Celebrity Life

Most of us know Wil Fang as the founder of Cookie DPT and Carbs. To his friends however, he's a bit of a hoarder. From sneakers and collectibles to a budding watch collection, the connoisseur of classic all-American fare tells us about his collecting habits, his quartet of Rolexes and what makes him tick.

Wil Fang will tell you he’s no watch collector – yet. He’s merely starting out, dipping his toes in. But step through the doors to his apartment that’s decked out in all sorts of collectibles – from Bearbricks to the Mr Moncler figurine created by artist Craig Costello and various Louis Vuitton x Supreme items – and you’ll see telling signs that he has the potential to become a very serious one.

That is, if his sneaker collection is anything to go by. Fang has a room lined with floor-to-ceiling shelving, dedicated to housing his 400-plus pairs of sneakers. At a glance, there are autographed Air Jordans, limited-edition Off-Whites, Fear of God, and more. His collection is still growing; he points to a couple of boxes stacked on a Supreme logo-ed folding chair – “I haven’t worn those yet,” he tells me.

Fang’s interest in sneakers grew from childhood – his first pair of Jordans was from his mother, when he was in third grade. He also has a single Jordan shoe, signed by the entire Chicago Bulls team, which he displays in a glass box.

“I even have a magazine signed by Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan after they won 72-10,” says Fang, referring to 1995-1996, when the Chicago Bulls set the record for the most wins in an NBA regular season. “I’m a huge Jordan fan and I always wear Jordans. He was my idol growing up.”

But back to watch collecting: “I’ve had quite a few watches, but I’d say the first serious timepiece I own is this Rolex, which my wife gave me on our wedding day,” says Fang.

The watch in question is a Rolex Submariner, in steel with a black dial and bezel. “When my wife got it for me, it wasn’t crazy expensive,” he continues. “Five years ago it wasn’t even difficult to get, like it is today. Things have definitely changed.”

Rolex was the definitive watch of Hong Kong culture, the ultimate milestone watch that you’d get for a special occasion. “It’s almost like the standard entry-level watch here,” says Fang. “Everyone’s got some sort of Rolex, whether it’s a Sub or a Milgauss – for a lot of my friends here, it’s very normal for them to get a Submariner for graduation or when they land their first job.”

The watch Fang got for himself when he got his first pay cheque, however, wasn’t a Rolex. When he graduated with a double major in mechanical engineering and business management from Bucknell University in 2005, he joined Ralph Lauren and was quickly sucked into the company culture.

“We weren’t required to wear any particular uniform, but as a young professional, you see your bosses walking around in suits and nice watches, and you start becoming part of that culture,” Fang recalls. “And, you know, it’s aspirational.”

And soon enough, his interest was piqued. The first watch he bought for himself with his own salary was a TAG Heuer Link chronograph, which he still owns. “In Hong Kong, maybe it’s not a big deal, but back then, when you’re 22 years old in the States, it’s a pretty nice watch. It was a gift to myself.”

Later, as Ralph Lauren ventured into timepieces, Fang also invested in a dress watch. “It was unnecessarily quite expensive,” he says with a chuckle. “It was a Ralph Lauren watch and I probably should have put that money into something else, but it’s a prototype model. It’s definitely sentimental and I’ll never sell it or get rid of it. It’ll stay in my collection.”

Later, Fang’s work brought him to Hong Kong and, in 2016, he found himself in Taipei with a group of friends launching a fashion retail concept store called DPT. “It was one of those dream-come-true situations,” says Fang. “I’m half-Taiwanese and Hong Kong was home, so I was commuting weekly back and forth from Taipei for
two years.”

It was at DPT that Fang’s sneaker collection really flourished. “I’m a sneakerhead,” he says, enthusiastically. “I’ve had sneakers my whole life, but when you open your own shop and brands send you 50 pairs and you could have your first pick, it was like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve made it.’”

Owning the sneakers – and the watches – was only part of the thrill. A huge part of what makes the community so exciting was the hunt for a good bargain, the relationships you build with your authorised dealers, and the full experience of receiving the goods.

“The cool thing about collecting is like, once you have it, you have it, but there’s also a story of how you got them, whether they’re sneakers or watches,” says Fang. “I’ve seen my friends pick up their watches at a VIP house and it’s a great day, you know, everyone’s excited and they come with a bottle of champagne. It’s all part of the process.”

After his wedding Submariner opened the floodgates, Fang picked up a “Panda” Daytona with a black ceramic bezel, an Explorer and a vintage “Pepsi” GMT Master with a faded bezel, explaining that Rolex was an easy entry point to collecting for him. “I like things that are more modern, a bit more subtle and sleek,” he says. “White gold or steel and black. Something that’s very clean and not too flashy.”

“Collecting watches is definitely a more expensive hobby. It’s not like collecting suits or sneakers,” says Fang. “But what I like about it is the community. It’s much smaller, more intimate. I don’t even consider myself a watch collector at this point, but from an interest perspective, I really like the circle. They come from all places – from F&B, fashion, finance, entrepreneurs – you meet so many interesting people through collecting. And a lot of them are successful, so it also gives me the drive and the mentality to work hard in my own businesses too.”

That drive is serving him well. Unfazed by the pandemic, Fang and the DPT Group are launching a takeout pizza business called Carbs – “I’m playing the devil’s advocate,” says Fang.

“Covid isn’t such a happy time but seeing the success of a fast-moving takeout delivery business gives us the confidence that, even in the toughest times, Carbs will be OK.” And how could it not be? Comfort mac-and-cheese, authentic Chicago deep-dish pizzas, fried chicken, and hands-down the best spicy vodka fusilli I’ve tasted. Perhaps as Hong Kong’s appetite for Fang’s goods continues to grow, so will his watch collection.

The post New in Beauty This September 2021: Valentino, CHANEL, Dolce & Gabbana appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Skincare brand Rare SkinFuel threw a party at the Upper House’s Sky Lounge on August 19, to launch its new Age Delaying Body Collection. The lightweight hand and body cream promises 72 hours of moisture with the ability to reduce cellulite, increase skin's firmness and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.

After an address by the brand’s owner, Michelle Chen, the assembled beauties and socialites – who included Angie Ng, ChauKei Ngai, Delia Leung, Karina Ha, Jessica C, Jeremy Wong and Rosanne Wong – were treated to a hand massage using the RARE SkinFuel new collection and keychain workshop.

The post RARE SkinFuel Launches its Latest Body Collection at the Upper House appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The vegan skincare label is founded by Ashley Yong and her mother Jo Yong.

The post Meet the mother-daughter founders of local skincare brand Two Halves appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

The vegan skincare label is founded by Ashley Yong and her mother Jo Yong.

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

It was a long journey postpartum for RARE SkinFuel founder Michelle Chen to regain her skin’s natural glow. She shares what she’s learnt in her career and her mission to encourage ladies to embrace bare skin with us.

We've all played with our mothers’ make-up. Michelle Chen, however, distinctly remembers rummaging through her grandmother’s cabinets for skincare samples. “I was never into cosmetics but skincare,” she says. “I always knew that skin is the foundation for a beautiful face, while colours are enhancements to deliver the total package.” As a teenager, growing up in the US, she spent her pocket money on beauty magazines and books, and kept herself up to date on the latest news in the market, and beauty secrets passed down from celebrities and stylists on how to make her skin look flawless.

But Chen didn’t get her career start in beauty. Instead, aged just 16, she began working as as a graphic designer in a Silicon Valley start-up, and gained experience as she transitioned through the ranks to buyer, product development director and sales. Beauty was always a passion, but it only became her full-time career in 2018 when, as a full-time mother and now based in Hong Kong, she decided to set up her own company. “I combined my career experience with my skincare knowledge and obsession, and turned it into a skincare company of my own.”

Although we often talk of the “pregnancy glow”, the fact is that many women suffer from bad skin, especially right after giving birth. Chen herself confesses that it was the first time she’d ever experienced bad skin, along with weight gain, in her postpartum condition. “I allowed myself to buy my first-ever foundation compact from Chanel Beauty,” she recalls vividly. “My skin texture was rough, my complexion was dull and there was nothing I could do but to cover it with make-up.

“The skin condition lowered my confidence, because I knew make-up wasn’t going to stay on forever,” she says. “I’d see a different side of me after I removed my make-up, so I knew I had to work on my skin again and be comfortable in it.”

In her quest to find the perfect product to solve her skin issues, Chen turned to an Australian manufacturer that uses only natural local ingredients, which are cold-pressed to preserve the nutrients that the skin needs. Although the process is expensive, Chen insists it’s better in the long-term. “You’ll still get the results you get from your first bottle on your tenth bottle,” she says, “because it’s made with only natural ingredients, so no antibodies are required against the chemicals. Your skin won’t get used to the ingredients and fight against its effectiveness.”
Chen perfected a full line that she confidently says has helped her regain confidence – but that’s not the end of the story. She wanted her products to benefit other women like her too, and when her daughter turned four years old, in 2018, she established RARE SkinFuel.

“I’m proud to say that I created a line of products ranging from face to body, natural and powerful for my entire family,” she says. “My 83-year-old grandmother uses my products, and my now-seven-year-old daughter uses the cleanser and the cream too.”

Few people would admit to this, but Chen says she embodies the “woke-up-like-this” look and truly feels beautiful every second of the day. She’s stopped wearing foundation again – her only make-up being a lipstick. Although effortless in appearance, Chen’s skincare regime is extremely strict. Her best anti-ageing secret is “20 percent professional face treatments and 80 percent skincare products.

Think of it as exercise and diet,” she says. “To stay fit, 20 percent from working out and 80 percent from what you eat. There’s no miracle to freeze age without diligent care. I get professional treatment regularly and to maintain and boost the result, I’m very diligent with my home glorifying ritual, using the 10 products I created the right way.”

RARE SkinFuel’s products are completely customisable to your daily needs, allowing you to mix and match to get the results you want. The Refreshing Activator could be used alone as a cooling mask after sunbathing, for example. The Detox Powder could also be mixed into the Revitalising Cream Cleanser for a quick and gentle exfoliation.

“I still have flaws on my skin, like melasma, but I no longer feel the need to remove them,” says Chen. “I realised as long as my skin condition is healthy, the natural skin glow will come along. The less make-up I use, the less damage the chemicals cause to my skin. It’s a cycle. You take care of the skin, it’ll glow … We want to encourage women to not be afraid to go bare.

“Don’t let pigment wash away your natural skin glow. The more you allow your skin to breathe, the better complexion you’ll have,” she says.

The post RARE SkinFuel Founder Michelle Chen on Her Mission to Encourage Women to Embrace Bare skin appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

It depends on how much you value your image. We dare say, yes.

The post Is the Noesa Reset Serum Set worth the hefty price of $5,200? appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

It depends on how much you value your image. We dare say, yes.

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