Leaving a Legacy

This editor’s letter wasn’t easy to write, given it’s my last. Mind you, I’ve only written a few of them, but I’m proud to have been part of the talented team that has put Hong Kong Tatler together since 2014. The publication has existed for the past four-and-a-half decades not only as a definitive guide to luxury and lifestyle, but because it has always wanted to make a lasting impact in this city through telling the inspiring stories of the people who call it home. It’s timely that this issue is themed around legacy because, as the outgoing managing editor, I hope that with the past visionaries who have headed up the magazine, we’ve put a stamp on the future.

So how does one leave a legacy? Our cover star, Laurinda Ho, who grew up in the shadow of her tycoon father, Stanley Ho, is doing it by building a name for herself with a business venture, an impressive social media following, and as the founder of a charity that supports causes close to her heart. To find out how this young philanthropist and fashionista is making a mark, turn to Model Behaviour on page 90.

When it comes to leaving something of yours for future generations, there’s no better example than Kai-yin Lo, a jewellery designer and cultural historian whose deep knowledge of Asian culture informs her writing and extensive collection of Chinese artefacts. She talks about her life and new autobiography, Designing a Life: A Crosscultural Journey, on page 58.

In The Big Picture (p.182), you’ll meet Xyza Cruz Bacani, whose life changed when her employer, Kathryn Louey, encouraged her to pursue her love of photography. Inspired by street scenes and the lives of migrant workers like herself, she has since exhibited worldwide and won international awards. And photographers Ian Lambot and Greg Girard recall the infamous Kowloon Walled City in words and pictures on the eve of an exhibition of their images (p.172).

Then there’s the story of three women who captured on film the drama of Malaysia’s historic 2018 election, when Mahathir Mohamad came out of retirement to rally the opposition and throw out the corruption-tainted government, the first loss for the ruling coalition in 60 years. They share their thoughts in M for Malaysia on page 166.

There’s plenty more to entertain and inform, including the tale of a collaboration between the groundbreaking Archigram architectural collective and the Design Trust (p.200), and a photo shoot in which DJ Kulu, a fixture on the club scene since the 1970s, models the latest menswear (p.98).

I’d like to end with one of my favourite quotes from Benjamin Franklin: “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are gone, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” Pass it on.