Celebrity Life

There's much to be said for for trans-seasonal style, and while trends come and go, the current movement is towards sustainable style – where clothes last longer and stay relevant for more than a few quick seasons. Giorgio Armani has been on the bandwagon for some time. Their New Normal capsule collection started in 2015, featuring a range of permanent offerings of timeless pieces and styles, available in stores around the world and online. These pieces can be bought at any time of the year, with outfits that capture the essence of the Giorgio Armani brand through a careful balance of shapes and materials that form a wardrobe with lasting elegance. Sleek fitted shirts and trousers are comfortable and smart enough for home or office. Silhouettes are nonchalant yet flattering.

These are pieces in a tightly edited yet versatile palette of greys, blacks, earthy tones, beige, navy and accents of ox blood red accessories that can be worn layered or stripped down to basics. The La Prima bag, super slick and pure in its lines and construction, emerges as a central series to the New Normal line.The soft tone-on-tone wrap dress, ankle boots and contrasting black and white scarf is one of our favourite looks. There’s the cosy grey cashmere, fringed scarf skirts, and for winter, enveloping luxurious knitwear, big soft scarves and fluid long coats. Exquisite fabrics like twill, silk sablé, tweed and pure cashmere cloth are gorgeous to see and touch. Belts and bags with trim details, and low-heeled classic footwear styles complete the look. A modern revisiting of fashion classicism, the Italian label’s timeless fashion is for the ages – and a nod to Giorgio Armani’s own style ethos.

www.armani.com

The post Giorgio Armani’s New Normal Capsule Collection is The Epitome of Timeless Elegance appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Big-name fashion houses making their foray into watchmaking is nothing new. Countless brands have done it. Many merely create affordable fashion watches with third-party run-of-the-mill parts and designs. Others, keen on building their own legacy in design and complications, will go the extra mile and acquire their own facilities and manufactures. There's a third way in which fashion brands can still remain authentic and that is through finding the right watchmaker to partner with.

That's the route Armani Group is taking today as it announced its latest collaboration with Parmigiani Fleurier for the creation of the Giorgio Armani Fine Watches collection. This marks the first collaboration between Giorgio Armani and Parmigiani Fleurier, who are both masters in their own crafts. The collection will be on sale from November 2021 and promises to be sophisticated timepieces, crafted entirely by hand as per Parmigiani Fleurier's exacting standards, and offered in numbered editions.

Parmigiani Fleurier was founded in 1996 by Michel Parmigiani, who is a master watchmaker and restorer and well-respected in the industry. His watches are of the utmost quality; the movements are all crafted in-house, and the watches finished to the highest standards.

“The collaboration with Parmigiani Fleurier happened naturally. We share a passion for perfection and the pursuit of beauty as an expression of timeless values. This series of watches is the synthesis of my vision, made up of precise lines and exquisite materials, applied to unique products. I think that an object that expresses aesthetic excellence, quality and craftsmanship is meant to last forever. In Parmigiani Fleurier, I’ve found the perfect partner to experiment with a new language”, remarks Giorgio Armani.

“We are honoured and delighted to collaborate with the Armani Group. Michel Parmigiani's future-oriented vision for preserving the excellence of watchmaking is enhanced by this venture with one of the most brilliant companies in the world. Giorgio Armani's idea of style is unique and iconic. We’re honoured that our artisans will be able to express this vision through a product with the quality and finishes that we are known for,” commented Davide Traxler, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier.

The post Parmigiani Fleurier to Make Giorgio Armani Fine Watches appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Big-name fashion houses making their foray into watchmaking is nothing new. Countless brands have done it. Many merely create affordable fashion watches with third-party run-of-the-mill parts and designs. Others, keen on building their own legacy in design and complications, will go the extra mile and acquire their own facilities and manufactures. There's a third way in which fashion brands can still remain authentic and that is through finding the right watchmaker to partner with.

That's the route Armani Group is taking today as it announced its latest collaboration with Parmigiani Fleurier for the creation of the Giorgio Armani Fine Watches collection. This marks the first collaboration between Giorgio Armani and Parmigiani Fleurier, who are both masters in their own crafts. The collection will be on sale from November 2021 and promises to be sophisticated timepieces, crafted entirely by hand as per Parmigiani Fleurier's exacting standards, and offered in numbered editions.

Parmigiani Fleurier was founded in 1996 by Michel Parmigiani, who is a master watchmaker and restorer and well-respected in the industry. His watches are of the utmost quality; the movements are all crafted in-house, and the watches finished to the highest standards.

“The collaboration with Parmigiani Fleurier happened naturally. We share a passion for perfection and the pursuit of beauty as an expression of timeless values. This series of watches is the synthesis of my vision, made up of precise lines and exquisite materials, applied to unique products. I think that an object that expresses aesthetic excellence, quality and craftsmanship is meant to last forever. In Parmigiani Fleurier, I’ve found the perfect partner to experiment with a new language”, remarks Giorgio Armani.

“We are honoured and delighted to collaborate with the Armani Group. Michel Parmigiani's future-oriented vision for preserving the excellence of watchmaking is enhanced by this venture with one of the most brilliant companies in the world. Giorgio Armani's idea of style is unique and iconic. We’re honoured that our artisans will be able to express this vision through a product with the quality and finishes that we are known for,” commented Davide Traxler, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier.

The post Parmigiani Fleurier to Make Giorgio Armani Fine Watches appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Christmas can be quite a stressful and overwhelming time of year, so let us take one thing off your mind by providing a curated list of some of the - in my opinion - best gifts that would make anyone smile, be it yourself or someone else. Here's my 2020 Christmas wish list. 

Hermès

There’s no better feeling than cosying up on the sofa or beside a fireplace during Christmas, and this Hermès Brides de Gala jacquard blanket in wool and cashmere will make you feel as if you’re wrapped in a cloud.

Audemars Piguet x Carolina Bucci

Only available at the AP house in Hong Kong, Carolina Bucci’s latest collaboration with Audemars Piguet makes the perfect Christmas gift. Classic, simple and shiny, the hand-made KISS bracelet features Bucci’s signature frosted exterior. To add to the excitement, the bracelet is available in different versions of yellow, pink, white, black and brown gold

Gucci

This colourful GG Marmont Paillette puts me straight in the mood to party. A bucket bag with a mini and small shoulder chain covered in sparkling sequins in multi-coloured diagonal stripes of pastel pink, green, gold and silver, the GG Marmont will definitely turn heads.

Theo Fennell

British jeweller Theo Fennell specialises in meticulously crafted jewellery using precious materials and gemstones. This Christmas, I’d love to receive this ring made from a variety of gemstones to resemble a rainbow, along with this channel-set gold infinity band.

Four Seasons

For those looking for peace and quiet this Christmas, Four Season Hotel Hong Kong’s Harbour View suite is a luxurious place in which to spend the happiest time of the year. The spacious suite is a perfect getaway for a staycation with Hong Kong at your doorstep and a perfect treat to add to my 2020 Christmas wish list.

Saint Laurent

I’ve always been a die-hard fan of Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello for its chic, rock ’n’ roll looks. In particular, this bright red tie-neck jacquard silk minidress with a bow at the front makes for a festive yet stylish outfit for any occasion.

Dior

A new essential designed by Maria Grazia Chiuru, Dior’s St Honoré tote embellished with the CD logo is a practical and elegant bag that I can use on multiple occasions, round the clock.

Chloé

Chloé’s glittery Lauren sneakers in silver grey will allow me party until the wee hours. The wave-like edges of the bottom sole also give it a funky touch!

Giorgio Armani

This sleek Giorgio Armani backpack would make a nice gift for any man - or woman. Made of water-repellent nylon flanked by details in garnet calfskin, the backpack combines performance with design.

The post 2020 Christmas Wish Lists: Florence’s Picks appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Christmas can be quite a stressful and overwhelming time of year, so let us take one thing off your mind by providing a curated list of some of the - in my opinion - best gifts that would make anyone smile, be it yourself or someone else. Here's my 2020 Christmas wish list. 

Hermès

There’s no better feeling than cosying up on the sofa or beside a fireplace during Christmas, and this Hermès Brides de Gala jacquard blanket in wool and cashmere will make you feel as if you’re wrapped in a cloud.

Audemars Piguet x Carolina Bucci

Only available at the AP house in Hong Kong, Carolina Bucci’s latest collaboration with Audemars Piguet makes the perfect Christmas gift. Classic, simple and shiny, the hand-made KISS bracelet features Bucci’s signature frosted exterior. To add to the excitement, the bracelet is available in different versions of yellow, pink, white, black and brown gold

Gucci

This colourful GG Marmont Paillette puts me straight in the mood to party. A bucket bag with a mini and small shoulder chain covered in sparkling sequins in multi-coloured diagonal stripes of pastel pink, green, gold and silver, the GG Marmont will definitely turn heads.

Theo Fennell

British jeweller Theo Fennell specialises in meticulously crafted jewellery using precious materials and gemstones. This Christmas, I’d love to receive this ring made from a variety of gemstones to resemble a rainbow, along with this channel-set gold infinity band.

Four Seasons

For those looking for peace and quiet this Christmas, Four Season Hotel Hong Kong’s Harbour View suite is a luxurious place in which to spend the happiest time of the year. The spacious suite is a perfect getaway for a staycation with Hong Kong at your doorstep and a perfect treat to add to my 2020 Christmas wish list.

Saint Laurent

I’ve always been a die-hard fan of Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello for its chic, rock ’n’ roll looks. In particular, this bright red tie-neck jacquard silk minidress with a bow at the front makes for a festive yet stylish outfit for any occasion.

Dior

A new essential designed by Maria Grazia Chiuru, Dior’s St Honoré tote embellished with the CD logo is a practical and elegant bag that I can use on multiple occasions, round the clock.

Chloé

Chloé’s glittery Lauren sneakers in silver grey will allow me party until the wee hours. The wave-like edges of the bottom sole also give it a funky touch!

Giorgio Armani

This sleek Giorgio Armani backpack would make a nice gift for any man - or woman. Made of water-repellent nylon flanked by details in garnet calfskin, the backpack combines performance with design.

The post 2020 Christmas Wish Lists: Florence’s Picks appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

For Autumn/Winter 2020, Giorgio Armani dialled up the glamour with a showcase of ultra-sophisticated apparel and a snazzy update of its iconic La Prima bag.

Here are 3 key highlights that left lasting impressions.

Drama Queen

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As work from home takes hold more around the world, the casualisation of clothing has come to create a huge impact in fashion. However, we’d argue that outside of comfort clothes we still like to dream — we still want a touch of fantasy and still need the glamour and maximalism that’s made characters like Killing Eve’s Villanelle or Emily from Emily in Paris such a sartorial delight to watch on TV. We’re talking drama and glamour and irreverence — which fashion will always need.

This season, we look towards the delicate glimmering beaded fringes capping the shoulders at Giorgio Armani‘s winter collection. Movement, shimmer and Great Gatsby glitz is a welcome reprieve from sweat pants at home. The collection also features dramatic flourishes, such as long delicate feathers along the collar of a black velvet top, or bold graphic pink or blue prints that made it on to ready-to-wear as well as accessories and jewellery. Pass the champagne please.

Distinguished in Grey

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Grey is a Giorgio Armani classic hue — indeed, over the past 45 years, perhaps no other designer has made such use of it. The range of shades — from dark charcoal to concrete to light dove — has been expressed in fabric not only for mens- and womenswear, but also in Armani homeware, hotels and even architecture.

This autumn/winter 2020, the main Giorgio Armani men’s range devotes a big chapter to the hue, but we see novel blocks, stripes, pinstripes, checks, plaids, zig zag and other geometric motifs, as well as rich textures. Big double-breasted coats and jackets, and three-piece suits — the look is ultra-layered with forms that break up the palette and some really interesting Asian-inspired shapes and heritage fabrics on jackets. The message isn’t just to wrap up in this steely, masculine colour, but do it with attitude and irreverence.

La Prima Donna

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Carried by celebrities and fashionistas alike, the La Prima range of handbags from Giorgio Armani is sleek with simplified lines and the perfectly versatile number for autumn/winter — Hong Kong celebrity Fala Chen certainly looks like she’s a fan here.

The original La Prima was designed in 1990, but these new models incorporate items such as the contemporary mini-bags, fun charms and iPhone cases, as well as new shapes and handles for all occasions. These beautiful leather bags don’t look out of place at the office or when you’re out at night for cocktails and, best of all, some of these fresh hues are extremely covetable. Black or navy might be a safe muted tone to go with, but the range of metallics is a lovely precursor to the festive season next month. These shiny sweet-wrapper leather colours are fun, fabulous and a great way to introduce a punchy statement to your outfit, without going out there too far.

The post Key Highlights From Giorgio Armani’s Autumn/Winter 2020 Collections appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Businesswoman and eco-warrior Dee Poon opens up about her lifelong commitment to sustainability, and how her family’s company has been working towards transforming the fashion industry landscape – a shirt and a mask at a time.

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Dee Poon plops down on the couch, brings out the sandwiches she’s packed for herself, takes a sip of her Starbucks coffee – by then tepid, but she doesn’t mind at all – and in no time at all, signals that we can begin. Poon moves just like someone who’s inured to working and is constantly on the go, with a distaste for wasting time. I take particular note of the latter and power through my questions. A few minutes into the interview, I decide that this articulate, intelligent and no-nonsense lady belongs on a TED stage. 

Poon is the daughter of Dickson Poon, owner of the upscale speciality retailer Harvey Nichols, and Marjorie Yang, a successful businesswoman in her own right who runs the global textile and apparel manufacturer, Esquel, where Dee is now the managing director of brands and distribution, and heads the men’s shirt brands PYE and Determinant. 

[caption id="attachment_210980" align="aligncenter" width="1295"] Outfit: Giorgio Armani[/caption]

For someone accustomed to being on a plane every week, the travel bans must be tough on Poon, I suggest. “The last time I’ve been in a place for this long was at boarding school!” she says. “But I can’t say I feel entirely out of sorts. There’s just less socialising – though really, I don’t go to many of those big events anyway – and I still get to see people, friends one on one. Of course, I miss my museums, I miss seeing friends who don’t live here, but other than that it’s been all right and work has been full steam ahead,” says the self-confessed homebody, and apparent workaholic. 

“I honestly think I’m busier than I was before Covid. While business might have come to a halt in many companies, we started so many new things this year; in the last six months, I haven’t taken a single day off – save for Sundays and some bank holidays.” The last time Poon set foot on an airport was in March, when she got back from London to shoot PYE’s autumn/winter look book. “We literally managed to come back to Hong Kong just before Europe enacted the travel ban; it was right before everything shut down.”

If there’s anything Poon has found considerably challenging, it’s been keeping herself in “functional shape” to allow her to work at a level she wants and needs to. This requires her to be in bed by 10-10:30, and awake by 6, followed by yoga and exercise. “If I wasn’t going to take a day off for six straight months, I knew I had to make a more conscious effort to keep myself healthy. But yes, it’s just an extreme maniacal discipline but it has to be done. I just know that I cannot not be rested and cannot not be focused,” Poon says, almost emphatically. 

The seemingly frenzied life she’s been leading under these not-too-rosy economic conditions is, I have to admit, curious to me. But as I learn, her family business was way ahead of the curve when it came not only to accepting that business had to change under the pandemic, but also how it had to. As most businesses were just beginning to realise the severity and damning effects of the pandemic in the first quarter of the year, Esquel had it pretty much figured out. 

[caption id="attachment_210981" align="aligncenter" width="1297"] Outfit: Giorgio Armani[/caption]

“Agility and essentially knowing how to deal – and quickly – was key. We also were of the mindset that things will change, things won’t always go your way and we had to find a way to work around those circumstances."

There were changes we had to implement at our manufacturing plants around the world, as countries faced lockdowns. And on the retail side, when Hong Kong faced wave 3 of the pandemic, we immediately went to an A-B shift in our Hong Kong stores. We knew we couldn’t lose an entire team, so we implemented measures that allowed us to continue to function.”

Come April, mainland China – where PYE has four stores and counting – was telling a different, promising story. According to Poon, most of their stores in China were pretty much business as usual by then. “China, by that time had gone through all their major lockdowns and when they re-opened, that was the beginning of “revenge spending!” I mean, the first time we heard that term was in China – in mid-March! Retail has been on an upward trajectory since.” Poon adds that PYE this summer launched its first Wechat store, T Mall, and is set to open a new store in China.

And then there’s the story with the masks. For this, Poon takes us back to February, right after Chinese New Year and with Covid is raging in China, while the rest of the world is still in the dark as to the severity of the situation. “This was like February 6 – I remember that day well,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_210982" align="aligncenter" width="1295"] Outfit: Giorgio Armani[/caption]

“We just did our Chinese New Year traditions and my mom gets a call from a friend who tells her: ‘I think you must make masks.’ No one really knew then what was going on and we were starting to hear news about people going out trying to get masks. By lunch that same day, we were all together, bouncing ideas around. By the end of that conversation we’ve decided we had to step up to help Hong Kong if this got very serious – and, as we all know, it did. Two days later we’ve locked down what we were supposed to do, and already had a bunch of our friends from the medical field willing to become advisers. Long and short, the first masks went down the line on February 17 or 18, the same day we shipped out our first batch of masks.

“Learning all about masks was essentially my February. That was just ‘mask insanity’ – and you can quote me on that,” Poon says, grinning. “Then half the stores in China and Hong Kong were closed and there wasn’t anything much to do other than comfort and tell each other to keep calm and carry on.”

But that wasn’t the end of the ‘mask insanity’. Shortly after they shipped the first masks, Covid hit the West and other parts of the world. “Then we realised – wait, the whole world needs masks!” At the time, the masks were unbranded, but Poon explains, to enable them to sell and donate them as they want, they place them under the Determinant label, which the Esquel owns rights to in China. And that’s how Determinant pretty much blasted out from China to the rest of the world.

“This is what I call a Live Beta! We moved by the fly, finding opportunities and acting on them!”

Within the first couple of months of producing masks, Determinant had donated 300,000, and by June, more than 30 million masks had been shipped worldwide to both private and public sectors. To put that number in perspective, that quantity would be enough to replace one billion single-use masks, as each could stand up to 30 washes. 

[caption id="attachment_210983" align="aligncenter" width="1295"] Outfit: Giorgio Armani[/caption]

And this segues perfectly to a cause of great importance to Poon, sustainability, which I dare say is the crux of Esquel’s business model. Today this term loosely used – and abused – by companies that show little if nothing to warrant their sustainability claims. But in the case of Poon, it’s an entire belief system, one that she and her family heave advocated from the very beginning. This philosophy is ever-present even in the manner in which Esquel conceives its brands. 

Case in point, Determinant, which is at its core, a minimalist brand that to date has only 16 essentially simple products that everyone can use and little or nothing to do with creating fashion. “Determinant is a solution for guys who are practical, who just want things that work. It wasn’t about creating style or more styles; it was, on the contrary, something you could wear over and over again and, as a result, it not only simplifies dressing, but also reduces consumption.

“I grew up knowing the importance of sustainability. It wasn’t an option, it was necessary. It was something we got increasingly involved in as the situation got worse, and as we became more cognisant of how we were contributing to the problem, and by the same token, that we can play a part in resolving the issue. We just want a place where we can live later, and for many, many years to come.”

One of its more recent programmes was the recycling platforms Esquel set up in its factories last year. “We looked at ‘chains of waste’ and realised that within garment production, most wastage happens in the cutting-room floor. So we basically created a platform to minimise this by separating the excess cut-outs by colour, so that we can make clothes using recycled plus virgin yarns in over 5,000 colours.”

While all this is impressive, Poon admits that there’s still a lot to do within the organisation to educate people about the cause and get more of them to act on that commitment. What strikes me about this conviction, though, is that while Esquel has arguably done much more than other brands in the fashion industry when it comes to sustainability, Poon doesn’t point the finger at others who stand idly by or whose commitment is mere lip service, but instead looks inward.  

“I get really upset when internally we greenwash our products. To make something truly sustainable, I tell our people that we have to understand the entire consumer process. Even within the company, there are suggestions that are probably half-thought. For example, we don’t offer, say, a polybag that’s compostable to a market that doesn’t compost or recycle or segregate. So essentially, you just greenwashed a product by saying that it’s recyclable – good for you – but if no one actually recycles then it doesn’t really help.” 

[caption id="attachment_210984" align="aligncenter" width="1292"] Outfit: Giorgio Armani[/caption]

Poon – scion, Harvard graduate and true-blue eco-warrior – walks the talk. When I asked what accomplishment she’s most proud of – and indeed there’s a list to mention – she simply says,

“That I’m still standing. And the fact that I’m still here, still trying, I’m really proud of me. I think every day is a battle, life is a battle. In some way Covid made me think this way and to come to the realisation that it’s an incredible thing to still be here." 

“I was raised by parents with very different characters. My mom, a genuinely interested, curious intellectual, told me once that the best way to get into the school of your choice is to have a unique selling point, be different. That you don’t necessarily have to be the best, you just have to be memorable enough – but, of course, you also need to be good enough. On the other hand, my dad, focused and brilliant, strives constantly for quality and excellence. So being around them, these two very different people, is a lesson in itself. Raised by two almost opposing personalities, being between two very different points of view, taught me to think very carefully about how I approach the world and how to deal with stuff, life.”

I ask her what she does to decompress, apart from practising yoga. Unsurprisingly, she’s a voracious reader and mentions a few books she’s currently reading. One of them is Has China Won?, by Kishore Mahbubani. “I’m intentionally reading this slowly. He talks about whether or not China is expansionary, he talks about the America. I usually just fly through books, but for this I read only two chapters a week. I love though that he also has a great sense of humour. I’m also reading about the history of Samsung. And a good friend of mine, Clarissa Ward, just wrote a book and I just finished that one.” 

And to that I could hardly conceal my excitement; CNN war correspondent Ward is a rock star in my books. And just when I think that she can’t get any cooler, she confesses something rather unexpected: That she has really bad teeth.

“Something people might not know about me is that I have a lot of cavities! I hate going to the dentist so much that I got a general anaesthetic to have a tooth taken out.” And to that we all burst out laughing, making a rather sweet ending to this encounter. What’s particularly striking about Poon is that in spite of all her accomplishments and privilege, Poon comes across as someone you’d just want to have a good laugh with.

CREDITS:
ALL OUTFITS GIORGIO ARMANI
ART DIRECTION SEPFRY NG
PHOTOGRAPHY VINCI NG @NUMBER FIVE STUDIO
VIDEOGRAPHY KENNETH CHAN
STYLING CRYSTAL YUNG
MAKE-UP VINCI TSANG @VINCIWINKI.COM
HAIR BILLY HAI

The post On a Mission: Dee Poon Talks Agility, Sustainability and “Mask Insanity” appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Giorgio Armani proved the show must go on — in spectacular style — with a virtual Spring/Summer 2021 presentation that provided a fresh interpretation of the brand’s timelessly elegant aesthetic.

Whatever the circumstances, some things remain eternal – as Giorgio Armani’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection amply demonstrated. The collection, which was presented virtually under the title Timeless Thoughts, showcased the latest iteration of the storied Italian fashion house’s signature aesthetic. Featuring soft textures, fluid lines and a sophisticated colour palette combined with eye catching geometric patterns, it blended the traditional and structured with the unexpected and daring to head-turning effect.

The women’s collection presented a series of fluid silhouettes in soft fabrics, favouring the kind of neutral colours that are traditionally at the heart of the brand’s palette, such as grey, beige and black, but with regular pops of sea and baby blue and silver, as well as some heavier tones and regular use of abstract patterns. Pieces elegantly combined the simple with the sophisticated, including soft suits, patchwork jackets, silk trousers and loose dresses, alongside minimal accessories – mainly, a small number of sleek, svelte clutches.

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For men, the look was similarly approachable and comfortable but sophisticated and classic. The emphasis was on suits in soft materials, with the focus again on classic shades of grey and blue, often featuring intricate patterns expressed in subtle colour combinations. Several casual three piece suits come with a vest that served in lieu of a shirt, while accessories were typically in suede, including bags and tasseled loafers.

The presentation of the show took the form of a video, the second time Armani has presented a seasonal show virtually, after it became the first fashion house to take action as a result of the pandemic back in February, when it moved its Autumn/Winter 2020 show behind closed doors. The maison’s Spring/Summer 2021 show also marked a couple of firsts: It was broadcast on Italian national television during prime time, as well as being streamed online; and was preceded by a 20 minute documentary detailing the history of Armani, also called Timeless Thoughts.

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Narrated by much loved Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino, the film detailed the evolution of the brand over the ages, highlighting in particular its consistency – a commitment to a certain interpretation of elegance, based around a perfect balance of innovation and restraint, and of the urban and the exotic, that again received a dazzling expression in its most recent men’s and women’s collections.

armani.com

Chater House, Central
Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
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The post Cutting-Edge Meets Classic Styles at Giorgio Armani Spring/Summer 2021 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

By now, your bosses and colleagues have probably seen more of your abode than you would've ever expected to show them.

With many of us working from home these days, meetings held over video conferencing apps the likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become the new normal. Inevitably, this means letting colleagues into our residences — albeit virtually — and having them catch glimpses of it via our backdrop. Depending on where your workspace is located, this view could range from a boring blank wall to windows or cluttered bookshelves.

Your makeshift office may not be the most glamorous, but there are several easy interior design tricks that you can employ to quickly jazz up the background of your Zoom calls.

Textiles and cushions

If your workstation of choice is the couch or bed, all it takes is a few snazzy throw pillows wrapped in eye-catching fabrics and prints to provide visual interest in the space behind you. Consider dressing your cushions in the Armani/Casa Exclusive Textiles by Rubelli collection, which is inspired by modern art — specifically works by Henri Matisse, Vasilij Kandinskij and Paul Klee.

It showcases striking colour blocks embellished with embroideries, ikat details and intertwined motifs. These are available in various patterns and shades ranging from pastel to neutral hues. More details here.

Houseplants and greenery

Adding houseplants to your home office will help the space look less spartan and bland. Smaller plants like cacti, succulents and spider plants can be displayed on shelves or tables, while larger ones such as philodendrons, snake plants and ZZ plant (Zanzibar Gem) can be placed on the floor to break the monotony of blank walls.

Online plant retailer Flora Houses offers a wide variety of houseplants that will thrive indoors and are generally low-maintenance. Its range includes Japanese fir, fiddle leaf fig and Bird of Paradise. The store provides free doorstep delivery with a minimum spend.

Artworks and paintings

Perhaps houseplants may seem like too much of a commitment, or you simply don't have green fingers. This is where paintings and art pieces make an easier alternative. You can simply hang a couple of them on the wall that constantly forms your video call backdrop.

An Andy Warhol or Basquiat will certainly impress your co-workers, but your art doesn't necessarily have to be expensive or by big name artists. Consider procuring artworks instead from indie galleries such as Odd One Out, which boasts an array of creations by local and international printmakers and illustrators. We can't take our eyes off the above acrylic painting by Micke Lindebergh, which is titled 'Small Yellow Flower Pot' and features colourful blooms accented by quirky squiggles and bright hues.

Statement ornaments and furniture

Inject a dose of quirk into your meeting setup by peppering your background with assorted decorative items and statement furniture pieces. These can be anything from figurines to colourful tiles and dramatic room dividers.

Our go-to is Lala Curio, which is a whimsical wonderland of objets d'art such as brass monkey sculptures, cloisonné birds, and, one of our favourites — an adorable trio of cranes adorned with rock crystal feathers and perched on crystal balls.

Wallpaper

Why settle for one specially curated work area, when you can turn your whole room into an Instagram-worthy space? Wallpaper is a bold and easy solution — if every wall in your room is clad in beautiful prints, you can essentially park yourself in any corner and still have an envy-inducing Zoom backdrop.

Designer wallpaper has seen a resurgence in recent years, and we're obsessed with Christian Lacroix's exquisite Oiseau Fleur vinyl wallpaper, which depicts vibrant botanical and bird motifs against a silk effect embossed base. It comes in two colourways of pink and grey.

(Main image: Brina Blum/ Unsplash; Featured image: Christian Lacroix)

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Fifty metres underground — this is the depth that local winemakers chose when they decided to store 10,000 wine bottles in the Aven d'Orgnac caves, an underground tourist attraction located at the southern end of the limestone plateau of the Gorges de l'Ardèche.

The experiment began in March 2018, when a new storage facility was specially created in a disused access tunnel to allow wine to mature in what amounts to a highly stable and peaceful environment.

A living product that ages best in undisturbed darkness, the wine will have benefited from ideal conditions: A constant temperature of around 12°C and an all-year-long rate of humidity of over 95%.

On December 12, 1,000 bottles of Côtes du Vivarais "Grand Aven 2017" from this treasure trove will be passed from hand to hand by a chain of human volunteers who will bring them back to the surface after two years underground. Thereafter, they will go under the hammer with a range of other local vintages in an auction with modest reserve prices.

Lots on offer will include 150 magnums of Terra Helvorum 2017 starting at 30 euros, 350 bottles of 2015 Terra Helvorum for as little as 15 euros and 350 bottles of Grand Aven 2016 from just 10 euros.

On land and sea

These days, experiments to store wine deep underground are very much in vogue in France. On June 3 of this year, 500 bottles were placed in racks at a depth of 103 metres in caves in Padirac under the watchful eye of Serge Dubs, the Best Sommelier of the World in 1989.

The first of these to return to the surface will be brought up for an initial tasting in the spring of 2021. And let's not forget that this experiment is focused on a very particular wine: A Clos Triguedina Cahors, christened Cuvée Probus, which has been produced to honour the 130-year anniversary of the Padirac Chasm.

Surprisingly enough, this new approach to maturing wine was initially inspired by a find at sea. In 2010, divers in the Baltic discovered a wreck containing what turned out to be a cargo of champagne, which was probably on its way to 1840s Russia.

The wave of experimentation that is now ongoing began when the bubbly, which was made by such houses as Veuve Clicquot, Heidsieck and the now defunct Juglar, was discovered to still be delicious after some 170 years under water.

In Saint-Jean-de-Luz in the French Basque country, winemaker Emmanuel Poirmeur has registered a patent for a process that involves vinifying wine in special vats at a depth of 15 metres under water. For its part, Leclerc-Briant set a record when it vinified one of its champagnes at a depth of 60 meters under the Atlantic in 2012, not surprisingly the vintage was christened "Abyss."

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