The Last Movie Star

P I O L O P A S C U A L
 AROUND ASIA
Every month, we curate an online selection of stories from the previous
month’s print editions of Tatler Asia for you to enjoy

TATLER PHILIPPINES TATLER TAIWAN

Alice Eduardo, the Chef Kai Ho, whose Taipei
president and CEO of Sta establishment Taïrroir
Elena Construction and became one of the two
Development Corporation restaurants awarded three SHANGLIU TATLER
(SECDC), has led her stars in the Michelin Guo Pei, the first mainland
company to become a Guide Taiwan 2023, is Chinese haute couturier
significant player in the one of Tatler’s Asia’s Most to be recognised by the
country’s infrastructural Influential honourees. He Chambre Syndicale de
development sector. She shared his journey with us. la Couture, is famed for
revealed to Tatler (some of ) creating Rihanna’s 2015
the secrets to her success. Met Gala gown and seen as
one of the country’s most
successful designers. She
told us why it’s important
not to be limited by trends.

TATLER HONG KONG

Catherine Ku is bringing
Schiaparelli’s audacious,
whimsical approach to

PHOTOGRAPHY ZED LEETS (HK); DANIEL ADAMS (MY); PATRICK DIOKNO (PH); DARREN GABRIEL LEOW (SG); RENAN CHUNG (TW)
fashion across Asia. She
shared why she’s a big fan TATLER THAILAND
of people who make daring Actor and model Poyd
sartorial choices. Treechada Hongyok is a
role model for women and
transgender individuals
alike. She told Tatler how
important she considers
her responsibility to be
authentic, and encourage
her fans to do the same. TATLER SINGAPORE
Ahmad Abu Bakar, the
artist behind Tatler
Singapore’s artwork
donation to the National
Gallery Singapore,
TATLER MALAYSIA discussed the inspirations
Tatler caught up with behind his body of work,
Rizman Nordin and and his role as an artist
Ruzaini Jamil, the brains and educator.
behind Malaysian label
Rizman Ruzaini, who
created a show-stopping To read these
look for Naomi Campbell at stories, please scan
6 Dubai Fashion Week. the QR code
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 TATLERASIA.COM

LOOKING FORWARD
Renowned personalities and more have much to look
forward to in 2024 and beyond. Tatler speaks with them
to learn more about their experiences in the past year and
their recent pivotal milestones.

IMAGES INSTAGRAM (PIA WURTZBACH); ‘THE OVERLOOK: CHERUB WITH INDIAN BLACKBUCK’ (FATIMA

SPELLBOUND IN THE ELEMENT

Our latest Artist in Focus series The Ayala Triangle
RONQUILLO); THE ART HOUSE AND SEARCH MINDSCAPE FOUNDATION

features Filipina painter based Gardens shone last month

in Mexico, Fatima Ronquillo, with the annual Festival of
who champions classical Lights, which was elevated
western techniques in her by the visionary artist
sought-after artworks. Leeroy New’s immersive
art installations.

Follow us on social media

@tatlerphilippines
 58

80 118

On the Cover
DEPARTMENTS
designer Kenneth celebration stamped
06 Around Asia Cobonpue, visionary with their signature
08 Online architect Edward sense of style
17 Editor’s Note Mazria, and renowned
18 Contributors artist Kay WalkingStick 38 Dance for Good The Last Movie Star

190 Last Word The annual gala of the P I O L O P A S C U A L

34 Savouring American Ballet Theater

THE SCENE Memories presented an appropriate
Beng Dee throws a theme—a ballet dancer’s
IMAGES FENDI; TAG HEUER; COURTESY OF GARIBAY FAMILY

24 An Extraordinary Night memorable birthday journey—conceptualised

The star-studded Tatler
Ball at The Londoner
Macao was headlined
by football legend
David Beckham
30 Gold Standard
In its Legends Gala, Pratt
Institute honoured three
10 global creatives: furniture
bash for her husband,
Rikki, a year before he
turns 60
36 The ‘Art’ in ‘Party’
Close friends and
kindred spirits in design
Kaye Tinga and Yiouri
Augousti held an über
elegant joint birthday
by its artistic director
Susan Jaffe
Photography BJ Pascual
Words Maritess Garcia Reyes
40 Venetian Ambition Styling Ton Lao
Set Design Princess Barretto
The ace photographer Grooming Donnabelle Magbojos
Mark Nicdao dreams Logistics Dowee Untivero;
Johannah Reglos
big, and this time, his Styling Assistant Erwin Tangunan
imagination took him to Photographer’s Assistants Richard
Venice for a well-received Detita, Ruel Estrelles, Miguel
Estacio, Sam David Orate
exhibit of his works Location Gama Studios
 January
80
The Wish List
Start the new year
right by donning the
most perfect outfit;
get your ideas from
Tatler’s pre-selected
fashion finds
42 Reaching New Summits
After five years, the
first-ever Gen.T Summit
brought together
influential figures from
around the world
48 Hearing Her Voice
Karen Davila, one of Asia’s
Most Influential, uses her
familiar voice to encourage
everyone to think hard
about issues and speak up
for the truth
50 Gen.T
Vegan content creator
Jeeca Uy’s mission is to
inspire and guide as many
134
94
into her world of healthy
vegan lifestyle
52 Calendar
Productions to look
forward to this 2024
56 Camille’s Wish
She made a wish before
she passed away and now,
the friends of Camille
Santos Samson are
making sure that wish
is realised
58 Artistic Legacies
A family of visual artists, the
Garibays go beyond each of
their own world to show the
impact of their discipline
via Linangan art residency
STYLE
94 Fashion Picks
The latest in fashion
100 Botanical Odyssey
Nicolas Ghesquière
shares his inspiration
behind LV’s 2024 Cruise
Collection that takes
you on a voyage from
aquatic realms to
botanical wonders
102 On Neutral Ground
After the season’s glitter,
178
wind down with soothing,
dependable neutrals
IMAGES BJ PASCUAL; OLIVIER YOAN; DIOR; COCO MARETT; COURTESY OF PJ PASCUAL;
114 Fresh Notes
The latest scent from
Maison Margiela captures
a father and son’s memory
of a sun-drenched garden
COURTESY OF DELIKADO LLC; BALMAIN; JEWELMER
118 Watch Trends
Start the time to the first
of the year with these
handsome timepieces that
are not only impeccably
precise but visually
pleasing as well
122 Jewellery Trends
Rock not just the New

Year’s Eve party but all
the events of the year with
these jaw-dropping gems
from top brands
131 Jewelled Marvels
Today’s surge of
wanderlust inspired
Cartier’s Le Voyage
Recommencé, a collection
that explores exciting
places with each article
of high jewellery
FEATURES
134 A Magical Night
Another successful
year for the much-
166
64
Breaking Glass
Resilient, relevant
and resolute, Piolo Pascual
has always stayed his
course, forging a path that
goes nowhere but
straight and up
80
awaited Tatler Ball more popular, more their abundance; but
Philippines, where affordable, more available couples are not holding
elegance meets purpose in the country back from transforming
their special day into a
154 Igniting Action 166 A Risk lifelong memory
Time to celebrate 65 years Worth Taking
of the Ramon Magsaysay True to the translation 178 Snow Place
Award Foundation for of its title, Delikado Like Home
recognising esteemed was a dangerous Nature’s awesome blanket
personages who help the movie to make and an of white draws tourists in
peoples of Asia Emmy nomination droves to this premier ski
was satisfying enough, resort town
160 Having a Baby according to producer
It used to be a hush-hush Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala 184 The Art
topic, an expensive of Revival
procedure, a limited 172 Are Lavish Tatler travels to historic
opportunity; today, Weddings Back? hotels in Europe
however, in vitro Today’s weddings never which have undergone
fertilisation has become cease to amaze with amazing renovations 13
 EDITORIAL

info@tatlerphilippines.com

Editor-in-Chief ANTON SAN DIEGO

Deputy Editorial Director ISABEL MARTEL FRANCISCO

Managing Editor CHIT L LIJAUCO

Senior Features Editor MARITESS GARCIA REYES

Art and Culture Editor FRANZ SORILLA IV DIGITAL

info@tatlerphilippines.com
Gen.T and Lists Editor RYANNE STEPHANIE CHENG CO
Regional Managing Editor, Digital JOANNA GOH
Senior Features Writer JOVE MOYA
Regional Social Media Director PACHARAPUN TINNABAL
Features Writers GABRIEL BOHOL, DWYANE YRA DINGLASAN, Digital Director DORYNNA UNTIVERO
Tatler Dining Officer LAUREN DOMINIQUE GOLANGCO
MAC FABELLA, ANGELA NICOLE GUIRAL, STEPHANIE ZUBIRI

Contributing Writers JULIANNA CABILI, PJ PASCUAL, TARA SOBTI, ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY

TATLER ASIA Regional Creative Director MIGUEL MARI

Regional Art Director for Photography ZOE YAU
Regional Managing Editor, Print, and Staff Editor KARLY COX
Art Director MARIENNE HILAHAN
Regional Fashion Director CHERRY MUI Senior Graphic Designer ELEAVER FERNANDEZ

Regional Content Director, Front & Female RACHEL DUFFELL
Regional Head of Digital Content and Growth ALEX
Lifestyle Editor COCO MARETT
Arts and Culture Editor AAINA BHARGAVA
Junior Graphic Designer JAIRA CERYCE LALICON
Contributing Photographers DERRY AINSWORTH, BILLY CHAN,
FENBY
PAUL CHING,MEDAL ELEPANO, JEFFREY HUI, ZED LEETS,
RAMON MANGILA, HUMPHREY NG, ROMAN OLINCHUK, BJ
PASCUAL, KEVIN PRUDON, DANIEL TAN

Sub-Editor RICHARD LORD REGIONAL EDITORS

Regional Senior Editor, Gen. T
Contributing Wine Editor
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CHONG SEOW WEI Editor-in-Chief, Tatler Hong Kong AHY CHOI
Editor-in-Chief, Tatler Malaysia LYNETTE OW
SARAH HELLER MW
Editor-in-Chief, Tatler Singapore AUH KOH
JEREMY JAUNCEY Editor-at-Large, Tatler Taiwan FLORENCE LU
Editor-at-Large, Tatler Thailand NONGNATH KAMALASANA NA AYUDHYA

Regional Managing Editor, Homes JENNIFER CHOO

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SHAPING ASIA THROUGH POSITIVE IMPACT
WWW.TATLERASIA.COM
 LET TER FROM THE EDITOR Piolo Pascual is ready to
take on the challenges of
another year

We all need to focus on that more and dim out the noise,
negativity, hatred, etc. That doesn’t mean one is oblivious or
doesn’t care about what’s happening around us, but it’s far
more important for our mental state and soul not to be afraid
and trust that God has everything in control.
At the centre of this first issue of 2024 is a man whose
career spans almost three decades and who celebrates his
birthday this month. An icon of showbiz for his good looks,
acting prowess and gentlemanliness, Piolo Pascual is this
generation’s true male superstar, one whose career and
stardom no one of his generation has attained. Most of his
contemporaries have flown the coop or retired, but his star
keeps shining ever so brightly.
In this spellbinding photo shoot, the creative photography
genius BJ Pascual (no relation) was inspired by Francis
Bacon’s paintings. BJ collaborated with set designer Princess
Barretto to develop a spectacular design. The result was
beyond stunning. It was so good that we had to give the feature
more pages than usual.
We hope that Piolo keeps inspiring and reaching the goals
he set. May he remain a beacon of light for the entertainment
industry and other sectors of society.
In this issue, we also have 20 pages on the recently
concluded Tatler Ball, where we raised more than 17 million
pesos for Project Inclusion Network. We awarded three
individuals who have made a tremendous earmark in society:
Maria Ressa, Kenneth Cobonpue and Dolly de Leon. We also

Fearless
highlight the Asia Tatler Ball, graced by David Beckham and
LOGISTICS DOWEE UNTIVERO; JOHANNAH REGLOS STYLING ASSISTANT ERWIN TANGUNAN PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANTS
PHOTOHRAPHY BJ PASCUAL STYLING TON LAO SET DESIGN PRINCESS BARRETTO GROOMING DONNABELLE MAGBOJOS

significant influencers in the region, including our very own

Small Laude, accompanied by her hubby, Philip.

in 2024
We have compelling articles you can’t miss, from the
Ramon Magsaysay Awards, the country’s rise as a hub for in
RICHARD DETITA, RUEL ESTRELLES, MIGUEL ESTACIO, SAM DAVID ORATE LOCATION GAMA STUDIOS

vitro fertilisation, and the return of grand weddings to Kara

Alikpala’s Emmy-nominated film on illegal logging.
So, we are off to a great start! We want to maintain the same
excellence Tatler is known for and raise this bar this year.
Instead of making New Year’s resolutions, I prefer to We earnestly hope and pray that 2024 will be a year when
think of a good phrase or word that could guide me the country will truly shine in all socio-economic sectors, not
through the year. Choosing doesn’t come easy since just for some but for all.
there’s so much to choose from, but the words “gratitude, Happy New Year! Be fearless and always keep the faith.
persistence, letting go” kept bouncing back. Finally, I
settled on this word: fearless.
In light of what the world is going through, with its
economic uncertainties coupled with the social, cultural
and political upheavals, trepidation and fear are natural
feelings. Sometimes, staying home and curling up in bed is
much better. But life isn’t meant to be lived that way. So, I
have etched in my heart that 2024 will be a year of not being
afraid of what the future will hold. There is undoubtedly a
Godly force that has guided us and will continually do so.
In my case, I know that He has taken me this far and will
continue until the end. —Anton San Diego, editor-in-chief 17

BJ PASCUAL
With countless fashion
editorials and commercial
content, the prolific
photographer BJ Pascual
remains on top of the game.
He photographs this month’s
cover star, the multi-awarded
actor and singer Piolo
Pascual, amidst a spectacular
set inspired by Francis
Bacon’s iconic artworks
created in collaboration
with set designer Princess
Barretto (p.62).
18
THE GUEST LIST
JULIA QUANTE
Based between her
hometown of Berlin and
Paris, former fashion
journalist Julia Quante
stumbled into styling by
accident 13 years ago, after
a test shoot she worked on
was chosen for publication
in Vogue Italia. Since then,
she has styled for high
fashion, jewellery, luxury
cars and cosmetics brands,
with her work appearing
in both major titles and
independent magazines.
She styled this month’s
photo shoot for Tatler.
(p.100)
ZED LEETS
Zed Leets is a Hong Kong-
based photographer and art
director whose works have
appeared in publications
including Japanese art
magazine Bijutsutecho and
Austrian arts magazine
Spike. In Tatler’s Small Talk
this month, Leets captures
Japanese designer Chitose
Abe, the creative force
behind Sacai. (p.94)
OLIVIER YOAN
French photographer
Olivier Yoan has worked
with brands such as Calvin
Klein, Jimmy Choo and
Roger Vivier. He is also
the creative director of
online platform The Ené, a
directory of eco-conscious
businesses and retailers
around Europe. For this
issue, Yoan photographed
the fashion shoot in
London. (p.100)
 ART SG SEE AR T.
LOVE AR T.
M A R I N A B AY S A N D S
SINGAPORE BU Y AR T.

SO U TH E A S T A SIA’S L E A D IN G
IN TER N ATI O N A L A R T FA I R

B U Y TI CK E TS N OW
A R TSG.CO M
Celebrating 22 years

For the benefit of

Piolo Pascual wears
Gucci vintage top
Inset: Art and dance
unite at Kaye Tinga
and Yiouri Augousti’s
birthday party

Piolo Pascual shares

his guiding star,
the Garibay family
continues their
artistic legacy, and
designer Kenneth
Cobonpue receives
Pratt Institute’s
Legend Award
PHOTOGRAPHY BJ PASCUAL (SPREAD) IMAGE COURTESY KAYE TINGA (INSET)
 An
THE SCENE | EVENTS
Bringing together the region’s most impactful
individuals, as well as international stars,
The Tatler Ball at The Londoner Macao was an
unforgettable evening of celebration and accolades
By Tara Sobti Photography by Zed Leets, Humphrey Ng, Billy Chan, Paul Ching, Roman Olinchuk,
Jeffrey Hui and Derry Ainsworth
S
tars aligned on November 24 for The Tatler Ball at
the Londoner Macao, the most ambitious event in
Tatler history, and the first region-wide rendition of
the social event of the season. Bringing together Asia’s
Most Influential individuals, as well as international stars, the
black-tie soirée was an unforgettable evening of celebration
and accolades.
The guests included some of the region’s biggest
luminaries and influencers, as well as David Beckham, the
international football legend, Inter Miami president and
co-owner, and longstanding global ambassador of Sands
China, which operates The Londoner Macao. Beckham also
presented awards on the night to three impact-makers who
are leaving their marks on their respective fields and inspiring
future generations: Thai actor Bright Vachirawit Chivaaree,
Japanese model and songwriter Kōki, and Hong Kong
scientist Professor Dennis Lo.
Other A-listers in attendance at the exclusive event
included actor Stephen Fung, fashion darling Ayla Sham
and stylist Tina Leung, from Hong Kong; Taiwanese
showbiz icon Van Ness Wu; entrepreneur Marion Caunter,
actor and model Scha Alyahya and actor Awal Ashaari, from
Malaysia; Thai stars Thanaerng Kanyawee Songmuang,
“Jaylerr” Krissanapoom Pibulsonggram and Poyd
Treechada; and Indonesian actress Aurëlie Moeremans;
plus social media superstars including Singapore’s Yoyo
24 Cao, South Koreans Jeongjin Park and Sera Song, Small
Laude from the Philippines, and mainland China’s Sharon
Kobler and Shi Ting.
The ball was expertly crafted, based on the theme Shades
of the Extraordinary, by Hugo Belloy, the co-founder of Hong
Kong-based experiential brand Surprise Surprise. The theme
emphasised excellence, celebration, community, culture and
impact. Beautiful features designed and created for the ball
included a striking orange-coloured carpet that welcomed
guests and provided a setting for photos; light installations
in the same shade in the dining room; and a backdrop
emblazoned with “Shades of the Extraordinary” that proved
to be a popular spot for selfies.
Kicking off the evening with a rousing speech, Tatler
Asia’s chairman and CEO Michel Lamunière expressed
his gratitude to the inspiring attendees. He highlighted the
transformation of Tatler from a high society magazine to a
luxury brand with a purpose, reflecting and fulfilling the
aspirations and needs of the most discerning individuals
across the region, and also shared the mission behind Tatler
Asia’s flagship campaign Asia’s Most Influential, the latest
iteration of which was revealed at the event.
“Asia’s Most Influential is a community, celebrating
entrepreneurs, captains of industry, philanthropists,
artists and athletes whose drive and passion have pushed
boundaries, inspired others and had a huge impact in their
respective fields,” he said to applause. “Our vision is to make
Tatler the go-to global platform for everything that represents

the best of Asia.” Lamunière
also announced the launch
of Tatler Macau, which
officially launched on the
day of the ball, as well as
the December relaunch of
the Thailand edition, while
hinting at further expansion
to more markets in 2024.
Dr Wilfred Wong,
president of Sands China,
also addressed the glamorous
crowd. “As the co-host for
the first regional Tatler Ball
at The Londoner Macao,
1. Myolie Wu, Kōki, Ayla Sham, Van
Ness Wu, Eric Fok, Stephen Fung,
David Beckham, Bright Vachirawit
Chivaaree 2. Phil D and the Band
3. The stellar line up of chefs for the
evening 4. Tatler’s Tara Sobti emceed
the Ball 5. Shirley Hiranand and
Lucia Tait Tolani 6. Michel Lamunière,
David Beckham, Tamara Lamunière
7. David Liao 8. Sean Fitzpatrick
9. Caroline Scheufele 10. Yoyo Cao
11. Joyce Tam, Emily Lam-Ho, Anne
Wang Liu, Adrienne Hui 12. David
Beckham, Professor Dennis Lo
13. Michel Lamunière and Dr Wilfred
Wong 14. “Jaylerr” Krissanapoom
Pibulsonggram and “Thanaerng”
Kanyawee Songmuang 15. Xavier
Asensi 16. Kōki, accepting her
award 17. Kiera Chaplin and Bright
Vachirawit Chivaaree 18. Sherman
Tang, Ming Ho-Tang, Denise Lo,
26 Daniel Fung
1 4
Sands is delighted to play a
key role in this spectacularly
successful evening,” he
said. “With our heartfelt
hospitality, delightful
gastronomy and curated
moments throughout the
evening, I hope every guest
truly enjoys this glamorous
and unforgettable Sands
Lifestyle experience.”
There were many
highlights, but perhaps
the most inspirational was
the awards ceremony. The
Style Award was given to
Japanese style icon Kōki,
in recognition of her style,
elegance and ability to stay
ahead of fashion trends, as
well as for her influence
and impact. Thai superstar
Bright took home the Golden
Cane Award, presented by
Kiera Chaplin, who is the
granddaughter of the cinema
legend Charlie Chaplin and
the founder of the Chaplin
Awards, which recognises
the excellence of actors and
filmmakers; the new award
rewards the entertainer of
the moment. Last but not
2 3
least, the Global Impact
Award, which honours
an individual from Asia
who has made significant
contributions in fields such
as philanthropy, community
development, science and
health, environmental
conservation or social
innovation, was presented by
Beckham to scientist Lo for
his groundbreaking work on
the Fragma technique, which
allows for the development
of blood tests capable of
detecting early-stage cancer;
as well as non-invasive
prenatal testing, which
he introduced in 2011 and
is today the standard for
prenatal screening for more
than ten million expectant
mothers per year.
Naturally, the food was
another pinnacle of the
event. Guests were treated
to an exquisite five-course
menu showcasing dishes
from top restaurants at
The Londoner Macao. An
appetiser featuring northern
Chinese flavours, from
Huaiyang Garden’s senior
5
chef Jack Xiao, delighted
guests, while The Mews’
senior chef Nongnuch Sae-
eiw presented a delectable
sunflower chicken tom
kha soup as the second
course. The third course,
Carabineiro red prawn rice
with herbs, was crafted
by Chiado’s celebrity chef
Henrique Sá Pessoa, and
the fourth course, a Beef
Wellington, is a signature of
the Gordon Ramsay Pub &
Grill. The culinary adventure
concluded with a delicious
72 per cent single-origin
chocolate dessert from
Churchill’s Table.
The entertainment for
the evening was nothing
short of extraordinary—and a
reflection of the diversity and
talent of Asia. A set by Bukhu
Ganburged, a Mongolian
Australian throat-singer
who also plays the morin
khuur—a string instrument
that has been recognised
by Unesco as one of the
Masterpieces of the Oral
and Intangible Heritage of
Humanity—enchanted the
 7

9 10

11

12

16

13

17

14 15 18
 19
audience, moving some to
tears. Later, the Hong Kong-
based dance troupe Chestroll,
who won the prestigious
World of Dance competition,
mesmerised guests with their
boundless energy.
Later, the event’s
emcee, Tatler’s head of VIP
content and community
Tara Sobti, brought Tatler’s
chief experience officer
Sean Fitzpatrick to the
stage to conduct the awards
ceremony. After diving into
the story behind the awards
and why the honourees were
chosen, Fitzpatrick invited
Chaplin and Beckham to the
stage to present them.
The success of the event
20 was made possible by the
support and sponsorships
of Sands Lifestyle, The
Londoner Macao, HSBC,
Helena Rubinstein, Moët
Hennessy Diageo
and Chopard.
Chopard, a longstanding
sponsor of the Tatler Ball,
designed the beautiful
trophies the winners
took home. The house is
also behind a captivating
showcase at the ball,
where stunning models
donned haute jewellery and
eveningwear by Caroline’s
21

22

23
28

Couture, which is the
brainchild of Chopard’s
co-president and artistic
director Caroline Scheufele.
At the afterparty, the
beautiful crowd worked
the room while sipping on
tipples such as Don Julio
1942, Moët Chandon and
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
courtesy of Moët Hennessy
Diageo. Phil D and the Band
performed a set, while DJ
25
24
27
19. Mike Lewis, 26
Scha Alyahya, Awal
Ashaari, Geraldine
Beh, Marion Caunter, 28
Nazreem Musa, Yvette
Kang, Aurëlie Moermans
20. Inside the Shades of
the Extraordinary tunnel
21. Philip and Small
Laude 22. Dave Gardner,
Christopher Owen,
Victoria Tang-Owen
23. Allen Chan, Syed
Asim Hussain, Wesley
Ng, Ben Cheng, Danny
Yeung Tsang 24. HSBC’s
fun photobooth
25. Kevin Poon and
Fiona McLeish
26. Jonathan Cheung
and Eleanor Lam
27. Michael Lau and
Florance Yip 28. Esther
Sham and Sunny Tan
29. Sean Lee and So
Young Kim 30. Sera
Song and Jeongjin Park
29 30
Rork and DJ Ivan Sit took
to the decks, sending guests
to the dance floor in a flurry
of movement and laughter.
The celebrations continued
well into the night, with
attendees revelling in the
joyous ambience and the
fulfilment that comes from
being one of a company
of the most influential
individuals from
across Asia. 29
 THE SCENE | PARTY

The Gold
2 3 4

Standard
The creative and academic The annual scholarship
worlds merged last benefit also functions
November 9 for one of as a fundraising event.
the most anticipated With nearly 80 per cent of
events in the field of Pratt students receiving
design—Pratt Institute’s financial aid to pursue
5 Legends Gala. This year, their creative ambitions,
three distinguished this event is a vital cause
alumni were honoured for promising talents and
at the historic Weylin their future.
in Brooklyn, New York: “Our role as academics
the celebrated furniture is to support our students
designer Kenneth intellectually and emotionally
Cobonpue, visionary so they can take risks—to
architect Edward Mazria, design for just futures,” says
and renowned artist Frances Bronet, president of
Kay WalkingStick. The the institution. “They
Legend awardees all will build lives of
embody Pratt’s values to responsible creativity and
30 this day. positive impact.”
 6

8 9

Patti Carpenter,
principal of Carpenter +
Company, presented the
first 2023 Legend Award to
alumnus and accomplished
furniture designer
Kenneth Cobonpue.
“This award is a tribute
to the foundation Pratt
provided me, the support
of my family and the
collaborative efforts of
a dedicated community.
. .May our commitment
to our craft reflect in the
impact we make,”
says Cobonpue.
Bronet concluded the
10 festivities with gratitude:
“You all embody the values
that we seek to instil and
foster in our students,”
she shares.
WORDS ANGELA NICOLE GUIRAL IMAGES PRATT INSTITUTE

1. Marisa Mazria Katz, Gary Hattem,

Kay WalkingStick, President Frances
Bronet, Kenneth Cobonpue
2. Patti Carpenter 3. Derrick Adams
4. David Penney 5. Performance
by Brooklyn United Music and Arts
Marching Band and Dance Team
6. (Standing) Michael Chuapoco,
Derrick Adams, Peg Alston, Jamaal
Peterman, Jorge Oliver; (seated)
Lauren Campbell, Stephanie Barfield,
Kathryn Chenault, Andréa Frazier,
Saundra Parks 7. David and June Kim
8. Marisa Mazria Katz and Quilian
Rinao 9. Aya Maceda, Mara Lopez
Yokohama, Chandler Booth
10. Edward Mazria 31
 THE SCENE | PARTY
Cheers to
70 Years!
No matter how special,
one party is not enough to
celebrate Margie Moran-
Floirendo’s 70th birthday.
It needed a string of
celebrations, seven in fact,
to commemorate not one
3 friends and a special
5
4 Chan, Migs Pastor, Nenita Chan-Lim,
32
but three milestones: she
turned 70, she reached 50
years as Miss Universe,
and she launched a book
titled, My Universe.
She hosted her first
party in Davao with her
guest, her mum. Six others
followed, with the last at
the Manila House with
family and friends. This
1. Jojie Dingcong, Louie Heredia,
Alexandra Lamb Moran, Tina
Cuevas, Margie Moran-Floirendo,
Agnes Huibonhoa, Anton San Diego,
Maricris Zobel, Alice Eduardo, Carol
Garcia 2. Patty Lamb Rodriguez,
Margie Moran-Floirendo, Mike
Rodriguez, Alexandra Lamb Moran
3. Jun and Kourtney Camcam, Cory
Quirino 4. Philip Cuazon, Virgilio
Lim, Philip Laude, Ramon Antonio,
Margie Moran-Floirendo 5. The cover
of Margie Moran-Floirendo’s book,
My Universe 6. Doreen Yu, Marbs
WORDS ANGELA NICOLE GUIRAL
Garcia, Vicky Garcia, Margie Moran-
Floirendo, Alice Reyes, Peng Perez de
Tagle, Marivic Rufino 7. The menu at
Manila House 8. Nedy Tantoco and
Patrick Jacinto 9. Monica Floirendo
Ugarte and Keenan Ugarte 10. Ben
Small Laude

celebration also marked
the launch of My Universe.
In the book that showcases
her sense of adventure,
her curious mind and
unparalleled beauty, she
shares, “My travels have
taught me valuable lessons
about life, culture and the
environment, shaping my
worldview and making me
more compassionate
and empathetic.”
For this birthday
party, Moran-Floirendo
8 9
wore a Barbie pink dress.
“Because I’m a Barbie fan,”
she says, revealing that she
still has 15 Barbie dolls,
as many have been given
to her granddaughters to
play with. She even has
a Louboutin Barbie and
other beauties in
designer clothes.
Close friends made
sure this last party would
be a blast. Her sister-in-
law Sandra Moran and
her best friend Vicky
Perez de Tagle, who
flew from Canada for
the occasion, prepared a
simple programme. Tatler
Philippines’ editor-in-
chief, Anton San Diego,
handled the cuisine and
flower arrangements.
And though she missed
the presence of her other
daughter, Gabbie, who
had to be in Germany
for work, she was joined
by her other daughter,
Monica, who was in town.
10
7
In an Instagram
post, Moran-Floirendo
expressed her gratitude
and appreciation: “I’m
so happy to celebrate my
70th birthday with family,
friends and CCP [Cultural
Center of the Philippines]
colleagues I have been
connected with for 14
years.” She also thanked
her My Universe editor,
Thelma Sioson San Juan,
who was present for the
momentous occasion.
33
 THE SCENE | PARTY
1

Savouring
Memories
One of the most prominent There were other
families in the food and highlights to the evening,
beverage industry gathered like the performances of his
alongside friends to adorable grandchildren and
celebrate a milestone last the performance of Gary
November 10, the 59th Valenciano, who brought
birthday of the restaurateur everyone to the dance floor.
Enrico “Rikki” Dee. To make the occasion
Number 59 is an important more memorable, the
one in Chinese tradition and Dees added a touch of
is customarily celebrated philanthropy with the
in a big way. “Feng shui also launch of FEED (Foundation
believes ages that end in
nine round off to 60,” adds
Elizabeth “Beng” Dee, wife 2
of Rikki.
This year, Rikki’s life was
marked by accomplishing
his personal goals, making
his birthday celebration all
the more special.
Such a special occasion
called for nothing less than
a grand celebration, which
did happen as Rikki grandly
celebrated with a full-blown
gastronomical journey cum
foundation launch.
Around 300 guests
were invited to the grand
celebration at Whitespace
Manila. Following the
requested attire, they
1. Rikki and Beng Dee 3
came in neutral colours, 2. The Dee family, whom
contrasting with the Dee Beng dubbed as “FamiDee”
3. Rikki and Beng’s friends
family’s dashing red outfits. enjoying the festivities
“As a surprise, all our 4. The cosy table setup
5. Gary Valenciano performs
children, including their for the guests 6. Lance
spouses, made some and Jay Gokongwei 7. Kaye
Tinga, Beng Dee, Annette
touching speeches as a Sumulong, Carol Dy 8. Mikey
tribute to their dad, while Cojuangco, SP Sumulong,
Hans Sy, and Willie Ocier
our seven grandchildren did 9. The couple’s grandchildren
a medley dance number,” wows the crowd during
their performance
proudly shares Beng. She
wasn’t only a spectator at
the party but also played a
part during the festivities.
“I secretly learnt to play the
piano to perform. I Won’t
34 Last a Day Without You.”
 5
6 7
Enrico-Elizabeth Dee).
“FEED is a foundation that
feeds the less fortunate,
especially during
WORDS ANGELA NICOLE GUIRAL
calamities,” Beng explains.
Guests indulged
in Rikki's personal
food choices, from the
Asian cuisines served
at Mesa, Kai, and Kam’s
Roast—executed by the
prolific and in-demand
chef Gilbert Pangilinan.
“It was a special
evening, especially for
the celebrator to be with
good and new friends,
in the presence of family
gathered together,”
Beng concludes. 35

The ‘Art’
in ‘Party’
Friends, food and engaging
conversation—what
more could one ask
for? October ushered
in a grand celebration:
the commemoration of
another year in the life
of design specialist and
philanthropist Kaye Tinga.
For her birthday, she took
centre stage alongside her
friend, furniture designer
Yiouri Augousti, in a joint
celebration that perfectly
encapsulated the modern
elegance for which
both creatives are
widely acclaimed.
“Over lunch a few months
ago, we learnt our birthdays
36 are a day apart and jokingly
4 5
said we should celebrate
together, but the idea clicked
and gained traction, so we
went for it,” says Tinga.
The evening welcomed
a hundred guests. Adding
their charm to the
celebration was Yiouri’s
wife, Ria, spotted alongside
the other personalities such
as Tessa Prieto, Ivarluski
Aseron, Ana Lorenzana
de Ocampo. As for Kaye’s
3
family, her husband, Freddie
Tinga and three out of
their four children were in
attendance. Also seen at the
event were Alice Eduardo,
Carol Garcia, Connie
Aquino, Dennis Lustico.
Steven Ticzon, Michelle
Tiangco, Henri Calayag,
Caroline Sy, Susan Joven,
Lulu Tan-Gan. Elizabeth
Dee, JM Rodriguez and
Odette Pumaren.
1. Kaye Tinga and Yiouri Augousti
2. Jaime Ponce de Leon, Susan
Joven, Bambina Olivares, Mayor Abby
Binay, Trickie Lopa 3. Teresa Herrera
Anthony, Cristalle Belo-Pitt and Justin
Pitt, Rocio Olbes-Ressano 4. A live
installation that combined ballet and
art 5. Kifu Augousti and Patrick Coard
6. Ricky Toledo, Dennis Lustico, Chito
WORDS JULIANNA CABILI
Vijandre 7. Sculptures by Patrick
Coard aglow at the venue 8. Ria and
Yiouri Augousti 9. Ramon Antonio,
Gianna Montinola, Bambina Olivares
10.Marilu Batchelor, Lulu Tan-Gan
11. Ria Prieto, Tessa Valdes, Tricia
Centenera, Connie Jimenez-Aquino
 6 THE SCENE | PARTY
10
9
11
The event was held at the
Balmori Tent at Rockwell, a
spacious venue with a small
charming garden. Swathed
in elegant grey draperies, it
was adorned with captivating
works by Patrick Coard; his
wife, Kifu Augousti, Yiouri’s
daughter and a talented
designer in her own regard,
added her creative touch to
the ambiance. Kifu, a trained
dancer, came up with the
idea for a live installation
involving ballet dancers.
Their collaborative effort
transformed the space into a
dynamic setting.
Kaye credits this fusion
of dance and art as the
highlight of the night.
Patrick’s sculptures–
sensual, minimalist pieces
of greys and whites–crafted
with creative energy,
became a focal point,
sparking conversations
and admiration.
The culinary experience
was curated by Cibo, which
not only presented an
impressive array of dishes
but also offered an extensive
selection of beverages.
From the effervescence of
champagne to the richness
of wine, the refreshing
Aperol Spritz, and a
spectrum of spirits—guests
indulged in a variety of
choices, reflective of Filipino
hospitality, where ensuring
guests are both
satisfied and satiated is of
utmost importance.
Kaye relays, “[We
were served] pretty much
everything a guest would
want! As Filipinos, it is so
important that our guests
are full and happy–both
physically and visually.” 37
 THE SCENE | PARTY

Dance
1

for Good
The New York fall galas are dancers dressed in
in full swing. The American Isaac Mizrahi.
Ballet Theater Gala made its The second part of the
anticipated seasonal return programme featured ABT’s
to Lincoln Center for its dancers who performed to
annual Fall Season at the some classic pieces such as
David Koch Center. Susan Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet
Jaffe, the company’s artistic and Don Quixote. Principal
director, delighted the dancer James Whiteside did
audience with a magnificent the choreography. Principal
show. The company chose dancers Hee Seo, Christine
to spotlight the importance
of the dancers’ journey
by featuring their skills at 2 3
every level.
Before the programme
began, Jaffe, who is a former
principal dancer with the
company for 22 years, took
a moment to thank the gala
honourees: journalist Katie
Couric for her dedication to
creativity and her generosity
to ABT for many years and
The Shubert Foundation
(the nation’s largest funder
of unrestricted grants to
not-for-profit dance and
theatre companies) for its
unwavering commitment to
supporting live performing
arts in the US.
Jaffe’s brilliant concept
4
impressed the audience
with its illustration of what
a dancer’s metamorphosis
would look like.
The programme began
with students from ABT’s
Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis School and ABT’s
Studio Company. Led by
the power couple artistic
directors Stella Abrera
and Sacha Radetsky, the
opening ensemble was
Piece d’Occasion featuring
38 a mix of young and teenage
 5
7 8
9 10
1. Zac Posen, Mathilda Gianopoulos,
Molly Ringwald, Harrison Bal
11 2. A tablescape at the ABT Fall
Gala 3. Alex di Mattia, Christine
Shevchenko 4. Carla Villarcorta,
Kamie Lightburn, PJ Pascual, Amory
McAndrew, Alexandra O'Neill
5. Promenade at the David Koch
Lincoln Center 6. Mick Jagger,Melanie
Hamrick 7. ABT Studio and
Company dancers 8. Erica Lall, Chloe
Misseldine 9. Crystal Minkoff, Sutton
Stracke, Elizabeth Segerstrom,
WORDS PJ PASCUAL
Deborah Valdez Hung 10. Sofia
Elizalde, Gail Alvarez 11. Malcolm
Carfrae, John Molner, Katie Couric,
John Wattiker
Shevchenko, Calvin Royal,
Joo Won Ahn, Cory Stearns,
Skylar Brandt and Thomas
Forster were among those
who displayed their talents to
the delight of the audience.
After the performance,
guests were escorted to a
dinner and dance reception
at the Promenade. The
décor was magnificent.
Everyone was transported
to the magical world of
ballet. Each table was
adorned with beautiful and
lush flower arrangements.
Guests included Annette
Bening, Mick Jagger and
Melanie Hamrick, Amy
Astley, Anh Duong, Brandon
Maxwell, Candace Bushnell,
Carly Cushnie, Crystal Kung
Minkoff, Ivy Getty, Jordan
Roth, Jonathan Cohen, Bach
Mai, Molly Ringwald, Sutton
Stracke, Sarah Arison, Lizzie
Asher and more.
At the end of the
evening, guests hit the
dance floor and danced the
night away. The event was
a triumphant return. 39
 THE SCENE | PARTY
Venetian
Ambition
Continuing his
international art scene
journey, Mark Nicdao
graced the Venetian
stage with his exhibit last
September 22 to 24, titled
Chapter 8: Misfired Synapse.
Each painting tells a story
of human frailty, resilience
and the perpetual search
for equilibrium while
paying tribute to Italy’s
unique heritage through
a recurrent terra cotta
tonality. Nicdao shows
his interpretation of this
country he calls “the
pinnacle of great art”,
from its history to its
delectable food and awe-
inspiring frescoes.
The art historian, Lisa
Guerrero-Nakpil, noted
that Nicdao is the only
Filipino artist who has
ever had the privilege of
40
1
exhibiting at a prestigious
European Palace. “Even
[Juan] Luna did not have
such an honour,” she quips.
Held at the Palazzo
Barbaro, the vernissage
attracted personalities of
different nationalities, with
some making the trip from
Manila and other parts
of Europe. In attendance
were eventologist Tim
Yap and muse to Nicdao’s
photography, Karraminah
del Rosario. Adding to the
night of enchantment were 3
two stars of the Opera of
Naples who performed with
grace and harmony.
The Palazzo is known
to be one of the grandest
and most exclusive spaces
in the city, and despite it
being a household name
for magnificent events,
photography was prohibited
 5 6

7
1. Faye Pajela, Mark Nicdao,
Ambassador Manuel Teehankee
2. Joel and Elizabeth Royer with
Ambassador Jean Yves Berthault
3. Attilo Baggerman, Isabella
Menchaca, Max Lorenzelli,
Allesandra Falbo, Francesca Falbo
4. Ambassador Dacio Castillo and
Michael Winstch 5. Stefan Alino and
Karraminah Bolkiah del Rosario 6.
Jeffrey Cadayong of Rivoli Fine Art,
Nathaniel Pajela, Faye Pajela and
Elizabeth Royer 7. Jorge and Chenee
Mendez with Tim Yap 8. Stefan Alino,
Karraminah Bolkiah del Rosario,
Samantha Samonte, Leah Castaneda
9. Cadayong welcoming guests at the
exhibition in Venice

during the exhibition. A

number of paintings had
already been reserved before
the show, while the rest were
sold during the event to
international collectors.
Guests were delighted
to attend the stylish
masquerade dinner in the
ballroom of the Palazzo
the following night, as they
were serenaded by a local
WORDS GABRIEL BOHOL PHOTOGRAPHY RIVOLI FINE ART

9 orchestra and satiated

with overflowing wine and
cocktails offered by the
Filipino liquor
company, Sula.
To close the three-day
event on a high note, guests
were given a guided tour of
the prestigious modern art
foundation in Venice,
the Guggenheim. 41
 THE SCENE | EVENTS

Reaching New Summits

2

Five years in the making, the inaugural Gen.T guests on the evening
Summit gathered industry leaders from Asia of November 8. The
and beyond By Rick Boost and Ryanne Co. Photography by following morning, Tamara
Lamunière, head of Tatler
Billy Chan, Humphrey Ng, Paul Ching and Derry Ainsworth Ventures and the founder of
Tatler Gen.T, kicked off the
It was first conceptualised philanthropists and artists. Summit conference day at
in 2018, then put on hold The Tatler Gen.T Hong Kong’s M+ museum
thanks to Covid—and in Summit was sponsored by of visual culture with a
2023, Tatler Gen.T finally Standard Chartered Private stirring speech.
launched the first Gen.T Bank, Mercedes-Benz “When we started Gen.T
Summit in Hong Kong. Hong Kong and MTR Lab, back in 2016, it was part of
Taking place on organised in partnership a larger vision that we had
November 9 and 10 last with M+, Regent Hong for Tatler—Asia’s leading
year, the event welcomed Kong, Black Sheep luxury media group—to
an impressive gathering of Restaurants and Cathay expand beyond media
insightful thinkers from the Pacific, and supported by and beyond lifestyle, and
Gen.T community, as well Brand Hong Kong, the to start playing a much
as other inspiring figures Hong Kong Tourism Board larger role in global
from across the globe. and InvestHK. conversations, but through
More than 300 guests Cocktails at Grand the lens of Asia’s most
came from every region Majestic Sichuan and influential audiences, and
and industry featured dinner at Magistracy the issues that matter most
on the Gen.T List—from Dining Room welcomed to them—in the case of the
42 investors and innovators to over 80 Gen.T Summit Summit: entrepreneurship,
 1. Tamara Lamunière welcomes
guests to the first-ever Tatler Gen.T
Summit 2. Standard Chartered’s
Mary Huen gives her keynote address
3. Michael Wong, Hong Kong’s
deputy financial secretary, welcomes
guests 4. Fabrice Braunrot, Jaime
Ayala, Melissa Ayala and David Kelso
5. Sean Lee-Davies with Pico Iyer
6. Nicol David 7. Hanjin Tan and Gary
Liu 8. Syed Asim Hussain 9. The
welcome dinner for speakers took
3 4 place at The Magistracy Hong Kong

5 6

7 9

8
10 11
12
innovation and making a
positive impact.
“We hope that you walk
away with original thoughts,
new ways of seeing old
problems and a stronger
network, while enjoying the
experiences that we at Tatler
are known for.”
Following this
introduction was a welcome
from Michael Wong, Hong
Kong’s deputy financial
secretary. Lastly, Mary
Huen, CEO, Hong Kong
14 and cluster CEO (HK,
Taiwan, Macau) of Standard
13
Chartered, spoke about
how global struggles with
poverty and widespread
unemployment will likely
be improved by the actions
of a small group of talented
individuals—such as those
gathered at the Summit.
Filmmaker, artist, activist
and Gen.T honouree Sean
Lee-Davies emceed the first
day of the event, guiding
the audience through
panel discussions on
entrepreneurship, the female
economy, Web3, sex, family
legacy, unicorn start-ups,
 15 16
women’s education, impact-
driven businesses and
dining trends.
Between these
discussions, the Summit
featured one-on-one
fireside chats. Esteemed
travel writer, essayist
and novelist Pico Iyer
talked about changing
global perceptions, while
Malaysian sports legend
Nicol David—the world’s
number-one female
squash player for nine
consecutive years between
2006 and 2015, and the
co-founder of the Nicol
David Organisation,
which works in sports
development for young
children—championed
passing on skills and
the value of physical
health. Nobel Peace Prize
nominee Mahbouba
Seraj gave a powerful
talk on her providing
education to women in
Afghanistan. Later in the
day, multimillionaire Bryan
Johnson appeared in a pre-
recorded talk to discuss his
17
18
quest to delay ageing—and
potentially death itself—via
extensive treatments. The
first day of the Summit
closed with the audience in
rapt attention as Sebastián
Marroquín—formerly
Juan Pablo Escobar, the
son of the notorious late
Colombian drug lord Pablo
Escobar—took to the stage
to explain his lifelong
mission to make amends to
the many families hurt by
his father.
Between sessions and
during coffee breaks, guests
enjoyed delectable spreads, 19 10. Binod Chaudhary 11. Jaime “Jim”
courtesy of the Grand Hyatt Ayala 12. Sara Chen-Spellings,
Hong Kong, in a vibrant Jennifer Yu Cheng and Fiona Nott
13. Danny Yeung 14. Bartenders at
alfresco space dedicated Lockdown prepare nightcaps for
to socialising, against the Gen.T Summit attendees
15. Sebastián Marroquín, formerly
magnificent backdrop of Juan Pablo Escobar, speaks about
the Victoria Harbour. A life with his infamous father
16. Ariel Shtarkman and Matt Myers
wellness lounge operated from Undivided Ventures speak
by Lifehub also offered on sustainable investments
17. The Tatler Catamaran 18. Guests
a range of treatments enjoy the beautiful Hong Kong
including intramuscular skyline aboard a sunset cruise
19. A bartender greets guests
B12 shots, bio-age testing, at Penicillin
rest and recovery IV drips
and ear seeding. After day
one of the Summit wrapped
up, Tatler Gen.T took 45
 20 21
20. Guests try a mindfulness
workshop at Ozone in the Ritz-
Carlton 21. Christina Gaw and
Tamara Lamunière speak with
entrepreneurs 22. Guests pose
with Allan Zeman at the iconic
Lan Kwai Fong sign in Hong Kong
23. Gen.T honourees ask questions
of Gaw Capital’s Christina Gaw
24. David Kelso and Charles
Yeomans from Deerfield Partners
25. The first investor meet-up of
day two involved Gobi Partners,
Undivided Ventures and MTR Lab
26. Mentalist Stuart Palm
entertains the guests at Roganic
27. Gen.T honourees at the investor
meet-up with Deerfield Partners
28. Guests mingle at Penicillin
22
23
the Summit’s attendees
to private parties at four
of Hong Kong’s hottest
bars—Botanical Garden,
Draft Land, Lockdown
and Penicillin—where
drinks, canapés and good
conversations flowed until
the early hours.
On day two of the event,
the Tatler Catamaran, a
78-foot vessel nicknamed
the TatCat, hosted two
sessions of events. As she
cruised along the sparkling
waters of Hong Kong’s
Victoria Harbour, Iyer spoke
about the importance of
finding inner peace and
happiness. Later, Marroquín
spoke about his wish to
leave a loving legacy to his
son. The afternoon session
focused on the future
of humanity alongside
technology, particularly
trends in AI, cybersecurity
and money. It featured
discussions with Swanland.
AI chairman Jack Lau, K-ID
co-founder and CEO Kieran
Donovan, and Ronnie Potel,
co-founder and council
member of Hypha.
Gen.T also hosted
private sessions with
some of Hong Kong’s
top investors on day two.
Gobi Partners discussed
entrepreneurship,
Undivided Ventures spoke
about sustainability and
MTR Lab shared insights
on investment.
Later in the day, Gaw
Capital Partners’ managing
principal, head of capital
markets and co-chair
Christina Gaw gave
insights on entrepreneurial
challenges at the company’s
global headquarters in
Causeway Bay. Meanwhile,
a second investor meet-up,
hosted by Deerfield
Partners, took place at
 24
27
the music studio and
private office of the firm’s
founder and partner Carey
Cheung; the company’s
partners David Kelso and
Fabrice Braunrot discussed
mindset, gratitude and
decision-making.
Elsewhere, guests
enjoyed bespoke
programmes organised
by Standard Chartered
Private Bank: wellness
and personal development
experiences at Ozone at
The Ritz-Carlton Hong
Kong, the highest bar in the
world; a lavish eight-course
25 26
28
meal at Michelin-starred parsley and buckwheat, Steve Chen, wrapped up
Roganic; a tour of Hong blackcurrants with day two.
Kong’s premier nightlife honey, and truffle The day after the
district of Lan Kwai Fong, pudding, highlighting Summit, Tatler Gen.T
led by Allan Zeman, the the restaurant’s focus on partnered with climate
chairman of Lan Kwai Fong sustainability and local education start-up V’air
Concepts; and a sunset sourcing. Zeman, who is Hong Kong for a tour of
cruise back on the TatCat. known as “the father of Lan the historic Kuk Po village
At Ozone, Primal Kwai Fong”, took Summit in the New Territories.
Breathwork’s founder guests through the spaces Kuk Po, with its cultural
Brian Lee led a morning he had played a major part sites and breathtaking
session, which was in establishing around the topography, including
followed by a workshop district, providing valuable ancestral halls and a view
on communication by insight on how he had built of Starling Inlet harbour,
the comedian Vivek his hospitality empire. proved a meditative
Mahbubani. Roganic The TatCat sunset cruise, location to wrap up the
served up dishes like attended by Marroquín illuminating days of
Ora King salmon with and YouTube co-founder building connections. 47

Hearing
Her Voice
The award-winning journalist optimises multimedia
to become a positive influence as a thought leader
Media shape perspectives and Karen
Davila, an award-winning broadcast
journalist who’s spent three decades
in the industry, knows this better than
most. Having had a platform on nearly
every conceivable type of broadcast
medium—from radio to TV, and even
video-sharing social media network,
YouTube—Davila understands the
responsibility that comes with being a
thought leader. And it’s not one she
takes lightly.
“We live in a world with many
48 voices, distraction and noise,” Davila
points out. “More than ever, it’s
critical to speak out on issues that are
important in the world today–be it on
women, children, politics, governance
and the environment. As a thought
leader on many issues, it is imperative
to speak out and contextualise issues
that may be unpopular but need
to be heard. I have always believed
that when people are educated and
informed about an issue, they make
better choices.”
With this in mind, Davila faithfully
reports to her profession every
morning. She begins her day early,
at 8am with Headstart, a morning
talk show for ABS-CBN’s News
Channel (ANC). She then continues
to fill her schedule as she appears on
her well-appointed stints at various
shows such as TV Patrol and My
Puhunan: Kaya Mo! Her YouTube
channel, which has garnered an
impressive 1.7 million subscribers,
consists of lifestyle segments and even
must-know information about one’s
Constitutional rights.
Due to the nuances of these
different platforms, Davila is always
WORDS RYANNE STEPHANIE CHENG CO PHOTOGRAPHY MARK NICDAO (KAREN DAVILA AND MARIA RESSA); PATRICK DIOKNO (ERWAN HEUSSAFF)
conscious of her audience, but she
believes that no matter the medium,
inclusivity is how one touches
another—whether reader or viewer.
“[Inclusivity] is how I live my own
life. My experience as a journalist has
trained and taught me that no matter
where you are from and who you are,
we all want the same things,”
she shares.
As a journalist for 30 years,
Davila has experienced everything
from the dangerous to the uncanny.
There have been lighthearted viral
moments—such as the time she found
she and interviewee Lyca Gairanod
share the same birthday—and the
disturbing threats that seem to come
as part and parcel of being a journalist
in the Philippines. Davila takes this in
stride, saying, “It is nothing compared
to what some of my colleagues have
had to go through. What’s more
concerning is really the hate online.”
The Philippines, known for being
a dangerous place for journalists,
has also been struggling with the
speed at which misinformation
spreads online. “It started with

heavy trolling in 2016, [followed
by] disinformation, misogyny
and now systemic and organised
cyberbullying against female
journalists. Now, I think it affects
the state of the free press in general.
The self censorship. The fear of
being attacked. Legislation has been
suggested as a recourse, I think it
will help but what’s more powerful
is educating the population in using
the digital space,” she muses.
As a rule, Davila advises
consumers to pay attention to where
news is coming from. Ensure that
information is from credible news
sources. Read beyond the headlines
and do not be distracted by clickbait
titles. “If you spot misogynistic
stories and attacks against women,
speak up. Report it. Ask yourself,
‘Who is this coming from?’ If the
article you read makes accusations,
think: ‘Who does it benefit?’”
Davila adds.
Due to her work and the advocacy
she has for women, Davila has
recently been appointed as the first
UN Women Goodwill Ambassador
from the Philippines. “There
are so many areas where we can
make a difference in women’s lives
through information, education and
stakeholder action,” she points out.
“The Philippines ranks high in the
global measure for women’s rights
[but] the real challenge is in the
implementation, and the cultural
mindsets that have been ingrained
in us through decades. When you
support a woman, you support her
children, her family. When you
empower a woman, you empower a
whole community.”
THE SCENE | ASIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL
MARIA RESSA
In November of 2023, Maria
Ressa proudly accepted the
Diamond Award, the highest
distinction given at the Tatler
Philippines Ball. Of course,
this is just one of the very many
accolades the journalist has
garnered throughout the past
few years, the highlight of which
being the Nobel Peace Prize
in 2021. As the only Filipino
laureate to have received this
recognition, Ressa holds an
ERWAN HEUSSAFF
important responsibility to her
country and to her profession.
Though she has come under
fire for her critical reportage
of the Duterte administration,
Ressa’s integrity remains
staunch and solid, as seen in the
2020 documentary A Thousand
Cuts. Ressa has already been
acquitted of tax fraud and looks
forward to joining the faculty of
Columbia University’s School
of International and Public
Affairs in July of 2024.
A passion for preserving Filipino
culture has put Erwan Heussaff
on the coveted dais of the James
Beard Awards ceremony in
2023. A well-known content
creator, Heussaff ’s video and
content production company,
The Fat Kid Inside Studios, is the
realisation of over a decade of
work and passion. What started
from a humble blog written by
Heussaff when he still worked
a corporate job in Russia has
morphed into something that
continues to preserve the legacy
of both well-known and obscure
Filipino ingredients and
cooking methods. Under the
Social Media Account category,
Heussaff was paid a worthy
homage as a content creator doing
meaningful work. “Anywhere
you go in the world, you’ll meet
Filipinos, especially in the food
and beverage industry,” he said
during the awards. “Everyone
says it’s the next big thing, and I’m
obsessed with figuring out how to
[do just that].” 49
Jeeca Uy recreates
Asian dishes with
vegan alternatives

Jeeca Uy
This vegan content creator is championing health through personal
choice and intuitive eating By Ryanne Stephanie Cheng Co
The new year always holds a lot of
promise. For many of us, resolutions
will come naturally—and hopefully,
this year, health and wellness will
become even more of a priority.
Jeeca Uy, a content creator and
cookbook author, has been a proud
champion of clean eating for close to
a decade now. With nearly a million
social media followers aiming to
shadow her in her footsteps, Uy
is more than ready to share her
thoughts on eating healthy and
transitioning into veganism. Yet, her
primary emphasis has always been
this: find a lifestyle that works for
you—whether veganism or not—and
those New Year’s resolutions are
bound to stick around.
I first heard about veganism in
early 2015 and stumbled upon
the documentary Earthlings. I’ve
always loved animals and considered
myself a big animal lover, so when I
watched that documentary, I knew
I wanted to make changes. I went
vegan overnight in April 2015 and
started researching everything I
needed to know about being vegan.
The trickiest part for me was being
vegan in the Philippines since
Filipino food isn’t vegan-friendly. I
had to learn how to cook my food.
Physically, I felt much more
energetic and recovered faster
IMAGE COURTESY OF JEECA UY
from sports and activity [after
embracing veganism]. I also had
much better immunity and rarely
got sick because I ate various fruits
and vegetables that were good
sources of different vitamins. I’m
“The one thing I really
try to live by is to
listen to my body”
by no means a professional, so I
wouldn’t necessarily encourage
people to do the same and adopt a
vegan lifestyle because everyone has
different needs.
Shifting practices and going
vegan is a personal choice. I want
people to make conscious decisions
and see if this can suit their lifestyle.
I’ve become a lot more conscious
of my consumption–not just when
it comes to what I put on my
plate but also with the products
I purchase. I’ve learnt more about
the environmental impacts of our
choices, so everything from the
produce we buy to the clothes
we wear impacts the animals and
the environment. It makes me
more conscious of my power as
a consumer, and I try my best to
shop smart and only opt for higher-
quality products whenever possible.
I also treasure what I already have
and only buy things if needed.
Being vegan in the Philippines is
definitely not as easy as it is being
THE SCENE | GEN.T
vegan in other countries, but it’s
definitely doable with proper
planning and knowledge. I’ve
been put in many situations wherein
I had to work around restaurant
menus and get creative on what I can
eat. It’s also easier to plan and pack
your food if necessary. People are
also very accommodating to your
requests, so don’t hesitate to ask!
The one thing I really try to live
by is to listen to my body. There’s
no one-size-fits-all regarding
workout routines and diets, so I
follow what works for me and what
I enjoy. Regarding food, I don’t
restrict myself and eat intuitively
what my body craves. I do not
believe in being too strict with
yourself and only eating particular
foods, like eating clean, whole
foods, especially if it won’t make
you happy.
Gen.T is Tatler’s platform for young
leaders shaping Asia’s future.
tatlerasia.com/gen-t 51
 THE SCENE | CALENDAR

STAGE PLAYS AND MUSICALS IN 2024

Here are the theatrical productions we can’t wait to see this year

FEBRUARY | THE 25TH

ANNUAL PUTNAM
SPELLING BEE
This Broadway musical is
about an eclectic group of six
mid-pubescents competing in
a spelling championship. Missy
Maramara will be directing this
for The Sandbox Collective,
with Dingdong Rosales as
assistant director and Rony
Fortich as musical director.

MARCH | BETRAYAL
Through Repertory Philippines’
new initiative, the Bridge Project,
New York-based Victor Lirio will
be helming Betrayal, together
with London-based Filipino
actors James Bradwell, James
Cooney and Vanessa White. Lirio
will reimagine this play by Harold
Pinter about an extramarital
affair within a Filipino-British
immigrant context.

MARCH-MAY | MISS SAIGON

The latest iteration of Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed musical Miss Saigon,
featuring the collaboration of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, is
coming to Manila this summer. It will run until May 5.
52

Pioneering Care
Embark on a transformative wellness journey with
Physiaré, where cutting-edge self-care and innovative
physiotherapy blend
If you’re suffering from a physical
injury, dealing with chronic pain
or even just experiencing body
aches that come with age, seeking
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best option. Leading physical
therapy centre Physiaré could
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including back care, shoulder
care, myofascial therapy, complete
liposuction rehabilitation,
temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
concerns and other thorough
medical care assessments.
Behind Physiaré is founder
and CEO Ayeza Almario, who has
led the company and its team of
licensed physical therapists for
almost two decades. With a degree
in physical therapy and disruptive
strategy from Harvard University,
Almario intends to boost the
industry in the Philippines by
providing equal or competitive
opportunities to those found
internationally. This, in addition
to utilising state-of-the-art
equipment across its locations,
has put Physiaré at the fore of new
benchmarks in comprehensive
and specialised care.
Physiaré takes pride in
IMAGES COURTESY OF PHYSIARÉ
having its dedicated research
and development department,
who ensure that treatments
are always evidence-based,
targeted and personalised for
each patient, rather than being
a one-size-fits-all solution. Such
is the Prueba programme, which
combines Physiaré’s flagship
programmes with gene profiling
in a patient’s assessment, helping
them achieve their goals and more
at half the effort.
Integrating beauty into physical
therapy, the company also offers
Physique Enhancement Therapy
(PET) and PT-Augmented IV
Rehabilitation with Stem Cell
(PIRS), which are both exclusive
to the brand. PET is a weight-
loss programme that combines
physical therapy, medicine and
diet to assist you in reaching
your goals. PIRS, on the other
hand, employs physical therapy
to maximise the advantages of
intravenous nutrition, such as
raising your energy and immune
system, increasing your fat
metabolism and muscle repair,
improving your skin nutrition and
general anti-ageing. Led by Dr Ace
Almario, a graduate of Monash
University in Australia, Physiaré
is leading the way across this
exciting landscape.
With the launch of two new
locations—Festival Mall, Alabang
and Vista Mall in Santa Rosa—
Physiaré aims to make high-
quality services more accessible to
a wider market. These two adds to
the key branches in Medical Plaza
in Makati, SM Aura and McKinley
Park Residences in Bonifacio
Clockwise:
Ayeza Almario and the
Physiaré team; Founder
and CEO Ayeza Almario
of Physiaré
Global City. This journey of
expansion reflects a commitment
to the collective effort of Almario
and her team, showcasing their
relentless pursuit of excellence.
This is further evinced in how
Physiaré seeks ways to improve,
such as international engagements
and training sessions in Singapore,
Dubai and Malaysia that highlight
a commitment to staying at the
forefront of global advancements.
The company is not only shaping
the present but envisioning lasting
and far-reaching impact, uplifting
Filipinos across the world.
With this commitment to
advance physical therapy, enrich
lives and set new standards of
care, Physiaré beckons a future
that is healthier and more
beautiful at once.
Avail of the 30 per cent discount
on your first treatment session
at any of the Physiaré branches
by presenting a screen shot of
this article. 51
 THE SCENE | CALENDAR

APRIL | ONE MORE CHANCE THE MUSICAL

PETA is mounting another jukebox musical based on the
blockbuster film One More Chance of Star Cinema. This JUNE | I LOVE
melodrama will be reimagined for the stage and incorporated YOU, YOU’RE
with the music of the popular OPM band Ben&Ben. PERFECT, NOW
CHANGE
This off-Broadway
hit, written by
Joe Di Pietro and
Jimmy Roberts,
is coming to the
Philippine stage
under the direction
of Menchu
JUNE | PATINTERO SA
Lauchengco-Yulo AYALA AVENUE
for Repertory Written and directed by Rafael
Philippines. Jimenez, this original Filipino play
Expect a whirlwind centres around a 16-year-old boy
series of vignettes kicked out of school and his night
on love and on the town in Poblacion to discover
relationships. what happens to the lights on Ayala
Avenue after Christmas.

IMAGES THE SANDBOX COLLECTIVE, GMG PRODUCTIONS, REPERTORY PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINE EDUCATIONAL THEATER ASSOCIATION, CAST PH, NEWPORT PERFORMING ARTS THEATER
OCTOBER | JEPOY AND THE MAGIC CIRCLE
Repertory Theater for Young Audiences breaks once
again from its streak of Western-inspired fairy tale stories
to adapt for stage The Magic Circle, a children’s novel
by Philippine cultural icon and literature legend Gilda
Cordero Fernando.

OCTOBER |
OTHELLO
CAST PH’s
artistic director,
Nelsito Gomez,
is spearheading
a new take NOVEMBER | TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS
on William Capping off the year for The Sandbox Collective is the Manila
Shakespeare’s premiere of Tiny Beautiful Things, based on the bestselling book
renowned by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos.
tragedy Othello, It explores mental health, the healing process, and finding the
featuring Tarek courage to take on the questions that have no answers.
El Tayech in the
title role and Gab
Pangilinan as NOVEMBER-DECEMBER |
Desdemona. GOING HOME TO CHRISTMAS
For the season’s closing show, REP presents Going Home to
Christmas, to be directed by director, actor and set designer Leo
Rialp, with theatre actor Jeremy Domingo as assistant director.
TBA | BURUGUDUYSTUNSTUGUDUNSTUY Jose Mari Chan’s music and lyrics lend themselves to charming
Newport World Resorts is mounting the much-awaited and heartwarming stories, providing the perfect soundtrack for
musical of 2024, featuring the music of iconic band Parokya ni this season’s finale.
Edgar. Buruguduystunstugudunstuy will have all-female leads
brought to life by Felicity Kyle Napuli, Marynor Madamesila,
Tex de Leon and Natasha Cabrera.
54

Winter’s
Embrace
Wake up to snow-kissed mountains, ski
lifts a stroll away and a symphony of luxury
in every detail. Your tranquil haven awaits
in Higashiyama, Niseko
Only a short walk from the ski slopes is the mountain
village of Higashiyama, one of the four main ski
resorts of Niseko and home to Koa Niseko, the crown
jewel of the House of Koa luxury collection.
Awarded “Best Residential Development in Japan”
by The Asia Pacific Property Awards, the boutique
estate of Koa Niseko spans over 13,000 square metres
and comprises 25 luxury residences. Each residence,
from the 2-bedroom townhouse and 3-bedroom
villa, to the newly released 5-bedroom Super Villa,
are masterpieces designed in collaboration between
Tokyo-based interior design firm Bond Design
Studio, celebrated for its work with hospitality
IMAGES COURTESY OF KOA NISEKO (SHANG PROPERTIES)
giants Shangri-La Hotels and Rosewood Hotels;
Honolulu-based architecture firm ZOO Design
Group, with over 25 years of global experience in
hospitality design; and Hong Kong-based developer
Supernova Land, renowned for their award-winning
projects that blur the boundaries between physical
space and meaningful living through thoughtful,
harmonious design.
The newest addition to the Koa Niseko estate is the
stunning, fully-furnished 5-bedroom Koa Super Villa.
Spanning 370 sqm, it features two master ensuite
Anticlockwise:
The artist’s perspective
of the Koa Super Villas;
The luscious living
space inside a Koa
Super Villa; The
interior space of one
of the bedrooms
bedrooms, a Japanese onsen-style bath for five, a
private sauna room, a Jøtul Norwegian fireplace and
much more.
Guests and owners of Koa Niseko are encouraged
to embrace a slower, simpler lifestyle curated by the
team at House of Koa. Every choice exudes attention
to detail—from works by renowned international and
Japanese artisans, such as an Origami Mahjong Table
by André Fu Living, the Jøtul Norwegian fireplace and
designer sofas by B&B Italia, to the sleek furniture
by Stellarworks, custom New Zealand premium wool
carpets and Simmons mattresses. Everything is hand-
curated to express the uncompromising design vision
of the House of Koa to its fullest. And, with Niseko’s
premier property management specialists H2 Group
on board to ensure a seamless experience for guests
and owners alike, it is no wonder Koa Niseko has
redefined the luxury home away from home
in the snowy paradise of Niseko.
Koa Niseko redefines luxury living and is a residence
where the art of living is celebrated daily. Uncover
the magic of Niseko with ski lifts at your doorstep and
unparalleled design. 53
 Camille’s Wish
Even in her passing, Camille Santos Samson touched many
generous hearts to carry out her final project By Chit L Lijauco
Call it the hand of fate or divine
design that turned the harrowing
experience of Camille Santos
Samson into a narrative of
selflessness, prompting a call
to action. “Because of Camille,
we found the problems of the
buildings in PGH [Philippine
General Hospital],” says the
architect, Dan Lichauco. But let’s
go back to that pivotal moment.
After midnight of May 16, 2021,
a fire broke out on the third floor of
the eight-storey Central Block Bldg
in the PGH compound. Samson
was on the top floor, recuperating
from a massive surgery that took
56 out several organs affected by the
ovarian cancer she was battling.
The cancer, first diagnosed in 2012,
came back in 2019. After surgery
and chemotherapy abroad, she
came home, but the aggressive
cancer cells still spread and
warranted this massive surgery.
Hooked onto four drain tubes,
Samson had to obey the immediate
evacuation orders and walk
down seven flights of stairs as
the elevators were unusable. She
sent text messages to her husband
Manny and her good friend Libet
Virata, both to apprise them of her
situation and to request if either of
them could arrange for her to be
collected and brought home.
“I
saw her
missed
calls around
2:00 am already,”
remembers Virata, who
was charging her phone away from
her. “I immediately called her back
to ask why she was still awake and
why she was calling me.”
Samson told Virata about the fire
but added, “All my nurses are so
efficient they helped me walk down
the stairs with all my drains and
tubes still attached”.
And added, “I was calling you to
ask if you have a driver to pick me
up because I have not reached my

husband yet. But guess what? My
nurse says her car is in the parking
lot and that she can drive me to my
house. Don’t worry about sending
your car; I’m already in her car on the
way home.”
After that experience, Samson
told Virata: “I want to do something
for PGH, especially after that
fire which, ironically, had no
casualties. Everyone, including the
neonatal patients, was saved. It is a
testament to how good our Filipino
nurses and doctors are.”
Working on Samson’s wish had
IMAGES COURTESY OF MANNY SAMSON AND LIBET VIRATA
to take a backseat to her situation,
which had taken a turn for the
worse. Samson died in June 2023.
Before her death, however,
Samson joined Virata and six others
(Tang Singson, Bettina Osmeña,
Philip Cu Unjieng, Gina Aboitiz,
Elena Coyiuto, Marga Aboitiz Zobel)
to form the non-profit Helping
Women and Others Foundation
(HWAO) with the aim of addressing
complex projects related to cancer.
HWAO’s first project was
refurbishing PGH’s IV Chemo
Prep Room, specially designed
to deliver, store, and mix chemo
medicines. “The room which
contains the machines is called the
hot lab,” Lichauco describes. “We
designed this space to protect the
staff from the radioactive medicines
they are handling. It is a pressurised
room, with all the alarms to
signal a drop in pressure and the
need to evacuate. With two new
biosafety cabinets, the room now
has four.” This addition and other
refurbishments doubled patient
capacity from 60 to 120 and reduced
the waiting time for each patient to
receive treatment.
The foundation is also helping San
Juan Medical Center set up a chemo
unit, but this project is put on hold to
prioritise Samson’s wish. Virata called
on Lichauco, whose architectural firm
Archion does healthcare. His mission
was to install the life safety systems for
the Central Block Bldg.
THE SCENE | PHILANTHROPY
From left: The Central
Block Bldg that caught
fire in May 16, 2021; The
Samson family: Manny,
Liana, Camille, Sarina,
Joachim Inset: Camille
Santos Samson
According to Lichauco, the first
thing to do in an evacuation is to
provide a fireman’s lift. Through
HWAO, three elevators were donated.
Each will have big fans blowing to
push air into the shaft so they can be
used to transport the patients.
The third level is to fix all the
sprinkler systems and everything else.
HWAO needed to raise funds
for the final phase of this project; in
spite of the challenge of raising funds
these days, it held a successful tribute
dinner for Samson on October 2,
2023, also the date of her wedding
anniversary. Almost 200 of Samson’s
friends celebrated her life and helped
to make her wish come true.
Another director has since
joined HWAO: Dr Liaa Cojuangco-
Bautista. And the nurse whose
selfless act touched Samson’s
heart? Last heard, she had left for
greener pastures abroad.
Contact HWAO at
hwao.foundation@gmail.com 57
This page:
Kasaysayang, oil
on canvas, 2023
by Manny Garibay
Opposite page:
Manny and
Edna Garibay
in Linangan
Art Residency
 THE SCENE | ARTS

Artistic Legacies
The Garibay family pushes visual art’s impact to social consciousness,
sharpening new generations of artists By Franz Sorilla IV

Many artist families in the despite my situation—my wife and I and leaving from work, and more. I
Philippines have shown the were already expecting our second have always observed other people’s
impact art can make when it lives child,” he says. behaviours, which became the
and thrives dynamically through But it didn’t take long for his material for my first solo exhibition.”
generations. Many visual artists in works to gain critical acclaim. What the acclaimed artist hopes
this contemporary age have followed Although still focusing on traditional to accomplish is for people to see
in the footsteps of their parents or subjects, his early works evoked how powerful ideas are, compel
grandparents. But for the Garibay uniqueness over those of his them to think more seriously
family, art flourishes beyond the contemporaries. “I was then drawing about their condition and how
four corners of their home through a primarily from my experience, such situations are reinforced,
unique artist-residency programme my interaction with my world as even fortified, by natural and
called Linangan Art Residency. I was taking the jeepney going to manmade images.
Emmanuel “Manny” Garibay
tells Tatler that it was not part of his
plan to become an artist when he
was young, especially an award-
winning one. Instead, he just
wanted to draw from his mind and
experiences.
For artistic inspiration, Manny
looked up to his older brother,
Norman, the first in the family to
show an aptitude for visual art.
He imitated Norman’s style and
technique in accurate doodling.
Eventually, Manny honed his
skills in art at the University of the
Philippines (UP) Los Baños, and
later at Diliman. Around this
time, he met Edna Jaojoco,
whom he married.
Manny resigned from his day job
IMAGES COURTESY OF THE GARIBAY FAMILY

because he “couldn’t keep up with

the rigours of a well-organised,
well-structured, routinary kind
of life”, he recalls. Despite the
uncertainties, he decided to be a
full-time painter.
He remembers that people
looked down on artists then. “I just
committed myself entirely to it 59
 Manny and Edna’s children—
Alee, Nina and Bam—also pursued
artistic careers.
Alee earned a degree in fine arts
from UP Diliman and received
many awards for her oil and
watercolour works. She is also an
organiser, as she co-designs local art
festivals in Cavite, Camarines Sur
and Cagayan, as well as various art
educational initiatives. Her earliest
memory of her drawing was when
she was just a toddler, sitting atop
her maternal grandmother’s divan
in their house in Biñan, unbothered
by the sweeping of the floor as she
was engrossed in doodling on a
piece of bond paper.
Nina also graduated from UP
Diliman with a degree in visual
communication. She was a semi-
finalist in the Metrobank Art and
Design Excellence Award 2018.
Her work was selected for the
Marciano Galang Acquisition
Prize two years later. Being
exposed to her father’s artistic
career, Nina felt art flowed
From left: Alee Garibay,
By Any Other Name, oil
on canvas, 2022; Nina
Garibay, Winged Victory,
oil on canvas, 2022
naturally without being forced to
be profound.
Meanwhile, Bam finished
interdisciplinary studies at the
Ateneo de Manila University.
Like his older siblings, he has
participated in and helped organise
several exhibitions inside and
outside Metro Manila. He executed
his first solo exhibition in 2019. It
would have taken a while for him
to re-enter the art scene were it
not for Aida dela Peña of Kaida
Contemporary Gallery. His hiatus
was due to experiencing a “roller
coaster ride, filled with ups and
downs” after graduation and being
exposed to the intricate dynamics
of the art scene through a then-
pioneering art start-up.
They may have taken a path similar
to their father, but the younger
generation is putting themselves on
the map through diverse means. A
manifestation of this is joining their
father in his work in Linangan Art
Residency, a programme they have
set up in 2018 at their own home in
Alfonso, Cavite.
“Plan is the word, I would say, that
was never part of my vocabulary. I
look ahead and envision things and
hope to persuade my children to be
part of it,” Manny says.
Alee describes her art as rooted
in her immediate and internal
environment to re-experience,
understand and refine her visual
language and logic. Her father’s art
influenced her, for Manny’s visual
language and philosophy in life
have been a constant and crucial
presence in her art awakening and
practice. Surrounded by nature in
their residence, Alee’s works include
natural elements. Meanwhile,
text and scribbles are recurring
elements as she has a distinct way of
verbalising her feelings, thoughts
and relationships.
Nina does oil paintings of
magazine collages. She plays with
compositions, visual elements
and forms. As Manny responds to
experiences, history and philosophy,
Nina, on the other hand, responds
to immediate visual prompts. One
difference they may have in their
processes would be that Nina seldom
veers away from her studies (bocetos)
as she envisions how the finished
work would look beforehand.
Bam’s artistic creations
predominantly take the form of 61
 From left: (standing)
Bam, Manny,
grandson Agos,
Nina, (seated) Alee
with son Alon, Edna
at Linangan Art
Residency; Alee
Garibay, (Ka)Hati, oil
on canvas, 2023

figurative works, often realised

through the oil medium. He derives
inspiration from scenes in everyday
life, individuals within his circle and
other compelling figures. His visuals
fuse memories recreated with the
occasional touch of political satire.
He shares this process with his father,
with Bam’s colour palette sometimes
a nod to Manny’s paintings. But the
former invariably evolves towards his
preference for vivid and striking hues.
Manny believes that being
an artist allows one to be more
reflective and to think more deeply
about the connection between
existence, ideas and a sense of
fulfilment as a human being.
Friends of the Garibay family
found the family’s philosophy of
educating artists about the discipline’s
impact on personal growth worth
sharing. And so, the family opened
their lives, hearts and minds.
The mentorship aspect is most
nourishing in the programme, says
Alee, who does administrative,
public relations and other writing
tasks in the programme. She and
her husband and fellow artist, Mike
Delmo, spends most of their time
with the residents of the programme.
“The access to this in-depth,
intensive and empowering art
education, especially to artists from
the regions and those without formal
training, is our attempt to democratise
and enrich the art community,” says
Alee. “We aim to cultivate a thinking
culture among the new generation
of artists and creatives, for whom
criticality, informed discourse and
openness to ideas are the new values.”
Meanwhile, Nina handles
graphics layout and social media
62 management and assists in
streamlining the admin system. She
reminds everyone that time and
space are essential to their plans.
“We used to organise a sports
fest for artists, not because there is a
hidden athlete in every painter, but
because it offers a different venue
for interaction,” Nina shares. “Artists
are people, and people learn from
each other.”
Manny and Bam craft the grand
scheme of things. The curriculum
design and logistical aspects by Bam
keep things and the place running
smoothly. Manny acts as the chief
mentor who facilitates art history
and technique classes. He also
conducts one-on-one consultations
with the residents. Additionally, the
family extends lecture invitations
to Manny’s artist friends, such as
Charlie Co, Mark Justiniani, Renato
Habulan, Leslie de Chavez and
Alfredo Esquillo, among others.
“Over the past decade, the
Philippine art landscape has
undergone a remarkable expansion
in breadth and depth,” says Bam.
“Yet, for aspiring artists who may
still be navigating their path and
purpose, this profusion can be
somewhat overwhelming,” he adds.
Bam finds Linangan‘s two-month
artist residency programme as a
“sanctuary, distancing participants
from the urban hustle and endowing
them with a tranquil studio space
removed from the familiar. Here,
artists have the luxury of refreshing
their perspectives and delving
deeper into self-discovery by
engaging with co-residents and
programme facilitators”.
Manny finds this blur between
personal and business for the Garibay
family ideal.
“Among others, you are looking at
the continuation of something you
have started. Also, you are looking
at the dynamics wrestling with the
differences in views, attitudes and
outlook as influenced or affected by
the gaps in generation and exposure in
the arts,” Manny explains.
The vibrancy and dynamism of
Linangan Art Residency are
palpable, thanks to each family
member’s creative input. Manny
feels confident about the programme’s
future and his children’s.
THE SCENE | COVER STORY

He is this generation’s male superstar and

after 25 years, Piolo Pascual is still not
content as he reaches for global domination
By Maritess Garcia Reyes. Photography by BJ Pascual
Piolo Pascual wears
TENMVN suit

I
first met Piolo Pascual in the early 2000s, when I
was a sophomore at the University of Santo Tomas,
where he was also a student—but that’s not how we
exactly met. As a communication arts student, I
frequently visited my cousin at the ABS-CBN Talent
Center, where she worked as one of Pascual’s road
managers. We were briefly introduced on a number
of occasions, and often, my cousin would let me sneak
into the studio to observe the taping of the variety show
ASAP, primarily for educational purposes but partly
for fun. Pascual was a regular performer in that show
alongside Jericho Rosales, Diether Ocampo, Carlos
Agassi and Bernard Palanca, a group collectively
known as The Hunks. Even in his early 20s, Pascual
stood out for the versatility he displayed: he could sing,
dance, host and act. On top of his many talents, he is
also humble and very personable on and off camera. In
short, he is a rare find.
The industry recognised his gift. Around the same
time, he swept all the Best Supporting Actor trophies—
from Gawad Urian to Famas to Metro Manila Film
Festival, plus five more—for his portrayal of activist
Jules Bartolome in the 2003 film Dekada ’70. Several TV
shows, movies and albums later, the talented actor and
singer continues to rake in the accolades: just last month,
he was awarded the Aliw Awards for best lead actor in a
musical and 2023 entertainer of the year.
When I spoke to him at the Tatler cover shoot, I was
struck by how much this man had achieved over the
last two decades and, more so, how he has managed to
66 evolve and stay relevant even with the vast changes in the
This page:
Pascual
wears H&M
top Opposite
page: Pascual
wears Gucci
vintage top
entertainment landscape. His secret? Equal parts hard
work, gratitude and faith.
“Because of my portrayal of Jules in Dekada ’70 and
my recognition for that, I shifted from being insecure
to becoming more relaxed as an actor. It made me more
comfortable thinking I could do this for the long haul,”
Pascual says. Since that early success, he chased every
STYLING ASSISTANT ERWIN TANGUNAN PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANTS RICHARD DETITA, RUEL ESTRELLES, MIGUEL ESTACIO, SAM DAVID ORATE LOCATION GAMA STUDIOS
opportunity to learn and grow—and it’s been paying
off. “Strike while the iron is hot,” he says with grit in his
voice. “I’ve been taking advantage of the opportunities
that come my way. But I make sure that I always bring
my A game. I guess the secret there is that I’m married to
my job; I love what I do.”
STYLING TON LAO SET DESIGN PRINCESS BARRETTO GROOMING DONNABELLE MAGBOJOS LOGISTICS DOWEE UNTIVERO; JOHANNAH REGLOS
I asked him how it feels to be in demand at an age
when most of his contemporaries are no longer visible.
He smiles.¬ “You know, I don’t compete with anybody,
but I compete with myself. I always want to push the
envelope, and I am happy to participate in the evolution
of Philippine cinema, knowing that I have the leverage to
do something different. I’m in it for the long haul, and I
plan to continue doing what I do as long as we can grow.”
Pascual recognises the importance of flexibility and
adapting to change, especially in the dynamic world of
cinema and content, an evolving landscape in which
he would like to continue to thrive. “You have all these
streaming platforms coming after you, asking for
content, so you want to take advantage of that. I’ve been
around for 25 years, and I’m grateful to be around still,”
he says, adding that this gratitude moves him to be more
involved in the movement that champions Philippine
content. Having been a producer early in his career,
he understands and appreciates the tedious process
of creating films and the value of expanding its reach.
“Attending film festivals and producing for streaming
platforms with global access makes me want to explore,
experiment and think bigger”.
Pascual believes the proliferation of streaming
platforms can help actors skip the need for “a
Hollywood break” to debut globally. “Just like Korean
films and shows, if you have the right material, then
you can break out internationally,” he says, adding
67
Pascual wears
Anthony
Ramirez suit
 “I’m happy to be able to
be part of this evolution
knowing that we’re not
[limited to] just catering to
Filipinos anymore”
that he firmly believes Filipino content could appeal
around the world.
When the opportunity came up to appear alongside
his friends and fellow actors Sam Milby and Alessandra
de Rossi in Replacing Chef Chico, Netflix’s first Filipino-
produced series, naturally he leapt at it. “Since it was
going to be the first Filipino series to be produced by
Netflix on a global scale, it was an easy yes for me. It’s
nice, because we get to showcase Filipino cuisine,” he
says. “It’s good to be part of something that we can be
proud of in terms of Philippine content … to be part of
that evolution.” The eight-episode series features not
only on a powerhouse Filipino cast and a perfect blend
of witty yet tear-jerking storylines, but also on an all-
Filipino production team.
Pascual was less immediately interested in another
homegrown production, Mallari. “When it was first
pitched, I was rehearsing for Ibarra, a musical I did in
June. I got a call from my manager saying that there
was this [horror] film, Mallari, featuring [a role that
encompasses] three characters [from three timelines]
in one, but I was also preparing for another project
after the musical, so it was a hard pass for me,” he says.
Later that day, he was chatting with his friends on
set, and the topic of Philippine serial killers came up.
“There was one [they referred to, but] I didn’t realise it
until we checked Google and found out his name was
Mallari,” Pascual says, at which point it clicked that the
story being offered was based on a real person from the
1800s, the Philippines’ first documented serial killer. “I
got intrigued and asked for an official pitch. That’s when
I realised I could not refuse this,” he says. He sealed the
deal after wrapping up Ibarra.
Mallari is a big deal. As well as being one of the official
70
entries in last year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, it is
also the second of only two local films to be distributed
by Hollywood movie company Warner Bros. And so it
comes as no surprise that working on it was difficult.
While the complexity of the characters was already
challenging, the script had to be revised several times
to compress the story into a single film. Fortunately,
there was an acting coach on the set who guided Pascual
into bringing the multifaceted character to life. At first,
Pascual thought they would shoot one character at a
time, but realised this was not feasible because it would
mean changing the set every time. “On the first day, I
had to do three characters in one scene. That’s when
I asked what I’d got myself into. It’s hard enough to do
one character, but three every day? I knew it was going
to be tough,” he says. He credits both the coach and
director Derick Cabrido with helping him get through
the labyrinth of each scene. “I was properly guided …
For every scene, I would talk to them about the process
and where we could take it because it was my first horror
film. At the same time, we wanted to make sure that
we could differentiate all three characters so that there
was no overlapping of all emotions. Each character is
different from the others.”
Pascual is proud to be involved in local projects that
are backed by international giants, and hopes this is the
beginning of positive change. “In terms of the global
market, there are some practices we have to abide by.
With the emergence of streaming platforms and our
content expanding to more international access, it’s
nice to learn these things to make Philippine content
more extensive in scope. We can learn from them and
make our movies and content more appealing to a
bigger audience.” And because there’s so much demand
for content worldwide, Pascual thinks it’s “high time
for Philippine cinema to explore and be more open to
Pascual wears
H&M top

71
71
Pascual wears
TENMVN suit
74
Pascual wears
Gucci vintage top
and H&M pants

75

changes in terms of execution because we have the
support of these heavyweights”. He adds, “I’m happy to
be able to be part of this evolution knowing that we’re
not [limited to] just catering to Filipinos anymore”.
Pascual keeps himself busy: he appears in this year’s
Gomburza, a film about Roman Catholic priests during
the Philippines’ Spanish colonial era which was also
entered into the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival.
This year alone, he went on a concert tour in the US
and Canada and finished filming three more movies:
the Brillante Mendoza film Moro, which competed at
the 28th Busan International Film Festival in South
Korea; The Ride with Kyle Echarri; and Real Life Fiction,
directed by Paul Soriano in which he co-stars with
Jasmine Curtis-Smith.
The multihyphenate is also active in philanthropic
works. Besides lending his name and working pro-
bono in the charity musical Ibarra—the production
for which he would win the best lead actor Aliw, and
which itself won nine awards—he has supported
many students through the Hebreo Foundation. “My
foundation, which I established 20 years ago, promotes
education: we support scholars from grade school to
college. We already have graduates and beneficiaries
who are now working. If people want a better
education, we encourage and support them,” he says.
With everything on his plate, where does this
award-winning talent draw his energy and inspiration
from? He says everything he does revolves around
faith and family. “My Lord always inspires me. I pray
upon waking up, throughout the day, and before
sleeping to ensure that I am centred and doing
everything for myself and others. It is all about living
out your purpose, knowing that He’s backed me up.
Every decision I make, I literally pray and ask the
Lord if it’s the right thing to do,” he says. He combines
this faith with humility, discipline and gratitude.
“That’s how I remain grounded. And I’m always
surrounded by my family. I don’t get overwhelmed
by success or fame because it’s just your day job. My
family is home.”
Speaking of family, Pascual reveals how proud he is
of his 26-year-old son, Inigo, who has been making his
name locally and abroad. “I’m always praying that he gets
to do stuff he’s passionate about. He is a better singer, a
good dancer and more of an entertainer than me. I want
him to be able to tap into that and not be scared of how
far he can take this,” he says. “He’s seen me [working]
since he was a kid [and how] I’ve been nonstop grinding.
I want him to be able to carry that [discipline] and be
inspired by what he’s seen growing up, and I hope he
does not just surpass, but also tap into his greatness.”
Just as he is positive about the advancement of
Philippine cinema and content, Pascual is also hopeful
about the future of our country. His wish is to see unity
in the government and for the government to show more
compassion towards its citizens. “While there’s so much
work to be done, I hope we become proud of our nation
and who we are. There’s a chance for us to grow and be
proud of our heritage. I want to be part of that. I want to be a
game-changer, not just in Philippine cinema but in nation-
building,” he says.
Though 2023 was busy, Pascual is determined to keep
challenging himself this year. To kickstart 2024, he’ll be
in a drama: “It’s a story about brotherhood, and for the
first time, I’m doing a role that I’ve never played before,”
he reveals, adding that there will be more films, another
tour and an upcoming album. And while we, like many
others before us, end the conversation by asking “Do you
ever think you’ll settle down?”, he has only one response:
“Only God knows.” For now, Pascual reassures us, his
work is his happy place.
This page:
Pascual wears
Anthony
Ramirez suit
Opposite page:
Pascual wears
H&M top, pants
and shoes
Inset: Gucci Signoria
slingback pumps
Clockwise, from left:
Dulcie wears Dior
outfit; Kat wears Laura
Andraschko dress,
Ferragamo trousers and
Dior necklace; Hyuk
wears Loewe dress and
Ché Studios shorts

PHOTOGRAPHY OLIVIER YOAN (MODELS) IMAGE COURTESY OF GUCCI

Nicolas Ghesquiére
talks about Louis
Vuitton’s cruise
2024 collection
while master
perfumers Olivier
and Sebastien Cresp
introduce Maison
Margiela’s new scent
 Everything you need
to look your best this
month By Cherry Mui

80
 STYLE | OBJECTS OF DESIRE
ATHLEISURE
After the buzz of mermaidcore
last summer, designers are
continuing to take inspiration
from aquatic life. Scuba fabrics
and coastal prints are all over
the runways of Gucci and Louis
Vuitton. If a full-on printed
look is too much for your
personal brand, experiment with
interesting accessories to amp
up the sportiness. Clockwise,
from top left: Diesel bracelet;
Mugler bag; Ugo Paulon heel;
Coperni dress; Maison Michel
headband Opposite page:
Pucci outfit
81
 coat; Balenciaga
Saint Laurent earrings;
skirt; Maison
heel Opposite page:
82 outfits
IMAGE MATHIEU BONNIN (CHANEL)
 LIFT PASS
As fresh powder blankets
the mountains, it’s time to
get your ski and après-
ski wardrobe in order.
Designers are increasingly
developing technical
materials that mean the
“duvet look” is a thing very
much of the past; sleek
and chic can be warm
enough. Here’s the Tatler
capsule collection we’ll be
donning to hit the slopes.
Clockwise, from top
left: Balenciaga gloves;
Fendi outfit; Moncler
Grenoble jacket Opposite,
clockwise from left: PE
Nation outfit; Perfect
Moment gilet; Gucci
goggles; Moon Boot boot

84
85
 IS IT VINTAGE?
In the spirit of Auld Lang
Syne, we’re getting a little
nostalgic for the new
year. Heritage brands
are reintroducing classic
logo prints and designs
from their archives—yes,
the Gucci Horsebit and
Prada Galleria do seem
extra familiar. Consider
digging deep into your
(or your mother’s or your
grandmother’s) closet for
some timeless treasures.
Louis Vuitton outfit
Opposite, clockwise
from top left: Fendi bag;
Gucci bag; Prada bag;
Dior bag

86
 INNER CIRCLES
Capes, capes, capes!
Whether long or short,
heavy or light, for day or night,
and as outerwear or dresses,
the chic classic is making its grand return—
and taking cosy to new heights.
Michael Kors coat;
Paco Rabanne necklace;
Stella McCartney dress;
Balmain heel; Valentino bag
Opposite page: Dior outfit

IMAGES MODA OPERANDI (MICHAEL KORS); PRESSWALL (PACO RABANNE)

88
89
90
SOFT
TAILORING
When it comes to the quiet
luxury aesthetic for men,
what stands out most
are impeccably tailored
coats in vibrant colours.
Shown at Bottega Veneta,
Burberry and Loewe, bold,
chic, timeless designs
are redefining fashion’s
boundaries and sartorial
elegance. Clockwise, from
left: Loro Piana trousers;
Ferragamo bag; Burberry
outfit; Alexander
McQueen boot Opposite,
clockwise from top left:
Loewe outfit; Mr P shirt; Jil
Sander outfit; Hermès cap
 JUST ADD
COLOUR
As we enter the new year,
bright, vibrant shades and
classic details dominate
decor trends. Go bold
with statement-making
seating, or add pizzazz to
casual lunches and dinner
parties alike with colourful
tableware. From top:
Saint-Louis glassware;
Victoria Maria sofa
Opposite, clockwise from
left: Humbert & Poyet
floor lamp; Buccellati
plate; Cassina chair

IMAGE JEAN PIERRE VAILLANCOURT (APR)

92
93
 STYLE | FASHION PICKS

CHILD AT HEART
Under Jonathan Anderson’s watch,
Loewe has been leaning into
whimsy. Having collaborated with
the world-renowned Studio Ghibli,
the fashion brand continues
expressing its love of cutesy,
teaming up with Kyoto-based
ceramic studio Suna Fujita for a
nature-themed capsule collection.
The ceramicists’ unique characters
have been transferred to knitwear,
jersey and denim, as well as
signature bags, slippers, wallets
and other accessories. You will find
a little boy sitting in a cloud-shaped
tree feeding a small, yellow bird
on the deep-green Hammock bag,
while adorable otters, pandas and
penguins become bag charms and
soft purses,
and other
cuddly
critters
appear on
lifestyle
products
including
fluffy
cushions
and blankets.

THE ORIGINALS
Oscar-winning Malaysian megastar Michelle Yeoh joins two
fellow actors, France’s Isabelle Huppert and Thai star Krit
“PP” Amnuaydechkorn, as a brand ambassador for Balenciaga.
The appointment for the Demna-led maison was less of a
surprise after seeing the Everything Everywhere All At Once star
sitting front row at the house’s couture shows and sporting its
luminous gowns at a series of events. We can expect more exciting
collaborations, following the film legend’s role in the spring 2024
campaign, sporting a timeless dress paired with the Crush bag. “For
me, fashion is a form of art. It’s not just about a dress, but about
self-expression, how you feel in the dress, and the values you embody
wearing it,” says Yeoh. “It is a way to communicate my work and who I
am to the world. Wearing Balenciaga makes me value the artistry and
94 craftsmanship behind every piece.”
EASY GOING
If you follow fashion reels on Instagram, you’ll have
noticed the near-obsession of new-gen consumers and
content creators with a product’s versatility. Bottega
Veneta, a house that consistently releases It bags, is
embracing this trend: introducing the Gemelli. The
design boasts a detachable strap, two roomy half-
moon compartments and the instantly recognisable
Intrecciato weave. The rounded contours are
accentuated by plush padding, and the bag comes in a
range of sizes to suit every styling need.

FASHION
SCHOLARS
Hedi Slimane, Celine’s
creative director,
doesn’t follow rules—
he writes them. He
has reinterpreted
collegiate style for the
spring-summer 2024
women’s collection,
presented with the
National Library of
France as a perfect
background. The
collection showcased
the versatility of
Slimane’s signatures
and rejuvenated
wardrobe direction,
and the allure of
androgynous tailoring,
transitioning from
academic refinement—
with sharp suits and
flowing dresses paired
with high boots—to
biker-inspired leather
ensembles to effortless
sporty accents by way
of boxer shorts and
track pants.
 The
Sacai
Sensation
Japanese designer Chitose Abe spills the
secret of her continual victories in fashion
By Cherry Mui. Portrait by Zed Leets

96

S
acai’s Chitose Abe visited
Hong Kong for the first time
in five years last October. The
designer is based in Tokyo
and has been presenting in Paris
since the brand’s inception; her
brand is everywhere. But Hong Kong
holds a special place in Abe’s heart,
as the first market outside Japan to
have a standalone Sacai boutique.
“I just arrived yesterday. During the
pandemic, we heard the market is a bit
slow and quiet, so we were expecting
that kind of atmosphere,” she says.
“But I’ve been walking around and
feeling the energy is very, very strong
here. I was remembering the moment
when I first came to Hong Kong; it’s a
really energetic city.”
Visiting the store, which
relocated from its original location
at On Lan Street to Landmark’s
Belowground in late 2022, was
certainly on her agenda, but Abe
had other plans too. The most
exciting and eagerly anticipated
was her appearance at Landmark’s
BaseHall, where the fruit of a
collaboration between the brand
and Tokyo restaurant Menchirashi
was taking place—with guest
From left: Backstage
at Sacai spring- appearances by udon dishes from
summer 2024 show;
Sacai x Carhartt Wip;
Tokyo restaurant Curry Up and
Sacai The Noodle By Hong Kong’s own Yardbird. Crowds
Menchirashi; Sacai’s
capsule collection
of Sacai fans as well as udon-loving
in collaboration foodies flocked to the dining
with Ghetto Gastro
Opposite page: destination in the hope of scoring a
Founder and designer bowl of limited-edition noodles.
Chitose Abe
STYLE | SMALL TALK
As exciting as this crossover
was, it wasn’t necessary as proof of
how in-demand the Tokyo-based
label is. Abe has had popular
collaborative projects with the
likes of Nike (since 2015), Carhartt
WIP, Moncler, Cartier and Dior
Men, and was the first guest
designer invited to design Jean
Paul Gaultier’s couture after
the Frenchman announced his
retirement in 2020. But she is
refreshingly relaxed about the
purpose of these partnerships.
“We’ve always done all the
collaborations without any
business strategy. [The projects
are] always what I would like
[for] myself,” Abe insists. “Every
partnership with other brands
has been surprisingly good. So it’s
very difficult to compare with one
another.” The udon collab is not
Sacai’s first foray into the culinary
world. In late 2022, Abe teamed
up with New York-based culinary
collective Ghetto Gastro for a
special pop-up café in Tokyo, where
waffles inspired by the soles of Nike
sneakers were served. “I actually
met them [Ghetto Gastro members]
on the street. They said to me
‘Oh, you have a cool sneaker,’ and
that’s how [we connected].” Four
months later, the bandana-printed
uniforms originally designed for
the staff were turned into a capsule
collection. Menchirashi founder
97
 Backstage at
Sacai spring-
summer 2024
show. Opposite
page: Sacai x
Carhartt Wip
Shigeru Okada was also involved in
the café project; after its success,
Abe approached him with the Hong
Kong udon idea, and the rest is
pop-up history.
This authentic, almost childlike
approach to asking others to work
with her pays off. One of her most
noteworthy Sacai partnerships was
with Cartier—a versatile collection
of layered bands, rings and ear
cuffs that the designer still wears
daily. “Cartier is a brand that I’ve
been wearing for ages, and I simply
wanted to have a collaboration
with them, so we reached out to the
CEO in France and surprisingly, [it
happened],” Abe remembers with a
98 laugh. “[Another example is] Dior
Men; Kim Jones has been a really
good friend for years. And we had
been having this conversation about
doing something together since he
was at Louis Vuitton; then it just
so happened when he was at Dior.”
We asked her where she can go
next, given the range of brands and
products she’s worked with already.
The designer refuses to be boxed
in by an answer. “Once you start
thinking strategically, it’s going to
be boring.”
She may have perfected the
art of collaboration, but that does
nothing to take away from her skills
as a designer. Having cut her teeth
at the avant-garde Rei Kawakubo’s
Comme des Garçons and later at
“Once you start
thinking strategically,
it’s going to be boring”
Junya Watanabe before starting her
own brand, Abe has consistently
proven her fresh perspective and
influence, slowly and steadily
bridging streetwear and high
fashion, and always staying true to
the utilitarian sensibility that has
made her one of the most prominent
Japanese designers of contemporary
fashion since her debut. “The most
important thing for the brand,
from the beginning, has been
to always start from something
familiar or archetypal, and to create
a completely new silhouette or
something unexpected,” she says.
This approach has been at the
forefront of the Sacai philosophy,
evidenced in her unique collage
of garment types, fabrics, cuts
and patterns, often summed up as
hybrid clothing.
For the latest spring-summer
2024 collection, Abe focused on
straightforward and simple pieces.
Drawing inspiration from circular
pattern cutting, she used everyday
fabrics including denim and shirting
to sculpt innovative cocoons and
balloon-esque silhouettes. Abe
combined camisoles and slip dresses
with outer coat/shirt components
for a relaxed yet elegant attitude.
“I was inspired by this phrase by
Auguste Rodin that we actually
had [printed on] some garments:
‘The more simple we are, the more
complete we become’,” she adds.
Many major brands struggle to
maintain a consistent aesthetic,
but Abe, who started her design
career in the late Nineties, doesn’t
feel that hers has changed at all,
even in the social media era. Instead
of approaching celebrities as
ambassadors, the Sacai social media
page is more about real people
and friends of the brand, which do
happen to include the megastar and
current creative director of Louis
Vuitton menswear Pharrell and
legendary actor Tony Leung, who
sport Sacai pieces in daily life. “We
work on social media now in a very
comfortable, very organic way. We
do understand it’s very important,”
says Abe, adding, however, that the
company makes content in a way
that is “true to ourselves”, and that
the support of its good friends is less
marketing than a natural result of
long-term friendship.
While she is very much the brains
behind the brand and its success,
Abe is keen to highlight those
beyond Sacai who helped grow its
global position. Sarah Andelman
of Colette, Paris’s premiere fashion
pitstop and home to many up-and-
coming designers, pushed Sacai
when there wasn’t a retail business
to expand in the early 2000s. “Sarah
told me that we need to expand into
the market, otherwise people will
start copying our products,” Abe
says. “The second [huge boost] is
when we were lucky enough to start
working with a stylist called Karl
Templer, who we still work with for
the runway shows. He brought us
a lot, including introducing us to
many talents.”
Abe considers the brand’s
biggest milestone of recent years
to be the community it has helped
build. “In the past five years, we
were able to make our team very
strong, not just within the company,
but [we are] also surrounded by
very supportive friends, people
who we work with daily [outside
the company], and very talented
friends like Pharrell or Kim Jones,”
she explains. The designer has been
discreet about discussing other
designers, but when we mention
Pharrell, who tends to “visit the
showroom and stay for hours with
his friends when he’s in Tokyo”, her
face lights up. “I feel that everybody
[I know] used to not be this famous
and then suddenly, everybody
became famous. But we’ve known
each other for a long time.”
Maybe the secret to keeping
on winning is what was written
in her spring-summer 2024 show
notes: “The underlying message
that underpins and forms the
foundation of Abe’s thinking?
Always, irrefutably, and forever,
‘Love is best.’” 99
The Louis Vuitton
Women’s Cruise
2024 collection
features looks
inspired by the
beautiful island
of Isola Bella and
the waters that

Botanical Odyssey
The French-Belgian fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière shares his
thoughts on the inspiration behind Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2024 collection
By Dwyane Yra Dinglasan
As the sun sets over Lake
Maggiore, casting its
golden hues upon Isola
Bella’s architectural
marvels, the fashion
world gathered to witness
a voyage from aquatic
realms to botanical
wonders—a narrative
of metamorphosis and
exquisite style.
Louis Vuitton unveiled
its Cruise 2024 collection
in a stunning fashion
show set against the
breathtaking Isola Bella,
an island nestled in the
embrace of Lake Maggiore,
Italy. With its timeless
charm and mysterious
gardens, the palace on
the water played host
to a transformative tale.
Nicolas Ghesquière,
the artistic director of
women’s collections at
Louis Vuitton, is the brains
behind the designs.
Ghesquière chose Italy,
a country rich in tradition
and culture, as the stage
for this groundbreaking
showcase. “There’s a
IMAGES COURTESY OF LOUIS VUITTON
genuine affinity with Italy,
which is as important as
France to fashion: we share
a powerful tradition and
culture,” he explains. With
its distinct architecture
and context, Isola Bella
became the perfect canvas.
“The paradoxical idea of a
Botanical Cruise intrigued
me! The Borromean
Islands, particularly
Isola Bella, came to mind
because I had heard
amazing stories about it.
The very suggestion of
the island is a journey, a
lake, a palace, gardens...
A fabulous destination,”
Ghesquière enthuses.
The collection evokes
a tale of transformation,
weaving together the
history and atmosphere
of Isola Bella. “Isola Bella
is a story unto itself. It
beckons more dreamlike
reflections. I see this
collection as a tale devoid
of nostalgia—a story of
anticipation. A kind of
archaeology of the future,”
Ghesquière reveals. The
narrative progresses
from aquatic to botanical,
exploring the mystical
connection between the
two realms.
Ghesquière describes the
collection as exploring the
juxtaposition between the
familiar and the remarkable.
Stating examples, he
reflects: “There’s a
metamorphosis from the
nautical to the baroque,
for example, in a jumpsuit
STYLE | FASHION INTERVIEW
with a diving-style top over
embroidered georgette
trousers—skirts in oversized
opalescent sequins. Silk
jacquard capes are like large
peignoirs embroidered with
water droplets. Leathers
resembling galuchat and
embroideries resembling
shells, conchs, or fish
scales…” The travel begins
with neoprene ensembles
and urban cuts reminiscent
of amphibious silhouettes,
evolving into an elaborate
finale with a distinct
brand interpretation of
evening dress.
The collection captures
the essence of change,
from scuba bralettes
and water stain prints to
opalescent sequin skirts
and embroidered capes.
Faun-like models adorned
with headdresses from a
Roman atelier seamlessly
transitioned from water to
land, donning dresses with
rigid draping and ultra-
fine jersey tops featuring
coloured silicone appliqués.
At the pinnacle
of the collection are
gravity-defying, bias-
cut evening dresses—a
new frontier for Louis
Vuitton. Ruched organza
and interlaced satin
strips create a spectacle
of ultra-romanticism,
resembling unreal flowers
from a once-in-a-
lifetime garden.
Also, Ghesquière
unveils a new monogram,
the Monogram Dune,
in a sandy hue on ecru
canvas, making its debut
on iconic Louis Vuitton
bags. The Randonnée bag,
a large sailor bag in various
colours of Epi leather,
makes a comeback, while
the looping introduces
the Monogram Dune.
“There’s what we call
‘Inside-Out Malletage’ in
trompe-l’oeil linen canvas,
which is, in fact, a leather
that creates a perfect
illusion and a process
we’ve been working on
for a long time. And we’re
also paying homage to the
Trianon canvas, which
was used to cover the first
Louis Vuitton trunks.”
Ghesquière speaks on the
additions to the collection.
Louis Vuitton’s Cruise
2024 Collection redefines
fashion and immerses us in
a narrative that transcends
time. With its rich history,
Isola Bella provides the
perfect stage for this
fashion odyssey—an event
destined to be etched in the
annals of luxury fashion. 101
Erika Janavi
headpiece Opposite
page: Laura
Andraschko dress,
Ferragamo trousers,
Max Mara shoes,
Dior necklace
Dulcie wears Louis
Shengtao Chen dress,
Christian Wijnants
trousers; Kat wears
Acne Studios top,
skirt, Lovestories
bralette Opposite page:
Dior tank top, Louis
Shengtao Chen shirt,
Versace jeans

105
 Freddie wears Kyle Ho
shirt, Closed trousers,
Loewe shoes; Alek
wears Cunnington &
Sanderson dress, Aeyde
shoes Opposite, from
left: Freddie wears
Sportmax shirt, Homme
Plissé Issey Miyake
trousers; Matthew wears
Kenzo outfit; Alek wears
Giambattista Valli outfit

106
Cunnington & Sanderson
T-shirt, Kenzo jacket,
Ferragamo trousers,
Christian Louboutin
boots, Versace necklace
Opposite, from
left: Matthew wears
Kimhekim dress as a
jacket; Alek wears Erika
Janavi corset, Issey
Miyake coat; Freddie
wears Kenzo jacket; Kat
wears Laura Andraschko
top, Erdem skirt, By
Malene Birger belt
109
Matthew wears Zegna
sweater; Jordan wears
Giorgio Armani coat;
Dulcie wears Max Mara
dress, Falke socks,
Jimmy Choo boots
112
Opposite page:
Louis Vuitton outfit
Louis Vuitton outfit

HAIR LARRY KING AT A-FRAME MAKE-UP WENDY TURNER AT FRANK SET DESIGN CHARLIE SPEAK MANICURE GEORGIA IVANOVA MODELS DULCIE AT PRESENT MODEL MANAGEMENT, JORDAN AT STORM MANAGEMENT, KAT AT CHAPTER MANAGEMENT, ALEK AT CHAPTER MANAGEMENT,
MATTHEW AT MILK MANAGEMENT, FREDDIE AT MODELS 1 PHOTO ASSISTANTS ARIEL MIHALY, JOEY PHILIPPE DALI, MARK SHIELDS STYLING ASSISTANT VARVARA BARTO HAIR ASSISTANT ZOE CLARK MAKE-UP ASSISTANT KAROLINA BARTNIK SET DESIGN ASSISTANT JOSHUA BASSEY
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ALEX AALTO AT AALTO PRODUCTION CASTING DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER MADARA BERGMANE AT AALTO PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER NANCY NGOBESE AT AALTO PRODUCTION
 STYLE | BEAUTY FEATURE
T
he grounding experience of touching the earth,
the satisfaction of harvesting ripe, succulent
tomatoes and citruses, and the lively hum of
bees in the atmosphere–these are the images
that Maison Margiela’s new perfume, From the Garden,
intends to conjure—and it does so, beautifully.
Created by the legendary perfumers Olivier Cresp
and his son, Sebastien, From the Garden is an uplifting,
gender-neutral fragrance that brings delightful sunny
days spent in the garden to mind. “The fizziness of
114 green Mandarins…We wanted to illustrate that burst
Fresh Notes
Father and son perfumer Olivier
and Sebastien Cresp reveal Maison
Margiela’s new fragrance that brings
back memories of sun-drenched
afternoons by the garden
By Maritess Garcia Reyes
of freshness. We picked the tomatoes from their
vines and then worked with tomato leaf accords and
blackcurrant. It is very distinctive. The green Mandarin
also gives a crisp and fresh side [to it],” says Sebastien.
The beautiful combination of tomato leaf accord and
IMAGES COURTESY OF RUSTAN’S
green Mandarin notes evokes a refreshing, juicy aroma,
while patchouli and geranium notes lend the perfume
a humid, earthy dimension. The juxtaposition of
freshness and these earthy elements results in a refined
fragrance that brings to mind cheerful childhood
memories of playing outdoors and running under the
The juxtaposition of freshness and
these earthy elements results in
a refined fragrance that brings to
mind cheerful childhood memories
of playing outdoors and running
around under the trees
trees. “This is an original idea submitted long ago, and This page: Sebastien
we worked [on it] for a year to give it a fresh, vegetal and Olivier Cresp, the
character,” adds Sebastien. talented perfumers
behind Maison
As From the Garden touches the skin, the citrus Margiela’s latest release,
woody perfume emits delightful top notes of green From the Garden
Opposite page: From
Mandarin, grapefruit, and blackcurrant accord. Once the Garden echoes a
this initial burst fades, a symphony of tomato leaf accord, symphony of citrusy and
earthy dimensions
geranium bourbon heart Madagascar and rose accord
kicks in. Finally, a harmonious combination of patchouli
Indonesia, Cristal moss and white musks lingers
throughout the day.
In creating this perfume, Olivier drew inspiration
from his childhood experiences, playing in the garden
with his father. The scent of the plants, the tactile
memories, and, later, the shared moments with his
son, Sebastien, all contributed to the creation of From
the Garden. The fragrance’s green and earthy notes
transport Olivier back to those cherished moments,
immersing him in the serene atmosphere of a sunlit,
verdant space.
Olivier, who has been working with the renowned
fragrance company Firmenich for 32 years, is a
legendary French perfumer known as one of the
brightest and most respected in the industry. Born in
Grasse, a French town famous for perfumery, he was
raised in a family with a rich heritage in fragrance. His
great-grandfather cultivated roses and jasmine, while
his grandfather traded natural ingredients. On the other
hand, Sebastien was exposed to the art of perfumery at
an early age, having witnessed his father work on some
of the world’s most iconic scents. This inspired him to
take the same path as his father and eventually establish
his reputation in the industry for creating impactful and
innovative fragrances.
“Sebastien and I have the same style. We both like
short formulas. [We are] very minimalist. We were two
brains working on one idea [in creating this fragrance].
It’s lots of pleasure and fun [working together as father
and son],” Olivier wraps up.
 Total Harmony
well-being amidst the demands of her busy routine
Navigating success in this fast-paced
world too often comes at the expense
of personal well-being. That said,
116
savvy entrepreneurs like Nikki Tang
underscore why this doesn’t have to
be the case. The founder and CEO
of DMark Beauty has mastered the
delicate balancing act of keeping a
healthy mind, body and home, all
while steering her thriving beauty
empire to greater heights.
“There was a defining moment
early in my career when the
pressure was relentless, and I
found my health taking a back
seat,” she recounts. This, plus
her two sons, served as a much-
needed wake-up call, shifting
her priorities as an established
businesswoman and devoted
mum. “It taught me that wellness
is the true wealth that fuels our
ambitions. Since then, I’ve seen
self-care as non-negotiable—
it’s the foundation that my
 “We have a selection of brands
that are not only about enhancing
beauty but also nurturing skin
health from the inside out”
productivity and creativity stand
upon,” she adds.
Her understanding of wellness
practices has likewise evolved, or
rather widened, over the years. In
light of her hands-on leadership
at DMark Beauty for 25 years
now, it comes as no surprise that
the company’s proud arsenal has
mirrored and shaped her views in
one way or another.
“In a beauty market teeming
with quick fixes, DMark Beauty’s
commitment to skin science stands
out,” Tang beams with pride,
detailing how their dermatologist-
recommended offerings deliver
enduring benefits and tackle the
root causes of most skin concerns.
She reports, “Each product line we
introduce is chosen for its science-
driven approach to skincare. We
have a selection of brands that are
not only about enhancing beauty
IMAGES COURTESY OF DMARK BEAUTY
but also nurturing skin health from
the inside out.”
Such is the case of NeoStrata’s
skin-active formulas, which
are designed to improve skin
texture and tone at a cellular
level. Another range that DMark
Beauty proudly carries is
Heliocare, which is known for its
comprehensive photoprotection
and is distinguished by its unique
antioxidant properties. Not to forget
a brand as popular as Bioderma,
whose gentle and effective
formulations are trusted worldwide.
Besides the fact that Tang
incorporates these products into
her personal regimen, she explains,
“These brands not only prioritise
skin barrier health—a crucial and
trending element in skincare—but
their products are also the result
of extensive, collaborative
scientific research.”
Rounding out her routine, Tang
also shares about another brand
that’s quickly become a staple in
her book: Puressentiel. Known
for its natural range of essential
oils, aromatherapy products and
purifying sprays for the home, this
French label is fully aligned with
Tang’s view on holistic wellness.
Ultimately, it is through these long-
term skin health solutions that DMark
Beauty empowers customers with the
means to achieve and maintain their
skin’s natural vitality.
Beyond skincare, the
accomplished entrepreneur’s
This page, from left:
Endocare Tensage
Cream; Endocare
Essential Gelcream
Opposite page,
clockwise: DMark
Beauty CEO Nikki
Tang; Neostrata Skin
Active Matrix Support;
Asclepion Quadrostar
Pro machine;
Heliocare Colour
Compact Oil-Free
SPF 50
well-orchestrated routine includes
a variety of nurturing activities,
such as journaling, regular exercise,
careful diet considerations and
ensuring extra rest by taking time
off work when needed. She also
highlights how surrounding herself
with positive, affirming people is
vital, and how even the act of being
mindful of the present helps her
stay in tune.
Describing how these and
more keep her grounded and
energised, Tang reinforces that
wellness transcends beyond being
free from sickness. “It’s more
about actively seeking growth and
embracing change, creating a life
that feeds the body, stimulates the
mind, and uplifts the soul,” she
states. “It’s the personal harmony
I strive for daily, ensuring that
each aspect of my being is cared
for and cherished. This balance is
my secret to not just surviving, but
thriving in both my personal life
and the competitive world
of business.”
Get started on your personal wellness
journey with DMark Beauty. Learn
more on dmarkbeauty.com 117
 MB&F Horological
Machine Nº11
Architect, aka
HM11 Architect

The HM11 Architect

seamlessly blurs
the boundaries
between architecture
and watchmaking.
Inspired by the post-
war architecture of
the 1960s, creator
Maximilian Büsser
envisaged a watch that
was not just worn but
lived in, mirroring the
organic, humanistic
designs of the era. A
central flying tourbillon,
reminiscent of a zygote
undergoing cell division,
forms the heart of
the watch, with four
symmetrical volumes
extending outwards,
creating the timepiece’s
four “rooms”. The
watch case rotates
on its foundations,
with each 45° rotation
delivering 72 minutes of
power, culminating in
a maximum autonomy
of 96 hours after 10
118 complete rotations.
 STYLE | WATCH TREND

Setting vintage vibes with a touch

of modern sophistication

Clockwise, from
above: Armin Strom
Tribute 1; Nivada
Grenchen Antarctic
35mm; Angelus
Chronodate
Titanium 119
 FREAK OUT
Ulysse Nardin’s Freak One OPS is a bold reinterpretation
of the classic Freak One, and was unveiled at Dubai Watch
Week this year. Its black DLC titanium casing aside, this
44mm timepiece is presented in a distinctive khaki green.
The watch’s innovative bezel is crafted from carbonium,
a lightweight, high-strength material sourced from
aircraft manufacturing offcuts, a move that reduces its
environmental footprint by 40 per cent. The watch’s open
face reveals the UN-240 Manufacture movement, with a
flying carousel that indicates the minutes; the oscillator
and balance spring are showcased in vibrant blue silicon,
a nod to the Freak’s innovative history. The watch comes
with two strap options, both featuring black DLC titanium
and black ceramic folding clasps, and composed of 30
per cent recycled rubber, further enhancing the brand’s
commitment to sustainability. The automatic movement
boasts a substantial 90-hour power reserve.
Ulysse Nardin One OPS

I AM TITANIUM
The new Pilot’s Watch
Performance Chronograph
41 is available in titanium
or IWC Schaffhausen’s
patented Ceratanium,
the latter a tribute to its
longstanding partnerships
with Mercedes-AMG
and the Mercedes-AMG
Petronas Formula One
Team. Key features include
a ceramic bezel with a
tachymeter scale, enabling
wearers to calculate average
speed, and a glossy black
dial with Super-LumiNova-
filled indices and numerals
for optimal visibility.
Powered by the in-house
manufactured 69385 calibre,
the watch is water-resistant
to 100m, making it a rugged
and reliable choice for those
with a high-octane lifestyle.
IWC Schaffhausen Pilot Watch
Performance Chronograph 41

IMAGES LAURENT XAVIER MOULIN (MB&F); LUBA DUDENKO (JACOB & CO)

INHERITANCE & Co timepieces. The

Jacob & Co has released
The World Is Yours Dual
Time Zone, a timepiece
inspired by a double
time zone watch given
to brand founder Jacob
Arabov at age 13 by his
father, Nison Arabov.
The watch sparked
Arabov Jr’s passion for
watchmaking and became
120 the inspiration for Jacob
new watch, a tribute to
the Arabov family legacy,
features two time zones
with independent hours
and minutes, a domed dial
depicting the Earth, and a
wind rose representing the
true north. It comes with a
blue alligator leather strap
and is limited to 999 pieces.
Jacob & Co The World Is Yours Dual
Time Zone
 STYLE | WATCH PICKS

ENTER THE DRAGON

Tag Heuer celebrates the Year of the Dragon
with two limited-edition watches, seamlessly
blending Chinese cultural richness with the
brand’s signature racing heritage. The watches,
made of rose gold and steel, honour the Chinese
dragon’s symbolism of power and success. The
steel version features a sunray-brushed silver dial,
while the rose gold version shines with an 18-carat
5N rose gold-plated, sunray-brushed dial; both
are accented with red lacquer. Unique elements
include a calligraphic dragon character at six
o’clock and a caseback design revealing a Chinese
dragon figure. Powered by the in-house calibre
Heuer 02, these watches offer 80-hour power
reserves, embodying the spirit of the Year of the
Dragon: power, luck and prosperity.
Tag Heuer 2024 Year of the Dragon

BEJEWELLED TIME
Hublot’s Classic Fusion
High Jewellery 42mm
is a showcase of the art
of gem-setting, with 431
baguette-cut diamonds,
weighing approximately 14.6
carats, adorning its case,
bezel, dial and clasp. It took
more than 200 hours to set
all the diamonds, including
120 hours solely for the 241
on the dial, an act which
underscores the brand’s
commitment to precision
and craftsmanship. The
42mm white gold case
houses the HUB1710 calibre,
which is visible through
sapphire glass and offers a
50-hour power reserve.
Hublot Classic Fusion High Jewellery
42mm

KEEPIN’ IT COOL
With a cushion-shaped
steel case and integrated
bracelet, H Moser & Cie
IMAGES FRANZ J VERZIN (MOSER); DENIS HAYOUN (HUBLOT)
staying true to Moser’s
signature aesthetic. The
watch is powered by the

expands its Streamliner manufacture’s first micro-

line with a small seconds
blue enamel variation that
distinguishes itself through
refined lines inspired by
the trains of the 1920s. Its
shimmering grand feu
enamel dial in aqua blue
boasts a unique hammered
texture and fumé effect. At
six o’clock is a lacquered
small seconds subdial,
rotor calibre, the HMC
500, with the partially
skeletonised movement
visible through the sapphire
caseback. Boasting a power
reserve of 74 hours, the
Streamliner is completed
with an integrated
steel bracelet.
H Moser & Cie Streamliner Small
Seconds Blue Enamel 121
 Tiffany & Co Jean
Schlumberger Bird on a
Rock necklace

Evoking the glamour

of old Hollywood,
Tiffany & Co’s Jean
Schlumberger
collection pays
homage to the famed
jewellery designer’s
most iconic pieces
for the brand; one
standout jewel from
the new high jewellery
showcase is the Bird
on a Rock necklace,
a contemporary take
on Schlumberger’s
original design that
debuted in the Sixties.
Worn by Tiffany brand
ambassador and
supermodel Rosie
Huntington-Whiteley,
the necklace features
a brilliant, oval-cut
morganite at the
centre, perched on
a platinum base.
The bird motifs have
beaks made of gold,
while their bodies are
accentuated with
122 white diamonds.
 STYLE | JEWELLERY TREND

Clockwise, from left:

De Beers Talisman high
jewellery cocktail ring with
blue-green diamonds;
Mason and Books emerald
ring; IVY New York x
Gemfields emerald and
diamond drop earrings;
Boochier Jewels Jumbo
Chrysoprase and pink
sapphire Slinkee Icon Ring

Start your year

on a deep-to-
apple-green note

123
 CROWNING GLORY
The quintessence of femininity is embodied in the
Philippines prized jewel, the golden South Sea pearl.
Delight in the radiant glow of La Mer en Majesté—as
seen in Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle
Marquez Dee—a collection that echoes seaside serenity
and exquisite beauty. Each piece in the collection
beckons to adorn its wearer in the finest regalia,
breathing life into a vision of grace and sophistication.
These precious pieces encapsulate the incandescence of
the Filipina beauty.
Jewelmer La Mer en Majesté collection

CELESTIAL BEAUTY techniques. The collection

Matrix Supernova, a
standout collection in
Swarovski’s Celebrate
Wonder campaign, is crafted
from clear crystals, so each
piece captures and refracts
light, showcasing Swarovski’s
light-manipulation
draws inspiration from the
raw, transformative energy
of a supernova; wear one
item alone, or layer several
pieces to manifest this same
electricity in your outfit.
Swarovski Matrix Supernova
collection

WE SAID YES
Winter brides, this one’s for you.
The HW Logo Diamond Collection
by Harry Winston manifests an
exquisite blend of tradition and
innovation. It uses the brand’s
initials as a structural element
in the designs, the letters
cradling round, brilliant-cut
centre stones, which in
turn are available in various
sizes across the range and
set in handcrafted platinum
settings. Notably, for those
who like added bling, the
one-carat engagement
ring comes with micropavé
diamond detailing.
Harry Winston HW Logo Diamond Collection
124

FLUTTERING HEARTS
The Graff Butterfly Silhouette Collection’s pink sapphire
pendant, set in 18-carat rose gold, is a poetic blend of
whimsy and craftsmanship. The house’s iconic butterfly
motif is adorned with pavé pink sapphires, which
gleam against their rose gold backdrop. This pendant
symbolises transformation and love, and is part of the
brand’s “I Wish” campaign.
Graff Butterfly Silhouette Collection
THE FIRE OF
SAPPHIRES
Brand ambassador
Priyanka Chopra Jonas,
dazzled in jewellery house
Bulgari’s high jewellery
necklace at the Mami
Mumbai film festival last
November. The platinum
piece features a 22.51 carat
antique Sri Lankan cushion
sapphire, a 3.08 carat
Malagasy cushion sapphire,
158 buff-top sapphires,
and pavé diamonds. To
complete the look, the actor
paired it with a Serpenti
Tubolari ring, which was
detailed with pear emeralds
and pavé diamonds.
Bulgari High Jewellery collection
sapphire necklace
STYLE | JEWELLERY PICKS
SMALL TALK
LUCA
BUCCELLATI
Buccellati’s special sales and
VIP client director shares its
experiences with changing
company ownership, from
the partial acquisition by
Chinese company Gansu
Gangtai in 2017 to the current
Richemont reign, as well as
the personal dynamics of a
family business
In 2017, Buccellati was bought
by the Chinese firm Gansu
Gangtai. What happened there?
The Gangtai group bought only
a part of the company. In the
first year, they helped open up a
lot of stores in China. But it was
difficult to deal with them: the
distance was a problem because
they [would] never come to Italy;
we would fly to Shanghai every
month. It was a short period, only
two years in the company’s 100-
year [history]. But thanks to them,
we [gained a lot of] experience
and they helped us.
How has your role changed
since Richemont has
taken over?
The Richemont group trusted the
[Buccellati] family a lot. So [there
were] big changes in investment
and they gave us the opportunity
to open a new [educational]
academy for people to come to
the company in order to make
the jewellery. So we have the
Buccellati Academy now, where
we are recruiting people. They
gave us the opportunity to grow in
a systematic way and in the right
way. They know luxury very well.
What is the family’s relationship
with Richemont like?
It was a matter of not only
[Richemont’s] putting in money,
but also trusting the brand. And
they were right, because this
year, we made 34 per cent more
revenue than last year.
What is dinner like around the
Buccellati family table?
We talk about football or
something easy, never business.
When we close the door of the
office, [business talk] is finished.
Family business is always
difficult. So, we decided that
we would talk about business
[only] when we are in the office.
Outside the office, I play golf with
Andrea [his paternal cousin and
Buccellati honorary chairman
and creative director] sometimes
and we never even mention the
company. No way. If you bring
work home, big mistake.
What are the pros and cons of
being in a family business?
What I like about the family
business is seeing my name
written there. Even after 30
years, when I see my name
there, I think “Wow”. What I don’t
like about it is that when I was
growing up in a family [business]
with my father, it was very tough
at the beginning. Looking back,
I’m happy because I’m a soldier.
What is the secret to success?
I always try to be myself. Be
simple, be humble. Talk to
people, because everyone is at
the same level. There are 350
people in my company, and
I know all of them. We go for
lunch together, dinner, we stay
together. I try to spend time
with them.
Did you have any alternate
career choices before you got
into the family business?
I love music. When I was 16, my
father bought me a gift: a small
drum. So the first [career choice
I had] was, I wanted to be a
drummer. I didn’t achieve that.
Second [option], I wanted to be a
painter. I didn’t achieve that. The
third one was to become who I
am today. But I still play in a band
every Thursday night.
Who do you go to for advice
whenever you face a problem
at work?
I go to church and pray—and I
find the answers sometimes. 125
 Graceful Allure
Explore Amanda Griffin Jacob’s graceful
world, where the serene elegance
of Jewelmer’s pearls mirrors her
harmonious and mindful lifestyle

A harmonious dance of nature

unfolds in the ocean’s depths, giving
birth to pearls, emblems of timeless
elegance and understated beauty.
This natural marvel resonates with
the life and style of Amanda Griffin
Jacob. Based in Singapore with her
husband David and their children,
Jacob exemplifies the grace and
sustainability inherent in these
oceanic treasures, reminiscent of
the refined creations of Jewelmer.
The existence of this International
Justice Mission ambassador,
Glam-O-Mamas founder and
fervent advocate for green living is
interwoven with the commitment
to environmental responsibility
and balance, reflecting the
essence of a pearl’s
profound allure.
Jacob shares the challenges
of balancing motherhood
and a professional career. “It’s
essential for me to make time
for self-care,” she emphasises,

126

underlining the significance of
PHOTOGRAPHY SELA GONZALES MAKEUP EMMAN MAGPANTAY HAIR PATTY INOJALES OUTFITS ROSA
finding equilibrium in her bustling
life. Her dedication to hot yoga, a
CLARÁ 2024 COLLECTION PRODUCTION DARA CLARIZA EVANGELISTA, JOHANNAH REGLOS
practice she finds both grounding
and rejuvenating, mirrors the
meticulous care and nurturing
that goes into cultivating
Jewelmer’s pearls.
Her eyes light up when she
speaks of her family. “They are my
foundation and joy,” she shares
with a warmth radiating genuine
affection. Her commitment to a
sustainable and balanced lifestyle
is a personal choice and a legacy
she wishes to pass on to her
children. Just as a Jewelmer pearl
carries the story of its origin, she
believes in instilling environmental
consciousness and well-being values
in her family. This helps in ensuring
that these pearls of wisdom are
cherished for generations.
Her preference for subtly elegant
pearls in fashion aligns with her
minimalist style, embodying a
timeless sophistication. This affinity
for the understated yet profound
beauty of pearls reflects the ethos
of Jewelmer, where each piece is a
testament to sustainable luxury.
Jacob highlights tranquillity and
well-being as crucial elements of
her lifestyle. For her, wearing pearls,
particularly those from Jewelmer,
is about embracing peace and
serenity, a state of mind that aligns
with her pursuit of a balanced and
harmonious life.
Jacob’s aspirations reflect a
journey of continuous self-discovery
and balance. Her enthusiasm
Clockwise from far
left: Amanda Griffin
Jacob wears the
Jewelmer Voile D’Or
necklace, earrings and
bracelet with the Les
Classiques ring; Jacob
wears the Petits Coeurs
pendant, earrings,
bracelet and ring;
Jacob wears the Les
Classiques opera strand
necklace and studs
for wellness-inspired travel and
diversifying her fitness routine,
including her cherished hot yoga
sessions, illustrate a commitment to
a lifestyle that harmonises energy,
elegance and mental well-being.
In Jacob, the elegance and
responsibility innate in nature’s
creations find a kindred spirit. Her
life story, paralleling the journey
of a Jewelmer pearl, stands as a
testament to the beauty of balance,
sustainability and timeless elegance.
Her narrative echoes an embrace of
well-being and dignity, a reminder
that true luxury lies in harmony
with nature, much like the serene
grace of Jewelmer’s pearls.
To learn more about Jewelmer, visit
their website at jewelmer.com 127
 IN PRINT, ONLINE AND DIGITAL
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED!

The Last Movie Star

P I O L O P A S C U A L

tatlerasia.com facebook.com/TatlerPhilippines @tatlerphilippines @tatlerasia

 Timeless
Treasures
Renowned jeweller Chow Tai Fook
presents a new diamond campaign
and collection in celebration of its
94-year legacy
The journey of this leading jeweller unfolds like a love
story, beginning with a fascination with the diamond’s
shine and a dream to unlock all its intricacies. Building
upon this vision, Chow Tai Fook proudly takes a
conscientious approach to its work. Directly procuring
natural roughs that meet international standards ensures
that each diamond’s supply is responsibly mined,
sustainable and of high quality. Through this, it has
successfully carved its place as a house of stone in the
jewellery world—a collector of earth’s rare treasures and
a creator of mesmerising works of art.
IMAGES COURTESY OF CHOW TAI FOOK
Clockwise:
“Dancing Lily” Collection
18c white gold diamond
necklace, earrings and
ring; “Dancing Lily”
Collection bracelet;
Chow Tai Fook’s
Beyond Time
diamond campaign
than embracing a theme as enduring as love? The brand’s
latest diamond campaign, Beyond Time, celebrates
the timeless jewel through a series of heartwarming
narratives. Marked by Chow Tai Fook’s signature red
colour, the four videos explore the motif in its distinct and
beautiful forms: self-love, friendship, family and romance.
These stories about the cherished bonds of modern-day
life reflect the essence of Chow Tai Fook’s diamonds,
exalting the connections that illuminate our lives.
The same theme takes centre stage in its prelude
to the campaign: a jewellery selection inspired by the
delicate form of the lily-of-the-valley flower. Made with
18c white gold and intricate polishing techniques, the
“Dancing Lily” Collection immortalises the splendour
of its floral muse and encapsulates the profound essence
of love and relationships. It features vibrant clusters of
diamonds, meticulously arranged and iridescent. Each
iteration symbolises purity and happiness as a blessing
of lasting love, making it a precious gift for loved ones on
special occasions.
Indeed, through its latest campaign and collection,
Chow Tai Fook reinforces one of its strongest beliefs:
that each diamond is a unique treasure of the earth and
that it should be given meaning by representing the
bonds close to people’s hearts. Much like the love they
represent and the perennial allure of its resplendent
jewels, this house of stone’s creations are genuinely
bound to last beyond time.
Visit the Chow Tai Fook boutiques at The Shoppes
at Solaire Resort, Entertainment City, 1 Aseana Avenue
Parañaque City, Manila and at NUSTAR Resort and
Casino, Cebu City. Learn more on chowtaifook.com. 129
HONG KONG TEAM VS INTER MIAMI CF
4 FEBRUARY 2024 | HONG KONG STADIUM

F I ND O U T M O R E

T
he yearning for
new travels and
experiences is at
an all-time high.
With fuelling passion,
many have dreamt and
wondered about an
adventure of undiscovered
spots. This wanderlust
has been the inspiration
behind Cartier’s Le Voyage
Recommencé. Their
artisans and designers
embarked on an expedition
into the heart of the
Maison’s style, exploring
new territories with each
article of high jewellery.
Their passion for the
world and its diverse
cultures is evident in this
fascinating collection.
The Dohara necklace
pays homage to traditional
Mughal jewellery, with
a reversible structure
adorned with diamonds,
white gold and rock crystals
on one side and an explosion
IMAGES COURTESY OF CARTIER
of lacquer elements in
Cartier’s emblematic
colours on the other. Six
professions from the high
jewellery workshops
collaborated for over a year
From top: The Pineas
necklace draws inspiration
from pine cones in this series
of faceted beads, with two
yellow briolette-cut diamonds
and two hexagonal Colombian
emeralds; Bailong Brooch
to bring this masterpiece
to life.
Jacqueline Karachi,
Director of High
Jewellery Creation at
Cartier, reveals the
philosophy guiding their
artisans. “Working with
lines, volumes, colour
palettes, inspiration
from nature and world
cultures... we explore so
many territories
to push the
boundaries of
creation and
discover new
horizons.
Like a
journey that
is repeated
over and
over again,
continually
drawing on the
inexhaustible sources of
Cartier inspiration.”
Venturing further,
Cartier explores the myths
of the Far East with the
Bailong, a dragon-inspired
work featuring a 30.11-carat
octagonal tourmaline and
yellow diamonds. The
balance between the upper
Wanderlust
Jewels
Explore the world-inspired wonders,
abstract foliage and precise geometrics
that define Cartier’s perpetual quest for
perfection with Le Voyage Recommencé
by Dwyane Yra Dinglasan
rounded lines and the
geometric diamond motifs
in the lower composition
showcases Cartier’s
commitment to precision
and style.
Avoiding clichés,
Cartier represents nature
in an abstract yet vibrant
manner. The Pineas
necklace draws insight
from plants, featuring
pavé rose gold scales, coral
or emerald details,
and a cascade of
uniquely cut
gems.
Geometry
and contrast,
two pillars
of Cartier’s
style, come
to life in the
Miraggio necklace. A
line of Ceylon sapphires
structures the piece,
with symmetrical grids
of sapphire, emerald
and graphic onyx details
creating a chromatic
feature known as the
“peacock motif ”. This
artwork is a harmonious
blend of geometry, optical
effects and volume.
STYLE | BRAND STORY
For Cartier, everything
revolves around the
purity of lines, the
balance of shapes, the
play of proportions and
the final harmony of the
entire piece. The Eximis
ring, featuring a 4.15-carat
yellow-brown Fancy
diamond, exemplifies this
vision. Triangular white
diamonds form a fractal
structure, emphasising
the brilliance of the
central diamond. The play
of light, powerful lines
and alternating facets
contribute to the intensity
of this Cartier creation.
Beyond artistic skill,
Cartier is committed to
responsible practices.
Through green practices
like the Watch & Jewellery
Initiative 2030, Cartier aims
to develop a sustainable,
climate-resilient industry
that conserves resources and
promotes inclusion.
Cartier invites us on Le
Voyage Recommencé in
every piece, a renewed
journey into the world
of craftsmanship and
responsible luxury. 131
Tipples overflow
at the 2023 Tatler
Ball Inset: David
Rockefeller in his
NYC office

Learn the history

PHOTOGRAPHY MEDAL ELEPANO (SPREAD); JEAN-CHRISTIAN BOURCART/GETTY IMAGES (INSET)

of the Ramon
Magsaysay
Awards
Foundation, a
look into the
rise of IVF in the
Philippines,
and we answer
the question:
Are grand
weddings back?
FEATURES | TATLER BALL

The Shangri-La The Fort

ballroom all dressed up for
the 2023 Tatler Ball
 All the stars seemed to align to
bring on our best Tatler Ball yet
By Irene Martel Francisco. Photography by Medal Elepano,
Ramon Mangila, Kevin Prudon, Ian Santos, Daniel Tan
 Clockwise: Around
300 guests came to the
Ball, all dressed to the
nines; Em Aglipay Villar
speaks about the Ball’s
beneficiary, Project
Inclusion Network; Hosts
Tim Yap and Stephanie
Zubiri pay tribute to
dear Tatler friends, Alex
Van Hagen and Maurice
Arcache; Anton San Diego
and Heart Evangelista
announce the three
Tatler Ball awardees

t is gratifying to reflect on our 22nd Anniversary

Tatler Ball, held last November 18, 2023, at the Grand
Ballroom of Shangri-La The Fort. To see months of
work and planning come to life so beautifully is both a
blessing and a silent cheer of joy.
This Tatler Ball, 300 people gathered for an
evening’s celebration to raise funds for an extremely
worthy cause. This is the magic number of guests; it
allows us to invite mindfully selected people and keep
to a number that can be considered exclusive.
There were a few changes this year to spice things
up. We used the ballroom foyer as the photo vignette
area and transferred our cocktails to the first one-
third of the function space. In this “Tatler Lounge”,
we featured a lovely large fountain adorned with lush
plants and flowers, a display area for our auction items
and comfortable sofas and armchairs grouped with
coffee tables and cocktail tables. One accessed the
inner dinner space by walking through the double
curtains we installed. All this was done so well by Cyndi
Fernandez-Beltran of Moss Manila. We got so many
favourable comments from guests on our new layout!
An initiative like ours is greatly helped by having
stellar partners. Our headline partner was Tiffany & Co,
136 the iconic jewellery house, which was a pleasure to work
This page: A peek into the
grand venue before the
banquet; Tatler Ball 2023
awardees Dolly de Leon,
Kenneth Cobonpue and
Maria Ressa
 Anticlockwise: Morissette
Amon serenades guests;
Irene Martel Francisco
and Dr Randy Francisco;
Overflowing cocktails
before the event; Cary
Santiago, Raf and Maybelle
Padillo, Anton San Diego,
Jennifer Viloria, Candice
Gotianuy, Mayenne
Carmona, Margie Lhuillier,
Carla and Chris McKowen;
Joel and Carla del Prado;
Mariquita Yeung, Elizabeth
Go, Marylou and Eric Ang

This Tatler Ball, 300 people

gathered for an evening’s
celebration to raise funds
for an extremely worthy cause
with. They had a very chic photo vignette in the foyer that
evening. Our Gold partner was Lexus, the automotive
powerhouse, plus we had ideal supporting partners in Belo,
Eluria, HSBC, Moet Hennessy, Shangri-La The Fort, and
Bacchus Epicerie.
Let’s talk about the cause we selected as our
beneficiary this year. Project Inclusion Network is
a non-profit organisation that aims to build a nation
where the potential of Persons with Disability is
realised. When Persons with Disability have access to
opportunities to participate and productively contribute
to their communities actively, we build an inclusive
and barrier-free Philippines. At the Ball with us were
its former chair, Em Aglipay Villar and board member,
Karen Davila. All our fundraising efforts at this Tatler
Ball would be for the Project Inclusion Network. The
donations are voluntary from our guests, plus what we
raise in our charity auction and Tatler’s cash donation.
One hundred per cent of all donations are made in the
beneficiary’s name and go entirely to them.
I am often asked how we plan the Ball and how long
before the date we prepare. It takes five to six months 141
Clockwise: Nico Bolzico, Norman Rene de Vera,
Dr Vicki Belo, Jojie Dingcong, Donny Pangilinan, Isabelle
Daza-Semblat, Pops Fernandez, Solenn Heussaff Bolzico,
Pia Wurtzbach, Anne Curtis-Smith and Erwann Heussaff;
Elizabeth Go, Margie Lhuillier, Candice Gotianun; Doris
Magsaysay Ho, Dr Vicki Belo; Mariana Zobel de Ayala
and AC Legarda; Korina Sanchez Roxas, Karen Davila, Pia
Wurtzbach, Carol Garcia, Alice Eduardo, Pops Fernandez,
Ana de Ocampo, Small Laude, Melba Eduardo Solidum;
Youri Agousti, Cory and Cesar Purisima; Patrick Jacinto,
Nedy Tantoco, Anton Huang Tantoco; Inno Sotto, Rep
Camille Villar-Genuino; Marion Branellec-De Guzman,
Jess Kienle Maxwell; Andrew Gan; Ana de Ocampo, Karlo
and Marga Nograles, Kaye and Freddie Tinga, Audrey and
Senator Miguel Zubiri, Sheila and Rep Mikee Romero
Anticlockwise: Marilu Batchelor, Linda Ley,
Rajo Laurel, Duday Tuason; Kim Atienza,
Dolly de Leon, Feli Atienza, Maria Ressa,
David Lim; Donny Pangilinan, Ben Wintle,
Jojie Dingcong, Ling Ling King, Anton San
Diego, Dr Vicki Belo, Iza Calzado-Wintle, Tim
Yap, Kathy and Michael Huang; Raymond
Rodriguez; Liza Soberano, James Reid; Junie
Peña, Marilu Batchelor, Anne Marie Saguil,
Julie Boschi, Bambina Olivares Opposite,
clockwise from top left: Cristalle Belo-Pitt,
Moritz Gastl, Raymond Gutierrez; Peter and
Denise Faulhaber; Brahim Drissi, Senator
Miguel Zubiri, Senator Chiz Escudero, Ivan
Yao; Tim Yap, Patrick Coard; Nick Sonderup,
Natalia and Sebastien Vilmot; Nikki Martel;
Marivic Vasquez, José Mari Treñas, Jonathan
Matti, Shirley Hiranand; Franco Laurel, Tina
Cuevas, Frannie Jacinto, Millet Mananquil,
Duday and Noel Tuason, Fe Rodriguez,
Robert and Monica Ewing, Neil Naughton
and Ambassador Laure Beaufils
This page: Heart Evangelista
and Senator Chiz Escudero
Opposite, clockwise from
top left: Mark Bumgarner,
Earl Rico Semitara; Patxi
Elizalde and Sofia Zobel
Elizalde; Jess Kienle Maxwell
and Jesse Maxwell; Antonio
Ressano and Rocio Olbes
Ressano; Raymond Racaza
and Liz Uy
of intense and confidential planning, with focus and
vision and much help from a few trusted members of
the Tatler team and a group of suppliers we have come
to rely upon through the last 22 years. It all starts with
an idea. What was the underlying theme this year? For
2023, we wanted it to have a slight Moroccan touch.
This was carried in the print we used for the invitation
envelopes, in our food at dinner as a design inspiration
for our decoration, and in our Ball booklets placed in
each guest’s place setting.
The programme started with my welcome remarks
as Tatler Philippines’ managing director. I shared
vital facts about the business, profusely thanked our
partners and introduced Project Inclusion Network.
As we write this, we are happy to say we raised PhP
17,310,000! This is beyond our goal of PhP 11,250,000
Clockwise: Christian
Gonzalez and Stephanie
Kienle Gonzalez; Paolo
Trillo and Rissa Mananquil
Trillo; Philip and Ching
Cruz; Amit and Pritha
Oberoi; Chris and Carla
McKowen; Donnie and
Crickette Tantoco; Kifu
Agousti and Patrick Coard;
Freddie and Kaye Tinga;
Nathalie Küpfer Henares
and Atom Henares
Clockwise: Melba
Eduardo Solidum, Alice
Eduardo; Mons Romulo;
Karen Davila; Tina Cuevas;
Roseanne de Pampelonne
Opposite, clockwise:
Maricris Zobel, Karen
Santos; Frannie Jacinto,
Millet Mananquil; Kathy
Huang; Jen Yalung
and is a testament to how powerful good intentions and
generosity can result in an outpouring of giving.
Tatler’s charity auction started mid-meal, where
five desirable auction lots were offered for public
bidding. Our fantastic auctioneers for the evening were
Tim Yap, Stephanie Zubiri and Small Laude. These
five lots were auctioned: a vibrant artwork by Raffy
Napay donated by Senator Mark Villar and wife, Em
Aglipay Villar; a four-night stay in Luxe Nomad’s The
Vale Rusutsu in Hokkaido; a Reversa One Monoface
Jaeger-LeCoultre ladies watch donated by Lucerne;
an Amanpulo Escape with Jewelmer that includes a
three-night stay in Amanpulo with a visit to the Pearl
Farm and a Jewelmer pendant; and another artwork
titled, Downfall Eclipse, by Jigger Cruz donated by
Léon Gallery.
After that energetic bidding, we featured the
excellent singer Morisette Amon, who gave us a tour
de force performance. Now it was time for our much-
anticipated Tatler Awards. Tatler Philippines EIC,
Anton San Diego and the beautiful Heart Evangelista
hosted this part of the programme. The three awards
were carefully chosen and only revealed on the night of
the Ball. Golden Globe-nominated actor Dolly de Leon
received the Arts and Culture Award for her influence
and indelible impact in defining culture through her
craft. Besides the award, de Leon received a stunning
Tiffany Knot, an 18-carat yellow gold ring. The second
awardee was the notable designer Kenneth Cobonpue,
who won the Impact Award for inspiring today’s
generation of artisans. He received an Elsa Peretti
Thumbprint Bowl in cobalt handmade, mouth-blown
Venetian glass from Tiffany & Co. Lastly, the award-
winning journalist and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa
was recognised as the 2023 Diamond Awardee for
leaving an indelible mark in the field of journalism. The
fearless journalist received a special gift from Hermès.
Can an event be called a Ball without dancing? I
think not. We had guests head to the dance floor to
experience the music by the master DJ, Manolet Dario.
With glasses of Moët & Chandon champagne passed
around plus cognac snifters of Hennessy XO, moving to
the music was effortless.
Our gorgeous flowers were done by Nina Garcia of
Majorelle Floral Design, who never disappoints. Many
thanks to Gigi Bautista and her team at GBA Events
Asia for helping us execute the evening flawlessly. So
that’s it for now, and we are already brimming with
ideas for next year’s Tatler Ball! We are deeply grateful
for the opportunity to help others and be part of an
endeavour that celebrates influence most positively.
Clockwise: Pia
Wurtzbach; Carla del
Prado; Sharyn Wong;
Chuchu Madrigal;
Isabel Martel Francisco
Opposite, clockwise from
top: Monica Dizon, Joanna
Preysler Francisco; Agnes
Huibonhoa, Sharmila
Hiranand, Ling Ling King;
Korina Sanchez Roxas;
Duday Tuason
 FEATURES | INSTITUTION

154
 A perforated mural at
the Ramon Magsaysay
Hall, depicting the
Foundation’s legacy

Following its 65th anniversary, we trace back the origins and

ethos of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation through the
lens of its president, Susanna Afan, and outgoing chairperson,
Aurelio Luis Montinola III By Mac Fabella
155
156
IMAGE JEAN-CHRISTIAN BOURCART/GETTY IMAGES (DAVID ROCKEFELLER)
 From left: The Ramon
Magsaysay Award
Foundation group on
their 50th anniversary;
David Rockefeller in
his office, March 2006

stablished in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay

Award Foundation (RMAF) was inaugurated
in the same year of its namesake’s
passing. Well-admired for his humility,
transformative leadership and passion
for justice, Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay
will always be remembered as more than the seventh
president of the Philippines—he was a champion of
the people in innumerable measures, his legacy and
administration hallowed to this day.
Among the late president’s many friends and close
witnesses around the globe were the Rockefeller
brothers of New York. Through their generous support,
the RMAF was organised in Manila with seven Filipinos
on its first board of trustees, pursuing the mission of
honouring Magsaysay’s memory and perpetuating his
example across the region.
This has now guided the institution for over six
decades. Since the inaugural Ramon Magsaysay
Awards were given on August 31, 1958, it has become
Asia’s premier prize and highest honour, transcending
time, borders and spheres of influence. The Award
has been conferred upon 348 outstanding individuals
and organisations spanning 22 countries and myriad
sectors of human development. The common thread
that binds them is what the RMAF calls “greatness of
spirit”, a unique and profound set of values driving 157
 their selfless dedication to advancing societies, the
continent and the world.
“I would like to believe that the enduring milestones
or achievements of an award-giving body like the
RMAF are the laureates themselves who are focused,
determined and relentless in their crusade and
advocacies to serve the peoples of Asia,” remarks
Susanna Afan, the foundation’s current president, in a
conversation with Tatler. She expounds further on the
institution’s longstanding goal: “Our first job is to find
and inspire people who, amidst all the bleakness in this
world, are beacons of light and hope for all of us.”
Affirming this is Aurelio Luis Montinola III (more
popularly known as Gigi Montinola among his peers),
who recently finished his tenure as chairperson on the
RMAF’s 65th anniversary. He calls this collective mission
a great source of pride for the organisation, adding: “While
a number of our awardees have become global icons after
receiving the award—such as the Dalai Lama, Mother
Teresa, Akira Kurosawa, Ela Bhatt and Muhammad
Yunus—all our 348 Magsaysay awardees have unique,
inspiring stories and have made significant impact in their
respective societies.” To Afan, Montinola, and many others,
this spirited selection is a perpetual catalyst that renews
their passion and optimism.
It helps that, amid ever-changing times, the
158 Foundation finds its role evolving, too. “At 65, we are
reinventing ourselves,” Afan beams. She says the RMAF
is recommitting itself to its laureates by becoming an
incubator of people and ideals. This bridge interconnects
them with one another to amplify many shared aspirations.
“We want to appeal to the next generation of Asian
leaders, and we want to let them know that there is a safe
space to discuss all kinds of issues: women’s rights, abuse,
healthcare, poverty, inequality, education and so on,” she
relays. “By doing so, we get to ignite further action.”
BREAKING NEW GROUND
Enthusiasm for this expanded role—undoubtedly
spurred by the Foundation’s embracing modern
IMAGES COURTESY OF RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARD FOUNDATION
technology and understanding its contemporary
audience—has facilitated many concurrent initiatives
and collaborations. Montinola names a few, beginning
with revitalising the Sixties-built Ramon Magsaysay
Centre and establishing a new Ramon Magsaysay
Transformative Leadership Institute (RMTLI) as
meeting points for their growing community.
“The Ramon Magsaysay Award is one of Asia’s
strongest heritage brands, and we need to introduce
the Award, with a much more Asian context, to a
broader and younger audience,” shares Montinola.
Notable efforts to achieve this include creating a
more diverse roster in the RMAF’s board of trustees

and arranging speaking engagements for past
Magsaysay laureates. The refresh of its libraries and
other physical venues also aligns with its vision to be
a potent connector, bridging not only like-minded
people but also the past and present to spark more
innovative solutions.
Afan highlights that their primary goal for this
65th anniversary is to reconnect with their Magsaysay
community. To celebrate their past and present
laureates, she and Montinola are happy to announce
the launching of a seven-volume book series, which is
fittingly titled Greatness of Spirit. Soon available in print
and online, each leafy volume will cover stories of love,
courage and service across Asia, as fervently captured by
the RMAF throughout its rich history.
“In revisiting the 348 stories of the Ramon
Magsaysay awardees, we saw that they responded
to the problems of their time. And with it, you can
see how Asia has evolved as a region,” muses Afan.
“On the flip end, it’s unfortunate that some past
generations’ problems persist. After 65 years, the
ways of addressing society’s problems have evolved.
But what is encouraging is that new heroes continue
to emerge! Greatness of spirit remains the same. So
it is easy for the Foundation to remain resolute in our
mission, simply because we know who we are down to
our core.”
From left: Dalai Lama,
recipient of 1959
Ramon Magsaysay
Award; Ramon
Magsaysay Centre;
The 2002 Ramon
Magsaysay Awardees
with former Philippine
President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo
Montinola says something similar: “Greatness of spirit
is timeless—this is what we have celebrated since 1958.
We hope to continue celebrating this in the decades to
come,” he remarks. “We hope to remain relevant as a
beacon of hope, of good news. I am confident that our
incoming board and the Foundation’s staff will continue
this tradition and remain stalwart stewards of this
greatness of spirit.”
The commemorative book series launches in
February 2024 in New Delhi, just as Magsaysay Week
kicks off in the capital city. Afan shares her dream of
having each volume translated into various languages
all over Asia, and for more books to come, that will cater
to every age. The RMAF president finally shares that
there is much to await from the RMAF’s expansion in the
coming years.
“When we conclude our 65th anniversary
celebrations in June 2024, we are laying the foundations
in preparation for the Award’s 100th anniversary. This
means expanding a lot of our work, creating avenues
for more cross-collaborations, strengthening our
research team and looking at more partnerships with
Asian institutions to know people on the ground [and
find future awardees],” she details. “I’m excited. The
Foundation is alive and well, and I hope we instil pride
in our being Asian, over and above bringing hope and
inspiration in the years ahead.”
FEATURES | HEALTH
 Is the Philippines a new go-to destination
for In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) in Southeast
Asia? Tatler takes a deep dive into this once-
controversial medical procedure to know
where we are now and what lies ahead
By Maritess Garcia Reyes
 O
nce a taboo, the topic of infertility—especially
assisted reproductive technologies such as in
vitro fertilisation, or IVF—has now become a
common subject, especially among couples
trying to conceive. Far from what it was like
discussing such a hushed issue three decades ago, the
world has become more open and more aware of this
science-mediated procedure of cultivating embryos
outside the human womb. Perhaps it also helped that
more people, including notable personalities, have made
their IVF journeys public.
Former US First Lady Michelle Obama, for instance,
wrote in her book Becoming how she and former President
Barack Obama turned to IVF when they realised
that at her age, her “biological clock is real” and that
“egg production is limited”. They now have two lovely
daughters, Malia and Sasha, conceived through IVF.
The Obamas aren’t the only big names who
162 underwent this fertility treatment. Friends stars
Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston also revealed
their respective experiences; and while Cox had
a successful delivery after a second try, Aniston’s
journey was challenging. Kourtney Kardashian also
documented her going in vitro with her husband,
Travis Barker, in the Hulu family reality series, The
Kardashians. Eventually, the American socialite
revealed her frozen embryos “did not survive the
thaw” and that they were “done with IVF”. Finally, in
November last year, they welcomed their son, Rocky
Thirteen, just when they “stopped trying”.
These stories show that IVF, or any infertility
treatment, may not be the solution for all, as everyone
has different circumstances and concerns as far as their
reproductive system and bodies are concerned. Still,
as the old adage goes, there’s no harm in trying. The
good news is that IVF and other assisted reproductive
technologies are now more accessible—both location-
wise and price-wise—almost anywhere in the world.

While the US and Russia remain some of the top
places for IVF procedures because of the legal measures
already in place there, many Asian countries, including
the Philippines, are keeping up. “We’re at par with the rest
[of Asia]. All the technologies they have are also here. We
see a lot of locals and foreigners coming to the Philippines
to undergo IVF and other related procedures,” says
Dr Debbie Guani Dy-Meguizo, head of the Center
for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Infertility
(CARMI) in St Luke’s Medical Center-Bonifacio Global
City. Dy-Meguizo adds that another draw is the reputation
of Filipinos for being compassionate; couples from other
countries are happy with the patient care they get here.
As the Philippines’ first and only hospital-based
IVF centre, CARMI uses facilities that are among the
most advanced in Asia. This means that patients do not
need to travel abroad to avail themselves of services
such as IVF, gamete intrafallopian transfer, in-vitro
maturation, surgical sperm retrieval, intracytoplasmic
“We’re at par
with the rest [of
Asia]. All the
technologies they
have are also
here”— DR DEBBIE
GUANI DY-MEGUIZO
sperm injection and embryo/gamete conservation.
Even the diagnostic tests that were once unavailable
in the country, such as the Anti-Mullerian Hormone
(AMH) testing for ovarian reserve and sperm DNA
Fragmentation Test, more popularly known as the
Halo Test, are now offered in CARMI. The list of
terminologies is quite overwhelming, but for those who
have been trying for many years and would do anything
to conceive, this list sparks a sliver of hope.
“In terms of results, of pregnancy rates, I would say we’re
at par. The chance of getting pregnant has its limitations,
whether in Singapore, the Philippines, or the US. We’re at
par with the global success rate,” says Dr Rudie Frederick
Mendiola, medical director at Kato Repro Biotech Center
(KRBC), the fifth IVF centre to open nationwide. As proof,
the success rates in KRBC and CARMI range from 53 per
cent to 55-60 per cent, respectively. These numbers are not
far from those of its Asian counterparts, such as Taiwan,
Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.
From one IVF centre established in 1996 by Dr Angela
Ho in Greenhills, the Philippines now has eight centres
in key cities outside Manila, such as Davao, Cebu,
Angeles City in Pampanga. “There are more IVF centres
that will open in the next year or two, and this will also
[help] lower the cost of IVF [in the country], so it would
be beneficial for everyone,” Dy-Meguizo says.
Another factor that draws patients to (or for locals
to stay in) the Philippines for IVF is its affordability.
Decades ago, one needed to shell out millions of pesos
for a cycle of IVF, making this procedure prohibitive,
especially for the middle and working class. Today, the
centres have tried to reduce costs without sacrificing
the quality of service and facilities. For instance, in
CARMI, an IVF cycle starts at PhP210,000, exclusive
of the cost of medications, which vary depending on
the stimulation protocol to be used and the bloodwork 163
 and laboratory tests needed before, during and after the
procedure. In KRBC, the price ranges from PhP350,000
to PhP450,000, all-inclusive. “Not all countries pay [or
subsidise the cost of ] infertility treatments. Like in the
Philippines, it’s all out of pocket,” says Mendiola.
The centre offers flexible terms to address this so
more patients can afford IVF. “We don’t charge the full
amount [up front]. It’s prorated. What we do, we charge.
Sometimes, the procedure is not successful in one go.
For example, we do a retrieval, we get several eggs, but
no embryos are formed. Then, we have to stop there and
start another cycle. So sometimes, the price can be a
little less or a little more,” he explains. Dy-Meguizo adds,
“Taiwan used to be one of our toughest competitors in
Asia because their prices are low. But now that we are
lowering our costs, only a few are going to Taiwan. That’s
an excellent sign. Once we have many centres here,
patients won’t need to go abroad anymore.”
The IVF approaches available in the Philippines are
also world-class and competitive. For example, those who
want to take a more conservative path can explore the
treatments KRBC offers. This IVF centre advocates
minimal stimulation IVF and natural cycle IVF
developed by the renowned Japanese reproductive
doctor Dr Osamu Kato. “We use Japanese technology
164 and follow 100 per cent the techniques Dr Kato taught us.
Usually, when you speak of IVF, the goal is to get as many
eggs as possible. The more eggs, the more chances that it
would be successful. The strategy there is to give you a lot
of hormones to stimulate your follicles to grow. At Kato
Ladies Clinic in Japan, they discovered that you don’t
need to give that many hormones to get a good result. So
in KRBC, we give less hormones,” shares Mendiola.
Other options available in the Philippines are
intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI, as well as the
more common embryo transfer. “When we talk about
IVF, we fertilise the egg outside the womb, outside the
uterus. We get the eggs first and place them in a petri
dish. We get the sperm and fertilise the egg within
the petri dish, either allowing it to undergo in vitro
fertilisation there, or we do ICSI or injecting the sperm
directly into the egg,” Dy-Meguizo explains the process.
Once the eggs are fertilised, they are cultured further
and monitored for embryo growth until the fifth day. “On
the fifth day, we have the option of freezing them [also
known as cryopreservation], or we do a biopsy to check
for the chromosomal condition of the embryo before
transfer,” Dy-Meguizo elaborates.
At pre-genetic testing, chromosomal abnormalities
can already be detected early. “It’s also good because, in
a sense, it would also minimise the risk for miscarriage,
or avoid the emotional trauma of the patient losing their
baby or of their baby having abnormalities when they do
get pregnant,” she adds.
Other than IVF, there is also a growing number of
centres offering and patients availing themselves of
cryopreservation of eggs and sperm in the Philippines.
“Right now, we get more than a 50 per cent increase
of patients, mostly single women, freezing their eggs.
This way, while they’re young, we can preserve their
healthier and better-quality eggs to be used when they
are ready to bear a child,” Dy-Meguizo says, adding that
freezing can also be done to preserve the eggs before
cancer patients undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Cryopreserved sperm, on the other hand, can be used in
intrauterine insemination (IUI), where they are injected
directly into the mother’s uterus to increase the chances
of conception.
However, bringing IVF to the Philippines was not
without a challenge, principally with the country
being predominantly Catholic. In a 2006 interview
for The Philippine Star, Dr Greg Pastorfide, one
of the pioneers of IVF in the country, said, “We
promised Cardinal Sin that our practice would be
only according to our religion. First, we will ensure
the patients will be husband and wife. Secondly, we
will recommend the procedure only to patients who
have exerted all other measures but did not become
pregnant. And thirdly, we tell them that in case of
multiple pregnancies [twins or triplets or more], we
won’t go into the process of foetal reduction.”
Though the IVF centres in the Philippines still
adhere to this promise, the fact that there are no
laws to protect all parties involved in the process
is a glaring limitation. There are also no clear laws
on surrogacy, so those who would like or need to
go this route have to go abroad. “The more lenient
system is in the US. They do allow donor sperm,
donor egg… They have surrogates. They have laws
about how many times a surrogate can carry a baby.
These surrogates are taken care of in surrogate
houses. Once the baby’s born, the birth certificate is
under the biological parent’s name, which is clearer.
Laws protect all parties. In the Philippines, whoever
delivers the baby is considered the biological mother,”
Dy-Meguizo expounds. “We don’t have laws to protect
the real biological parents who own the egg and sperm
as well as to protect the surrogate. That’s the problem.
So we refer them outside the country.”
While there are still some limitations and variables
in the IVF scene in the Philippines, we cannot discount
the fact that it has come a long way. And, for couples who
have been trying to conceive, this development means
not only hope but a risk worth taking. 165
FEATURES | DOCUMENTARY

Broadcast journalist and producer

Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala recalls
the arduous journey behind the
making of Delikado and shares her
experience and challenges
in making the movie
By Franz Sorilla IV
 From top: Limestone cliffs
and lagoons near El Nido,
Palawan; Kara Magsanoc-
Alikpala Opposite page: A
fence made of confiscated
chainsaws and barbed
wire at PNNI headquarters,
Puerto Princesa, Palawan,
April 2018

eyond the spellbinding beauty of

Palawan, deemed the “last ecological
frontier”, behind its lush forests,
powdery white-sand beaches, crystal-
clear lagoons, and thriving biodiversity
is a struggle unbeknownst to many. It
is not only a danger towards the lives of
Bobby Chan, Tata Balladares, Nieves
Rosento and the rest of the environmental crusaders
who go toe-to-toe with illegal loggers, unscrupulous
fishermen, greedy corporations and corrupt politicians
but a fight to save our country from ecological
degradation and enduring human rights abuses.
Delikado, an investigative documentary produced by
Thoughtful Robot and Narravi Films, is a co-production
of ITVS and POV/American Documentary and
distributed by PBS. In 2023, it was nominated for the
44th News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Although
it lost the Outstanding Investigative Documentary
award to HBO Max’s Escape from Kabul, producer Kara
Magsanoc-Alikpala, who helmed the project, says, “It
never felt that way.”
The film project’s beginning goes back to the
2011 tourism piece assignment of Delikado’s writer
and director, Karl Malakunas. It was supposed to
be a collaboration with broadcast journalist and
environmental activist Gerry Ortega.
“The story never happened because of Gerry’s death
due to his anti-mining and anti-corruption crusade,”
Magsanoc-Alikpala says. “Karl investigated his murder
From top: Bacuit Bay in
El Nido, Palawan; A tree
in Palawan’s rainforest;
Tata Balladares and other
para-enforcers rest at
a vacated logging site
while searching for illegal
loggers, Taytay, Palawan,
September 2017 Opposite
page: Adelita Arzaga
comforts her youngest
daughter at the funeral
for her husband, para-
enforcer “Kap”Ruben
Arzaga, El Nido, Palawan,
September 2017

and, along the way, met the land defenders we featured

in the film.”
The film follows Chan, an environmental lawyer;
Balladares, a farmer and former para-enforcer who
apprehends illegal loggers and fishermen; and former
El Nido Mayor Nieves Cabunalda Rosento. Together,
they risk their lives to prevent politicians and business
people from destroying Palawan.
The enduring struggle highlighted in the
documentary also resonates with the conflicts in local
communities in Brazil, Cambodia, the Democratic
Republic of Congo and other parts of the world. The
thread that binds them is the greediness of giant
capitalist corporations and the collaboration and
accountability of certain governments to these crimes
against nature.
Global Witness in 2018 reported the Philippines had
“the highest number of killings of land and environmental
defenders”. When asked what sparked them to produce
this documentary, the Delikado producer answers, “We
hope to help change this narrative.”
Because of the film, Magsanoc-Alikpala has come to
admire the people featured in this documentary, who
bravely face libel, death threats and constant harassment
from influential people in business and politics. “What
they do seems ordinary and routinary to them. But from
where I stand, what they do daily to protect Palawan as
the country’s last frontier is heroic.”
Malakunas travelled back and forth Palawan to shoot
the film, sometimes using an amateur camera. The actual
filming began in 2017 and wrapped up in 2019. Among
168 the challenges they faced was the terrain, as the filming
“The stories of the ordinary Filipino
need to be seen and heard, or we will
be a nation built on lies and illusion”
— KARA MAGSANOC-ALIKPALA
team’s stamina was no match for the agility of the land
defenders, travelling only in flip-flops and with little
to no supply of food and water. The risk of encountering
illegal loggers with high-powered firearms was another.
Additionally, the lockdowns during the pandemic slowed
their editing process, as the team had to coordinate from
different time zones.
Magsanoc-Alikpala further quotes a leader of the
Tagbanua community from the film, who says that for
them, “the earth is their parent. They consider the earth
a family and a community member and will do what it
takes to protect it”.
When the Emmys announced its nominees on
July 28, 2023, Malakunas, currently based in Hong
Kong, immediately texted Magsanoc-Alikpala. The
latter rose from her bed past midnight, stunned and
in total disbelief, feelings that exist even today. With
genuine joy, she rushed to share the news with her
husband, daughter and father. She also dedicated the
film’s nomination to her mother, the journalist Letty
Jimenez-Magsanoc, who passed away in 2015, and told
Tatler it was already a win for her.
The following day, the producer shared the good
news with the team behind the film and its protagonists.
“They were happy for the recognition of our efforts
at storytelling, but more importantly, they hope the
nomination could bring more attention and support to
environmental defenders who risk their lives and the
future of their families to protect the environment.”
Magsanoc-Alikpala shared that attending the
Emmys last September 27 was like an out-of-body
experience, a feeling shared by Syjuco, Collins, 169
From top: Delikado producers Marty Syjuco,
Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala, Michael Collins, and
Karl Malakunas grace the Emmy’s at Palladium
Times Square in New York; Tata Balladares and
other para-enforcers sit around a campfire while
on a chainsaw confiscation mission in Taytay,
Palawan Opposite page: An area of logged
forest in Narra, Palawan, April 2018
PHOTOGRAPHY KARL MALAKUNAS AND DELIKADO LLC (FILM STILLS); COLLEEN STURTEVANT / AMDOC 2023 (EMMY AWARDS)
Malakunas and the other production team members.
It was a chance to celebrate the hard work each has
put into the project and the impact it has created, says
Magsanoc-Alikpala. Malakunas, after the ceremonies,
gathered the Delikado team to share his gratitude for
the passion and dedication of each involved and for
the people of Palawan who continue to fight for their
lives to save their paradise.
“We stay committed to helping them as we roll out
our impact campaign in the Philippines and abroad,”
Magsanoc-Alikpala says.
As an esteemed broadcast journalist, cancer patient
advocate, and producer of this compelling documentary,
Magsanoc-Alikpala continues to find ways to educate
and invite Filipino audiences to support Philippine
documentary filmmaking, especially those that exorcise
social justice and other themes no one dares to tackle.
“The stories of the ordinary Filipino need to be seen and
heard, or we will be a nation built on lies and illusion,” says
Magsanoc-Alikpala. “We believe in telling the truth, citing
facts, diversity in opinions, debate and discussion.”
She has discovered the vast powers of her vocation,
storytelling, through the years, from opening up
minds to bringing down authoritarianism. For fellow
investigative journalists, Magsanoc-Alikpala advises,
“Choose the path that you love. Pick the path where
you can make the most impact and make a difference
in the life of even one person or family. The road
can get bumpy, but if you love what you do, stay the
course because, in time, you will find yourself back
on track. And you get stronger as you power through
each bump. Always choose the right and just side, no
matter the temptation to cross the line. When you
have truth on your side, you will never fear any risk,
danger, libel suit or death threat.”
Delikado (2022) was produced by Felt Films, ITVS
International, Naked Edge Films, Narravi Films,
POV/American Documentary, and Thoughtful Robot
Productions, in association with Bertha Foundation,
Doc Society Climate Story Fund, SFFilm, Sundance
Institute, TIME Studios and Vulcan Productions.
Executive producers include Jody Allen, Suparina
Bhasin, Jim Butterworth, Daniel J Chalfen, James
Costa, Erika Dilday, Sally Jo Fifer, Beadie Finzi,
Alexandra Johnes, Ali Marsh, Laura Nix, Shanida
Scotland, Rebecca Teitel, and Chris White. 171
FEATURES | CELEBRATIONS

Being an occasion to be immortalised,

weddings are back with a vengeance, and
they are more expensive and grand than ever
By Chit L Lijauco and Angela Nicole Guiral
 he champagne fountain at the
40th wedding anniversary of
Eugenio and Pacita Lopez, which
scandalised Manila society in
1968 for its extravagance, is
now nothing compared to the
lavishness of today’s weddings. One hundred
long-stemmed flowers from around the world,
an international band flew in to provide
entertainment, fireworks costing PhP2.5
million and PhP10 million bridal gowns.
The list is getting staggeringly longer and
glaringly excessive, as though the race were
on to break another Guinness world record.
“When it comes to weddings, I believe
that even the most frugal couples will spend
IMAGES COURTESY OF NICE PRINT PHOTOGRAPHY AND METRO PHOTO
more than they plan to,” attests Gideon
Hermosa, top floral and events designer.
“A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event in
a person’s life, a testament of true love and
devotion.” With digital and social media, he
adds, more and more ideas are coming out,
tickling any couple’s fancy.
Hermosa will never forget one such
over-the-top wedding wherein he recreated
several destination spots in Singapore that
are memorable to his clients on an empty
lot in Vietnam. “I felt like an architect,
building replicas of the Gardens by the Bay,
the Peranakan houses and the National
Museum,” he remarks. He did such excellent This page: Nice Print
Photography shares
job that the structures were left for the locals that weddings are a
to enjoy after the wedding. once-in-a-lifetime
event. Filipinos are
Why spend millions for a one-day event? sentimental and love
The responses find a common ground in gatherings, like their
clients, Alvin and Almae
precisely the pricelessness of that one day. Francisco Opposite
“Weddings are all about creating special page: A majestic
wedding reception in
memories,” says Rajo Laurel, a top fashion Vietnam, also shot by
designer. “It is a life highlight, and one would Nice Print Photography
want to make it as meaningful as possible.”
Alodia Gosiengfiao and Christopher
Quimbo, whose wedding early last year
can still compete to being the most lavish,
couldn’t agree more. “We considered having
an intimate wedding at first, but in the end,
we decided on a grand one to share the
experience with more friends and family,”
says Quimbo.
Let’s look at some research-based data,
however. In her commissioned book
Cinderella Dreams: The Allure of the Lavish
Wedding, co-authored with Elizabeth
Pleck of the Department of History at the
University of Illinois, Cele Otnes delved
into the question of why “weddings arguably
have become the most economically and
sociologically significant rites in cultures
that embrace an ethic of consumption,
both for consumers and the businesses
that comprise the wedding industry”. Her 173
 This page: Alodia
Gosiengfiao and
Christopher Quimbo at
their wedding reception
at the Grand Ballroom of
Manila Marriott Hotel
Opposite page:
An enchanting world
where flowers and
lanterns burst out from
all over the venue

findings corroborated unvalidated responses

“A wedding is a once-
to why splurge on weddings.
Otnes first mentions that previous studies
on the subject yielded a few results, the most

in-a-lifetime event
popular of which is that “lavish weddings
are primarily ways for families to either
communicate their current social prestige or

in a person’s life, a
to attempt to elevate their social status”.
Cinderella Dreams adds four more to this.
“1. Weddings are celebrations both of love

testament of true
of consumption and the consumption goods
specifically…such as luxurious food, drink,
attire and travel [Illouz, 1997];
“2. Weddings [as well as engagements

love and devotion” and honeymoons] allow consumers to inject

magic into their lives [see Belk, 1991].
“3. A wedding allows us to participate in a
ritual that ‘freezes time’ [Gillis, 1996] and to
— GIDEON HERMOSA remember ourselves through photographs,
videos and other memory-capturing
artefacts as youthful, beautiful celebrities
within our social circle.
“4. Weddings enable us to strive to achieve
174 perfection in a consumption event. The
175
 ethic that may lead many consumers to buy
used cars or homes or take a vacation at a
local lake resort rather than a trip to Europe
is typically tossed out of the window when
a wedding is planned. This is because the
complex of businesses that profit from lavish
weddings has successfully reconceptualised
the lavish wedding not just as a rite, but also
as a right for citizens in consumer cultures.”
Rightly or wrongly, these researchers
look at lavish weddings from a commercial
point of view. Most couples, however, start
with simply wishing to freeze the day for the
memories it holds. Since the wedding is a
milestone they intend to share and revisit,
it merely stands to reason that every detail
should go smoothly. With this goal in mind,
the checklist quickly grows, spurred on by
the network of businesses promising the
wedding of their dreams.
The wedding of Rambo Nuñez and Maja
Salvador in July this year is a case in point.
“We wanted an intimate wedding from the
176 get-go”, declares Nuñez, “but I guess our desire
to give ourselves, our families and our guests This page: A reception hall
in full bloom for a coastal
an occasion that will always be remembered wedding in Subic shot by
elevated it to what many can call grand.” Nice Print Photography
Opposite, from top: Floral
Ultimately, Nuñez realised it was not choosing extravaganza make this
between intimate and grand but creating an this wedding reception in
Vietnam stand out;
unforgettable memory. Flowers signify fertility,
Indeed, a wedding that is still remembered love and a new beginning
for the newlyweds
and discussed is that of Drs Vicki Belo and
Hayden Kho, Jr on September 2, 2017, in Paris.
The fairy-tale wedding of the century, as many
called it, reportedly cost around PhP80 million.
The main wedding reception was at the
Palais Garnier, a 1,979-seat opera house at
the Place de l’Opéra, a symbol of Paris like
Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre, and
known for being the setting for The Phantom
of the Opera. To hold the reception on the
second floor, the entire opera house—which
has, besides the auditorium, four salons
and two foyers, two Rotonde, one grand
staircase, a museum-library and several
rehearsal studios—had to be closed down.
A pre-wedding welcome dinner aboard a
yacht that cruised the River Seine was also
held. Both receptions were catered by Potel
et Chabot, described as “one of the world’s
most prestigious caterers” by the Cannes-
based events company luxury-wedding.com.
The list of must-haves can be mile-long.
Hermosa cites what is on top of the list:
Decor, food, bridal gown. “These three are
the top non-negotiables that couples spend
on,” he says. Other details enter the picture,
depending on the couple’s preferences,
adding to the tab.
But at the end of the day, all the
decorations will be taken down, the food
and drinks consumed, the bridal gown
and groom’s tuxedo tucked away in their
respective boxes. All that will remain
are photographs and videos of an event
whose moments cannot be brought back or
re-enacted. This renders the value of the
occasion priceless; thus, it can never be
justifiably measured as intimate or grand,
simple or lavish. Just memorable. 177
 FEATURES | TRAVEL

One of the villas

offered at Odin
Hills, a 16-hectare
private residential
village in Niseko
Niseko, Japan’s premium ski resort town, is undergoing
a luxury development boom. We speak to some key
players about the region’s allure and its growing
popularity as a year-round destination By Coco Marett

179
 “E
very continent in the world has a signature
ski destination for the ultra-high-net-worth
guest. In Asia, that will be Niseko,” says
Michael Chen, co-CEO and founder of
HakuLife, which manages luxury properties and curates
exclusive experiences for the elite who visit the town.
He’s also the developer of award-winning properties
Hakuchōzan and HakuVillas.
Chen first visited Niseko in 2010 with his three
children. “It was my first holiday with them as a single
dad,” he says. “We fell in love with the place, and
continued to visit Niseko at least once or twice a year
after that.”
During one of those visits, with an hour to kill before
heading to the airport, Chen asked a friend who worked
in real estate to drive him around. “He showed me a piece
of land, and I made an offer on the spot. By the time I got
to the airport, I received a message that the seller had
accepted my offer,” says Chen, who was based in Hong
Kong at the time. “I always wanted to have a family home,
and I thought, what if I build a home in Niseko? Even if
we won’t be there all the time, it’s a place where we can
build years of memories.”
It was here that he built Hakuchōzan, a seven-
bedroom chalet on the Middle Hirafu Village bluff with
spectacular views of Mount Yotei. “I designed the home
functionally for my family. We love to entertain, and we
love having multiple spaces to relax, like onsen or by a
180 fireplace,” says Chen, who had previously spent 15 years
in the integrated resort business with brands including
Caesars and Crown Resorts. “I spent a large part of
my career serving ultra-high-net-worth partners and
clients, and I was confident that the market was there.
So I took a risk, and went to market with a catered chalet
experience, similar to those in Europe, that included
butlers, private chefs, chauffeurs—a high level of
hospitality and curation,” he says. “Back in 2016, Niseko
didn’t really have that.”
In fact, until just a few years ago, Niseko was a popular
destination among Australian backpackers. So when
Chen rented out Hakuchōzan at US$12,000 per night,
booking out for the season, it shocked the market.
He then went on to build HakuVillas, a seven-storey
building comprising four residential units, including a
three-storey, eight-bedroom Super Penthouse that rents
for a cool US$30,000 per night. “It’s our most popular
product,” says Chen.
The appetite for luxury in Niseko is growing. In 2020,
Ritz-Carlton opened the slick Higashiyama Niseko
Village under its ultra-luxe Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand.
That same year, Richard Li, the second son of Hong
Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, opened the Park Hyatt
Niseko in the pristine heart of Niseko’s Hanazono area.
Other big names following suit include Hong Kong-
based Rosewood Hotel Group, which is set to open
New World La Plume Niseko Resort in 2024, while
even Aman has announced that it will open a Niseko
property in 2027. “The class of folks who go to Aspen and
Courchevel are coming here now, and the reason there’s
so much interest and investment in Niseko is because
everyone recognises this is and will be that place [in
Asia],” says Chen.
That Niseko is poised to be the Aspen, St Moritz
or Courchevel of Asia is a popular sentiment—and for
the sake of having a bar to compare it to, sure—but
those leading its luxury transformation are confident
that Niseko will stand in a league of its own: one that is
uniquely Japanese, especially when it comes to après-ski
indulgences. Think soothing soaks in onsen, the natural
hot springs that abound across the country, and dining
that showcases Hokkaido’s exceptional produce.
“The unique blend of Japanese and international
flavours [in Niseko] creates a gastronomic
experience like no other, from the freshest sushi to
rich, comforting ramen,” says Mark Yeoh, executive
director of Malaysia-based YTL Corporation’s
hotels and resorts division, which oversees some
of Niseko’s most coveted high-end properties,
including Higashiyama Niseko Village, Kasara Niseko
Townhouse, Hinode Hills and Hilton Niseko Village.
“When it comes to local produce, it’s as fresh as it
gets. Beyond the food, the cultural scene in Niseko
is captivating. I love how seamlessly the traditional
customs blend with the modern way of life. The year-
round cultural events feature traditional music, dance
performances and local crafts, providing a window
into Japan’s rich heritage.”
Outside of its collection of five-star hotels, YTL is
expanding the cultural offerings available in Niseko
with the opening of an outpost of Mandala Club, an
exclusive private members’ club based in Singapore, for
the winter season which started on December 8 and runs
until March 31. “We are premiering an extraordinary
two-storey, ski-in, ski-out clubhouse right in the heart
of Niseko Village, which will set the stage for a dynamic
dining and cocktail scene,” says Yeoh of Mandala Club
Niseko, where the drinks programme will be led by
Elliot Faber, certified Sake Samurai—the highest sake
expert distinction—and co-founder of Sake Central in
Hong Kong.
And of course, there’s the snow. Nicknamed Japow—
an abbreviation for “Japan powder”—by avid skiers and
snowboarders, the snow in Hokkaido is legendary the
world over for its soft, powder-like texture. “There’s just
nothing like it,” says Chen. “Not to mention, there’s so
much terrain for people to enjoy beyond the main slopes
and pistes. If you’re willing to go off-piste, there’s a huge
variety of options, including backcountry and nearby hill
experiences you can get to by cat ski or snowmobile.”
Since Chen’s Hakuchōzan and HakuVillas paved
the way, luxury accommodation has sprouted like
wildflowers across the region. Odin Hills, a 16-hectare
private residential village, known for its Nordic-
Japanese design sensibility, recently announced the
launch of its second phase of development. Partnering
with Pritzker-prize winning architect Shigeru Ban, it
This page: Soothing
elements of wood
in the sitting room
at Hakuchōzan,
overlooking the private
onsen Opposite page:
Hakuchōzan, a seven-
bedroom chalet on the
Middle Hirafu Village bluff
 Clockwise, from top: The
private rooftop onsen at
HakuVilla’s Super Penthouse;
Park Hyatt in the pristine
heart of Niseko’s Hanazono
area; Enjoy a book by the
crackling fireplace at Odin
Hills; HakuVillas is a perfect
place to rest after a day on
the slopes Opposite page:
Park Hyatt Niseko was
opened by Richard Li,
son of Hong Kong billionaire
Li Ka-shing

182
 will expand its exclusive hillside community to offer a
new collection of alpine chalets.
The Luxe Nomad, a property management company
and booking platform featuring thousands of high-end
villas in 33 destinations around the world, recently
became a majority shareholder of Niseko’s largest luxury
property management company, Nisade. “Through
Nisade, we now have 13 buildings, three chalets
and approximately 900 rooms under our exclusive
management,” says The Luxe Nomad founder Stephanie
Chai, who is currently based in Singapore.
One of those buildings is the recently opened Niseko
Kyo, the passion project of Malaysian real estate mogul
Robert Tan, the group CEO of property developer IGB
Berhad which is behind Kuala Lumpur’s Mid Valley City.
Niseko Kyo provides its guests with direct access
to the coveted Ace Family Quad Lift, and is the first
ski-in, ski-out development with onsen baths in every
apartment.The six-storey condo houses 22 luxury
residences, including a 3,200 sq ft, six-bedroom
penthouse that takes over the top floor and rents for
US$20,000 per night during peak season.
IMAGES PETER BENNETTS (PARK HYATT)
“All of our properties are designed to embrace
every season of the year,” says Chai. “They are heated
and well insulated for winter, and for summer, open
windows provide fresh mountain air. As Niseko
has become better known, we have seen increased
visitation during summer.”
Indeed, while Niseko’s popularity may have been
born from its reputation as a dreamy winter destination.
Developers, chalet owners and local businesses have
been pleasantly surprised with the growing number of
visitors flocking to the town year-round, be it in spring
to marvel at the cherry blossoms that cover the region
in a blanket of pink, or in summer to take advantage
of Niseko’s temperate climate, landscapes that look
like something out of a Studio Ghibli movie and an
abundance of nature-focused activities.
“When the green season rolls around, Niseko
transforms into a lush landscape as the place comes
alive with vibrant colours,” says Yeoh. “From fly-fishing
in crystal-clear streams and hiking through pristine
forests, to teeing off on not one but two 18-hole golf
courses, including the award-winning Arnold Palmer
designed golf course—it’s a paradise for nature lovers
and adventure seekers. There’s something magical about
exploring the mountains when they’re dressed in green.”
“Summers here are really incredible,” says Chen,
adding that his favourite summer activities in Niseko
include hiking and fruit picking.
Another way to entice visitors, Chen says, is through
their stomachs. Last summer, he and his HakuVillas
team invited three world-class chefs to prepare an
exclusive series of private dining experiences for a
billionaire client visiting from the United States—the
roster included chef Yoshihiro Narisawa of Tokyo’s two-
Michelin-starred restaurant Les Créations de Narisawa.
“It was a hit, and we’re working on next year’s version
now,” Chen says. “Our mission is to create sensational
memories for our guests all year round.” 183
 FEATURES | TRAVEL

THE ART
OF REVIVAL
From a five-star escape where
Elizabeth Taylor brought all of her
husbands to a former monastery
ransacked by pirates before
becoming Portofino’s most coveted
address, these historic hotels in
Europe have recently undergone
spectacular renovations By Coco Marett
It’s a funny thing to
reminisce about an era
you never lived in. And
yet, many travellers
(Tatler included) find
themselves romanticising
the bygone glamour of
travel in Europe. Perhaps
it’s a desire to return to
the simple things—the
timeless joys that the
region does so well. After
all, in that corner of the
world, pleasure is not a
privilege, but an essential
part of life: conversations
over wine under the
shade of citrus trees, days
spent—never wasted—
doing nothing but soaking
up the sun, or carving
through azure waters on a HOTEL LA PALMA
vintage speedboat on the CAPRI, ITALY
French Riviera. When a hotel renovation
Often at the heart of these involves slashing the
experiences is a fabulous number of guest rooms
hotel; and Europe is home from 80 to 50, it’s obvious
to many. We explore some that quality and comfort
that have been recently have taken precedence
reimagined without losing over all else. This is what
the classic touches that have UK-based designer
made them icons for decades Francis Sultana did
184 or, in some cases, centuries. when he was tasked with
This page: Hotel La Palma
was Capri’s first hotel, and
remains an icon today
Inset: Terrace suites at
Hotel La Palma overlook
beautiful views of
Capri Opposite page:
Splendido’s restaurant
serves Ligurian seafood;
The Splendido’s Baronessa
Suite was designed to be
like the drawing room of
a well-travelled
Italian aristocrat
transforming Capri’s
most iconic hotel—a bold
move considering this was
Sultana’s first hotel project.
The revamp came as
Hotel La Palma’s new
management, Oetker
Collection—the hotel group
behind such properties as
Le Bristol Paris and The
Lanesborough in London—
took over and reopened
the hotel in 2023 following
a two-and-a-half-year
renovation. Not only did the
group want to restore the
property to its former glory,
it also wanted to restore its
legacy as a setting where
meaningful connections
between people and place
are made.
The property was
originally opened in 1822 as
Locanda Pagano, a kind of
ad hoc guesthouse where its in the Mediterranean for the designs of the likes
original owner, Giuseppe regularly moor here— of Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s
Pagano, invited travellers provide the drama. in New York and the Six
for the pleasure of long The site was originally a Senses Kitzbühel alpine
conversations. It became Benedictine monastery, but resort in Austria, led a
known as the Artists’ Hotel, after repeated ransacking multiphase renovation
as Pagano regularly hosted by pirates, the monks of the hotel. Nowhere
poets, writers, architects, abandoned the property in is Brudnizki’s knack for
painters and musicians. As the 16th century, causing it colour more apparent than
Capri’s first hotel, Pagano to fall into disrepair before Splendido’s spacious, 1970s-
could be credited with Italian aristocrat Baron era saltwater swimming
introducing outsiders to the Baratta converted it into a pool, which features tiles
magic of the Italian island summer home sometime that echo the bay beyond,
that continues to entice in the 19th century. In lined with terracotta-hued
visitors to this day. 1901, Ruggero Valentini— parasols and sea-green and
whom many credit with white-striped seating with
SPLENDIDO pioneering tourism in candy-floss-pink piping.
PORTOFINO, ITALY Portofino—bought the He also redesigned
Splendido offers serenity property and transformed Splendido’s pièce de
and drama as far as the it into a hotel that attracted résistance, the Baronessa
eye can see: its secluded the likes of Clark Gable, Suite, which he designed
hilltop location, set in Humphrey Bogart, Lauren “to be like the drawing
lush terraced gardens on Bacall and Ava Gardner. room of a well-travelled
a steep hillside, provides Today, owned by Belmond Italian aristocrat”. Inspired
the serenity; its panoramic Hotels, Splendido remains by palazzos in the region,
views over the bay of the place to be seen within it features enchanting
Portofino, and its location one of the most coveted frescoes, Graniglia alla
just a short stroll from the destinations to be seen. Genovese flooring, and
ultra-chic village where In 2023, Martin lights by Bartolozzi e
people-watching is a Brudnizki, founder of Maioli, a family-run
common pastime—some Martin Brudnizki Design business dating back to 1938
of the biggest super-yachts Studio, which is responsible in Florence. 185
From top: The glamour of Hotel du Cap-
Eden-Roc inspired F Scott Fitzgerald’s final
novel, Tender is the Night; The hotel has sat
perched on the tip of Cap d’Antibes for over
150 years Opposite, clockwise from top:
1238 Restaurant is named after the founding
year of the former monastery, at Botanic
Sanctuary Antwerp; Bright spaces and lush
greenery abound at Botanic Sanctuary
Antwerp; A private terrace in one of the
suites at Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern;
An elegant outdoor spa experience at Hotel
du Cap-Eden-Roc

HOTEL DU to secure a room during named it Hotel du Cap-

CAP-EDEN-ROC
ANTIBES, FRANCE
Author F Scott Fitzgerald
had a way with words
when it came to giving
his readers a glimpse
into the hedonistic lives
of the rich, famous and
fabulous. In his fourth
and final novel, Tender
is the Night, Fitzgerald
describes a “large, proud,
rose-coloured hotel” where
“deferential palms cool its
flushed façade, and before
it stretches a short, dazzling
beach. Lately it has become
a summer resort of notable
and fashionable people.”
In the novel, the hotel
is named Hôtel des
Étrangers, or “Hotel of
Strangers”. Fitzgerald’s
not-so-fictional hotel was
in fact modelled after Hotel
the Cannes Film Festival,
legendary artists including
Chagall, Picasso and
Matisse count among its
famous former guests … the
list goes on, and continues
to grow.
The property has sat
perched on the tip of
Cap d’Antibes for over
150 years. In 1865, Jean
Hippolyte Auguste
Delaunay de Villemessant,
owner of France’s Le
Figaro newspaper, had the
idea of building a retreat
for anxious, burnt-out
artists and writers on
the Côte d’Azur named
Villa Soleil. Following the
Franco-Prussian War, it
experienced a series of
failed ownerships and was
even abandoned for 17
years until Italian hotelier
Eden-Roc in 1987.
In April 2023, the hotel
unveiled 46 reimagined
suites, including the 1,075
sq ft Eden-Roc Suite,
designed to resemble a
chic seaside penthouse,
with an expansive teak
terrace overlooking the
Mediterranean. Other
highlights from the
renovation include textiles
by Loro Piana and an
art collection curated monastery and hospital
by esteemed art dealer dating back to 1238. In
Marie-Catherine Douglas the 16th century, the
of Douglas Kunstberatung, famous pharmacist Peeter
featuring works by the likes van Coudenberghe
of Andy Warhol, Alex Katz established the hospital’s
and John Baldessari. apothecary, complete
with a medicinal garden
BOTANIC SANCTUARY to grow herbs for his
ANTWERP, BELGIUM remedies, many of which
Occupying 12 hectares he had brought back from
in Belgium’s historic Africa and India when this
IMAGES GEORGE APOSTOLIDIS

du Cap-Eden-Roc, which
has certainly seen its share
of stars throughout history.
Elizabeth Taylor brought
all of her husbands there,
186 Hollywood A-listers battle
Antoine Sella discovered
the gem in 1887 and
brought it back to life. The
Sella family eventually
sold the hotel to the
Oetkers in 1969, who
port city, the Botanic
Sanctuary Antwerp was
built with lofty ambitions:
to be a wellness, dining
and hotel destination, all
on the site of a former
cosmopolitan North Sea
trading port became one
of the wealthiest cities in
Europe. The botanical
garden became a listed
space in 1950.
 Easing places like
this into the 21st century
without turning them
into either a museum or a
lifeless relic requires not
just a vision, but a certain
sensitivity. The architects
at AIDarchitecten have
managed to do it. Botanic
Sanctuary Antwerp, which
opened in 2022, is the first
five-star hotel in Belgium
with four Michelin stars
under one roof; it houses a
spa with various saunas, a
steam room, ice fountains,
showers with botanical
IMAGE HUGO THOMASSEN (BOTANIC SANCTUARY RESTAURANT)
infusions, and treatments
that range from skin
peels to acupuncture
to measuring your
electromagnetic fields.
There are also 108 guest
rooms, including 34
suites, some with their
very own mini spa. Many
of the magnificently
restored 15th-century
Gothic gems still stand,
including a church with
soaring, vaulted ceilings,
which was transformed
into The Jane restaurant
by Piet Boon Studio.
MANDARIN ORIENTAL Bühler Architekten and
PALACE London-based interior
LUZERN, SWITZERLAND designers Jestico + Whiles.
Originally built as the The designers tasked
Palace Hotel Luzern with transforming the belle
between 1904 and 1906, époque beauty maintained
Luzern’s Grand Dame enough of its original
emerged renewed design elements that locals
and reborn in 2022 as have flocked to reacquaint
Mandarin Oriental Palace, themselves with the old
following an incredible “Palace”—clearly held in
renovation overseen by great affection—while
local architects Iwan giving it a sleek modern
polish. Late Romantic-era
oil paintings from the
original hotel collection
are juxtaposed against
up-to-the-minute artistic
interpretations of the same
works by contemporary
Swiss artists. Its 136 rooms
and suites all come with
majestic views of Lake
Lucerne and the majestic
shards of Mount Pilatus,
and feature parqueted Swiss
oak floors and ivory-white
panelled walls. Its 1,400 sq ft
Presidential Suite is dressed
in indigos and golds, housed
inside the top floor of the
turret under the Palace’s
copper dome. 187
 Labour of Love
Taking pride in having the first female and self-taught winemaker in the region,
Lievland Vineyards brings wines that echo tradition and innovation
For the stern sommelier, ways to improve produce bush vines, the wines
South African wines quality. But in the case hailed from the town
are among new-world of the Western Cape of Stellenbosch strike
wines—unafraid to push province, with its top- a balance between
winemaking traditions quality terroir teeming old-world austerity and
to modernisation, with well-maintained new-world exuberance.
jumpstarting into creative old vines and dry-farmed Known as the “Golden
Mile” of wine estates in
the region, Stellenbosch
is home to one of the most
revered estates, Lievland
Vineyards. It is under the
care and guidance of José
Stark-Conde and Tyrell
Myburgh. Together, they
have formed MAN Family
Wines with the vision of
catapulting Lievland back to
its illustrious standing and
onto broader prominence.
“The first time we
visited the farm, we were
struck by two horses
that had adopted a baby
springbok,” shares Stark-
Condé. “The touching
scene inspired our label:
Cupid–the god of love–
riding a springbok, South
Africa’s national animal.”
Lievland Vineyards
derives its name from the
African phrase for “love
land”. This horseshoe-
shaped valley on the
northwestern slope of the
Simonsberg mountain
boasts mainly clay-rich
decomposed granite soils.
Its unique shape gives
various microclimates
188 from the mountain’s
different slopes. Its
elevations, ranging from
590 to 1,475 feet, also add
to the quality of the wines
produced by the vineyard.
“We’re fortunate to be
farming with top-quality
Stellenbosch terroir,”
says Riaan Möller,
head winemaker. “We
take classic varietals
and traditionally make
wines, aiming for the
perfect balance between
old-world elegance and
new-world bright fruit.”
The vineyards used to be
part of Natte Vallei, a much
larger estate granted to a
Dutch East India Company
woodcutter in 1715 and
passed through several
owners over the years.
In 1934, the estate was
divided into what is now
the current size of Lievland
Vineyards. Eventually,
Baron and Baroness Von
Stiernhjehm from Latvia
acquired the property.
Baroness Henrika von
Stiernhjehm moved to
the place with their five
children after the passing of
her husband. She renamed
the property Lievland, a
nod to her husband and
children’s birthplace. The
baroness later earned the
reputation of helming a
large winery at the Cape
singlehandedly despite
 Bushvine Pinotage 2020
Opposite page Old Vines
Chenin Blanc 2021
being a self-taught farmer
and winemaker. Since then,
the vineyard has become
known as one of the best
producers of Syrah and
IMAGES COURTESY OF MAN FAMILY WINES, THROUGH BACCHUS INTERNATIONAL, INC
the first to have a female
winemaker in the area.
Being the first to
release a certified
barrel-fermented Chenin
Blanc, the new owners of
Lievland Vineyards aim
to show off the versatility
of its old vines, as well as
a masterful blend from its
other vines that give off
stone fruit and mineral
characters, as well as
concentration and texture.
It has a vibrant, aromatic
bouquet of pineapple and
peaches on the nose, with
notes of citrus fruits of
lemon and lime. Best paired
with seafood, poultry,
creamy pasta dishes and
mild cheeses, the Chenin
Blanc 2021 takes pride in
its balanced acidity and
fruitiness on the palate.
The 2023 Sommeliers
Choice Awards recently
awarded the 2021 vintage
of Chenin Blanc with a
silver medal. To top it off,
it received a gold medal
from the South African
Trophy Wine Show with
98 points.
Another must-try
wine from Lievland is its
Bushvine Pinotage, which
shows off the variety’s
modern, elegant style.
Using grapes harvested
from the Western slopes
of Paarl Mountain and a
vineyard abundant with
shale, Bushvine Pinotage
evokes a fresher, brighter
fruit style added with a
more prosperous, more
structured component.
With the grapes
handled carefully and
fermented at cool
temperatures to preserve
aromatics and pressed
early to give a soft, plush
mouthfeel, the 2020
vintage of the Bushvine
Pinotage has been
awarded a gold medal
by the 2020 Sommeliers
Choice Awards. It also
received 90 points from
the Tim Atkin MW South
Africa Report.
Rich and full-bodied with
hints of dark fruits such as
blackberry and cherry, the
Bushvine Pinotage 2020
complements dishes such
as grilled meats, roasted
vegetables, stews and
flavourful cheeses. It has
subtle notes of spice and
oak to add to its richness
but continues to be well-
balanced between fruitiness,
acidity and tannins.
Distinguished guests
of the 2023 Tatler Ball
savoured these two
award-winning wines
from Lievland Vineyards,
made possible by Bacchus
International Inc. 189

For every issue, we ask our cover star a round of quickfire questions
that give us more insight into their personality. This month, it’s Piolo Pascual
What are you
currently watching?
Of course, I had to do a
marathon of Replacing Chef
Chico. But I’m also very
into the Squid Game. This
is the first time I’ve seen
such content. I watched
about six episodes in one
sitting. When you talk about
innovation, when you talk
190 about evolution, that’s what
LAST WORD
By Maritess Garcia Reyes. Photography by BJ Pascual
it should be. It was an eye-
opener for me.
Who would you like to
perform with on stage if
you could choose?
Coldplay. Chris Martin and
I are the same age, and I see
myself so much in him, in all
the songs that he has done.
Hopefully, one day [we get to
perform on stage together].
What is your favourite
place in the Philippines?
El Nido.
What is your favourite
travel destination?
Europe. This year, I explored
the Balkans in Turkey and
Spain. I also still want to go
around South America. I
want to return to Peru and
take my mum to Machu
Picchu. I want to go around
Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela
and Iceland. Amsterdam, for
me, is still very charming .
How do you spend your
rest days?
Sleep. Be a couch potato.
Do sports. And more sleep.
Favourite scent?
I have my set of perfumes
that I constantly change, mix,
and match. That’s why I like
Jo Malone and some
STYLING TON LAO SET DESIGN PRINCESS BARRETTO GROOMING DONNABELLE MAGBOJOS LOGISTICS DOWEE UNTIVERO; JOHANNAH REGLOS STYLING ASSISTANT ERWIN TANGUNAN
Creed scents.
Who is someone
you admire?
Leni Robredo.
Dream role?
I’ve always wanted to do a
biopic of Ferdinand Marcos.
PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANTS RICHARD DETITA, RUEL ESTRELLES, MIGUEL ESTACIO, SAM DAVID ORATE LOCATION GAMA STUDIOS
Who is our dream
leading lady?
I’ve always had a crush on
Winona Ryder growing up.
I also want to work with
Kathryn Bernardo.
What keeps
you motivated?
My family and the people
around me. My Lord always
inspires me. We have our
days when we’re feeling
weak and low. But knowing
that there’s always another
day to make things right—
that inspires me.
What’s the most
important advice you
received from anyone?
Stay grounded. Take
advantage of your time,
your youth and the
opportunities that come
your way. Take a break.