You’ve heard of VR games and concerts but what about VR dance shows? The first of its kind, LE BAL de PARIS de Blanca Li is a multi-sensory virtual experience. A show that seamlessly integrates music and dance to give audiences an award-winning theatrical spectacle. As an audience member, you are part of the act. Operating in a virtual space, the audience partakes in a storyline of unrequited love filled with anthropomorphic animals.
Created by the world-renowned choreographer and filmmaker, Blanca Li, the immersive and participatory experience is made possible with a room-scale virtual reality. Unlike most VR applications which allow stationary users to engage with their virtual surroundings, a room-scale VR allows for users to manoeuvre around a physical space. Think of it as playing a video game. But the controller is your body in a physical space: you move your right foot forward and your avatar echoes the action.
Running for about 35 minutes, the show is brought to life through the use of the HTC Vive Focus 3 and HTC Vive Trackers (for full body tracking). CHANEL provides the outfits your avatars will don during the session. Players are presented with a line-up of 15 CHANEL outfits to choose from in a virtual dressing room. Once chosen, players are outfitted in a garb that's fitting for a grand Parisian ball. And yes, you can even crossdress, no judgment in a virtual space. In the VR world, you can admire your duds in the mirror and you can see your hands and feet in the space as well.
At each show, 10 audience members can indulge in this shared experience. Due to the nature of the show, interaction among audience members is enforced. You're encouraged to dance or move within the space as music and audio is played through the VR headset. Follow along the story of two lovers, Adèle and Pierre. We meet them in a crowded grand ballroom and then transported to a hedge maze. There's even a travel across a lake on a boat and a jaunty ride on a tram. All these and more, within the confines of a room and in the expense of the imagination.
LE BAL de PARIS de Blanca Li brings its grandeur to Singapore's Infinite Studios and runs until 17 March 2024. Tickets are priced at SGD73 for weekdays and SGD87 for weekends. Get your tickets here.
It's that time when the editorial staff get to ruminate about what this year has given us. From the products that impressed the pants off of us to the drinks that got us asking for seconds, this Christmas, we present some of our favourite things that have our stamps of approval.
We don't like being a "sheeple" but every time we think of switching to another smartphone, the annual Apple keynote keeps us anchored to the next model. The iPhone 15 Pro series had new additions: a faster A17 chip; an upgraded camera technology; a Dynamic Island in place of that damnable notch; a titanium casing... But the biggest "OMG finally" news is the phasing out of the brand's propriety Lightning connector for the USB-C (thanks EC laws!). All in all, the iPhone 15 Pro is enough to keep us enamoured until the next Apple keynote.
You know an item’s a winner when it’s pretty much unavailable in boutiques islandwide (trust me, I’ve checked, multiple times). There’s just something about Loewe’s Anagram denim jeans that makes it a covetable piece. Perhaps it’s the simplicity of the Anagram motif right on the knees; or the draw of brand ambassador Taeyong of NCT wearing one for the brand’s Pre-Spring 2024 campaign. Either way, this is high on the list of things I’d recommend (someone) getting (for us).
“CarbonGold” is a mix of high-tech carbon and gold elements that was first introduced in 1993. Bulgari recently outfitted the Octo Finissimo Automatic with said material but the maison went further with that by adorning the carbon cases with rose gold crowns and the carbon dial with matching gold-coloured accents. The case, strap and dial are crafted from exceptionally lightweight, anthracite-coloured carbon with a matte finish. Gold bridges and a gold-plated platinum off-centred micro-rotor is added to the automatic winding; this clearly is a thing of beauty.
In a time when Xiaomi and Dreame are already putting out their own robovacuum, Dyson is pretty late to the game. But for a company that is stringent about its tech, the delay is warranted. The 360 Vis Nav model has the brand's patented cyclone tech, which has 65AW of suction power and automatically uses more suction power when more dust is detected; meaning EVERYTHING that gets in the machine's path gets sucked up. And, unlike the other robovaccums on the market, the machine's camera is situated on top; which scans its surroundings and maps out your home. It's the most expensive robovacuum on the market but the engineering is worth every penny.
For a brand known for its outdoorsy ruggedness, it made perfect sense that Luminox and survivalist, Bear Grylls' paths would intertwine. The team-up yields the Mountain Series, a collection of four watches that marks the 25th year of Grylls' 1998 climb of Mount Everest. The limited edition version has a white dial, deep blue strap and a red crown that matches the hues of the Nepal flag. The caseback is etched with Mount Everest itself and the chapter ring with “8848M”, which as you Everestheads would clue to is the mountain's altitude. With only 800 pieces worldwide, the Limited Edition Mountain timepiece also has a removable bull bar to protect the dial. And with it's highlighted with Luminox’s Light Technology, which ensures every Luminox timepiece is visible in any light conditions for up to 25 years.
The perfect cropped hoodie exists and it’s by Entire Studios. The Los Angeles-based brand is known for its exaggerated puffer jackets but the hoodies are cut quite beautifully too. Designed cropped and with extended sleeves, it’s the perfect hoodie to layer over just about anything, or not. Upgrade your usual airport fit for this and you’d probably never want to wear anything else when travelling.
We raved about Jabra's Elite 7 Active but the newer version really takes the cake. We had previous earbuds that we use for running and they never could stay in the ears. Especially, when they hit the ground, they tend to get scraped up (you'll be missed Klipsch T5). Jabra's Elite 8 Active is marketed as the world's most durable earbuds and buddy... they are right. The Elite 8 Active went through nine US military-grade testings. Nine. Do you know how tough your product has to be to get that sorta certification? And you know how certain products are "water resistant"? The Elite 8 Active is WATERPROOF. Sweat, rain, submersion, waterboarding... these earbuds can weather whatever wetness you throw at it. And the cherry on top? Their patented Jabra ShakeGrip trait (a Liquid Silicon Rubber compound) kept these suckers firmly in my ears. Oh, and add to that are the Dolby-powered 6mm speakers; an Adaptive Hybrid ANC and HearThrough feature really round up the Elite 8 Active. We can't recommend this enough.
We still stand by the superiority of ear cuffs—there’s no needless skin-poking and you can always take them off whenever. This duo-gold Chanel ear cuff sits comfortably right at the top of the ear to give an illusion of wearing two cuffs at the same time. We’d pair it with another cuff towards the lobe for added bling but just the one on its own makes for an edgy statement this Christmas.
'Tis that season where it is acceptable to open up that celebratory wine ("What can we say, we're traditionalists"). But wine is the sort of drink that requires a commitment to polishing the entire thing off. That's where Coravin comes in handy. Its Timeless range is a wine preserver. Without uncorking the bottle, the Timeless device uses a hollow needle to extract the wine by perforating the cork. It also fills the bottle with argon gas to pressurise it, keeping it as fresh as the day it was bottled. When the needle is removed, the cork reseals, protecting the wine from oxidation. Now in two new limited-edition colourways that are inspired by exploration—Timeless Three+ in Deep Sea Blue (shown in pic) and Timeless Six+ in Mist—the Coravin allows us to savour our bottles at our own pace.
Not quite ugly and not quite a Christmas jumper, but the Radar jumper by OAMC is the kind of statement piece you’d want to bust out every winter travel. The cut is perfection, amplified by structured raglan sleeves that display the radar-inspired design to its full effect. Sure, it’s a bit pricey for something partly made from polyester but you’re really paying for the design and cut with this one.
The average Woodford Reserve 750ml is a tasty treat in a glass but do you ever wanna drink in style? Like real opulent-like? Welp, there's the Woodford Reserve's Baccarat Edition. This is an experience at PLUME. Order yourself a Birds of Baccarat cocktail where you have your Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition—a masterful mix of select XO Cognac barrels (American and French oak)—that's mixed with saffron, cinnamon, manuka honey and garnished gold flakes. And it's served in a Baccarat crystal glass. It'll cost you a pretty penny—SGD1,688++ but not only do you get a serving of the Birds of Baccarat Cocktail, you'd also take home the Baccarat glass it came in, as well as a special Baccarat crystal rabbit zodiac figurine.
You're familiar with Devialet, especially with their Mania portable speakers. Beneath these beatific shells lie its pulsing heart—the aluminium full-range drivers (4) and woofers (2). Full-range in its processing, that covers the entire audio spectrum from bass to medium to treble. The Mania's adaptive 360° sound wraps you in a tapestry of melodies; each note is experienced with clarity and depth. And now it comes in two new colourways—Sunset Rose and Sandstorm. Something for Christmas, surely?
A spirits brand with a lifestyle collection with Stella and Mary McCartney? Yes, please. The curated set called TOGETHER, drew inspiration from nature. It includes vibrant handmade glassware, an ombre ceramic flask encased in an apple leather alternative sleeve, brass ice stamps with hand-painted ceramic handles and a brass napkin weight shaped like an acorn—a tribute to the oak casks maturing The Macallan whisky. And if homeware isn't up your alley, there's always the third edition of The Harmony Collection, which features two distinctive expressions: Amber Meadow and Green Meadow.
If you’re like us and you’ve grown up on all the commercially driven lore of Christmas—Santa, elves, reindeers and whatnot—you’d appreciate Swarovski’s latest Christmas-themed collection. The Holiday Cheers line features a range of icons crafted from crystals that’ll sit pretty all year round. And because Swarovski makes them different year after year, here’s to starting a new collection.
Grail may have underwent a rebrand but it still retains its firm commitment to sustainability. Another surprise from this local brand: the sunscreen (pictured, second from left). Made with a unique eco-friendly formula, it doesn't have that thick sticky residue that your conventional sunscreen has. The application of the Daily SPF 50+++ (maybe someone should come up with a simpler name?) is so light that it almost feels like there was nothing slathered on to begin with.
Take a second and think about your favourite go-to scents. Chances are, you’re thinking about something that’s woody, musky and perhaps powdery—sensual notes that are typically at the base of some of the best-selling men’s fragrances out there. Dior Sauvage and Bleu de Chanel for example, contain base notes of vanilla and amber, and sandalwood respectively.
These grounded notes belong to the warmer side of the fragrance wheel where olfactive families the likes of amber, woody, and fougère (French for “fern”) reside. The latter of which is probably the most used olfactive family in masculine scents. In fact, both the aforementioned Dior Sauvage and Bleu de Chanel are classified as such.
A fragrance is more often than not, quite a subjective experience. While there tends to be a gendered approach to it—as with most things—there’s hardly any reason why a scent shouldn’t be used because it’s crafted and tagged to be worn by a specific gender. Having said that, there’s a common understanding that masculine fragrances favour a heavier overall feel. That’s totally fine, except in cases where humidity levels already weigh one down.
There’s a reason why warm-profile fragrances are typically worn in the colder months of the year. The rich and sometimes intense notes of warmer fragrances may be great for a lingering sillage, but in humid conditions, they’re often overpowering. Couple that with incessant sweating, and you’ve got yourself quite an uncomfortable combination.
Green fragrances are one of the more underrated scent profiles, especially in the men’s fragrance space. Green sits somewhere in between floral and aqua scent profiles. They’re meant to capture the feeling of being in the outdoors with natural notes of grass as well as the sharp freshness of cucumber-esque notes. An inherent lightness lies in the base notes exuding a typically subtle scent, but green formulations can be mixed with more full-bodied accords to create quite a well-balanced fragrance.
Consider a green fragrance like a much needed spritz of cool mist in the summer heat—inviting and thoroughly refreshing.
Because the great outdoors, in essence, comprise of a myriad of scents, it’s not exactly right to say that green fragrances have little aromatic impact. Take Guerlain’s Herbes Troublantes for example. The first whiff is immediately light and refreshing, brought about by essences of thyme, mint and rosemary. It then settles to a powdery body, but only just a tinge.
The same can be said of Jardin à Cythère by Hermès. Inspired by the Greek island of Kythira, the fragrance is a sublime combination of grasses and olive wood that is tied together with fresh pistachio. There’s a slight warmth that comes through but like a breath of fresh air, Jardin à Cythère gives off an overall feeling of brightness.
Citrus notes help to elevate both Acqua di Parma’s Fico di Amalfi and Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Aqua Media. While Italian lemon gives the former a distinct lemony accent, the latter gets its citrus inflections thanks to a verbena accord that heightens the citrusy aspects of verbena leaves. Both fragrances pack quite a punch at the start before smoothing out to a clean and natural finish.
For something slightly on the floral side, opt for Highgrove Bouquet by Penhaligon’s. Its deceptive in the sense that one wouldn’t probably expect a dose of sweet floral to cut through. Yet at the same time, it’s wonderfully light and airy.
If you’re hesitant about leaving behind the musk, there are a number of green fragrances that have been teamed up with musky accords. Start off with Creed’s Green Irish Tweed—one of the house’s best-selling fragrances—consisting of a familiar sandalwood base. It’s in the inclusion of Egyptian geranium, lavender, violet as well as bergamot that tips the fragrance to the green side of things.
Chanel’s Coco Noir bridge the olfactory space between amber and green quite beautifully. It’s an overall musky scent but is somewhat muted by the presence of bergamot and geranium rose leaf. And yes, it’s categorically a women’s fragrance but who could even tell?
Probably the most musky of the lot in this edit—at least in the initial whiff—Aesop’s Erémia remains vibrant and fresh. The top notes are mostly citrus-heavy with yuzu and grapefruit, and then balanced with bergamot. Its middle goes full green with green tea and mimosa, but it’s in the base that the green profile is further enhanced with galbanum. To tie it all down, patchouli affords Erèmia that distinct musky scent you’d easily be drawn to.
Photography: Jaya Khidir
Styling: Justin Neo
