Let the Winter Games Begin

The cauldron at Milano was lit creating a giant fireball

The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics has officially begun and the opening ceremonies went off without a hitch -- including the woman showing Italian hand gestures as her microphones didn't work (on purpose). 

Nice blend of classical with Andrea Bocelli singing Nessun Dorma, and Lang Lang on the piano in a white suit and black shoes, and a voluptuous Mariah Carey in her regal robes belting out Volare.

How the Italians dealt with the lighting of the cauldron in two locations was spectacularly done, with the sun-like structure inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's intricate knot designs. It turned from blue to red and set off the fireworks which was an exhilarating display.

Can we talk about some of the uniforms?

Canadians wear maple leafs on their bodies

Some loved the Canadian uniform designed by Lululemon with the giant red maple leaf on the maroon-coloured vest that is draped over the shoulders, on top of a long brown coat. Apparently the vest can be worn as a scarf -- wonder if an athlete can model this for us -- and it can also double as a pillow. Useful?

Others preferred the Roots designs from before featuring red and white varsity jackets with the red berets worn backwards. 

Probably the most consistently preppy are the American uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren, unabashedly featuring the American flag all over the sweaters and jackets. 

Mongolia got a shout-out for its traditional garb, inspired by the 13th and 15th Mongol Empire. The long robes were made with Mongolian cashmere and designed to keep the athletes warm, as they would have done centuries ago.

Shades of blue from the Chinese team

But what about China? Was someone in the Chinese committee tired of the red and yellow colour scheme? In previous years Chinese netizens have made fun of the colour combination, saying the look was reminiscent of scrambled eggs and tomato, a homestyle dish.

This year the Chinese team was dressed by Li-Ning and the athletes came out in shades of blue -- dark for men, pastel for women. How yawningly predictable. 

Nevertheless, Chinese state media have praised the uniforms, adding netizens have commented, "China looks awesome" and "This looks so cool."

Can we also talk about no sign of Eileen Gu, the Chinese-American freestyle skier who makes US$23 million a year from non-sports activities from modelling to endorsements? She was not the flag bearer again this year.

This will be her second Olympics after she won two golds and a silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games and conveniently seems to be able to represent China despite holding two passports (which China does not allow dual citizenship). 

Will Gu repeat her medal performance this year?

In several interviews over the years, Gu has said: "When I'm in the US, I'm American, but when I'm in China, I'm Chinese."

That statement seems to fit neatly into one comment online: "Being Chinese like Eileen Gu once every four years is just about right; being Chinese everyday is a bit too challenging."

The scrutiny of this 22-year-old continues! And it will keep going if she competes again in 2030...

Remembering Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani

Armani has had a presence in Hong Kong for decades

I woke up to the news this morning that Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani had passed away at the age of 91 in Milan.

When I was a teenager, I would flip through Hong Kong weekly magazines that were celebrity focussed, and had lots of advertisements and the ones that captivated me the most were those of Armani. The suits weren't boxy, but sleek, feminine, stylish and confident.

Armani Aqua restaurant in Chater House

These suits and also dresses were classic yet modern, and looked comfortable, effortless, yet elegant.

In Hong Kong his clothes were first carried by Joyce boutique and later Armani opened his own shops. He was very ambitious in 2011 when his brand took over Chater House in Central and opened the restaurant Armani Aqua and Armani Prive Bar, boutiques Emporio Armani, Giorgio Armani, and a flower shop called Armani/Fiori. The facade was covered in bamboo that lit up at night.

It seemed like the Armani-focused complex was more of a massive marketing exercise than a successful business venture; at the end of 2023, Armani's lease of Chater House ended and auction house Sotheby's took over the space.

Nevertheless Armani was not deterred. Last October he crossed Victoria Harbour and setup in Tsim Sha Tsui's Canton Road with a 9,000 sq ft store spread across two floors. There's ready-to-wear clothes, shoes, accessories, high jewellery and evening wear for women. For men there's a made-to-measure service for tailored suits.

The Chater House space had bamboo motifs

And for those who want a taste of Armani, last month the designer opened Armani/Caffe in Pacific Place serving dishes like saffron risotto, spaghetti al pomodoro, and veal Milanese.

His brand will definitely live on in Hong Kong.

Dire Straits for Luxury Brands

Hong Kong's luxury malls are looking pretty empty these days

The projections are that big spenders from the mainland won't be splashing the cash in Hong Kong, Paris, Milan and London anytime soon, as China's economy continues on its downward spiral.

Analysts say this year is not good, and aren't even holding their breath for next year either and it's hurting luxury brands in their stock value.

Tiffany & Co's Shanghai shop to halve its space

Burberry Group had its market value plunge 70 percent from the past year, causing the brand to lose its inclusion in London's FTSE 100 stock list. 

Gucci and Hugo Boss have also been hit hard, both losing half their value over the past year. Gucci is owned by Kering, which owns Moet Hennessy and Louis Vuitton, which was Europe's largest company by market cap a year ago, has fallen to second place.

To that end, Tiffany & Co owned by LVMH is looking to halve the size of its Shanghai flagship store, while high-end malls in Hong Kong are practically empty. 

Hermes is sitting pretty with Brunello Cucinelli

The only brands doing well are the ones catering to the uber rich -- Hermes International selling Kelly and Birkin bags, and Brunello Cucinelli with its cashmere sweaters. 

May they live long and prosper!