Posts by: Belinda Bath

Cloisonné

Cloisonné (circa Ming Dynasty) is the resulting effect of metalware decorated with an ancient technique which uses enamel, gemstones, coloured glass paste, and various other materials.  In the late ’90’s one of the best place to find Cloisonné bowls, vases and plates in Hong Kong was a little store on the first floor of a building on Elgin Street. Sadly, this store ended up closing down, along with a cluster of great stores around it.  On late-night walks I used to pick up a lot of curios and other bits and pieces from there where dust would be all over the Cloisonné.  A simple wipedown with a damp cloth at home revealed an extremely beautiful object gleaming in vibrant shades in a treasure trove of designs.

A couple of good places to find Cloisonné around Hong Kong today are:

The Sum Ngai Brass Factory in Kam Tin, New Territories, has a huge collection of Cloisonné out, and for well-priced vases and Christmas decorations this is a good place to shop.  Ornamental and oversized bowls are available as well as splendid statement-making urns.  Pop into Friendship Trading Company, 105-107 Hollywood Rd, Central, for even more affordable gifts – the pencil holders and vases are just two examples of lovely Cloisonné staples.

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Around and about Tai Ping Shan Street

Just a minute walk off Hollywood Road heading up the hill are Tai Ping Shan Street and Sai Street in Sheung Wan.  Sin Sin Man’s atelier and fine art gallery space, 52 Sai Street, Sheung Wan, has some of the most covetable jewellery, both contemporary and historical – she is considered a pioneer of this bustling area.  Her exhibition space is located right opposite her boutique and always has great installations and things going on.

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Quatorze Juillet

If you are in the market for cool antiques and vintage European furniture then you should definitely head over to French born Elvire Girault’s pop up shop Quatorze Juillet in Square Street, Sheung Wan. After completing her Masters in Art History at Ecole Du Louvre in Paris, and working in a gallery in St Germain des pres in the Antiquaires’ district, Elvire definitely developed a lovely eye for finding tasteful and unique pieces. She has always been interested in art and antiques,”It probably comes from my dad’s family, they had very beautiful pieces in their big home that came from the family. The mansion itself was for me the perfect place for treasure hunting and telling myself ghost stories. I naturally grew up loving old stuff,” she says.

The pop-up is carefully curated with interesting lighting, furniture and beautiful curiosities. Personally I am currently obsessed with a 70s wielded brass table lamp in the shape of a pineapple that she sourced from France. Don’t worry if you can’t get to her pop-up before the 28th of May, Elvire is opening a permanent shop in a months time.

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Reverie

We love to search for vintage pieces, and I base my looking on the texture, feel and quality of the fabric plus the name Chanel, or Gianfranco Ferre, or Lanvin can also inspire me to add a new beautiful bag, jacket, skirt or dress to my collection. I noticed in the early nineties there was very little in the way of vintage European pieces in Hong Kong, but finally vintage clothing and accessories have caught on here. Now I’ve cast my eye over the pieces available in Reverie. The owner, Hannah Sutton, sources with her sister who is based in London. The boutique is in a fabulous location on Duddell Street, Central – right next to Rennie Fensham’s hair-salon Hollywood Hair. So once you’ve picked up a Chanel classic flap you can then pop over to Rennie’s for a quick blow-dry.

Why Reverie?

I have always had a passion for fashion and all things vintage. In Europe vintage has been very popular in the last few years but not so in Hong Kong. I’ve always dreamt of owning my own vintage shop and realised there was a gap in the market here so my sister (who is based in London) and I made the decision to make our dream a realisation last November by opening Reverie. But it was a few years in the making.

Some of the things you might do in a day?

Each day is different. But my day always starts with getting my children ready for school, followed by exercise. I am in the shop most day’s and you never really know what the day will bring. There can be a photo shoot, an interview, viewing private collections, searching for unusual new stock, getting ready for a fashion show, model fittings and the more boring necessary things like paper work, catching up on Emails, admin etc. But I always manage to fit in seeing friends for lunch or coffee at some point most days.

Describe your style?

My style can vary – and I go through phases. But I’m always on the look out for the latest trend and the latest must have item.

Can you name your three best traits?

You would have to ask my friends and family for an honest opinion. But I would like to think they are loyalty, a sense of humour and great determination.

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Kotur

Fiona Kotur Marin’s talent was obvious when I first met her in the early 2000s. The project she was working on with Tory Burch was just the beginning of a mythical ascent. Her own brand Kotur, started in 2005, sprang to life when, on one of her sourcing trips, she noticed the extraordinary vintage brocades at a mill owned by a 90-year-old craftsman. These unique brocades were key to her debut collection of minaudieres and clutches. Now a leading player in the fashion world, Kotur has recently launched a shoe line as well. Kotur Marin is adept at creating collections with a high-low mix, and clients have included Tilda Swinton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christy Turlington, and Scarlett Johansson. Family is also key to Kotur Marin’s creations; she is a mother of four boys and her mother, Manhattan-based painter, fashion illustrator and interior decorator Sheila Camera Kotur, lends her talent to Kotur’s seasonal illustrations. Which makes every shoe box her shoes come in a charming piece of collectible art illustrated with the precise and distinctive hand of her mother. 

Why Kotur?

Because I once tried to find a little bag with big personality and just couldn’t find it, so I made it.

Some of the things you might do in a day?

Early morning call with New York, visit metal supplier in Kwon Tung, pick up vintage beads in Cat Street market, school meeting in Braemar Hill, math homework in the kitchen, dinner at Cipriani, emails from bed.

Describe your style?

It’s all about the accessories….

Can you name your three best traits?

Creativity, Persistence, and Loyalty.

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Googg Bakery

Just a quick post today. We recently discovered Googg Bakery, not far from the buzz of Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po, the bakers here are making fresh biscuits into novel shapes – Stylebrief particularly loves the ring, horses and alphabet ones. Their delectable handiwork can also be found at Unar Coffee at the Star Ferry in TST. 

Googg Bakery, Shop 12, Ground Floor/ Cheung Fai Building, 401-405 Po On Road, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon. Tel: +852 3460 3304

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Indian spices

I love the day-to-day living in Hong Kong. It’s an international mix of people: my neighbour is French; another friend is Spanish (she has the best sandals from San Sebastian); I buy my stationary from the delightful Hong Kong local Mr Ho at Po Man’s in Happy Valley, and when I’m looking for authentic spices to make an Indian dish I visit Chungking Mansions in Kowloon. The building is far from glamorous – design circa 1960s, but inside is a series of stalls selling all the herbs, spices, ghee and flours you would need for an Indian feast. I asked an Indian friend for her chola masala recipe. She explained that chloa masala is a northern Indian dish and that it’s mostly had with Batura (deep fried Indian bread) but following her suggestion, we served it with roti as she explained it was the healthier option.

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Calligraphy

One of the most fun things about working for Hong Kong Tatler and Eve magazine was the many invitations to press events. They were exquisitely written by the most exacting and fluid hand. Now the focus is on the man behind these invitations. His name is Patrick Leung of Grafik Design Ltd, and he is the most amazing calligrapher – his portfolio of work includes jobs for Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Chanel and Bvlgari, to name just a few of the clients he has worked for. Discover your own inner calligrapher with Patrick in a one-on-one class – he will teach individuals or take a group class. If you’ve got an engagement, wedding or party invitations to organise, need we say more?

Why Grafik Design?

I grew up in the 80’s with British music, from new wave, new romantic, futurism…  Japan was my favourite band during my rebellious teenage years. One day, I found out that the Japan logotype was created with calligraphy on an ambient album cover ‘Nightporter’. So I began my first calligraphy lesson in 1988. Then in 1997, Louis Vuitton gave me the first calligraphy project for their invitations. From then on my calligraphic career began to fly. Grafik is German which means graphic in English and a lot of the calligraphers I love are German. 
 

Some of the things you might do in a day?

Practice

What are two things that are important to you? 

I have a high standard in writing and appreciate the finer things in life

Which calligraphers do you admire?

Professor Hermann Zapf, Hermann Kilian and Friedrich Poppl they are all German. 

Who or what inspires you?

Gottfried Pott, a German calligrapher really inspires me. I also love mixing instruments and materials to create East meets West.   

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Fabric hunting

Our families were always into making things and both our mothers sewed. For me, every time I found something I loved from the editorial pages of Australian Vogue my mum turned the image into a real-life outfit almost magically from air. Now whenever we go to Sham Shui Po the fabric stalls seem to draw us both in. It’s no secret that you have to get to know the streets, otherwise looking is just too overwhelming. It’s become a family tradition to go there hunting for beautiful laces, velvets, cheesecloths, wools and silks, and all the bits of cord and tassels you sometimes need. There is so much to see in Sham Shui Po so we have decided to just cover the open air fabric market this time. One of our favourites is Ki Lung Street between Yen Chow street and Wong Chuk Street where you can buy fabrics straight off the roll. There is one stall that has lovely Japanese cottons; others stock Chinese fabrics, calico and off-cuts from designers. Opposite this open-air market are wholesalers who have some great raw linens, which being pretty strong are perfect for upholstery. Think fabric for deck-chairs or special cushions on outdoor furniture. Sewing pins, fabric pens, zips, sewing cotton and interfacing are available from two stores at either end of the fabric market.

Happy sewing!

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Strawberry, basil and black peppercorn cordial

Strawberry, basil and black peppercorn cordial
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Ingredients
  1. 550g fresh strawberries, hulled and washed
  2. 1 cup organic raw sugar
  3. 1 cup water
  4. 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  5. 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
  6. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence (have a look at our home-made vanilla essence)
  7. Sparkling mineral water to serve
Instructions
  1. Blend strawberries in a Thermomix or food processor until well blended.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine sugar, black pepper, water and basil, keep stirring until all sugar is dissolved.
  3. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for at least 4 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and let it cool for at least 30 minutes.
  5. This will allow the basil and peppercorns to infuse. Strain the mixture and make sure you remove the basil leaves and black peppercorns, add it to the strawberry puree then add the vanilla essence and blend for 1 minute.
  6. Strain the mixture again through a fine sieve.
  7. Place in a glass bottle and keep it in the refrigerator. It will last at least three days. If you need reasonably priced glass bottles then I love Japan Home Centre for this sort of thing.
Notes
  1. To serve, pour a little of the cordial into a glass and top up with sparkling mineral water.
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