AugustMan (Malaysia)

WHOLE NEW BALL GAME

- WORDS BY KC YAP PHOTOS BY HUBLOT

In the final countdown to FIFA World Cup 2018, official timekeeper Hublot pioneers real-time digital experience on the wrist, and unites the greats in

the name of love for football

THE FOOD DELIVERY concept has been around for decades but it truly took off in the 80s in developed western countries. Pizzerias and Chinese restaurant­s weren’t the first ones to the party, but they helped popularise­d food delivery in a very big way. Although initially an extension of the fast food business model, food delivery today has become a profitable industry on its own. Spurred on by technology and extensive mobile penetratio­n, services like Foodpanda and Uber Eats have helped revolution­ise the food delivery market and virtually changed the way we consume food.

Make no mistake, food delivery is big business and it’s valued in excess of USD30billi­on dollars per year alone according to online statistics, market research and business intelligen­ce portal, Statista. Locally, the food delivery trend is on an upswing especially in big cities like Kuala Lumpur. People have simply no time to cook and most don’t want to bother negotiatin­g with traffic during meal times either. Besides, there’s also a certain appeal about eating in the comfort of one’s own home. Consumers are certainly growing more discerning than ever with a focus on healthier food options, and a demand for quality. This is where food-delivery startup dahmakan has come in and begun servicing this consumer market in true delicious and appetizing form. dahmakan has made healthy eating convenient­ly possible by allowing consumers to order top quality meals prepared by 5-star hotel chefs with an easy-to-use mobile app. Prices average around RM21-RM25 per meal with no minimum order and no service or delivery fee charged to the consumer.

Food Delivery With A Delicious Twist

“We saw an opportunit­y for this food delivery concept here in 2014, explains Jonathan Weins, co-founder and CEO of dahmakan. “Two of us have worked in food delivery and we had a lot of data on the industry. We saw that people were leading busier lives with no time to cook and because of that the percentage of people eating home cooked meals were decreasing.”

IN AN ERA of brief creative director tenures, Tomas Maier is an anomaly. The Germanborn designer has been at the creative helm of Bottega Veneta since 2001, and is directly responsibl­e for rescuing the brand from the depths of anonymity.

At the turn of the 21st century, the company was financiall­y struggling after a series of marketing missteps, including its terrible decision to depart from its usual understate­d style in favour of emblazonin­g its logo on its products. When Maier took over, he insisted on total creative control and returned Bottega Veneta to its version of “stealth wealth”. Maier’s strategy worked. The brand’s bottomline turned green after being in the red for so long.

Today, it’s one of Kering Group’s bestperfor­ming luxury brands, behind Gucci and Saint Laurent. In 2017, Bottega Veneta posted revenues of €1.176 million, a 2% increase from the previous year.

Customisat­ion Atelier

For the spring/summer 2018 season, Bottega Veneta doubles down on its iconic motto ̶When Your Own Initials Are Enough. The luxury maison has introduced a new personalis­ation programme that allows its customers to not only emboss their own initials on the leather accessory but also select the intrecciat­o style they prefer.

The process starts at the store. After you’ve decided on purchasing the backpack, business bag, dossier or small item, you’ll be given a wide variety of leathers to choose from. Bottega Veneta has unlocked almost all its precious leather inventory, including ostrich and crocodile, for the man who prefers to subtly stand out from the rest. After you’ve selected the leather and its hue, you can also choose to either stitch or emboss your initials on your purchase. Once all your details are taken down, the tailors at Bottega Veneta’s atelier in Montebello

“WHEN MAIER TOOK OVER, HE INSISTED ON TOTAL CREATIVE CONTROL AND RETURNED BOTTEGA VENETA TO ITS VERSION OF “STEALTH WEALTH”“

Vicentino will go to work to bring life to your dream. The entire process takes a couple of months and might take longer or shorter depending on demand but you’ll be assured of a one-of-a-kind creation.

Alternativ­ely, if you can’t wait that long, you can also choose to emboss or stamp your initials on an available leather accessory. The finished product will be available within 24 hours at select stores or a few days.

Your item will be exclusive and unique to you, and more importantl­y, timeless, just like Maier’s vision for Bottega Veneta. AM

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Healthy tenderloin beef rendang
 ??  ?? LEATHER FUTURE In 2006, in a stunning show of commitment to cra smanship, Bo ega Veneta opened a school to train and suppo future generation­s of leather a isans. The brand teamed up with The IUAV University of Venice to set up a postgradua­te course in the a of leather, taking in only 12 students at a time.
LEATHER FUTURE In 2006, in a stunning show of commitment to cra smanship, Bo ega Veneta opened a school to train and suppo future generation­s of leather a isans. The brand teamed up with The IUAV University of Venice to set up a postgradua­te course in the a of leather, taking in only 12 students at a time.

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