Table of contents for October 2023 - November 2023 in Da Man

If you notice something slightly different on our cover and the first few pages up until this one, then trust your eyes—they haven’t deceived you. I am thrilled to announce that DA MAN has undergone a revamp starting this edition. We’ve carefully crafted subtle changes throughout the magazine to ensure that our readers will enjoy a new and enhanced experience. Essentially, I envision DA MAN as a continuously evolving platform that will deliver high-quality content, enriched with beautiful imagery and a contemporary layout. For this October/November issue, we have multi-hyphenate Al Ghazali gracing the cover in an exclusive collaboration with Louis Vuitton. We catch up with the talented actor and musician as he shares insights into his latest endeavors. But, of course, that’s not all; we also have Yoshi Sudarso…

WITH A BANG MONTBLANC, known for its timeless craftsmanship, introduces new additions to its signature Extreme 3.0 leather collection. Highlights of this signature collection includes its distinctive geometric pattern, sumptuous leather and bold buckles. Of the latter, the original M LOCK 4810 buckle was redeveloped in transparent Plexiglas to expose the special internal mechanism of the lock. This expansion also brings a fresh color variation to the palette: fern blue to its 142 Bag and Compact Envelope Bag. Completing this extended assortment is the Montblanc #MY4810 trolley in full-grain bovine leather. Everyday Staple GIVENCHY’S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, Matthew M. Williams, has expanded the Voyou bag family to include pieces designed explicitly for men. Like its feminine counterpart, the masculine edition of the Voyou channels Parisian coolness and nonchalant elegance reminiscent of…

HERMÈS H08 CHRONOGRAPH This year’s Watches and Wonders Geneva saw Hermès unveil a vibrant addition to its Hermès H08 collection. In particular, the collection welcomes a new mono-pusher chronograph model with orange touches that accentuate the displays’ overall coherence and legibility. The black-gold-treated and blackened dial showcases a combination of white and orange transferred minutes track and orange-varnished seconds and counters hands to add balance and contrast. At the same time, the satin-finished and polished titanium bezel tops a textured case middle, while the black PVD-coated crown incorporates an orange-rimmed mono-pusher at 3 o’clock. Powering the watch is the Hermès H1837 mechanical self-winding movement coupled with a chronograph module. With its colorful touches, sporty spirit and urban allure, the Hermès H08 Chronograph wonderfully echoes the masculine universe of the house.…

What soccer is for Indonesians, rugby is for New Zealanders. A national sport played anywhere from backyards to world championships, rugby is an integral part of New Zealand culture. And among the most celebrated heroes of the sport, we find the legendary All Blacks. Formally known as the New Zealand national rugby union team, the All Blacks commands a presence that extends beyond its home country—and even into the realm of popular culture. The team, in their distinctive all black kit, have appeared on Air New Zealand safety videos while clips of their famous pre-game haka are often found on video-sharing platforms and social media. And, they have also appeared on the campaigns of Swiss watch brand TUDOR. Recently, DA MAN had the rare opportunity to chat a bit with…

For quite some time now, air pollution has dominated conversations across Indonesia, particularly in the nation’s capital of Jakarta. You’ve likely seen it, too: Photos of the hazy cityscape popping up on social media, showing the skyline blanketed in smog. The consequences of the current level of air pollution are far-reaching. Breathing becomes uncomfortable and many, especially children and older people, may face various health problem. Even President Joko Widodo reportedly struggled with persistent coughing, prompting a call for government intervention. With all that in mind, let’s dig deeper into the situation and explore ways to shield ourselves from the adverse effects. UNDERSTANDING THE CULPRIT Before tackling the problem, let’s first understand what contaminates the air we breathe. Specifically, it’s important to understand this crisis’ keyword: Particulate Matter (PM). According…

STURDY CACTI SANIHARTO presents the Cereus End Table, a piece inspired by the form of a cactus. This table is designed by the Budi Kurniawan, who masterfully transforms the imperfections found in the contours of a cactus into a distinctive and beautifully-crafted work of art. In particular, the intricate carvings on this table are testament to the organic contours found on the original plant. Made using sturdy yet elegant metal, the table also has two cactus arms that complements the design and adds another dimension of functionality. This is definitely an excellent choice for anyone looking for a solid side-table. A Snug Embrace NOTHING FEELS QUITE as relaxing like unwinding on a reclining chair after a long and demanding workday. With this in mind, Jori designed the Daydreamer recliner as a…

A BOLD RETURN Since its inception in 2010, Bistro Baron (Plaza Indonesia Extension, Level 1, Unit E 20-21, Jakarta; +6221-2992-3505/06; bistrobaron.com) has been a haven for epicures and bon vivants, offering a luxurious experience with classic French cuisine. After a revitalization project in May 2023, the beloved establishment returned to Jakarta’s gastronomic scene with a fresh concept and a new look. The interior features paneled walls dressed in dark brown and emerald for an elegant atmosphere, juxtaposed with a splash of vibrant red accents on the sofas and chairs. In the kitchen, Chef Hironori Sato from Sapporo leads his brigade in crafting exquisite delights which includes dishes like Terrine de Foie Gras, Confit de Canard and Beef Bourguignon. Cheers for Beers GOOD NEWS FOR libationists and beer enthusiasts visiting Bali!…

French philosopher Denis Diderot once said that great passions can elevate the soul to great things, and Al Ghazali is living proof of that. Having been in the entertainment industry of Indonesia for years, Al—as he is popularly called—is a young acting sensation with a stellar filmography, having starred in various drama and horror titles. Born in a family of musicians, the 26-year-old actor is also blessed with musical talent. Last year, DA MAN met Al in a colorful collaboration with Louis Vuitton. This time, Al returns to grace the cover of our October/November 2023 issue as we come full circle in another team-up with the French maison in this fashionable rendezvous. Our conversation begins with the latest update on Al’s acting journey. Back during our first meeting, Al mentioned…

Hailing from the picturesque town of Iverness, Florida, and now a rising star in the modeling world, Ben Crofchick has journeyed from social media discovery to landing pivotal roles in the industry. With a refreshing blend of humanity and confidence, the 25-year-old model shares his story of transformation from a small-town guy to a thriving professional model in the bustling fashion landscape. DAMAN: You were discovered on social media before catching your big break for Moschino. How would you sum up your journey so far? BC: I would say it’s been a journey. I was blessed to be able to shoot and work with many amazing brands and people. When this career started, I never thought it would have given me the opportunities it provided.  DA: How has your modeling…

Two iconic brands, TAG Heuer and Porsche, are built on a bedrock of rich histories and reputations for innovation, cutting-edge technology, independent mindsets and excellence in design. And not too long ago, TAG Heuer elevated this uniting of passions to a new level by joining forces with Porsche. The bond emerged as the two giants unveiled their first collaborative watch, the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph, in 2021. The second chapter of this partnership then came out in 2022, in the form of the TAG Heuer Carrera x Porsche Limited Edition, followed in the same year by a Porsche edition of the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4, as well as two TAG Heuer Carrera x Porsche Limited Editions celebrating the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7’s 50th anniversary. The vibrant TAG…

Nestled in the heart of Paris, Berluti’s Rue Marbeuf boutique is home of the brand’s bespoke creations. This wood-paneled building, once an atelier and salon, was transformed into a retail haven in 1926. Today, it not only houses Berluti’s exceptional collections of shoes, ready-to-wear pieces and leather goods, but has also become a venue for style connoisseurs to immerse themselves in the brand’s rich heritage. It’s from this historic backdrop that the new travel line Toile Marbeuf draws its inspiration. Unveiled as a part of Berluti’s fall/winter 2023 collection, the Toile Marbeuf consists of six travel-ready styles, each an ode to the Rue Marbeuf boutique’s interiors. The Cabas tote, Cartable backpack, Musette messenger, small cross-body Bourse, Bagage Weekender and iconic rolling luggage Formula 1005 all bear Berluti’s storied emblems, namely…

HERMÈS 01 BEFITTINGLY FIT THE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED HermèsFit event finally made its debut in Jakarta on September 15 to 17, 2023. The exclusive event welcomed friends and followers of the house to break a sweat within the bespoke Hermès Gym. HermèsFit creates an interactive universe filled with vibrant orange décor and artistic motifs adorning the walls. This playful space offers scheduled workout classes, a weights area featuring custom Hermès barbells and kettlebells, a silk-inspired calisthenics course as well as a boxing ring doubling as a photobooth. The gym’s juice bars were a delightful addition, offering guests the chance to rejuvenate with healthy potions after their workouts. ZEGNA 02 FROM OASI TO SINGAPORE ZEGNA HAS BROUGHT “The World of Oasi Cashmere” to life with an exclusive event celebrating the new Oasi Cashmere FW23…

Hold the Grunge Fall/winter 2023’s tartan hits differently compared to last season’s approach. This time around, the motif takes a dive into the past and brings back 1990s grunge. To achieve a genuine grunge aesthetic, tartan can be combined with oversized hoodies or washed denim. Givenchy, Dsquared2 and Egonlab are among the brands offering plenty of options in this style. Boys Like Girls Throughout history, skirts have defied traditional gender boundaries. And now, this timeless trend has drifted back to the current season and brought a sea of change in men’s style preferences. If you’re not yet comfortable wearing one solo, try to layer it with pants underneath as shown by Courrèges, Moschino and Wales Bonner. Elevated Workwear The classic duo of a shirt and pants has been a staple…

Daring Aesthetic BULGARI SHOWCASES A truly powerful testament to its technical ingenuity by launching the Octo Finissimo CarbonGold at the recently concluded Geneva Watch Days event. As the name suggests, the new Octo Finissimo CarbonGold watches are fashioned with golden elements contrasted with new materials in the anthracite hues of high-tech carbon. Moreover, the case, strap and dial are extremely lightweight as they are created from anthracite-colored carbon in a matte finish. At the same time, the crown, crafted in gold, offers a luxurious contrast against this high-tech backdrop. In terms of complications, the watches come with a small seconds counter or a perpetual calendar. With their daring aesthetics and superb performance, the Octo Finissimo CarbonGold are truly among this year’s must-have novelties. STEPPING FORWARD THE ergonomic, unisex and contemporary…

LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR Following the same quest for modernity, elegance and functionality that the maison has been built on for more than 160 years, Louis Vuitton unveiled the latest iteration of its iconic Tambour earlier this year. This novel timepiece showcase a new statement of identity on its central brushed dial section with a distinctive “Louis Vuitton Paris” livery, denoting the maison’s origins. Moreover, there’s also a subtle change below the small-seconds counter, as “Fab. En Suisse” replaces “Swiss Made.” Presented in a 40mm stainless steel case, the new Tambour comes with two dial color options: one in gray and the other in blue. Beneath either visual composition, the new Tambour is equipped with the new cal. LFT023. This is the first proprietary automatic three-hand movement designed by Louis Vuitton…

Youthful Jar GLOBAL LUXURY SKINCARE brand Sulwhasoo recently introduced the ultimate potion to freeze aging. Meet the Ultimate S Cream, formulated with the brand’s patented ingredient, Ginseng Berry SR, that helps recapture the skin’s youth. These ginseng berries are harvested for just one day after 1,000 days of cultivation. The result is a proprietary extract with a concentration 200 times higher than untreated ginseng berries, making it an exceptionally rare and potent ingredient. The Ultimate S Cream directly combats aging effects while revitalizing and purifying the skin for a renewed appearance. Moreover, this cream’s unique skin-lifting effect key areas to restore the skin to its youthful glory. After eight weeks of routine application, you can expect smile lines to be lifted along with more elastic skin on the cheeks. As…

When it comes to working out, everyone has different goals. Some aim to gain muscle, while others want to lose weight or build strength and endurance. Isometric exercises are great for the latter. See, exercising doesn’t always require repetitive movements or continuous activity and you can achieve remarkable results by holding your body in a single position—which is what isometric exercises is all about. Essentially, isometric exercises apply constant tension to the muscles, engaging them but not changing their length. Although they won’t necessarily bulk up your muscles, isometric exercises improve strength and stability, which can help fine-tune your form. Isometric exercise utilizes your body weight as resistance and usually requires little to no equipment, making it easy to add to your workout routine. BENEFITS Isometric exercises require you to…

Golden Landis Von Jones, popularly known as 24KGoldn, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter currently taking the music scene by storm. In this special interview with DA MAN, the young artist takes us from his earliest memories of his parents singing harmonies to his meteoric rise to stardom. DAMAN: Can you tell us about your early introduction to music and what eventually inspired you to pursue a career in the industry? 24kGoldn: One of the first things I remember is my parents singing Michael Jackson harmonies to me as I fell asleep as a kid. Growing up, I went to Glide Church in San Francisco, where I sang in an award-winning choir. So, as early as I can remember, music has surrounded me. I think destiny led me to…

When Longines first introduced the HydroConquest collection to the public in 2007, it marked a significant milestone for the esteemed winged hourglass watchmaker. This launch represented a pivotal moment in the brand’s history as it expanded its portfolio to include a range of sports watches. The HydroConquest series quickly established itself as a true benchmark for sport watches, offering a contemporary dive watch that combined practical features with Longine’s trademark elegance. Several renditions later and Longines is once again pushing the boundaries of its iconic HydroConquest collection by introducing a new range of HydroConquest GMT models. This addition is a first for the emblematic collection. By introducing a GMT complication, wearers can display the time in two different time zones simultaneously. Longines notably pioneered the application of this concept on…

A TIMELESS CODE OVER the past couple of years, Anthony Vaccarello has successfully established solid sartorial grounds for Saint Laurent, consistently emphasizing the image of the effortlessly cool guy. For fall/winter 2023, the designer cast American singers-songwriters Dominic Fike and Steve Lacy to embody this image in the brand’s seasonal campaign. Joining the two is American actor Anson Boon. All three figures exude elegance in a way that embodies the house’s timeless code while wearing pieces from the season’s collection. To capture this star-studded campaign, Vaccarello chose photographer Gray Sorrenti. The result is, of course, a series of aesthetic images showcasing an exuberant energy pouring out from both the stars and the collection itself. Smith for Smith BRITISH LUXURY FASHION brand Paul Smith has announced “Doctor Who,” “The Crown” and…

CARTIER TANK AMÉRICAINE Historically, Cartier’s Tank Américaine was based on the curved case of the 1921 Tank Cintrée, making it an extended family member of the Tank design. Introduced in 1988, it unveiled a distinctive curved rectangular case, a more compact profile and rounded brancards. This year, the latest iteration of the legendary timepiece comes with a new aesthetic and ergonomic approach. The purity of its form is further reinforced by the dial’s style and the flawless integration of the brancards into of the strap extension. The new Tank Américaine is driven by the equally new Manufacture 1899 MC movement. As for the finishing touches, the watch comes in various configurations, including all-gold and steel versions with leather straps or metal bracelets, rose gold variants with diamonds and leather straps…

ZENITH CHRONOMASTER ORIGINAL The Chronomaster Original from Zenith, the modern successor to one of the first round-cased steel El Primero reference from 1969 or the Zenith A386, has recently been reinterpreted with a black dial instead of its iconic tricolour composition. Essentially, the traditionally creamy-white dial bearing three counters in shades of gray and blue has been rendered in black for a more dramatic look. To this end, the other elements had to be inverted from white to black and vice-versa, including the date wheel in the trapezoid window at 04:30 and the 1/10th of a second and 10-second chronograph scales. Equipped with the EL Primero 3600 movement that boasts a power reserve of 60 hours, the Chronomaster Original remarkably integrates a 1/10th of a second chronograph into the design…

When world-renowned artist KAWS, a.k.a. Brian Donnelly, initiated his art project in 2018 named KAWS: HOLIDAY, he thought about relaxation, the chance to gaze up and shutting out the world around him. Featuring his signature artwork, “COMPANION,” the monumental inflatable artwork has travelled to various cities across the world. The journey of KAWS: HOLIDAY started in Seoul, South Korea, in July 2018. Measuring 28 meters long, the artwork was the largest sculptural endeavour by the artist at that time and marked his first foray into creating art that could float on water. After visiting Seoul, this artistic journey made stops at Taipei’s Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, Japan’s Mount Fuji and even ventured into the stratosphere before landing in the United Kingdom, Singapore, China’s Changbai Mountain and…

Just a few months ago, we had the pleasure of getting acquainted with American singer and actor Zane Carter. We delved into his journey throughout the entertainment industry and learned about his exciting entry into the global pop group Now United. As it happens, we recently had the chance to catch up with the talented artist again as he prepares for his next adventures… DAMAN: Hi Zane, nice to meet you again. We heard the exciting news that you and Now United will be on tour as The S Club opening act. Can you tell us more?  Zane Carter: It’s a pleasure to meet again. I’m so glad to get the opportunity. I can’t even begin to describe just how excited I am to be on stage again. This October,…

Every venture into the extraordinary commences with a debut. Louis Vuitton, known for its timeless elegance and exceptional craftsmanship, has collaborated with New Zealand rugby legend Dan Carter to create its very first Malle Vestiaire. Rugby, once seen as a rugged and niche sport, has been experiencing a resurgence in popularity, and this collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Dan Carter is a testament to that trend. The retired rugby star has played a pivotal role in bringing rugby into the limelight, with his appearances on runways and in high-profile fashion events catching the attention of the global audience. The Malle Vestiaire is not just another piece of luggage; it’s a symbol of two legacies coming together. Standing at just under 1.5 meters, this mobile wardrobe trunk is designed to accommodate…