Taylor Swift has finally ended her Eras tour, so the question is, how long will she remain at the top of any entertainment list? For now, she’s unbeatable. Fashion-wise, she’s known to wear Zimmermann, and that Aussie brand seems to excite more interest than ever. Founded by Sydneysider sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann in 1992, they will only issue gear you can dance in. Since 2023, it’s been partly owned by US private equity giant Advent International, who must be dancing all the way to the bank. Zimmermann has 56 stores worldwide, including such locations as Shanghai and Shenzhen and London’s Bond Street. Looking at its current website, by the way, you might be convinced that anything all black, with gold accessories, is absolutely right for chic events. (Remember how many all-black outfits there were at the Leaders of Luxury Summit 2024 in Hong Kong last November?)
This particular column could well be called the Aussie special. Let’s switch from looking good to good-looking, as in wearable timepieces. Take note of Andrew McCutchey’s Watch Discovery Studio. He’s made watches his life forever, it seems, and now he has set up a watch discovery studio in Melbourne. It’s part of his Time and Tide empire. The discovery studio is to see what watches he’s got; have a look, and generally network with other watch collectors.
Some say that watches are the Shangri-La when it comes to alternative investments for the young: 28-year old Charles Tian, founder of Texas-based WatchCharts, estimates the CPO—certified pre-owned—market is worth US$27 billion a year
CPO, or already-loved—never “second-hand”—can apply to tangible assets but not to experiences. The newest river-boat cruiser in Southeast Asia could well be called a 13-cabin air-conditioned private yacht. The 50-metre-long Bohème by Mekong Kingdoms’ best cabin is the 60-square-metre Royal Suite, with private sundeck. Bohème has an onboard crew of 20 for a maximum 26 guests so you could theoretically have massages daily, at least; tourist excursions include the Elephant Conservation Centre at Sayabouri, and the two Pak Ou caves, both containing hundreds of statues of Buddha in various positions.
Bohème started its maiden voyage 9 December 2024, sailing from Luang Prabang and the Laotian capital, Vientiane. It makes sense for a pre-cruise layover at the Avani+ in Luang Prabang, which has the same ownership as the boat—both are managed by Bangkok-based Bill Heinecke’s Minor International, which, in his quest to be asset-light, means he has no equity in either the hotel or the boat.
Those who prefer faster travel, or at least watching it, will have to wait for 16 March for the first full-scale F1 of the year in Melbourne (get your Zimmermanns out…). Those who really are suffering petrolhead panic, of course, can head for re-season testing from 26 to 28 February, but what might entice even more is a two-hour F1 evening show at London’s 02 on 18 February. All 20 drivers and all 10 team principals will be among the central players and it’s a good chance to try one of London’s two newest luxury hotels. The boutique Mandarin Oriental London Mayfair is right next to Bond Street while the classic-style Peninsula, London is under 10 minutes’ walk to Hong Kong-owned Harvey Nichols—add a further five minutes to Harrods.
