Every month since September 2016, we have been curating ideas and experiences for this column that aim to do three things: encourage you to take the less-travelled path (literally and figuratively); inspire you to do better by yourself and others; and live a little more – even a little smarter. For our last issue of 2017, we’ve added a fourth thing: ideas and experiences that also make darn good gifts.
Every month since September 2016, we have been curating ideas and experiences for this column that aim to do three things: encourage you to take the less-travelled path (literally and figuratively); inspire you to do better by yourself and others; and live a little more – even a little smarter. For our last issue of 2017, we’ve added a fourth thing: ideas and experiences that also make darn good gifts.
THE COFFEETABLE BOOK ON DARING WOMEN FOR DARING WOMEN
We wouldn’t be HW if we didn’t start this 10-pager with something solid. And this tome is solid – in female solidarity, with 240 pages of feelgood- meets-you-cando- it vibes.
She: Muses, Visionaries and Madcap Heroines is the fourth photo book from Kate Spade. Curated by the US brand’s creative director, Deborah Lloyd, it celebrates bold and courageous women. “The most daring thing you can do in life is to be true to yourself,” says Lloyd.
Featuring treasured icons (Nina Simone and Marilyn Monroe), revered activists (Gloria Steinem and Shirley Chisholm), and fictional characters (TV’s Carrie Bradshaw and Mary Richards), it celebrates a diverse lot of American women “whose bold personalities and styles play an important role in the lives of other women”.
And an inspiration to others to live their own interesting lives to the fullest – every single day. $70, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. – BG
THE MONCLER X POLDO DOG COUTURE FOR MAN’S BEST FRIEND
All dogs are cute, but they become cuter when they are dressed like us. It’s not lost on both these luxury brands: They’ve combined their resources to keep our mates warm in cold weather. The range includes a waistcoat in lacquered nylon (Moncler’s iconic fabric with down), and jacquard knitwear with classic Norwegian designs. From $565-$690. – RT
THE HIS AND HERS TIMEPIECES THAT ARE TRULY HIS AND HERS
A lot of women prefer men’s watches. They’re chunkier (less delicate-looking, even genderless) and have more bells and whistles. Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato watches for men and women are the same in almost every way – except for size (38mm for her, pictured below; and 42mm for him, pictured in the middle). Which means he can wear his or hers, and she can wear hers or his. Both in stainless steel; $15,500 and $16,400. – BG
THE SPARKLING WHITE TEE
A lot has been said about how great the perfect white tee is. Burberry improves on its greatness by adding a monster crystal brooch to it. The bright idea extends to the Brit brand’s white sweatshirts and sweaters. Even more glorious, the brooches are detachable. This way, you can spread the love to your other equally great white things – like the shirt. The cotton tee is $1,150; sweaters are $1,595 each. – BG
THE COOLEST SPEAKER ON THE PLANET
If you’ve been following this column every month, you’ll know that we have a thing for wireless speakers to stream our music. And we have reserved the best for last: the Devialet (say duv-e-alay) Phantom.
Resembling an egg-meetspod- like hybrid possibly from the set of Alien: Covenant, it has been called the iMac of the audiophile world. Almost everyone who is anyone (Lagerfeld, Kanye, Jay-Z) wants it or has it. As it comes from a brand that has won 70 awards to date, the Phantom takes function as seriously as form: No bigger than a small toaster, it can really crank it up to 60Hz, the audio equivalent of enjoying a live concert from the front row. $4,490. – BG
THE KITCHEN TOOLS THAT NEVER NEED SHARPENING. EVER
In the late ’70s, a knife that could cut through anything – frozen meat, sneakers, aluminium cans, tree branches – debuted on Sellavision. It was American-made but Japanese-inspired. It was the Ginsu knife. It was so revolutionary that it spawned a range of kitchen cutters, and even became a topical joke on Seinfeld. Ginsus never needed sharpening. We would know: we have one from the ’90s that still cuts like nothing else. The Banshu Hamono brand is a close second, because we don’t know how it tackles things that are not food. What we do know: Its knife and scissors are made from the same carbon steel as Japan’s samurai swords (katana), and by the same factory that has made the latter for more than 273 years. Do they slice and cut clean? Yes. Are they infinitely sharp? Yes. Scissors, $98.90, and knife, $264, Emporium of the Modern Man. – BG
THE KITCHEN TOOLS THAT NEVER NEED SHARPENING. EVER
In the late ’70s, a knife that could cut through anything – frozen meat, sneakers, aluminium cans, tree branches – debuted on Sellavision. It was American-made but Japanese-inspired. It was the Ginsu knife. It was so revolutionary that it spawned a range of kitchen cutters, and even became a topical joke on Seinfeld. Ginsus never needed sharpening. We would know: we have one from the ’90s that still cuts like nothing else. The Banshu Hamono brand is a close second, because we don’t know how it tackles things that are not food. What we do know: Its knife and scissors are made from the same carbon steel as Japan’s samurai swords (katana), and by the same factory that has made the latter for more than 273 years. Do they slice and cut clean? Yes. Are they infinitely sharp? Yes. Scissors, $98.90, and knife, $264, Emporium of the Modern Man. – BG
THE IDEAS AT MUJI’S IDEE
In 2006, Japanese homefurnishing brand Idee joined Muji in creating a lifestyle category that would add value to the latter: home furnishings and accessories that enhance Muji’s nonshowy DNA. Pottery that could have come from Catalonia; indie art from indie artists; patchwork rugs; and little antiquated stools made from recycled wood – by Japanese and international artisans as well as up-and-coming designers, and made in the famous furniture-manufacturing Tohoku region and Hokkaido. At Plaza Singapura. – RT
THE ART OF CONNECTING THE OLDSCHOOL WAY
When was the last time you sent a physical card or letter to anyone? It must have been a long time ago (if you’re Gen Y or Z, maybe never?). Issey Miyake wants to bring back the meaningful act with Floriography, a collection of four kinds of fabric corsages (each with its own pin) and two kinds of fabric floral earrings, which all come with a big white card that has words like “smile”, “warmth”, and “sunset”. You can circle the provided words or write your own message before wrapping the card around the corsage or earring like you would a flower stalk, and presenting it to someone you want to truly connect with again. The lovely gesture is twofold: the corsage ($90) doubles as a brooch. Earrings are $160 a pair. – RT
From top: Start with a card. Circle some words and/or write your own. Wrap the card around the floral corsage or earrings. Then make someone happy.
THE PORTABLE BOWLING GAME THAT’S ALSO ZEN-LIKE HOME DECOR
This Singapore-designed- andmade game may suffer the usual fate of most tabletop games – that of being used once, when first received. But instead of collecting dust under the bed, this one will be displayed. $15, Naiise and www.actually.sg. – RT
THE HAIRDRYER OF HAIRDRYERS
If you’re still not familiar with the Dyson Supersonic, here’s what you need to know: Its intelligent temperature control with four settings ensures hair never fries; the surfaces of its attachments remain cool no matter how hot the dryer gets; its tiny digital motor, parked in the handle, never makes your arm ache from its weight; hair is never caught in vents because it has no vents; and even at the lowest speed, it packs a punch. Now, it also comes in limitededition Nickel/Purple (at Robinsons and Tangs), and Black/ Purple at www.dyson.com.sg. $599. –SW
THE KEY TO KEEPING YOUR LIFE TOGETHER
Orbitkey is not a key. It’s better. It’s a slim strip of rubber, canvas or leather fastened at one end by a straightforward screw to contain jingling, jangling keys better than any other key pouch. Why? It’s designed like a Swiss army knife to neatly organise your keys (up to seven of them) into a neat, sleek stack. How it works: Unscrew the screw to release the strip of material; insert keys onto screw; fasten screw and material; done. $39.90-$49.90, Outside at Orchard Gateway or www.orbitkey.com. – RT
THE STOCKING STUFFERS
Socks shouldn’t be a great thing, but in the last year, and looking at S/S ’18, they have become just that. From being worn with all kinds of open-toe and closed-toe shoes to being mismatched on purpose, and used to make a statement (that would be you, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau), socks are hot stuff. Like these ones from Happy Socks, which feature cartoon scenes from The Beatles’ 1968 film Yellow Submarine. $98 for a box of six, Tangs at Tang Plaza. – BG
THE BRUSHES FOR EVERY FOUNDATION NEED
Having different base makeup brushes for different base makeup sounds indulgent and excessive, but we are inclined to think differently with Chanel’s Les Pinceaux, a range of four foundation brushes. The 2-in-1 isn’t only good with powder and liquid foundations – it’s good with all bases to create distinct finishes. The Blending works the same way but with a lighter, airbrushed touch. For more coverage: the Foundation Brush for liquid and cream foundations. The palmsized Retractable works with liquid, cream or gel foundations, and travels well. – DC
THE BOTTLES TO INCREASE YOUR PERCEIVED ATTRACTIVENESS
Using a reusable drinking bottle tells others two things about you: the first is that you are most likely an eco-friendly person; the second is you are always well prepared. These bottles from S’well reveal a third thing: that you have great taste. Besides looking, well, swell, they feature trademarked, triple-walled insulation that keeps whatever you want to drink cold for 24 hours, or hot for 12, and the exterior is condensation-free (trust us, we tested that). From the US, they come in two sizes: 9oz and 17oz; the latter can hold more than half a bottle of wine. Cheers, folks. $45-$65, Monument Lifestyle. – RT
THE MINAUDIERE WITH YOUR NAME
When personalisation and customisation of leather goods have lost their novelty, Mno.logie steps in to emboss your name (up to nine letters) on its perspex clutches, free. Have it big and screaming, or subtly engraved on the clasp. At Tangs at Tang Plaza. – BG
THE TOILETRIES THAT NO ONE SAYS NO TO
It is not an exaggeration to say everyone likes something or other from Aesop, one of Australia’s biggest exports. It is also not an exaggeration to say that the brand’s hand soaps and hand creams are in the bathrooms of cooler restaurants and hotels. It is definitely not an exaggeration to say its seasonal toiletry gift packs will not be regifted. There are six types (from all-body, -hand or -face products to a mix of all three) for the year-end. $90-$230. – RT
THE MOST POPULAR EYEWEAR BRAND NOW
Before 2014, South Korean eyewear label Gentle Monster (it started in 2011) was underground. Then, BOOM! Actress Jun Ji Hyun wore it in TV drama My Love from the Star, and suddenly, everyone wanted a pair – even Tilda Swinton, who recently collaborated with the brand on a range. So what is it about GM that makes it hot, hot, hot? Its designs are unisex (classics updated in groovy ways), with 30 to 40 styles a season, each style in five to 10 colourways. All also have nose pads to truly fit Asian faces. But the bomb is its lenses, which are made by Zeiss, the German lens specialist that Nasa goes to for its camera and telescope lenses. From $250. – BG
PHOTOGRAPHY TAN WEI TE & ZAPHS ZHANG STYLING SHAN
