Design Perspective: Candice Chan, Founder of J Candice Interior Architects, on the inspirations behind her award-winning interior designs

As the founder and creative director of J Candice Interior Architects, Candice Chan shares her unique views on Hong Kong’s interior design scene, the benefits of the female perspective and the trials and triumphs of balancing motherhood with a successful career…

Design Perspective Candice Chan J Candice Interior Architects gafencu magazine people interview feature 1

Can you describe your journey to becoming an interior designer?

I was pretty much born and raised in Hong Kong and spent my childhood until high school here. After graduating, I enrolled in New York’s Syracuse University, majoring in interior design. I then moved to New York City and worked for a mid-sized architectural firm which specialised in historical preservation work. I worked there for three years, and that was my first job as an interior designer.

I still remember my first day there, when my advisor asked me to meet her at an old Broadway theatre in Manhattan. Everything was under scaffolding and we had to walk up a staircase to reach the top. Once there, I saw that we had reached the theatre’s ceiling, and there were all these artists doing restoration work on the crown modings and paintings… It was stunning to see all of that in action, and it made a big impression on me.

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Did you always know you wanted to be an interior design?

I think I did once want to become a shoe designer or an animal trainer or something to that end when I was a child, but by the age of 13 or 14, I naturally gravitated towards interior design. I think what really steered me towards that passion was seeing my parents – who were in the F&B business – launch new restaurants. They’d always take me along to construction sites and ask me what I imagined the space would look like, and I would immediately conjure up everything from colours and textures to how customers would interact with the area. I even told myself that I would have to set up my own design firm by the time I turned 30.

“It’s not just the visual aspects of travel that inspire me, it’s the emotions and atmospheres as well”

And did you manage to fulfil your childhood dream?

Actually yes, and even earlier than my target age! When my husband moved to Hong Kong 10 years ago, I followed him back here and decided to launch my own business – J Candice Interior Architects.

What is the driving philosophy behind J Candice Interior Architects?

Well, being led by a female designer, we offer a different point of view. In general, we’re great listeners, so we really emphasise listening to the client’s design brief to get a true understanding of exactly what they’re looking for. Also, as a woman, the ego enters the equation a lot less. Rather than putting our own personality into a project, for example, we’re dedicated to placing the client’s interest in the foreground and following their exact vision.

Where do you find inspirations for your designs?

Well, we have a very broad portfolio – commercial properties, F&B, kindergardens, hotels – we like doing all sorts of things, and travel is pretty much the main source of inspiration for these designs. It’s not just the visual and physical aspects of things I see abroad, but it’s also the emotion and atmosphere they evoke. For example, my husband and I visited a tango club in Argentina years ago, and I still remember the energy, the thrumming music, the vibrant dancing… and this is something I’ve drawn upon when creating spaces like that now.

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Of all the designs you’ve worked on, are there one or two that are particularly close to your heart?

Yes, definitely. Where we are right now at the private boxes of the Jockey Club Happy Valley Racecourse is a great example of a personal creation that I’m especially proud of. The boxes have a stunning view of the racecourse and parade ground, and it’s a place where you can really entertain your friends and family, have great pet encounters and so forth. Those who know me know I love to place a few bets, so this project really allowed me to work on something that personally connects with me.

Another special one would be redesigning the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong’s cake shop. It’s a place where my now-husband and I used to while away resonated with me emotionally to be able to envision a new concept for the space.

What are some upcoming projects that you’re looking forward to?

We’re currently building the Radison Red Hotel in Guangzhou, which is a 10-minute walk from the Guangzhou train station. It has 180 rooms and includes restaurants and function rooms, all of which we’re designing so that’s super exciting for us. We also have a few upcoming F&B outlets at the soon-to-open Grand Lisboa Palace in Macau. In particular, we are working on a 20-seat Japanese restaurant to be led by a Michelin-starred chef from Japan, and I’m thrilled to be helming that design as well.

You’ve received a plethora of awards over your career, most recently including the Asia Pacific Interior Design Award by the Hong Kong Interior Design Association. Which one means the most to you and why?

It’s always an honour to receive awards, and it’s a great recognition for the entire team. Having said that, I don’t set out to chase awards, I’m more content when I walk into the office everyday and make a living out of doing something I love. If I had to choose an award, though, it would be the first one, the “Most Promising Young Lady” award I received. I received that accolade when I’d just started out, and it was hugely gratifying to have someone else recognise my talents when I still wasn’t certain of how much I’d eventually achieve. It was definitely a major confidence booster at the time.

What are some of the challenges faced by Hong Kong interior designers compared to their international counterparts?

In Hong Kong, the major challenges that interior designers like us face is probably space limitations. Everything is on a much smaller scale than you’d find elsewhere because land is so expensive here. Also, there’s not much variety in the layout of space or landscapes. It’s rather repetitive. Ultimately, this means everyone emphasises things like storage areas and space efficiency, rather than opting for a more innovative approach. In a way, it limits our creative capacity, but it also has the happy benefit of making us more adaptable and flexible in our designs.

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Can you share a major obstacle you’ve faced in your career, and how you overcame that?

This year! 2020 has been a challenge for everyone in Hong Kong, for everyone in the whole world. A lot of projects we’d undertaken were put on hold once Covid-19 hit at the beginning of the year, including several F&B outlets, and some were even cancelled because of the economic situation.

“Covid-19 pushed me to take on different types of projects, so it was something of a blessing in disguise”

It was obviously tough, but I just tapped into a different mental zone and set out to find new opportunities instead. At the time, there was a sudden influx of residential projects, maybe contributed to by the fact that people who were stuck at home suddenly decided that it was time to renovate and refurbish their houses. In the past, I was a little reluctant to venture into the residential side of design, because I was afraid I’d get too attached to those kinds of projects, but Covid-19 was just the push I needed to get my feet wet. The past few months has seen us pick up several residential ventures and learn new things, so it was a bit of a blessing in disguise.

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As a female business owner, do you find it difficult to balance your career and motherhood?

Definitely. I have three little ones at home aged seven, four and one-and-a-half, so they need my attention constantly. Obviously, I make sure that I meet all my work responsibilities, but as a mother, you don’t want to miss out on any milestones, especially when they’re so young. So I try to attend all their school activities and ensure I’m home for dinner every day. Growing up, my parents had a similar rule, and I really enjoyed having that time to talk with my mum and dad, so I want to encourage a similar atmosphere with my kids. Playing with them and watching them grow is really my biggest hobby right now.

Finally, if you could visit any place on Earth, past or present, when would it be and why?

I once saw a photograph taken by legendary Swiss photographer René Burri in the ’60s of two monks in Kyoto bowing to each other, and there was something so romantic and organic that really made me want to be there. I think the world today is so full of technology and bright lights and so much constant stimulation that you can never really switch off.

Thank you.

Interview: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law
Styling & Art Direction: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Venue: Hong Kong Jockey Club Happy Valley Racecourse
Jewellery: No. THIRTY THREE

Jewellery Niinja: Jeanine Hsu, founder of niin, shares some golden memories, celebrating ten years of ecofriendly jewellery

Jeanine Hsu has transformed her passion for art and fashion and with her drive for sustainable business practices into a hugely successful global eco-jewellery brand – niin. We sit down with her to find out more as she looks back on a decade of sustainably-sourced success…

You have quite eclectic origins…

Yes, I have an Austrian mother and a Chinese father, a combination that has seen me travel quite a bit. I was born in London, but moved to Hong Kong when I was seven, then returned to the UK for my last couple of years of high school. My school was like a little cottage in the midst of huge green space. At the time, I felt that being immersed in nature was akin to finding my happy place. I was fortunate to have had such a multicultural upbringing.

How did your education progress?

After finishing boarding school, I went straight into a foundation degree in art and design at the Wimbledon School of Art, which nurtured my love of sculpture, painting and fashion. After that, I decided that, if I was accepted into Central Saint Martins, I would pursue a career in fashion. To my surprise I got in. The rest, as they say, is history…

And once you received your degree…

I immediately started working for a number of fashion brands in London – particularly up-and-coming ones (as well as Vivienne Westwood) during London Fashion Week and I was a creative assistant. I also worked in the operatic and theatrical sphere in Austria during the festival period, creating costumes for performances like Mitridate and Der Jude Von Malta, At the same time, I was selling Indian jewellery every Saturday at London’s Portobello Market that I had sourced from a family friend. While I saw that primarily as a way to supplement my wages, it was where I learnt to work hard waking up at 4 am every Saturday, come rain or shine. It was also where I discovered that jewellery was something that allowed me to combine my love of sculpture and fashion.

Did the desire to be a designer also date back to that time?

When I was young, I was not particularly into fashion, but I was always very conscious of style. I was into designing and drawing and I always felt happy and content when I was being creative. While I never really knew exactly what I wanted to do, I had a naïve and somewhat romantic dream of doing my own thing, whatever that might turn out to be. That aspiration led me to initially pursue a career in fashion and, later, to designing jewellery for my own eco-friendly brand – niin.

What led you to start that particular brand?

Having worked for a number of years in the costume design and fashion industries, I was well aware of just how much waste there was and that really bothered me. I started to question whether that had to be the case and it became my mission to create a brand where, from beginning to end, I would only make use of waste / offcut materials and where the designs would be eco-friendly, while still making people look and feel great.

What truly sets niin apart?

At heart, it’s a global eco-jewellery brand that is sustainably and ethically-sourced and one where I design and source everything myself, while always striving for as small an environmental footprint as possible. We use smaller, artisanal workshops, supporting talent in rural areas and we give back via targeted charitable donations. We would like to reach a point where everything we use is sourced from recyclable materials and where we can help the communities that form part of our production chain.

In the more than 10 years since niin launched, our procurement process has become more and more eco-friendly. The use of abalone shells, for instance, typically requires trawling the seabed, but I hit upon the idea of sourcing them from seafood restaurants. It’s something we first tried on Lamma Island, where we asked restaurateurs if we could have the shells they’d already used. We now also ask furniture companies for the offcuts from their production lines, which we then use in my designs. The priority when using sustainably-sourced materials is transparency – I want to know exactly where they’re coming from.

Where do you find inspiration from?

Pretty much from everything I encounter on a day-today basis. Of course, I feel the most creative when I’m immersed in nature, as I think that really helps with my mindset. That’s where living in Hong Kong really helps – go twenty minutes in any direction and you will find yourself in the midst of a forest green or beachy blue space.

What’s next for niin?

We’re in the process of expanding across the region. We launched in China last year, and now we’re looking at setting up in Bali. We also have some exciting collaborations coming up, but I can’t say too much about them right now…

In 2017, you received the Women for Hope Eco-Warrior Award. How important was that for you?

I wasn’t expecting it at all, so it was a lovely surprise, while also being super humbling. It made me feel really proud. Prior to that, I felt like I was just doing my own thing in my own little bubble, so receiving the award really gave me the drive to carry on pursuing my craft. The award also put me in contact with other like-minded women, creating a whole new support network for me.

Are there any other projects that are currently exciting you?

Oh, absolutely! When I was first starting out in the jewellery industry, my sister-in-law introduced me to a community of Filipino craftspeople. Now, 10 years on, I. I Will help to set up a vocational training school for the community. We’ve just confirmed the project and I’m so happy to be able to give back to people who really helped me get niin noticed in the first place.

What’s been your greatest achievement to date?

Undoubtedly, my kids. I have learnt so much about myself from my three sons, while also coming to understand what it means to be truly selfless. When it comes to raising children, you have to give 100 percent of yourseit is the most challenging and rewarding experience imaginable.

Finally, what’s the key item still lingering on your bucket list?

Visiting South America I was supposed to go with my girlfriends after graduating high school, but I ended up enrolling on an art foundation course instead. When my boys are older, it remains my dream to travel there with them and my husband.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law
Art Direction: San Wong
Make-up & Hair: Margaret Wong
Venue: Gaia Ristorante

A Patient’s Man: Dr Kevin Lau on compassion in medicine and giving back

A stalwart on Hong Kong’s charity circuit, Dr Kevin Lau, founder of Trinity Medical Centre, maintains hospitals need to be more hospitable, and expounds on the importance of helping those less fortunate…

What are the most important things you remember from your early years?
Well, I was born in Hong Kong, but my family emigrated to Canada when I was just seven years old, which is really where I grew up. It was another seven years before we returned to Hong Kong, allowing me to complete my education at Island School. I then enrolled to study medicine at HKU, subsequently completing my Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme there, before moving on to become a specialist in radiology.

Dr Kevin Lau 1 — Dr Kevin Lau, founder of Trinity Medical Centre

Had the medical profession always beckoned?
To be honest, I didn’t grow up thinking I was destined to be a doctor. In fact, I was open-minded as to what I might do and keen to explore different paths. In the summer prior to my last year at high school, it was my mother who steered me toward medicine, suggesting that I became a volunteer at the Queen Mary Hospital. That proved a life-changing experience.

Up until then, as I’d come from a fairly privileged background, I’d rarely interacted with doctors and hardly at all with patients, so spending time at a hospital gave me an entirely new outlook on life. One patient that I became particularly close to was suffering from end-stage renal failure and had to have dialysis constantly. For me, it was a real eye-opener to talk to someone with such a chronic illness, to witness their emotions and to come to understand their needs at such proximity. It made me realise that being a doctor wasn’t just about prescribing medicine or specifying treatment. No, instead it was about making very real human connections and demonstrating the kind of empathy that can make a world of difference. It was that realisation that, ultimately, led to my decision to become a doctor.

What made radiology stand out as your preferred specialty?
I’ve always been influenced by the many great teachers I’ve met along the way and, in particular, I really looked up to my radiology professors at HKU. While they were incredibly giving towards their patients, they were equally dedicated and committed when it came to their research responsibilities. I also found that I preferred seeing one patient through the whole course of their treatment, which was, again, something that radiology facilitated.

You now run your own practice…
Yes – the Trinity Medical Centre, which I launched with my partner back in 2016. Given my specialty in radiology, we initially set up as an imaging service centre. Over the years, though, we’ve also established a dedicated medical unit that services insurance companies with regard to policy application check-ups, while undertaking a number of general lab procedures, such as genetic tests and health check-ups.

From our point of view, while medical and professional standards are typically very high in Hong Kong, there are often shortcomings in terms of how people are treated on a personal level. As a result, we are always at pains to deliver more empathy and compassion when dealing with patients. From the very beginning, that’s what my partner and I wanted Trinity to become synonymous with. It was always our aim to offer the highest level of professional medical services, while maintaining a five-star hospitality feel.

It’s an approach that’s been pretty well-received, so much so that we’ve expanded. Not only have we doubled the space we occupy in Central Building, we also opened a separate medical centre in Tsim Sha Tsui two years ago.

Overall, how do you feel Hong Kong’s medical sector compares to others around the world?
Well, Hong Kong spends roughly three to four percent of its annual GDP on the city’s medical needs. Bearing that in mind, we have achieved some pretty amazing things. Let’s look at one obvious metric – life expectancy. People in Hong Kong, on average, live longer than people anywhere else in the world – and that’s something we should all be very proud of.

Another significant statistic relates to our high cancer survival rates, something that medical professionals associate with the quality of a city’s healthcare system. While there are still aspects of our system that could be improved, I think we should still be proud of what we have achieved.

On a more personal note, what has been the most rewarding thing for you career-wise?
Every time someone comes in for a regular scan and we manage to detect cancer at an early stage, that’s hugely gratifying. This is particularly the case with something like lung cancer. If we can catch it at an early enough stage, there are a wide range of very effective medical options on offer.

In addition to that, there are occasions when our work has clearly improved the everyday lives of patients. I took part in research, for instance, into the use of MRIs to help diagnose breast cancer. This showed that, ultimately, MRIs were a highly accurate non-invasive way of determining whether complete mastectomies were required or whether breast conservation surgery remained an option.

You are famously committed to giving back to society. Where do you think that compulsion stems from?
I think it’s something that dates back to when I was at Island School. It was an international school, so we were all aware that we were quite privileged and I distinctly remember the vice-principal always reminding us just how fortunate we were. That kind of privilege, though, brings with it responsibility and an obligation to help those less fortunate. And, as you achieve more in your life, that responsibility also increases proportionately.

Which causes are currently particularly close to your heart?
Anything relating to healthcare in general and children in particular has always been important to me. Having said that, the one cause that most people associate me with is the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a charity I’ve been involved with since my university days. I first signed up as a volunteer and was later appointed to the board here in Hong Kong. In 2012, I was then asked to take over as chair, something that I continued to do until 2018. Locally, I now serve as an honorary advisor and, in 2019, I was invited to join the Foundation’s international board, which has seen me heavily involved in the plans for its 40th anniversary celebrations later this year.

As well as your private charity work, you’re also involved with several government bodies…
Yes, for one, I’m on the board of the Children Development Fund, a government charity that helps low-income families by providing mentorship programmes and work experience for young people. Caring for the elderly is another cause close to my heart and, in line with that, I’m a member of the Industry Training Advisory Committee for Elderly Care Services. There really isn’t enough focus on geriatric care in Hong Kong and, with our increasingly ageing population, this really needs to be a priority. The biggest challenge is just how difficult it is to recruit and train enough people and that’s now the Committee’s primary objective.

Given all your varied commitments, do you actually find any time to relax?
Well, as I have three young children, I like to spend as much of my free time at home as I possibly can. My wife and I also encourage each other to take some time out for ourselves, which I think is hugely important, as it gives us the support we need to fulfil all our varied responsibilities.

Thank you.

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law
Art Direction: San Wong
Venue: Director Suite @ The Langham, Hong Kong

Scent Master

Patrick Hui, founder of Scented Niche, on his favourite fragrances, finding boutique scents and delivering independent labels to his discerning Hong Kong clientele.

When did you personally become involved with fragrances? Can you give us a little bit of your own background?

I first started using perfumes when I was in high school, but it was when I went to study in the UK that I realised just how big that world really was. Europe has such a mature perfume culture, for example, there are 700 perfume boutiques in Italy alone. I’ve been enamoured with scents ever since then.

Tell us a little about Scented Niche.

Scented Niche is a boutique perfume shop that brings exclusive scents to our scent lovers in Asia. We try to keep everything minimalist, only carrying creations from independent houses, rather than mass produced ones. Currently we have eight brands in all, which includes a range of perfumes, scented candles and home fragrances.

So these are all scents from independent houses?

All of them are from independently owned houses. For me, there’s a big difference between independent brands and designer perfumes. Big brands usually produce scents formulaically so as to develop a best-seller. Independently-owned perfumeries are different, they try to create something unique, something that doesn’t follow the trends, that are classic and timeless. Fine fragrances – those made by independent houses – can take anywhere from six months to three years to develop for each perfume.

You have said that fragrances shouldn’t be mass produced. Why do you think that?

Most of the designer perfumes are mass produced. The company spends a lot of money on marketing and also the packaging of the perfume bottle itself. All of this cuts into the budget to actually create a great, unique scent. Also, big brands have a really wide channel distribution. We could see it on counters, department stores, a lot of companies and online channels. This cuts down on the exclusivity of the actual product.

What can customers expect when they visit Scented Niche?

The first thing that they will experience is our friendly staff, all of whom are passionate about perfumes. They are trained to help visitors find just the right scent that they’re looking for, based on personal scent preferences, previous fragrances they’ve bought and so forth. They can then introduce them to those products created by the independent brands we carry and find a perfect match. In many cases, customers have previously relied on designer perfumes, but have become disenchanted with their short lifespan and want something that will be more unique while also long-lasting.

How do you find new products for Scented Niche?

We work directly with perfume houses and then we have them send the samples here. So we test their scents but we also evaluate how their development strategy is over the next year. We just want to make sure they are not too mass-market, that they have no plans to enter wide distribution channels like department stores. We will also evaluate the sellers’ online sales – particularly because many Hongkongers purchase their perfumes digitally. In both instances, wide distribution can confuse consumers and cause deregulated prices for goods, which we try to avoid.

Do you guys also do crowd testing before you introduce your products?

Not in any formal capacity, not, but every time we find something with potential, we ask our important VIP clients to also test them out. After all, many of our customers personally own 600 to 900 bottles in their fragrance collections. They’ve smelled many scents and they know what they like, so they help us gage how other people will feel about it as well.

You started Scented Niche in Hong Kong. Why did you choose Hong Kong as your place?

Hong Kong consumers are quite unique. It’s a very mature market and they’re very multicultural. They know what they want. In many cases, true perfume aficionados either have to travel overseas to find new, unique scents or to settle for more mass market designer perfumes that aren’t as exclusive as what they’re looking for. Ultimately, we thought Scented Niche’s motto of finding the best boutique fragrances would definitely be embraced by these discerning customers.

Given you have all the perfumes here, do you have any favourite scents and why?

I do have some favourite fragrances among the current stock we have here. Chypre Palatin from Parfums MDCI is one of my favourites because it is something I wear for occasions when I go out in the night. I won’t wear it every day. It is not as linear as the other daily-wear perfumes, it’s a statement-making scent.

Can you give us an idea of what kind of smell it is?

It is a very complicated perfume made by world class perfumer, Bertrand Duchaufour. Even though it has a vintage Chypre structure (citrus opening with a combination of floral notes at the heart, oak moss and balsamic resins at the base), it doesn’t smell too old with all the floral absolutes in the heart. I would say it’s good for both men and women, even though it was created as a masculine perfume. It’s a very modern homage to the nostalgic scents of yesteryears.

Finally, do you have any new projects on the horizon?

This past year has been a very big one for us at Scented Niche, and we believe 2020 will be even better. We’re looking to open a second location in Hong Kong, which I’m super excited for, and we also want to expand on our current collections of offerings so that our customers can find even more fragrances that they like.

Thank you.

Head Baa Man

Syed Asim Hussian, Co-Founder of Black Sheep, Hong Kong’s most intriguing F&B chain, talks to Gafencu about the success of his restaurants and his role in it.

With your family already successful Hong Kong restaurateurs, did you always feel destined for the hospitality sector?

I have always felt like that. This business is in my blood and in my bones. My brother and I started working in my father’s restaurant when he was just 12 and I was just 11. Even at that age, I knew this business was all about looking after your customers and that’s always been how I’ve seen it. While outsiders often seem to think the restaurant business is all about fine wine, beautiful people and virtuoso music performances, it’s really not. It’s about you coming to my house, and me taking good care of you. If I look after you well, then you’re going to come back.

Black Sheep Restaurants Co-Founder Syed Asim Hussain

At university, you studied finance and international relations, rather than anything hospitality-focused. Was that a deliberate move?

If I’m honest, finance was a sort of a mistake, I fell into it because my university was primarily known for its business and engineering programs. As I had no aptitude for engineering, I naturally gravitated toward the business school. As to international relations, well that was more out of personal interest. To this day, global affairs and international politics continue to fascinate me and I still read every issue of The Economist from cover to cover.

After graduating, you worked in New York as banker. How did that experience shape your subsequent career?

Well, as I graduated in 2007, the financial crisis hit its height not long after I started work and banks were soon looking at cutting staff numbers. As I really didn’t want to be fired from my first job, I decided then that I had to be the best at everything I did – even if that meant, sometimes, being the best bagel runner. That is, basically, how I survived at the bank.

There was, however, something interesting happening in the restaurant world at about the same time. The traditional 7pm-11pm fine dining market was stagnating and people were just not spending as much on eating out as they used to. This, of course, was partly down to the fact that banks and consultancies had slashed their entertainment budgets. As a result, though, you started to see a number of restaurants emerging where the emphasis was on providing great value for money. I was on the sidelines of this but couldn’t help thinking what a great concept it was, while wondering if the concept could be replicated in my own home city.

This is what then led you to co-found Black Sheep Restaurants?

While I knew I was going to return to Hong Kong and test out this new idea, initially I had no intention of launching out on my own. My plan was to come back and relearn all the things I thought I needed to know. This led me to take up an apprenticeship with a prominent Hong Kong restaurant group and that was my life for about 18 months.

Although I had a vision of how I wanted to progress from there, for quite a while things failed to fall into place. I was then fortunate enough to meet Chris Mark, the guy who ultimately became my business partner. During our first encounter, he was actually quite disparaging towards me, even going as far as telling me he had lost money when he had bet I wouldn’t continue my apprenticeship after the first day. After that, though, we seemed to click and we soon realised we shared many similar ideas and had a similar approach to business. The rest, as they say, is history.

Black Sheep seems to pride itself on its embrace of a wide range of different cuisines, so how do you ensure they all remain authentic?

Honestly? We don’t try to. We have a creative resource, which is Chris and myself, that’s a blend of nostalgia, curiosity and pure fantasy. Whenever we try new things, it’s always that creative well we draw on. I also think that ‘authentic’ is something of a dangerous concept in this particular business. While we may have travelled to the home regions of many of the cuisines we have on offer, what we serve up is our interpretation of the various dishes and cooking styles we have encountered.

How do you gauge which particular dishes will be to the taste of Hong Kong diners?

I don’t. And I don’t much care either. We try to stay well away fads and short-term trends. We want to produce a menu that stands the test of time. Truly great restaurants are passed from one generation to the next and we hope that, long after we’re gone, Black Sheep will still be around.

Are there any prospective Black Sheep projects that you’re free to talk about?

The plan, right now, is to open six new sites in Hong Kong in the coming months, as well as one in Europe. That’s all I can really say right now. My hope, though, is that another explosive year is on the cards for the Black Sheep family.

What do you think is the biggest misconception diners have with regard to how the restaurant industry works?

I think, with the rise of social media where you eat, as well as where you shop, have all becomes part of people’s individual brand. Sometimes, though, people fail to understand that a passion for consuming something is not the same as having a passion for a particular business sector. Essentially, loving to drink coffee is very different to being passionate about selling coffee.

How have the long hours affected your personal life? Was it difficult to meet someone who tolerated the demands your business had on your time?

Basically, you have no personal life. We’ve been successful because we’ve sacrificed everything for the business. If you want a personal life or want to be able to take time off whenever you feel like it, then this is not the industry for you and nor are you likely to create a truly great company.

Finally, what other advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

The first thing I’d say is that it’s a mad pursuit and you have to be a little bit crazy to choose it as a way of life. Secondly, if you feel you have to ask for advice, then you’re too normal and you probably shouldn’t be doing this. Beyond that, true excellence lies in doing everything – even the smallest of things – correctly and consistently. It isn’t being a ‘nine’ one-day and ‘three’ the next, it’s about being at least a‘7.5’ every day.

Thank You

Text: Bailey Atkinson

Fengs to Come: Feng Shui master Thierry Chow, mystic moderniser….

What was it like growing up with a Feng Shui master for a father? Do you feel you were kind of fated to follow in his footsteps?

Having a dad who was a Feng Shui master was my normal. While I was growing up, the furniture was constantly being moved around or rearranged and, to me, that never seemed strange or out of the ordinary. Once I started hanging out with other kids, though, – ones whose parents were doctors, lawyers or something – that’s when I realised that my family was a little bit different.Despite that, as a child, I had no interest in taking up the same vocation.

So, where did your passion lie?

I was very creative and very artistically inclined. I simply loved painting, drawing, fashion design… anything to do with the world of art in fact.And that was what dominated my academic career, right until I graduated in Fine Arts in Canada.

Given your initial disinterest, what ultimately drew you back to Feng Shui?

When I was about 24, I suddenly realised it held a fascination for me. That was when I returned to Hong Kong after graduating. I was also going through something of a rough time emotionally, while the culture shock of returning here after so many years away also sent me reeling.

I really needed something to get me off the bad place I found myself in. One day, I just turned to my dad and said:“Can I learn Feng Shui from you?” It was the result of something of a ‘Eureka’ moment for me and I knew immediately it was the right choice. I also instinctively felt I could integrate my own passion for art and fashion into Feng Shui. Since then, I can honestly say I have never looked back.

Was there any one thing your father taught you that proved particularly transformational?

Studying under my father truly opened my mind. Prior to that, I’d seen his calling as somewhat antiquated. Once I started learning it for myself, though, it changed the way I saw the whole world, giving me an entirely different perspective on life and making realise the endless possibilities that are out there. I knew then that I could never again box myself into some safe little world. It was a real paradigm shifting and I’ll always be grateful to him for that.

And how did that revelation change the way you saw Feng Shui’s role in the contemporary world?

As it’s such a traditional discipline, many people find it hard to reconcile with modern life. Through my training, though, I came to realise that, essentially, it’s all about the relationship between people and their environment. It teaches us how to arrange the space around ourselves in order that we can truly fulfil our potential, while still optimising our health and wellbeing.

What is the best way then to boost your Feng Shui?

A focal point of my Go Lucky Method is that if your space is draining you, there’s something wrong with it. Any environment that makes you feel sluggish – rather than energised – is in need of adjustment. This doesn’t always have to be drastic. It can be as simple as adjusting your lighting or adding a splash of colour. It is, however, often best to replace any needlessly flashy decorations with objects that have personal connection.Rather than opting for an expensive centrepiece, for instance, it might be better to put the focus on a dish your grandmother gave you. Basically, if you have something associated with a positive memory, that’s always the way to go.

For Hong Kong in general, how do you see things going in the Year of the Rat?

For 2020, it’s all about the water and metal elements. This means we can look forward to good things within spheres influenced by such elements.Metal governs thinks likely jewellery and, by extension, finance, while water would relates to drinks, hotels, travel…These, then, are the sectors that will thrive over the next 12 months….

What about the negative things?

Broadly speaking, the past year has been dominated by trauma and heightened emotions. As a consequence, people need to focus on their mental wellbeing. They need to ask themselves what they need to trigger the healing process and restore their positive state, of mind.

With regard to more finite matters. as it is a water-element year, people may want to take more care when it comes their engagement with bodies of water, such as ocean or pools.

You’ve just now launched your own proprietary take on Feng Shui – Go Lucky by Thierry Chow…

I always wanted to put a truly modern spin on traditional Feng Shui techniques and beliefs and this fulfil that’s vision. It is an approach that draws heavily on the Go Lucky method, a very simple series of steps that people can follow in order to get the maximum benefits from their immediate environment. As part of it, Feng Shui consultations and design analysis is also on offer. There are also three different Feng Shui decorations that can be purchased, with each one representing something different and bringing different influences to bear on any given space.

Aside from Feng Shui, you are also known – and admired – for your personal sense of style…

I love fashion and I always have. It’s also something I have always wanted to integrate into my Feng Shui offer. With this in mind, I started attending a lot of fashion events in my professional capacity and tough people how to dress in compliance with the principals of Feng Shui.

So Feng Shui has a bearing on fashion?

Absolutely. Feng Shui is all about changing your environment and clothes definitely help shape your demeanour. The five elements used in Feng Shui, as well a yin and yang, all come from The Book of I Ching, which guides things like birth-chart readings. While it’s not exactly Feng Shui per se, I use it as a means of determining which colours or patterns that can help you balance your will optimise the balance of your chi…

On top of all that, is there anything else on the horizon?

Well I recently worked on new collection with Samuel Kung, the renowned master of jade. I’d already fallen in love with jade and, when I met him, we were both keen to collaborate. Jade and Feng Shui are actually quite interlinked – it’ a material that absorbs a person’s energy and, as a result, changes colour over time. Looking to build on this, we launched the Samuel Kung x Thierry Chow Jade Collection. Comprising three jade rings and available from Lane Crawford, every item incorporates Feng Shui elements. Our next planned project, however, will be on a far grander scale…

Away from all your many commitments, how do you like to relax?

I am a fanatic for anything spiritual, so I really enjoy reading books on meditation and any that add to my understanding of the wider universe. I also love to meditate and to give free rein to my artistic side – and, of course, some retail therapy always goes down well too.

What is the key item on your bucket list?

Denmark. It’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit. Although my husband is Canadian, that’s where his ancestors came from. I’ve seen so many gorgeous photographs of the country and I want to experience it all on a first-hand basis.

Finally, if you could meet any person, past or present…

I’m fascinated with reincarnation, so I would love to be able to meet one of my former selves. In terms of other people though, someone I would love to chat with would be Deepak Chopra, the famous author and renowned expert on alternative medicine. I’d love to be able to pick his brains about wellness techniques and the benefits of meditation.

Thank you.

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law

Styling & Art Direction: San Wong
Venue: Hue

Tracking the 54-year legacy of Princess Yachts, and spotlighting its latest creations

For over half a century, luxury yacht maker Princess Yachts has delighted the world’s discerning seafarers with some of the most sumptuous, innovative vessels to grace its oceans. Now, having just launched the new Y85 Flagship Flybridge Motor Yacht and on the eve of the unveiling of its all-new X95 Superfly flagship model in January, Gafencu chats with Kiran Jay Haslam, the brand’s Marketing Director, about its long history and the secrets behind its continued success.

Tell us about Princess Yachts and what sets it apart from competitor brands.

Princess was founded in 1965, and in our 54-year history we have remained true to our mantra of “Crafted in Plymouth, England” – that makes us extremely unique, not just in the world of luxury yachts, but in manufacturing as well, as we still go from raw material to finished yachts on our premises here in the South West of England. We have 3200 full time employees designing, building and delivering our yachts in over 103 countries across the globe, and since the company was founded we have manufactured over 17,800 yachts. Our detail oriented and sophisticated design processes are leading in the luxury yacht sector.

How has the luxury yachting industry evolved over the past decade? What new features are customers looking for?

Customers are always after luxury – and for us that is defined as design simplicity and a level of relaxation and comfort that is second to none. It is quite complicated to design something that is simple – and quite simple to design something that is complicated! So we see more customers looking for that design simplicity. The truly revolutionary change is coming, however, as never before have we had so many customers expressing a desire to embrace eco-friendly and sustainable materials and products. Princess customers are also continuously looking for a yacht that allows that wonderful interaction of a group of friends or family aboard. The typical features we see our customers appreciated are strong seakeeping and safety, and space! You can never have enough space aboard, so we are always redefining space and looking at packaging that space to provide as much opportunity to store and enjoy extended time aboard.

Can you introduce us to the new Y85 Flagship Flybridge Motor Yacht? How does it differ from its predecessors, and what new innovations can be found on board?

This is a truly exciting product in our range. It is a mini megayacht! And by that I mean, we have squeezed some wonderful features that one would expect to see on a megayacht but on an 85ft hull. Privacy for guests in the main saloon, a converting open-closed galley, expansive glazing bringing in the outside world, a jacuzzi on the flybridge, and four cabins with one a full beam master cabin. The exterior space is exceptional and we have applied our detailed approach from our interiors to the outside surfaces and finishes.

You’ll also be unveiling a new design – the X95 – in January. Tell us more about this upcoming launch.

Well, the X95 is the first of our X Class – our new flagship line of Superfly yachts. It re-invents space aboard, with volume that is class leading. We have developed a very efficient wave piercing bow, and the result is an incredible weight distribution and hull performance that is stable and safe in even the roughest of weather conditions. The design of the X is very ship-like and vertical, and we have 5 cabins, an enormous cockpit, skylounge, and the best part? The super flybridge! We have called this product “superbly” as the 29 metre yachts had a 22 metre-long flybridge that connects the aft deck with the foredeck. This yacht has more interior space than our 35M, and even prior to launch it is our most successful model – in terms of pre-launch sales. We will give visitors an under-the-skin experience at boot Dusseldorf in January, and the first customers will take delivery of their boats throughout 2020. I invite Gafencu readers to join us for the Dusseldorf boat show to also experience this!

How important is the Hong Kong / Greater China market to Princess Yachts, and what unique design influences are crafted for this region?

Hong Kong and China are very important markets for Princess. Hong Kong has always been a yacht-savvy marketplace, however, the Chinese market is really developing rapidly into a yacht connoisseur market place, too. I often get asked what design features and influences do we craft for Asia, and I must say, I never like to patronise or generalise on a culture specific level, so my answer is simply: we design and craft features for each and every one of our customers, specific to their individual tastes. Most owners really just want a unique way to make their boat individual without compromising on functionality, performance or safety.

Thank you.

TecknoMonster brings aerospace tech to the world of luxury luggage

The world of high-end lifestyle accessories has just taken a giant leap into the future thanks to the innovative vision of Italian marque, TecknoMonster. Developed by genius designer Giacomo Valentini, it blends the avant garde stylings and ergonomics of aerospace design with the much-lauded traditions of Italian handcraftsmanship. The end result is an enormous success, spawning countless luxury lifestyle products that perfect blend form and function, while proffering even more durability and security than ever before.

Valentini himself hails from a family of designers that have a 160-year industrial history in North Italy. Having completed stints in the worlds of fashion and industrial design, he then turned his attention to the world of luggage-making and discovered that, while trends have come and gone, the overarching design ethos of luggages have remained almost unchanged since the ’70s. “There was a need for an upgrade”, explains Valentini, “something to link to the new era.”

As founder and designer of TecknoMonster, his goal is to create the most sophisticated accessories for “people that want to be in the new world”. So, his company foregoes traditional materials like leather and aluminium in favour of more robust carbon fibre and titanium for its luggage designs.

Through his groundbreaking research in material development, Valentini has also pioneered techniques that allow the inclusion of hitherto-unusable materials such as wood and enamel in his creations without sacrificing on quality and durability. Beyond that, TecknoMonster also customisation services to its high-end clients. Be it to enhance aesthetics or increase security – the luxury brand offers bulletproofed products as well – no ask is beyond its innovative reach.

For more information about the brand’s mission, vision and cutting-edge designs, check out our interview with the visionary founder of TecknoMonster below, or visit https://www.tecknomonster.com/.

Talking shop with CEO Roberto Gavazzi at the new Boffi | De Padova showroom

Italian luxury furniture makers Boffi and De Padova have long been past-masters of creating fittings that transform a residence into a truly special home. The latest chapter of its storied 80-year legacy has been the opening of an all-new showroom at Causeway Bay’s Lee Garden Three.

Boffi De Padova CEO Roberto Gavazzi — Boffi and De Padova CEO Roberto Gavazzi

To celebrate the special occasion, we spoke to Roberto Gavazzi, CEO of Boffi and De Padova, about this exciting new space, what has kept the company running successfully for more than eight decades and what makes them stand out.

What sets Boffi and De Padova apart from its competitors?
The difference between us and the other players in the market is that we are working on creating a group with an entrepreneurial point of view. Boffi has always been a company that is strong in the production of modular furnishing systems, while De Padova has creates loose furniture such as sofas, tables and chairs. Therefore, bringing the two brands together allows us to be a one-stop solution for all interior decor needs.

Can you tell us a bit more about what the customers want and how it has changed?
The higher you go in the market, the more discerning customers become. They want tailored solutions. That is why we have also created a custom made division called the Boffi Code where we design special objects that are exclusively for one customer. You need to be upscale on the quality too. The products have to be resistant to time because these products are expensive and they need to be in the homes for a long time. They need to be timeless, to go beyond short-termed fashion trends, which is something we pay particular attention to.

You are here to avail this new store. Can you tell us more about this space?
While we’ve always had a presence in Hong Kong, this new showroom is something I’m particularly proud of. Being located on the third floor, it’s something customers have to come and find. In the process, it transforms from being just a shop into a space where you can feel the emotion of decoration. With this new showroom, we’ve mimicked the sensation of being in a real home, with a kitchen, bathroom, living room, a terrace… It allows our customers to truly experience how our furniture feels in a residential context.

How important is the Hong Kong market to Boffi and De Padova?
Hong Kong has always been an interesting city for us. We have been here for more than 20 years. In fact, it was the first location that we expanded to in Asia. We have always been happy with this market because the international taste of consumers here is very much developed in terms of culture. It is in line with our products. It sets a benchmark for us, a standard that pushes us to do better to ensure we remain successful in appealing to discerning homeowners.

Thank you.

Bioeffect CEO Frosti Ólafsson on what makes the Icelandic beauty brand stand out

For those of us who want to age gracefully, but don’t want to go under the knife to do that, Icelandic brand Bioeffect may offer a way out of the conundrum.

For those vaguely au fait with the brand, Bioeffect was born when a team of Icelandic scientists, led by Dr Björn Örvar, took a groundbreaking approach to skincare when they started producing tiny proteins called ‘growth factors,’ which are used for stem cell research but can also be used to slow the ageing process in skin cells. Unsurprisingly, it is used by 30 percent of Icelandic women over the age of 30, as well as a slew of women around the world. China is now the company’s fastest-growing market.

With more and more Asian women adopting Bioeffect as part of their beauty regime, it was only a matter of time that the brand focussed on the different needs of the Asian skin type, coming up with serums that utilise EBE (engineered barley extract).

The brand’s CEO Frosti Ólafsson was in town recently to mark the launch of this new line of skincare products and also to attend the grand opening of their store opening in Harvey Nichols at The Landmark Central. We caught up with him to chat about Bioeffect and his vision. Check our video coverage of their store opening. For the full interview, please scroll down.

Tell us about ORF Genetics’ technology in growing barley that makes such a difference to Bioeffect’s skin care products?

The barley seed is an ideal factory for proteins and other active ingredients. Our bioengineering technology allows us to create recombinant proteins in inert and endotoxin-free environment, and the barley seed provides long-term protein storage before processing of the proteins. The barley plant is also extremely rich host of natural ingredients.

There were mainly three reasons why we decided to introduce our plant-based EGF (epidermal growth factor) into skincare. Firstly, our barley-produced EGF is tailormade for skin care because of its purity and stability. Secondly, as a company, we understood the characteristics of EGF better than others and so we were able to maximise its efficacy. Finally, we believe that EGF is the most effective and reliable ingredient for increased skin firmness, density and water retention. At the time we launched our EGF Serum, very few products were available that were utilizing EGF, and none of them were plant-based or with a formulation that supported the EGF efficacy in the best way possible.

Tell us more about the newly-launched EBE product line…

Now we have taken the next step in the journey by introducing the EBE (engineered barley extract) product line. The EBE products are also largely based on ingredients that can be found in the barley plant. However, the skin concerns addressed in the EBE product line are more focused on the Asian skin type, which has to deal with slightly different concerns than e.g. Caucasian skin.

Do you think that when it comes to skin care products such as Bioeffect, less is really more’?

Yes, we did aim to make the product as simple as possible for three primary reasons. Firstly, we wanted to create the optimal environment for our ingredients to thrive and deliver its benefits. To achieve this, we needed to use as few ingredients as possible to maximize the stability and efficacy of the active ingredients. In most cases, these are very sensitive ingredients that would break down and lose its efficacy if combined with many of the common skin care ingredients.

Secondly, we believe that the way we recommend using the Bioeffect products, e.g. the serum, represents very well what we stand for as a brand. Using only four drops each day is simple, yet very effective, which is exactly what we aim to do.

Finally, it’s impossible to talk about our ingredients, without elaborating further on the water. Iceland has a very unique type of geologically filtrated water with very limited amount of minerals, yet it still has fairly high PH levels, which is unusual for soft water. Instead of being forced to adjust the water characteristics with unnecessary ingredients, we are blessed with water that works as the perfect canvas for products focusing on purity and efficacy.

Thank you.

Interview: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Video: Kingsley Lau