Travel
Niseko Village: Why you should (also) visit the ski-famous resort in Hokkaido during the Green Season

24.09.2019
By Ronn Tan

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Japan is one of those places I heard about a lot when I was a young child—from my friends, films, and books among other sources. Oh, how I remember all the times I was so jealous whenever anyone told me about their experiences in the country! Who would have thought that I’d be in the Land of the Rising Sun twice in a period of three months this year? In July, I had the opportunity to go to Tokyo and hence, making Japan the 46th country I’ve visited so far. Yes, travelling is a passion of mine (which is surprising considering how no one else in my family loves going on trips).

My fond memories of Tokyo were more than adequate. Call it encouragement, call it a push—but when given the chance to return to Japan again, I grabbed it. Hard and fast. This time, I went to Hokkaido; the northernmost and second largest island in the country with 83,423.84 kilometres square. That’s approximately 37 times the size of Kuala Lumpur. Area size trivia aside, all I really knew about Hokkaido is that it’s known for its milk, seafood, and skiing. Well, my week there showed that the island has even more to offer, especially during the warmer months, or Green Season as it’s called. As a place that’s popular for as a winter destination with powder snow and skiing opportunities, there sure were a massive amount of activities to do during summer. Come with me as I take you on an adventure throughout the area.
Day One

There weren’t any direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Hokkaido on the chosen dates. As a result of that, I had a layover in Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok before heading to Chitose (the main airport near Sapporo). Upon landing at New Chitose Airport, what caught my eyes were how clean and tidy it was. Spotless, it sure was! In addition to that were the organised and efficient immigration counters. With that, I knew my trip was bound to be amazing. Getting to Niseko town from the airport will take you about two hours (with a shuttle). Along the way, make sure to look outside the window and be prepared to feast your eyes on glorious scenery, especially mountain landscapes.

Where did I stay? Kasara Townhouse. Located in Niseko Village and situated at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri, the double-storey townhouse looks like it came straight out of an anime. The ode to Japan’s heritage townhouses was apparent with authentic Japanese charm and contemporary elegance. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a sucker for minimalism and the design of the townhouse won me over. There are three luxurious bedrooms, a fully-equiped kitchen, and a beautiful tub in the master bedroom. Spacious and stylish yet cosy. In addition to Kasara, the resort also has Hilton Niseko and The Green Leaf at the moment. However, the opening of Hinode Hills on 1 December 2019 is one I’m definitely anticipating!

What did I do on the first day? It was really sunny with a temperature of around 25º Celcius but that did not stop the group and I from heading to Pure—a nature activity centre. The first thing I did was the Rail Slider. It is the only one of its kind in Japan. I’m a tad bit afraid of heights. Even when I found out that I’ll be suspended by wires, I knew I needed to try the activity. Is it FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)? I don’t know. All I had to was slide down the hanging rail. The entire round took about two minutes to complete and it’s definitely something I would love to do again. Oh, it’s also the least scary out of everything else I did that day.

On to the next one! Tree trekking, oh, tree trekking. What did I get myself into? With a safety harness and using zip lines, ropes, hanging bridges, and nets, I traversed along the treetops. My mistake was choosing to go on the Advanced route instead of the Elementary course. Jumping off platforms and skateboarding from one end to the other were too much for me and I had to give up half way. Saying that it was scary and difficult is an understatement. Really. My legs either froze or shook too much; dizziness ensued; fear heightened.

While the Rail Slider was a great introduction to the centre and Tree Trekking was challenging, the next activity was really fun—despite the height. It’s none other than the Zip Line Guided Tour. The group and I went on six stages with the longest area being 250 metres. There was an undescribable adrenaline that can be felt when moving at high speed from one point to another. My favourite stage was the second line because I had to go in between trees and that was beautiful. If I have to recommend just one thing to do at Pure, it’d be this but remember to make a reservation first. You can also try many other activities here such as sliding down the biggest air cushion slider in Japan, horseback riding, and park golf. Note that Pure activity centre opens only during the Green Season.
After all the hardwork, what about food? Well, I rewarded myself with a delicious cone of Hokkaido milk ice cream from Village Patisserie. I’m salivating now just thinking about the creamy paradise I tasted. Even better, it wasn’t too sweet! Post-dessert, I rested as much as I could before we headed to Two Sticks for dinner (see menu here). Yes, more food please! On the outside, the restaurant looks like a traditional Japanese house but you will be surprised by its interior. Painted in blood orange and ski-themed, I can’t help but notice the twist on the Hokkaido rusticness. There is even a gondola inside—perfect for an Instagram shot. When it came to food, we had Pork Sukiyaki which comes with meat, vegetables, and noodles. I don’t need to tell you how good that tasted because I won’t be able to do the succulent dish any justice. After dinner, it was time for the onsen (which I went every night). Guests of Niseko Village have the option of going to either the one in Hilton or The Green Leaf. I tried both but more on that later!
Day Two

Waking up really early when you’re on a trip can be a bummer but not when the agenda for the day is cycling on an e-bike. While I didn’t get to cycle for shameful reasons (I just never knew how to), I saw the Besv e-bikes up close and personal. The PSA1 and JF1 electric bikes aren’t just brilliant aesthetically, they are also very helpful. Chuck, our instructor for the 32 kilometre cycling session, spoke to us about the benefits of using an e-bike. They include climbing up hills easier with different assist levels, controlling the intensity of the ride, and the ability to go further. In my opinion, the multi-function display and ergonomic controller are very important components. The fact that I did not cycle didn’t deter me from studying the bikes as much as possible. While the rest took off from The Green Leaf in the e-bikes, I travelled with them in a van. Lucky or not, you decide.

Cycling is a popular activity to do in Niseko during the warmer months and there are a variety of sites to visit. We went passed farms growing potatoes and corns among many other crops. One thing that never really left our sight and stood tall throughout is Mount Yotei. After what seemed like a long journey, we took a break at Niseko Spring to freshen ourselves. How? By washing our faces and drinking using natural spring water. Clear, cool, and free. Even locals fill up loads of bottles with spring water for daily usage.

What’s next? Keiriu Sweet Shop—known for it’s red bean pastries. We bought one each for every available dessert in the store. After the purchase, we went to a nearby rest area to munch on our beany delicacies. To pinpoint one that I love most would be a crime because they were actually really good. In fact, I finished most of them! They are sweet, salty, crispy, soft, and well-balanced. Let the glutton reveal itself. Fortunately for the rest, they get to burn off the calories by cycling to the next stop whereas I sat in the van. I’m not complaining, though. We were also at Milk Kobo for its well-known cream puffs and milk ice cream.

After an ample amount of pedalling and stopping for photographs throughout the adventure, we finally made it back to Kasara Townhouse. Dinner was at Melt Bar & Grill in Hilton Niseko. Fortunately for me and the group, we had the opportunity to try dishes created with fresh Hokkaido products. Our Hokkaido Dinner Set Menu for Green Season 2020 included Hokkaido scallop and seasonal vegetables “Gargouillou” style, Hokkaido potato vichyssoise, rock fish with herbs ravigote sauce, Saibi beef with horseradish sauce, and haskap berry mousse with Hokkaido milk ice cream. Reading them off the menu was palatable enough but actually indulging in these concoctions were heavenly. My favourite would definitely be the Saibi beef that’s infused with red wine. It wasn’t just tender but has the right amount of fat to meat ratio. The night ended with a bulgier stomach but no one’s making a fuss for sure.
Day Three

Another day has arrived and I woke up to a rather cooler weather (compared to the first day). Day Three was supposed to be another day on the e-bike. However, Mother Nature had other plans because it began to rain right after we departed The Green Leaf. Everyone hopped onto the van (hooray to Team Van) and we proceeded to an Ostrich Farm. I tried to serenade the ostriches with a myriad of songs, including Carly Rae Jepsen’s I Really Like You but was ignored. I wonder why. We fed them a little before continuing on our journey to the Makkari Tofu Factory, or Wakimizu no Sato. Make sure to try the tofu doughnuts because that will easily be one of the best things you’ll have anywhere. The tofu here is made using the spring water from Yoteizan no Wakimizu, just outside the shop. I might have gone overboard with the sampling and I think I ate to-much.

Our next stop is, without a doubt, one of my favourite sites of the trip—Fukidashi Park; the largest Yotei spring in the area with over 80,000 tonnes of water gushing up each day. Of course, I didn’t know that and hence, my first impression was this green misty explosion. I was in love with the place and the rain did not matter to me. It’s never easy to describe paradise but the park sure was one. It’s serene, calm, but still full of life. There is also spring water here with some of the tastiest liquid ever. Yes, not all water tastes the same. Fukidashi Park is the place to go if you want to relax or even try out raindrop cake.

After a quick lunch at the park’s rest area, we went back to Kasara Townhouse for a much-needed breather. However, all fatigue and uneasiness go away at the thought of dinner. The Crab Shack serves some of the freshest seafood on the island and I was very excited to indulge. Seafood has always been a firm favourite of mine and therefore, you can understand the excitement. We had the Kaizen Nabe (which is not on the menu and only available during the winter period). It is a hotpot that came with crabs, different variety of fishes, and scallops among others. The serving was so magnanimous that we could not finish the scrumptious meal gifted before us. All in all, it was a great day filled with food-ventures and fun.
Day Four

Another summer day has come and gone away. The weather was relatively cooler today—at about 12º Celcius. I had a jacket on but it was still chilly. After a buffet breakfast in Hilton Niseko, we went to Yukichichibu Onsen, a calderic marshland. As soon as the door of the van opened, all I got was a rush of rotten eggs. However, the terrible smell wasn’t enough to push me away from the beauty of the area. Watching steam rise up from the spring was such a delight. The last time I had the opportunity to see something similar was in Reykjavik, Iceland. Along with Fukidashi Park, Yukichichibu Onsen is on top of my list of places to visit again in Hokkaido. Smells like teen spirit, or just the will and determination to experience the best of what the island has to offer.

I was not prepared for a 1.3 metre hike today but I did that in order to arrive at the Shinsen Marsh. Along the way, I walked past different plants from the area. The entire route to the marsh was on a narrow path and seemed like it took forever. To nobody’s surprise, the entire energy to get to the final destination was worth it. The plateau wetland region was gorgeous, with reflection of trees on the surface of the blue lake. My experience here was sublime because of the serenity and view of the beauty that surrounded me. It is one of those places that gets you thinking—about life and its intricacies. When I return in the future, I’ll be ready for the tiring walk. Another 1.3 metre walk back to the entrance should be continued with another 300 metre stroll to the observatory point. Reward yourself to views of the Sea of Japan and the port town of Iwanai. Honestly, pictures don’t do any justice. After a quick lunch at Houzuki, between the towns of Kutchan and Niseko, we headed back to the townhouse.

Dinner tonight was different from the other nights. It was the first day of the Niseko Autumn Food Festival (12 – 15 September 2019). The group and I were delighted to be able to try out food and drinks from 12 of Niseko’s most famous restaurants, bars, and cafés—Niseko Pizza, An Dining, DNA, Klass Kitchen, and more. The temperature dropped so much in the evening that the presence of the fire place was much appreciated. While food and drinks such as the Hokkaido cheese pizza and mozzarella arancini as well as pumpkin milk tea were amazing, what I enjoyed most were the performances. You really get a thorough glimpse into Japanese culture from the way they take over the stage. I was immensely captivated throughout every showcase.

Unfortunately, it was too cold for me to bear (only because I did not bring proper clothing). We went back to our accomodation and rewarded ourselves with the necessary onsen experience. Yes, I promised to elaborate on that! As mentioned, there are two natural hot springs (onsen) in Niseko Village, both with indoor and outdoor areas. While they are rather similar, the one in The Green Leaf is quieter and less crowded whereas the onsen in Hilton is usually packed. It really depends on your personality and preference. I was an onsen virgin before my trip to Niseko and of course was really shy. However, once the clothes are off, it only took seconds for me to be completely relaxed. Talk about baring everything. After all, this is a tradition that has withstood time and there is no better way to understand culture than to participate. That concludes my itinerary in Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan. It’s sad but true.

If your initial impression of Niseko is that it’s the powder mecca of Japan, you’re not wrong. Its winter season with its white season activities are known all around the world. Whether it’s reindeer sledding or mere skiing on Mount Niseko Annupuri, many flock to this part of Japan for one-of-a-kind experiences. Truth is, Niseko Village is always in season. With a wide array of restaurants and shopping areas housed in traditional Japanese machiya architecture setting, the main village is the heart of the resort. Its close proximity to the other towns means that this is the right base to move from. While I will return for winter in the future, I shall relish in my memories of the Green Season for now. Sayonara.
{insert gallery tpl=”slide-freesize.tpl” id=”[Стандартная] Niseko Village” rid=”7590″ order=”a_tstamp”}
For more information on Niseko Village, visit this website. For more information on bike tours, email [email protected].

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Watches
Watch Brit model Edie Campbell sum NYC up in a few words
In Tiffany & Co. jewellery, of course

22.06.2015
By Cai Mei Khoo

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The Cartier Privé collection is about history and modernity

Stacking pieces from Tiffany & Co.’s iconic Atlas collection with the T collection, Edie Campbell brings her innate sense of downtown cool to this series of images for Tiffany & Co.’s Spring/Summer ’15 campaign.

Photographed by Daniel Jackson, the images are rendered in black and white, displaying timeless appeal the brand is synonymous with.

Watch the model sum up New York City here:

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Features
How to build a more sustainable wardrobe, according to content creator Bay Doucet

06.08.2020
By Joan Kong

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Fashion Insider: Content creator Eros Erfe on the inspiration behind the ‘Bags of KL’ series

It’s no secret that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, and fast fashion’s environmental impact, in particular, is significant. Thankfully, with ‘sustainability’ being one of the hottest buzzwords in fashion in recent years, there’s been a rise of conscious consumers, and with that, comes a new wave of influencers to follow.
If you’re looking to shop more sustainably and build a more ethical wardrobe, let content creator—and seasoned conscious shopper—Bay Doucet give you some tips to get you started.
Describe your style in three words.
Comfortable, ever-changing, relaxed.

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A post shared by Bay (@baydoucet) on Jun 20, 2020 at 1:12am PDT

Tell us more about your fashion journey. Have you always been a conscious consumer?
Fashion for me has never really been about buying the latest and trendiest pieces—I’ve always been described as having a more ‘grandma’ or ‘aunty’ style, and I decided to just embrace that.
When I was 17, I started watching some YouTubers who were really vocal about sustainable and ethical fashion such as Kristen Leo and WearILive, this then led me to the documentary ‘The True Cost’ on Netflix. At that point I decided I no longer wanted to shop fast fashion.
What are your thoughts on the slow fashion scene in Malaysia?
I think in the city—in KL at least—people are starting to be more conscious about where they shop, so you do start to see a few sustainable stores coming up, and it’s definitely exciting! One of them is Shop Unplug, a concept store in Bangsar Village II that houses local and international sustainable brands.
Our culture has a lot of traditional crafts, like Batik, for instance, which are “slow fashion” by nature, and it’s interesting to see it being incorporated into the work of local brands like Changgih Designs and Fern Batik Collective.

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A post shared by U N P L U G (@shopunplug) on Apr 22, 2020 at 7:36am PDT

What do you think is the biggest challenge when it comes to dressing sustainably?
It’s important for me to highlight that shopping sustainably is a privilege. Sustainable brands are much, much more expensive than fast fashion brands, this is of course due to the fact that everyone down the production line is being paid and treated fairly, and the materials used are better for the environment.
Shopping secondhand or vintage is a more affordable option to dressing sustainably, however sizing and style options can sometimes be limited, and secondhand shopping often takes more time and effort to comb through the pieces and find what you want.
For this reason, I think shopping sustainably is a responsibility for those in positions of privilege, but not a necessity for everyone.
What’s your advice to those who’d like to start shopping responsibly or build a more ethical wardrobe?
Remember that it’s not an overnight change. Building a more ethical wardrobe starts with treating the clothes you already have with love and care, re-wearing old pieces, donating the ones you don’t wear as often anymore, and doing clothing swaps with your friends. An ethical wardrobe is all about buying less and creating less waste.
Another tip when shopping is to avoid trendy pieces and purchase clothing you know you can wear over and over again. Sustainable brands tend to be more expensive, which is why you should be buying timeless pieces that you can wear often.

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A post shared by Bay (@baydoucet) on Jul 25, 2020 at 10:05pm PDT

What are some of your favourite local fashion brands at the moment?
Two local sustainable brands I love are @lisatelier.co and @thelittleclothingshop, and two great secondhand shops I love are @okgostore and @nabstalgia. @shopterrae is a new one that does sustainable activewear!

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Watches + Jewellery
Robert Ambord of Gübelin: Deeply inspired
Entrenched in heritage

30.11.2015
By Wei Yeen Loh

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Founded in 1854, Swiss jewellery atelier Gübelin is world-renowned for its hand-crafted exquisite creations and timepieces that seamlessly combine simplicity and timelessness with its magnificent gemstones. The Gübelin Gem Lab was pioneered by Dr. Eduard Josef Gübelin in 1923 to test the authenticity of gemstones, and its Gemmological Reports have been relied upon by jewellery collectors and royal families globally for independent opinions about their gems.

We sat down with Robert Ambord, Artistic Director of Jewellery and Managing Director of Gübelin Ateliers, to talk about the house’s “Deeply Inspired” collection that is based on Dr. Eduard Gübelin’s inclusion of stones he had researched on over 50 years ago.

On “Deeply Inspired” as a theme for the collection:
It’s very exciting for us because we have a true story and this theme isn’t just a marketing campaign. “Deeply Inspired” gives you an idea of something—to create or the beauty of something deep inside. Dr. Gübelin was actually a famous pioneer within the gemological world and he wrote a lot of books. He was the master of the inclusion pictures over 50 years ago; he found that every stone has all these inclusions and all these secrets. The inclusions tell us a story and information of where the stone came from and more. If we take a stone, such as a tourmaline, you’ll see a whole other world through the inclusion.

Mr. Gübelin was inspired by the inclusion and saw gardens in the green stone, the deep sea in the blue stone, glowing ember in the red stone, and so on. Raphael Gübelin (CEO of the House of Gübelin & 6th Generation family member) came into my office one day and said, “I think we have to have a true story—since the star of Gübelin is the gemstone, why don’t we take inspiration out of this stone?” My first impression was, “That’s impossible, it’s not that easy. It’s probably easier to say you’re inspired by flowers and birds.” But he said, “Let’s take it deeper.” After a while we realised that there is a way and I think it’s a fantastic story as the idea actually does belong to our roots and heritage.

On the theme’s translation to actual creations:
In the green world, you’d find natural elements. But this inclusion is like an art painting, it’s from an emerald. We took the focus from that, and sketched it out. The green is connected and is translated to the piece. This particular inclusion is from this book here (Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones), not from any other stone out there. In a green world, like a forest, you’d find all other colours such as blue and red, which explains why the rest of the lineup is made from different stones, yet with the same inspiration. The deep sea is inspired from the inclusion of a sapphire. Natural elements belong to the world, which explains the names of each collection or line: mystical garden, the glowing jellyfish, and so on.
{insert gallery tpl=”slide-freesize.tpl” id=”Gübelin Emerald” rid=”3670″ order=”a_tstamp”}
On the challenges with this inspiration:
It’s not easy to be inspired from an inclusion. We’re not a fashion brand nor are we focused in trends; we’re more classic and the star of our brand is always a gemstone. It requires an understanding. Our customers are sophisticated and gem connoisseurs—they are in love with gemstones. Timelessness in important, classic means it isn’t boring, it’s something interesting and detailed. It’s a very difficult task to achieve when it comes to creating a jewellery piece.

On the Masterpiece of the collection and ruby as a symbol of the house:
We don’t create a lineup for the masterpiece collection as it is exclusive in that sense. In this particular ruby we we found this inclusion that resembles a close-up of a dragonfly’s wings. Our goldsmith spent over 900 hours on this beautiful piece—it’s flexible and you can wear it as a brooch if you removed it. You can either wear it as a diamond necklace, or a pendant, or as a brooch separately.
Rubies are the stones for kings if you trace back in history. Ruby means love and passion, and is a symbol for Gubelin’s new jewellery brand. So you’ll notice a small ruby incorporated in all designs of ours. It’s almost cute, if you think about it.
{insert gallery tpl=”slide-freesize.tpl” id=”Gubelin Ruby” rid=”3671″ order=”a_tstamp”}
On the brand’s message with this collection:
We’re actually a small company. We’re not mass luxury and our understanding of luxury is clear and unique. We have one or two elements we like to focus on, not a thousand elements all at one go. It’s difficult to find natural beautiful stones and we have high quality standards so we aren’t about creating pieces very quickly. For me it’s important that customers realise that we take our history with us to the future. That’s an important message and it isn’t as easy to understand for them. We don’t want to sell out, we want to give them an understanding.

On his personal take on inclusions:
The most interesting thing for me, when I look at an inclusion, is that it’s a complete other world in there. It’s from Mother Nature and we realise how perfect nature is when presented in a combination of colours, whether from a butterfly’s wings or something else. When we ourselves put colours together, sometimes it doesn’t work out as it clashes. But when Mother Nature puts it together, it works! In our minds, colour is subjective. Nobody had this chance to see these inclusions, and now with this collection, the world gets to see it.

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Culture
A conversation with ‘Sex and The City’ illustrator Megan Hess on new book and Vakkaru Maldives experience

16.12.2019
By Ronn Tan

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Which Sex and The City character are you? Whether you’re Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbes, or even Mr. Big, the television series and films centred around these figures were massively popular. Did you know that the premise first began in book form? The New York Times number one selling book—written by Candace Bushnell—also saw illustration by Megan Hess in 2006. Since then, Megan has continued to share her gift of illustrating, writing, and designing as well. The internationally-renowned fashion illustrator and author’s work with Sex and The City can be credited for catapulting her onto the world stage. She has worked with numerous iconic brands, such as the New York Times, Italian Vogue, Vanity Fair, Time magazine, Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Harrods of London, Fendi, Tiffany & Co., Prada, Cartier, Dior, Valentino, Salvatore Ferragamo, and more. In addition to that, her extensive list of clients also include revered public figures like Michelle Obama, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Next year, Australian-born Megan Hess will be collaborating with Vakkaru Maldives for the exclusive launch of her third book in The Claris Collection, Claris: Bonjour Riviera on 5 and 6 January 2020. Furthermore, this includes the official reveal of the newest Claris fashion collection consisting of six key looks by Poca & Poca. If you’re interested in illustrating, Megan is conducting a Fashion Illustration Masterclass on 6 January—limited to 10 guests only. This is oh-so-exciting!

Megan Hess and Claris
We spoke to Megan Hess on her passion for illustrating, her objective for the partnership with Vakkaru Maldives, and her plans for the future. Check out the conversation below:
1. Where did your passion for illustrating come from and where did you learn your skills?
I always knew that I wanted to draw for a living but when I was growing up, I had no idea that a Fashion Illustrator was an actual job! It was just always the thing I loved to do. As a child, I attended art class every Saturday and it was literally my favourite time of the week. Then, in high school, I had an amazing teacher who really pushed me to explore the possibilities of making art my career. I’m so glad she did!
2. You’re one of the most sought-after fashion illustrators and authors in the world. What are some of your career highlights?
It is always such an honour and I still pinch myself every time I’m asked to collaborate with an iconic luxury brand. Some career highlights would be working with Bergdorf Goodman, New York, to create a signature look for the prestigious department store and being commissioned by Harrods of London to create a bespoke bag collection for the iconic British department store. I created a series of portraits for America’s First Lady, Michelle Obama—a truly surreal experience. I’ve also illustrated portraits for Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, and most recently, Sarah Jessica Parker.
I’ve also loved illustrating live for bespoke fashion shows around the world including Fendi at Milan Fashion Week, Viktor & Rolf, and Christian Dior Couture. I learn so much from every project and become more and more in love with the process of creating something beautiful!

Claris Book Cover
3. What can we expect from Claris: Bonjour Riviera and how is the third book in The Claris Collection different from its prequels?
I really wanted Claris to have a seaside adventure and I thought it would be so much fun if she snuck into Monsieur’s bag and went with the family on a vacation! This story is full of adventure, beautiful boats, turquoise waters, and very chic fashion! As always, it’s Claris’s big heart that is the highlight of the story.
4. What is the inspiration behind your new resort collection with Poca & Poca?
I’m so excited about the resort collection with Poca & Poca! The collection is inspired by Claris’ latest trip to the French Riviera… Picture lots of blues and whites with touches of gold—each look perfect for a seaside adventure!

“Megan Hess sketches
5. You have worked with a long list of revered clients. Is there one you would consider to be out of your comfort zone, and why?
I think creating 10 portraits for Michelle Obama was my most challenging. It was an incredible project to work on but also quite daunting, purely because I really wanted to make sure they were perfect. I really respect her as a woman so it was an amazing project to work on.
6. How did your collaboration with Vakkaru Maldives happen?
The Maldives has always, always been at the top my list of dream travel destinations so when The Magnolia Creative Collaborations pitched me the opportunity to collaborate with Vakkaru Maldives, I knew this would truly be a once-in-a lifetime experience.

Vakkaru Maldives pool
7. What are your goals for the two-day experience at Vakkaru Maldives?
Launching Claris: Bonjour Riviera on the beach with the pristine clear waters of the Maldives as the backdrop is already goals for me! I will also be offering an exclusive fashion illustration masterclass at Lagoon Bar which I’m really excited about and I’ve been working with the resort’s culinary team to create an exquisite dessert table. I just can’t wait to absorb all the beauty and glamour of Vakkaru Maldives. I’ve been stalking all their incredible photos online and I’m still pinching myself that I will actually get to be walking on water past all the heavenly looking villas and relaxing by the idyllic pool. At the top of my list of things to do though is, of course, eat! I’m just picturing myself eating seafood at sunset on Vakku Beach accompanied by a blissful ocean breeze—I can’t think of anything better.
8. Which of the four characters from Sex and The City are you, and why?
I think I’m a little bit of all of them! I love each one for different reasons so a combination would be the best. I do love Carrie’s fashion the most of all four though—Patricia Field was so brilliant in creating all of their wardrobes.

Vakkaru Maldives island view
9. Do you have any advice for anyone interested in a career in illustration?
I think if it’s what you really want to do then do it and don’t let anything put you off course. The more you do something, the better you’ll get. Students often ask me how to find their style and I always say that if you just keep drawing, your style will find you. My ultimate advice is to enjoy the journey as much as the outcome.

Vakkaru Maldives cabin
10. What do you have planned for the future that you can share with our readers?
There are so many big exciting projects coming up. Sometimes I get so excited about what’s to come that I literally can’t sleep! Right now, I’m focused on my latest fashion book that has just been released, Elegance—The Beauty of French Fashion. I’ve just finished my world book tour and it’s just been so incredible to meet so many wonderful people all around the world and feel that connection. Creating is such a joy and it’s even more amazing when you can actually share it with others. I also have so many plans for my little mouse! I’m planning her next adventure right now, so follow me @meganhess_official and @claristhemouse for updates.
To be part of ‘A Seaside Adventure with Claris The Mouse & Megan Hess’, you can book your stay with the special Festive Offer and enjoy up to 35 percent off room rates with breakfast when booking direct on vakkarumaldives.com.

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Watches
8 Rainbow watches that make a vibrant statement on your wrist
Follow the rainbow

29.06.2023
By Benedict Unang

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Many people may not know this, but Rolex was the first luxury watch designer to explore rainbow-coloured watches in the 1980s, with colourful sapphires adorning the iconic Cellini models. However, it wasn’t until 2012 that the trend gained traction, notably when Rolex debuted the Rainbow Cosmograph Daytona at Baselworld. The masterpiece ultimately ignited the rainbow wave, and more luxury watchmakers have since followed suit.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up eight luxury watches that perfectly capture the vivid vibes, including the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 and the Tag Heuer Carrera Polychrome.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 is the pinnacle of elegance and comfort. This timepiece resides in an Everose gold case and boasts 10 baguette-cut, rainbow-coloured sapphires adorning the hour markers that harmonise with the diamond-paved dial. While the bezel is studded with diamonds, the bracelet features a diamond-set President bracelet with semi-circular three-piece links for added bling.
Shop here.

Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow King Gold

Hublot amplifies its distinctive designs and cutting-edge materials with the Big Bang One Click Rainbow King Gold, which mixes hues with excellent craftsmanship. The Swiss watchmaker refreshes its flagship model, the Big Bang, with 48 baguette-cut coloured gemstones on the bezel and 307 vivid jewels on the dial. It also has multi-coloured alligator leather straps to complete the vibrant look.
Shop here.

Zenith Defy 21 Chroma

The Zenith Defy 21 Chroma is an attractive option if you prefer something more subtle with unassuming pops of colour. This watch comes in a matte white ceramic case and sports a rainbow-hued movement that shines through the open dial, along with hour markers in an array of tones. In addition to the yellow rubber that hugs the crown, a closer glance reveals rainbow stitching on its white rubber strap.
Shop here.

Richard Mille RM 68-01 Tourbillon Cyril Kongo

Although the RM 68-01 by Richard Mille doesn’t feature a rainbow bezel, it serves as a canvas to introduce modern art into the realm of luxury watches. This idea comes to life through French street artist Cyril Kongo’s painting on the baseplate of the Tourbillon movement and the inner bezel in an indelible palette of bright colours. Fun fact: It takes more than a year to perfect Kongo’s painting technique.
Shop here.

Jacob & Co Brilliant Full Baguette Rainbow White Gold

If you’re on a quest for a timepiece that screams rainbow, the Jacob & Co Brilliant Full Baguette Rainbow White Gold checks all the boxes. The bejewelled beauty sports an invisible dial embellished with 152 baguette-cut precious sapphires, with its white gold leaf hands driven by the Swiss JCGQ01 movement. On top of that, the white gold case is subtly studded with 159 baguette-cut precious stones, and the crown is adorned with 12 baguette-cut multi-coloured sapphires and one rose-cut sapphire.
Shop here.

Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce ‘Rainbow’

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce ‘Rainbow’ effortlessly blends sporty style with exceptional artistry highlighted by precious stones. Powered by Calibre CH 28-520, this wristwatch sits in a rose gold case that frames the white mother-of-pearl dial embossed with an Aquanaut motif, as well as 12 multicoloured sapphire hour markers. Further, the bezel is encrusted with 40 diamonds and 40 rainbow sapphires for a vibrant pop of colour.
Shop here.

Breitling Superocean Heritage ‘57 Special Edition II

The Superocean Heritage ’57 Special Edition II evokes Breitling’s notion of conscious luxury with purpose, but with a playful twist. Inspired by the casual, laid-back surfing lifestyle of the 1960s, this watch features oversized rainbow-coloured indices and hands that compliment the polished denim blue dial. Likewise, the mesh band that comes with it pairs well with the ceramic bezel.
Shop here.

Tag Heuer Carrera Polychrome

The Tag Heuer Carrera has often been deemed the height of sports elegance, but the Polychrome model raises it even further. Limited to 150 pieces, this chronograph is encased by a 45mm case crafted from grade 5 titanium with a black PVD treatment and offers a distinctive rainbow dial that makes a striking statement. Aside from the unmistakably contemporary design, it’s powered by the Calibre HEUER02T, which has a power reserve of 65 hours.
Shop here.

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Lifestyle
Bottega Veneta’s new homeware store is the epitome of luxury
Love makes a house a home

19.07.2015
By Buro247

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Their approach is one that treads softly and sumptuously, revered by those truly in the know and who value craftsmanship and absolute luxury above all else. Beyond fashion and jewellery, creative director Tomas Maier has applied this same philosophy to a stunning range of home furnishings, encompassing furniture, lighting and home décor. And as the most beautiful furniture deserves the most beautiful setting, Bottega Veneta’s first dedicated home boutique resides in a 205sqm ground floor boutique in the 18th century Palazzo Gallarati Scotti in the heart of Milan. Maier’s contemporary aesthetic blends in wonderfully with the pre-existing coffered ceilings and original frescoes by Italian masters Carlo Innocenzo Carlone and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. While the home and furniture may be centuries apart, Bottega Veneta’s new store proves but one thing: that good design and real taste transcends generations. Via Borgospesso n.5, Milan

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Beauty
4 Hair trends inspired by Men’s Fashion Week AW17 you can sport
Doing '90s right

19.01.2017
By Wei Yeen Loh

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Thick, blunt bangs

Slicked back hairdos and quiffs as high as the sky can take a backseat this season to make way for the blunt bang. Whether all straight or slightly layered, thick bangs that graze the eyebrows (or eyes if you don’t mind a few strands blocking your vision) coupled with a shorter, clean-cut back and sides are the latest ‘do to sport, demonstrated at Damir Doma, Dries Van Noten, and Dior Homme respectively.

The curtain fringe

But if you aren’t a fan of the above-mentioned hairstyle no thanks to unnecessary eyeball prodding, go with a centre-parted fringe in tribute to the late ’90s/early 2000s. Yes, the curtains are back with a bang (pun intended). Go with a shorter cut as seen at Dior Homme and Off White, or channel a retro-inspired look with round glasses and longer ends as spotted at Fendi.

The longer curtain

While you’re on the ’90s trendwagon, it’s now deemed fashionable to sport the mid-length centre-parted look, be it wavy or straight. The next time you’re about to snip off some length, consider growing it out for a laidback, grungy vibe—as seen at Damir Doma, Etro, and N°21. Calling all Kurt Cobain fans—this one’s up your alley.

The mussed, (intentionally) windswept look

Pulling off the tousled, just-got-out-of-bed look seen at Yohji Yamamoto, Vivienne Westwood, and Etro can be tricky—you might steer to ‘unwashed/greasy’ territory if you aren’t careful. The key to doing this style right is 1) not to go overboard with volume and, 2) blowing it dry in different directions. Second-day hair works best for this hairdo, so cooperate with your hair texture with enough product to make sure the disheveled effect stays throughout the day.

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Fashion
The best of PFW SS19 day 3: Aalto’s slim metallic chokers

27.09.2018
By Stephanie Boey

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Couture wedding gowns that will make you feel like a fairytale princess

The Aalto woman for Spring/Summer 2019 is a strong and confident work force in the office. Co-founder and designer, Tuomas Merikoski tells WWD, “We’re really looking at the perspective of the business woman. She’s powerful, and she’s the CEO or in that kind of environment, with that kind of attitude—the powerfulness of women has a lot of influence today.” Her accessories of choice—a hands-free ear piece to pick up calls on the go, and a slim, metallic choker to decorate her neckline in Aalto’s relaxed powersuits. The jewellery were in fact designed by French designer, Sébastien Joffrey Monfort. The neck adornments are delicate and slender, contrast to the the strong, firm character dreamed up by Tuomas Merikoski. Bare and industrial yet simple and sophisticated—the key here being balance (and also the secret to career success). The only question now is, gold or silver finish?
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Culture
Leonardo DiCaprio talks about his life-changing experience on ‘The Revenant’
Going through the grit

28.12.2015
By Buro247

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A missing part of American history: that’s how Leonardo DiCaprio regards the events that inspired The Revenant, released in cinemas just a couple of weeks ago. Straying far away from the comfort of a suit and tie, DiCaprio takes on the freezing (and bloody) landscape of wild Louisiana, in a tale of survival and retribution.
Inspired by the real-life experiences of 19th-century frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass, DiCaprio embodies the legendary man who had been abandoned and robbed by his companions after being mauled by a grizzly bear. Directed by Alejandro G.Innaritu, DiCaprio describes the film saying, “nothing is fake in this story.”
In this interview with Buro 24/7 Russia‘s Nellie Holmes, DiCaprio talks about his experiences on filming The Revenant, the connections he felt with the film and its characters, and the authenticity it breeds in the world of filmmaking.

I am always fascinated by the things that actors are called upon to do in movies. Sometimes it’s a skill set like riding a horse or shooting a gun. But sometimes it can be something strange, scary or even disgusting, like eating a raw fish or a buffalo liver, which is exactly what you did in your new movie. I wonder, was it a real raw fish and a real buffalo liver? And what can you say about your survival skills in general?
Well, first of all, yes, it was a real buffalo liver. And while talking about extreme situations in my life, I have done a lot of extreme situations whether it be scuba diving or skydiving, etc. But after seeing this movie, you could certainly never compare any kind of extreme to this struggle in the wilderness. At the end of any shooting day, I got to go to my hotel room and thought I would never be able to endure what these men did. I have been in a lot of situations which were sort of near-death experiences, but nothing like this, no.

How did you get prepared for the role? Did you study any special material?
I had a journal for reference; it was called The Journal of a Fur Trapper. There was a whole era in American history which wasn’t actually documented – a severe era of fur trade. We created a story of a certain man – Hugh Glass – who was sort of the Paul Bunyan epitome. While getting into the material, I was just shocked and amazed of the human spirit and the triumph of the will to live.

What are your thoughts about some of the extremely strong, violent scenes in the movie?
Well, it seems I have a penchant for doing films that have extreme violence in them. So I don’t know if I am desensitised to it, but for me, this film is an accurate depiction of that time period. Without getting into this violence, you can’t be authentic in these sort of movies. I really like these kind of strong stories. I think it’s the perfect fusion of violence and beauty at the same time. It’s portraying nature as it is.

What was the most difficult thing to handle during the whole process?
For me the real challenge was of course the cold, and it was a constant struggle. It was down to 40-below and sometimes to the point where the camera actually couldn’t operate. So you could image how our fingers and faces felt. I am sure that’s what every actor is going to talk about – his hands. I mean, the hands were a constant source of pain. I think they even had to invent machines for the actors not to get hypothermia after every single take that we did. I knew what I had signed up for, and that was part of the… I don’t want to say “fun,” but part of the intent of making the movie was to experience as closely as we could, without literally doing what these fur trappers did.

And what about the positive excitement – what did you like most about working on The Revenant?
I have never worked on a film like this, and I don’t know if Alejandro cued everyone into the process of this movie, but it was very, very unique and unlike anything I have ever done before. It took months of rehearsals and every single day was like a little bit of theatre. We would rehearse all day long in order to work like a Swiss watch during shooting because at the end of every day we had only an hour-and-a-half of magic light when everything looks most beautiful and impressive. And there are so many things that were happening behind the camera and so many people working in coordination with one another, but they achieved this incredible intimacy and they achieved these close-up sort of moments with these characters that make you feel like you are really immersed in this movie. We all tried to achieve (and I think we accomplished) this massive, epic scope with a static frame and had the ability to weave in very intimate character moments. You should feel the characters’ breath, their sweat and blood. To me, I have never quite seen anything done like that, and it’s almost as if they were trying to achieve a virtual cinematic reality.

How does this fight for survival that took place 200 years ago resonate today?
It’s interesting because like I said, this whole era of American history is undocumented, so in a lot of ways it was like doing a science-fiction movie that reconnects with a part of America that was not yet America, but very much like a lawless territory where you had French and English fur trappers and indigenous people fighting over these resources. And we had to piece together what this world would be like, and how these characters would interact. But at its core the movie is obviously about the relations between man and nature. A lot of the things that I think are in the underbelly of it are important and pertinent. It’s interesting that while we were doing this film I was also doing a documentary on climate change, and was travelling all over the world. And I found out the same story is happening: we destroy nature for oil and mining; we are kicking native people off their lands and sacrificing their entire cultures to extract these resources. And let me get back to your question about what I liked most and mention that I especially like the way Alejandro portrayed the Native American people without making them a caricature or a stereotype. I think he brought a great humanity to these people and the diversity of the tribes. The whole story to me is about all the different characters that are striving to live and survive and that’s very thematic today all around the world.

Aside from being a realistic film, this is also a spiritual journey with nature and God. So did you feel that connection when you were doing the film?
Being out in nature for that long is a sort of existential journey, and yeah, it was spiritual in a lot of ways, but that was our exact intention to create such a story. There were certainly moments in this movie where it was so incredibly difficult that you had to pull from some other imaginary place. The story, by and large, is very linear: a man gets screwed over and loses his son and then he goes to attack the dude that screwed his life up. But to me and Alejandro, it was these great bookmarks for what would happen when he and I started to figure out the poetry of who this character is and what he goes through and being influenced by everything that happened in nature. Nothing is fake in this story.

One thing that was absolutely amazing to me was how your character has so few opportunities to speak. There was a lot of grunting and a lot of trying to speak but still more silence. How did this inability to express yourself through words influence your performance?
That was really one of the most exciting parts about the project in general. When I read the script I actually kept urging Alejandro to take even more lines out. I wanted less dialogue because that was the exploration of this character. Actually, Hugh Glass is a man who does not mince words and he gets straight to the point of what he wants to talk about and I don’t think he necessarily wants to communicate with that many people (laughs). But still keeping silence for so long, even for a man like Hugh Glass, is a real challenge. And that was a challenge for me as I had to make the story alive just through his eyes. The chance to tell the whole story without words seemed very exciting and that was one of the main catalysts for me doing this movie. I have done so many articulate characters that babble throughout movies that this was a new experiment for me.

You are one of the most successful and one of the finest actors on screen today, so what haven’t you done yet that you would like to achieve?
What haven’t I got yet?  Look, I am an incredibly happy and lucky person and it’s difficult to imagine what I really want for myself. But there are a lot of things that I would wish for the world. Honestly there is a lot of stuff that I would love to see happen with the planet that isn’t happening if I could give a wish.  I would really love if this Paris climate conference finally had countries come together for the first time and agree on something to curb this insanity that is going on out there with our temperatures. This year we had the hottest October and July in recorded history and the hottest year in recorded history, it just seems like insanity and so much faster than scientific projections ever estimated. We are moving faster towards two degrees than I think even scientists understand.  There are extreme weather patterns all over the world and it’s actually terrifying. To me, it’s what everyone on earth should be focused on.  Really.  Because it’s the transformation of our planet for tens and thousands if not millions of years and it’s possibly irreversible.

What films did you watch to get prepared for The Revenant? Was there something that could help to set the proper mood?
A lot of different movies and Westerns, and Tarkovsky came to mind and other films of that nature but still The Revenant is really so unique. Alejandro created this epic story using all the cinematic poetry. It’s a really layered movie so each and every person will see something different. This is one man’s struggle against nature and at the same time it’s a revenge story that turns into something more existential. It’s really hard to compare this movie to anything that had ever been done. So you can’t get prepared for it – it will be your new experience in all the aspects.

What is your most favorite place on earth where you can just be yourself and relax?
I’ve done a lot of great travelling but two places come to mind now. One of the greatest trips I ever took in my life was down the Amazon River, away from all civilization. It was so beautiful and reminded me of my childhood daydreams. There I could see nature at its purest and that is something worth experiencing again and again.  And then my recent trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia which was astounding and which I recommend everyone to go one day. Cambodia is one of the most magical places I have ever seen and the people there are so lovely and all those temples you can just get lost in for days. And that was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen and one of my most favorite for now.

If Leonardo DiCaprio was not born in Hollywood and didn’t become an actor what would he do in life?
I know quite clearly I would probably be a biologist or work with animals in some capacity. Actually that was my strong interest when I was very young. But I keep talking about life is all about being prepared for a certain moment in time. I got my first opportunity when I got the role in This Boy’s Life. But if I hadn’t lived in L.A, if my mother wasn’t driving me to auditions, I would have never been there for that opportunity. It’s really important to be in the right place and in the right time. If I wasn’t there for This Boy’s Life I would be very happy as an environmentalist or a biologist dealing with science in some capacity and animals. That would have been very fulfilling as well.

What kind of host are you? The Great Gatsby kind, or less flashy?
I am not that type of host, that’s for sure… Yes, I love to have friends over. I have Christmas parties and things like that but to tell you the truth I haven’t really been home for a year-and-a-half so I don’t even remember the last time I had people over to my house. So I’m looking forward to this Christmas finally to have a good party with my friends.

How do you celebrate Christmas?
I celebrate Christmas with my family. I usually hang out with my dad’s family. They have a gigantic Christmas tree so we all sit around and open presents and have a gigantic meal. I usually celebrate with my mom on the 24th and then with my dad on the 25th.

What’s your biggest temptation in life, and what do you splurge on? Aside from saving the environment obviously…
Jackets. I have way too many jackets. If it’s my biggest temptation. I am not a big fan of cars or private plane – I don’t have those things. But I have really many jackets. It’s like women’s passion for shoes: if I see a jacket, and for some reason I have one that looks exactly like it but the collar is a little different, I’ve got to have it.

Can you remember something particular that made you happy in the past year or two?
We did this great auction last year, which was amazing. I worked on it for almost a year while I was filming. It was for Christie’s. We got all these great contemporary artists to donate work, we went to all their studios, and we got the right people in the room, to bid this stuff up. As a result we earned thirty-eight million dollars for the environment. And the other thing is travelling. I visited amazing places in the past two years and I am still impressed by many of them. So, yeah, traveling and getting into the world of art – these two things I truly enjoyed recently.

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Fashion
Pretty in pink: 10 picks to dress up your October
A worthy cause

07.10.2015
By Wei Yeen Loh

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Couture wedding gowns that will make you feel like a fairytale princess

As a tribute to Breast Cancer Awareness month, we’ve rounded up our favourite picks in lovely shades of pink for you to dress up for October’s worthy cause. Proceeds from a few of these items  will benefit charities that include the Linda McCartney Centre in UK (with purchase of Stella McCartney’s Louise Listening Bra for women who have undergone a double mastectomy, and Alina Playing Lingerie Set); 25 percent of proceeds from Tadashi Shoji’s peony-motif embroidered tulle tee will go to Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation; and Diane von Furstenberg’s Hanovar Love is Life scarf will see 100% of the proceeds going to PRIDE foundation in Malaysia. It’s the perfect chance to embrace femininity and to do some good.
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Beauty
Beauty buzz: ColourPop’s new Sailor Moon collection is already out-of-stock, Kendall Jenner is a brunette Rapunzel

25.02.2020
By Redzhanna Jazmin

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ColourPop x Sailor Moon collection sold out within minutes

 While Sailor Moon superfans can rejoice for this limited-edition collab, the full collection sold out within a few minutes upon going live on the website at 10AM PST on February 20. Fortunately for some of us who didn’t get our hands on this nostalgic set, the LA-based cosmetics brand has Tweeted that they are working on a restock, stat.
This must-score range includes the Pretty Guardian Eyeshadow Palette, Pressed Powder Blushes in Pearlescent Rosey Pink and Matte Vibrant Pink and Moon Prism Glitterally Obsessed Glitter Gells in Soft Pink and Soft Lilac (with glitter moons and stars).
Olympic favourites join SKII in declaring #nocompetition in beauty

The Japanese beauty brand has made a step towards reinventing the beauty narrative by renouncing the one competition no one asked for—the competition in beauty. With some of the most prestigious athletes joining them in their campaign including the world’s most decorated gymnast Simone Biles, world-record holder swimmer LiuXiang, and Olympic gold medalists and badminton duo Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo, SKII is challenging women worldwide to dismantle toxic beauty standards and redefine what beauty means to them.
The world’s top Olympic athletes took to social media to share about their personal experiences with unhealthy competitions in beauty on February 12, paving the way for a groundbreaking movement to reflect on the true meaning of beauty—one that only we can define for ourselves. Check out the full campaign here.
Kendall Jenner is a modern Rapunzel

 The lengths we’ll go to for a good hair day, eh? The supermodel recently sported a very long mane for a cover shoot for Garage magazine—specifically, a floor length mane—and Cher is quaking in her boots. The Rapunzel-esque ‘do is part of a editorial in collaboration with conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, the artist behind Art Basel’s duct-taped banana sculpture.
Pat McGrath releases a runway-approved concealer line

The cult beauty queen is back with another killer product, the Sublime Perfection concealer. The skin-perfecting product boasts a diverse 36 colour-true shades across five colour levels ranging from light, light-medium, medium, medium-deep and deep to accommodate any skin tone and undertone. The products also boasts ample versatility, with the ability to be used as contour and highlighter.
Salma Hayek has no time for haters

 Here is Salma, pictured here minding her own business (and looking incredible as ever) when a troll decides to tell her to lay off the Botox. Actually, they informed her that she had “Too much Botox :(. Not needed Salma!”. In true Salma fashion, the actress was unbothered, clapping back with “I don’t have Botox but thank you for the advice because I was thinking maybe it’s time.” We stan a queen.
Lizzo’s nails were the real highlight of her chocolate bar outfit

Lizzo showed her true colours on the Brit Awards red carpet the other night, proving to once and for all that she is a whole snack through and through. The Moschino candy-wrapped dress looked decadent on her, but her manicure was a show stopper on its own—shaped to look like a chocolate bar and bedazzled with a super realistic acrylic 3D chocolate bar. The best part? Her digits actually smelled like chocolate, thanks to chocolate-scented nail polish that was used for her look. Props to NYC-based nail artist Eri Ishizu for this indulgent look.
Moschino’s AW20 beauty looks at Milan Fashion Week were positively hair-raising

 Playing on the tongue-in-cheek theme for the show ‘Marie Anima-toinette’, the hair and makeup was somewhere between 18th century court glamour and 21st century leather glam. The result? Big wings and big wigs galore. The iconic looks were notably featured on supermodels Gigi Hadid and Kaia Gerber to name a few.
Ashley Graham shows off her stripes

 The caption says it all: ‘Same me. Few new stories.’ The body-positive plus-size model continues her mission to normalise the realities of a post-pregnancy body, showing off her stretch marks and her disposable underwear with a healthy dose of self-confidence to boot.

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Lifestyle
Designed for greatness: The all-new Audi Q7
A class above

23.11.2015
By Su Fen Tan

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The original Q7 was the pioneering SUV from Audi, redefining the standards of luxury SUVs with its streamlined body style, capable driving dynamics, luxurious comfort and ergonomic practicality. Building on the winning formula, Audi launches the all-new Audi Q7, also known as the Great quattro—a striking, imposing figure featuring cutting-edge design, exceptional drivetrain, lightweight construction and class-leading technology.

Introducing the new Audi Q7, Immo Buschmann, Managing Director of Audi Malaysia shares: “The original Audi Q7 was the living embodiment of Audi’s quattro philosophy, combining the capability of an off-roader with comfort and utility of a family vehicle as well as the prestige and presence of a business sedan. In much the same way that its predecessor was a pioneer by defining all the characteristics of a luxury SUV back then, the all-new Audi Q7 blazes ahead today with the very latest advances in lightweight design, drivetrain technology and class-leading innovation for a luxury SUV simply know as the Great quattro.

Equipped with the latest generation 3.0 TFSI V6 petrol engine alongside combined demand-controlled direct injection and manifold injection, the new Audi Q7 bears an 8-speed tiptronic transmission that allows the engine to produce a maximum output of 333hp and a total of 440 Nm of torque from 2,900 to 5,300 rpm. Promising the performance to match its cutting-edge design, it accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 6.3 seconds, a full 1.6 seconds faster than its predecessor, and boasts an electronically-governed top speed of 250 km/h.

In addition to the standard Auto, Dynamic, Efficiency, Comfort and Individual Audi drive select settings, the Great quattro features an Allrode mode which prepares for a mixed terrain by lifting the ride height by 25mm and Lift/Offroad mode which prepares the SUV to go far off the beaten track by raising the right height to the maximum of 60mm. It also offers a convenient loading mode, which lowers the rear axle by 45mm in order to increase accessibility to the luggage compartment.

The new Audi Q7: the Great quattro is now available at all authorized Audi dealerships. It is priced from RM 589,900. For more information, visit the website.

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Food + Drink
Mid-Autumn Festival 2021: 19 Prettiest mooncake packaging for gifting loved ones

16.08.2021
By Natalie Khoo

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It’s only August, but before you know it, September will come around and we’d all be gifting and receiving mooncakes in time for Mid-Autumn Festival 2021. For the unacquainted, the celebration falls on the 15th day of the eighth month on the lunar calendar, which happens to be September 21 this year.
With that said, why wait until then when you can start indulging in the seasonal delicacy now? Besides, it’s the early bird that catches the worm when it comes to the prettiest mooncake packaging to gift our loved ones. Discover the most unique mooncake bags, boxes, and trunks to catch our eye (so far) below.
1. The Grand Gambit with the Jade Tote by Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

Instead of the usual mooncake box, Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur has teamed up with Melinda Looi to unveil an exclusive Mid-Autumn Series featuring an avant-garde chess box set and rabbit-shaped tote bag recalling the Jade Rabbit from the Mid-Autumn folklore. Named the Grand Gambit (inspired by The Queen’s Gambit), the 2-in-1 game board and decorative ornament comes with either four pieces of Traditional Baked Skin Mooncakes or five pieces of Snow Skin Mooncakes. Meanwhile, the accompanying multi-purpose tote bag comes adorned with the hotel’s signature elements and is available in either red or blue.
Price: RM253.13 nett for 4 pieces of Traditional Baked Skin Mooncakes / RM284.93 nett for 5 pieces of Snow Skin Mooncakes (each mooncake set comes with one Grand Gambit board and one Jade Rabbit tote bag)
Availability: Pre-orders are open now for self-pickup or delivery from August 20 to October 20, 2021
For more information or to place an order, visit the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur Online Store.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
2. Jade Moon by Hilton Kuala Lumpur

Old meets new in Hilton Kuala Lumpur’s stunning Jade Moon Mid-Autumn collection, featuring an opulent ceramic tea set to pair with the premium selection of mooncakes. Customers can choose four pieces of either traditional baked mooncakes or colourful handcrafted snow skin varieties, which will come packed in a two-tiered mint green box with a brown faux-leather handle and bamboo-inspired lid. There are also optional add-ons, including Chynna’s Signature Eight Treasures Tea (perfect to serve in the tea set) as well as dining/spa vouchers. Durian fans can also opt for The Heavenly Gold Package, which consists of four Premium Musang King Durian mooncakes per box.
Price: From RM268 per box
Availability: From 26 July to 6 September
For more information or to make an order, call +603 2264 2264, visit the hotel lobby or order online from take-home.com/hilton-kl.
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3. Mooncake Trunks by The St Regis Kuala Lumpur

The St Regis brand is synonymous with its trunk cases and the mooncake season particularly underscores that. This year, the hotel has unveiled two mooncake trunks that draw inspiration from its founder, John Jacob Astor IV’s love for travel. The Classic Trunk is made of faux leather embellished with rose gold studs and is designed to fit between four to eight mooncakes. Meanwhile, the Limited-Edition Swarovski® Super Mooncake Trunk is a true collector’s gem and the first-of-its-kind in Southeast Asia—featuring 307 carefully selected Silk and Silk Shimmer Swarovski® crystals.
Price: From RM200+ (Classic Trunk) / RM438+ (Limited-edition Swarovski® Super Mooncake Trunk)
Availability: Pre-orders are now open, while stocks last
For more information or to place an order, contact +603 2727 6696 or email [email protected].
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4. Moonstruck by W Kuala Lumpur

W Kuala Lumpur has teamed up with local art collective Gung Ho to present two limited-edition ‘Moonstruck’ mooncake bags in either Iridescent Blue or Luminous Purple. Each bag comes with four mooncakes of your choice—each housed in vibrant boxes decorated with bold, sultry designs—as well as a dining voucher at Yen. In addition, there’s the Moonstruck Afternoon Tea Takeaway Box, which features two mooncakes along with a range of mid-autumn-inspired sweet and savoury treats, and Woobar’s blended tea.
Price: RM41+ per mooncake / RM198+ per bag of 4 mooncakes
Availability: From 19th July to 21st September, 2021 (delivery is available upon request and charges will be based on quantity and location)
For more information or to place an order, contact +6012 347 9088, email [email protected], or visit the hotel’s Beepit page.
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5. Bijoux Clair de Lune by Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur

For a modern French twist on the traditional Chinese cake, check out Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur’s Bijoux Clair de Lune collection. French for ‘moonlight jewels’, the collection features a range of premium Belgian Chocolate Mooncakes encased in a beautiful moonlight-inspired blue and gold-speckled box. Curated by the hotel’s Executive Pastry Chef Fodhil Baghal, each set consists of six unique mooncake flavours that look as charming as the box that houses them.
Price: From RM288+ per box
Availability: Pre-orders are open now (early bird promo applies from 1 August to 15 August 2021)
For more information or to make an order, call or WhatsApp +6012 288 2135 or email [email protected].
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6. Royal Premium Wine Bag by Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara

Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara Hotel has unveiled two elegant boxes to house its collection of nine mooncake flavours this year. Choose from either the Royal Premium Wine Bag, which comes in a luxurious red top-handle case, or the Classic Gold Treasure Box, featuring an understated gold box decorated with the hotel logo. Each box houses four pieces of mooncakes, available in snow skin and traditional baked varieties.
Price: RM146 nett for the Classic Gold Treasure Box / RM221 nett for the Royal Premium Wine Bag
Availability: From 6 August to 26 September, 2021 (early bird promo applies from 19 July to 8 August, 2021)
For more information or to make an order, call +603 2720 6688 or visit sofitel-kualalumpur-damansara.com.
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7. Sustainable bamboo boxes by The Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur

In its commitment to making a positive impact towards the environment, The Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur presents a unique mooncake box made from bamboo—an easily renewable eco-friendly material that also absorbs carbon dioxide two times more efficiently than trees. Each box is remarkably handcrafted and carved with the hotel’s signature fan emblem and houses six mooncakes.
Price: From RM35 per mooncake (every purchase of six mooncakes will come presented in the bamboo box)
Availability: From 1 July to 21 September, 2021
For more information or to make an order, please email [email protected]. Online purchases can also be made from The Mandarin Oriental Shop.
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8. Celestial Moon by The Westin Kuala Lumpur

The Yue Mooncake Box (aka Celestial Moon) by The Westin Kuala Lumpur is inspired by the concept of the moon rabbit traveling through its celestial-like palace. Shaped like the moon, the premium box features a black and gold colourway made with quilted leather and layered art elements. It also doubles as a vanity box to store your keepsakes or a light travel case to carry around after the mooncake season is over!
Price: RM188 per box of four mooncakes
Availability: Pre-orders are now open
For more information or to make an order, contact Westin Dining at +603 2773 8495, WhatsApp +6012 305 1715 or email [email protected]. Online orders are also available via GrabFood and TableApp.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
9. Turquoise Premium Gift Set by Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur

Jewellery collectors will appreciate Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur’s turquoise-hued case that can easily be repurposed to store dainty trinkets with its elegant compartments and functional drawers. The premium box encases up to four mooncakes and also comes with a handle for easy carrying. It is available for purchase as a set with four classic baked mooncakes, or as an add-on when you purchase any four snow skin mooncakes from the hotel.
Price: From RM34 per mooncake / RM208 for premium box with four mooncakes
Availability: From 1 August to 21 September (pre-orders are now open)
For more information or to make a pre-order, contact the hotel via DM or WhatsApp +6012 215 8782, or email [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Instagram
10. Imperial Garden Treasures by Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s well-loved Jade Pavilion restaurant is offering an opulent Imperial Garden Treasures box, arriving with six signature mooncake flavours. The name is reflective of its inspiration, evoking the lush garden retreats that imperial families would have. Wrapped in an elegant gold shade, the box can also be used to store keepsakes after the mooncakes see their way out and into your belly.
Price: From RM208+ per box
Availability: Pre-orders are now open (early bird promo applies from 1 August to 15 August 2021)
For more information or to make an order, WhatsApp +6017 206 8805, call +603 2117 2888 or email [email protected].
Website | Facebook | Instagram
11. Celestial Treasures by EQ

Longevity Box

Autumn Box

EQ presents two mooncake boxes for this Mid-Autumn Festival, each inspired by a unique element of the season. The Longevity Box draws inspiration from the Legend of the Jade Rabbit, arriving with vibrant blue motifs of the fabled animal to symbolise optimism, serenity, and health. On the other hand, the Autumn Box represents the warmth of a family reunion with its autumnal coral shade. Customers can choose their preferred box with the purchase of either a traditional baked mooncake set (four pieces) or snow skin mooncake set (six pieces).
Price: From RM188 per box
Availability: From 15 July to 30 September 2021 (early bird offers apply)
For more information or to order, WhatsApp +6012 278 9239, email [email protected] or visit this website. EQ’s Celestial Treasures collection is also available for delivery by

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Culture
Here’s everything you didn’t know about South-Korean heartthrob Lee Min Ho

04.06.2020
By Marissa Chin

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He miraculously escaped death twice

Lee Min Ho actually had two very serious near-death encounters. In 2006, he was involved in a tragic car accident when he was just starting out as an actor. He and his longtime best friend, Jung Il Woo (also a famous South Korean actor), were on a trip with two other friends when a vehicle went off-track and collided into their car head-on. They were both 19 years old at the time. Unfortunately, the two actors were the only ones who made it out of the accident alive but with major injuries that still prevail to this day—Lee was under a coma for one month, broke his thigh and ankle, and tore his knee cartilage, which required a 46-centimetre metal plate to be inserted in his left thigh for three years for him to even walk. He was hospitalised for a whole year. He has since removed the plate but still does action stunts with his good leg.
In 2011, the actor was in another car accident on the set of his series City Hunter. The vehicle drove into a stationery store and on-lookers expressed that Min Ho was extremely lucky to come out of the accident without any major injuries, considering how the front part of the vehicle was completely crushed. He resumed filming shortly after.
He had a stage name in his early years as an actor

via GIPHY

When he first debuted, his agency Starhaus Entertainment thought that his name was too ordinary to stand out so what did they decide on? Giving him the wonderful stage name of Lee Min which he called himself for two years. Unfortunately, they forgot to take into account that it also meant ‘immigration’ in Korean which resulted in some pretty funny and ineffective internet searches for him. He ditched the name and in 2016, moved to MYM Entertainment (which is also co-founded by his sister)—a start move.
He is known to be an extremely good gamer in the celebrity circle

via GIPHY

Not much is known about Lee Min Ho’s personal life but one thing is for sure—he is so good at video games that he could very well be a professional e-gamer if he decides to quit acting one day (gosh, we hope not!). Super Junior member, Heechul has gushed about Min Ho’s skills numerous times on talk shows. Heechul is also known to be one of the best e-gamers amongst Korean celebrities alongside APINK’s Hayoung and VIXX’s Hongbin; so when he cites Lee as his arch-rival, you know he’s good. Min Ho’s speciality is the famous strategic war game, League of Legends (LOL).
He’s an extremely private man who rarely appears on entertainment shows and social media
Going off the previous fact, it is clear that Lee Min Ho is still an enigma despite being in the acting industry for 15 years now. Much of this is due to the fact that he has never appeared on entertainment or variety shows, which are typical stepping stones for any celebrity in Korea to build a public presence. He only seems to be comfortable appearing on news-type of talk shows and it’s not because he wishes to enshroud himself in a mysterious black cloud—he simply thinks he’s not funny enough. Though he has been increasingly open to appearing on more shows now and even posts multiple times a day on his Instagram since his return from military service.
He set up his own charity to give back to society

Apart from his dashing good looks and likeable disposition, Lee Min Ho is also a humble individual. He is big on charity and went as far as to form his own donation platform, Promiz, which is a combination of ‘promise’ and his official fan club, Minoz. Created in 2014, Promiz has worked with Unicef, WWF and other organizations to provide resources for underprivileged children and families in the country.
He is a proud doggo father to his Mini Pinscher, Choco

Even a top celebrity in the country can still fall into the paws of a little furry animal. Lee Min Ho is known amongst fans to express his love for his adopted dog frequently on social media. Choco has even accompanied him in photoshoots. Thanks to donations from his fans, Lee Min Ho even revealed that Choco has more clothes than him. Now that’s a spoiled dog!
He was the first Korean celebrity to appear on China’s Lunar New Year Gala in 2014

China’s Lunar New Year Gala celebration is the most-watched show during the Lunar New Year in the country, garnering an average of half a billion viewers every year. A testament to Lee Min Ho’s immense popularity in China, the actor made history as the first Korean celebrity to grace the stage. A whopping 700 million viewers tuned in to watch Lee perform the OST from Boys over Flowers with Taiwanese singer Harlem Yu.
He’s actually an amazing singer

via GIPHY

We guess you can figure out by now that along with his acting skills, he is also blessed with smooth vocals. During his fan meetings, he often performs songs, much to his fans’ delight. His love for singing also culminated in three albums such as My Everything in 2013 and several singles such as Thank You and Painful Love.
He gets plenty of love calls from Hollywood

via GIPHY

Of course, the ever-so-talented actor would get a ton of requests from Hollywood. As much as we would love to see Lee Min Ho debut in Hollywood, the actor explained that he is grateful but will only take that step once he feels he is ready.
His iconic line in Legend of the Blue Sea became an internet meme

Probably the funniest fact that you probably weren’t aware of—if you don’t spend much time on social media—was his hilarious line in his Korean drama series Legend of the Blue Sea with Jun Ji Hyun. His character, Heo Joon Jae, is a spoiled rich businessman’s son and during a tour around the company, he smells something horrible and says the phrase “disgusting sh*t” in complete sassy loathing. We guarantee you won’t be able to stop laughing.

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Fashion
A first look at Bottega Veneta’s cinematic ‘Reflections’ — with new chapters
Digital-driven and disruptive

01.02.2018
By Su Fen Tan

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This season, the new chapter of Bottega Veneta’s ongoing Art of Collaboration unfolds in an exciting new form with ‘Reflections’, a series of six cinematic short films that highlights the SS18 collection with elements of Mystery, Sophistication, Architecture, Sensuality and Surrealism—the brand’s pillars.

With the modern technology-savvy consumer in mind, the campaign is optimised for digital consumption, ready to engage and inspire at his or her fingertips. “We have always told stories about our products and our brand,” says Creative Director Tomas Maier. “The evolution of the Art of Collaboration enables us to reach and have a dialogue on his or her terms.”
The first chapter of ‘Reflections’, Miraggio

Even the corresponding print campaign resembles a storyboard, with still photographs extracted from the films.

In this new cinematic form, the Art of Collaboration doesn’t just involve one single creative voice, but a team of collaborators. Bringing Reflections to life is director Fabien Baron, set designer Stefan Beckman, Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd, and producer-composer Johnny Jewel. Together with Maier, they worked as a dream team to translate the brand story and DNA into the series of short yet stirring chapters.
The second chapter of ‘Reflections’, 196.6 MHz

[UPDATED] The third and fourth chapters, titled Utopia and Rebirth respectively, have been unveiled. Take a look at them here:

Here, director Fabien Baron sheds light on the process and inspiration of Bottega Veneta’s new and unique campaign:
How did you come to the decision to make moving images the core of Bottega Veneta’s new campaign?
“First, we felt that it was important for a brand like Bottega Veneta to be more narrative. Second, the moving image has grown more significant lately, and with the new generation not caring much about still images, film was the best way to communicate the brand message. So everything came from the film instead of the traditional campaign, with a print element, a film element and digital element. We took the stills for the print campaign from the film. There was no photographer”

That’s quite an unconventional move: a fashion ad campaign without a photographer.
“This is the first time I’ve worked on big campaign without a photographer. But we had a director of photography instead since it was film. And the rest of the team: hair and makeup, a stylist. But no photographer. We didn’t have that brand asset that most companies want-to be able to say my campaign was shot by such-and-such. I ended up being the director on set, but only because I compare the work I do with the director of photography very similar to the work I usually do with a photographer anyway- ultimately protecting the brand message and Tomas’s work.”

You directed the films and you also carefully selected the team of collaborators. Can you talk about that process?
“I chose Philippe Le Sourd as the director of photography. He worked on Wong Kar-Wai’s “The Grandmaster” and Sofia Coppola’s film “The Beguiled.” His lighting is very cinematic, which suited Reflections but he also understands style and fashion. I have worked with him many times before and it felt like a natural fit. He understands color and the flow of fabrics well. All of these things make a difference. The set designer Stefan Beckman has an amazing taste level, and he got into what we were trying to say for the brand. The models were also considered collaborators. Tomas and I both loved Vittoria Ceretti. We liked that she’s Italian but also when you look at her, she embodies luxury”

Where does the print campaign fit into the new media landscape?
“Even with the world moving toward digital, you do still need a print campaign. But I think of it more to entice people. It’s almost the advertisement for the films. The layout is also unique. It’s not something you’ve seen before. The repetition of images gives you that cinematic vibe. It has a different rhythm and look. I think it’s going to get noticed, because it’s unique. And people will know immediately that it’s Bottega Veneta.”

You’ve spoken before about the need for luxury brands to keep their digital content elevated. Was that a consideration in the format of this campaign, which provides exciting new content throughout the season?
“Oh definitely. Digital is supposed to be quicker and faster but you still need to represent the brand and what it stands for: high-quality luxury. You have your story at a certain level, and you have your visuals at a certain level. That’s the way it was with print. Then digital came in and everything was permitted. Now we can show the backdoor of everything. That’s okay but you still need the dream factor. I think the films of Reflections are at the level of a feature movie-in product, talent and special effects-but there are layers. You can consume it in different ways.”

This campaign is a continuation of the Art of Collaboration. How has the meaning of collaboration evolved?
“I think the Art of Collaboration concept is alive but in a different way. As an agency, we made sure to establish a vocabulary that represents what the brand stands for and that the talent that come and join the collaboration support it and don’t reinvent the vocabulary. At the end, we are talking about Bottega Veneta. That’s why we also kept everyone’s names only as initials.”

What drove the inspiration of the films?
“It really evolved over time. We were thinking about how to translate the brand values of Mystery and Surrealism in storytelling through the lens of Tomas’s vision. There’s a tension in what Tomas does, that’s probably why there’s tension in the films. We want people to feel something when they see the films. It’s not a sensation that you usually have when you look at something fashion.”

How did you come to the name Reflections?
“I think of reflecting in terms of pausing. Thinking about things differently. And if you look at the films, you feel there’s different sides to things. Different reflections. Different aspects. It’s about being able to take one step back to look at what you have. And to move forward from there.”

What does the future look like for digital-minded campaigns based on moving images?
“We’re pushing the bar. A few other brands are pushing the bar. But it’s just the beginning. In four or five years, people are going to do amazing things digitally. I’m sure we’re going to see people doing really creative stuff in the near future. This moving image moment reminds me of when MTV started. When you had the first videos it was like, “Oh this is cool. Oh my god there’s five girls on camera. Oh my god, they’re dancing.” And then on and on. Then music videos became incredibly produced and visual commentaries of the time. I think this will happen with fashion and film; brands and I think everyone involved will take it up a notch every season.”

The following chapters of ‘Reflections’ will unfold in the months to come. Stay tuned.

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Technology
Dyson unveils their latest products: One really sucks, one really blows, and one really lights up

08.05.2019
By Rachel Au

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It goes without saying that the general public is in awe of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and more recently, the Airwrap Styler (got questions—find answers here) that was quickly sold out in Malaysia. But why stop there? Dyson is also known for their purifying fans and vacuum—both of which also works pretty well. But why stop there? With the constant goal of improving the lives of people and solving their every day problems in a meaningful way, this is Dyson’s next phase of machines, new and improved and here’s why they’re your home’s most wanted.
Dyson Pure Cool Me personal purifying fan

dyson pure cool me fan malaysia 2019-1
Dyson has amassed a fanbase with its fans since 2009 when the company first introduced its electric bladeless fans. Eventually, its purpose became more than a product that blows its users away—it also purifies the surrounding air. We’ve explained how the range, named Dyson Pure Cool, works and what it really does previously when it was released last year. Available in both a large tower format and a smaller desk format, Dyson Pure Cool now has an even younger sister—the Dyson Pure Cool Me (and you’ll never find another like ME!).

dyson pure cool me fan malaysia 2019-1
Like its name suggests, it’s meant for one person only at a more specific area of use rather than using it for the entire room. Example: You at your work station, or you in bed and it on your bedside. Like its older siblings, it’s fitted with a HEPA filter that’s capable of capturing 99.95 per cent of particles as small and fine as allergens, pollen, mould spores and bacteria. Burning scented candles also release a type of household fume/pollution which can be trapped and absorbed by the Dyson Pure Cool Me. It’s powerful in projecting ultra cool (and clean) air yet controls its sound to be as quiet—or as least disruptive—as possible.

dyson pure cool me fan malaysia 2019-1
Other fun features include intelligent light sensing so it can automatically dim or brighter the built-in LCD screen in real time; and a sleep timer. Unlike its older siblings, it does not come with an app where you can control it with your smartphone. Dyson explains this is because it’s meant to be a personal product that can be used within arm’s reach. The representative continued that if the function is not necessary, it wouldn’t be built in as it would require an additional engineering team to overlook it and also would incur extra cost to the consumer to implement extra features. But don’t worry, there is a remote control.
Fun fact: A total of 2,022 prototypes of this machine  and sub-assemblies were developed by 120 engineers during development.

The Dyson Pure Cool Me personal purifying fan is available from May 2019 at RM1,699 from shop.dyson.my, the Dyson Demo at The Gardens Mall and Gurney Plaza, and major departmental and electrical stores.
Dyson V11 Absolute cord-free vacuum

Dyson V11 Absolute cord-free vacuum malaysia 1
The cord-free vacuum from Dyson is indeed a dream for every person who does house chores.  Compared to its predecessor, Dyson Cyclone V10, it’s been upgraded with a new Dyson digital motor named V11 and thus, has 20 per cent more suction power. Beyond that, this very power is also intelligent as it can automatically adjust its suction depending on the floor type, for maximum efficiency. How it works is that the new Dynamic Load Sensor (DLS) system will detect if there’s a resistance when vacuuming—say you go from hardwood flooring to carpet—and automatically communicate with the motor and battery’s microprocessors to change the suction power. Efficient how? Well, runtime can thus be extended when used on hard floors.

Dyson V11 Absolute cord-free vacuum malaysia 1
Speaking of battery, the Dyson V11 Absolute is fitted with Dyson’s most powerful battery pack so yes, it delivers more suction power but it also means up to 60 glorious minutes of fade-free floor cleaning. The other great feature is the LCD screen that shows everything the user needs to know and thus, control. From selected power mode to remaining run time to clear notifications if there’s any blockage, if it’s time to clear the filters or if something wasn’t connected properly. No mixed signals, just clear indications.

Dyson V11 Absolute cord-free vacuum malaysia
Now, the vacuum isn’t just great for sucking up dirt or plain dust. The Dyson V11 can also filter and capture 99.97 per cent of microscopic particles (think pollen and bacteria) to dispense truly cleaner air. It really does “deep cleans”.
The Dyson V11 Absolute cord-free vacuum is available from May 2019 at RM3,399 from shop.dyson.my, the Dyson Demo at The Gardens Mall and Gurney Plaza, and major departmental and electrical stores.
Dyson Lightcycle task light

Dyson Lightcycle task light malaysia 1
Dyson doesn’t hope to just blow you away or suck up to you with its products—it also hopes to light up your life. (Sorry, we just can’t help it with all these puns.) Now, we briefly saw how the Dyson Lightcycle worked and honestly, it’s satisfying just to operate it. The design is very minimal but the technology built into it is far from it. But before we enlighten you further, let us just put it out there that the Dyson Lightcycle is also made to aid in our wellbeing—to reduce eye strain.

Dyson Lightcycle task light malaysia
Think of it like an iPhone’s Night Shift. There has been research that claims being exposed to blue light (emitted from most artificial lighting these days which include smartphones) can affect sleep and more. Some phones have a mode where it can automatically adjusts its brightness to something warmer. The Dyson Lightcycle is kind of like that, except it’s more intelligent and intuitive. It follows your body clock / local daylight and continually adjusts the colour temperature and brightness accordingly. As Dyson states, “Light with colour and intensity at odds with natural daylight can affect the body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that signals night-time information. This can change the way we feel and function.”
So how does it track? One, it uses a unique time, date and location-driven algorithm, created thanks to software validation that uses over a million satellite-based measurements of light conditions. A 32-bit microprocessor in the product continues to do this. But different people, different locations and different age groups equal different calculations. Yes, a 65-year-old needs up to four times more light than a 20-year-old. Hence, the Dyson Link app is where you can personalise it to an individual.

Dyson Lightcycle task light malaysia 1
Another amazing feature of the Dyson Lightcycle is that it technically doesn’t require you to change bulbs or the like. Instead, it’s designed to maintain its brightness and light quality for 60 years. In many ways, it’s one grand sustainable move as light bulbs or fixtures typically have a short lifespan and results in contributing to waste.
Fun fact: It also has seven pre-set modes: Study, Relax, Precision, Boost, Wake-up, Sleep and Away. The product is also reversible and comes with an on-board USB-C port for charging devices.
The Dyson Lightcycle task light will be available in Malaysia in 2019. Price is currently TBC but we’ll let you know as soon as we do.

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Beauty
M.A.C Cosmetics Opens its First Ever Makeup Studio in NYC
Armed with expertise

23.07.2015
By Wei Yeen Loh

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If you’re ever around Upper East Side in the Big Apple, be sure to schedule a salon appointment at M.A.C Cosmetics’ first ever Makeup Studio.
At 950-square-feet wide and staffed with 14 M.A.C artists, the studio’s main emphasis is their range of personalised services, from 90-minute full-face makeup lessons to 15-minute tutorials on winged liner, sculpted face and bold lips—all customizable according to preference. Instead of pushing for merchandise sales like other makeup studios, M.A.C Makeup Studio will focus primarily on their artistry and services. Whether you’re a burgeoning makeup enthusiast who’s still learning the ropes of makeup application or a bride-to-be planning for your ideal wedding look, M.A.C Makeup Studio offerings are well-tailored to suit your needs.
“This store concept offers customers to celebrate their individuality with the guide of our trusted makeup artists,” said Gordon Espinet, M.A.C Cosmetics Senior Vice President of Makeup Artistry. “We devised the menu based on some of the most requested looks and features at our stores and counters.”
Located at 825 Lexington Ave at 63rd St in New York City, M.A.C Makeup Studio accepts walk-ins and appointments by phone (+1 212 371 2480) and online.

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