Eight stunning women take to the streets of Venice for a fashion shoot - but who are they?

 

Videography by eyedid.it 

What makes someone truly stylish? Is it confidence? Elegance? That's the questions faced each year by the editors of Asia's eight Tatler magazines when they select the most stylish woman in their territory to take part in a glamorous photo shoot in an exotic location. The eight standard-bearers of our latest Asia’s Most Stylish extravaganza were whisked off to Venice late last year for a weekend of sightseeing, shopping and celebrations marking the launch of DFS Group’s first store in Europe, T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS.


 Hong Kong

When Valerie Chow arrived on set at our shoot location overlooking DFS' flagship boutique in Venice wearing distressed denim jeans, ankle boots and a rock n' roll sweatshirt she looked impossibly chic and cool. The former actress and model who spent 10 years with Pedder Group and Lane Crawford under the guidance of Peter Harris is now the founder of Mama Kid, a fashion-forward designer concept store for children. Elegant, composed and witty - she spent her days in Venice exploring and getting to know the city better. Dressed in Gucci, Loewe and Tom Ford she set the style stakes high... exactly where they should be. Watch as her adventures unfold in Italy and find out more about Hong Kong's most stylish lady of 2016.


 Indonesia

High-flying Christina Lim, the holder of a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California, has been the head of investor relations at Bumitama Agri, an oil palm plantation company, since 2012 and is the president commissioner of Harita Securities. She was a member of the discipline committee of the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2004 to 2009.


 Philippines 

Food, lifestyle and travel journalist Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi is the youngest daughter of the vice-governor of Bukidnon Province, Jose Ma Zubiri Jr. She founded catering business Epicurus in 2009 and Mediterranean-Filipino restaurant Atelier 317 in Makati in 2012. Her column in the Philippine Star, Feast With Me, has been running for more than six years. She hosts two TV shows, one of which, Modern Living TV, is in its 6th season. A mother of two, Stephanie recently married Jonathan Crespi, president of Europ Continents, the Philippine distributor of French coffee brand Malongo. She has degrees in history and geography from the University of Paris IV—Sorbonne.


 China 

Melissa Zuo spent her formative years in Canada, where she graduated from the University of Toronto before returning to Mainland China to join her family’s business, the property conglomerate China Tian Yuan Group. In 2015, combining her passion for art and film, she founded Tian Yuan Culture and Media Communications to produce and distribute films, television content and music. She is currently working on producing her first film, which is being shot in London. Melissa supports a number of philanthropic causes, including the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and charities that help children and the underprivileged in remote regions of China.


Singapore

Ho Ching Lin is a sought-after ophthalmologist at the Singapore National Eye Centre, where she is a senior consultant and head of glaucoma services. A mother of one, she is also chairwoman of the organising committee for the Eye Ball hosted annually by the Singapore Eye Research Institute. Ching Lin has received numerous accolades for her achievements, including the Parmigiani Fleurier Woman of Exception award in the science category in 2013. When she’s not restoring sight, she can be found coiled in complicated yoga poses or enjoying a spot of dim sum.


Malaysia

The youngest child of former politician and diplomat Ibrahim Saad and his wife Zainab Abdul Kader, Zaida Ibrahim has had two of the busiest years of her life. Last year she married her beau, Arif Zikri Azizi, in a lavish ceremony in Bali, and in April 2015 she launched her own business—a cold-pressed juice brand called Impressed. Zaida has always been a health and fitness buff and she hopes to encourage more Malaysians to adopt healthier habits. She’s also a director at construction company Citra Gigih and is set to launch a beauty business later in the year.


Taiwan

Patty Tsai is the daughter of Lu Fong Tsai and Jane Tsai, founders of the Red Bean Dining Group, one of the biggest Shanghai restaurant chains in Taiwan. Patty is also the wife of Sean Lien, the eldest son of Lien Chan, a former vice-president of Taiwan. She moved to Canada when she was 14. After graduating from McGill University she headed to the US to gain a master’s degree in biology and medicine from Brown University. Patty has been a leading supporter of Estée Lauder’s Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign for several years. She is also a columnist for TVBS Weekly and Taiwan Tatler.

 


Thailand

Fashion designer Vatanika Patamasingh na Ayudhya graduated from Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion before launching her eponymous label, Vatanika, in 2011. She artfully plays with luxurious fabrics and feminine silhouettes, and her label is known for its outstanding prints. The style influencer, who divides her time between the UK and Thailand, has 215,000 followers on her personal Instagram.


 This article was originally published in Hong Kong Tatler January 2017 issue