Latest news with #EastMeetsWest
South China Morning Post
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
How Wayne Wang's Chinese Box presented the 1997 Hong Kong handover from a unique viewpoint
Inspired by Paul Theroux's 1997 novel Kowloon Tong, Chinese Box stars Jeremy Irons as John, an English writer who has lived in Hong Kong for 15 years and is dying of leukaemia. Wang was born in Hong Kong but is best known for his work in the United States, his adopted home. Being 'one side Chinese and one side American', as he considers himself, put him in a unique position. Perhaps the closest is Chinese Box (1997), an American indie film directed by Wayne Wang The Joy Luck Club ). While there are plenty of Hong Kong films about the city's 1997 handover to China after British rule , there are precious few told from a Western perspective. This is the latest instalment in a feature series reflecting on instances of East meets West in world cinema, including China-US co-productions. In the months leading up to the handover, we see him romancing bartender Vivian ( Gong Li in her first non-Chinese movie), in the process realising he hardly understands her world at all. 'Sometimes you just fall in love with a place, without really knowing why, without really fully understanding it – the way I fell in love with Vivian,' he admits in voice-over. When he is not mooning over Vivian, John takes to the streets with his camcorder, trying to get to know the real Hong Kong before it is too late. This is how he meets Jean ( Maggie Cheung Man-yuk ), a hustler with a scarred face and stories to tell about the city's underworld. 'She's caught between two worlds with a certain amount of denial of her own identity, and yet she's a great survivor, which is what Hong Kong is,' Wang told entertainment news outlet The AV Club. Jeremy Irons and Maggie Cheung in a still from Chinese Box. John is more prosaic. As the author of a book about making money in Asia, he has the slightly unsavoury air of a Western man in love with an exotic idea of the East. Irons is great at playing this type of character, as shown in David Cronenberg's M. Butterfly (1993), where he plays a French diplomat obsessed with John Lone's Chinese opera singer. The women get a predictably rougher ride. Vivian is in love with Chang ( Michael Hui Koon-man ), a businessman who refuses to marry her because of her past working as a prostitute. Throughout the film, Vivian mostly appears beautifully unobtainable behind a bar, but in an unguarded moment she vamps along to Marlene Dietrich's 'Black Market'. Michael Hui and Gong Li in a still from Chinese Box. Jean, meanwhile, describes harrowing memories of familial sexual assault for one of John's interview tapes. And when John helps her reunite with her high school love, William (Jared Harris), she is shocked that he does not remember her. If Vivian and Jean function more as metaphors for how the West has historically idealised, abused and ignored the East, at least Wang captures the clashing energies of the city itself. From the clattering food stalls to the upscale bars, and the fish markets to the Foreign Correspondents' Club, we see it all, often through the lens of a roving handheld camera. For extra verisimilitude, Wang also splices in news footage, clips of fireworks over Victoria Harbour and even a cheeky shot of the South China Morning Post. Michael Hui, Gong Li and Jeremy Irons in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, in 1997. Photo: Dickson Lee And the director does not shy away from politics. The film opens with the staged suicide of a Chinese protester terrified of the forthcoming regime change. We then see drunk expats playing down such worries, calling Hong Kong 'a bloody casino'. As the film continues, there are bomb threats, protests and civil unrest as John and Vivian's slightly underwhelming love story plays out. 'Every day, I would look at the headlines, cut a news clipping out and have Jeremy Irons read it on his desktop,' Wang said. 'At other times, it would be something more subtle, where maybe the Chinese officials are being non-committal about certain things, and I would try to use that as a subconscious, contextual thing for a scene. 'Let's say I was shooting a scene between Gong Li and her boyfriend, and the boyfriend is non-committal about his relationship to her. There are many different levels of trying to capture the mood, the uncertainty and the changes that were going on in the city.' Michael Hui, Jeremy Irons and Gong Li in a still from Chinese Box. To begin with, John is blasé about the handover. 'This great big department store is just having a change of management, that's all,' he says. But by the film's close, once he has loved, lost and come to understand Hong Kong better, he sees things more philosophically. 'Everything in this city has always been changing,' he tells us, and the handover is just another stage in its life cycle. There is a lot to unpack – perhaps too much for a 99-minute movie. What Wang shows so beautifully is that Hong Kong is a city of many sides – no matter who it belongs to. Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Film on Facebook Advertisement
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How Sau Lee Became Fashion's Coveted Cool-Girl Heritage Label
Cheryl Leung, founder of Sau Lee wearing a design from the brand's FW25 collection Courtesy of Sau Lee It's been a busy 12 months for Sau Lee. The brand, founded by Cheryl Leung in 2014 with an aim to fill a gap in the market, has taken over both sides of the Atlantic and caused quite a stir in the industry. Following a string of successful collection launches and seamlessly executed events, the cult-favorite label has catapulted from beloved insider secret to bona-fide industry darling. Despite her experience at Bloomberg and Lane Crawford, Leung — a psychology major at UCLA — had zero formal design training under her belt when she founded the brand. But she knew instinctively there was a blank space for what she had in mind. 'Where the intricate beauty of Chinese craftsmanship could exist in harmony with contemporary design,' recalls Leung of those early days now over a decade ago. What seemed like an audacious leap has transformed into a global fashion phenomenon that dressed countless A-listers (think Gemma Chan, Jamie Chung and Winnie Harlow) and amassed a fanbase devoted to the label's unique take on East-meets-West. Gemma Chan in Sau Lee Courtesy of Sau Lee jamie Chung in Sau Lee Courtesy of Sau Lee Growing up between the United States and Hong Kong gave Leung an edge in understanding both sides of the world. She watched women around her struggle to find sophisticated pieces that celebrated Eastern heritage without falling into costume territory. The cheongsam, or Qipao, was her inspiration and unique selling point: a garment that embodies everything she loved and sought to achieve. 'I grew up seeing my mother wearing Cheongsams to special occasions and celebrations, and I always thought they were so sophisticated and romantic,' says Leung, referring to the traditional silhouette that anchors every collection. 'I love that it balances the modesty of a high mandarin collar, with the sensuality of a thigh high slit, and a figure skimming shape that both flatters and honors the female form.' 'It's about honoring tradition while making it wearable and empowering in a modern context.' Combining her ultra chic, signature silhouettes with innovative fabrics, Leung effortlessly put the fun back in dressing up. Unlike other brands attempting to sell Chinese elements as a 'ritual' or 'tradition,' Sau Lee's approach is refreshingly unserious — in the best way possible. Cheryl Leung has crafted a unique aesthetic identify for Sau Lee, one that's authentic to her own heritage yet incredibly appealing to the new generation of style-conscious shoppers Courtesy of Sau Lee Embracing cultural references and traditional techniques, Sau Lee's range of occasion wear is the definition of glamor, playfulness, and female empowerment. The distinctive identity was born from something deeply personal — the women who shaped Leung's world — and the name itself tells the story: Sau is from the Chinese middle name she shares with her sister, and Lee from her mother's maiden name. 'The women in my family are deep sources of inspiration to me, along with my heritage, which I wanted to represent in my brand name instead of using my English name Cheryl,' she explains. The journey as a fashion entrepreneur wasn't without its battles. Leung admits that navigating an industry that often fetishizes Eastern aesthetics or overlooks them entirely was one of the greatest challenges she has faced. Building a brand that proudly showcases Chinese design elements while ensuring universal appeal is an art for walking a cultural thin line, which Leung has perfected after a decade — proving that Chinese-inspired fashion could be contemporary, sophisticated, and globally relevant rather than merely exotic. Ming Lee and Cheryl Leung (center) attending the Fashion Awards 2024 in Sau Lee with industry opinion leaders Courtesy of Sau Lee As the barrier to entry in the fashion landscape lowers and the appeal of 'solopreneurship' rises, I ask Leung on her strategy in sustaining and accelerating Sau Lee's growth. 'The fashion industry has become more democratized and digitally driven, but also more volatile and over-saturated,' Leung says, 'Brand loyalty now hinges on transparency, values, and emotional resonance.' 'If I had to name one crucial element for thriving today, it would be authentic storytelling,' she declares. 'In a crowded market, consumers gravitate toward brands that feel personal, that speak to identity and aspiration.' Having recently launched the brand's first summer shoe staple, Sau Lee continues to expand beyond signature occasion wear and now includes categories like separates, outerwear, and a hugely successful handbag line — those adorned with the brand's signature dainty pipa knots are particularly coveted. 'We are committed to evolving while staying rooted in our identity,' Leung explains, expressing particular excitement about exploring artisanal techniques from various regions in China and reinterpreting them for global audiences. For her, success isn't just measured in revenue or red carpet moments — it's about building a cultural bridge that allows women worldwide to experience the 'romance and opulence of Chinese culture' while feeling 'confident, sensual, and effortlessly captivating.'
Perth Now
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Rare chance to cook with The Ritz chefs from Perth and Japan
Guests at The Ritz Carlton Perth will soon have the chance to indulge in a cross-cultural culinary experience when The Ritz Carlton Kyoto chef comes to town. Marriott Bonvoy has unveiled 'East Meets West', a culinary event in Perth taking place in August that is set to excite food lovers and travellers alike. The experience will see guests enjoy a one-night-only dinner at Hearth Restaurant, where chef Brian Cole of The Ritz Carlton Perth and chef Katsuhito Inoue of The Ritz Carlton Kyoto offer a curated menu that blends Japanese kaiseki technique with WA produce and premium wines. There will also be a rare opportunity to cook alongside both chefs during a hands-on demonstration. As part of the package, guests will stay overnight on August 15 in a studio king room at the fancy hotel with views over Elizabeth Quay. Chef Brian Cole of The Ritz Carlton Perth. Credit: Supplied It is part of Marriott International's Luxury Dining Series, a multi-city program that spotlights top culinary talent across the group's luxury hotel portfolio. Now in its second year, the series runs from July to September and celebrates Forgotten Flavours; rare ingredients and time-honoured techniques re-imagined for modern palates. East Meets West at The Ritz Carlton Perth. Credit: Supplied This year's lineup includes standout events across Asia Pacific, including at The St. Regis Osaka, JW Marriott Jeju and The Ritz Carlton Bangkok. The event is available on the Marriott Bonvoy Moments platform which allows members to redeem points for once in a lifetime experiences. For more information on how to take part visit this link.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Billionaire Philippe Laffont Thinks This Could Be Worth More Than Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Tesla By 2030
Coatue Management recently published its list of what it sees as potentially the 40 most valuable companies and assets during the next five years. Coatue projects a five-year market capitalization of $5.2 trillion for Bitcoin. While this forecast calls for Bitcoin to gain more than 150%, some others on Wall Street are even more bullish. 10 stocks we like better than Bitcoin › Philippe Laffont is a billionaire investor and a co-founder of Coatue Management, a hedge fund that focuses its investments on emerging themes across technology, healthcare, and cryptocurrency. Coatue recently hosted its annual East Meets West conference, during which it published a number of findings that are fueling capital markets -- specifically, the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. However, Coatue also dedicated a portion of its research to Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: BTC) performance over the last several years, and where the cryptocurrency could be headed. In fact, Coatue forecasts that Bitcoin could reach a market capitalization of $5.2 trillion by 2030. Not only does this imply 153% upside from Bitcoin's current market value, but it suggests that it could emerge as the third most valuable asset in the world during the next five years -- trailing only Microsoft and Nvidia and surpassing the likes of Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Tesla. Let's explore what could fuel Bitcoin to new highs during the next five years. More importantly, I'll detail several different ways in which investors can invest in the Bitcoin movement. For much of its history, Bitcoin has been labeled as a highly speculative asset -- and rightfully so. Between its overly pronounced volatility, rising adoption rates, and ongoing regulatory uncertainties, Bitcoin is not exactly as mainstream as the U.S. dollar, for example. Nevertheless, cryptocurrency has gradually become more mainstream during the past several years thanks to a combination of factors. Retail investors showed early enthusiasm for blockchain technology and how prominent cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum could be used to facilitate transactions in the real world. Over time, large financial institutions have also become more receptive to the idea of decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols playing a role in the world of payments infrastructure, as well as the idea that assets such as Bitcoin could act as hedges to inflation -- similar to the way gold and certain other alternative assets do. In terms of utility beyond that of financial transactions, companies such as Strategy (formerly known as MicroStrategy) and GameStop have actually acquired Bitcoin to augment their balance sheets. While such moves have been polarizing from the perspective of investors, holding Bitcoin alongside cash and short-term investments is not entirely unlike Palantir's strategy of holding gold on its balance sheet a few years ago. Coatue isn't the only firm on Wall Street predicting a steep rise in Bitcoin over the next several years. Less than a year ago, Tom Lee of Fundstrat Global Advisors projected a short-term price target between $150,000 and $250,000 for Bitcoin. During a recent interview on CNBC's Squawk Box, not only did Lee double down on his optimistic view, but he asserted that given the limited supply of Bitcoin available and its perceived value and evolving use cases relative to other hedges (i.e., gold), its long-term price target could be more in the $3 million range -- implying a $63 trillion market cap. Cathie Wood, head of Ark Invest, is forecasting a monster upside in Bitcoin as well. Her long-term forecast of $1.5 million per coin implies a market cap of $31 trillion -- well above Coatue's projection. The most important takeaway from the analysis explored above is not simply that prominent investors are calling for huge gains in the price of Bitcoin. It's understanding the idea that Bitcoin's fixed supply gives the asset a perceived value of rarity, and therefore exposure to the asset could be advantageous during times of economic uncertainty. To be sure, Bitcoin remains a highly speculative and volatile item to own. If direct exposure to Bitcoin is outside of your risk profile, there are several passive ways to invest in the cryptocurrency. For starters, investors can buy spot Bitcoin ETFs such as the iShares Bitcoin Trust or Cathie Wood's ARK 21Shares Bitcoin Trust. These funds track the price movements of Bitcoin, but do not require investors to buy the cryptocurrency directly. Going one step further, if investors would like to hold assets with more insulated exposure to Bitcoin, they could buy shares of crypto exchanges such as Coinbase or trading applications such as Robinhood, which has a focus on crypto. As the chart above illustrates, Bitcoin and some of its proxies have outperformed the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and gold over the last year. However, it should be noted that the broader market and gold have held up quite well, too. Given these dynamics, I do think some exposure to Bitcoin -- be it direct or indirect -- could be a useful complementary piece of a diversified portfolio. With that said, I do not see Bitcoin or the broader cryptocurrency opportunity as superior to traditional investment vehicles just yet. Before you buy stock in Bitcoin, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Bitcoin wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $664,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $881,731!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Adam Spatacco has positions in Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends Coinbase Global and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Billionaire Philippe Laffont Thinks This Could Be Worth More Than Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Tesla By 2030 was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
20-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
New Data Shows that ChatGPT Is Impacting Google's (GOOGL) Search Dominance
New data shows that OpenAI's ChatGPT may slowly be taking users away from Google Search. Indeed, at Coatue Management's recent East Meets West conference, the investment firm shared stats from SimilarWeb (SMWB) showing that two years after people start using ChatGPT, they do about 8% fewer Google searches each month. It is worth noting that Alphabet (GOOGL), the parent company of Google, has already admitted that ChatGPT is a real threat. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter In fact, in an antitrust hearing this April, Sissie Hsiao—the former head of Google's Gemini chatbot—said that ChatGPT has already replaced some search queries, especially for homework and math help. While those types of searches don't bring in much advertising money, Hsiao's testimony suggested that the growing popularity of AI tools could lead to larger, long-term threats. As a result, Google's ad chief, Vidhya Srinivasan, said that losing commercial searches—the kind tied to shopping and ads—is not just a risk, but something that is 'inevitable.' The latest data suggests that this shift is already starting to happen. And that is a big deal because most of Google's revenue comes from ads on its search platform. Meanwhile, OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft (MSFT), continues to improve ChatGPT and make it even easier to use, which could pull even more users away from Google over time. Is Google Stock a Good Buy? Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on GOOGL stock based on 29 Buys and nine Holds assigned in the past three months. Furthermore, the average GOOGL price target of $199.11 per share implies 14.88% upside potential from current levels.
