Life.Culture.Discovery.

The Dictator: on style, she rules

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Published: 12:00am, 16 Dec 2012Updated: 1:05pm, 23 Jan 2017

I have noticed a couple of women recently wearing jackets with peplums, with ruffles on part of the peplum. Maybe sounds fussy but looks good. I wonder if you could tell me where they would have found them.
I’m tiered, Tsim Sha Tsui

The Dictator rules: You? You’re “tiered”? Well, I’m sick and tired of these “I saw a woman who …” questions. Honestly. If you’d just plucked up the courage to ask these women where they’d bought their jackets, you wouldn’t be wasting my time right now. The best fit for your finicky request is the 3.1 Phillip Lim peplum jacket in black or burgundy leather with horizontal ruffles across the back (HK$14,490; Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2113 0311). You’ll find absolutely gorgeous, unique, beautifully tailored peplum jackets at Alexander McQueen, too (HK$21,900 to HK$71,500 with fur; Elements, Kowloon Station, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2649 3098). For something cheap and cheerful, there’s the lovely peplum frill jacket, in all sorts of cute colours, at www.asos.com for only HK$487, though possibly even on sale by the time you read this. I love, but haven’t seen in Hong Kong, the elaborate Viktor & Rolf ruffled peplum jacquard jacket (on sale for HK$8,838.50 at www.shopbop.com). For everything from denim to luxe leather or velvet, check out Burberry (HK$6,500 to HK$33,000; Elements, tel: 2735 0039). If none of those fits the bill, you have only yourself to blame.

I don’t get it. Why are there so many Japanese, Korean and other Asian brands doing luxury skincare, but none by Chinese people? Or are there?
Sino Beauty, May Road

The Dictator: I have some ideas why you “don’t get it”, none of them complimentary. Many cosmetics companies have brilliant Chinese scientists working behind the scenes, but there are also highend brands that were started by Chinese experts. Hong Kong-born Ling Chan is a bit of a superstar facial expert in New York, her base since 1976. She only recently returned home, in a sense, launching Ling Skin Care at The Spa at Four Seasons (8 Finance Street, Central, tel: 3196 8900). Her line blends traditional Asian principles with state-of-the-art ingredients to exfoliate, hydrate and balance the skin based on individual needs. Wei Beauty has been available in Hong Kong for years, and was founded by Chinaborn and raised, United States based Wei Young Brian. Blending traditional Chinese medicine with modern science, she groups her products into four “energy” categories: Purify – Chi; Energise – Yang; Replenish – Yin; and Correct – Zen (HK$300 to HK$1,000 and up; Joyce Beauty, 16 Queen’s Road Central, tel: 2869 5816). I don’t know if you’d call it a luxury, but I love the old Two Girls brand by Kwong Sang Hong. Founded in 1898, it still offers prettily packaged Florida Water, face cream and more (Causeway Place, Hong Kong Mansion, 2 Great George Street, Causeway Bay; tel: 2504 1811).