Table of contents for April - May 2015 in Da Man

Every time I get to pen a publisher’s note for an anniversary (Apr/May) issue of DA MAN, I catch myself quietly realizing how time really flies by. I could still recall the time when I walked in Paris eight years ago, meeting an old friend and chatting about the right name for this magazine. Even then, I had an inkling that DA MAN was a strong pick, and, as they say, the rest is history. It’s not rare for friends and business acquaintances to mistakenly assume this magazine is franchised from an international media company. Although it is true that DA MAN is, in fact, “international” in nature: We have teams based in Jakarta, Singapore and Los Angeles, among others. This issue exemplifies this global scope, particularly with the Features…

Time for a Change A startling example of how the fashion industry can really shake things up would be what Alessandro Michele did at Gucci after he was appointed creative director to replace Frida Giannini, with less than a week to conceptualize the entire fall/winter ’15/’16 menswear collection. Not only did Michele manage to present a collection, he made headlines by altering Gucci’s sexy, mod aesthetics into something more romantic and poetic. Another head-turning appointment happened at Maison Margiela (previously Maison Martin Margiela). After its founder left more than a decade ago, the house finally welcomed a new—and rather controversial—creative director to sit at the brand’s helm: John Galliano. He quietly erased “Martin” from the brand’s name, although he remains loyal to the house’s design philosophies. Still, his menswear collection…

For the past several seasons, brands of all levels have released their own version of sneakers—the white variant, in particular— to celebrate a more casual contemporary style. And it is becoming increasingly common to see people sporting sneakers when attending just about any kind of event, even strictly formal ones. A must-know brand for every sneakers fan, Lacoste has a long history with sneakers and, of course, sporty design. Founded by renowned tennis player René Lacoste, the brand has always been one step ahead when it comes to marrying sporty and casual styles—whether it’s through creating relaxed outfits or designing its very own line of sneakers. This season, Lacoste’s classic on-court style is taken offcourt in a collection that encapsulates its prestigious sport heritage. One of the key items in…

Contrary to popular belief, the Hush Puppies brand did not get its name from a certain long-eared, droopy-eyed pooch—if anything, it’s the other way around. The name was coined by the brand’s first ever sales manager, one James Gaylord Muir, who on a business trip was served traditional fried cornballs called hush puppies. When he asked where the name came from, he was told that hush puppies were often thrown to dogs so that they’d stop barking. Now, at the time, “barking dogs” was also an idiom for sore feet. Muir put two and two together, and an iconic brand name was born. Of course it took more than just a unique story to turn a brand into a household name. Hush Puppies essentially introduced the world to the concept…

Balancing Act At first glance, the Pierrot coat stand from Alessi might seem unassuming, even a bit mundane. But, there are coat stands and then there are coat stands created by prominent French designer Pauline Deltour. The Pierrot, being the latter, is a marvel of product design and applied art. All of its pieces effortlessly slot into each other for easy assembly—which becomes even more surprising when you consider just how sturdy and stable the whole contraption is. The perfect alignment of the three legs with the six little clothes pegs allows each single peg to hold up to five kilograms of clothes without the Pierrot tipping over. Of course, it also helps that this beech wood stand can easily blend with just about any home décor. (Available at Bika…

LEVIATHAN Stars Aleksei Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Vladimir Vdovichenkov Director Andrey Zvyagintsev Some movies offer us an escape from the drudgery of daily life; some movies shake us by featuring conflicts that hit close to home. The struggle of the protagonist in “Leviathan” as he deals with an uncaring bureaucracy is something that audiences can easily relate to. Still, what this movie lacks in optimism, it more than makes up for in superb acting and directing. While it did lose to “Ida” at the Oscars, “Leviathan” is still a giant in its own right. KAGUYA-HIME NO MONOGATARI Stars Aki Asakura, Kengo Kora Director Isao Takahata Distributed internationally as “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” this movie is an adaptation of “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,” one of Japan’s most celebrated…

We learn about sex from our experiences, from other people and the world around us. Our culture circulates information and ideas about what sex is, what sex should be, how often we should be having sex, who we ought to be having sex with. Sometimes we choose to believe things that do not help us find and sustain sexual pleasure. Instead, we buy into rules that lead us to suppress our deepest desires and to deny the hope that things can get better. Some of your “Sex Rules” will hopefully be positive; beliefs about your entitlement to pleasure, your freedom to explore what sexual fulfilment means to you and recognition of your entitlement to awaken and celebrate your sexual potential. You are probably also investing in other beliefs, which may…

1 WORTH FIGHTING FOR JOE TASLIM “If I wasn’t a judo athlete for more than ten years, I wouldn’t be able to achieve what I have right now,” Joe Taslim opens up. Crediting his stardom to his disciplined and rigorous years in martial arts, the actor has become synonymous with “Indonesian action hero.” Nevertheless, he is not easily satisfied with his stature, mentioning that if he stops practicing, next year there will be somebody who can beat him. With that in mind, “the Raid” and “Fast & Furious 6” star has already planned to fly to los Angeles to take acting classes before working on a new title back in Indonesia. “actually I am a beginner in the acting world, I am still a baby,” he quipped. The dark-haired actor…

A Agnes B. asia.agnesb.com Alejandro Ingelmo alejandroingelmo.com Ann Demeulemeester Traffic Men Beverly Center 6th floor, suite 654 los angeles +310 6594 313 shoptrafficla.com Armani Exchange Plaza Indonesia, Level 2 +62 21 2992 3725 B Bally Plaza Senayan, Level 1 +62 21 5725 109 Bloomingdales’s bloomingdales.com Braun Büffel Grand Indonesia East Mall, Level UG +62 21 2358 1036 Breitling Available at The Time place Burton Central park, Jakarta C Calvin Klein Collection The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Level 1 Singapore +65 6304 1480 Canali Pacific Place, Level G +62 21 5797 3806 Carhartt Plaza Indonesia, Level 4 +62 21 2992 3843 Chari & Co N.Y.C chariandconyc.net Charriol Plaza Indonesia, Level 1 +62 21 2992 3660 Converse converse.com D Dekonti dekonti.com Dibi dibities.com Diesel 583 Orchard road Singapore +65 6735 3387…

A ROUNDUP OF ALL THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS SEASON TO LOOK AND BE YOUR BEST When it comes to spring trends, pastel colors or fun prints usually come to mind. This season, however, quite a few designers have directed their focus on strong headto-toe white looks. They also play with all sorts of embellishments and different kinds of silhouette to give white-on-white a fresh makeover. From lightweight jackets and shorts seen at Hermès, sharply tailored suits from Burberry Prorsum to loose pieces from 3.1 Phillip Lim, the trend has also spread to high-street brands such as Topman and Zara.…

Wearable luxury. Refined basics. Enduring style. Bally’s vocabulary now seems to revolve around the notion of providing sound and relevant options for modern men with selections of wellcrafted pieces. Under the direction of Pablo Coppola, the brand started rethinking its longtime approach to leather-making and its timeless appeal—two elements that Bally has always relied on in the face of ever-evolving fashion trends. Indeed, looking at the Swiss brand’s spring/summer ’15 presentation, it would seem that “fashion” and “trend” don’t exactly apply to Bally’s way of thinking. “Style” would be a more fitting explanation of what this brand is all about. Just see how its authentic pieces are carefully considered so that each detail has an exact function; or how the brand’s ready-to-wear articles perfectly complement their leather pieces, resulting in…

Go the Extra Mille Swiss luxury brand Richard Mille is making a big splash in Asia with coincidental launches of the RM 011 Ceramic NTPT Flyback Chronograph and a new concept boutique at Resorts World Sentosa Singapore. The RM 011 sports an eye-catching look with a combination of ATZ white ceramic bezels and NTPT carbon case band—a material often used in racing boats, F1 cars and the aeronautics industry. If looks alone aren’t enough to grab your attention, let the complex flyback chronograph movement pique your interest. Limited to 50 units worldwide, the RM 011 will be sold only in Richard Mille boutiques across Asia. Time in the Iron Mask Avant-garde Swiss brand HYT never ceases to amaze. Following its one of-a-kind H1 and H2 watch models, the brand has…

Fall in love with champagne all over again as “Krug by Krug Lovers” (Assouline) reiterates the story of the famed champagne house and the celebrities it has had affairs with. This coffee-table book begins with a short description of how the House of krug was founded back in 1843 by Joseph krug, followed by its illustrious journey throughout many decades of decadence. From the late opera singer maria Callas and ingenious fashion designer karl lagerfeld to master perfumer Francis kurkdjian and legendary film director Francis Ford Coppola, every personal note in tasting perhaps the world’s best sparkling wines is quoted beautifully page after page. The breathtaking images shot by worldrenowned photographers are an equal consummate visual feast that will have you thumb through the pages with joy. Inarguably, “krug by…

When the Earth Rocks SAN ANDREAS Stars Dwayne Johnson, Kylie Minogue, Carla Gugino Director Brad Peyton You can’t have a year in cinema without spectacular, big-budgeted disaster movies, and for 2015, “San Andreas” steps up to take the lead (not to be mistaken with the video game “GTA: San Andreas,” which is what a lot of people initially thought of). The storyline is, perhaps, a bit all too predictable: A father has to journey across California to rescue his estranged daughter after the state was hit by a massive earthquake. Well, disaster and family drama have always been a potent combination, and when you throw Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson into the mix, you have a sure winner. From Russia with Law CHILD 44 Stars Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace…

Finding a common thread between traditional Indonesian cuisine, Thai recipes and German delicacies is pretty much an impossible feat. But not so with Degan Septoadji, the passionate chef who has headed the judging panel of MasterChef Indonesia for two seasons so far. Born in Indonesia and trained in Germany, chef Degan also learned the finer points of cookery through first-hand experience dealing with vastly different culinary traditions from various countries, including Thailand and the Bahamas. His experience and knowledge of myriad ingredients has allowed him to build an admirable mental archive that he can call on to easily reconstruct or deconstruct a dish, bringing it to a new level of epicurean heights. If that sounds hard to imagine, drop by the Letter D where the persistent yet amiable chef would…

No one is born perfect, yet that shouldn’t be a big deal in the 21st century. Advances in cosmetic treatment have brought virtually unlimited possibilities for everyone to alter their physical appearance, fast and easy. Especially in Asia, the demand for these treatments has been growing steadily, particularly among men—as observed by notable plastic surgeon Danu Mahandaru. “Around one to two years ago, 95 percent of my clients were women and the rest were men,” he started off. “These days, the ratio is around 80 to 20 between female and male patients.” Despite the startling change in attitudes, Dr. Mahandaru pointed out that many patients are not fully aware of what to expect when going under the knife. “A lot of clients bring photos of Korean or international movie stars,…

“I fell in love with Indonesian culture and I want to learn more about it” They say a professional model should be like a chameleon, readily switching from one persona to another. Embodying precisely that saying is Widika Sidmore: In photographs she displays irresistible poise, while in real life she is gracefully calm and laidback. The 23-year-old model is also very down to earth, giving little to no hint that she has actually traveled the world as a professional model— something a lot of girls dream of. With her soothing voice, she explains that her start in modeling came about quite unexpectedly. Although in hindsight, she did have a lot going on for her, including a lanky figure and sharp cheekbones—for Sidmore has always been a thin, awkward girl. “At…

Like many “traditional” British actors, Aaron Taylor-Johnson began acting at a young age; starting with theater, then moving on to TV and film. He got a taste of Hollywood as a teenager, taking on minor roles in several films, but eventually made his mark in the independent movie scene. This is where he first moved onto starring roles, such as in the biopic film “Nowhere Boy” as well as the “Kick Ass” dilogy. But, Hollywood beckoned once more, with even bigger roles in bigger projects. Last year he emerged as the protagonist in the new “Godzilla,” and this May we will see him joining the ranks of Marvel’s leading men in “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” His journey as an actor, however, is just beginning. Ronald Liem: Hi Aaron, obviously, we’re…

One of a kind. One at a time. Each by hand. Jakarta - Plaza Indonesia • Bali -John Hardy Ubud Workshop, Mulia Nusa Dua, International Airport Bowling’s Back The spring/summer ’15 season sees a whole new shirting game. Transferred directly from the ’70s onto this season’s runways is the bowling shirt, which is interpreted in a myriad of ways by various designers. Some end up looking like pajama shirts under construction, others stick to the original loose sleeves and shorter length. Made of light and airy materials, the bowling shirt has one quality no other shirts have: the lazy Y-neck neckline that shows off some collarbone. Metallic Chic Metallic trends have unexpectedly stolen the thunder from the ubiquitous seventies throwback this season. As seen in the season’s lineup of laidback…

This spring/summer, British menswear brand Burton flies across the Atlantic to find inspiration for its latest collection. With clean lines and modernity in mind, representatives from the brand journeyed to three American locales—the East Coast, Palm Springs and New York City—and took styling cues from each place to put together a collection full of rich stories. From the laidback East Coast, they brought nautical motifs, which were reworked into smart urban outerwear. Meanwhile, from Palm Springs came ’50s and ’60s Americana styles that were characterized by bright colors and the typical Californian coolness. Since the first two destinations inspired casual vibes, Burton adopted cuts and textures for its formalwear from the New Yorkers: slimmer, assertive, pure business. GO LOCAL BATIK KERIS IS COMMITTED TO PRESERVING ITS NAMESAKE TRADITIONAL TEXTILE, and…

British brand Ted Baker composed its spring/summer ’15 collection around the notion of “what dreams are made of.” Seeing how it brings together flashes of bold prints, strong textured fabrics and vivid colors, the brand’s mission to put together a dream spring wardrobe has been accomplished. But it does quite a bit more. After all, it would have been all too easy for the brand to simply throw in different colors and textures, and then call it a day. Ted Baker further elevates those striking elements by employing classic tailoring and streamlined silhouettes so that the pieces are still utterly wearable and can even be worn for formal occasions. A similar approach can also be seen in a series of bags, wallets, belts and shoes in floral prints. These come…

Not everyone subscribes to the idea that the fairer the skin, the better you’ll look. But if you do wish to have a brighter facial complexion, there are plenty of grooming products on the market that are right for the job. From brightening serums to whitening moisturizers to dark-spot correctors, these products will go a long way to brightening up the skin gradually. Just as important as this fine selection is letting go of outdoor sports or basking under the sun throughout spring and summer. A little sacrifice shouldn ’t hurt, right? 3 MOST RECOMMENDED 1 SK-II For Men has some of the most effective skincare products for men—particularly for Asian men. This includes SK-II’s Brightening Serum, a powerful combination of Pitera and Vibrant Bright Complex that will improve skin…

Memory Ree-corder Some cameras boast excellent picture quality and pro features; some cameras are built around ease-of-use. HTC’s new RE (pronounced “ree”) camera definitely falls into the latter category. The tube-like gadget packs a 16-megapixel camera and can record HD videos at 1080p—which is okay, but not great. That’s because the RE was designed primarily as a fun personal camera that’s easy to use (even one-handed) by proud fathers running after their children at amusement parks or adventurers looking to document their outdoor exploits (the camera’s tripod socket can accommodate bike mounts, various sockets and a special protection pack for extended underwater use). It might be a bit pricey, but warm memories are priceless, no? Better, Faster … Smarter The first two Smart Watch models from Sony were good, but…

Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch is exactly the type of actor for whom typecasting can be a real concern. And yes, it is hard to separate his unique look and rich deep baritone voice from the image of a posh gentleman from Britain’s highest social circles. That being said, Cumberbatch’s status as Hollywood icon has been cemented through roles as diverse as a troubled mathematical genius (“The Imitation Game”), one of the last great fire-drakes of Middle Earth ("The Hobbit" trilogy), and even Marvel Comic’s sorcerer supreme (the upcoming "Doctor Strange"). But this is exactly how he wants it; as he put it himself, “I’d love to have a really broad sweep of characters—to be able to do something edgy, surprising and unfashionable.” He also seems to rather enjoy playing such…

Space and the City Fairmont Jakarta (Jl. Asia Afrika no. 8, Jakarta; +62 21 2970 3333; fairmont.com) opened with a bang last January. Besides its enviable location in Senayan, the five-star hotel’s real trump card is underground access to Sentral Senayan Office Towers and Plaza Senayan—an extraordinary feature in the perpetually trafficjammed metropolis. Of course, the neighboring 18-hole Senayan National Golf Club, Gelora Bung Karno sports arena and the Jakarta Convention Centre are excellent for active business travelers. Should you intend to stay in the comfort of your room all day, the Fairmont Jakarta definitely doesn’t disappoint. Each of the 380 guestrooms is designed with personal space and luxury in mind. Even the standard room category boasts a decadent white-marbled bathtub, among many other amenities. And still, there’s more to…

The “Mayo Diet” came from the famed Mayo Clinic and comprises lifelong changes in dietary habits for healthy living. The goal is to replace five poor daily habits and add five good, along with conscious portion control. The five healthy and poor health habits originally cited by the Mayo Clinic are as follows: FIVE HEALTHY HABITS TO ADD: 1. Eat a healthy breakfast 2. Eat four servings of vegetables and three of fruits 3. Eat whole grains 4. Eat healthy fats 5. Exercise thirty minutes FIVE POOR HABITS TO STOP: 1. Watching television while eating 2. Added sugar 3. Snacking (except on fruits and vegetables) 4. Large servings of meat or dairy 5. Eating at restaurants Interestingly, in Indonesia, these sets of rules have been slightly modified with no clear…

Grooming Krisada Daokeo Hairdo Wilawan Thipcharoen Coordinator Thitima B. Suta/Anuwat Yoddee Model Slava Victorov/Zoom–Evrika Model Management Location The Sukhothai Bangkok (13/3 South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120, Thailand; +66 (0) 2344 8888; www.sukhothai.com)…

EXQUISITE NEW WATCH MODELS BECKON TO THE BOLD AND BRAVE, WHILE A SERIES OF STURDY LEATHER GOODS INSPIRED BY SUN AND SEA USHER IN A NEW SEASON OF TRAVEL AND EXPLORATION A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LATEST TRENDS AND SPECIAL REPORTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Vintage-looking timepieces have always been highly sought-after. Drawing heavily from its treasure trove of past archives is Breitling, a Swiss luxury brand that’s famed for its commitment to aviation-inspired watches. Founded in 1884, Breitling helped shape the formula of early chronographs by setting the standard for a separate pusher from the crown—while pocket watches at that time had the pusher on top of the crown. Gaston Breitling, second generation head of the company, was instrumental in bringing about this technical perfection as well as Breitling’s…

1A Night to Remember French brand Hermès doesn’t only know how to create exquisite luxury items; it also excels at throwing marvelous parties. On February 26, both sides of this luxury brand were on display as it re-opened its store at Grand Hyatt Hotel following extensive renovation. RDAI, the Paris-based architectural agency, was responsible for the new space—as is the case for all Hermès stores worldwide. That evening, an excited crowd of exclusive guests descended on the new store, which features designated corners for womenswear, menswear, leather goods, perfume, homeware as well as jewelry and watches. The brand’s affinity with art was also showcased as it invited renowned graffiti artist Kongo to design a limited edition scarf and decorate the party space. 2 Gourmet of the Centuries Cognac house Martell…