Noah’s Ark and Jewellery: Gafencu speaks to Van Cleef & Arpels President Nicolas Bos

Fans of Van Cleef & Arpels now have the opportunity to get an up-close look at one of the jeweller’s most fantastical collections yet. Inspired by the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark, the collection – now on display in Admiralty – features more than 40 pairs of animals in brooch form, including monkeys, swans, butterflies, kangaroos and exotic birds. There’s even a unicorn and a phoenix, bringing a touch of the whimsical to such a timeless tale.

As visitors enter the darkened room, they are met with a fully immersive experience. Claps of thunder and the sound of rain fill the room, and the occasional flash of lightning adds an exciting touch. The exhibit was designed by Robert Wilson, an American theatre and visual artist who is renowned for his creative use of light. The installation was first presented in Paris last September.

Gafencu spoke to Van Cleef & Arpels CEO and President Nicolas Bos, who was in Hong Kong for the exhibit.

You started out as a marketing director for Van Cleef & Arpels in 2000. How did you get to that position?

It was a bit by accident to be honest. I started working for the Richemont Group at the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art right after school.

I always had a passion for art and creativity so I was happy to work in an environment that combined art with commercial and business aspects. When Richemont acquired Van Cleef & Arpels, the president, my former boss Isabelle Guichot, was appointed and she asked me to join.

Interestingly, I wasn’t asked to join because of my knowledge of jewellery, but because I’d always been in an environment with creative people trying to organise projects and make things possible. That was pretty much my role at the Cartier foundation.

My role as marketing director was more of a title than anything because there was no marketing department before I joined. We don’t do things according to market research or trends. It is primarily what we want to do in house. The purpose of the department, and the role I filled at that time, was to make sure Van Cleef & Arpels’ creations were turned into projects and collections for the stores. My role was more to organise the whole creative process and move it forward.

In 2009 you were promoted to vice president, while keeping your position as creative director. How did you balance two very different roles?

It was quite organic. The company is quite small so I was just working with a different process. I moved to New York to take care of the American subsidiary while keeping my creative role. I moved back four years ago to take over as president.

Now you are president and CEO. What’s changed at Van Cleef & Arpels under your leadership?

I don’t think much has changed. It is about continuity. I’m not the type of manager who starts a revolution and makes big changes.

I’ve been at the company a long time and continuity is important to brands like ours. Van Cleef & Arpels has been building an identity, signature style and level of expertise for many years. I’m not the sort of guy to change the strategy and retail policy. Creation and creativity are still at the centre of everything.

The only change is I don’t have anyone to blame now. The comfort of blaming another person if something isn’t working has gone, which is actually quite nice.

How would you describe your management style?

It’s very collaborative. I rely a lot on my teams. I try to strengthen the culture among the teams at all levels. I’m not the sort of person who asks designers or collaborators every week what they’re doing or how they’re doing.

There are some projects I run with them directly and then I expect them to understand and replicate it by themselves.

I don’t like when people say, ‘It is going to be like this because this is what I like or don’t like.’ I always try to explain why I’ve made a decision and it isn’t always a matter of personal taste. It is sometimes to do with tradition or a commercial aspect. The process is a learning curve for everyone.

How does Van Cleef & Arpels remain true to its heritage while at the same time keeping up with ever-changing demands?

The evolution of the market, the economy and clientele don’t influence the identity, design or craftsmanship of Van Cleef & Arpels. To make specific collections for a market or react to a downturn or an upturn in the market is very dangerous for brand identity.

Speed of change today is so fast that there is no way you can follow what’s happening.

The whole process in making a collection takes about three years and opening a store also takes years so it’s impossible to react to trends that happen over a couple of months. It’s better to stay who you are and then explain and express your identity by using the evolution of the market. For example, there are new ways to tell stories and bring information to clients now that didn’t exist 10 years ago. So we stay true to today’s world but the information we pass through these new mediums hasn’t changed.

Is the market in Hong Kong different to the West? If so, how?

Originally, the market wasn’t that different. We are a brand that appeals to a type of customer who knows what jewellery they like, which means we have a consistent type of clientele. Hong Kong is very similar to markets in New York and London with the types of jewellery people like.

However, the level of tourism to Hong Kong over the last 10 years has changed the retail landscape.

A few years ago in Hong Kong was the first and only time we had to organise a line outside one of our stores. For a few years it was an unusual situation when tourists came to Hong Kong with such an appetite for luxury goods. This was something we had never seen anywhere before.

It is quieter now here which is closer to our identity.

The exhibit, called L’Arche de Noé racontée par Van Cleef & Arpels (Noah’s Ark told by Van Cleef & Arpels), will be on display from now until 26 March at Asia Society Hong Kong Center, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty. It is free and open to the public.

For more information or to book a visit between the hours of 12pm and 8pm, visit www.vcaarchedenoe.hk.

Text: Andrew Scott

Additional information: Emily Petsko

Experience the fantastical with Phantasmagoria art exhibit

Phantasmagoria is defined as “a bizarre or fantastic combination, collection or assemblage.” So it is fitting, then, that Australian artist Chloe Bennett named her exhibition of quirky, dreamlike images after the fantastical phenomenon.

“When I looked it up, ‘phantasmagoria’ was (defined as) these images of the imagination, illusions of the imagination, and I guess that’s how I see these pieces,” said Bennett, who came to Hong Kong for the first time on 9 March to launch her exhibit in Causeway Bay.

“These images are concocted from my head based on either my experiences or just out of curiosity, so that’s where the imagery comes from.”

The 28-year-old artist is now hosting her first ever exhibit at the J Plus Hotel by YOO. The spray paint on canvas artworks follow in the pop art tradition made famous by Andy Warhol. The artworks feature “signature flat aesthetic colours paired with clean lines to create a bizarre collection of images,” Bennett says.

In the collection, pairs of female legs appear to be growing out of a television set as if they were antennae; legs also replace the blades on scissors and, when attached to pieces of fruit, they transform peaches and pears into derrières – a play on the way that women’s bodies are viewed and labelled in society. Another piece, Sleepytime Tea shows two teabags filled with pills, which seems to suggest that society may be a tad too reliant on quick fixes, however risky they may be.

“I like to explore the happenings of the world through my artworks and look at what our culture has become and what we represent and our values,” Bennett says.

Bennett also takes ordinary objects and turns them on their head, reinventing them in bizarre and novel ways. For the exhibit, she was asked to create a Hong Kong-themed piece, so she created Brain Food: a dim sum bowl with two brains inside instead of siu mai.

“Brain Food originates from my love of discovering new cuisines,” she says. “I like the idea that something one may consider completely mundane or part of the everyday is somewhat of a discovery for another.”

Merchandise featuring her artwork – including mugs, postcards and notebooks – will be sold exclusively at the exhibit, and notebooks will placed in hotel guests’ rooms for them to use. J Plus Hotel, Hong Kong’s first art-centric boutique hotel, displays the works of several different artists throughout the year. Phantasmagoria, which is open to the public from now until 8 July, is the seventh art exhibit the hotel has hosted.

J Plus Hotel by YOO is located at 1-5 Irving Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

Text: Emily Petsko

Revamped AMC Pacific Place packs a punch

After a six-month renovation project, AMC Pacific Place is open for business and is set to bring a new theatrical and cinematic experience to Hong Kong. Designed to bring together the very latest in film-watching technology, the space has been uniquely designed to create a multi-sensory experience.

Visitors are greeted – in the imposing lobby – by a tree trunk which is complemented by the earthy interior design; materials such as wood and stone are amply used. The ceiling meanwhile features translucent hand-made ‘leaves’ creating a sense of nature and outside space. Rather cleverly, the tree-trunk also doubles up as the box office – a neat way to make a statement piece of art functional.

The real showstopper of the new development, however, is the ‘Oval Office.’ Named after the President of the United States’ official office, it aims to provide a hitherto unknown level of luxury for prestigious cinema-goers. Comfortably seating a maximum of 22 guests, the space is the perfect way to watch a film with your friends, family or even clients.

Before the film commences, guests of the Oval Office will receive complimentary nibbles and drinks in the exclusive VIP lounge before being seated. During the screening, dishes from elegant French restaurant Plat du Jour will be served to you; menus vary depending on the time of day. Top choices for March include Black Angus rib-eye burgers, poached tuna nicoise salad and panko crumb market fish. The plush reclining chairs, complete with call button, add to the experience.

Even without booking into the Oval Office, other cinema fans will also be able to enjoy an upgraded cinema experience. Revamping the traditional popcorn and hotdog offerings, AMC Pacific Place will also sell an array of delicious snacks to ticket holders, including the likes of Thai shrimp cakes, slow-cooked chicken Marengo as well as an amuse bouche selection.

A good deal of time has also been spent on the in-film experience and white screens have been placed in each screening room (or ‘house’ as they are known) for the ultimate clarity and brightness. The largest ‘house,’ the AMC Plus House, boasts an Auromax 3D Surround Sound System, the first Asian cinema to do so.

Click here for more information.

What to eat, see and do at Taste of Hong Kong

Gourmands drooling in anticipation will once again descend on Central Harbourfront to sample new ingredients and drink new wines, spirits, beers and champagne at this year’s Taste of Hong Kong.

Following its successful inaugural event last year, Taste returns 25 percent bigger with 10 Michelin stars in its line-up.

Hong Kongers will sample dishes made by some of the city’s best restaurants – from Japanese to French, Cantonese and Italian.

We have picked some of the best things to see, do and, of course, eat at this year’s Taste of Hong Kong.

Live cooking demonstrations

There is more to Taste than just turning up and eating mountains of delicious food. Guests who would like to learn more about the food they’ve just shovelled down their throats can pick up tips and tricks from chefs Richard Ekkebus of Amber, Shane Osborn of Arcane, Max Levy of Okra, Aaron Gillespie of 22 Ships, Lee Man Sing of Mott 32 and more.

Taste Theatre will hold 24 sessions where visitors can learn secret cooking techniques and hear directly from chefs and tastemakers.

Champagne tasting

For some people, a good drink is key to enjoying a good meal. The Laurent Perrier Champagne Bar will serve chilled La Cuvée and discerning foodies will also be able to enjoy a unique gourmet journey to discover how to perfectly pair each wine with signature dishes from Taste restaurants.

Eat your dream

Foodies can create their dream menu from more than 50 dishes of signature tasting plates and iconic one-off festival creations made by Hong Kong’s most celebrated restaurants: Amber, Arcane, Café Gray Deluxe,Tosca, Zuma, Kaum at Potato Head, Rhoda, Mercato and more.

The rare and interesting ingredients include Rhoda’s tartare of ox heart, Kaum’s marinated eel, Zuma’s Japanese hakkinton pork and Tosca’s octopus with Amalfitan lemon.

The VIP experience

VIP visitors will obviously enjoy the line-up of restaurants, chefs, producers and attractions, but they will also get fast-track entry, access to the VIP Lounge, HK$300 of Taste credit and three complimentary drinks. Furthermore, guests who have a Standard Chartered Priority Banking Card or Priority Banking Credit Card can enter the Priority Bank VIP Lounge where free-flow red and white wine will be served.

If that isn’t enough to make you salivate, some of the most popular dishes from last year are making a comeback, including Tin Lung Heen’s succulent barbecued Iberian pork, Duddell’s pan fried M9 Australian wagyu with wasabi soy sauce and Yardbird’s sweetcorn tempura.

Taste of Hong Kong runs from 16-19 March at Central Harbourfront.

Click here for more information.

Text: Andrew Scott

Sotheby’s to host two wine sales valued at HK$52 million

Wine connoisseurs will be drunk with joy this April when Sotheby’s Hong Kong hosts two wine sales, offering over 1,600 lots with an estimated value in excess of HK$52 million.

The first sale,”A Monumental Collection From the Cellars of a Connoisseur (Part III),” will take place on 1 April, followed by “Finest and Rarest Wines and The Macallan” on 2 April.

The third and final installment of A Monumental Collection will feature some of the world’s finest wines and most sought after vintages. The first two installments were held in New York and London.

Leading the Hong Kong sale is an impressive array of Bordeaux and Burgundy.

The sale will feature first growth vintages from the Right and Left banks of Bordeaux and range from historic wines to the more recent. Yquem, arguably the world’s greatest sweet wine, is represented by sought after vintages, including the 1947.

For Burgundy lovers, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti offers its landmark wines, while Montrachet headlines the selection of white Burgundy. The sale is also rich in Rhônes and Italian wines from Piedmont and Tuscany. Tempting additions from Spain, Germany, Australia and Hungary round off the collection.

On the second day, the auction of Finest and Rarest Wines and The Macallan will be headlined by The Macallan in Lalique Legacy Collection. Six stunning crystal decanters — the Six Pillars — containing the rarest of The Macallan’s single malts aged 50 to 65 years, will be offered for sale as the world’s only complete collection direct from the distillery. The six decanters will be sold in a unique ebony cabinet and partial proceeds from the auction will go to local charities.

The lot will be offered at an estimate of HK$2 million to HK$4 million.

The auction will also feature an extensive selection of top wines from distinguished private collectors, including large quantities of parcel lots of Bordeaux first growths from the 1980s and the 2000s as well as rare Japanese whiskies.

Both auctions will take place in Hall 5 at the The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai.

Click here for more information.

International Women’s Day: 6 inspirational women who made their mark on Hong Kong

Today, 8 March, marks the occasion of International Women’s Day. Founded in the early 1900s, the event has grown over the years, now serving as a way to recognise the struggle for women’s rights around the world.

Hong Kong has had no shortage of trailblazing women, all of whom made valuable and groundbreaking contributions to their respective fields, from education to sports to government. Here are just a few of the exceptional women to make their mark on Hong Kong’s history over the years:

Irene Cheng, first female university graduate in Hong Kong

A member of the affluent Ho Tung family, Irene could have led a comfortable, carefree life, but instead she set out to achieve more. In 1926, she became Hong Kong’s first female university graduate, receiving an English degree from Hong Kong University. After earning a doctorate in London, she moved to Guangzhou to teach at Lingnan University and became a member of the Ministry of Education.

In 1948 she returned to Hong Kong and became the city’s first senior education officer. Her motivation was partly inspired by her mother, Lady Clara Ho Tung, who told her, “Gather all the learning you can from your teachers, study to serve humanity and hand over your knowledge to others.”

Hazel Ying Lee, first Chinese-American female pilot in US military

Although she was born in Portland, Oregon, the Chinese-American pilot became a hero in both China and the US for helping to protect both countries during World War II.

In 1933, Hazel travelled to China to volunteer for the Chinese Air Force, but was turned away because she was a woman. Instead, she stayed in Canton and flew for a private airline until 1937, when Japan invaded China. She survived the bombing attacks and escaped to Hong Kong, where she continued to help the war effort by visiting a refugee camp for women with babies. She then returned to the US and ultimately became the first Chinese-American woman to fly for the US military, and was tasked with ferrying aircrafts from manufacturers to North America airfields.

Tragically, she died in a crash in 1944. Her sister, Frances Tong, said of Hazel: “It so happened that Hazel got her pilot’s license right after the passing of our father. If dad had still been there, I don’t think she would have been able to get it. But she knew that’s what she wanted to do. She didn’t care if it was ladylike or not.”

Emily Lau Wai-hing, first elected legislator in Hong Kong

Also dubbed an “Iron Lady,” in 1991 Emily Lau Wai-hing became the first woman to be elected to Hong Kong’s Legislative Council. She also served as chairperson of the pro-democracy Democratic Party.

Previously working as a journalist, she famously posed a controversial question to Margaret Thatcher in 1984 about the Sino-British Joint Declaration to “deliver over 5 million people into the hands of a communist dictatorship.” She has been an unwavering advocate of a free press and human rights, often flying to Geneva to attend United Nations hearings on human rights issues.

When she left Legco last year, she vowed to continue serving civil society: “My bosses are the Hong Kong people,” she said. “I have no conflict of interests or conflict of roles. I devoted all my time to serving the Hong Kong people.”

Perveen Crawford, Hong Kong’s first female pilot

Perveen became Hong Kong’s first female pilot in 1995, and she is now on track to become the city’s first astronaut. After introducing herself to Virgin Group founder Richard Branson at a party, she was offered a once-in-a-lifetime trip to outer space as part of Virgin Galactic’s push to create a space tourism industry. Originally scheduled for 2008, the trip was delayed after some setbacks, but 100 people have already signed on including the likes of John Travolta, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Perveen was quoted as saying, “My husband and kids don’t think it is completely safe. But I told them it’s more dangerous to cross the road in Hong Kong. Besides, I’m not afraid of death. I would rather die and float gracefully in space than be buried on Earth.”

Lee Lai-shan, Hong Kong’s first Olympics gold medalist

Professional windsurfer Lee Lai-shan was not only the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal for Hong Kong, but she also remains the only person in the city’s history – male or female – to clinch the top athletic award. Affectionately known as “San San,” the athlete, now 46, won gold at the 1996 summer games in Atlanta while representing the then British colony. After winning, she proudly announced to media: “Hong Kong athletes are not rubbish!” And right she was.

Margaret Leung Ko May-yee, first female CEO of a Hong Kong bank

Hong Kong-born Margaret Leung Ko May-yee became the first female CEO of a Hong Kong-listed bank when she took the reigns as Hang Seng Bank’s head honcho in 2009.

After graduating from Hong Kong University in 1975, she started working at Bank of America, followed by various positions at HSBC in retail, commercial and investment banking. In 1985, she decided to relocate to Melbourne for a position with HSBC – something she says changed the trajectory of her career path.

“I was told it would not be right for a woman to leave her family in Hong Kong,” she said. “If I hadn’t gone to Australia, I would likely have stayed on in my job, comfortable until retirement and becoming part of the bank’s furniture.”

When she returned to Hong Kong, she made sure that didn’t happen.

Text: Emily Petsko

‘All My Sons’: a timeless, moving tale of grief and deceit

Like Death of a Salesman, American writer Arthur Miller’s earlier play, All My Sons, is a portrayal of the ‘American dream’ gone horribly awry. Driven by money and the dream of building a successful business to pass on to his sons, Joe Keller is complicit in a crime that ultimately leaves 21 pilots dead during the height of World War II. For years, he ignores the repercussions and denies any wrongdoing, but his actions later come back to haunt him in ways he never could have anticipated.

All My Sons was written in 1948, but the themes it covers are just as timely as ever. It is a story of deceit and greed, but also of family and country, and love and loss. As one of the highlights of the ongoing 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival, it is now playing at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts’ Lyric Theatre in Wan Chai. The play, put on by Rose Theatre Kingston in London, made its exclusive Asian premiere here.

“There are certain men in the world who rather see everybody hung before they’ll take blame,” Joe says about his former business partner, who was imprisoned several years earlier for covering up cracks on defective aircraft engines and shipping them out to the war effort. The consequences, of course, were fatal. Joe denied involvement and was exonerated, but continues to remain blind to the fact that the ‘certain man’ he describes is a perfect portrayal of himself – not of his partner, who was only taking orders from Joe to conceal the cracks.

Further complicating matters is the fact that Joe’s elder son, Larry, a pilot in the war, went missing around the same time as the other pilots’ deaths. When the play opens, the audience learns that Larry has been missing for three years, yet his mother, Kate Keller, still holds out hope that he is alive.

Kate is one of the play’s most complex characters. Kate’s refusal to accept Larry’s death becomes a sickness, driving her to madness. She looks everywhere for signs that he is still alive–his horoscope, the fact that his memorial tree was blown over in a storm, newspaper clippings of other missing soldiers returning home years later. Her denial is deeply frustrating but also heartbreaking, as the audience later learns it’s a coping mechanism to avoid accepting an even harsher truth.

“Your brother’s alive,” Kate tells her younger son, Chris. “Because if he’s dead, your father killed him. Do you understand me now? God does not let a son be killed by his father.”

And then there’s Chris, the younger Keller son, who wants to marry his brother’s fiancée, Ann – who also happens to be the daughter of Joe’s jailed business partner. For this, he has to come to terms with the guilt of dating “Larry’s girl,” as his disapproving mother calls her, and later the guilt of knowing that his own father is responsible for the ruin of Ann’s father. All of this comes to a head when Ann’s brother, George, confronts Joe, and the Keller family learns how Larry really died.

Without revealing too much, the ending is harrowing – the kind of ending that leaves audiences almost too shaken to gather their wits and applaud the performers, even if the praise is well-deserved. The actor who portrays Joe pulls off the tricky task of getting the audience to sympathise–however slightly–with Joe’s plight. Everything about the play feels real, down to the costumes and the authenticity of the actors’ Midwestern accents (the play takes place near Cincinnati, Ohio).

As said best by the play’s director, Michael Rudman: “I got a good idea of the kind of acting Arthur Miller wanted in the hours I spent with him in auditions and rehearsals for a Broadway production of Death of a Salesman. He wanted actors who were truthful and interesting, but also capable of expressing deep emotion. That is the kind of actor that we wanted for this production.”

This production of All My Sons certainly achieves that. It is a classic that is well worth seeing on the stage. The play will run in Hong Kong through 11 March. For more information and tickets, click here.

Text: Emily Petsko

Reel Deal: Five must-see movies in March

So far, it’s already looking to be a banner year for the film industry. Three of the movies currently playing in Hong Kong cinemas have won major awards, with some winning Oscars and Golden Globes. So what are you waiting for? Snag some tickets and grab some popcorn – there’s much to see.

Moonlight
In theatres now

In what has been described as a coming-of-age story, Moonlight follows the life of Chiron – a gay black man – from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighbourhood of Miami. The film won both Best Drama Motion Picture at the Golden Globes and Best Picture at the Oscars (after an awkward mix-up in which La La Land was mistakenly named the winner).

In case you need another reason to see this moving film, several scenes in Moonlight are being compared to scenes from movies directed by Hong Kong’s very own Wong Kar-wai, whom Moonlight director Barry Jenkins has named as one of his film idols.

Manchester by the Sea
In theatres now

Casey Affleck, best known for his roles in Good Will Hunting and Gone Baby Gone, won Best Actor awards at the Oscars and Golden Globes for his portrayal of Lee, a working-class man from Massachusetts who suddenly becomes the legal guardian of his nephew when his brother dies. Perhaps not the most cheerful plot, but still an important film.

As The Guardian puts it: “It is achingly raw and heartbreaking, and it will most likely devastate you. If that sounds like something you’d rather not experience, then it’s probably best to turn away now. But if you are able to stomach it, this film proves immensely rewarding.”

La La Land
In theatres now

By now, you’ve probably heard something about this charming musical starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. And for good reason. With a number of awards under its belt, the film is hard not to love. It tells the story of Mia and Sebastian, an actress and jazz pianist trying to make it in the ‘City of Stars’ – Los Angeles. They accomplish things they never would have been able to do alone, but they also have to make sacrifices along the way.

The film ends up being more movie than musical, with just enough song-and-dance numbers to keep viewers captivated, without the cheesiness that sometimes turns people off of classic musicals.

Logan
In theatres now

X-Men fans won’t want to miss Hugh Jackman’s last stand as Wolverine. It is the final action-packed chapter to feature one of Marvel Comics’ most popular characters – “a fan-favourite anti-hero with memory issues, a grumpy demeanour, and those adamantium blades,” according to Slate.

“But it isn’t another loud, character-crammed, Easter egg–stuffed mutant adventure,” Slate’s review continues. “Instead it has a small cast, a dust-flecked setting, a tragic explanation for why most of the other X-Men are not there, and an aging, defeated Logan, who has never been more in need of redemption and who has never felt farther from it.”

Beauty and the Beast
Opens 16 March

Those who grew up watching the original cartoon version (1991) of this classic Disney musical – as well as those who loved watching it with their kids – will likely find the new, live-action rendition to be a rush of nostalgia. The film will feature many of the catchy tunes that viewers came to love in the original version, while also including three new original songs.

It is an unlikely love story between the ‘Beast,’ a prince who was cursed and turned into a monstrous creature, and Belle, the woman he imprisoned in his enchanted castle in exchange for her father’s freedom. Even better, it stars Emma Watson, the beloved actress who played everyone’s favourite witch, Hermione Granger, in the Harry Potter series.

Text: Emily Petsko