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Celebrity Life

Photo Shoot: Psychedelic Florals and Earth Tones for Spring

This season shows that designers are still wild at heart when it comes to spring/summer. Embracing psychedelic florals and stretchy earth tones, the new season looks are nothing short of maximum impact.

[gallery ids="205700,205701,205702,205703,205704,205705,205706,205707,205708,205709,205710,205711"]

 


 

Photography Issac Lam

Hair Winky Wong

Make-up Jenny Shih 

Photography Assistant Ivan Chan, Shawn Cheung & Sinyi Lau

The post Photo Shoot: Psychedelic Florals and Earth Tones for Spring appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Here Are All the Best Looks From the 2020 SAG Awards

[gallery ids="186394,186393,186392,186386,186391,186385,186390,186387,186388,186389,186382,186383,186399,186400"]

The annual Screen Actors Guild Awards just took place, with familiar faces like Charlize Theron, Millie Bobby Brown, Sophie Turner in attendance celebrating the achievements of actors and actresses in film and television. Winners included Jennifer Aniston for The Morning ShowThe Crown for Ensemble in a Drama SeriesJoaquin Pheonix for his portrayal of the Joker; representing the votes of more than 160,000 professional performing artists. Not only was it a huge night in entertainment, but fashion looks also made a splash on the red carpet. One of the highlights from the night is the 2000's flashback when Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston shared a moment together backstage.

Peep the gallery above to see some of the best red carpet looks, and start preparing for the upcoming Academy Awards.

 

 

The post Here Are All the Best Looks From the 2020 SAG Awards appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Here’s How Celine, Dior and Louis Vuitton Celebrate Chinese New Year

The Year of the Rat is just a week away and designers are getting in on the Lunar New Year festivities. Brands including  Gucci, Dior, Valentino and Moynat are just a few of many fashion houses honouring the Chinese New Year, which occurs on January 25 this year with a capsule collection taking festive-inspired elements into their designs. In no particular order, here are some of our favourite collections inspired by the biggest holiday in Asia.

 

Celine

[gallery size="full" ids="185398,185397,185399,185395,185396,185391,185392,185394"]

Celine’s Lunar New Year collection spreads across womenswear and menswear, and includes a T-shirt, crewneck sweatshirt, a tie, and a bevy of selected accessories adorned in Celine’s signature Triomphe canvas with a pop of festive red leather detailing.

 

Gucci

[gallery size="large" ids="185406,185407,185408,185409,185410"]

Gucci really hit the theme on the nose. Artistic Director Alessandro Michele enlisted the help of Mickey Mouse to celebrate the Lunar New Year seeing it is the Year of the Rat. The capsule includes men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, bags and shoes all adorned with Disney’s most famous character intertwined with Gucci’s heritage branding.

 

Dior

[gallery size="full" ids="185422,185421,185420,185419,185418"]

The Saddle Bag, Lady Dior and the Dior Book Tote get a Lunar New Year makeover. The coveted bags see red floral motifs and images of a rising phoenix accented with beading and gold hardware which adds a luxe touch to the accessories. The collection also includes sweaters, eyewear, and wallets, among other items.

 

Louis Vuitton

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Taking on with the theme of the Chinese astrology, Louis Vuitton has released a range of seasonal homeware, jewellery, and accessories in their Lunar collection. In addition, Louis Vuitton has crafted a range of denim canvas bags accented with bold red detailing which symbolises luck and prosperity in Chinese culture. If you're looking to pick up any of the items, prices start from HK$4,000 for the keychains and go up to HK$33,000 for the bags.

Valentino

[gallery size="full" ids="185459,185452,185622,185460,185453,185457,185454,185455,185456,185458,185451"]

Maison Valentino unveiled a special limited edition capsule collection created exclusively for the 2020 Chinese New Year. The festive capsule sees men’s and women’s ready to wear items, T-shirts and cashmere pulls as well as accessories for both men and women all characterised by a red, pink and blue colour palette and a Cosmo and Stars embroideries.

Shanghai Tang

[gallery size="full" ids="185627,185628,185629,185630,185631"]

Now if clothing or accessories is not your cup of tea, celebrate CNY with Shanghai Tang's beautifully crafted homeware collection. The Hong Kong luxury fashionhouse pays tribute to the classic paintings by renowned Chinese artist, Qi Baishi. His work can be seen on coasters, candy boxes, and more. Prices range from HK$680 for the set of four coasters and go up to HK$2,980 for the bigger enamel boxes.

 

Moynat

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The House of Moynat celebrates the Year of the Rat by sharing its two passions: exceptional French savoir-faire and "joie de vivre". Creative director Ramesh Nair has imagined the original illustration - a rat landing on a luggage tag and bag charm. Both pieces retail for HK$3,400, and is available now at Moynat boutiques.

Miu Miu

 

Continuing to celebrate female empowerment, Miu Miu has enlisted the help of Disney's female powerhouse Minnie Mouse to release a CNY capsule collection. The ready-to-wear collection includes T-shirts and sweatshirts to denim jackets and skirts. Prices start from HK$4,450 for the T-shirts to HK$10,850 for the denim jacket.

The post Here’s How Celine, Dior and Louis Vuitton Celebrate Chinese New Year appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

It’s a Wrap: Essential Outfits and Accessories for Your Yuletide Getaway

[caption id="attachment_178829" align="alignnone" width="6669"] On model: Robe, skirt and flats Chanel | Sunglasses Oliver Peoples | Bag Fendi | On trolley: Clutch Dior x Rimowa | Luggage Tumi | Sneakers Sergio Rossi[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178838" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Earrings with beaded rubies and round diamonds, necklace with beaded rubies and round diamonds, swirl ring with oval spinel, bracelet with emerald-cut rubies and diamonds Graff | Dress and clutch Bottega Veneta[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178833" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Shoes Dior | Chocolates Godiva | Historiques American1921 timepiece Vacheron Constantin | Rouge Allure lipsticks Chanel | Bracelet Chanel | Mignardise necklace in pink gold and mother-of-pearl, Star signet long earrings Montblanc | Silk scarf Hermès | 30 Montaigne Bag Dior | Sunglasses Miu Miu | Contes D’Hiver earrings in white gold with round diamonds Van Cleef & Arpels[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178832" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Serpenti earrings in rose gold with rubellite eyes and full diamond pavé; Serpenti necklace in rose gold with rubellite eyes and diamond pavé on the chain and head; Serpenti ring in rose gold with amethyst eyes Bvlgari | Dress Versace[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178861" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Happy Hearts Wings earrings, necklace and bangle in white gold with diamonds | L´Heure du Diamant collection watch in white gold with opal and diamonds Chopard | Green carpet collection bag by Chloë | Sevigny Chopard | Dress Dior[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178835" align="alignnone" width="5952"] Dress Dolce & Gabbana | Sandals Sergio Rossi | Necklace Chanel Eye & cheek palette Laura Mercier (in box) | Shimmer skinstick Fenty Beauty (in box) | Rabbit-fur doll Loro Piana | Edition no. 5 The Macallan | Bag Versace | Rouge Dior Couture lipstick collection Dior | Tenue de Soirée eau de parfum Goutal | Bangles Hermès | Beoplay H9 headphones B&O | Sunglasses Oliver Peoples | Face palette Nars[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178834" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Outfit and accessories Gucci[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178830" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Souvenir d’étoile earrings Montblanc | Constellation manhattan master chronometer timepiece Omega | Hustle cheek palette and studio 54 audacious lipsticks Nars | Dentelle secrète bracelet in white gold with mauve sapphire, turquoise, white mother-of-pearl and diamonds Van Cleef & Arpels | Secret wonder necklace with sapphires, aquamarines and diamonds Harry Winston | Fleur Impérial ring in white gold with one oval-cut red spinel, mauve sapphires and diamonds Van Cleef & Arpels | Secret cluster ring with sapphires and diamonds Harry Winston | Sunglasses Coach[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_178836" align="alignnone" width="4096"] Happy diamonds earrings, pendant and ring in rose gold with diamonds; happy moon watch in rose gold with diamonds Chopard | Dress Hermès[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178837" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Multi-shape diamond bow earrings, necklace, bracelet and ring Graff | Dress Dolce & Gabbana[/caption]

 

Photography Until Chan at UC Workshop

Styling See So

Hair Heather Cheng

Make-Up Christ Lam

Mode; Nathaly K at Quest Models

Poodle Coco Lung

Location Rosewood Hong Kong

The post It’s a Wrap: Essential Outfits and Accessories for Your Yuletide Getaway appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Red Carpet Looks We Loved From the 2019 Emmys

Awards season has been in full swing, and coming in the aftermath of the Toronto International Film Festival and Venice Film Festival was the biggest night of the year for television" the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. Making up for the absence of an official host was a star-studded line up of small-screen characters dressed to the nines. As you might have guessed, the red carpet was nothing short of extravagant, with outfits featuring all manner of ruffles, sequins, feathers, embroideries and embellishments.

 

Click through our gallery below for some of our favourite red carpet looks:

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The post Red Carpet Looks We Loved From the 2019 Emmys appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Asia’s Hottest New Supermodel, Tang He, Struts Her Stuff at Chungking Mansions

"I never thought I’d be a model because when I was young, I never thought I’d grow to be this tall, but I did think I wanted to be an actress or a singer,” says Tang He, who was discovered at a performing-arts school in her hometown in Jilin province, China.

Since being signed to Elite in Shanghai almost three years ago, the 18-year-old is fast becoming one of fashion’s most talked-about faces. This season she opened Miu Miu’s resort show and joined what she calls “my Miu Miu family”, featuring in the brand’s autumn/winter advertising campaign. “It’s my first international campaign,” He says, “and I’m very excited and very happy. It makes me feel like the last couple of years have been worth it.”

Indeed, it’s been a very fast rise to the top for the Chinese teen. Her first show outside her home country was for Tom Ford. “It’s a show that so many models wanted to be in and I got it on my first try, so I’m very grateful,” she says. “I love modelling. It gives me the chance to wear so many beautiful clothes and I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given.”

Besides Miu Miu and Tom Ford, He can now be seen in most high-profile shows, appearing at Valentino and Fendi haute couture just this season. And it’s clear after working with her on just one shoot that, despite her natural talent, He is wholly dedicated to her craft. “I don’t mind posing more,” she tells us. “Make sure you tell me what you want me to do if I’m not delivering, so we can get the shot. I really don’t mind.”

Of course, making it as a model on the international stage is not without its share of criticism and hardship. When she signed to Next, her global agency, brands told He she had to slim down in order to walk in the European collections and haute couture shows. She did it, she got the jobs and somehow kept her youthful spirit.

“I think I’m a bit too slim now,” she says, when asked about her weight. “I don’t think you need to be super-skinny to be a model, to be honest. As long as you can fit into the clothes and your body is healthy, that’s all you really need. I want to put a bit of weight back on so we have to eat some good food for lunch later.”

And with that, we bring He to a bakery between shots, pointing out our favourite local sweet buns, and she squeals with the glee of a happy teenager.

“I’d like to try that one,” she says, pointing to a sugary bun stuffed with shredded coconut. As she eats in the taxi on our way to the next location, still decked out in Loewe, Dior and Jimmy Choos, she smiles and says, “There’s probably nothing better in the world than a sugary bun, don’t you think?”

[gallery ids="162864,162860,162868,162863,162861,162862,162865,162859,162869,162867,162866"]


 

Photography Chasek at Planet X

Creative Direction and Styling Zaneta Cheng 

Make-up Kidd Sun

Hair Billy Hai at Hair Culture

Photography Assistant Ryan Au at Planet X

Styling Assistant Lau Bo

Model Tang He at Elite

The post Asia’s Hottest New Supermodel, Tang He, Struts Her Stuff at Chungking Mansions appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Photo Shoot: The Very Best of ’80s Excess

Big hair, don't care. We got the beat, we got the power shoulders -- plus the distressed denim, the daring colour, the shoutiest bling and all the very best of '80s excess.

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Photography Cher Him

Fashion Direction Johnny Khoo

Fashion Styling Jacquie Ang

Hair & Make-up Marc Teng at Atelier using Sebastian Professional & Giorgio Armani Beauty

Photography Assistant Zhan Hong 

Fashion Assistant Jessica Khoo 

Model Viktoria Klonina at Ave

The post Photo Shoot: The Very Best of ’80s Excess appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

#PrestigeItBags Featuring Noi Aswari

"To be honest, I'm more of a shoe person. But I do like to match bags with shoes,” Noi Aswari informs us as she arrives at Klots in Kemang for Prestige’s it bags shoot. We selected a number of the season’s best designs for her to model.

“My first bag was a Chanel, in fuchsia lambskin,” Noi says as she begins posing. “It was a limited edition for Valentine’s Day, and I got it as my high school graduation gift. It’s certainly been the most memorable bag in my life.”

[caption id="attachment_135150" align="aligncenter" width="853"] LEATHER SHOULDER BAG BY MIU MIU / DRESS BY MIU MIU [/caption]

The gorgeous beauty and fashion enthusiast, who studied at Trisakti University, Jakarta, has a wry sense of humour, describing herself on Instagram as “part-time dentist, full-time dreamer”. She’s a big fan of the Mini Lady Dior. “I think it really represents me right now, since I’m a petite woman and, again, I like a little twist,” she explains.

“I think women around my age are more into the medium to small-size bags these days because of their simplicity and efficiency. You can easily carry around a few essentials like your phone, wallet, powder and lipstick. A small bag gives us freedom to move. The other ones I go for are the timeless styles, like the Valentino bags with their iconic studs.”

[caption id="attachment_135161" align="aligncenter" width="853"] LANVIN PIXEL-IT BAG LEATHER CROSSBODY BAG / TOP AND PANTS BY LANVIN[/caption]

Noi shows up for the shoot with an item she borrowed from her mom, a Fendi Peekaboo studded, floral-embroidered leather satchel from the 2017 Resort Collection. “This one belongs to my mom,” she admits with a giggle. “Now, she really is a bag person. I might borrow one from her when I have to carry more stuff to work, like books and stationery, a water bottle and food, a makeup pouch, sunglasses.”

Wearing a white blouse and pants and sporting a short haircut, Noi looks feminine and edgy. She is quite possibly the most glamorous dentist on the planet. “I’m working on opening Tawa Dental Studio in Pondok Indah, together with three friends who are also dentists,” she tells us.

[caption id="attachment_135157" align="aligncenter" width="853"] VALENTINO MINI V INLAY CANDYSTUD BAG / TOP AND SKIRT BY VALENTINO[/caption]

Knowing that many people are afraid to visit a dentist, Noi chose the name Tawa, which means “laugh” in Bahasa Indonesia, to help put clients at ease. She wants them to know that it is possible to go to the dentist’s and come out smiling.

“This is a joint-venture clinic with US dentists who have worked in Singapore for more than nine years and have opened seven branches, including Australia and Cambodia,” Noi adds. “When they decided to come to Indonesia, we become their partners.

[caption id="attachment_135156" align="aligncenter" width="853"] DIOR LADY DIOR CALFSKIN BAG JEWELLERY, TOP AND SHORTS BY DIOR[/caption]

“I see a dental clinic nowadays as more like an aesthetic clinic. People don’t just go for the sake of their health, but to improve their appearance. It’s so important to look after your teeth because they have such a big impact on your body’s health and also on how good you look.”

Noi says she grew up idolising her mother. “I liked to try everything in her closet, from scarves, bags and clothes to makeup. She is also a fashion enthusiast, and I pretty much look up at her. I also have a sister, and the three of us literally share a lot of stuff and go shopping together.”

[caption id="attachment_135151" align="aligncenter" width="853"] COACH PARKER TOP HANDLE IN SIGNATURE CANVAS / TOP BY COACH[/caption]

She describes her style as feminine, while “having twist in it that is quite difficult to describe. I love a little bit of femininity in everything, but it should have an edgy touch – sexy, but not too sexy. Olivia Palermo influenced the way I dress up.

“Something versatile also captivates my interest, like the designs of Sapto Djojokartiko. He’s a brilliant guy. Everything is hand-drawn until the lace part. His stuff is not just clothes but a piece of artwork.” Noi enjoys the shoot, never tiring as she switches from one bag to another. “I do photo shoots for fun, since I like to be photographed,” she grins. “But I also spend a lot of time with loved ones, family, friends and my fiancé. I take singing courses and I’m planning to join a cookery course. I want to cook something simple but tasty.

[caption id="attachment_135149" align="aligncenter" width="853"] PRADA SIDONIE LEATHER SHOULDER BAG / BLAZER BY PRADA[/caption]

“I just came back from Raja Ampat, that’s my best destination so far this year. I lived in the boat, did diving for the first time, saw sunrises and sunsets, did a lot of watersports and hiking. It was great to spend quality time with friends and be away from the internet life for a while. I found out that it’s really good to remember your true soul.”

 

[caption id="attachment_135155" align="aligncenter" width="853"] VALENTINO MINI V INLAY CANDYSTUD BAG / TOP AND SKIRT BY VALENTINO[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_135154" align="aligncenter" width="853"] HERMÈS MOSAIQUE AU 24 – 17 BAG / TOP AND PANTS BY HERMÈS[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_135160" align="aligncenter" width="853"] FENDI PEEK A BOO X-LITE REGULAR AND POM-POM CHARM / TOP AND PANTS BY FENDI[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_135148" align="aligncenter" width="853"] MARC JACOBS STUDDED BELT BAG / COAT BY MARC JACOBS[/caption]

 

FULL PHOTO CREDITS:

 

PHOTOGRAPHED BY HARIONO HALIM

STYLED BY PAUL DELA MERCED

SHOT ON LOCATION:

KLOTS HOME FURNISHING

KEMANG TIMUR NO. 48, SOUTH JAKARTA 12730

PHONE: (62 21) 7179 1827

KLOTS.COM

 

MAKE UP: DAVE RIO (62 813) 1715 1500

HAIR: YATI (62 812) 8254 6237

STYLING ASSISTANTS: LINTANG HUTAMI
& jerdi anarchi

 

COACH IS IN PLAZA INDONESIA
& GRAND INDONESIA

DIOR IS IN PLAZA INDONESIA & PLAZA SENAYAN

FENDI IS IN PLAZA INDONESIA

The post #PrestigeItBags Featuring Noi Aswari appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The Life of Tao Okamoto

Tao Okamoto is a perfect example of what happens when preparation meets opportunity. The 33-year-old’s career reads like a series of what some would call lucky breaks – whether setting off a huge hairstyle trend in the modelling world, booking her first acting role alongside Hugh Jackman or appearing in some of the hottest TV shows in Hollywood.

But life wasn’t always runaways and red carpets. Okamoto grew up in Chiba, on the outskirts of Tokyo, as one of three sisters. Her mother was at home while her father ran an after-school tutoring centre. And while the rest of the family was average height, Okamoto found herself standing head and shoulders above other girls her age.

“I just wanted to feel confident about what I had and how I looked,” Okamoto recalls when I reach her by phone in New York, where she lives with her husband and co-founder of The Last Magazine, Tenzin Wild. “If I were good at sports, I wouldn’t feel bad – but I wasn’t. I was going through puberty and started to look at fashion magazines and thought, ‘Maybe I can try this, modelling.’”

Okamoto called the publishers of one magazine, only to find out their annual modelling competition was still months away. “I was like, I can’t wait for this. So I decided to walk this famous street in Harajuku where people get scouted,” she says, referring to the popular shopping and street-style district in Tokyo.

“I went there by myself the first weekend and I was lucky enough to be asked to become an actress by this agent. He was strange, not like a good agent, but it gave me a bit of confidence that I might look attractive to some people.”

[caption id="attachment_116427" align="alignnone" width="1687"] Outfit Ralph Lauren[/caption]

The experience led Okamoto to reveal her feelings to her parents. “I told my parents for the first time that I was having a difficult time understanding myself, that I wanted to love myself but it was hard and I thought modelling could be a way I might be able to shine.”

When they discovered the scout was not the real deal, Okamoto decided to go out on her own again, sending her picture to a well-known agency in Japan. “I got a call back, and that’s how I started working and signed with an agency,” she says. “I was 14.”

Okamoto readily admits that, despite her determination to become a model, she had no idea what she was doing. Her school didn’t allow her to work, so any auditions had to be done outside of school or in secret. And, at first, nothing really happened.

When she was 17, Okamoto spent a year in England as an exchange student and started to think beyond the borders of her home country. She returned to Japan, finished high school and decided to go to college. But it was too much trying to pursue modelling and attend classes at the same time, and she dropped out after a year.

“I started to get a lot of offers and requests from foreign designers, at a time when I was so not popular among Japanese clients and designers,” Okamoto says. “So I was like, I love Japanese creativity and design, but maybe I’m not needed here. I have my market abroad.”

Okamoto moved to Paris and soon found regular work as a so-called Asian beauty. “I think what they were seeing in me was something very exotic, which didn’t really stand out in Japan,” she says. “I was doing well but nobody knew my name. They were just treating me like the Asian girl. They didn’t care where I was from or anything else.”

[caption id="attachment_116424" align="alignnone" width="1690"] Outfit Miu Miu[/caption]

Frustrated and questioning her place in an industry that treated women as so easily replaceable, Okamoto decided to ditch the typical long black hair then associated with Asian models and get a sleek, close-cropped bowl cut. “I don’t know,” she says, “I think I needed to challenge myself and see if I could get booked without having this signature Asian look.”

For the first season, it seems, she couldn’t. But a last-ditch effort to make it in New York would change all of that. Okamoto met a new agent, booked a number of shows and was quickly getting noticed for her unique hairstyle.

“That was kind of my breakout season. I have to think now there was a mix of reasons. The first was my hair became kind of trendy. It was a time when people were going back to that pixie or Vidal Sassoon kind of bowl cut, and I had it before other models cut their hair,” she says, wildly understating the fact that designer Phillip Lim was so inspired by Okamoto’s look that he sent every model in his autumn/winter 2009 show down the runway in wigs cut to match her hairstyle.

Besides the emerging androgynous trend, Okamoto also credits the strength of the Chinese economy at the time for her success. “I was able to fit in with this group of Chinese girls,” she says, “so I have to be thankful for that.”

[caption id="attachment_116428" align="alignnone" width="1688"] Outfit Givenchy[/caption]

Once the world – of fashion, at least – knew her name, it wasn’t long before Hollywood came calling. But Okamoto never had aspirations of becoming an actress. In fact, her parents had acted in university but weren’t able to make careers out of it.

“I knew that it’s not an easy choice,” she says. “Also, I was a very twisted kid so I didn’t want to go in the same direction as my parents.”

As it turns out, the producers of The Wolverine were looking for a Japanese actress for the role of love interest Mariko Yashida and asked her to audition. Okamoto, who wasn’t a big fan of superhero movies, gave it a try without any prior training or preparation.

“There was a lot of dialogue. I was memorising the lines and then on the day of the last audition with Hugh Jackman, the casting director said she wanted to do improvisation,” she recalls. “I’m like, ‘What?’ I didn’t even know what improvisation means!”

Nevertheless, Okamoto got the part – to the surprise and delight of her parents – and her education began. “I started to realise what a big deal this was. I asked the director [James Mangold] if I should take some classes and he said, ‘Don’t go to any acting classes. Show up as you are and I’ll direct you.’”

Okamoto soon learned how lucky she was to work with a director like Mangold, and why so many people aspire to become actors. “A lot of models go on to become actors. I didn’t understand that transformation and I didn’t like people thinking models were below actors,” she says. “I was very proud of what I do as a model. I wasn’t going to become an actor. But the part I loved most about modelling was being able to transform [into someone else] so I think it was natural for me to go into acting after I experienced it.”

[caption id="attachment_116425" align="alignnone" width="1689"] Outfit Gucci[/caption]

In the five and a half years since The Wolverine was released, Okamoto has appeared in a few Japanese TV series as well as major US productions including Hannibal,The Man in the High Castle and, most recently, the HBO sci-fi Western series Westworld. She also appeared as Mercy Graves in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

“The writing for Hannibal was very poetic, and hard to understand. English is my second language so it was very difficult for me to understand the real meaning,” she says. “It took a lot of preparation to learn the lines and then express them as an actor. Westworld was totally the opposite. I didn’t have a lot of lines, but I had a lot of action sequences which I had never really done before. As long as it’s challenging, I enjoy it.”

Okamoto has recently been filming an independent movie, tentatively titled Japantown, that deals with the discrimination faced by immigrants and their descendants in the United States, particularly Japanese- Americans around World War II.

“I decided to do it because there’s a line that says, ‘I’m American. I was born here; I was raised here. I do look different from you,’ when talking to a white restaurateur, when Japanese were banned from restaurants. ‘But I’m the same as you. We’re Americans.’

“That’s very relevant today. People don’t really know what ‘immigrant’ means. I’m an immigrant myself because I’m the first generation here but there are a lot Asian- Americans who are not immigrants,” she says. “I think it’s a good time to remind people we may look different but we’re not different.”

[caption id="attachment_116426" align="alignnone" width="1688"] Outfit Ralph Lauren[/caption]

Culture and ethnicity have been on Okamoto’s mind, not only given her experiences as a model but also with the hubbub surrounding Crazy Rich Asians, Sandra Oh and her other fellow Asian actors.

“I’m kind of wondering and seeing how this movement goes. When I was modelling, people treated me as an Asian. That kind of made me frustrated because I wanted to be acknowledged [as Japanese]. Crazy Rich Asians was about Singaporean Chinese but the whole Asian community was cheering and supporting them because we waited for so long,” she says.

“Now I don’t care if people think I’m Japanese or whatever. I just want us to become a big power. I’m really feeling good that I don’t have this ego any more about my nationality and I just want to support and be a part of this Asian movement.”

The important thing, Okamoto says, is that everyone is given a fair shot. So if a Japanese role goes to a Chinese actor, she doesn’t mind as long as she and other Japanese actors had the opportunity to audition. And if she has her way, one day Okamoto will be able to audition for a role in a musical and hopefully fulfil her dream of singing professionally.

“It’s all about timing. Like when I was modelling, I didn’t really do anything for 10 years but then the economy supported me, this whole movement supported me,” she says. “When I think about that, I think I should also have ‘my time’. Maybe it’s now, maybe it’s later, but I want to believe it will happen.”

 


Photography Oriana Layendecker

Styling and Production Jolene Lin 

Hair Akihisa Yamaguchi 

Makeup Chiaoli Hsu

Styling Assistant Melinette Rodriguez

Special Thanks Ralph Lauren

The post The Life of Tao Okamoto appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Prestige Picks: The Best-Dressed Stars This Week

Prestige takes a look at the many red carpets and front rows and selects 10 best looks from the world's A-listers.

The post Prestige Picks: The Best-Dressed Stars This Week appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

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