Celebrity Life

Local initiatives aim to give all students an equal shot

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As our epic September issue hits newsstands with pages dedicated to luxury, lifestyle, beauty and fashion, we go behind the seams for a pow-wow with notable connoisseur of all the above, Arne Eggers, the senior vice-president at Karla Otto.

The trouble is, Arne Eggers is so well-known and so well-liked by oh-so-many in the city, many clutched-their-pearls when he shifted base to London after a decade (more in fact!) in Hong Kong – that too, on the eve of a global pandemic. If he had a vision of what life in the UK would be like and how much jet-setting he'd have to do with his base not far from Kensington Palace, well, fate intervened and had all-new plans on the agenda.

As we knew of him, he adapted, bounced right back and spoke to us at length about new designers to keep an eye on, how the Hong Kong market is seen from the perspective of design houses and why the clogged arteries of Central will always have a special place in his heart.

It's so odd to chat online when we are so used to seeing you in person at Sevva, Zuma, MO Bar... but now you're stuck in London. Why have you abandoned Hong Kong Mr Eggers?!

I relocated to London last December, after 12 glorious years in Hong Kong. Shortly after I arrived, we went into the big lockdown which meant I had plenty of time to settle into my new neighbourhood! I live in Notting Hill and am only a few minutes away from Kensington Gardens – where I could be found daily, as walking was pretty much the only thing left for us to do in lockdown. While work required my permanent base to be here now, I haven’t abandoned Hong Kong entirely as I will continue to spend much time in the city. Sadly, the travel restrictions haven’t made that part very easy, but I am hoping to be back towards the end of the year. I miss it! 

What are the challenges in a post-pandemic, well... still pandemic world? 

I am now based in Karla Otto’s headquarters in London and manage the UK market while continuing to oversee our offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Seoul. As the pandemic is at different stages in every market, we are not facing the same issues everywhere. The most obvious challenge in most places has been a sensible return to in-person events. While everyone seems to be sick of purely digital content, it’s still hard to imagine that we will go back to huge fashion shows and packed after-parties any time soon. In China that isn’t a problem though – there we are mostly struggling to keep up with the high paced environment! 

How is the industry changing – for the better? And what's still as bad as it was?  

One thing that has changed is that we realise that we all don’t have to constantly travel. I was on a plane pretty much every week before Covid, but much of it was probably unnecessary. Scaling it back permanently will not only benefit the environment but also our own well-being. Due to the pandemic, many brands have also simplified their set ups and reduced the number of collections that is being produced, focusing on the core instead. It was all a bit much before so I think that is a positive change – if it will last...

Tell us about new brands and designers that you are excited about working with and who you want to work with. 

We recently started with London-based Albanian designer Nensi Dojaka, whose lingerie inspired designs have received a lot of attention (Dojaka was recently been announced as the winner of this year's LVMH Prize for Young Designers, receiving a 300,000 euro grant as well as a year-long mentorship programme hosted by LVMH executives).

Another emerging talent in our portfolio is menswear designer Daniel Fletcher who runs his own label and designs for Italian label Fiorucci. And I love the luxe aesthetic of our client Khaite, the New York-based womenswear brand founded by designer Catherine Holstein.  

Do you find this ‘revenge shopping’ track that fashion blogs have been brandishing to be true? 

We definitely saw elements of that in China, but I don’t think it’s necessarily true for every market. Priorities have changed and many people are not going back to the ways they consumed in the past. Spending has mostly shifted towards beauty, wellbeing, health and homeware rather than fashion. Those sectors are now thriving.   

in Asia, does Hong Kong still lead the way – or has Shanghai, or any of the other first tier cities in China, taken the number one spot?  

I would say that Shanghai is now probably leading the way in the region. It’s a true metropolis with a buzzing fashion week, highly successful design and art fairs and a plethora of local creative talents. It has its own sub-cultures and now creates trends rather than just following them. Another hotspot is Seoul, which continues to inspire the region, especially in the worlds of beauty and entertainment. Hong Kong may no longer possess the influence it had in the past but that doesn’t mean it is standing still. The city has continued to reinvent itself and I have no doubt it will continue to evolve creatively in a really interesting way.  

Hong Kong is an addiction you can't break – when are you planning to pop back? 

I may not be there right now, but I certainly haven’t left Hong Kong! I genuinely can’t wait to get back and hope to make that happen in autumn. Once travel will get a bit easier, I am planning to spend around 50% of my time in Asia and Hong Kong will continue to be my base for that.  

The post Arne Eggers: How the Fashion Industry Makes a Comeback post Pandemic appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The world-renowned aesthetician discusses her passion for— and deep knowledge of—plants and their use in her formulations

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Amanda Seyfried's standout performance as Marion Davies in the biographical drama Mank earned her an Oscar nomination and proved to be a pivotal point in her career. In an exclusive interview with Prestige, the actress and Jaeger-LeCoultre ambassador tells us more about her film, Art Deco costumes, the Reverso and her own inimitable style.

There’s never been any contention about Amanda Seyfried being funny; her breakout role in Mean Girls (2004) has transcended the ages and generations have memorised her various punchlines. No one without a formidable sense of humour could also have tattooed “minge” on their left foot. But Seyfried has also proved herself an absolute angel following her roles in Mamma Mia! (2008) and Les Miserables (2012), in which she used her wide blue eyes to her biggest advantage and blessed our ears with her piercing vocals.

Recently, it’s her role in the acclaimed movie Mank that has editors and film critics praising her nuanced performance and calling the film a turning point for her career. Seyfried was nominated, for the first time, as a Best Supporting Actress at both the Golden Globes and Oscars for her portrayal of Marion Davies, a screen star in the 1920s and ’30s who captured the heart of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, and whose relationship became the impetus for the plot of Citizen Kane.

Directed by David Fincher, Mank follows the life of screenwriter Herman Mankiwicz, played by Gary Oldman, and his memories of the lavish times he spent with Davies and Hearst. It’s a big Hollywood moment for the 35-year-old actress, who’s equally poised and effervescent at work, but most comfortable when she’s at home at her farm in the Catskills, with her animals, husband Thomas Sadoski and their two children.

The star recently did a photoshoot with Jaeger-LeCoultre to mark 90 years of the brand’s most recognisable watch, the Reverso, with its dual faces, distinctive swivel-case design and rich Art Deco codes. The campaign was shot by Alique, a Dutch-born and New York-based photographer and artist known for her effortless portrayals of her female subjects. Under her lens, Seyfried, a friend of the maison, radiates an air of calm and quiet confidence. Much like the watch she wears – a pink-gold Reverso One Duetto Moon styled on both a matching bracelet or with a burgundy-red leather strap – Seyfried doesn’t need to shout to be heard. Her attitude and her work speak volumes for themselves.

The Reverso was created in the 1930s and, as the story goes, it was designed as a response to polo players who asked for a watch that could be turned around so the crystal and dial were protected during a match. The watch’s Art Deco cues are unmistakable – it’s deceptively angular but there are no strong edges, and the three grooves on the upper and bottom of the case profile give it just the right amount of flair without being excessive. On one side, the dial is in beautifully etched sunburst, while the other side it’s bolder – dark burgundy, with an elegant moon-phase indicator for a touch of romance. One thing’s for sure: the Reverso’s design has remained virtually unchanged for the last 90 years.

“If I had to define the Reverso, I’d say: timeless, innovative, pristine,” says Seyfried, adding that she likes watches that can be worn with anything – a shirt or a dress – yet still fits her style, which she describes as “loose, casual and androgynous”. Her own favourite Jaeger-LeCoultre is from the Master collection.

“I like the refined, clean, detailed look of a watch, and I never felt as if I found one that fit me,” she says. “I’m attracted to men’s watches – the Master is the most attractive watch I’ve ever seen. And so, I notice that kind of look in watches, that big, round, beautiful, clean, classic watch face. It’s solid, versatile, sexy and sharp. You can see the time from a mile away.”

Seyfried has been a friend of Jaeger-LeCoultre since 2019, and says she sees a solid friendship between them for as long as their values continue to be aligned. In a way, selecting her business partnerships are a somewhat similar process to her getting into character. She once described how she connects with her various roles by finding common things between herself and her characters. When it came to connecting with Marion Davies, Seyfried says, “It’s easy to feel misunderstood as a woman and as someone in the public eye. People assume things about me, and I try too hard to prove I’m a real person in most cases.”

Mank was set in the ’30s, around the time that Art Deco was at its peak and the Reverso was born. In homage to the movies of the era, it’s filmed in black-and-white. Costume designer Trish Summerville was the mastermind behind the elaborate clothes from Hollywood’s golden era.

Seyfried didn’t wear the watch on set but muses, “The Reverso can be worn with anything, casual or dressed up.” Her favourite costume was the delicate dress-and-hat ensemble she wore in the scene where Davies visits Mank in Victorville. “That open back was so delicate and special,” she says.

“I loved walking in Marion’s shoes,” she adds. “The gowns and the accessories helped so much to get me into character. The fashion was deliberate and chic. Nothing felt too tight or revealing, which is exactly my speed. “Marion knew exactly who she was and what people needed from her and used that to her advantage.”

Still, comedy is in Seyfried’s soul: “I have a lot of fun with comedy and wish I did more. The challenges in comedy are more fruitful.” She’s talked about wanting to play a musician, combining two of her greatest passions, singing and acting. She also finds joy playing a mother and thinks it would be fun to play a cop someday.

Opportunities are undoubtedly plentiful. Seyfried recently completed filming for A Mouthful of Air and a short film called Birdwatching. She also plays Elizabeth Holmes in the Hulu miniseries The Dropout, which chronicles the rise and fall of the now-defunct health-tech company, Theranos, and is currently in post-production.

With the world still adjusting to the pandemic, however, Seyfried says, “The fewer places I have to travel to, the better. I’m happiest when I know I’m going to be with my kids. And if I’m working, I have to be passionate about the story, the character and the people I’m working with. Life’s too fast.”

The post Amanda Seyfried on Her Acting Career, Art Deco Style and Watches appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Social justice is more than a buzzword at South Florida's first standalone children's bookstore at West Palm Beach's Rosemary Square.

The post Rohi’s Readery Leads a Revolution appeared first on Palm Beach Illustrated.

What’s the future of fashion? What’s unique about Hong Kong style? What’s next for your industry? What’s in and what’s out? We pose these questions to the designers, entrepreneurs, leaders, stylists and influencers who’ve made an impact on fashion here.

With Covid focusing attention on our own backyard, this era of style in the city is renegotiating in familiar territory. And from talking to the experts, common arcs emerge. 

Johanna Ho

Designer, sustainability champion and founder of Phlvo Platform

Circularity, transparency, responsibility, respect and a proper value system – I feel these all must be the future of fashion. In fashion, I’m inspired by people, human values and the new possibilities of technology. In Hong Kong, there’ll be more connections between fashion education and the industry: mentorships and bridging or training programmes for students within the industry. This is a new season for me – with this new platform concept of Phlvo I want to start bringing a connection between the East and West. I don’t want to chase the chase anymore, or “accelerate growth”, which has been the fashion industry over the past decades – fast fashion, whether mass-produced or luxury brands. It’s all about reworking the system and dealing with issues such as exploitation, values, customers experiences, connection and relevance.

Karmuel Young

Designer and founder of Karmuel Young

Fashion’s future is gender-neutral. Some brands propose that direction by wading into gender-fluid, unisex or polysexual fashions, but I believe it’s about an extreme sense of self. Fashion is becoming more open to self-expression and letting the audience decide what they buy and want to wear. The younger generation pays less attention to traditional gender roles and looks and more towards integrity and authenticity.

Arnault Castel

Founder of Kapok

The future of fashion is in rediscovering how to make people feel beautiful, confident, comfortable and fun. It should be less a signifier of “coolness” or social class. It should stay away from limited edition and collectors and become again a way for us to communicate who we are. Hong Kong is unique because it embraces the new with a great knowledge of past style. Hong Kong style has no fear.

Vivienne Tam

Designer and founder of Vivienne Tam

Since the pandemic began and everyone is homebound, fashion is localising … Society is now ready to support and appreciate Hong Kong designs, we’ll search deeper into Hong Kong’s history and culture, but maintain a proud global voice. It seems there are more restrictions and taboos with the political conflicts around; it’s getting challenging, but challenges make us more creative and focused. The future of fashion is more inclusive with universal values and an emphasis on sustainability and health. People are adopting healthier lifestyles and sporting cultures – I’m designing to blend beauty and style with protection, as in my crossover collection with Masklab and using antibacterial fabric for my travelling trench coats when the gates finally open. Fashion shows can be at any time now and anywhere; the fashion norms and rules are deconstructed and move towards more artistic and unexpected ways of presentation.

Douglas Young

Co-founder, Goods of Desire

Fashion, like art, is a form of social commentary, and our society is very polarised now. You have split realities and fashion will mirror that, in the sense that it will become more diversified. In the past there was a central flow of fashion trends. In the future, these trends will break into fragments and become multiple trends. There won’t be one mainstream trend any longer – the future is diversity. Local fashion will find its own identity and uniqueness through local street culture, because Hong Kong is an advanced city. People are sophisticated in their style and taste, very international and diversified … Hong Kong will soon find its own identity, uniqueness and style. I’m inspired by the way people dress in Hong Kong, especially grass-roots people. The way they boldly mix things freely without consideration – so you have a lot of accidental fashionistas! Also, the ingenuity of adapting things really inspires me, not just in fashion but design in general. The unlikely combinations produce surprising contrasts. Hong Kong people don’t seem inhibited by putting things together in the same way that, say, Westerners might not do.

What’s next for us? We’ve found success in translating our company from initially focusing on furniture to lifestyle and clothing. We found a unique angle in Chinese clothing that’s simultaneously both traditional and modern. A continued focus on boosting our e-commerce is also on the agenda. It also allowed us to discover a market beyond borders for our type of clothing and we’ll continue to pursue that.

Elle Lee

KOL, actress and emcee

The future of fashion is more environmentally cautious, easy on the Earth and soft on the skin. Hong Kong style has always been quite sharp, especially for ladies. Women aren’t afraid to dress out and express their personality in unisex and edgy ways.

Mayao Ma

Director of Fashion Farm Foundation

In the future, fashion will be more focused on the design than where the brand or designer is from. There are many more Hong Kong brands with potential to stand out in the international market. I believe there’ll be more collaborations too. For spring/summer 2022, the Fashion Farm Foundation is presenting the new collections of three brands – Pabe Pabe (accessories), Ponder.er (men’s and womenswear) and VANN (jewellery) – at Paris Fashion Week with a digital film presentation. The crew members are all from Hong Kong. It’s a chance to show the world how creative and talented our young people.

Kev Yiu

Designer and founder of Kev Yiu

Fashion has always been a personal statement of who you are, rather than trends to be followed. However, with technological advances I can imagine in the near future there’ll be something like a one-button device that can dress you up in any way you can imagine.

As the younger generation has become more open-minded through the information on social media and the internet, there’ll be no more stereotypes. The boundaries are about to be broken. Well, maybe they already have been: men in skirts and other gender-blending concepts are no longer as shocking as they once were.

Justine Lee

Stylist and influencer

With the limitations of travel, I feel the city is looking inwards for fashion talent. I still feel there’s room for creativity even with the restrictions we’re under. In Hong Kong, the speed at which we consumed fashion before the protests and Covid-19 was super-fast-paced and, in a way, unsustainable. We’ve slowed down a lot recently and I think consumers, brands and retailers are reprioritising their focus. There’s a greater sense of community and I feel we’re seeing a gradual shift into more conscious consumption.

Faye Tsui

KOL and stylist

The pandemic led us to adopt a new normal in every way, people are paying more attention to reducing pollution. I’ve noticed people in Hong Kong are changing their buying behaviour – it’s important for local designers
to be environmentally conscious, use sustainable materials, especially packaging, and design in a way that’s more durable. Now, I think Hong Kong has its own unique style. People tend to showcase their own personality and won’t just follow a trend if it doesn’t fit them – this wasn’t the case 20, 10 or even five years ago, when fashionistas were following or copying Japan, Paris or London … Now, we’re unique.

Jacky Tam

Stylist and editorial director at Vogue Man Hong Kong

The future of fashion is all about being yourself, trusting your own feeling and being honest to yourself. I think freedom defines Hong Kong style. After the past year or so, people are going through major changes, mentally as well, from being fashionable to wearing comfy PJs at home. To me, comfort is in; being pretentious is out.

Dorian Ho

Designer and founder of Dorian Ho

Nowadays fashion isn’t just about the design, but also how you build and market your brand. Social media have led consumers to adopt and move on from fashion trends quicker than ever before. We must react very quickly, and adjust designs and stock, but also learn to anticipate what the market wants from us. With the development of technology such as AR and VR, I believe the future of fashion is sustainability and technologically innovative design. There’ll be breakthroughs in design and more functional materials to improve the quality of life.

Barney Cheng

Designer and founder of Barney Cheng Couture

What’s the future of fashion in Hong Kong? Three words: sustainability, awareness and responsibility. I think it’ll be all about customisation, personalisation and interactive creativity next in the local industry. What’s Hong Kong style really? Branded living? My style is extravagant simplicity, always has been, always will be. And what’s next for my brand? I’m a glorified tailor to the discerning few! I’ve been here for 28 years and hope to stay here for at least as long in the future.

Harrison Wong

Designer and founder of Harrison Wong

What’s the future of fashion? In design, sustainability remains the main issue and concern from my perspective. From a retail perspective, I think successful businesses will become more data-driven. By leveraging data on consumer trends and tastes, brands can create pieces consumers are more likely to buy. AR and VR will increasingly redefine the online and in-store experience. And high-tech will continue to reshape fashion – for example, catwalks will become increasingly virtual and new innovative functional fabrics will appear. Hong Kong-style is unique, because of the diversity of influences and cultures, as well as our dynamic metropolitan environment.

The post Ruth Chao: Breathing New Life into Old Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The 78th Venice International Film Festival, organised by La Biennale di Venezia, has returned after a hiatus and limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taking place at The Lido of Venice (Italy), the oldest film festival in the world, kicked off on 1 September amidst mandatory temperature checks and much-awaited hype for the upcoming movies. The star-studded event will continue until 11 September, with stars walking the red carpet for movie premieres and screenings. The festival's opening night movie was Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers, which got a five-minute standing ovation from the audience for a powerful performance by Penélope Cruz.

The stars are leaving no stone unturned in the fashion department as well. From Zendaya and Dakota Johnson to Timothée Chalamet and Benedict Cumberbatch, the entertainment industry's finest have been heating up the red carpet.

These are some of the best red carpet looks from the 2021 Venice International Film Festival.

The post Our Favourite Looks From the 2021 Venice International Film Festival appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

"What I find really exciting is the increase in female-driven projects, as well as female directors in mainland China,” says our cover personality, the Chinese-American actress Celina Jade.

“Most producers I meet are women, and when I was working in Hollywood, most of them were men.” On Chinese screens Jade is encouraged by seeing “women being better represented every day here; women of all kinds are being written about and it’s very empowering”.

If you tried hard to dream up an actress meant for the modern age, she might well look like Jade on paper. This martial arts-trained, bi-racial, trilingual, multi-hyphenate professional was born and raised in Hong Kong, lived in London and the US, and now resides in Beijing. Highly bankable in both Western and Eastern markets, fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, it helps that Celina Jade is gorgeous, strangely relatable and could probably also kick your ass.

With two blockbuster films and an indie flick awaiting release in China this year, the star’s schedule has been demanding. One is a tomb-raiding movie based on the popular Chinese novel Legendary Hunters, starring alongside Zhang Han Yu and Jiang Wu. Another is China Top Arms, about the country’s first all-female special- forces unit, and there’s an indie picture alongside Guo Tao, where she portrays “a pregnant woman facing the challenges of late-stage cancer”.

Jade is clearly determined not to be typecast; and is rather “excited to see how audiences will react” to these three different roles in succession.

Growing up surrounded by nature in Hong Kong’s Discovery Bay to film-veteran parents Roy Horan (who was one of Asia’s few successful Western kung fu stars) and Christina Hui, Jade admits that “in some ways I’m more of an island girl than a city girl”. For our cover shoot in Beijing, however, she ditches some of that natural girl-next-door quality, instead serving up bold, couture-clad fashionista with a razor-sharp attitude. She looks every inch the stone-cold fox.

“My red-carpet style is my little alter ego that my stylists have fun with, and my day-to-day style is just whatever this Gemini is feeling at the moment,” says the actress, with a laugh. “It’s ever-changing – like my nail colour.”

We start talking about dream projects; in the future Jade would love to work with Gong Li (“one of the most powerful actresses on screen, in my opinion”) and Wong Kar-wai as a director (“he could teach me a lot about my craft”), as well as Chow Yun-fat, whom she admires – “I think he’s such a humble person and I feel I could learn a lot from him as a human being,” she says. In the West, it’s veterans such as Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman. With her career in such ascendency, perhaps none of these seem like such a pipe dream.

I first met Jade when she was a sweet girl studying at Island School – we were both teens, growing up in Hong Kong’s tight-knit international circles. She was modelling at 13 (“it taught me to handle rejection”) and launched
a singing career at 14, fulfilling a childhood dream and releasing her inaugural EP under Japanese producer Tetsuya Komuro. Jade had her first Asian hit at the age of 15.

If she seems quite philosophical about her career, it’s perhaps because she realised by those teen stardom years that “fame is an illusion, and that it’s called the ‘wheel of life’ for good reason … What goes up must come down.”
Dad always told me the only still and peaceful place in a wheel is the very centre. And meditation helps you find that centre,” she muses. “You start to reflect on your identity and what defines you as a person, I love being
in the arts, it’s all about expression, but in the end, the result really doesn’t matter as it’s not real.”

Before delving seriously into acting, Jade released her first self-written album in 2012, and wrote and performed theme songs for Chinese films and TV series. She’s since fronted campaigns for the likes of Audi, La Mer and Christian Dior. Today she’s a Lululemon ambassador in China.

After studying management at the London School of Economics, she eschewed a corporate career to pursue her passion. Forgive the “brains and beauty” cliché, but in this case, it’s true. There came a handful of Hollywood roles (The Man with the Iron Fists, Skin Trade, Triple Threat, Blue Bloods and April Flowers). And her portrayal of Shado in the DC Comics series The Arrow earned her a loyal legion of American and international fans.

“There are a lot of unknown elements in this industry, and talent doesn’t always equal success. I don’t fear ‘failure’ as I always know that I have other options,” says Jade, “In some ways, that brings me a lot of freedom in life, if that makes sense.”

When she eventually moved back to Asia, Jade starred in China’s highest-grossing box-office success Wolf Warrior 2 alongside her long-time friend actor Wu Jing, who also directed the film.

“To be honest, when Wolf Warrior 2 was released, I didn’t know exactly what to make of the box office,” she says. “When I was told we hit number one in the history of China and I saw how happy it made the whole crew, I was so happy for everyone. I’d watched Wu Jing struggle and work so hard over the years, so I really feel he deserved all the glory that came with the movie’s success. I was just lucky to be cast as the female lead.”

It was this role that cemented Jade’s star status – and a life in the mainland, where she’s been grateful to be “so welcomed over here by the industry and fans alike”. Charming Chinese audiences with her ethereal good looks, dynamic acting, and impeccable Mandarin, she’s riding the wave of China’s booming film industry (the Chinese box office overtook America’s last year) and experiencing first-hand the shifts in this colossal market.

“The work ethic here is incredible – people are so passionate about their work …There’s such a beautiful camaraderie on movie sets, you can feel that of us is grateful to be doing what we love.”

Jade’s development into a Chinese and international actress with complexity and range has been a joy to watch. But she admits that she “only got into acting because Wu Jing convinced me to. He changed my life 14 years ago by giving me my first break, in Legendary Assassin. I’m forever grateful to him. Once I got that acting bug, I was stuck … I love working in the mainland, to be honest. I was very, very lucky with Wolf Warrior 2, as it opened many doors for me.”

“I also met my husband here,” she adds, “so I really owe Wu Jing a lot!”

Marrying singer and actor Han Geng in an intimate New Zealand ceremony on the last day of 2019, Jade delighted family, friends and fans. Han, a former member of Korean boyband Super Junior, is also a prolific performer and currently stars as celebrity judge on one of China’s hottest TV talent shows. Now she’s really begun to embrace her life in Beijing, setting up a routine and doing “normal” things, such as discovering chic little spots around town and farms where she can pick up organic vegetables.

“We love the countryside just outside of Beijing and hiking has become a big part of our lives when we have time off. It’s just a beautiful place to be,” Jade says. “I also love Hebei nearby. If you’re an avid snowboarder or skier, ChongLi is just a few hours’ drive away.”

It all sounds rather charmed, but Jade admits that their schedules can get busy. “I think the most difficult thing in married life is finding a balance in how you both live,” she says. “My husband’s extremely supportive, so I’m really lucky.”

Even with taxing film schedules for months at a time, the pair have found “our way to connect despite the physical distance … It’s a good lesson for me. It teaches me not just to find happiness in another person, but also find it on my own and spend time sharing that happiness with my partner … When living together, it’s so easy to hope your partner fills your void, sort of thing, but that’s not the healthy way to go.”

The entertainment industry is known for its often- unhealthy doses of hedonism. Jade, however, has always seemed grounded – even in her teens. As a celebrity she’s remained scandal-free and has even unwittingly emerged as a wellness advocate due to her own healthy lifestyle: the nature-living vegetarian regularly practises meditation, sports and martial arts.

“It’s a mindset,” says Jade. “True martial artists aren’t violent and don’t seek conflict. They learn that the greatest battle is that of the monkey mind – and learning to control that is the key to happiness. Fighting is just a physical expression of that kind of control.”

Her father is her biggest influence in this aspect of life. Now a professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a “neuroscientist and quantum physicist”, as a martial-arts actor in his youth, Horan was one of the few Caucasian faces to find success in Asia. He broke into Hong Kong films with roles in Bruce Lee’s Deadly Kung Fu (1977), Snuff Bottle Connection and The Ring of Death, before being cast as a Russian assassin in Jackie Chan’s Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow.

He began his spiritual path of self-discovery in the early ’80s, when he started practising yoga and meditation daily, which he taught his children. “He never missed a day till now,” says Jade. “Can you believe that? He really is the definition of self-discipline.” Growing up in that family, “he was the go-to person if you wanted to talk about the yi jing, feng shui, bazi or kung fu.”

Jade and her sister studied martial arts from childhood and the family “discussed big philosophical questions on outings”. Essentially, Horan wanted his daughters “to be fearless, independent women”. In this context, Jade’s character begins to make a lot of sense.

Emerging as one of China’s most sought-after leading ladies, as well as an embodiment of modern cross-cultural appeal in film, Jade has perhaps inherited some of her father’s discipline and her mother’s compassion. Her journey towards the top has been about professional development but also self-learning, spirituality, and constant evolution.

“I went through a difficult time with the passing of my mother to cancer, so I know that one day we must face death alone,” says Jade. “We really should spend our valuable short time on this Earth being present in each moment, present with ourselves, and if we’re with others, spreading our love and giving. Only when we give with open hearts will we be able to receive. That seems to be the law of the universe.”

Jade tells us that her mother always encouraged her to use fame to empower women, talk about the environment, and spread love and unity, “She said, ‘Be the light the world needs.’ And my dad’s attitude was always to go kick some ass!”

CREATIVE DIRECTION & STYLING ALVIN GOH
PHOTOGRAPHY SHENG YANG
ART DIRECTION TETEZI
MAKE-UP WENJIE

HAIRSTYLING SHIHAO
NAILS SANMEN
STYLING ASSISTANT LULU
LIGHTING ASSISTANTS HAOCHI, LIANGLIANG

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When compiling Prestige’s annual 40 Under 40 list of achievers, we followed some basic rules. First, to state the obvious, all the contenders have to be no more than 40 years old. Second, they need to have done something remarkable — and worth writing about — in the past 12 months (since last summer’s edition of 40 Under 40). And third, they have to be here in Hong Kong.

Now that last stipulation can be a bit of a doozy. The pervasive cloud of defeat and ennui during the pandemic got even the best of us. According to one newspaper op-ed: “As emigration from Hong Kong steadily gathers pace, a different picture emerges. This time, they won’t come back. A conservative triangulation of government data suggests that about 1,000 people a day are currently leaving Hong Kong permanently.”

Well, we’re here to present you with a somewhat different picture, a jigsaw comprising 40 different pieces — men and women who are choosing to stay in Hong Kong and construct something different, something better than before.

To start, our editors put forward more than 80 names for consideration, every one of which was mulled over at length...And eventually around half of them were culled. If they didn’t shift the needle forward, extend themselves in a noteworthy manner compared with previous years, then they found their chances evaporating.

Thus, on this year’s listing you’ll find a conspicuous absence of the usual suspects — in fact, 95 percent of the names in the following pages have never been featured before. The novelty lies in not only their faces, but their actions in trying to build a better society, environment or business — and in some cases even reaffirming our hope in humanity.

We found one lady who provided medical mobile units to the government to help the old, infirm and the disenfranchised in remote parts of Hong Kong as the pandemic raged. An heiress who gave up working on her accessories brand and instead committed to philanthropy. Women who left lucrative investment banking careers to deep dive into fixing the education system. And someone who sells luxury condos and flowers by day, but by night provides mental health solutions to those seeking help. You’ll find all these, and more.

So this emphatically isn’t the usual hierarchical roster of the holier-than-thou — for good measure, ahem, we even list our favourite bartender (if ever there was a year to have a stiff drink, this was surely it), plus soothing dulcet singers and exquisite chefs, and a few original designers and dreamy models. But the common thread you’ll find binding together this diverse group is project hope. Standing tall in the face of adversity, these fine young achievers have adopted an admirable stance as they look forward into the light and continue with their endeavours - whatever those may be.

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Having a child is a life-changing moment, dictating the start of a whole new chapter in life where your priorities get reshuffled and suddenly nothing matters apart from the sleeping (or crying) baby in your arms. This was the predicament Joyce Lau found herself in, who changed the entire course of her career in 2018 to start a new company, NakedLab, to bring quality bedding for her then two-month-old daughter, who was battling serious eczema.

A former architect and now a full-time mother and entrepreneur, Lau tells us about her frustrations with the bedding industry, her belief in the health benefits of bamboo textiles, and how she hopes NakedLab can ultimately bring a family better sleep, health, and mindset overall.

Name: Joyce Lau
Profession: Entrepreneur
Industry: Textiles and bedding
Company size: 8
Startup since: 2018

When did you launch your company and why?

NakedLab™️ was founded in 2018 when I became a mother. When Pia was 2 months old, she was battling a serious eczema situation. With this sudden urgent need to focus more on skin health and sleep health, I struggled as a new mother shopping for quality bedding that didn't break the bank. So many options were overwhelming and unreliable in terms of quality. That sparked my curiosity to find out that the bedding industry was very ambiguous and antiquated. This frustration initiated the beginning of my journey and the birth of NakedLab™️.

Retailers were selling high-end bedding at up to ten times markup, inflating thread counts, and operating on bloated supply chains that added to cost but not quality. I had no background in textiles or manufacturing, but I soon realised just how savvy one can become after spending one year educating myself on the industry, visiting factories, and sampling fabrics.

I discovered bamboo sheets, which have a lot of health benefits. It's not only scientifically backed to make you sleep better because of its thermoregulating properties, but it is also naturally anti-dust mite, anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic. It also feels so silky soft and feels extremely luxurious.

We focus on Oeko-Tex certified BambooSilk fabric, which is free from harmful chemicals although because I insist on the Oeko-Tex certification, it means that the bedding is more easily creased than cotton (which is dipped in chemicals) and has to be carefully handled (cold or low-temperature wash, and no bleach and tumble dry). We started out with one product, which is a pink baby cot sheet for Pia, but have since added kids' bedding, adult bedding, and duvets, which are coming soon.

To me, NakedLab is more than just a shop that sells bedding. Bedding is such an overlooked item at home – it's a household item where we spend most of our hours (the average person spends almost 230,000 hours of their life in bed, that's approximately 26 years!) and it is also the one item our skin has the closest contact with. I believe a good set of bedding gives you not just good sleep, but also the foundation to good health and most importantly for me, a good mindset. And that is the key to a happy home and a happy life. This is what kept me going, it just makes me so happy knowing that I can help make a little difference to somebody’s sleep and happiness because they had a good rest.

Was sustainability a factor for you when you created your line?

I think sustainability is an essential factor in any business nowadays, that’s fundamental. I’m not even going to dive into the manufacturing process, for one simple fact is that bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, with some species growing up to three feet a day. It doesn’t require the use of pesticides, or any other agrochemicals, nor fertilizer or irrigation, both of which are common in cotton farming - cotton sheets are still the traditional choice of bedding while so many of us still know anything about bamboo bedding.

Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?

Not in a million years! I wanted to be an architect since I was very young, and I have not strayed from that path until now. I was trained in the UK and came back to Hong Kong for a China development project eight years ago.

Your husband is also an entrepreneur. Has he helped you in any way along your own start-up journey?

He is my mentor when it comes to business. He has so much more experience in terms of this entrepreneur journey. I have seen all the downs and I see how he overcomes them and becomes better and better every day. I always say I understand what he is going through, but honestly, I only truly understand now when I became an entrepreneur myself. Your business is like your own baby, it’s so close to heart. Because you build it yourself, sweat and tears. He always says “running a business is all about self-improvement and self-challenge every day”, there’s many more other good quotes from him because he reads so much, he’s the most disciplined person I have ever met. I always go to him when I need advice.

What are some do's and don'ts of starting your own company?

If I can give one piece of advice to the aspiring business owner, I will say: don't try to do everything at once. When you have an idea, you often get overly excited and try to get everything done at once. I think the key is to really do it step-by-step and to try to balance the inside and outside of the business. Prioritizing is super important; try to focus and tackle one hurdle at a time.

You started your business at a time when you still had a full-time job and caring for a newborn. Thinking back now, would you have done it any other way?

I think that was the perfect timing. When I started, it was really just a passion project, I didn't think it would go far. I had a full-time job and a daughter, and a side business was taking a lot of time, especially at the early stages. But I have learned how to hyper-focus, delegate and prioritize. That was something I was pushed to learn when I had so many hats on, and now I think these are the keys to success!

Has the pandemic impacted your business in any way – good or bad?

In a good way for sure. People are now very curious and focus on wellbeing and self-love. People are also staying at home more often, they are more aware of and yearn for good quality products so business is taking off.

What's in the works currently?

Loads of exciting things. In October, we're finally launching our very own 100 percent bamboo duvet – say bye to allergies! In December, we're launching a donation/ repurpose programme with Hong Kong Dog Rescue where we'll be setting up recycling stations at major offices and donating old bedsheets to rescued dogs at their shelter for the winter season.

We're also planning for more colours, mattresses … and in February we're launching an exciting new product that we'll have more information for later. But very exciting things are coming up.

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#TheCitySalutesYou campaign features ordinary citizens who did extraordinary work to help the city fight the 2nd wave of COVID19 pandemic Select CITYWALK – Delhi’s most admirable and responsible shopping centre offers a poignant tribute to the heroes who stepped up to help those most in need in the grip of the second wave of the […]

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It's difficult to pin Aradhna Dayal down to just one title. She's an investor, a leader, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist – just give her name a Google search and you'll find countless profiles on this multi-faceted Indian businesswoman.

Now, Dayal is also a writer – a co-author of My Voice: A Collective Memoir by Women of Substance, which features 23 women from across the world sharing their stories of courage and strength.

With over 25 years of experience in Asian financial markets (a male-dominated industry), it's no surprise that Dayal's name is often said in junction with female empowerment. She runs her family office, Regal Ford Asia, out of Hong Kong and she's the founder and CEO of Access Alts Asia – an international membership-based investment club with meets in Hong Kong, Shanghai, New York, Dubai, London, and San Francisco.

And she's passionate about women succeeding – in leadership roles, education, and in their health; having served on the committees of Teach for China, Sohn Conference, and Youth Diabetes Action, and being involved in her family's two charity organisations, Move4Migrants and ModernMigrants that provide targeted aid to and empower ethnic minorities and those with a migrant background in Hong Kong.

What inspired you to share your story?

I have spent much of life guarding my privacy fiercely: be it at work where discretion is the name of the game, or in personal life where I follow our family motto of simplicity and humility. But receiving the American Chamber of Commerce ‘Woman of Influence Award’ last year, and consequently being approached to write my memoir, forced me to reflect on my journey so far; in doing so I found myself better understanding what I set out to do, who I was, or rather, who I had become in this journey.

You see, we are a culmination of our experiences in life, and often the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts. My Voice: A Collective Memoir is a reflection of that.

Tell us about your personal story – and your chapter in My Voice: A Collective Memoir.

I grew up in small-town India, climbing mango trees, flying kites and absorbing life in the now-forgotten, technology-free world. My father, however, was the eldest son of a large landowning family from the pre-Independence days, and far from a typical Indian dad.

An ocean of wisdom, high on empathy, he refused to bring me up as his "little girl"; instead, he raised me to be a “thoughtful soldier,” observant of everyone and unafraid to speak my mind. In his quiet and firm way, he gave me the self-assurance to chart my own path.

My chapter in this book is really about my passion for people and how that formed the cornerstone for both my investing and my entrepreneurial journey. It is also about my personal journey that made me redefine my life mission; I now realize that often it is the peripheral things we do – build global communities, spark conversations, create safe ecosystems – that allow us to leave a meaningful legacy.

What does ‘a woman of substance’ mean to you?

I truly feel a woman of substance is one that has the confidence to speak up, stand up, believe in herself, and not worry if someone thinks she is “too ambitious” or too “confident”.

This is something I emphasise to all the young women I mentor. The other important thing is challenging the idea of always being perfect, something we as women are taught from an early age. We try and be perfect wives, perfect moms, perfect daughters, in addition to being perfect professionals. But that is not possible in real life. To me, a real woman of substance is one who realizes that it is okay to be persistent not just polite, strong not silent, and driven not docile.

How did you approach writing your memoir?

I distinctly remember writing this on the night of the Super Blood Moon eclipse. I watched in awe, as the crimson crescent rose over the sea, thinking through my life events, my personal struggles – each steeling my resolve and in the process propelling me higher – and then writing my story out in a stream of consciousness, words coming hesitatingly first and then in a rapturous flow. I finished as dawn was breaking, and a full proud moon (now all silvery) lighting up the clam sea in front of my balcony. It was truly a moment of reckoning.

You’ve mentioned going from failure to success and exclusion to inclusion – can you tell us about a time you experienced a grave challenge and how you overcame it.

It’s funny how we measure our success from name and fame at work, but in reality, it is our small wins in personal life that take us towards a path of true happiness. I got married very young and sadly never enjoyed the acceptance from my marital family. While being educated and progressive in many ways, the new family found my independence of thought and action difficult to comprehend, resulting in hilarious (and often hurtful) encounters.

My moment of reckoning came one winter morning when I returned from a Bloomberg interview that facilitated my work, to find my family members complaining about a chipped teacup. I walked over to the mirror that day and promised myself that I would no longer pretend to be someone I am not and that I would no longer waste my years pursuing what was unattainable.

It was at that moment that I felt unshackled. It was at that moment that I found the desire to be unapologetically myself. And it was at that moment that I gave my ambition a free ride. I felt my spirits soaring. I decided that I wanted “everything” and saw the road to a global empire – clear and shining.

Tell us about setting up your own business.

Honestly, as a life-long investor, I didn’t expect the entrepreneur bug to bite me in my forties. But it is an exhilarating feeling, something everyone should try at least once. Today’s world is superbly democratic. You can build a business and take on established brands with considerable ease as long as your product resonates; the consumer of today will give you a chance.

For me, the idea came from having had a front-row seat to Asia’s transformation. My investment club Access Alts Asia creates an East-West bridge to bring capital and ideas to Asia, where billions of lives are changing due to digitalisation, consumerism, increased mobility, and financial inclusion.

As a female entrepreneur in finance – what can you tell us about being a woman in a leadership role, especially in a male-dominated industry.

That you gotta go into it “like a man”. Wearing heels and make-up if you are so inclined. Funnily enough, this epiphany came from a 4 am conversation with my then 16-year old son. I wasn’t sure what it meant at the time, but in retrospect, what he was telling me was to not hold myself back, to wear my femininity like a badge and not worry about dinner being on the table at 8 (not something dads would do, right?). I am now a passionate lobbyist for women in leadership roles, and I often laugh and pass along this wisdom to my mentees.

How does this book connect to you, as a mother?

Writing this book has really made me reflect on my journey as a mother, and my kids’ resilience. I used to feel guilty about not being around much, but now when I see my daughter Pankhuri amplify the voice of the disenfranchised – whether it's lobbying for sex workers’ rights, taking on the controversial FOSTA/SESTA bill, or supporting fellow students fighting mental illness – I feel a sense of accomplishment. For a parent, there is no better legacy to leave behind.

You’re something of a philanthropist – tell us more about your passion for charity and development.

As a family, making an impact is in our DNA – we are passionate about creating just and diverse societies of tomorrow. My kids Pradyumn and Pankhuri Dayal, run Move4Migrants and ModernMigrants, two aid organisations that empower migrant and minority communities of Hong Kong.

Apart from that, I have served on committees of Teach for China, Youth Diabetes Action and Sohn Conference amongst others. I also run Women On Boards – an initiative within Access Alts that brings together inspirational women in business, finance and investing to guide the next generation of female talent in the boardroom.

What is one line that’s stuck with you from someone else’s memoir.

“It’s fab to be flawed” - Priyanka Chopra, from her memoir Unfinished.

If a reader had to take just one thing away from your chapter – what would you want it to be?

That every trough ends in a crest. In 25 years of trying to please my marital family (and equally at work), I learnt invaluable skills. In trying to imitate them, I learnt to be elegant. And in trying to advocate for myself, I learnt to speak up. When life throws you a curveball, it's actually igniting a spark for your growth.

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