To celebrate our 500th issue of Hong Kong Tatler, take a look back at the editions marking the four previous centennial milestones since the magazine’s founding more than 40 years ago

Back to the future

With less than four years to run until the handover of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997, the October 1993 edition of Hong Kong Tatler, the 200th, considered the political powers of post-colonial rule. Would Baroness Dunn and Anson Chan have scuppered their chances to remain in the spotlight as a result of their close ties to the British administration, and would Zhou Nan, Vincent Lo, Rita Fan or Tsang Yok-sin rise to power?

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Above Photo: from the Hong Kong Tatler archives

There were also the matters of the triads, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the judiciary to consider when Beijing took the helm. It was all addressed here in hard-hitting style.

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Above Photo: from the Hong Kong Tatler archives

Cutting a dash

Fashion is never far from the pages of Tatler. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine that this Hippie Chic shoot was the height of fashion as seventies sass came back into style.

The images were taken by a member of the Italian aristocracy, photographer Stefano Massimo, son of Prince Vittorio Massimo of Roccasecca and the English actress Dawn Addams, although today he is perhaps better known for his photographic reportage of social issues than his fashion shoots.

See also: Hong Kong Tatler Ball 2018 Highlights

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Above Photo: from the Hong Kong Tatler archives

Double centenary

For the 200th edition, Tatler took a look back at a handful of major Hong Kong events since the first edition was published in 1977, from the opening of Cecil Chao’s The 3388 nightclub in 1977, through to Chris Patten’s installation as the last governor of Hong Kong in 1992.

There were pictures of the magazine’s favourite socialites taken in the late 1970s,  which included Run Run Shaw, Stanley Ho, Hari Harilela, Dickson Poon and Kai-yin Lo, among others.

A We Told You So section summarised a January 1981 story on the need for greater environmental protection in Hong Kong—a situation that hasn’t changed—while an August 1983 feature advised that the time had arrived to buy property in Hong Kong. We assume you did!

Celebrating Hong Kong Tatler's 500th Issue:

See more on Hong Kong Tatler's 100th200th, 300th and 400th issues.

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