Fashion Icon: Five interesting facts you never knew about Karl Lagerfeld

The death of Karl Lagerfeld, the German fashion industry icon who crafted some of the world’s most iconic catwalk creations, plunged the entire world into mourning. The enigmatic designer, whose love of all things avant-garde was the stuff of legend, almost single-handedly drove fashion houses like Chanel, Fendi and his own eponymous brand to the very pinnacle of success with his amazing artistic vision and creativity. To celebrate the fascinating life of this fashion guru, here are five interesting facts you never knew about Karl Lagerfeld.

Diet? Coke.

Karl Lagerfeld had a passion for Diet Coke. In fact, he was so enamoured with the fizzy beverage that he reportedly consumed up to 10 cans per day. When asked it, he famously responded: “I drink Diet Coke from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed. I can even drink it in the middle of the night, and I can sleep. I don’t drink coffee, I don’t drink tea, I drink nothing else.”

How many iPods is too many?

Books weren’t the only thing that the iconic German designer collected. He was also the proud owner of not one, not two but 300 Apple iPods, each pre-loaded with a different category of music. Where did he store this surfeit of devices, you ask? Why, in a custom-built, limited-edition Louis Vuitton trunk of course.

Books, books and more books

An avid book lover, Karl Lagerfeld not only owned a small art and architecture bookstore in Paris, he also boasted an immense personal collection of over 300,000 books. In a typically out-of-the-box organisational move, every item in the Lagerfeld Library is stacked on its side so that he wouldn’t have to turn his head to read their titles.

Dye job

While his iconic white locks are pretty much synonymous with the designer, many might be surprised to learn that it actually wasn’t his actual hair colour. In fact, if it weren’t for a rigid regimen of Klorane dry shampoo, he even admitted that his hair was actually “kind of grayish”.

The cat has it

The luxurious lifestyle of Choupette, the designer’s famously pampered pet cat, is already a matter of public knowledge, being well-documented in her popular Instagram account (which has 215,000 followers). Now, though, she may have a million more reasons to purr – several millions, in fact – because if the latest news reports are to believed, she stands to inherit a significant chunk of Karl Lagerfeld’s US$195 million estate.

5 Valentine’s Day gifts for the special lady in your life

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner it may seem like being punctual with your presents is no longer a feasible option for the lovely lady in your life. Last-minute lovers needn’t worry though, we’ve put together our favourite tokens of love to show your special girl that she’s worth more than just the staple box of chocolates and flowers.

Just in time for the most romantic day of the year comes Omega’s hers St Valentine’s Day models, the perfect gift to share with your watch-loving wife, or precisionengineering- minded partner. First up is the decidedly feminine red Trésor, a sleek and elegant 36mm timepiece boasting a diamond-pavé case with a single diamond crown. www.omegawatches.com

Offering a new take on luxury accessories this year is French jeweller Cartier, as it ventures into a wholly fresh realm with its Guirlande De Cartier leather bag. With functionality being the keyword, this contemporary calfskin carryall comes in three colours – red, green and black. It is also available in three different sizes in order to meet the needs of luggageloving ladies of every proportion – mini, small and medium. Elegant to the nth degree, each is fashioned from patent calfskin leather and comes complete with golden finishes and adjustable / removable leather straps. www.cartier.hk

Lovers looking for a luxurious night’s sleep? Then it could well be worth you checking out the Hush Mattress, the latest natty nap-enhancer from Hong Kong-based Hush Home. Featuring three premium foam layers and thousands of pocket coils, it’s said to be ideal for those in need of a little enhanced lumbar support. Should you be looking to further upgrade your 40 winks or more, the company also offers the memory foam-full Miracle Pillow and its Luxury Hotel Sheets range – five-star fine-threaded cotton bedding at its very best. www.hushhome.com

Roche Bobois, long at the forefront of fine French furniture-making, opted for a decidedly eclectic selection as the inspiration for its Globe Trotter Collection, a range of furniture celebrating the wonders of the world. Pre-eminent in this soon-to-be classic collection is the air-balloonesque Montgolfière sofa, archly draped with an airy, vibrant fabric in four striking colours – purple, navy, red and rust. Its commodious length is comfort incarnate. Clearly able to spot a winner when it sees it, the company also offers Montgolfière as an armchair, aone-and-half seater, a three-seater and a four-seater… plenty of room to get cozy with your sweetheart. www.roche-bobois.com

Those with a penchant for floral fragrances will be delighted by the two finely au naturel aromas from Roger & Gallet, the prestigious Parisian perfume brand: Rose Mignonnerie and Magnolia Folie. Both blessed with bountifully fine and fresh floral notes, the Rose positively blooms with dewy green accord and a hint of pink pepper, while the more delicate Magnolia delivers a subtle bouquet, redolent with aquatic hints of floral and vegetal greens, finely blended with apricot facets of osmanthus. The verdict? Blooming marvellous. Both of them. www.roger-gallet.com

Happy Chinese New Year greetings from the Gafencu Team

Our watch list of the most binge-worthy Netflix shows

What better way to pass time on a lazy Sunday afternoon than by catching up on the new binge-worthy Netflix shows? Check out our favourites here.

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

Japanese organising consultant and author Marie Kondo helps clients de-clutter their houses and helps give their homes makeovers in this series that has an universal appeal, both to those who are great at tidying up their houses and those who aspire to do that some day.

Sex Education

In this quirky and sometimes poignant series, a socially awkward high-school virgin opens a clinic on sex education with his whip-smart badass friend Maeve. While drawing out quite a few chuckles and even uproarious laughter from the audience at its comedic scenes, the series deftly touches upon topics of relationships, trauma, body positivity, gender roles, homosexuality and religion, ‘educating’ us along the way.

You

Based on the eponymous 2014 novel by Caroline Kepnes, You follows the journey of Joe Goldberg, a New York bookstore manager, who falls in love with an aspiring writer Guinevere Beck. What happens next is anything but a love story, but it’s sure to keep you at the edge of your seat and breathlessly waiting for the next season which – thankfully –is already being filmed.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Adapted from the comic book series, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, this is a rather dark coming-of-age tale, where teenage witch Sabrina Spellman juggles between her dual nature– half-witch, half-human – while fighting against the evil forces that threaten her family.

Bodyguard

Originally a BBC series, Bodyguard started airing on Netflix late last year, quickly striking a chord with viewers as they immerse in war veteran David Budd’s struggles to come to terms with the polarizing political ideology of the very politician he is working for. Richard Madden, as David Budd, won audiences’ heart and the Golden Globe for the Best Actor in a TV Drama in 2018 for his titular performance.

The Right Pick: Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men

While we don’t believe that you have to wait for 14 February to gift a special something to a special someone, in case you’re looking for that perfect Valentine’s Day gift for Mr. Right, here are some gift ideas you should definitely check out…

If your man loves exercise and outdoor sports, he’s probably already eyeing the Brompton Bicycle 20 Years in Asia Gold Edition. Striking black gloss components, including handlebar, stem, seat post and 16” wheels, alongside the black Brooks B17 saddle, handcrafted premium British leather make this any biker’s dream vehicle.

For the Jay Gatsby in your life, who loves to host extravagant parties, the Manhattan collection of wineware from Saint Louis’s 2018 Autumn Winter collection could be an ideal addition to his party accessories. Featuring the essential tools of mixology that help mix and enjoy cocktails at home among friends, the Manhattan collection ensures that happy hour starts at home.

Another Valentine’s Day gift that may hit the right note with gentlemen who enjoy a tipple or two would be the limited-edition Rémy Martin XO and VSOP collections. Two very special limited-edition boxes join Rémy Martin’s collection of swanky gift boxes created for refined tastemakers, including an exciting collaboration with American avant-garde artist Matt W. Moore.

Of course, there’s no wrong time to gift a fine timepiece to a discerning gentleman. Even better if the gentleman in question is an avid horologist, but even if he’s not, no fear, Franck Muller’s Vanguard 7 Days Power Reserve Skeleton will make him a fan in no time. Thanks to its open-faceted skeletal structure, architectural and geometric open-worked bridges are in full display, allowing one and all to admire its intricate mechanism.

For the modern jet-setting man, what could be a better Valentine’s day gift than Il Bisonte’s Travel Kit in cowhide leather? Coming from a true-blue Italian brand that stands for practical luxury and timeless trends, the travel kit includes a padded eye mask, a luggage tag, a cord wrap and a passport/card case wallet in black, red or nude.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

V-Day Jewellery for Ladies Who’d Rather Pamper Themselves

Those days when ladies needed to be ‘gifted’ jewellery as a standard step in the game of wooing and courtship are long, long gone! Of course, it doesn’t mean ladies have grown out of their fondness for sparkly surprises, but it’s just that, in the age of women empowerment, more and more women are buying jewellery for themselves, choosing pieces to match their moods and styles and celebrating their financial independence, all without the burning a hole in their partner’s pocket.

Especially for those ladies who’d rather indulge their own whims this Valentine’s Day, we’ve chosen a range of eclectic, far-from-mushy V-Day jewellery for you, because self-love is true love.

Chanel Camélia Collection – Not just a flower, but a symbol of elegance, it represents a free spirit much like Coco Chanel herself.

Spread Your Wings Collection from Sarah Zhuang Jewellery – A celebration of a woman who’s ambitious, career-driven and confident, this is for a lady who believes in her own abilities and is capable of attaining great heights.

Fluid Azzurro from Atelier Swarovski Core Collections – A bold combination of Montana blue and silver crystal, set in palladium metal, each item in the collection speaks to the woman who believes in making everyday beautiful.

Bulgari B.zero collection – There’s a reason why pieces from the B.zero collection were featured in Bulgari’s latest Wild Pop High Jewellery. Embracing a mood of irreverence and parody, this collection is surely meant for the rebels among us.

MIKIMOTO Jeux de Rubans collection – The lustre of MIKIMOTO pearls, as well as their refinement, would appeal to a lady who knows the value of understated elegance.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Did You Know: Five fun Mickey Mouse facts as the cartoon icon turns 90

As Walt Disney’s most iconic character, the eternally-youthful Mickey Mouse has enjoyed a long and storied history as one of the most well-loved characters in the entertainment company’s considerable back catalogue. We celebrate the world’s most famous cartoon figure’s 90th birthday with five fun Mickey Mouse facts that you probably never knew.

Who’s Mortimer Mouse ?

When Walt Disney first created the cartoon back in 1928, he originally wanted to dub him ‘Mortimer Mouse’. It was only the timely intervention of his wife, who claimed the name sounded too pompous and suggested the now-famous alternative.

Talking Out Loud

For the first eight films in the Mickey Mouse film series, the famous character is seen laughing, crying and whistling but never fully conversant. It wasn’t until 1929’s black-and-white animated short, The Karnival Kid, that Mickey finally found his voice. His first words? “Hot dogs!”

Walk of Fame First

In 1978, Mickey Mouse became the first-ever cartoon character to receive his very own star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. The occasion marked his 50th birthday, and he paved the way for others in his animated posse, including Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny and Winnie the Pooh.

Cutting a Controversial Figure

While Mickey Mouse may be one of the world’s most well-loved characters, it seems he hasn’t always been as popular as most would assume. In fact, the child-friendly character has actually been banned in one country or another for decades, including Mussolini’s Italy and Nazi Germany in the ’30s, the 1988 Seoul Olympics and as recently as 2014 in Iran.

A Rose by Any Other Name

While the physical attributes of Mickey Mouse are recognisable all over the world, the same cannot be said about his name. The petit rodent actually has numerous aliases around the world, including Mi Lao Shu in Chinese, Topolino in Italian, El Raton Mickey in Spanish and Musse Pigg in Swedish.

Saffron Specifics: Three facts about the world’s most expensive spice

There was once a time, not too long ago, that spices were a luxury in our world, a luxury so splendrous that wars were declared in their names. While it has been a few hundred years, give or take, since the last spice-sourced bloodshed occured, one particular spice still remains a luxury in the modern world – saffron.

Indeed, the swanky spice has been coveted and craved by humankind for more than 3,500 years, a desire that crossed continents, cultures, and dynasties. Saffron, derived from a the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus plant, was a name bequeathed to it by the Ancient Greeks, with a dash of Hebrew. The plant is unmistakable, blooming into a cup-shaped flower in gorgeous lilac hues.

1. It sells for USD$500-5,000 a pound

It is only natural for one to wonder, what is so special about saffron that accounts for its stunning wholesale price of US$500-$5,000 per pound? The bulk of the reason is that it actually takes over 80,000 of the crocus flowers to produce just one pound of the vermilion spice. Furthermore, each plant can only be harvested within a short time frame in the Autumn months.

2. It was discovered in Greece

Saffron is said to have first been discovered on the Greek island of Crete during the Bronze Age, with its first recorded image said to depict the flower being picked by young girls and monkeys.

3. Most of the world’s supply now comes from Iran

Iran is now responsible for over 90 percent of the world’s saffron harvest and supply. However, despite the country’s mass production of the spice, it is said that the producers in Spain are, in fact, purveyors of products of the best quality in the world.

Wow & Woo: V-day look for lovely ladies

For those who are already counting down to the most romantic day in the year, we have for you the perfect V-day look book for a dreamy date with your significant other.

Wear red: Choose an easy-breezy scarlet dress with kitschy floral prints to keep things casual yet chic. For a formal dinner, however, a cherry-red lacey dress can never go wrong.

Choose high heels: High heels may not be the most comfortable, but they bring out our best postures. Whether you opt for booties or pumps or sandals, make sure the heel has the inches.

Bag it: Choose a cute yet classy bag in neutral colour – you want the attention to be on you, not on your bag. Anything in shades of beige, pink and white would complement your LRD (little red dress).

Accessorize: Of course, your V-day look won’t be complete without a petite piece of jewellery, be it an ear stud or a small pendant. Go for subtle feminine patterns instead of the obvious roses, hearts and butterflies.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Boar necessities: Pig-themed gifts for the Year of the Pig

Have you found the perfect pig-themed gifts for the Year of the Pig yet? If not, don’t worry, we have you covered with these perfectly boarish – but far from boorish – CNY gift ideas.

Never one to disappoint keen horologists, Chopard has once again produced a commemorative watch for the coming Chinese zodiac year. This time round, the L.U.C. XP Urushi pays apt tribute to the incoming Year of the Pig via the classic Japanese handcrafted art of Urushi, a choice that certainly delivers a generous and fun-loving take on this potent beast. Despite the pig’s reputation of being something of an ungainly creature, its chronometric incarnation will prove a dainty addition to any wrist, while its Calibre 96.17-L movement will see the year tick by in fine style.

For its latest crystal collection – Paperweights – Saint Louis set out to ensure its 430-year legacy as France’s leading crystal manufacturer scaled new heights as it fashioned its own tribute to the incoming 2019 Chinese character – the ever-arch wholly-unpredictable boar. Embodying good luck and joy, its artfully-crafted Golden Pig comes in a delicate pink and white colour combo, with 24K gold embellishments.

Never one to fail to commemorate the onset of a new lunar year, Emperor Jewellery, one of Hong Kong’s favourite homegrown purveyors of well-crafted rare metals and precious stones, has announced the timely release of its Blessings Collection, an-all-new pure gold jewellery set in a series of adorable piglet designs. Said to all but guarantee a joyous and prosperous year, this family of pig ornaments and sleek gold bracelets seem undeniably wise and worthy buys.

Meanwhile, furniture brand TREE has introduced a family of adorable wooden pigs to ring in 2019, which work wonderfully as gifts or décor pieces to add a subtly festive touch to the home. From petite teak piglets to rustic, pig-shaped cutting boards, these boar-inspired designs are sure to be on the top of any fashion-forward homemaker’s CNY gift ideas.

Another brand which has come up with perfect pig-themed gifts for the Year of the Pig is Riedel. Particularly eye-catching is its Curly Pink Decanter, that’s inspired by the shape of a pig’s tail. Featuring a light hue of pink, the piece is crafted from crystal with a stunning yet challenging silhouette, hand-blown by the most experienced glass blowers. The coiled curl acts as a tool to open the wine up, allowing it to breathe. The decanter creates a series of air pockets which charge the wine with oxygen as it is poured, combining the very best elements of design with functionality.

So what are you waiting for? Get shopping already and watch your loved ones squeal with joy as they unwrap the best pig-themed gifts for the Year of the Pig!