For powerful women
Mastering numbers and finance as well as creativity, SARA WONG juggles different cultures in her approach to equilibrium.
“I was born in the 80s and grew up during China’s rapid development and economic integration to the world” relates Sara Wong, creative director of MAXRIENY by Sara Wong, who has a Master’s degree in Finance in addition to her fashion design studies. “Being able to live and study abroad, I’ve had a lot of culture observation through the years, it definitely helped to form my own design identity in my opinion, with a Finance degree, I believe that I have a quite unique perspective when it comes to designs, there is no boundary on time or space, a constant collision between contemporary and classic style, culture elements, wearability and creativity, logic against emotion, all of which are uniquely embedded into each collections I have created.” Sara Wong explains: “Financial training has definitely broaden my logic and structural process abilities, with a very different mindset, I think it gives me a good sense of rationality and balance during my creative process and always let myself know where I need to put my focus on between commercial viability and design.” When asked if she has a muse for her inspirations, Sara answered: “I don’t really have a modern muse per se, because I often get inspired by the little things in our daily life and by different kinds of extraordinary women around the globe. The women I create always have a sense of dedication and tenacity. They’re powerful, strong and independent while keeping their feminine side as well.” The brand is ready to present its SS 2021, inspired by François Boucher, a French painter and decorative artist of the 18th century, when trade and cultural exchanges accelerated between the Chinese Qing Dynasty and Europe. Boucher created a series of works inspired by Chinese themes portraying China’s last dynasty. Sara continued: “For this season, I have tried to combine these two very different cultures again. We draped the garment with a porcelain shape and the silhouette of fans in a quite symbolic way. The phoenix, which symbolises the power of women in Chinese culture, is also added to our textile designs. In some details, like buttons, trimmings and so on, you can find the fusion of royal art in the Qing Dynasty and European fashion in the 18th century.” Sara Wong, who is working on a special digital event for Milan Fashion Week with Vogue Italia, several international fashion influencers and TV/Music talents, concludes: “We are actively looking at new solutions to express our creativity and connect with our customers. Our collaboration with Vogue Italia this time for the digital launch of our SS 2021 collection is just one example of working from a distance with innovative methods. I think and hope that fashion will slow down a bit after the pandemic. It has given us the opportunity to reorganise ourselves, the industry and the world. There will be challenges for sure, but if the industry stays close together and finds new ways of working together and expressing our creative talents, I’m sure we’ll get back on our feet soon enough.”
CopenHill is an urban mountain placed on top of a state-of-the-art waste-toenergy plant. This power station yearly provides Copenhagen with electricity for 30,000 households and central heating for 72,000 families. The recreational area on the roof features a 450-metre-long ski slope, which is the steepest of its kind in the world, with gradients that reach over 30 per cent. There are a total of four ski lifts, plus a slalom course, a freestyle park and a kids’ zone. The roof also hosts a hiking and running trail, while the tallest climbing wall on the planet – standing 85 metres high – is located at the side of the building. A restaurant sits on the summit of the artificial mountain, and at the bottom one finds a ski centre with a cafe, bar and a store for renting equipment.
Throughout 2020, London’s Natural History Museum, which is a world-leading research centre and one of the UK’s most popular visitor attractions, is running events and activities about biodiversity. For their survival, humans depend on the variety of life on Earth, but they have compromised it with their contribution to climate change and overconsumption of land and resources. The museum has over 300 scientists studying all aspects of biodiversity and a collection of more than 80 million specimens representing the extraordinary richness of life on our planet. See the NHM’s website to discover the institution’s latest initiatives.
Together with Michelin-starred chefs Titti Qvarnström, Niklas Ekstedt, Jacob Holmström and Anton Bjuhr, Sweden’s tourism board has launched The Edible Country – a 100-million-acre DIY gourmet restaurant. The menus are created from seasonal products found in nature, and come with instructions on where to find the ingredients and how to cook them properly in the wild. Seven handmade wooden tables have been placed across the country (one is on Utö, an island just an hour’s travel from central Stockholm) with ready-to-use kitchen kits and utensils. Reservations are open between May and October on Bookatable.com, but if there’s no free spot available, you can still visit the official website and prepare the dishes at any other preferred location. Customers can also book add-ons such as local guides and mood-enhancing decor.
Opening in early 2021, La Caserne will be a major hub for sustainable fashion. Located in a renovated fire station in Paris, it will provide a place for brands to engage and invest in a more responsible future. About 2,000 square metres will be dedicated to conscious design, innovation and development, including ateliers, a versatile open space and offices. These areas will welcome young designers and established labels, who will have access to an on-site fabric showroom, fab lab, press agency, commercial showroom and photography suite. The project will also comprise a boutique showcasing up-and-coming names, a restaurant offering seasonal dishes in partnership with local producers, and a roof garden promoting urban agriculture and city gardening activities.
Working between the fields of sustainable tourism and education, Green Fashion Tours creates urban excursions and learning experiences in Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. It all started in the German capital with a map of shops and design studios showcasing local and responsible brands. Since then, the focus has been on social and ecological issues as well as topics related to innovation and digitalisation, which are addressed in a direct exchange with the entrepreneurs behind the selected projects and labels. Along with publicly accessible guided tours and customised solutions, GFT also offers practical workshops and online formats. The maps are available for free on the website, from partner stores and at participating venues in the three cities.
Asap, an acronym for “As Sustainable As Possible”, has always proposed timeless and ongoing items to oppose the irrational forced replacement of seasonal goods. The hallmark of Asap is its use of natural fibres – from garments in cashmere, merino wool, organic cotton, silk and linen – together with its low environmental impact and the recycling of dead stock from top weaving mills. Most of the pieces are made in Italy with the aim of safeguarding local craft skills and guaranteeing a short production chain. Furthermore, without third-party intermediation, Asap reaches end consumers in Paris and Milan (in the photo).