A Mad Man’s New Watering Hole at the Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge

Here’s something different for urban Hong Kongites, and for my blog… it’s a new Tiki Lounge in the center of the city and let me tell you, it’s fun, fresh, sexy, and refreshing all at once. In my view the newly minted Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge is a welcome addition to this often “too serious” city that needs to teach it’s urban dwellers to have fun and relax and that good afterwork cocktail drinks can be had in cool places beyond the super pretentious members-only bars or the token Karaoke destination.

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Back To Black

Brew&Post was recently invited by PUMA to check out the A/W 2012 Collections for The Black Label brand at the W Hotel Hong Kong featuring new looks from longtime collaborators, Alexander McQueen, Miharayasuhiro, and Hussein Chalayan.

This season, the looks by Chalayan (a fashion designer inspired by Architecture and its theoretic frameworks), looks towards Outer Space as a narrative. Everything from the construction, streamlined details, and choice of fabric, aims at increasing functionality for this winter, while nodding to science fiction influences. The Space Jackets are completely water repellent, yet breathable and lightweight so you dont ever feel too sweaty and hot.

Other styles by Chalayan include this quirky shoe called the Urban Swift which was also on display, but I believe belongs to last season. It’s an update on PUMA’s own iconic Clyde shoe.

Meanwhile the McQueen collaborations with PUMA never ever disappoints.

This year, the non-seasonal annual collaborations with the House of McQueen reflect a direction that’s inspired by  the pomp and pageantry of “English medieval warfare”. Via this concept, the shoes are sometimes metallic, sometimes accented, and other times layered with different colors to represent “tattered flags” which reflect team identity in war.

The designs are completely new inventions, but one can’t help but recall iconic paintings of generals in snowy battlefields when we see a shoe like the one above for example.

Overall we had a great time checking out the collection at the W Hotel. We were also there to suss out the WOOBAR venue for the Brew&Post Launch Party.

Im wearing a PUMA by Hussein Chalayan Polo Shirt and shoes by PUMA for Alexander McQueen. The cobalt slacks are by the GAP.

Love these shoes and the electric yellow sole! I had to pair it with my hot pink Jack Wills Socks!

Most of the gang went…

Denise and Jason.

As well as ChristingC. who attended the preview with her brother, Tim.

We met Charlie from Taipei for the first time, she’s W Hotel Hongkong’s newest addition. She’s the Whenever Whatever Wherever concierge who’s on staff to help all W guests with whatever, wherever… whenever.

We also said “hi” to DJ Has Sidik, the Artistic Director of W Hotel Singapore who was in town to play one of the hotel’s pool parties. Next to him is the F&B Director, Simon Cote, without him our launch would not ever have gotten off the ground running.

We also met up Adrian Toy, Head of Marketing for PUMA Asia Pacific, and TVB Celeb, Matthew Ko, very nice guy.

My girl Teresa from PUMA Asia Pacific was there as well to say hi. (Thanks Cecile for introducing us.)

Tim was using his new 500HKD Canon camera… which only uses film. I wonder how the photos turned out.

Everyone was playing with it.

I on the other hand… wanted to run off with this hot PUMA Bike. I couldn’t go very far since both wheels were busted. Oh well. Nice try.

Thanks PUMA for my PUMA Black Label Gear! Thanks to Denise for photos!

WEAR PUMA Black Label / FOLLOW PUMA on Weibo / LIKE PUMA on Facebook / STAY W Hotel Hong Kong / PARTY Woobar

JJ.

Hot Balmy Nights Call For Cool Vodka Inventions

I know the word “speakeasy” is easily spoken to describe any out-of-the-way bar destinations in this day and age, but the new tucked away bar with a fantastic outdoor deck, Wyndham on the 4th, is just a perfect example of the secret “speakeasy” trend.

To their credit, Wyndham on the 4th and its star mixologist, Tom Wood, never described the bar as such, but to a growing number of Hong Konger’s repelled by super-clubs with questionable clientele, anything “speakeasy” is actually a breath of fresh air.

ChristingC, her partner Dan, and I were recently invited by the 24hour concierge group, Quintessentially, for happy hour cocktails care of CIROC Vodka at Wyndham on the 4th and I was just impressed. The interiors were modern yet whimsical, there was space, it was clean, and most of all, the drinks that night were perfect concoctions. We all had three kinds of refreshing CIROC Vodka cocktails perfect for drinking under the starts on a warm balmy Hong Kong evening.

We all learned plenty about the history of vodka  and all its incarnations. The CIROC Brand is the first premium vodka from France to be created with wine production methods and five times distilled for that crisp fresh flavour and amazing aroma… I know… I whiffed plenty of it in the first go. 

Overall I was impressed. CIROC is also good to drink straight up or on the rocks, but I prefer it with a bit of tonic and and lime.

I’ll definitely come back to Wyndham on the 4th. It’s really a perfect getaway, and in addition, the branding and aesthetics, quite well done, was produced by Danielle Huthart at WHITESPACE Design. I had no idea until she told me on Instagram that was one of her projects. It’s great work.

Im now itching for some CIROC under the stars and on those big back-lit potted plant bar tables. The weather is starting to agree with me…

PARTY Wyndham on the 4th / DRINK CIROC Vodka 

JJ.

Not Yo Mama’s Morning Brew

Last week our new blog network, Brew&Post, finally launched… and it launched in a BIG way at W Hong Kong’s WOOBAR VIP Lounge, for an intimate guest list of about 60 people, all friends and supporters of each of our blogs: theWanderlister+, SUPERWOWOMG, TOUGHLOVE.HK, Ztylistas, How I Met Your Style, and Fashion Hedonism.

Okay… Fair enough. This is not 60 people.

It’s more like 140 guests. Oh well what can you do?

Yes it was a fashion party. And yes the “fashion party” was in Hong Kong. But this was not yo Mama Tai-Tai’s Fashion Party… You get what I’m sayin’?

Above, BUZZ Concepts’ Francisco Ricafort with DJ EVE Speciall from FLY. Below Paola, designer of TANGRAM. Kim Leitzes of KIMPARKLU and Jenny.

Talk about “Branding” exercise, photographer, Jason Capobianco and VOGUE China Editor, Grace Lam, show love with stickers from SUPERWOWOMG and TOUGHLOVE.HK. This was at about 10:30PM. By this time they’ve been partying with us… for 3 HOURS. That never happens with Grace whose usually “in and out” at events. 

But then again… this was NOT your normal fashion event.

Other pics from the night… with world famous DIY Blogger, Geneva of A Pair and A Spare. Her book will be out soon, but will be making a launch first in London then all other major cities worldwide. Great job, G! Make sure to visit her at COACH on Madison Avenue (as in New York City) at this week’s FNO event!

Being up close and person(able) with Fashion One’s Thibault and Yuen Man, Designer of Magnan Tse. We THANK Fashion One for filming the Brew&Post launch! We can’t wait to see their video of the event.

Not only do we have DJ Angus Wong to thank for giving us the idea of having our launch party at WOOBAR, but his tunes entertained the crowd until the wee morning hours. (All this while being jetlagged from his most recent gig in Mexico City W Hotel! Ay Caramba!)

You can’t have an elegant fashion soiree without an elegant host to man the guest list. Thank God guests were respectful to my muse, Emily. Thank you Emily for all your hard work helping this party come together in the end!

Jason of TOUGHLOVE.HK with CNNGo’s Editor, Zoe Li. Everyone knows Zoe Li because there is NOT one day when we can go on without CNNGo.

TIME OUT HK’s scene stealers, Janice Jann and Arthur Tam. They both had a really great time!

With Adrian of LOEWE and Ms. Hippy Chic, Kitty Go from FT/China Daily. So happy they both came out to support!

Alex from Moustache with Whitney taking a bite out of Brew&Post.

Sartorialistes.

Arnault from Kapok with Joe!

Creative City’s Louise Wong with THE SHALAI.

With Jane Dee from Belvedere Vodka / LVMH our Proud Sponsor for the night…

ChristingC of Fashion Hedonism.

And it just goes on…

and on… 

Below Casey of POPCORN NETWORK, Wine Guru/Electrician Dean Aslin, and #HKFashionBlogger’s Jasmine Webster with her partner, Rob.

and on…

MAJOR Thank you goes to Photographer/Blogger, Mr. Paulsta Wong for covering the event for Brew&Post that evening. PLEASE DO “LIKE” his FB Page and show this talented guy some mad support. Check out his photographs, EXCLUSIVE to the Brew&Post page here!

Also we’d like to thank the South China Morning Post for running the cool piece on us that same day in their Lifestyle Pages!

You know it’s a great party when an editor from VOGUE China tells it like it is… that your party reminded them of Fashion parties in London.

The difference between a Brew&Post party and a regular fashion party? It’s not a Product to Consumer event, it’s an “everyone in the industry” event… from the designers, to the producers, to the buyers, to the editors, to the sellers, and these days… especially the Bloggers. Fashion parties are only interesting when everyone is there to mingle with everyone from the front end to the back end and beyond. 

Where is fashion and fashion information going in the next few years? That’s the real question. How will tastes and styles be framed? How will it change? How will it adapt to changing times and demographics? To Technology? To Speed?

These are the kinds of things we’re interested in with Brew&Post. The answer is in the practice, and it will take some time.

But until then… Party.

More of my own photos from the Launch Party to come on theWanderlister+ FB Page! Stay tuned.

But Next Up…

#TAIPEI STORY

PARTY Woobar / DRINK Belvedere / DRINK FIOL Prosecco / FOLLOW Brew&Post

JJ.

Muse and Bubbles

Apologies I haven’t posted in a few days. We’ve been working overtime trying to launch the Brew&Post in Hong Kong, which means… party planning. It’s quite exciting, we’ve got proud sponsors locked in for the launch, namely W Hong Kong and WOOBAR who has graciously accepted to host our guests in the VIP Lounge, plus our drink sponsors, Belvedere Vodka and FIOL Prosecco. Electric Sekki will dress the girls for the evening, it’s turning out to be a really fantastic night. 

On top of this, I spent the whole weekend moving house into my new neighborhood in Tai Hang, the coolest enclave east of Causeway Bay and adjacent to Tin Hau. Check out for more posts soon. 

Anyway, if people have been reading my TWITTER lately, you may have noticed that I’m now looking for an Intern for theWanderlister+. Plenty of things will be changing around with the website, including format and focus in the next few months… basically general retweaking in order to push the blog forward in a new/better direction. I toyed around with some formats which did and didn’t work in the last 12 months, and now I feel like I know how the blog should proceed, especially now that it’s formally part of Brew&Post. And with all these changes, I need an intern to help me out. It’s paid, and if you’re a student, it’s great because you can get some real world experience, and have some input in how theWanderlister+ evolves.

SPEAKING of Intern, I would like to give a shout out to my new MUSE, yes… I have a new MUSE now, her name is Emily Wordsworth, she’s Christing C’s intern at the ChristingC shop and for Fashion Hedonism. She rocks. Check out these cool images of her inaugurating SCAD HK’s new Fashion Department! They were on her Tumblr blog. It’s awesome.

I don’t know where I first met Emily, but here’s a shot of her I took at the NICOPANDA / Nicola Formichetti Pop-Up at Lane Crawford this year. Completely glam in a khaki and denims. There’s actually a Pinterest Board devoted to women like her… and it’s on my Pinterest under the Wanderlgirl+. If you take a look, you get what I mean.

In real life she’s really an elegant lady and very devoted to her work with a great work ethic. IE. Her parents had Great Parenting Skills. Applause. 

Last night she joined us at SHORE at the S.NINE F/W ‘12 launch for designer Susanna Soo. She was covering the catwalk styles for Christing, because Christing and I had to rush to the Armani Prive for the launch of FIOL Prosecco in HK, our launch sponsor. Anyway if you see Emily on the street, tell her she’s my new muse. :)

Other pics from last night at S.Nine. (Apologies I don’t have actual photographs of what was on the runway… it will be on Fashion Hedonism soon.)

Rooftop Venue. It was really Hot. (Temperature wise).

This is the first time I’ve seen Menus with TV’s on it. 

The TV was playing videos of Susanna Soo designing her collection. But man, these menus must be expensive. Is that why a glass of MOET was 140HKD?! And Belvedere 1 -shot was like 98HKD??!!!

SPOTTED on the street was Camilla of MISCHA and her mom, both carrying MISCHA. Camilla in neon pink, mom in “Electric Beige”.

We moved on to Armani Prive to celebrate the launch of FIOL Prosecco with partner, Pietro and my friend, Whitney of the Gagosian Gallery. It was bottomless FIOL.

Thank GOD we got a drink sponsor to sponsor a drink we all actually LOVE. FIOL is refreshing, light, and crisp, and so easy to drink you can toast anywhere… on a yacht… or at home eating cold pizza. We’re so glad they’re finally in Hong Kong!

Whitney and the “Gallery Girls of the Gagosian”.

Me and Pietro.

Thank you Thank you Thank You.

SHOP S.Nine  / DRINK FIOL Prosecco / PARTY Shore / PARTY Armani Prive

JJ.

#JJStyle: The Carrera BLITZ

This past week the house of Carrera, a heritage brand made famous for their sunglasses, made a grand debut into Hong Kong via a collaborative push with Lane Crawford’s BLITZ team to exhibit choice pieces from the House’s extensive archive of sunglasses.

The archive is located in BLITZ’ glass box adjacent to The Library CAFE on the ground floor for Lane Crawford in Harbour City. The BLITZ initiative by Lane Crawford is a way for the brand to extend its reach via experimental collaborations which go beyond Lane Crawford’s core business.

That said, its limited edition capsule collection with Carrera, which consists of two new kinds of shades, doesn’t go too far beyond fashion, but, the styles are a departure from Carrera’s iconic aviator-esque sun glass profile in lieu of a more modern shade, called the Carrera 6000, which hark back to an earlier version it produced in the 90’s. Also on display in the glass box.

For Business to Pleasure, the Carrera 6000, exclusive with BLITZ comes in a matte white finish (my #JJStyle Pick) and a crystal black.

Only a limited 30 pieces of each are to be sold at the store and online at LaneCrawford.com since Friday.

I love this Instagram photo I took at the exhibition’s launch with my very own pair. Denise of SUPERWOWOMG has the black pair.

My ex-muse (because she has a boyfriend), now Carrera girl, Khanh-Linh, was gracious enough to tour me around the archives. It was really impressive.

Heritage and craft, at the Carrera studios.

I really wish that they would start re-producing some of the archives. Actually the Carrera 6000 is a reproduction… see below.

These are the ones I want them to reproduce:

I can definitely wear these more sportier versions above with a suit and some nice colored trousers.

The new collection is now available at the store and online which reflect the archives… like the Carrera 44 F/S below, which I think my friend Tania of TLIKEBUBBLETEA got.

This camouflage version is very Jason TOUGHLOVE.HK Style. It’s actually a patented material by Safilo (head company of Carrera) and also noncomedogenic, ie. non allergy.

Brew&Post Blogger, Fashion Hedonism has this pair; the Champion B.

I also really like this one. The Carrera 86. I just really need to get my game on to wear this.

Wow.

The whole thing is very sporty. But I like how it’s translatable to more urban-chic look.

With Khanh-Linh and Fed Tan with their choice pairs.

VOGUE China editor’s, Grace Lam, and her husband, Jason, with their choice pieces. Fierce couple.

Yardbird’s Lindsay who catered the even with Chef May Chow at The Library Cafe with BLITZ’s Marika Nanni.

My Brew&Post girls, Christing C - Fashion Hedonism and Denise Lai SUPERWOWOMG.

BLITZ’s Kim Bui Kollar who is wearing a fabulous maternity dress. Expectant mothers take note.

The FED look.

The catering looked amazing. But I just couldn’t… I had another dinner planned the same night unfortunately.

Chef May Chow has done an amazing job with her catering business with Lindsay.

Hong Kong was so hot and sunny this past weekend. Carrera launched at the perfect time this year.

Carrera ONLINE / Carrera WEIBO / Carrera FACEBOOK / Lane Crawford ONLINE

JJ.

The Colour of Summer; Style Parade at the Landmark Men Summer Party

When the Landmark wants to party, they really party 150%. Landmark Men, Hong Kong’s men-only all-in-one shopping arcade located in the heart of Central, celebrated their one year anniversary these past two weeks with the Landmark Men Summer Party, inviting Hong Kong’s best dressed gents, friends, and VIP shoppers to cool off hot and wet summer days in Air Con with unlimited free food and booze c/o Simply Life and FUEL Coffee. The two-day event was well attended, and I was there to check it out myself for both days to see what’s new on offer since its inception this time last year.

Me wearing my new denim shirt from COS and iPhone Necklace c/o 15SquareStreet at the 2nd Night of the Landmark Men Summer Party. (via AWHITERENAISSANCE)

The Landmark Men mall is underpinned by strong lifestyle anchors like a men’s only version of The Swank, the men’s only spa boutique, Gentlemens Tonic, as well as the go-to casual fashions shop, Marc by Marc Jacobs, always a favorite of everybody. Tassle’s, the one stop shop for bespoke and one of a kind dressier shoes is still here, and still going strong. A few of my other choice “go-to” shops opened a location here over the course of the year, namely, the UK’s very cool specs store, Cutler and Gross, soaps and lotions store, Kiehl’s, and a 2nd Destination location for the very popular boutique tailors, The Armoury.

Marc by Marc Jacobs at the Landmark Men.

Landmark Men reached out to us here at theWanderlister+ Asia to blog about the event and to check out the fashions and style on the catwalk (each event had a fashion show showing off the latest styles), as well as to document what people were wearing NOW in the city. We also had great fun styling my friend Dan in signature choice pieces from several of the shops I mentioned above, which was filmed by Boris of HKHQ.tv. This video I’ll premier in a subsequent post when it gets released.

Jun Kung and Band entertained guests on the first night with some great pop/jazz standards.

DJ Tynee had fun on the decks spinning electro and pop.

Our styling session with Daniel Haddad at Kiehl’s was being filmed by Boris of HKHQ.tv

So many friends both nights at the party. We bumped into Roger and Jade Ouk on their way out to a gallery opening.

Menswear Designer, Anthony Hill and Fiona Ellis of HILL stopped by both nights.

Jason Schlabach in a dashing suit + pocketsquare combo (right) with friends dropped by at The Armoury Whiskey Party.

BrewandPost Blogger, Melinda Wang of Ztylistas sports masculine grunge-wear at The Armoury Whiskey Party.

Social Media Guru, Greg Lexiphanic giving his best model pose.

A Landmark Men shopper in cool coif and great glasses.

Gents at coming from both ends of the spectrum, minimalist on the left and stripes on the right.

MIKO of HYPESTA and Josie Tao saying hi.

Fashion Designer, Johnson Chan. Long time no see buddy.

Plenty of complimentary couplings in black.

Including, BrewandPost Bloggers, Denise Lai of SUPERWOWOMG and Jason Lam of TOUGHLOVE.HK.

This guy keeps it simple in jeans, white shirt, and a vest. The Hat is a nice touch.

Boris takes some time off in a white seersucker jacket and khakis.

ELLE Blogger and Socialite, Charlotte Chen SPOTTED in electric yellow at The Armoury Whiskey Party.

W Hong Kong’s DJ Angus Wong in poses Denim and White.

The imported team from the just launched, COS Hong Kong. I met them earlier in the day while shopping at COS for the first time.

BrewandPost Blogger, Christing C of Fashion Hedonism at The Armoury Whiskey Party.

Menswear stylist from London, Kemi, at The Armoury.

Stylish Stylist, Priscilla I’Anson, at The Armoury.

Daniel of the Black Renaissance and MONOCLE Magazine drops by at The Armoury. (He obviously loves his new COS Clutch.)

Gentleman from Lane Crawford, stays cool in Jersey and Khaki Shorts.

Time Out HK’s Arthur Tam in a great yellow knitwear top.

TANGRAM’s super duo, Paola and Ignacio at The Armoury.

Long time no see! Tania of TLIKEBUBBLETEA, working on launching some cool new project soon. I can’t wait!

Also a rare meetup with Geneva of A Pair and A Spare wearing her latest DIY fashions.

The men behind The Armoury, Mark and Alan. With specialist, Jake.

AND… The Armoury Boys again in duds from the first night.

Perfection is in the details.

Okay all the whiskey is gone! Thanks so much Alan for playing host!

A Top night indeed! Additionally, I’m also happy to say that the party was so fun, there was quite a coverage of it on the the Blogsphere; check out the posts about the Landmark Men Summer Party from the BrewandPost network’s SUPERWOWOMG, Fashion Hedonism, TOUGHLOVE.HK, as well as a great piece via Time Out HK’s Jessie Lau.

On the way to an after party to the newest “IT” place in town, BrickHouse, I spotted these boys on the street…

Stylish gents everywhere. It just doesn’t end. Keep it up Hong Kong!

BrewandPost at Landmark Men (via FASHIONHEDONISM)

http://www.landmarkmen.com

JJ.

High Summer Pop Up Shop. Move Fashion, Forward.

For two days this week starting Wednesday, June 20th until Thursday, June 21st, Hong Kong’s hit independent brands and creatives from, Magnan & Tse, MISCHA, niin, Sabina Swims, squarestreet, and TANGRAM will be showcasing their goods via a hot summer pop-up located in the middle of Central. The pop-up is located in the new MISCHA and Magnan & Tse Showroom of which was inaugurated a month ago via Magnan & Tse launch party.

Yuen Man Tse, Magnan & Tse’s designer below with the Black Renaissance’s Daniel Kong at the Magnan & Tse Launch.

SPOTTED: My longtime pal, Juan, now launching a Spanish private kitchen. (He was catering the event.)

From my @theWanderlister INSTAGRAM Page… a photo of a Magnan & Tse Air Surface Dress.

Meanwhile I SPOTTED myself with Yuen Man of a photo Paulsta Wong took at the event which was published in the South China Morning Post. Uber Cool!

On the other side of Wyndham Street… we saw a new collection of clutches by MISCHA only available through ChristingC’s shop or online through ChristingC.Com.

Treat yourself.

High Summer Pop Up Shop w/ MISCHA, Magnan & Tse, TANGRAM, niin, Sabina Swims, Square Street / Wednesday June 20th to Thursday June 21st, 2012 / Room 306/7, Yu Yuet Building, 43-55 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

JJ.

ASOS Eyes ASIA, While the #HKFashionBloggers Eyes the World. Plus Interviews With the Creatives, Samantha Wong and Tania Reinert

First, the video.

ASOS X HONG KONG Bloggers - Tea Party from Nathan Wong on Vimeo.

In the last few months, social media and the blogosphere has really been solidifying into a big presence in Hong Kong. Compared to Korea, the Philippines, China, and even Singapore, Hong Kong was relatively late in the game in terms of finding its own Social Media identity. There are sites like Casey Lau’s Popcorn Network, an HK based social media network that carries blog channels like Butterboom (Fashion) and Neon Punch (Tech), as well as globally/regional hits like Pierre-Yves Dupius’ LUXUO, POPBEE, and the Lifestyle Asia Network, but in terms of fashion and style blogs with a more personal flavour a-la Bryan Boy, Perez Hilton, CHUVANESS, and Sartorialist, for example, HK only has a few personalities, like CINDIDDY who represented, ELLE, and Nokia at the #NYFW (New York Fashion Week) last month.

This year however, Jasmine Webster, a professional stylist of the DRESS ME BLOG, has been able to consolidate all the style and fashion bloggers within this city under the banner #HKFashionBloggers to create an incredible presence of which theWanderlister+ Asia is a member. In the last few months alone, these #HKFashionBloggers have been visible everywhere and at every event from Lane Crawford LAB’s launch two days ago to the Colonial Goods and Carmen Chan exhibit at G.O.D. earlier in the summer. #HKFashionBloggers aside, Casey Lau, Bess Hepworth, and Jay Oataway have even spearheaded the #HKSocial group (also of which we’re a part), solidifying monthly meetings of the city’s Social Tech elite via Breakfasts, Dinners, and Cocktails meant to brainstorm how Twitter/Facebook/Blogs and other social media platforms can simply do Good, do Better, and BE Better for Hong Kong. These meetups culminated into an incredible TEDxWanchai event we attended mid-summer.

RELATED ARTICLE: Social Actions Begin With Ideas. A Wrap Up of TedxWanchai 2011

Back to #HKFashionBloggers, three personalities in the bunch, Sybil Kot (Style Voyager), Samantha Wong (SAM is HOME), and Tania Reinert (TLikeBubbleTea), got the attention of UK E-Commerce Fashion Powerhouse, ASOS through their interests in Asian Fashion and the HK Blogger’s works in general. ASOS, was so impressed by the team on this side of the globe, that it recently launched a global style contest featuring the #HKFashionBloggers as part of a consolidated media campaign, meant to welcome ASOS (also a Wanderlister+ Asia partner) to the Asian consumer.

(via CARMEN-CHAN)

————————

We sat down with Samantha and Tania recently to discuss their personal blogs and the work with ASOS for the styling contest.

W+: Hi Sam and Tania, thank you so much for sitting down with us to have a chat. We’re pretty excited that the #HKFashionBlogger community has completely ballooned this year alone. It’s really a great year for creativity. Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourselves…

Samantha Wong, of SAM IS HOME striking a pose.

Sam, I’ve seen your website, SAM is HOME, and your focus is a bit on domesticity and fashion, for example we see and read plenty about things like dessert, the home, and clothing+accessories on there. And I also heard that you were the brainchild of the ASOS Tea party, this must be your dream project, to have a Martha Stewart flair with a bit of fashion integrated…

SW: Thanks, JJ, you make me sound like the modern day housewife (haha)! I move every five years so I’ve learned that home isn’t a physical place. ‘Sam is Home’ is derived from the concept of being comfortable with yourself and ‘at home’ with your own character, passions and skills.

Actually the idea of having a party was Sybil’s and I just fleshed it out into an attractive pitch and packaged it as a tea party that ASOS would also want to be a part of. They approached us for advertising but we didn’t see it as an equal partnership so we thought why not create original content for ourselves using the ASOS brand? It sounds like a dream project but it’s actually a lot of admin and logistics work.

Tania of TLikeBubbleTea caught mid-styling.

W+: Tania, your blog is fashion and fashion styling as well but more of a travel and lifestyle attitude. Can you expand on this?

TR: I don’t like to pigeon hole myself into just one category. There are so many things I love travel, fashion, design & of course food. I really love writing as well. I want to keep the reader curious, taking them with me on my style and travel adventures both around Hong Kong and the world.

Sam and Sybil of the Style Voyager (right) trying to focus.

W+: Tell us more about Blogging in General. Is Blogging your first job? What else do you do in your free time? And is it easy to blog? or is it quite difficult with your schedules?

SW: Blogging is not my primary job but I am in the industry as a fashion analyst for an online fashion company. It’s not easy creating content every week but I think the most difficult thing for me is reaching out to people. I’m terrible at PR and marketing my own blog because it feels so self-driven (I’m not on twitter/instagram/facebook page). It’s fine if others have those social media outlets but personally I’m already talking about me, me, me on the blog so that’s where I stop and try to focus on others. The blog suffers from less exposure but I feel this is right for me.

TR: I actually work in finance by day, so combining the two can be difficult at times as the two worlds are so far apart. I feel that something that started as a hobby and a diary has started to feel more like a second full time job, but I like change and working on multiple things at a time and having a blog allows me to write about things I love so I am definitely not going to stop any time soon.

The “Tea-Party” Themed setup.

W+: Tell us more about ASOS the brand. It seems that they are completely an online shop that has grown exponentially over the last year or so, and based most of their success on social networks and bloggers like yourself. How did you find out about ASOS and do you like shopping with them?

SW: I found it while at my current job- analyzing the various approaches that companies take to attract customers to surf and purchase. I’m quite wary of online shopping due to the inability to try on and impulse buy. The great things about ASOS are the clear product shots, the runway video and fast delivery service which kinda builds that trust for me as a consumer.

TR: I found out about Asos 6-7 years ago when I was living in London. It was my secret place to go to for unique but relatively cheap dresses. It was pretty amazing to see a rather unknown website become a dominant online retailer in just five years. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes nature of the project, it was great fun to switch from being a consumer to actually doing a collaboration with these guys.

A Collection of Teas for the Occasion.

W+: What kind of projects can we expect from you two after this ASOS collaboration? Will we be seeing more collaborations with Brands in the future and with #HKFashionBloggers together or separately from each of you?

SW: I hope so! I’m mulling over my next steps- the ASOS project helped me immensely to be conscious of my strengths and weaknesses I can hone in on for future collaborations. I’m already thinking of a couple projects with some friends. I’d love to collaborate with more brands too- but no press releases please. Actual creative involvement and an overflow of ideas are what I crave!

TR: I am currently working on reshuffling my own blog design now and I also have two projects that I will be starting on this month. I really love working with Sam as I have a more organizational mind and she is the creative brain but we understand each other well, so I would love to do more projects with her.

Close ups of the VERO Chocolates on Offer.

W+: One last question, what is your favorite BLOG!??

SW: Let’s make that plural! Park & Cube, she tickles my love for good design, typography and layout. Dead Fleurette, I’m trying to adopt her less is more attitude and I adore her text-heavy posts. Business of Fashion, I stopped my subscription of WWD for this.

TR: Oh there are so many! I think Garance Dore, Park & Cube, and Advanced Style in fashion in fashion. For travel and lifestyle in HK it’s theWanderlister+ Asia, in Europe Nectar & Pulse girls. Food is has to be Whatkatieate she is best food stylist out there, Design it’s definitely Fubiz and TheSelby.

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And more pics! I walked in on Geneva (A Pair and A Spare) and Christing C. (Fashion Hedonism) waiting for their snapshot.

Denise (SUPERWOWOMG) gives me a patient face.

ThinFilm’s Nate Wong and full camera crew!

Checking out the Tea-Party Menu.

More guys from ThinFilm hanging around.

Carmen Chan Star-Photographer hard at work.

A final rest! The work is done!

Yay! (via CARMEN-CHAN)

The #HKFashionBloggers have recently teamed up with the our UK online fashion partner, ASOS, for a new contest to help introduce the brand to a Hong Kong and Asian presence. Released just two days ago, you’ve got basically from now until the 16th of October to vote for which one of my girls pull off the best look with their F/W ‘11 ASOS wares.

If you vote for your favorite look, you have a chance of winning a 250GBP voucher for ASOS.COM, and the winning blogger will get the same as well. Sounds like a good deal to me because everything is affordable on ASOS Anyway. VOTE HERE!

JJ.

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