LIFE.EXTRAORDINARY

February 2018

HOW PETER WOO BREATHED NEW LIFE INTO THE MURRAY BUILDING

HK$45 FEBRUARY LIFE. EXTRAORDINARY

FEATURES 94 Modern Master The man with the vision behind the city’s newest luxury hotel, Peter Woo, tells of the care that went into preserving the heritage of the landmark Murray Building 102 Society Girls In the lead-up to their big night at Le Bal des Débutantes, 21 privileged young women impress with their reservoir of positivity, personal development and philanthropic thinking 110 Pride of Lebanon Designer Elie Saab, who endured the fear and chaos of war-torn Beirut and emerged as the king of Middle Eastern couture, discusses success and philanthropy 116 Asia’s Most Eligible Meet the most charming, witty, good- looking, successful, savvy and, most importantly, unmarried men and women of 94 the continent 102 116 IMAGE: PJ LAM @ FAST MANAGEMENT (YEN KUOK)

hong kong tatler . february 2018 . vol 41 . no 492 15 CONTRIBUTORS

CALLAGHAN WALSH The Hong Kong- based photographer shoots cover star Peter Woo at the just-opened Murray TIM GRIFFITHS hotel for Modern The London-based Master (p.94) photographer records What’s the weirdest MADELEINE the most glamorous location you’ve ROSS moments at Le Bal worked? The Sydney-based des Débutantes in A morgue. Many writer explores Society Girls (p.102) years back, when I Lisbon’s booming Is there a portrait was starting out in or photo you’re Sydney, I assisted a creative and particularly proud of? photographer who gastronomic scene in The black-and-white was photographing the Age of Rediscovery OLIVIER YOAN interiors of Chanel’s chief coroner. (p.134) The London-based apartment in Paris. If you could travel Coffee or tea? fashion photographer Favourite city? back in time, which Coffee. Or ginger tea. captures the romantic London. era would you go to? Black tea is just a poor side of cold weather As far back as humanly man’s coffee. in Winter’s Bloom Name three people possible. I’d love to When are you (p.54) you would invite to know how it all started happiest? your ideal dinner. and find answers to the Favourite Under a European sun. Jane Fonda, Harrison unanswered. photographer? I’m such a cliché. Ford and Queen Sally Mann, Sebastião Elizabeth II. What’s your The cleanest air Salgado and Steve most treasured you’ve ever breathed McCurry top my list. Favourite moment possession? was in… from Le Bal? My Nikon FM3A What’s the weirdest Portsea, on the Meeting American 35mm film camera. place you’ve done a southernmost tip of writer Bob Colacello, Shooting film again is a photo shoot? Australia’s Mornington and when a former deb revelation. Nothing is weird to me. Peninsula. tried to pull off Reese Which icon of the Witherspoon’s bend- What’s the one past would you like to and-snap move from item you can’t live photograph and why? Legally Blonde—she without? Martin Luther King Jr, bent and the dress Lip balm. Or my because now more than snapped. sheepskin-lined slippers. ever we need to share his message. Guiltiest pleasure? Carbs in all forms.

30 hong kong tatler . february 2018

Photography TIM GRIFFITHS

Society Girls As she shares the preparations of 21 privileged young women for their big night at Le Bal des Débutantes, Marianna Cerini discovers a reservoir of positivity, personal development and philanthropic thinking you look up debutante in the Oxford Dictionary, you’ll find it defined as “an upper-class young woman making her first appearance in fashionable society.” But it’s much moreIf than that, I find after spending four days with 21 such women in Paris for Le Bal des Débutantes. From the moment we meet to their gathering on the grand staircase of the Peninsula for a group photo before the ball, the debs are constantly in the limelight. Rather than the polite young women of yore introduced to a genteel high-society marriage market in search of a suitable mate, they conjure in my mind images from Hollywood. They give numerous interviews, run to fittings across town, sit for hours of hair and make-up, then even longer hours in photo sessions—not just for the Asia Tatler titles, but also for Vanity Fair, Grazia China, Vogue India and Paris Match.

IN GOOD COMPANY Standing: Gauravi Kumari in Tarun Costanza Diaz della Vittoria Pallavicini in Valentino, Alice Tahiliani, Ava Phillippe in Giambattista Valli, Laila Blavatnik Ho in Christian Dior, Cecily Lasnet in Chanel, Éléonore in Ralph & Russo, Helena Alesi in Emanuel Ungaro, Cochin in Stéphane Rolland, Charlotte Bell in Monique Ananya Panday in Jean Paul Gaultier, Maria Francisca de Lhuillier. Seated: Amina Martinez de Irujo y Casanova in Bragança in Laurinda Farmhouse, Paris McCaw in Oscar Zuhair Murad, Jeanne Malle in Vivienne Westwood, Lori de la Renta, Alice de Séjournet de Rameignies in Guo Pei, Harvey in Elie Saab, Lily Webster in Alexis Mabille

104 hong kong tatler . february 2018 “It’s kind of a dreamy weekend. It’s about gorgeous, smart young women having a great time and looking amazing”

As the cameras flash at the glamorous businessman William Mendenhall Webster group on the staircase, paparazzi and curious IV. “I’m having a wonderful time. I’m really passers-by outside crane their necks for a into fashion, so seeing all the dresses is great. glimpse. Make-up artists and hair stylists Not to mention the opportunity to meet watch vigilantly from a corner, ready to girls from all over the world. We all have run to the rescue should lipstick smudge or different perspectives, all come from different tresses lose their shine. On the other side, backgrounds, and it’s really interesting to debs’ mums—and entire entourages in some experience that.” cases—angle their smartphones for pictures Indeed, Le Bal’s pedigree is international. and videos. The scene screams Oscars red Besides Europe and the US, China, Vietnam carpet more than genteel high-society event. and the Philippines have all been represented But this is the 21st century, and this is what in recent years, as have Egypt and India. This a cotillion looks like in our media-centric 2017 edition, the 25th, numbers a princess era. “This is the ball everyone wants to come from Rajasthan, Gauravi Kumari of Jaipur, and to,” says 16-year-old Spanish deb Amina Bollywood actress Ananya Panday among its Martinez de Irujo y Casanova between shoots. debutantes. Alice Ho, the youngest daughter “My friend Daniela [Figo, the daughter of of tycoon Stanley, is here from Hong Kong footballer Luis Figo] participated last year, via Boston, where she is enrolled at MIT. “I and she told me how great it was. I’ve been live in a bit of a nerd world—I’m very much dying to attend ever since.” passionate about maths and computer science The hype is real. Since Le Bal des myself—and Le Bal is the complete opposite Débutantes was launched in 1992 by PR of that,” she says. “It’s this glitzy, fun, fabulous maven Ophélie Renouard, it has become the thing, and I’m honoured to be here, but I’m most coveted gala of its kind among both also having a blast. Plus, I’m wearing a gown by European aristocrats and American business Dior that’s just phenomenal.” and showbiz types. A number of debutante The mix of heiresses, aristocrats and balls take place around the world, particularly celebrities’ offspring is nothing new for Le Bal. in the US, and let’s not forget the famous Past years have welcomed Olympia Taittinger, Vienna Opera Ball, but Le Bal is the pinnacle. scion of the champagne family, Princess That’s because it’s the only ball that is strictly Lorenza of Liechtenstein and Ella Beatty, by invitation only, and the only one that daughter of Warren Beatty and Annette requires its debutantes to don couture gowns, Bening. There have been other Hollywood paired with jewellery by Payal New York. Add A-listers too: a Stallone, an Eastwood and a to that the old-world glamour of Paris and Willis. This time the big name is Ava Phillippe, you’ve got the perfect formula for a bash to the 18-year-old daughter of Reese Witherspoon remember—and to yearn to be part of among and Ryan Phillippe. Lori Harvey, another today’s upper echelons. American, also has celebrity cred; she’s the “It’s not a rented crowd,” says Renouard step-daughter of TV show host and comedian of those who attend, “and that makes all the Steve Harvey, and is a social media star and difference. The girls feel privileged to be model on the rise. Ava and Lori have around chosen and to wear world-famous designers, 500,000 followers each on Instagram. In the often for the first time. What’s more, they age of digital sharing, presences like theirs add get to be shot by illustrious publications. It’s to the aura of the event, along with the many a well-heeled tradition woven with fashion, Insta stories and photos they and the other media and glamour.” debs will post after Le Bal (Renouard forbids While some might think the concept of a any sharing during the event, which no doubt debutante ball old-fashioned and outdated, further enhances the mystique). “it’s actually a really cool event,” says Lily “This is totally different from anything else Webster, 17, the daughter of American I have ever done,” says Lori, who at 20 is one hong kong tatler . february 2018 105 106 BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Ananya Panday, Lily Webster, Ava Phillippe, Paris McCaw and Laila Blavatnik with a Peninsula bellboy; Cecily Lasnet, the daughter of former British model Stella Tennant and French photographer David Lasnet, with her cavalier, Antoine Dwernicki; Ananya during hair and make-up; Lily just after her debut; Laila snaps the other debs. This page, from left: Ava, Lori Harvey, Alice Ho and Laila; Alice dances with her cavalier; Natasha d’Arenberg, Maria Pia de Jong d’Orléans et Bragança, and Charlotte de Nassau strike a pose in the hotel’s foyer A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Above: Four of the debs—Costanza Diaz della Vittoria Pallavicini, Maria Pia de Jong, Princess Charlotte de Nassau and Donna Giacinta dei Marchesi Brivio Sforza on the staircase of the Peninsula. Below, from left: Ava Phillippe waltzes with Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur; Jeanne Malle makes an entrance with her brother and cavalier, Lucien; Alice de Séjournet de Rameignies on the arm of Bollywood actor Ahaan Panday, Ananya Panday’s cousin

108 hong kong tatler . february 2018 “Le Bal is a special way to celebrate womanhood. And a unique bonding experience, too. We girls need more of this, whether in ball form or not”

of the seniors. “And I’ve modelled for D&G. It’s kind of a dreamy weekend. Princess-like.” She pauses. “Okay, the word does sounds a little naff, but what I mean is, it’s about gorgeous, smart young women having a great time and looking amazing.” “And waltzing,” laughs Ananya, 19, the daughter of Chunky Panday, Bollywood’s answer to Richard Gere. “I’m actually slightly worried about dancing with my dad because I know he’ll put his own twist to it, but I loved taking dance lessons. It also helped with my career,” she adds, referring to her leading role in a coming film. For most of the young women I talk to, Le Bal is also an opportunity to engage with serious issues afflicting the world’s less privileged. The ball raises funds for two charities—the New chat is created on Whatsapp to exchange tips, ARRIVING IN York-based Seleni Institute, which supports info on where the next shoot is, and group STYLE the reproductive and mental health of teen selfies. The sentence I hear most often as I Alice de Séjournet de mothers, and Enfants d’Asie, which promotes pass the debs in the hallways is, “I can’t wait Rameignies, education for girls in Southeast Asia. to see us all together in our dresses.” There’s Costanza Diaz “The charity element of Le Bal was the incessant chatter about what university della Vittoria main draw for me,” says Helena Alesi, the everyone is applying to, and words of advice Pallavicini, daughter of former French Formula One from those already there. “It’s empowering, Alice Ho and Jeanne Malle driver Jean Alesi and Japanese actress Kumiko this,” says Alice. “A special way to celebrate pose with Le Goto. “As young women—as wealthy, lucky, womanhood. And a unique bonding Bal’s custom advantaged women—we have to get involved experience, too. We girls need more of this, Renault with the many, many things that are wrong whether in ball form or not.” with our world today. It’s our duty.” Their big night finally arrives and the “It’s an opportunity to make a difference,” young women are radiant in their gowns, agrees 18-year-old Laila Blavatnik, the accompanied by their cavaliers, as they are daughter of billionaire British-American announced to a room full of flashing cameras. businessman Len Blavatnik, the owner of With cooing parents and society figures from Warner Music Group. “The fact that all the around the world, they enjoy a lavish four- fun and gloss stand for something makes the course dinner during which their comradeship event inspirational.” is ever more palpable. It grows even stronger “All the debs I select reflect a certain as the party moves to the Peninsula’s Etoile profile,” says Renouard. “They share strong Ballroom, where fathers and cavaliers lead values. They are very concerned with the the debutantes into their first waltzes. Much world. They are switched on, as a lot of young later in the night, with couture off and regular women are today. They come from excellent clothes back on, and with parents tucked up backgrounds, yes, but they aren’t brats.” back in their rooms, they sing in unison at the During my time with them, I’ve seen nightclub Arc until hoarse. nothing but positive energy. Three hours into “This is just a great weekend” says Alice. “A their first hair and make-up session, a group really wonderful weekend.” hong kong tatler . february 2018 109