Monochrome Magic
During our cover shoot, Cindy Chao delivered a lesson on the subject of standing out
alking onto the set of our cover shoot with Cindy Chao was like being at a designer sale—lots of people and so many delightful racks of dresses and footwear: Versace, Dior, Tom Ford, Helmut Lang, Christian Louboutin... Cindy arrived on location, a scenic upper floor of California Tower in Lan Kwai Fong, armed with her own outfits to add to Fashion Editor Justine Lee’s picks, including couture pieces by Stéphane Rolland specially flown in from Paris, runway looks from Dior and Cindy’s favourite suits from Ford and Lang.
Ever since she started designing jewellery in 2004, Cindy’s style has gravitated towards monochromatic, and you understand why she’s developed this affinity for black and white when you see the photos from our shoot; her jewellery really stands out.
The designer, known for her exquisite jewelled butterflies, says emeralds are her favourite stone, and she loves the colours of the sea. But these preferences haven’t stopped her from working with a multitude of hues. Her Ballerina Butterfly brooch, codesigned with actress friend Sarah Jessica Parker, is set with more than 4,500 fancy coloured diamonds. “I’ve always thought of Cindy’s jewellery designs as true works of art,” says Sarah, who first met Cindy in 2011. “They’re extraordinary pieces that capture the eye and the imagination.”
With showrooms in Beijing, Taipei and Hong Kong, Cindy is constantly on the move. But despite her busy schedule, the mother of one remembered to send the Tatler team not one, but three enormous boxes of scrumptious Pierre Hermé macarons and a handwritten note of thanks after the shoot. Very sweet of you, Cindy!
Turn to page 246 for the full story.