What a Kick- Off!
Some called it the greatest Tatler Ball in years and, if you’ll permit me to blow our own trumpet, it was a smashing affair. From the food to the decor (masterminded by Silvio Berge in a reprise) to the spirited finale, which saw Abba tribute artists Björn Again get everyone dancing, the evening was a joyous celebration of friendship and a spectacular kick-off to the social season. For those who were there, I hope our coverage brings back happy memories, and for those who weren’t, you can see what you missed ( Party Faithful p.98, The Best Dressed p.161).
Among my personal highlights was the awards ceremony. Hong Kong Tatler was proud to acknowledge those we believe are making a difference in our city. The awardees were very gracious in accepting the awards, but I must give special mention to Purvis Shroff ’s touching speech as recipient of the Philanthropy Award (made after a standing ovation) and Jim Thompson’s heartfelt words in accepting the Diamond Award. This year also saw a new trophy design that will be used at all the Tatler Balls in Asia. It is the brainchild of Taiwanese duo Xrange (Grace Cheung and Royce Hong); to find out more about the remarkable trophy and the concept behind it, turn to page 338.
Staying with notable individuals, our cover star is Chinese Olympian Guo Jingjing ( Taking the Plunge p.248). The retired diver’s life reads like a fairy tale: born to a humble family in Baoding, Hebei Province, Guo started diving lessons by chance and soon became a global sensation. She met Kenneth Fok and the pair married in Hong Kong at an intimate ceremony at the Fok family mansion and marked the day with a grand banquet at the convention centre. I was lucky enough to be present at the feast and witnessed how, despite the attention heaped upon them, this loving couple have remained down-to-earth.
The same can be said of the individuals in our Women of Wonder feature (p.256). In celebration of the Society for the Protection of Children, Hong Kong Tatler and Louis Vuitton teamed up to create portraits of five women who have reached the apex of their fields. Photographed by Laurent Segretier, the portraits evoke with light and shadow that intangible texture of childhood memory. We are proud that these striking images were displayed at the society’s gala last month and will also be exhibited at a Louis Vuitton store in the near future.