https://www.scmp.com/rss/511293/feed Every year XXIV takes time out with 24 thought leaders and celebrities from the worlds of fashion, food, finance and more en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com In 2018, Charles Beamish founded Beamish International, a private client advisory business for those wanting to invest in, collect, gift or consume the finest rare single malt whiskies. He also advises on the acquisition, disposal and verification of collections, and organises travel to iconic Scottish distilleries. Beamish has built a team of respected industry professionals, including world renowned expert Charles MacLean; Jeremy Parsons, formerly CEO of Berry Brothers & Rudd; Alan Wong,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3170409/whisky-investment-advisor-charles-beamish-lessons-distilled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3170409/whisky-investment-advisor-charles-beamish-lessons-distilled?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Mar 2022 02:00:20 +0000 Former fashion buyer for Givenchy, Celine and Lane Crawford, Jacqueline Au founded bridal boutique Loft (Lab of Fairy Tales) in Hong Kong four years ago, when she couldn’t find a wedding dress she liked for her own big day. She now sources and offers exceptional one-of-a-kind gowns from design houses such as Alex Perry, Vivienne Westwood Bridal and Toni Maticevski to create fashion moments for brides looking for a statement piece. In 2021, Loft recently moved to a new 1,600 sq ft space on... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3170164/luxury-fashion-buyer-wedding-brand-owner-jacqueline-au?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3170164/luxury-fashion-buyer-wedding-brand-owner-jacqueline-au?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:11 +0000 There are times in one’s life when a few short minutes feel stretched to an eternity. For British Royal Air Force pilot Nathan Jones, one such time was an in-flight accident in a Voyager aircraft in which he saved the lives of the more than 200 personnel on board, but was left with severe spinal injuries. A former professional sportsman, he was determined to recover his fitness and eventually went on to compete in several Invictus Games – the British sporting event for injured Servicemen... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3169883/meet-nathan-jones-royal-air-force-pilot-who-co-founded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3169883/meet-nathan-jones-royal-air-force-pilot-who-co-founded?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Mar 2022 00:00:13 +0000 Lindsay Jang is a serial entrepreneur in Hong Kong known for co-founding the popular Japanese yakitori Yardbird and seafood-focused izakaya Ronin (with former partner Matt Abergel), as well as curated convenience store Sunday Grocery and boutique beverage company Sunday Spirits. The couple came to Hong Kong in 2009 from Canada thinking they would stay only for a short time, but the city is now home and the base for a creative agency, Hecho. They’ve done it all this in their 10 years in the city,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3169611/yardbird-founder-lindsay-jang-finding-time-family-hong-kongs-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3169611/yardbird-founder-lindsay-jang-finding-time-family-hong-kongs-best?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Mar 2022 00:00:20 +0000 Chef Agustin Balbi came to Hong Kong in 2016 to helm Japanese restaurant Haku under the guidance of Hideaki Matsuo of three-Michelin-star Kashiwaya. Balbi had gained experience as a fine dining chef in Japan for several years in restaurants such as two-Michelin-starred Zurriola, three-Michelin-starred Nihonryori Ryugin and the now-closed two-Michelin-starred Cuisine[s] Michel Troisgros. Born in Argentina to a Spanish and Italian family, Balbi’s love for food started around his grandmother’s... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3169444/andos-chef-agustin-balbi-planning-second-his-hong-kong-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3169444/andos-chef-agustin-balbi-planning-second-his-hong-kong-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Mar 2022 08:49:10 +0000 A decade ago, Kate Crofton-Atkins could scent a change in the air. Newly married, she’d just moved to Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam and was struck by the timeless elegance of the city, where beautiful architecture and greenery sat side by side, pavement cafes were bathed in dappled sunlight, and everywhere, the scent of jasmine and frangipani permeated the air. “I loved the blend of cultures, and there was something completely captivating and romantic about the city, the people and the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3165787/how-vietnam-inspired-cochines-trademark-scent-now-based-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3165787/how-vietnam-inspired-cochines-trademark-scent-now-based-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Feb 2022 04:07:04 +0000 As managing director at UBS Wealth Management and a mother to three children, Belinda Koo also makes time for other passions that are close to her heart, such as the NGO she founded, the One Ten foundation, a social enterprise that empowers the next generation with tools to build emotional literacy. “Youth empowerment is dear to my heart. That’s why One Ten foundation, a charity I founded a few years ago, is picking up the pace to nurture a generation of emotionally intelligent and resilient... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3165386/meet-belinda-koo-hong-kong-entrepreneur-and-healer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3165386/meet-belinda-koo-hong-kong-entrepreneur-and-healer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2022 01:00:23 +0000 A former strategy consultant and tech executive, Coral Chen Chung founded Italian-handcrafted luxury bag company Senreve in 2015. Famous for pioneering the Maestra Bag, a luxury convertible handbag and backpack, it’s a favourite brand with celebrities and has a waiting list of thousands for the Maestra. “I started Senreve about five years ago when I got the idea that women shouldn’t have to compromise between functionality and luxury. In my own search for the perfect handbag, I felt that there... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3165384/how-senreve-founder-coral-chung-pioneered-convertible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3165384/how-senreve-founder-coral-chung-pioneered-convertible?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Feb 2022 01:00:20 +0000 The co-founder of Hong Kong-based design studio Deft (Design Eight Five Two) is Peter Lampard, who met his business partner Norman Ung while they were both studying for their masters of architecture at the University of Hong Kong. Founded in 2014, Deft is known for its across-the-board designs from buildings and interiors down to light fixtures. “We are trained to see architecture as a separate entity from interior design,” says Lampard. “After graduating and entering into the real world I... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3164373/deft-founder-and-architect-peter-lampard-his-favourite-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3164373/deft-founder-and-architect-peter-lampard-his-favourite-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jan 2022 03:00:36 +0000 Instagram fashion influencer, mother of three and Hermès handbag lover, Charlene Ree founded AI marketing platform EternityX in 2018, and in just three years, the company has opened offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, as well as overseas in Australia and Singapore. Born in Taiwan, educated in New York and based in Hong Kong, Ree’s cross-cultural background has translated well online, where she connects global brands such as LVMH, L’Oreal, Peninsula Hotels and P&G to Chinese consumers by... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3163810/how-entrepreneur-charlene-ree-balances-eternityx-her-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3163810/how-entrepreneur-charlene-ree-balances-eternityx-her-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jan 2022 08:50:19 +0000 The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opened in Los Angeles on September 30. Dedicated to exploring the art and science of films and film-making, the museum offers educational and family-friendly programmes, screenings and has more than 13 million objects from movies dating back to the 1920s – items such as Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz and the only surviving shark mould from the movie Jaws. This is the first large-scale museum of its kind in the US. Scholar, programmer,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3163691/how-paul-newmans-rolex-daytona-watch-ended-academy-museum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3163691/how-paul-newmans-rolex-daytona-watch-ended-academy-museum?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jan 2022 09:53:51 +0000 For more than 25 years, Michelle Ma-chan and her husband Christopher Chan have been the power couple behind the Japanese cosmetic and dietary supplement brand, Fancl. As co-founder and executive director, she has raised the profile of the name to international prominence. Ma-chan is passionate about the skincare brand because of its high quality and believes that is why it is popular with customers. “I think it is the quality-first approach of Fancl that makes a difference, and consumers always... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3163312/meet-michelle-ma-chan-hong-kongs-beauty-and-fine-dining?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3163312/meet-michelle-ma-chan-hong-kongs-beauty-and-fine-dining?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Jan 2022 08:00:16 +0000 There is a strong family resemblance between Maximilian Johnson and his older half-brother, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris – though Max, as he introduces himself, is 22 years younger and laughs, “I’d like to think I am better looking.” He first came to Hong Kong in 2012 to work at investment bank Goldman Sachs and found the family connection was more of a handicap than a help. “I found it a bit of a hindrance, especially at Goldman Sachs, because whenever I would meet anybody in business, some... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3163251/boris-johnsons-asia-based-brother-max-his-investment-banking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3163251/boris-johnsons-asia-based-brother-max-his-investment-banking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jan 2022 09:09:37 +0000 If you have visited The Hari Hong Kong you have experienced the interior design of Tara Bernerd. Since opening her London-based design company in 2002, her clients have included Rosewood Munich; Four Seasons’ London, New York and Fort Lauderdale hotels; Zentis Osaka; as well as residential projects in New York, London and Hong Kong. Her latest finished project is the boutique hotel Thompson Hollywood, which opened a few months ago. “Following on from the hugely successful launch of The Hari... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162958/meet-interior-designer-behind-some-worlds-top-hotels-tara?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162958/meet-interior-designer-behind-some-worlds-top-hotels-tara?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jan 2022 00:00:13 +0000 Most people would exercise caution when it comes to expanding a business amid protests and a pandemic; Dean Stallard went full throttle with an exercise business instead. The entrepreneur, previously managing director in a large global corporation, first co-founded The Hybrid Group and its subsidiary business, The Hybrid Gym Group, in 2018, along with two business partners. Between late 2019 to early 2020, when many companies were employing more conservative strategies during uncertain times,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162903/how-entrepreneur-dean-stallard-grew-his-gym-business-during?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162903/how-entrepreneur-dean-stallard-grew-his-gym-business-during?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Jan 2022 07:00:24 +0000 Former Strictly Come Dancing star, Canadian national ballroom champion and choreographer for So You Think You Can Dance, Katya Virshilas moved to Hong Kong four years ago – and soon after that co-founded Ballroom Bees alongside her Danish husband, former world ballroom champion, Klaus Kongsdal. “We were living in London, I was pregnant with our first child and I wasn’t touring. We were on the couch watching Game of Thrones when my husband said, ‘I think we should move to Hong Kong’,” says the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162760/how-hollywood-dancer-katya-virshilas-teaching-ballroom-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162760/how-hollywood-dancer-katya-virshilas-teaching-ballroom-new?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jan 2022 02:12:05 +0000 A veteran of the denim industry in Hong Kong, Philip Law Yuk-moon started buying art toys in 1998 to decorate the offices of his own company, a supplier and manufacturer of premium denim jeans and streetwear. Law is passionate about Kaws and Bearbrick figures and, over the past 20 years, has acquired several hundred – turning his office into a mini museum. “I love Kaws figures because of their extraordinary design and, unexpectedly, with their ever-increasing prices, they are a good investment... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162444/meet-philip-law-hong-kong-fashion-veteran-and-collector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162444/meet-philip-law-hong-kong-fashion-veteran-and-collector?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jan 2022 00:00:19 +0000 “Timing is crucial when starting a business,” says Victoria Allan, who founded luxury property powerhouse Habitat Property in Hong Kong in 2001. “Ironically, I started the business just before Sars and the Asian currency crisis, but these gave me the best lessons on how to run a business during tough times and how to keep costs under control.” Allan made The New York Times when she oversaw the purchase and redevelopment of Tung Fat Building in Kennedy Town in 2013, retaining the buildings... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162242/how-hong-kong-property-developer-victoria-allan-balances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162242/how-hong-kong-property-developer-victoria-allan-balances?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2022 00:00:17 +0000 The auction world is a rarefied and glamorous one, handling fine art, jewellery and watches, and connecting with a clientele who expects the very finest service. This service might include David Linley, the Earl of Snowdon, son of the late Princess Margaret and honorary chairman of EMERI (Europe, Middle East, Russia, India) for Christie’s, jumping on a plane at a moment’s notice to visit a collector who is considering a bid for a painting or piece of fine art. When hammer prices can be millions... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3162231/david-linley-earl-snowdon-changing-world-auctions-late?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3162231/david-linley-earl-snowdon-changing-world-auctions-late?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jan 2022 09:33:26 +0000 Founder and creative director of L’Dezen jewellery, Payal Shah has found that good timing has helped her business grow from small beginnings to a jeweller to the stars. “My company L’Dezen officially turned 10 years old this year,” says Shah, who grew up in Hong Kong. “I started off with the idea of a manufacturing business, which wasn’t supposed to turn into a brand or label of any sort. The idea was to create pieces and then sell them to stores or brands that would then rename them under their... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162060/meet-jeweller-stars-payal-shah-hong-kong-born-entrepreneur?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3162060/meet-jeweller-stars-payal-shah-hong-kong-born-entrepreneur?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jan 2022 06:52:19 +0000 There are surely few bigger celebrity couples than Chilam Cheung and Anita Yuen. Each had a stellar career in the 1990s and early 2000s. Yuen was a beauty queen who won best new performer in her silver screen debut at the Hong Kong Film Awards. She also won best actress two years in a row for her roles in C’est la Vie, Mon Cherie and He’s a Woman, She’s a Man. Known by the name Julian in the 90s, Cheung was one half of the duo who in 1991 made “Modern Love Story”, the most successful debut album... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/xxiv/article/3160030/hong-kong-icon-chilam-cheung-pandemic-work-life-balance-while?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/xxiv/article/3160030/hong-kong-icon-chilam-cheung-pandemic-work-life-balance-while?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jan 2022 00:00:25 +0000 It can take a lifetime to make the right whisky. A distiller can choose the water, the barley, the yeast and which barrels to age their whisky in, but there’s no accounting for time. All Scottish whiskies are required by law to be aged for a minimum of three years but the finest whiskies can take decades to mature. It wasn’t always this way. Scotland’s oldest extant distilleries date back to the 18th century. In those days, whisky was consumed quite young or even immediately off the still. There... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3161405/does-whiskys-age-really-matter-barrel-aged-scotch-standard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3161405/does-whiskys-age-really-matter-barrel-aged-scotch-standard?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Dec 2021 07:47:55 +0000 Hidden away in Hong Kong’s industrial buildings, a legion of dedicated craftspeople ply their trade – as they have done over the years in time-honoured fashion. As they toil to preserve a truly Hong Kong legacy, the next generation are looking to make their mark with their own twist on timeless traditions. Whether it is Tai Ping Carpets’ collaborations with young artisans such as Lim+Lu, or Nana Chan’s efforts to introduce tea appreciation through Teakha, traditional Chinese crafts are being... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3160952/meet-hong-kong-artists-preserving-traditional-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3160952/meet-hong-kong-artists-preserving-traditional-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Dec 2021 04:00:19 +0000