine Shevchenko, Hee Seo, Herman Cornejo and Cory Stearns entertained the audience with their brilliant performance led by renowned conductor Alondra de la Parra. The ABT offered 12 performances of Like Water for Chocolate until July 1. After the performance, guests were ushered to The David Geffen Hall for the dinner and the dance…

Katherine Meyer Graham (1917-2001), publisher of the family-owned The Washington Post, wrote her autobiography when she turned 75. One of the many whom she inspired was then 60-year-old Loida Nicolas Lewis who made it a personal goal to do the same 15 years hence. The 75th birthday, however, came around but nothing happened. For the past 25 years, Loida spent the time going everywhere promoting Why Should All the White Guys Have All the Fun? (How Reginald Lewis Created a Billion Dollar Business Empire), the autobiography of her husband Reginald F Lewis who died in 1993 without finishing it, leaving the task to his widow. “The book is a best-seller,” Loida tells Tatler at her well-appointed apartment in Manhattan’s Upper Eastside. It has seen several interpretations—pocketbook, e-book, audiobook—and though she…

With over 15,000 physical books in his collection, three-time Palanca awardee and lawyer, Raymundo “Rayboy” T Pandan has always loved reading. His passion started at a very young age. “When I was a boy, I read a lot. The first book I remember reading was by Agatha Christie, The Postern of Fate. I was sick and I would usually get comics from my mum, but this time she gave me a book and I finished it in a couple of hours. From that point on, I really loved books,” shares Pandan. But what really opened his eyes to great writing was Reader’s Digest’s Great Short Stories of the World. This continued up to this day, finishing one book a week to keep his mind sharp. For Pandan, reading and writing…

There are many things that make up Filipino legacy, among which is Filipino fashion. But more than design, the co-founder and CEO of Panublix, Noreen Bautista, is looking at the source of it all: textiles. With a mission to connect creatives to sustainable and regenerative sources for the craft, Bautista founded a Visayas-based organisation that has created and sustained over 200 jobs and supported over 60 brands into adapting tropical textiles. Safeguarding the legacy of her hometown, Bautista shares the joys of continuing her entrepreneurial and cultural endeavours. I grew up in Iloilo City, which used to be known as the Textile Capital of the Philippines in the 19th century. We had over 60,000 handloom weavers back in the day, and that fascinated me as to the role of textiles…

In the 18th century, Abraham-Louis Breguet created the first repeating watches that struck a spring blade instead of a bell-type gong, which allowed the sound to be focused and amplified in a smaller space. Today, the brand pays tribute to this invention with the Breguet Répétition Minutes 7637. The piece features a handcrafted rose- or white-gold case housing the calibre 567.2 and a grand feu enamelled dial. We admire both the acoustic mastery—it takes an artisan a month to tune the gold gongs—and the vintage aesthetics of the Roman numeral dial held within the 42mm case. GORGEOUS DETAILS Longines expands its Spirit collection with the sophisticated Spirit Zulu Time. The 39mm steel case with ergonomic lugs contours gracefully around the wrist, while the bezel has received an elegant upgrade with…

Van Cleef & Arpels presents a standout piece for the season: the Mysterious Chevron necklace. Crafted from white and rose gold, its detachable pendants sparkle with over 30 carats of diamonds. Closer inspection reveals delicately placed emeralds and sapphires secured by the maison’s signature traditional mystery setting, an intricate technique that sees precious stones finely set within ornate patterns, mysteriously floating without claws or prongs. How Van Cleef & Arpels achieves such invisible settings remains a secret. The necklace is complemented by a matching ring and drop earrings. FIND YOUR WAY Inspired by a “compass rose”, Dior debuted the Rose des Vents fine jewellery collection in 2002, a line which introduced creative director Victoire de Castellane’s vision to the world. Renowned for geometric silhouettes and floral symbols, the collection continues…

GALLERY Pelota (also known as pilota in Basque and pelote in French) is a sport that transcends borders and spreads its influence across all corners of the globe. From the vibrant Basque region in Spain to the picturesque landscapes of southwestern France, to the lively courts of South America and the far-reaching shores of the Philippines, this captivating sport is soaked in cultural layers, intertwining traditions and histories. In the Philippines, a variation of the pelota called jai alai became popular in the Thirties. Jai alai is a sport that involves bouncing a ball off a walled-in space by accelerating it to high speeds with a wicker cesta. The sport was brought to the country by Teodoro Jáuregu, who hails from the Basque region of Spain where the sport originated.…

Frieze Seoul’s director Patrick Lee, who calls Seoul home, has over 15 years of experience in the art world. He previously served as the executive director of Seoul-based galleries Gallery Hyundai, and One and J. In this issue, Lee recommends his favourite places to visit in the city—from a hole-in-the-wall bar to all the cafés and bookstores frequented by the creative crowd. What are the highlights of this year’s edition of Frieze Seoul? A highlight of this year’s programming is the Frieze Film, co-curated by Serena Sungah Choo and Sungwoo Kim, comprising a programme of works by 14 artists shown at various nonprofit and independent art spaces through the city. Hannah Woo, the recipient of the inaugural Frieze Seoul Artist Award, also presented a major new commission at the fair,…

Lee Jun-beom has accidentally birthed an F&B empire. After an abortive career in fashion, the South Korean entrepreneur has gone from setting up and cooking in his own restaurant in 2014 to owning and running 42 of them less than a decade later. They fall under the umbrella of his food and lifestyle brand GFFG, which stands for Good Food For Good—“for good” in the sense of “permanently”: quite the corporate statement of intent. GFFG has become known for a wide range of mostly American-style F&B concepts, combining stylish surroundings, approachable prices and a range of extremely Insta-friendly menu items—first and foremost, bakery chain Cafe Knotted’s range of visually sumptuous doughnuts, served in brightly coloured cups emblazoned with a lip-licking smiley, that it’s more or less impossible not to be…

The Hallyu wave—the proliferation of Korean pop culture around the world—might have changed the face of the global cultural landscape as we know it, with BTS, Blackpink and Squid Game becoming shorthand for the proliferation of K-pop and K-dramas outside South Korea’s borders, so it’s certainly no stretch to imagine a world in the near future in which Korean cuisine attains the same astronomical levels of popularity. At the leading edge of this charge are Korean fine-dining establishments dotted around the world that are shaping and remoulding the cuisine into something altogether different, retaining the spirit of the peninsula’s gastronomy while incorporating local ingredients and customs into the fold. Here, we spotlight four restaurants around the world that provide a glimpse of the directions that K-cuisine could take in the…

Favourite thing about Asia? It’s two things—the food and the football fans. Whenever I’m in Asia, I love trying new restaurants and dishes. I visited Asia a lot when I was playing football professionally, and of course [continue to do so] since I’ve retired—and every time, I’m amazed by the passion for football. Favourite place in Asia? There are many. The family love visiting Japan—it’s such a fascinating and unique place, and we always have the best time when we go. I get the opportunity to go to China on business often and I always enjoy my time there; while recently, I was in Macau and loved the energy there. Favourite travel destination? Singapore is always a favourite of mine … the mix of cultures, the friendly people, the incredible…

I write this after returning from a ten-day vacation/reunion with my elementary school classmates. We commemorate our 50th anniversary (don’t do the math) in Madrid as we reminisced about fun school experiences, classmates and teachers. The trip taught me the importance of our special bond and to celebrate it. We indeed have come a long way, and I am grateful that, in one way or another, we have made a dent in each other’s lives. And I am blessed to know that we still make the time to continue and create lasting moments and memories. So, to my dearest friends Kit, Mela, Laurie, Marianne and Pops, this issue is for all of you! I love you very much, ladies! This October is our Legacy issue, and we have informative articles…

With over 35 years of experience and multiple awards, Hizon is a stalwart champion of truth and one of the Philippines’ most prominent broadcast journalists. He has worked tirelessly for two of the largest global networks—CNBC Business News in Hong Kong and Singapore and BBC World News in Singapore and London—and was awarded the 26th Asian Television Awards Best News Program for The Final Word and Best News Anchor. But it hasn’t always been like this. He had his fair share of challenges before he got to where he is today. “Not everyone can be a journalist, and I struggled in the trenches for several years. I could become a reporter instantaneously, but it didn’t happen that way. I entered journalism as a production assistant for a TV programme called…

Until 1 SNOW WHITE AND THE PRINCE Don’t miss the last show of Repertory Philippines’ staging of Janes Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman’s Snow White and the Prince. This fun adaptation keeps the universal lessons the timeless fairy tale imparted to us—with a lot of singing and dancing. Onstage Greenbelt, Makati City {20-22;27-29} SILVER LINING Gallerist and art collector Jack Teotico ventures into theatre by composing music and lyrics for this new musical about hope and redemption. Silver Lining is penned by Joshua Lim So and directed by PETA’s artistic director Maribel Legarda, with musical direction by Vince Lim. Carlos P Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City {6-22} WALANG ARAY Due to insistent public demand, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) is doing another run of its hit musical Walang…

With its pioneering spirit to serve the country’s evolving health and protection needs, Pru Life UK has safeguarded the lives of Filipinos since 1996. The last 27 years of its history join the impressive feat of its parent company, Prudential plc, which celebrates its 175th anniversary this year. Prudential has long been synonymous with stability, strength and resilience in the world of insurance. In fact, during the tragedy of the RMS Titanic more than a century ago, the British financial giant made great efforts to protect the beneficiaries of those who perished. This enduring legacy of honoured commitments has trickled down to its formidable Philippine counterpart, which has stood as a hallmark of the values and principles guiding both organisations throughout their remarkable journeys. To commemorate this milestone, Pru Life…

Some of the Philippines’ most prolific businesses are family-run and owned, perhaps because the lessons learnt are quickly passed down from one generation to the next. Whatever the reason, management will have to transfer to a new batch of family members at some point. This transition period can be tricky, as in the case of Lucio Tan’s “peculiar family situation”, as described by his daughter, Vivienne Tan. In November 2019, the family suffered a heartbreaking loss with the death of Lucio Tan Jr, who was then president of PAL Holdings Inc. The son of the taipan, Lucio Tan, Jr, had occupied his position for only a short while, having been newly appointed in October. The cause of death was not highly publicised. After Tan Jr’s death, his son, Lucio “Han”…

MOODY BLOOMS Virginie Viard gets it: she let camellias bloom at the Chanel show and in the latest collection because this season, florals are magnificent. At Daniel Lee’s Burberry, flowers are grungy, a vibe beloved by a slew of other designers who are providing head-to-toe dark romance for your winter wardrobe. HANDLE IT Traditional, “ladylike” handbag styles are undergoing a contemporary transformation. These timeless designs celebrate individual houses’ signatures: Louis Vuitton, for instance, showcases versatile and classy pieces that can be worn in multiple ways, while Hermès introduces a touch of whimsy by incorporating fringed elements into the iconic Birkin. Louis Vuitton  VIVA LA PLAID The autumn-winter season is practically synonymous with tartan. But this year, the Scottish style code is being given a creative revamp, for both womenswear and…

The instant its iconic robin’s-egg blue-hued box catches the eye is as romantic a moment as any. Tiffany & Co, the luxury behemoth founded in 1837 by American jeweller Charles Lewis Tiffany, has firmly established its place in the centre of innumerable love stories, its stunning creations renowned as marks of promise and commitment worldwide. A recurring inspiration for the House since 1883, the padlock motif first appeared in The Tiffany Archives as a brooch. Engraved with the Latin phrase “Fide et More”, which translates to “With Faith and Love”, it was a profoundly sentimental gift from an adoring husband to his wife. Now, 140 years later, Tiffany & Co revisits this humble origin as it expands the Lock collection, in which each enviable design evokes powerful, unbreakable bonds. Fitting…