https://www.scmp.com/rss/501339/feed Arthur Tam is a queer Chinese-American journalist based in New York and writes at the intersection of LGBTQ politics, fashion, and pop culture. His work has appeared in Time Out Hong Kong, Dazed and Confused, Forbes, CNN Style, and Still/Loud. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Weddings are big business in Asia. In China, the industry is estimated to be worth US$130 billion and in India, US$50 billion. With so much money flowing in, attention has shifted towards Asian bridal designers, especially as customers look to veer away from typical run-of-the-mill white wedding gowns by international brands. These Asian talents are creating unique wedding dresses that preserve the beauty of the moment.  Royal Style in the Making: Princess Diana’s wedding dress goes on... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3136303/who-designed-isha-ambani-and-deepika-padukones-wedding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3136303/who-designed-isha-ambani-and-deepika-padukones-wedding?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jun 2021 06:37:41 +0000 From the clacking of tiles echoing from players huddled around outdoor tables in cities across East Asia, to dramatic cinematic showdowns in movies like Crazy Rich Asians , it’s clear that mahjong plays a deep role in Chinese social culture. But where did it come from, and how did the beloved four-player game begin? Mahjong first appeared during Imperial China’s Qing dynasty around the mid-1800s, but it was influenced by Chinese card games like pai gow that go as far back as the Southern Song... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3118185/mahjong-line-was-playing-fire-its-refresh-beloved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3118185/mahjong-line-was-playing-fire-its-refresh-beloved?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jan 2021 08:50:44 +0000 Covid-19 might be here to stay, but that does not mean it has to completely upend the way we do business, or even the way we choose to have fun. Everyone is learning to be flexible and adapt to the new normal – including hotels and resorts, which are starting to resume operations with a new focus on executives desperately in need of a rejuvenating escape and morale boost If you’re looking to get your company and employees back into a positive, motivated mindset, start things off on the right... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3104885/despite-covid-19-luxury-hotels-and-resorts-maldives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3104885/despite-covid-19-luxury-hotels-and-resorts-maldives?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Oct 2020 22:00:16 +0000 Derek Cheng and Alex Po, of Hong Kong-based, gender-fluid fashion brand Ponder.er, recall how things started for them: “We have always been labelled as being ‘feminine’ since we were kids,” says Cheng. “I particularly remember being in primary school when my vice-principal told my mum that I was doing very well at school, but suggested that I should learn to ‘man up’. That really stuck in my head, and I started questioning why boys can only act a certain way.” LGBTQ+ and androgynous K-pop idols... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3097411/lgbt-friendly-asian-fashion-designers-gender-binary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3097411/lgbt-friendly-asian-fashion-designers-gender-binary?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Aug 2020 10:00:23 +0000 Almost anyone these days can buy an item similar to what they see on the runway and style it to look unique and expensive without breaking the bank. High quality shoes, however, are the exception to that rule. This explains why shoppers are willing to spend so much more on footwear than any other category in the luxury market, according to market research company NPD. Good footwear never goes out of style and has the power of changing an outfit’s entire look. This is especially true in the world... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3082752/why-are-gucci-versace-and-other-luxury-brands-playing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3082752/why-are-gucci-versace-and-other-luxury-brands-playing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2020 07:46:57 +0000 South Korean fashion, or K-fashion, enhances the image of other major exports like K-beauty, K-pop, K-movies and the country’s cultural diplomacy around the world. K-fashion is dynamic. Bold yet balanced, colourful but tasteful, edgy and sophisticated – making it a challenge to define, but attractive and easy to buy. You can find any style you want in Seoul, South Korea’s international fashion capital. Mega outlets with endless streetwear coupled with curated boutiques selling the latest styles... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3082580/5-emerging-korean-designer-labels-driving-k-fashions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3082580/5-emerging-korean-designer-labels-driving-k-fashions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2020 22:00:13 +0000 Whether we like it or not, celebrities hold much influence over public thought. And when they choose to use their platform to engage with the public positively, minds can change. Tom Hanks used his platform not only to encourage social distancing, but to remind people to register to vote online for the upcoming US election. Other celebs have received far-reaching, and vastly different, reactions to their positive online outreach. Here are some of the most memorable posts so far. Idris Elba This... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3078305/madonnas-bath-cardi-bs-rant-lizzos-flute-and-ellens-banal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3078305/madonnas-bath-cardi-bs-rant-lizzos-flute-and-ellens-banal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2020 23:00:16 +0000 Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil is India’s very first openly gay royal figure. When news broke about the prince’s sexual preference in 2006, reactions were polarising. People from his hometown burned effigies of him, while others praised his courage. Celebrity talk show host Oprah invited him onto her show for the “Gay Around the World” segment to talk about his experience. The Indian government has oscillated on gay rights. First it criminalised gay sex, then decriminalised it, before... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3074413/5-things-know-about-prince-manvendra-indias-first-openly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3074413/5-things-know-about-prince-manvendra-indias-first-openly?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2020 08:00:15 +0000 A mandarin duck caused a stir in New York’s Central Park in November 2018 – it was an unusual place to see this magnificent multicoloured bird, native to China and Japan. It was a welcome infusion of colour as the waterfowl enchanted commuters with its peaked crown of plumage, feathery violet breast, upturned orange wings and body in variegated blues, whites and greens. New Yorkers were instantly hooked – much like one of Hong Kong’s off-menu beverages, named after the famous duck. How does Hong... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3052122/coffee-or-tea-order-yuen-yeung-menu-half-half-hybrid-served?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3052122/coffee-or-tea-order-yuen-yeung-menu-half-half-hybrid-served?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2020 03:00:15 +0000 Asians on both sides of the Pacific are having a moment. From the mesmeric power of K-pop to the touching tales of Asian immigrant communities brought into focus by Lulu Wang’s Farewell, there is renewed interest in Eastern cultures. This, in turn, has created a counterbalance to the deep-rooted, racist narrative that Asian men are unattractive – a stereotype perpetuated by Western colonialism and Hollywood. Remember Mickey Rooney's yellow-faced, bucktoothed portrayal of Mr Yunioshi in Breakfast... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3047496/how-godfrey-gao-paved-way-marvels-first-asian-superhero?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3047496/how-godfrey-gao-paved-way-marvels-first-asian-superhero?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2020 07:00:12 +0000 Most women cannot do without and there is an increasing number of men who are into a bit of lobe love. But why talk in binary terms when anyone and everyone can benefit from a pair of studs, hoops or dangling earrings? Every culture in the world has figured out earrings complement your face and overall look. For autumn-winter 2019-2020, we see the ear huggers back in full force in even bolder and more creative ways. At Loewe, a long belt earrings with a square crystal buckle waved in the air as... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3045214/go-long-thin-and-over-top-gucci-dior-prada-and-saint-laurent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3045214/go-long-thin-and-over-top-gucci-dior-prada-and-saint-laurent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jan 2020 18:00:22 +0000 A quick trip to Bangkok and you’ll notice that it's a fashion-conscious city for pretty much every stratum of society, from your cafe hipster to your mall-going teen and, of course, its royal family. Thailand, after all, is a country drenched in a history of colourful art and culture. A quick trip to a temple or street market and you'll notice the vibrant, maximalist, ornate architecture mixed with a sense of plentifulness and variety. So, it came as no surprise when Princess Sirivannavari... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3042405/thai-princess-sirivannavari-nariratanas-new-fashion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3042405/thai-princess-sirivannavari-nariratanas-new-fashion?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Dec 2019 04:00:09 +0000 Asians have been developing, reinventing and localising hotpot for centuries. In Japan, there is shabu-shabu, in Korea, hotpot is known as jjigae and in Thailand, jim jum, which usually has a sweet and savoury pork broth with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves as its base. In China alone, there are hundreds, possibly thousands, of different versions ranging from the famous chilli-laden mala hotpot from Chongqing, to the heavy seafood style in Guangzhou. What we do know is that the ingredients... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3042279/6-best-places-go-hotpot-hong-kong-and-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3042279/6-best-places-go-hotpot-hong-kong-and-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Dec 2019 05:00:08 +0000 Tea time. That beautiful moment of the day when you can relax, enjoy a hot beverage, socialise and nibble on snacks. Imagine, in the past, the poets of ancient China would brew a pot of tea and light incense in their villas to create a harmonious atmosphere conducive to freethinking and creativity. Now, fast forward to the present. People still enjoy tea, usually as a community in a tea house or the form of a casual bubble or milk cap tea from one of the many stands. And if you want to be bougie... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3040929/old-tea-really-cryptocurrency-and-what-types-tea-are-most?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3040929/old-tea-really-cryptocurrency-and-what-types-tea-are-most?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2019 06:00:07 +0000 Charismatic, classy and chic – these are just a few of the words people use to describe Carina Lau Kar-ling, the actor and entrepreneur who turns 54 on December 8. Over the years she has maintained an elusive status of reverence reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour, but there is more to this Hong Kong icon than you may know. From the humble beginnings of a 1980s TVB starlet, Lau has become an international film star, having worked with the likes of auteur Wong Kar-wai. In 2013, she was nominated... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3040967/4-surprising-facts-about-carina-lau-hong-kong-actress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3040967/4-surprising-facts-about-carina-lau-hong-kong-actress?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Dec 2019 09:30:39 +0000 I was talking to a friend of mine once about the need for transgender bathrooms, but he wasn’t too thrilled about the idea. He characterised it as fodder for conservative pundits to distract and incite the public; to make them believe that liberals are causing the moral degradation of society. My friend is a self-professed liberal. He’s anti-gun, supports #blacklivesmatter, and is disturbed by growing wealth inequality and corporate corruption. However, when it comes to trans rights, he just... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3031349/what-parents-should-be-mindful-when-raising-lgbtq-child?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3031349/what-parents-should-be-mindful-when-raising-lgbtq-child?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Oct 2019 05:00:14 +0000 Gender and sexual identity have been a significant part of pop culture discourse in recent years. Finally, the voices of the LGBTQI+ community are being heard, and their influence is being seen around the world on television shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, Pose, Queer Eye and Transparent. What should not be mistaken for sexual identity is gender identity   As of now, most people are familiar with homosexuality – loving and feeling attraction to someone of the same gender. We use words like gay... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3022184/jaden-smith-and-indya-moore-shiloh-jolie-pitt-5-young?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3022184/jaden-smith-and-indya-moore-shiloh-jolie-pitt-5-young?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Aug 2019 06:00:07 +0000 Lim Li and Leo Yao are a gay couple living in Shanghai. For three years, they scraped together almost a whopping $150,000 just to have a baby. Last September, their dream finally came true. A woman in Denver, Colorado, gave birth to a girl using Li’s sperm. They named her Ellie. “We were so happy we couldn’t sleep,” Li recalls. In China, gay couples are not allowed to adopt children, so many opt for surrogacy instead. Often, this involves in vitro fertilization, where an egg from a donor is... https://www.scmp.com/identity/china-gay-families/article/3020031?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/identity/china-gay-families/article/3020031?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2019 05:57:53 +0000 Andrew Thomas Huang has a complicated relationship with religion. The Chinese-American filmmaker grew up in a conservative Christian community that considered homosexuality a psychological affliction. When he came out as gay, someone even pushed conversion therapy. It was one more battle for Huang, who spent his childhood years in a predominantly white suburb of Los Angeles, where he not only had to navigate being a racial minority, but also overcome the emotional and spiritual shame of being... https://www.scmp.com/identity/kiss-of-the-rabbit-god-andrew-thomas-huang/article/3016195?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/identity/kiss-of-the-rabbit-god-andrew-thomas-huang/article/3016195?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2019 09:29:13 +0000