April 2023

Robb Report Singapore

Luxury without compromise

Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Robb Report Singapore
EDITORIAL ALVIN WONG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (alvin.wong@imv.com.sg) HANNAH CHOO SENIOR EDITOR (h.choo@imv.com.sg) CELINE YAP EDITOR-AT-LARGE, WATCHES & JEWELLERY (c.yap@imv.com.sg) JACQUELINE DANAM CHIEF SUB-EDITOR JOEL CHUA WRITER (j.chua@imv.com.sg) CHARM
Robb Report Singapore2 min readPopular Culture & Media Studies
Editor's Letter
DO WE UNDERRATE inner beauty? We know it is there, and meant to be sought. Some of us even long for ours to be recognised. Yet, just as quickly, in a giddy whirl of bespoke outfits, breathtaking gowns and conspicuous accessories, we are seduced by ap
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Off The Block
Bidding commences on 8 April through Sotheby's in Hong Kong This standalone single-lot auction will see the return of a gem of Imperial porcelain to the auction block for the first time since 2006, when it broke a world record for Chinese art after s
Robb Report Singapore4 min read
Confessions Of A Bespoke Tailor
I'VE SEEN SO many things in this job that the unusual has become so common as to be unremarkable. I've lost count of the number of lovers—of both sexes—I've seen. But there are still things that occur that are shocking enough I doubt I'll ever forget
Robb Report Singapore4 min read
Jaisal Singh
THE SCION OF a prominent New Delhi family, Jaisal Singh spent much of his childhood on trips to Ranthambore National Park, as his parents Malvika, a leading publisher and author, and Tejbir, a photographer and film-maker, were passionate conservation
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Robb runway
It is a tight framework to operate in, but designers are constantly reinventing the suit. In spite of the proliferation of flamboyant suits bearing silhouettes that challenge convention, which have dominated past seasons, rumours of the traditional s
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
The Sweet Life
The Italians certainly know how to live it up. Chief among their life philosophies and, now bubbling in both the pop cultural and style zeitgeist, is the idea of la dolce vita. Translated to mean ‘the sweet life’, it is an invitation to a way of life
Robb Report Singapore6 min read
Coming In Haute
THERE WAS A time when watch enthusiasts wanted only the iconic classics. Watches typically built by brands with centuries-old lineage that are instantly recognisable from afar; desired not only for their fabled origin stories, but also the promise of
Robb Report Singapore4 min read
Well Framed
WHEN SHEEL DAVISON-LUNGLEY graduated from optometry school, she applied for a job at EB Meyrowitz but was beaten to the post by a classmate.“I'd always wanted to work there,” she recalls. “Everybody in optics knew about EB Meyrowitz.” So when Britain
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Roar power
Of course, a car is not a writing instrument. But imbued with the right spirit and finesse, a beautifully constructed writing instrument can, like the most dynamic of automobiles, evoke excitement and power. And, depending on how you wield it, it can
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
A Hypercar in Need of Hype
WOULD YOU PART with well over a million dollars for a hypercar powered by a Nissan V6 engine? What if it's built by a company you've never heard of, in a country with no history of producing such high-performance vehicles? Praga, in the Czech Republi
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
More In The Tank
TALL, SHARP-SUITED AND speaking in measured tones, Paolo Poma, the chief financial officer (CFO) and managing director of Automobili Lamborghini, chuckles softly when asked to rate his own driving proficiency. “I'm not the best out there,” he muses.
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Return Of The King
WHEN PORSCHE PULLED out of the now-defunct Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) division of the FIA's World Endurance Championship after the 2017 season, it walked away from a reign composed of three consecutive overall titles in four years. Now, though, the m
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Splendid Isolation
IT HAS BECOME a rare luxury to find a part of the planet that you can have all to yourself, let alone somewhere with the wild abundance of natural beauty found in Southeast Asia's Coral Triangle. “One of the requests we receive most often is to go to
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Drama In The Round
THE NEWEST TREND for express cruisers is based on a centuries-old Italian fishing boat. The traditional gozzo rounded stern and bow are immediately recognisable, and while the original style featured masts and sails, today's interpretations are more
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Clean-air Turbulence
FROM BIOFUELS TO battery-powered aircraft, the aviation industry is searching for ways to shrink its carbon footprint. At the same time, the opposition to private jets has reached a new level of visibility as environmental protesters lobby for strict
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Sex, Drugs and The Starship
DECADES BEFORE OASIS famously helicoptered onto the field at Knebworth and long before the Gulfstream G5 became the most name-checked jet in hip-hop, there was The Starship, the decadently tricked-out, constantly re-liveried Boeing 720 jumbo jet that
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Keeping The Glow Alive
PRIOR TO BELL LABS' first working transistor in 1947, which ushered in the advent of semiconductor technology and the computer age, every longdistance telephone call, radio and television broadcast, radar signal and sound recording was made possible
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Good day, Sunshine
FINALLY, SOME SUN. The emergence from a longer-than-expected wet season demands modifications to our get-ups. This hot season, we turn our attention to stylish and robust sports watches. But not just any plus-sized, inelegant toughies. Chameleonic bo
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Collecting 101
TO EXPLAIN HOW the pandemic placed a rocket booster on luxurywatch sales, the industry has embraced an overarching narrative. Stuck at home, watch-world aficionados and newcomers alike suddenly had nothing but time—and extra cash—to indulge their pas
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Still Crazy After All These Years
EVEN AT ITS most restrained, Hublot watches emanate ostentation. Its latest Classic Fusion dress watch, for instance, dominates the wrist with a porthole-inspired case, polished edges and a captivating dial gleaming with crystalline gold. It is an ae
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
A Grand Statement
IT WAS THE sighting of not one, but two elusive timepieces. On the left, a lovely remake of the first Grand Seiko watch, decorated with the traditional Japanese urushi lacquer technique, one of 500 in the world. To the right, the futuristic-looking K
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
Under The Roman Sun
IT'S ALWAYS A thrilling moment when the high fashion and high jewellery worlds collide. At Fendi's Autumn/ Winter 2022 couture show, the brand demonstrated the power of understated luxury through its fashion as well as jewellery creations. Among the
Robb Report Singapore2 min readMaterials Science
Harry Winston's Blue Period
HARRY WINSTON WAS often referred to as the King of Diamonds thanks to his knack for acquiring some of the rarest stones ever discovered, from the 726-carat Jonker to Evalyn Walsh McLean's 94.8-carat Star of the East. It's a reputation that has carrie
Robb Report Singapore1 min read
The Runaround
A ribbed collar lends a note of refinement to the hardworking chore coat (ditto the Italian goat suede). Add some kick with clean white high-top sneakers, which will age with as much character as wellloved loafers. Casual, but make it business. A tec
Robb Report Singapore3 min read
The Vanity Table
Augustinus Bader is one of the hottest names to know in luxury skincare now. The former stem cell and biomedical scientist enjoyed a meteoric rise in cosmetics, with legions of celebrity fans who have testified to the efficacy of his products. After
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Realty Check | Designer Homes
FLORENCE, ITALY A clubhouse, a luxury resort or a private residence? You can decide how you'd like to breathe new life into this period mansion, which is set on a 132-hectare estate. Designed to look like a 16thcentury Tuscan villa, its previous owne
Robb Report Singapore11 min read
That's Rich (No, Really)
When HBO's Succession premiered in June 2018, the scathing satire about a powerful family at war with itself got some behavioural tics of its uber-rich New Yorkers completely wrong, from their outerwear to the table settings at the patriarch's birthd
Robb Report Singapore1 min read
When Helipad Dramas Go Wrong
Problem: John Dutton's Barton Perreira sunglasses Why It's Wrong: What is this, fashion week? Wealthy horsemen prefer purpose-built, impact-resistant shades from the likes of Vallon and Maui Jim. Problem: Dominique Deveraux accusing Alexis Colby of s
Robb Report Singapore4 min read
The Colourists Are In
THE NEW SEASCAPES and landscapes in Amy Lincoln's cosy studio, a skylighted converted garage behind her house on a quiet street in Queens, New York, burst with blues and magentas so vibrant, yellows and reds so brilliant, they'd make fireworks jealou
Robb Report Singapore7 min readDiet & Nutrition
Hold The Steak, Pour the Cabernet
Within our dining culture, we have evolved our habits to drink big red wines with meat. Hearty, juicy, red meat. Satisfying bottlings made from grapes such as cabernet sauvignon and syrah are flattered by a steak or a lamb chop—and, of course, they m
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Taste Test
LAURA FIORVANTI Owner, Corkbuzz DISH: Dal Palak, an Indian yellow-lentil recipe with spinach WINE: Ancarani 2019 Ravenna Centesimino Rosso from Italy's EmiliaRomagna region “I love that the Centesimino has savoury qualities of sesame and exotic spice
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
This Month's Feed
Las Palmas may be the Novena neighbourhood's best bar for a solid cocktail and great views. Out of the 22 drinks, there's always something worthwhile, and strong, at that. The Silver Piña adds a real kick of yellow chartreuse and nutmeg to the classi
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Good Spirit
“I KNOW AND love this place. I can add, subtract, buy and sell. What else is there?” These utterances of raw emotion were expressed by Janet ‘Nettie' Harbinson, the esteemed and influential former owner of The Macallan, in The Spirit of 1926. Nettie'
Robb Report Singapore11 min read
“Welcome Home”
THE AIR IS crisp, refreshing and fragrant. There's barely a cloud in the sky. I stroll towards the pond up ahead, and see a multicolour spectacle of koi gathering in a frenzy for small bites of bread. Throughout the year, this pond garden is an ukiyo
Robb Report Singapore9 min read
You Can Go Home Again
I'M HAVING THIS dream. I'm in a field, gazing up at the ruins of an old castle. My father is there. We head for the tower through the wind and tall grass, but all of a sudden we're surrounded by the castle guards. They're on all fours, staring at us,
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Wild At Heart
BEFORE DECIDING HE wanted to see more of the world, Robert Hauck joined the army, enrolled in a law school and trained as a chef. Subsequently, a lengthy career in hospitality has taken him to no less than 15 countries—the latest being Singapore, whe
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Stockists
#02-05A Ion Orchard 6509 1712 www.alange-soehne.com Audio Note #03-35 The Adelphi 6334 7639 www.airtight-anm.com #B1-130 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands 6509 8736 www.alexandermcqueen.com Liat Towers 6836 4918 www.audemarspiguet.com #B2M-237 The Shop
Robb Report Singapore2 min read
Which Street Rules The Roost?
Ingeniously named for its location between Fourth (now Park) and Sixth avenues. Holly Golightly wearing last night's black dress outside her favourite store in Breakfast at Tiffany's. After the Civil War, Mary Mason Jones built a series of mansions b

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