PERNELLE @ FW2015/16 Ad Campaign

PERNELLE FW2015/16 Ad Campaign inspired by Milan where the brand's Creative Director Romeo Gigli lives and features the scenery of both Milan's fashionable city centre and exuberant woods, echoing the brand's simplistic and glamorous theme for this season.

The models' posture and look, the exquisitely designed handbags and the overall composition together create a mesmerizing dramatic tension.

The ad campaign is created under three themes, with a total of eight looks. The first theme is all about the classic Italian elegance, shot at Milan's Piazza Affari, where Medieval sculptures and pillars portrait a fascinating junction between the modern and historical world.

The other theme takes viewers onto a 19th Century romantic journey with a noblewoman with elegant makeup and in nostalgic look in the world famous park of arts, Parco Sempinoe.

The last theme brings viewer back to the modern metropolitan in one of Milan's busiest roads Vua Vittor Pisani. A contemporary-dressed lady overlooks Milano Centrale with her sharp gaze, demonstrating the independent and goal-oriented characteristic of women in the modern world.

Brunch Around Philippe Orrico's Creation @ Upper Modern Bistro

Sheung Wan has become so gentrified these days, hence it is not difficult to find multiple up-market eateries and Upper Modern Bistro which is just off the busy Hollywood Road is the vision of Philippe Orrico serving a perfect marriage of familiar and comforting French bistro dishes, appetizer and more elaborate cuisine with an Asian twist. mylifestylenewes entered Upper Modern Bistro and spent a rather contended Saturday by his latest inspiring Set Brunch creation……

Upper Modern Bistro is Michelin-starred Chef Philippe Orrico’s first solo venture since moving to Hong Kong eight years ago in 2006 to set up Pierre at Mandarin Oriental. He quickly obtained one Michelin Star and, following this, joined the well-known restaurateur David Yeo as Executive Chef of Hullet House, where he recieved another Michelin star at Saint George before opening this bistro just over a year ago. With his latest Set Brunch menu creation being introduced, you can guess that Orrico is always evolving.

First things first, from the street frontage you can see that the vibe at Upper Modern Bistro is relaxed, informal and fun - from table-top dining to bar dining. You can enjoy a simple classic cocktail at the bar with dishes served from either modern tapas to the full restaurant menu. The cocktail bar and dining area are linked into one harmonious room by the creation of a dangling-petal inspired ceiling that increases the feeling of light and space.

The ambience is delightful, particularly on a bright sunny day, as the floor to ceiling windows let in a lot of natural light, without the glaring sun.The fresh, light, stylish interiors are by Tim Shephard of Three Wise Monkeys, who worked closely with Orrico to create a modern brasserie, with a vibrant and relaxed atmosphere where the kitchen is the focal point of the room. The view is all yours and voyeurism doesn’t pay while popping your eyes while the alluring Chef is in action.

The menu is one of the key reasons for wanting to try this bistro and it is ingredients led fresh, light and modern changing with the season. Orrico is perhaps best known for the inspiration he gathers from ingredients, creating imaginative dishes with care and passion. The set brunch on a weekend looks very interesting and inspiring especially the presentation as it is not your typical set-up, in that all dishes are set, Hence Set Brunch is called, all you have to do is just sit back and relax and enjoy what is brought to your table.

Emmanuel Brochet champagne is poured.

 The set menu includes one glass of Emmanuel Brochet champagne and this turns out to be from a very boutique vineyard with some great development noticeable on the palate due to the blending of different vintages. A nice apple and pear nose that follows through the palette with a long pleasant finish.

There are eight dishes to share before you choose a main course from a selection of eight interesting dishes. The sharing starters consists of two Brittany oysters with a ponzu marinade, foie gras crème brûlée, lentils humus with salmon roe, smoked duck & white beans with croutons, octopus & potatoes with a mustard vinaigrette, fish market ceviche with an avocado guacamole, prawn & tomato salad with an aji aji dressing and lastly, grilled Kurobuta sausages with a miso and mustard dip. 

The presentation was rather eclectic with the use of different types and colours of ceramic dishes, creating a very adhoc/country bistro feel to how it was put together, which we liked despite not every vessel was practical. Taste wise, some dishes were more successful than others. The oysters were quite a decent size but rather briny and fishy, it’s a matter of taste as to how you like your oysters the way it should be.

The prawn and tomato salad was delicious too, with the aji aji dressing - a little spicy sauce contains of fresh ingredient and herbs elevates the entire dish.

 The fish ceviche was pleasant and paired with avocado guacamole with the right touch to the palatte.

The octopus and potatoes was very outstanding, with the mustard dressing adding piquancy to the dish and the ingredients cooked to perfection.

The foie gras crème brûlée which is the signature dish was rather creamy with a strong discernible flavor that one normally savours, it is rather an inventive creation.

Lentils humus with salmon is savoring and best accompany by the freshly made bread.

The cured smoked duck and white bean salad may not be as well cured yet with a raw texture in taste and chewing the vein even it was finely diced may not be as pleasant as it shall have been presented.

The pork sausages were quite tasty, although it was hard to detect the miso in the mustard dip, but the distinct mustard flavour was rather a friendly accompaniment for the pork.

Mains were an exciting taste temptation and we couldn’t try everything we wanted, of course who would especially on your first visit, but we convinced the chef to allow us to taste 4 mains in tasting portions to get an overview. The gnocchis with morel mushrooms and comte cheese was delectable, with the gnocchi having a slightly pan fried finish and was truly melt in the mouth food.

The braised milk fed veal cheek with mushroom macaroni and brown jus to follow was also another dish not to be missed, it was tender because of the braising, resulting in the meat literally falling apart at the touch of the knife, plus the brown sauce and mushrooms adding an overall richness to go with the flavoursome veal.

The French quail was high on our list of expectations and it did not disappoint with a beautiful gamey flavor and richness to the meat, with a further depth of flavor to be added by the mash potato, grapes and walnuts – a quintessential French dish that is a must try.

The sautéed beef with teriyaki sauce to provide a richness and pointed flavor to very tender and juicy meat, with French beans as a foil to cut through all the rich flavours. All four dishes showed that the chef really enjoys some classic dishes with a twist and we happily enjoyed every morsel on each plate and appreciated the consistency applied to every dish he created.

Upper Modern Bistro had some great selection of Cheeses encompassing the rare Comte Millesimes 2009, Brin D'amour and Pave de la Ginestrie and more. We suggest you ask for the Manager's recommendation before the dessert is served.

No French bistro is replete without a dessert trolley and your taste buds will be sated with what the trolley displays and leave you salivating for more, as you can only try 3 different desserts from the Set Brunch menu (sensible when you think about it). We had a hazelnut puff, pistachio cake, white chocolate mousse, tiramisu, pear tart. They looked not only absolutely delicious, but all other flavours left us wanting more. The standouts were the pistachio cake with distinctive flavours and textures that were rich and creamy and utterly delicious for a happy and sweet ending. Nevertheless, there were still others left to try on our next visit.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 3/5

Design & Decor: 4/5

Food & Beverage: 4/5

Service: 3/5

Value For Money: 4/5

Experience: 4.5/5

Highlights:

Inspiring Presentation on All Dishes Creation

Flaws:

Service - Less Prompt

Upper Bistro Station

6-14 Upper Station Street

Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Tel:+852 2517 0977

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated. 

H&M @ AW2015 Studio Line Collection

H&M Studio AW2015 is a sporty utilitarian futurism and starburst shine. Zip-up coats and jackets have a modern freshness, while rollnecks are a season's essential, along with lurex sweaters and pants both straight legged and flared. It's a layered collection of effortless pieces with a tomboy feel. "I love the attitude and energy of H&M Studio for AW2015. Sporty zip-ups are perfect for the street, while rollnecks give a layered look. The shimmer of lurex makes it a season to celebrate whether it's day or night," says Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M.

Zip-up outerwear is important, from utilitarian quilted nylon zip-up coats and long gilets, to camel wool coats with ribbed waists or tailored wool coats with an inner layer of zip-up nylon. Knitwear is a key focus, especially rollneck and turtleneck sweaters in varying styles. Lurex knits are for day to night, while ribbed and zippered knits have sporty energy. Pants are either straight legged or kicking into a wide flare, while ribbed-knit leggings are given an active look. Textures are contrasted, with the sheen of laminated wool on jackets and skirts, fake fur coats, matte wool tailoring and sequin blouses. Futuristic starbursts appear printed on pieces such as lurex blouses and rollneck long-sleeve dresses, or woven as a jacquard for a tailored pantsuit. The look is layered, especially with long dresses worn over matching pants, or long asymmetric silk blouses worn with rollneck knits. Utilitarian pieces highlight the tomboy mood, such as ski dungarees, or zippered fine-knit rib jumpsuits.

FABRICS

Wool, lurex, nylon, leather, suede, faux fur and silk.

COLOURS

Burgundy, rust red, pumpkin orange, dark green, camel, grey melange, black, off-white, gold, bronze and silver.

KEY LOOKS

Zip-up quilted coats, rollneck sweaters, lurex knits, straight-legged or flared pants, asymmetric blouses, laminated wool skirt, ski dungarees, fake-fur zippered coat and starburst print flared pantsuit.

KEY ACCESSORIES

Utilitarian caps, laminated boots, long driving gloves, heeled sandals worn with socks, moon boots, faux rollnecks and laminated bags.

Dior Homme @ Paris Xvie

Dior homme unveils the latest still and moving image collaboration between the Dior Homme creative director, Kris van Assche, and the photographer Willy Vanderperre. This is a long-standing collaborative relationship and project adding another dimension and further insight into the thinking behind the Dior Homme collections.

Here, the subversive elegance of the winter 2015 collection is further explored with the american actor Boyd Holbrook, who takes on the starring role both in the still image campaign and the film. The film is entitled ‘Paris Xvie’ and features a Parisian day in the life of its main character – an american in Paris.

“We started this collaboration with a focus on the film and now the pictures also have that filmic feel,” explains Willy Vanderperre. “We wanted somebody that we could explore the filmic idea with further, and it was Kris that suggested Boyd. He plays the part of an american in Paris walking in different parts of the city, picks and preserves flowers as his memory of those places. He dances in his apartment as a nod to gene Kelly and those big, emotional american films at the end.”

This season the Dior man is cinematic, heroic and confident in his role, at the same time, he is self-deprecating, romantic and witty in his dress. uniting the elegant formal traditions of the past with the pleasures of the casual present in his clothing, the Dior man appears effortlessly contemporary in this combination.

‘Paris xvie’ and will be featured on its own, standalone website: www.dior.com/parisxvie

Miley Cyrus in PRADA

PRADA dressed Miley Cyrus with top, shorts and hat in iron grey organza embellished by sequin and silver mirror embroideries. She completed the outfit with a pair of stretch tulle-embroidered leggings and laminated calfskin sandals with platform. Cyrus also wore a grey nylon coat and hat enriched by silver sequins and feathers as well as a pair of laminated calfskin sandals with platform while hosting and performing at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles recently.

TSE x Claudia Schiffer FW2015 Collection

TSE announces a collaboration with fashion icon Claudia Schiffer who is adding designer to her long list of accomplishments, has partnered with TSE to create a two season capsule collection, launching in fall 2015 and carrying into spring 2016.

A longtime admirer of TSE’s high-quality cashmere, Schiffer teamed up with TSE creative director Tina Lutz to create a collection comprised of seventeen styles of cashmere and wool-blend knits. The collaboration, “Claudia Schiffer for TSE,” includes knit dresses, cardigans, sweaters, pants and capes in a variety of weights and stitches.

"The fall 2015 collection is steeped in the traditions, scents and colors of my home in rural England, anchored by my German heritage and inspired by the pebble beaches, beautiful sunsets and fair isles worn by our local fishermen. 

Each piece has been knitted using my personal designs and inspired by classic hand knit traditions, including intarsia and aran, in the soft and luxurious cashmere that has made TSE’s designs timeless. We built on TSE’s signature color palette of neutral tones by introducing the blues of our seaside and the greens of the English country landscape," says Claudia Schiffer.

Reminiscent of images in David Hockney’s photography from the 1970s, the unique stitching and finishes of the collection create a modern offering of stylish and wearable wardrobe staples. 

“We wanted to create a range of pieces that can easily be intermixed into our customer’s current wardrobe. Claudia’s designs were a natural fit with TSE’s aesthetic and her effortless style is apparent with each piece,” says TSE Creative Director, Tina Lutz.