2025-06-16

“DANDILY UGLY VS UGLILY DANDY” 美與醜的界線


 DANDILY UGLY VS UGLILY DANDY
美與醜的界線

每年五月的第一个星期一正是众所瞩目的「时尚奥斯卡」Met Gala 慈善晚宴,这年度盛事设宴于纽约大都会艺术博物馆,势必风起云涌。今年的五月五日也不例外,首次以黑人风尚演变为《Superfine:Tailoring Black Style 极致风范:黑人订制剪裁风尚》的展览主题,聚焦于18 世纪美国奴隶制度瓦解后,非裔男性如何突破身分枷锁,打造融合西服后独特黑人绅士风格的兴起、意义和影响力为前提。当中不乏出现量身订制的西装、优雅绅士帽等,呈现「Black dandyism」睽违 22 年再次专注于男装(距离上次是 2003 年的《Men in Skirts》主题),实行将黑人花花公子主义的穿着的潇洒装扮发挥得淋漓尽致。截稿前虽已是六月中旬,业界的谈论却意犹未尽,籍此随机挑选几个穿着造型,回味一番。

「Tailored for You」为您量身订制的 Dress Code 御旨一下,除了有早前公布的非裔男明星联合主席阵容:LV男装创意总监 Pharrell Williams、F1赛车选手Lewis Hamilton、 Ray-Ban 创意总监 A$AP Rocky 皆穿着华服登场外,名人如 Rosé、Jennie、Lisa、Anne Hathaway、Rihanna等也陆续展现自己与设计师对于 Dress Code 主题的见解,分别以不同品牌大使的身分现身红毯,打造出重译黑人风尚演变的夺目造型和精彩穿搭。当晚红毯上众星们那些疯狂造型,那一套亮相造型又有美得令人屏息、颠得让人发紫,狂得令人难忘?!谁人(能)又跳过那无形界线,留下历史印记,充斥世界千万年?!即使当晚天空不作美,也浇不熄这热络时尚盛会,这时尚奥斯卡的“真人秀”,你对此审美认同的又有几多?!


Rosé 一身 Saint Laurent 黑色俐落的知性女老板娘的西装造型,加入丝绸披风增添分量感,搭配微湿直发造型,展现典雅气场抑或是娘绝红毯?!


Jennie 身穿 Chanel 黑白订制平口礼服搭配「Dandy」的典雅小礼帽饰,灵感是来自1987 年老佛爷 Karl Lagerfeld 设计的作品。耗时 330 小时制作,包含了饰以凸圆珍珠、珍珠长链、白色丝质山茶花与珠宝钮扣细节去呼应主题的订制正装造型,但却穿不出当年 Ines de la Fressange 雌雄同体的帅气感及原型神韵。

身为 Louis Vuitton 品牌大使的 Lisa 上演「下半身失踪」辣翻,黑色镂空的夹克,外层为紧身胸衣搭上印有 Monogram 老花纹的透肤丝袜镶嵌工艺制成,以及绣有多个人脸的开岔短裤,大秀美腿 ;加上那头高盘发和手上的黑白 Speedy P9 Bandoulière 20 波士顿包,搭配饰有手工镶嵌象征花花公子风的珍珠链条,俐落轮廓抓人眼球并呼应今届主题,可谓衬职的代言人!


饶舌歌手 André 3000,除了手拿「垃圾袋包」外,还背出了一台重量大约 15 公斤,由设计公司 Pink Sparrow  Steinway & Sons  Model S 小型三角钢琴 75% 的比例打造,由柳安木和 3D 列印元素制成的「钢琴」亮相。选对时机搞怪猎奇出众,无非都是为宣传新作品「7 Piano Sketches」而造势。
 

Anne Hathaway 穿着 Carolina Herrera 创意总监 Wes Gordon 诠释的水钻窄裙,标志性双排扣西装,搭配白色纽扣衬衫,延续品牌的经典风格及致敬 Carolina Herrera 对纽扣衬衫的偏爱,去表达了他们数十年的友谊。
 

Dua Lipa 的一身 Chanel 高级订制服携夫 Callum Turner 一同登场,这套镶嵌着大大小小多达 45,000 颗刺绣配件打造而成水晶刺绣礼服,耗时 2000 小时制成,可惜却被八爪鱼发型拖累。
 
 
Lewis Hamilton 穿着 Wales Bonner 白色套装燕尾服,搭配贝雷帽和金色配饰,翻领配带胸针,上演著运动型休闲正装版,你又收货吗?!


瘦身成功的 Lizzo 身穿来自 Victor Weinsanto 的黑白拼接鱼尾裙,肩上披着一件 bolero 外套,饰上长烟嘴和尖尖的黑白指甲,别具一格玩味演绎迪士尼 Cruella de Vi 经典反派角色。


身为联合主席的 A$AP Rocky 身穿自家品牌 AWGE 亮毯,现代花花公子的西装套装改以 parka 大衣作为外层,并搭配上型格 Ray-Ban 墨镜、镶钻雨伞与奢华珠宝,在素色造型中透过饰品点缀 less is more 的高级感。
 

身怀第 3 胎的 「红毯女皇」Rihanna 压轴现身,穿着由 Marc Jacobs 特为定制的一件黑色正装羊毛 Spencer Jacket,一件灰色 morning-stripe 晨条纹羊毛紧身胸衣,一条黑色细条纹羊毛 V 字剪裁半身裙,搭配系带夹克式裙撑以及一条带凸纹领口的波点缎面 cravat 领结再加一双定制的的踝链高跟鞋和一顶 Marc Jacobs x Stephen Jones 定制的帽子,增添一抹戏剧效果共演时髦魅力,正显身怀六甲的妇人是极美的。

Met Gala 从举办日期、主题概念及穿著 Dress Code 又如公司联欢晚会,一年比一年商业加做作及 trying to hard to impress。在 too safe is too boring 或 too much is too “dandily ugly” 的道理和无形定理,周旋于美与丑的界线和界限,你又有何见解?!

2025-05-19

TOO SAFE IS TOO BORING 流行不流行之我為何讓你走?!《下》


TOO SAFE IS TOO BORING
流行不流行之我為何讓你走?

 

Alessandro Michele的被离任,GUCCI的创意总监悬空的地位立即由擅于被业界认为真懂剪裁的设计师Sabato De Sarno顶上。对于品牌的价值竞赛而言,开云集团为品牌定下了150亿欧元离地的中期转型目标 ,不仅要稳住现有客户, 还得设法寻找新客群,誓要继Tom Ford的性感美学和Michele的极繁文艺设计定位路向为品牌带来二次爆发性的销售增长。

Sabato 背负如此重担,要重新演绎品牌的DNA并用全新风格为品牌打开新篇章带来新鲜感让销量增长,能撑得住吗?答案是 BIG NO抑或是全民效应的ALL YESES呢?!经典形象是个性的一种表达式,要达到目标之余,设计师除了本身的根基要厚,创作能力不再着重表达自我或反复挖掘品牌archive档案去诠释品牌的核心价值;人做我不做,要杀出条新血路才是硬道理Sabato上任GUCCI三季定江山的“试用期”已过,交出来的成绩也只能说是不过不失的货,走的是平庸路线,闷,极闷,too safe is too boring

Sabato 为GUCCI处男下海的2024春夏系列时装秀的确叫人万众期待,奈何换来的只是叫人过目即忘的平庸设计。Logo被去掉,没有半点GUCCI味及高辨识度,甚至被大量媒体及时尚达人评为“在GUCCI秀场看了一场Prada及Miu Miu的时尚秀”及“This is GUCCI by Zara没有大将之风的流水式设计空洞迷茫,旧酒新瓶,能看不想喝,没有个人特色、性感和感性可言,可悲程度顺理升呢,未能激起购买欲的乐趣。首场秀后没有被解雇,也算还得神落。

与观众和媒体几乎绝缘,设计单吊,千篇一律,抄完又抄,乏味兼无趣,难获消费者共鸣。丑到连打小人都嫌笨重的松糕鞋和露股的短裤,叫谁来埋单?!虽则乍看无聊的系列设计欠缺个人风格,但衣服本身却质感十足,具有极高的制衣水平。第二场为GUCCI设计的2024秋冬系列延续首场的同一框架,平凡零惊喜,并且带点困惑。系列设计选用了刺绣及天鹅绒等的上等面料,尝试制造出不同的层次感,水平颇高,但并不代表具有极美的审美观感。

将最好的材料放在同一锅揽炒未必佳,同时亦没有塑造出鲜明的形象或叫人一见便爱上的效应。Sabato 受访时更实言:“I dont have a theme - ever. My theme is my clothes.”我做衣服未有主题,我的主题正是衣服本身的“玄”论是无知的进行模式乎?!难道不吃洋葱也真的能这么大口气?如此的精工拷贝,获业界负评是必然法则,能够留史成为笑话真的只是我,昂贵的教训是这刻,觉悟了吗?

第三场的2025度假系列更有不少造型和设计都带有Michele时期的设计拷贝影子,亦显得有点不伦不类,官方不是一早说好下令删除所有和Michele时期有关的设计吗?在截稿前,世界各地的店面还可略见Michele时期的装横和大量爆款在热卖。这下贱的倒贴之美,来到第四季2025春夏时装秀,有事没事不如Prada及Miu Miu一下,来满足Prada旧粉的回味设计吗?自上任后大叫GUCCI ANCORA口号的营销概念,亦不见独特,猪肝红的色调更成为了品牌的惨淡收场,没有清晰表达或要具体复兴些什么。热闹过后,口号叫完,三场的时装秀也没有让这猪肝红大放异彩,一个浮华而空洞的时尚概念,以颜营而言是彻底失败。


Sabato的时装设计不怎讨人厌,剪裁设计版型分明,处处考究,默默地为品牌炫技,注入更高工艺水准,却没有去到让人一见钟情的地步和提炼不出品牌的价值主张和形象。天下乌鸦一样黑,照煮碗不误设计寡淡,错玩颜色营销,态度暧昧不清,而如有雷同,真的不是巧合。消费者精明,情绪价值没给到位,固然弃之,作品在衰败的姿态收场。这个时期的设计风格要为讨好Z世代定要留(得)住铁粉和老顾客或上流社会精英(Guccio Gucci 创人先生的品味锁定目标),回归经典?!


品牌要转型不是易事,而重建永远都比推翻要难,混杂和无定向的风格如何被塑造成功?Sabato被卸下冠冕,由下一位集团旗下刚卸任Balenciaga的设计总监Demna Gvasalia接任, GUCCI的未来动向和营销,有待(被)揭晓!

《完》


2025-04-28

THE MURRAY HONG KONG - A Niccolo Hotel @ The Heritage Landmark That Sparks

To create a new 5 star luxury hotel in what were once government offices for many decades may seem like a tough task. The Wharf Hotels group took on a challenge to embrace historical architecture as well as preserving the only registered gigantic Old and Valuable Tree (O.V.T) of its species in Hong Kong, the Cassia javanica var. Indochinensis and created a superb luxury lodging in a unique city location between the bustling financial business district of Central and the leisure Admiralty shopping areas on a hilly slope of Cotton Tree Drive. This luxury bolthole is now known as The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel, and sets a new standard in understated luxury hospitality. mylifestylenews writes.


The Niccolo hotel brand was created to celebrate a new level of luxury within the Wharf Hotels group and to blend heritage architecture into contemporary chic is no small feat, but The Murray, Hong Kong ‘rose from the ashes’ of an empty office building that seemingly wasn’t very well loved by the locals, but what is not to love about this hotel?


The cosmopolitan and metropolitan of Hong Kong vibrant lifestyle is here to find, a trendy and elegant space to enjoy the sophisticated vibe. 


Towering 26 floors, this renowned contemporary urban sanctuary features 336 tasteful and elegant spacious suites and guest rooms across 25-storeys for luxury accommodation alongside with unique dining experiences, wellness and celebrated events.


The original building was opened in 1969, with the façade remaining untouched but elevated as well as its dramatic and arched colonnades which was an award-winning design triumph that shields the rooms from the heat of the sun.


The latest incarnation has been re-designed by Sir Norman Foster and his team at Foster+Partners bringing this iconic landmark and magnificent building to life as a celebration of the past and present. It is an arresting building, but the exterior belies the chic luxury within.


The hotel’s terraces around the arches, an architectural signature of the building also showcases views of the city, Hong Kong Park and Hong Kong Zoological and Botanic Gardens.


Connectivity in Hong Kong is some of the best in the world and the parkside location of The Murray, Hong Kong is right in the heart of almost everything as walking in Hong Kong is always an eye-opener and the hotel is in the thick of it. No matter which direction you take you will always find something interesting to marvel at, not to mention all the skyscrapers architecture.


You can take a pleasant walk into Central or Admiralty, hop on a Ding Ding (the ubiquitous double-decker trolley cars that traverse the island from one end to the other), ride the metro lines branches out to even crossing the China border just like an octopus and is just minutes walk away to any destination you desire or hop on The Peak Tram with the terminus station right next door to the hotel.


The airport express rail is the fastest and easiest way to get you into Central and The Murray, Hong Kong offers the scheduled shuttle bus services from Hong Kong Station back and forth, hence our mode of transport.


Our check-in process was smooth as silk, greeted and handled promptly with formalities over in no time and then we were escorted up to our 50sqm N3 Grand Deluxe Room.


The sleek apartment-like posh designed room is spacious, well adorned and prettified in an elegantly understated interior accented with plush carpets on beautiful hardwood floors, featuring luxurious bed and bath amenities with a stunning separate bath and shower facilities crafted from striking black and white Calacatta marble. 


The bathroom was perfectly designed, the glass door and wall can be switched from see-through to a privacy mode at the flick of a switch which is just brilliant – when you want to enjoy looking out into the room and to the views and beyond you can, or you can choose privacy and we loved it.


The bathrobes and slippers felt luxurious, the branded amenities from the luxury Australian skin health brand Grown Alchemist that work in harmony with the your skin were fabulous. Wardrobe space was capacious, a working desk in one window nook was just the perfect placement without intruding on the flow in the room proper.


The colour scheme harmonized the interior with high quality leather, artisan textiles as well as elegant choice of sleek mid-century furniture was spot on, as though you are walking into those shots from the glossy magazine that features those urban luxurious apartments.


Tech-savvy lighting controls, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi alongside with a high definition Smart TV and broadband internet access is seamless as well as a host of complimentary amenities to indulge.


We couldn’t think of one detail that could be improved on but to maintain in such a good shape over time as they had thought of everything that made returning back to the room a joy and it was so easy to relax, unwind and cocooned with a bottle of champagne which was an absolute joy.


Most importantly, the room is bathed in natural sunlight with a stunning and uninterrupted view of the adjacent St John’s Cathedral from a different vantage point to marvel the lively city skyline that changes its vista day and night and we were more than excited to be checking into this contemporary urban sanctuary. There’s definitely a unique mind-set in their target audience, the Gen-Z millennial or the sophisticated someone with a disposable income group that are young at heart and here to play.


To further explore this iconic property, the beautiful lobby bring the outside in with lots of natural light and greenery aplenty. The architectural design really made a difference with superb colour schemes and choice of materials that really complemented the surroundings to allow the nature outside to come in and given the humidity in Hong Kong, the coolness of marble is always a positive thing.


A ground floor bar and cafe that spreads out into the laneway and subsequently called Murray Lane surrounded by curated art, serves up a wide selection of international whiskeys and crafted cocktails is also a popular destination for a bankers breakfast, coffees on the go and aperitivo hours.


Upper ground floor houses two food and beverage operations that split into the The Tai Pan that serves a variety of premium cuts at night and is also an alternative breakfast venue that extends to The Tai Pan Terrace, a delightful family-style al fresco dining.


The all-day dining Garden Lounge on the other side is tastefully decorated, ideal for breakfast and signature afternoon teas alongside a refreshing all-day menu featuring familiar Western and Asian dishes. Outdoor seating by the lush lawn is in high demand when the temperature cools down and less humid.


Then to satisfy Chinese food cravings there is MIAN in a specially commissioned two-storey pavilion adjacent to the hotel entrance and also Popinjays, a contemporary Italian rooftop restaurant and bar with a wrap around terrace offering surreal stunning far-reaching views of the Hong Kong city skyline especially by night and The Peak being one of the most sought after sky bars in town.


The large below ground indoor swimming pool is rather intimate, with a wall of greenery on one side together with a quite unusual feature of a hot tub vitality pool built in a hammam-like dome ceiling. We availed ourselves of the pool and it is definitely long enough for lap swimming, but only wide enough for three swimmers at one time to do laps, but more than satisfactory.


The pool attendants were extremely polite and attentive and it is a wonderful space to chill after a long day of shopping and walking. The gym is on a higher floor, affording views to enjoy as you build up a sweat in the well kitted out space. Adjacent to the gym is the Wellness at The Murray, a sanctuary for bespoke treatments and beauty rituals to awaken your senses.


Breakfast is a fine repast in The Tai Pan and the Garden Lounge combined and is a full on semi-buffet. You can help yourself to some fresh yoghurts, juices, pastries, green salad and even steamed Dim Sum and congee with condiments that are all displayed orderly.


And then you can order dishes according to your inclination for Cantonese, Chinese or Western dishes from the given menu. We tried almost the entire menu over the stay and the ordering was very timely with the dishes seemingly not taking much time at all, so you were never left hungry.


The dishes are beautifully presented and utterly delicious and served at the right temperature. Congee, Wanton noodles and Dim Sum were fresh and tasty, the poached egg on avocado toast was a favourite as well and the eggs Benedict cooked to perfection. Service was mostly prompt and warm and friendly, with only a few team members not getting with the programme on one day, but every morning was a joy with the sun shining in welcoming the start of the day.


We had been pampered with luxurious treats and been well looked after by the welcoming Front Desk, Concierge and Housekeeping team. Each team member from these departments was uniformly excellent and consistent and made our stay hassle free with great recommendations.


We marvelled at little details and enjoyed strolling through the hotel modernist lofty lobby as well as the lush garden overflowing with greenery. The Murray, Hong Kong is simply hard to beat for the level of luxury and amenities that they offer in a classy heritage staycation. Our stay was extremely enjoyable, restful and worry free and it was hard to leave this gorgeous hotel after what was a quite memorable stay. Yet, the unforgettable experience awaits our next arrival.


Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5

Housekeeping: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 5/5


The Murray, Hong Kong
22 Cotton Tree Drive
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3141 8888


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.