INSPIR ATION
AZIMIN SAINI
A former editor with over a decade of experience, Azimin Saini has since moved to Paris while doing branding and content for The Ate Group. Welldressed with a keen eye for detail, the 37-year-old foodie thinks that fashion and food are both expressions of culture, art and creativity as they both codify affluence, power dynamics, and innovative ideas; just with different mediums. A must-have when he comes home? Paper thosai.
A WELL-DRESSED MAN
“A style inspiration would be Marlon Brando for his signature pairings of casual t-shirts with sharp tailoring.”
A SPARK OF GENIUS
“Hermès men’s creative director Véronique Nichanian is a favourite. Her collections are timeless, her designs are sensible and Hermès’ materials and craftsmanship are top notch. Her work at Hermès is the embodiment of what fashion should mean. Long may she reign.”
LOOK BEYOND
“The most underrated restaurants are out here in the Left Bank, the calmer side of Paris that’s home to bistros and brasseries that cater to Parisians who know better. Baca V Bistro in the 5th arrondissement is a small charming spot visited only by those in the know.”
PARISIAN MAGIC
“The Fontaine Saint-Michel, in the 5th arrondissement, in the Left Bank is magical. It’s a biblical depiction of Saint Michael vanquishing the devil. I’m not a religious person but the battle between good and evil is a universal one. It helps that this magical spot is an arresting monument to behold in terms of its size, detail and craftsmanship. Whenever I’m in the area, I always stop to admire it.”
STRING THEORY
“I dreamt of being a professional cellist who could produce the deep, reverberating bass sonatas by Bach, and I finally picked it up during the pandemic, but there’s still work to be done.”
THE VOICE
“Strategically marrying journalism and propaganda, Trinh Thi Ngo, better known as Hanoi Hannah, was a radio broadcaster during the Vietnam War. She humanised the Vietnamese in an attempt to convince American servicemen that the war was immoral. She is someone I look up to.”
ONE AND ONLY
“If I had to wear one brand for the rest of my life, it would be the Parisian brand Balibaris, which is relatively unknown outside of France. The clothes are well constructed, using only natural materials that recall the whispered elegance of French film noir. All this without veering into tacky ’50s territory.”
COOKING UP A STORM
“I cook a lot here in Paris, where gastronomy is an appreciated and elevated artform. The ability to cook is hence your measure as a person! My favourite dish to cook are different versions of roast chicken— most cultures in the world have a version of it and I particularly like making gai yang, a Thai-Laotian dish.”