Celebrity Life

The latest ready-to-wear design from The Anthology deepens the brand's burgeoning reputation for sartorial clothing that's elegant yet easy-wearing -- a winning combo even when you're aren't 'working' from home.

Last April, while institutions around the globe were struggling to contain the fear and uncertainty wrought by a now-familiar contagion, huge numbers of clothing brands dealing in what we'd call 'classic menswear' were on the brink of a similarly existential collapse. With offices emptying out at record rates and 'stay home' orders being enforced worldwide (many of them still ongoing today) it seemed that the long-prophesied 'death of the suit', and by association, tailored clothing, had finally arrived.

Multinational menswear outfitters in the mould of J Crew -- known in their heyday for peddling slim, modish suits in malls from Indonesia to Alaska -- disappeared overnight, having failed to recognise (or worse, acknowledge) the sea change that has been taking place in men's fashion these last six years. And that's before we were all locked up, drinking badly-made cocktails over Zoom.

Fortunately, a handful of smaller brands (including an inexplicable number focusing on sartorial clothing, in Hong Kong) have managed to make lemonade out of the current crisis, principally by taking familiar styles of clothing and cranking the comfort factor, both literal and emotional, up high. Those themes were at the forefront of the design process when Hong Kong-based The Anthology released its 'Lazyman' in 2020: a "casual, multifunctional jacket" that's a no-brainer for the 'working from home' brigade, but still smart enough to warrant a place in your wardrobe when the pandemic inevitably ends.

To complement this beloved "blazer alternative", the brand has just released the 'Taskmaster' -- a quasi-outerwear design that rustles many of the same thematic feathers as its predecessor, while expanding The Anthology's casualwear universe. "If the Lazyman is an alternative to the office-appropriate navy sport coat," says co-founder Buzz Tang, "then the Taskmaster is our answer to the classic American work shirt."

It turns out that The Anthology's answer to workwear of the 21st century owes a debt to designers like Ant Franco and Jerry Lorenzo. In an era when fashion's influences are rapidly decamping between art, history, and pop culture, that's certainly no bad thing. Commencing from the reference point of the American workshirt, Tang & co continually tweaked the Taskmaster until they arrived at something suitably "fast-adapting" for a mixture of modern urban situations. It's for working, for loafing, for when you're stuck at home working on your loaves.

Almost by necessity, that makes this different to the scores of workwear designs which have come before: the body is shorter and slimmed for a closer fit, ensuring it wears well even whilst tucked beneath a trouser waistband; whereas the chest pockets have been expanded to handle the tools of modern professionals -- two oversized, postbox-style shapes roomy enough to stash your phone, spectacles, currency or even a palm-sized writing aid.

Intriguing choices in fabric are a signature at The Anthology, and the Taskmaster is no exception in this regard. For the Taskmaster, the brand has chosen to keep its sartorial sensibilities low-key, working closely with its Italian textile partners on a corded glencheck that juxtaposes a sumptuous handle with hardwearing, robust externalities. I say 'low key' since the colour here has enough degrees of separation to isolate it from the exploded plaids we're used to seeing on the high street. According to Tang, this corduroy begins life as a dusty beige cotton that's woven over with cords, shaded in what he likes to call "bleeding fountain pen". Collectively, those colours are redolent of a quill and ink -- an allusion, very nearly imperceptible, to The Anthology's blue feather logo.

The 'Taskmaster' overshirt is now available for HK$3,300. To learn more, visit The Anthology online.

The post Chef Paul Lau of Tin Lung Heen at The Ritz-Carlton on Preserving Cantonese Culinary Heritage appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most exciting culinary capitals, where good food is more than abundant. In that light, we’ve put together a few of our tastiest tidbits and most memorable morsels that are worth tracking down to try.

Castellana

In a new seasonal menu, titled 'Castellana Tour of Italy', a series of dishes are presented to celebrate Piedmont cuisine in a new light; many of which combine top ingredients sourced from around the world. On this occasion, we sampled Tagliatelle ai ricci di mare which puts together homemade tagliatelle, cooked perfectly al dente, with Japanese sea urchin enhanced by a squeeze of fresh lime and spicy olive oil, cherry tomatoes and basil. The result is luscious and creamy, but not overly rich: an indulgent pasta dish that was enjoyable to the last bite.

Castellana, 10/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong; +852 3188 5028

Arbor

It's always a joy to revisit two-Michelin-starred restaurant Arbor and savour chef Eric Räty's innovative cuisine. This season brought with it a wealth of dishes that once again, honours the natural flavours of its produce. Case in point is the Roasted Brittany pigeon. In a wonderfully flavourful dish, the breast meat is crusted with Okinawan sugar and Sichuan peppercorns. It's then paired with an assortment of mushrooms which include a peppered onion chutney-stuffed morel, meaty maitake and its puree, seaweed soy chutney with truffle, and a pigeon jus infused with fermented enoki mushroom juice. It's also served with a pigeon leg on-the-bone and pickled burdock.

Arbor, 25/F, H Queen's, 80 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong; +852 3185 8388

Petrus

If you have yet to visit one-Michelin-starred Restaurant Petrus at Island Shangri-La since Chef Uwe Opocensky joined, now is the time to do so. The seasonal menu, also driven by Head Chef Bjoern Alexander, is ripe with the very best ingredients of the season and focuses on organic produce too. The new favourite is the Lobster aged in bone marrow on rice served with a broad bean chawanmushi. Warming and moreish, the dish holds a balance of savoury and sweet notes from the seafood with touches of freshness and texture throughout.

Petrus, Level 56, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2820 8590

Somm

The Landmark Mandarin Oriental's wine and sake led restaurant does it again with their classic menu accented with modernity. Take the beef tartare; the popular appetiser that uses fresh beef with both crunchy and creamy components. At Somm, the beef used is the free-range and grass-fed Polmard heritage cattle, known for its deep and rich flavours. It's paired with the piquancy of shishito peppers, which add a slight kick, before it's grounded with velvety shiso mayonnaise. It's best enjoyed on top of sourdough shavings for added crunch.

Somm, 7/F, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, 15 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong; +852 2132 0033

Tin Lung Heen

During a recent lunch at The Ritz-Carlton's two-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Tin Lung Heen, we enjoyed the dim sum and barbecued Iberian pork with honey signatures. However, the highlight this time was the unassuming double boiled soup. Filled with the rich essence of chicken and nourishing fish maw, the soul-soothing soup receives the maximum extraction of flavour from the sweet and aromatic baby coconut. A must order if you enjoy soups, and one worth going up to the 102nd floor for.

Tin Lung Heen, Level 102, The Ritz-Carlton, International Commerce Centre (ICC), 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong; +852 2263 2270

The post The Top 5 Dishes We Ate in May 2020 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

When the temperature drops, our bellies respond with these requests.

The post Editor’s Picks: Favourite Hong Kong Winter Eats appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.