Celebrity Life

Setting up seasonal décor, earlier than usual, is a no-brainer this year. With the holidays quickly approaching, this unexpected Gift-Buying Guide selection will take some of the guesswork out of unique presents to satisfy all ages, boyfriend/girlfriend, family, and friends. … Read more

Half The Sky is on a mission to empower women to achieve their professional goals. Sabrina Ho tells us what men can do.

The post Sabrina Ho, CEO of Half The Sky, aims to achieve gender diversity in the corporate world appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Half The Sky is on a mission to empower women to achieve their professional goals. Sabrina Ho tells us what men can do.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

The CEO of Crown Group speaks about automation in the food and beverage industry.

The post With fully automated barista ELLA having made her commercial debut, the robot revolution is well underway appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

The CEO of Crown Group speaks about automation in the food and beverage industry.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

British model, muse and writer Laura Bailey talks to us about style, substance and her latest collaboration with Iris & Ink.

Founder of Loquet London, the model, writer and British socialite Laura Bailey is a veteran of the fashion world. She’s the cultural ambassador for the British Fashion Council and has featured in campaigns for the likes of Guess Jeans, L’Oreal, Marks & Spencer and Temperley over the years.

Her latest collaboration is an all-rounder capsule collection with The Outnet’s own Iris & Ink fashion label, a versatile range of seven outfits, from dark, chic dresses that can be dressed up for day or night and a killer, slim-cut, tuxedo-style suit. The chic, blonde, beautiful West London-based style maven gives us insight to about what’s inspiring her lately and staying calm in 2020.

Bailey also reveals how British creativity has fuelled her inimitable style and those items she really can’t live without.

[caption id="attachment_212483" align="aligncenter" width="695"] Laura Bailey is a British model, writer and style maven.[/caption]

The post Fashion Maven Laura Bailey Tells All About Style, Substance and Her New Collaboration With Iris & Ink appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

British model, muse and writer Laura Bailey talks to us about style, substance and her latest collaboration with Iris & Ink.

Founder of Loquet London, the model, writer and British socialite Laura Bailey is a veteran of the fashion world. She’s the cultural ambassador for the British Fashion Council and has featured in campaigns for the likes of Guess Jeans, L’Oreal, Marks & Spencer and Temperley over the years.

Her latest collaboration is an all-rounder capsule collection with The Outnet’s own Iris & Ink fashion label, a versatile range of seven outfits, from dark, chic dresses that can be dressed up for day or night and a killer, slim-cut, tuxedo-style suit. The chic, blonde, beautiful West London-based style maven gives us insight to about what’s inspiring her lately and staying calm in 2020.

Bailey also reveals how British creativity has fuelled her inimitable style and those items she really can’t live without.

[caption id="attachment_212483" align="aligncenter" width="695"] Laura Bailey is a British model, writer and style maven.[/caption]

The post Fashion Maven Laura Bailey Tells All About Style, Substance and Her New Collaboration With Iris & Ink appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Metamorphosis is an incredibly honorable organization started by a small group of teens: Rajvash Kabra, Gaurav Agarwal, Vansh Sovasarua, Aditya G. Arora, Avanya Aggarwal, and Granth Bhalotia.

They have already contributed to their community by hosting frequent donation drives to … Read more

Anyone who relishes in the life of excess and extravagance (and gleefully privy to all the first world problems that come with it) won’t be strangers to works by Kevin Kwan, which started with the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy.

The bestselling series was later adapted into the 2018 film, applauded for bringing Asian representation on a monumental scale to Hollywood. His latest novel, Sex and Vanity, was picked up for a feature film presentation by Sony Pictures — just a week after it hit shelves in June.

Sex and Vanity has been named a breezy update to E. M. Forster’s A Room with a View for 2020. The plot places the lens on Lucie Churchill, a biracial protagonist who, on top of a lifetime of contending with racial microaggressions, is torn with two love interests: The WASP-y fiancé of her family’s dreams or George Zao, a former flame she now can’t stand.

[caption id="attachment_212332" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Kevin Kwan. (Image: Raen Badua)[/caption]

Kwan has no doubt been keeping busy: Amidst a drama series in development at Amazon with STX Entertainment and numerous film and TV projects in the works, he recently spoke at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, hosted at the Asia Society.

We caught up with the author ahead of his session at the festival on 14 November, and asked him to fill us in on his latest novel, what he got up to during lockdown, and his own take on the world of luxury going forward.

(Main and featured image: Raen Badua)

The post Author Kevin Kwan Talks ‘Sex and Vanity’, Lockdown and Luxury appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Lawyer and philanthropist Michelle Chow has been sharing her love for the harp with underprivileged children since 2008. We find out why she decided to start her charity aimed at empowering the young.

When my friend introduced me to the harp 13 years ago, it wasn’t a popular instrument,” says Michelle Chow. “Only affluent families could afford lessons for their children. However, I fell in love with it immediately and started to learn it.”

The harp appears in many Disney cartoons, says Chow, and it’s a dream of many young girls to learn this elegant instrument. She says she feels extremely fortunate that she was at a stage in her life when she had the time and resources to learn how to play it.

“It’s a beautiful instrument,” she says, “and I love the music it makes. It makes me happy that I can bring the harp to schools, hospitals, elderly homes, churches and into the community – music connects everyone.” As she could already play the piano, which in many ways is similar to the harp, it wasn’t difficult for her to grasp the concept and learn the instrument, which she insists is quite versatile in spite of its soothing quality. “I particularly like the plucking and different effects one can do with the harp – you can even play jazz and rock music!”

Since her introduction to the harp, Chow wants the instrument to be available to all, irrespective of their economic background. “Music education, like all education,” she says, “should be available to everybody.” With a few friends, she founded Friends of the Harp (FOTH) to correct perceptions that the instrument is only be available for the wealthy; over the years the charity has empowered many students. “They not only learn how to play the harp, but also how to learn, which is a skill that’s transferrable to other studies,” says Chow.

[caption id="attachment_212282" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Michelle Chow is a lawyer, philanthropist and avid harp player.[/caption]

Her work as a full-time trust and charity lawyer has come in particularly handy, as she’s been able to navigate her way through the legal, tax and governance issues needed to set up and run FOTH efficiently. Chow is also the governor of two public hospitals (the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethershole Hospital), a trustee of the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital Charitable Foundation, a council member of her alma mater St Paul’s Co-educational College and its primary school, and a steering- committee member of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service Wisegiving. Her lawyer father, Roland Chow, was also heavily involved in philanthropy. “He’s my role model,” she says, “so I’m just taking after him. It gives me great pleasure to contribute to society with my legal expertise.”

Many of Chow’s clients run their own charitable family foundations or are in the process of setting one up. “My experience in charity operation and governance helps me to better understand the issues they may face,” she says. “Charities must do everything to match their own objectives and be in the public interest. I can share my experience in dealing with the Inland Revenue and other government departments, which my clients really appreciate.” Fortunately, her public duties nicely complement her day job, and she enjoys the full support of her law firm, Withers Worldwide. “My colleagues never complain when I’m absent from the office due to my charity work. I love both my profession as a lawyer as well as my role as a philanthropist.”

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, many charities have been faced with reduced fund-raising opportunities, due to the cancellation of charity balls and similar events. “We’ve also seen reduced corporate and individual donations,” says Chow. Although it’s difficult for charities to budget without a stable income, Chow says that good governance is key: “It’s as important for charities as it is for commercial businesses – but for charities it’s even more pertinent because they exist to do good.” Charities with a solid governance, a good and responsible board, a clear mission and passionate staff are more likely to weather such storms than those without.

Many charities also suffer, she says, as people don’t appreciate the fact that they necessarily incur administration costs. “Charities need to hire the right people – such as an accountant and an executive – to run smoothly,” she says. Many donors are reluctant to see their money go towards covering administration costs; they’d rather it were spent at the frontline, because that’s where they want to see the work done. But, counters Chow, “Do you think a charity – with a capital not much smaller than that of a listed company – can be operated by volunteers? While you do see adverse news about charity workers taking a big cut, these are very isolated cases. Generally, charity workers are paid less than with a commercial company, but their careers may be more rewarding, particularly if they have a passion for serving the community.”

[caption id="attachment_212281" align="aligncenter" width="733"] Michelle Chow is also the co-founder of Friends of the Harp, a charity dedicated to empowering the underprivileged through music.[/caption]

Chow cites an occasion a few years ago when FOTH sponsored a harp outreach event at the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital for physically disabled students at the nearby SAHK Jockey Club Elaine Field School. “It was such a meaningful event for both parties – the students could use their new-found skills as a gesture of thanks to the medical staff at the hospital, and their parents were so proud of them.” Chow was deeply moved that such a seemingly small and simple event could bring the community together. “The young students gained confidence, knowing that they had the ability to give back and perform, and the hospital atrium was filled with music, laughter, loud applause, love and tears that afternoon. I’ll never forget that.”

As for young, budding philanthropists, Chow says that she sees many second- and third-generation scions following in their family footsteps to contribute to society. “They have many creative ways to make a bigger impact with their dollars,” she says. “Philanthropy can bind the family together and create a common topic at the dinner table. It can even provide training for youngsters to have a taste of running a business, as charity is about balance sheets and deliverables too.”

Lastly, for those looking to start learning how to play the harp, Chow has one piece of advice: “Don’t hesitate,” she says. “If you like something, you’ll do it well. Be patient – practise makes perfect! I often say that I practise like a devil to play like an angel.

The post Lawyer, Philanthropist and Harpist Michelle Chow Aims to Make Music Accessible to All appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The sneaker and streetwear reselling platform has gone from strength to strength.

The post Why Novelship is the place every sneakerhead in Singapore needs to know appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

The sneaker and streetwear reselling platform has gone from strength to strength.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.