Are You a Bandit?

Over the last couple of months I have featured some of Robert’s Piguet’s perfumes on Savoir Faire. All of these have been reformulations and then subsequent re-launches of some of the classic greats of modern day perfumery. The originals were wonderful creations from the singular floral Fracas, to the more complex and daring Futur. These have all been available now in modern versions of the originals for a couple of years and have carved out a niche market for themselves. Piguet perfumes are not for everybody. They attract that rare breed of consumer who does not want to be like anybody else. One of the things that I find most appealing about Piguet perfumes is that they work just as well on a man as they do on a woman. One of my all time favourites is Bandit. This is one that I keep returning to all the time. On its original launch it was considered daring and different, a characteristic that has not been lost in the new interpretation. I love the acrid tobacco, leather smoky floral scent which was described once as being brutally beautiful.

World War II was reaching a crucial turning point when Robert Piguet decided to launch his first perfume. This wonderful leather chypre was launched “on the couture runway with models sporting villain masks and brandishing toy revolvers and knives like highway men”. This in itself was in complete contrast to the elegant atmosphere that prevailed among the Parisian Couture Houses of the late 1940’s. Here was something different that required a whole new approach in marketing.

This is not a perfume for the timid and faint at heart, with animalistic undertones that is incredibly sexy. It packs a punch with daring, bitter green leather, galbanum, orange, bergamot, neroli, jasmine, rose, tuberose, leather, patchouli, mousse de chene, vetiver, and musk. It is sophisticated while hinting at a sort of dark rebellious intelligence that leaves the wearer being either man or woman, incredibly confident, with the possibility of mischief.

Bandit manages to pose a glorious riddle that has a resonance even to today’s sensibilities, staying resolutely, brilliantly modern and quite young in spirit, contrary to many chypres and leather scents.

Now more than ever, even with the modern reformulation, Bandit remains a gem, strong, confident and elegant, much like its avant-garde creator.

Tasty Savoir Faire!

Something to tempt your tastebuds here in the Beijing Night Market! A very vibrant atmosphere is teamed together with all sorts of Chinese delicacies! Some sublime, some well not so sublime!

The colours and the presentation of the various foods on offer was incredible and must have taken hours for the various vendors to lay out!


I am usually quite adventurous when it comes to trying new foods, however I did balk at the below! I guess if really pressed I would have tried.

All sorts of seafood was on offer, and also things all squishy that crawled under the earth!

These little sweet temptations were divine. I bought several as snacks on the way.

I hope that this gives you some inspiration for tonight's dinner!

Savoir Faire with Mr. Miller

There is no doubt about it, that over the last couple of years men’s fashion has been re-inventing itself to offer us a wonderful array of looks and new styles. The runways are full of new interpretations of classics and new innovations. Long gone are the days when menswear consisted of the basic shapes that were constantly being tweaked for today’s modern man.

Matthew Miller explores notions of masculinity and design with his collections, which focus on today’s modern man. Miller’s men are confident in what they wear, looking to the future with set ideas on how they will look. Traditions are mixed with new techniques and lines to create extremely practical clothes.

Not only do I Like the clothes, but also the way each collection has been photographed. The same model is used creating a uniform look that proves that these are pieces that are unified in the design, cut and execution. These are pieces that are made to mix and match, providing a variety of different looks, depending on your mood.

The Autumn/Winter 2011 collection below combined traditional shapes with new textures mixed with a colour pallet that ran from reassuring beiges and oatmeal’s to acid yellows and cobalt blues. This is a nice injection of colour into the otherwise boring black that all seem to wear in winter.

Shapes are geometrical and masculine emphasising masculinity and taking us into the future. With this unique line, you won’t be accused of being bland and boring.

On the other hand, Spring/Summer the lines are a lot softer almost the complete opposite of the winter collection. These are incredibly easy to wear pieces that can be mixed and matched for a variety of looks. Colours are more neutral to combat the glare of summer sun.

Definitely a designer to watch for in the future!

Staying with the Astor's in Shanghai

Now, when one travels one of the first thoughts that come to mind is where am I going to lay my weary head at the end of each day?

Choices are endless, and no where is this more evident than in Shanghai. Countless selections of hotels abound from the down and out to 5 star luxury. When Savoir Faire travels, there are lots of things that come into consideration and one of them is not only the reputation of an hotel but the history behind it. It does not have to be brand new, 5 star luxury or the most expensive. The hotel I chose must have something that will set it apart and transport me into another frame of mind.

Shanghai has several hotels that fill this criteria. There is the famous Cathy Hotel, now the Fairmont after a multi million dollar renovation, the Metropole from the 1930’s or Astor House, the grand hotel with a history that is as old as some countries. Of course to me the choice was obvious, Astor House!

Astor House or is one of those rare breed of hotels that only exist in Asia. Once in the same class as Raffles in Singapore and the Peninsular in Hong Kong, it is like stepping into another era. Luckily untouched by a big chain, or restored and renovated to within an inch of its life it is one of the charming hotels of old Shanghai that still stands and more importantly takes bookings. The only thing is, that it still trades under its Chinese name.

Established in 1846 as Richards' Hotel and Restaurant Astor House was the first Western hotel established in China. The story of the Astor House Hotel in Shanghai provides a revealing insight into the history of China itself. "The Astor House Hotel has witnessed the whole sweep of China's emergence into the modern world, from English opium running in the 1840s through the tea dances of polite society in the 1920s and to the excesses of Maoist China in the 1960s."

During the 1930’s Shanghai had an overwhelming choice of some of the grandest hotels in Asia.

I must admit from the outside it is a little grimey looking and I was slightly alarmed satnding outside looking up at the facade. However once entering all those fears were set aside.Walking through the front doors of the hotel one can almost feel the ghosts of bygone eras observing new arrivals. Highly atmospheric, you can only think of what the hotel must have been like in its heyday. Restored and renovated to maintain the atmosphere to a degree, none of the charm has been lost.

The rooms are large and although slightly dated by modern day standards were entirely satisfactory for laying one’s weary head.

One of the highlights is the serving of the ubiquitous breakfast buffet in what was once the main ballroom. This is a huge cavernous room with large crystal chandeliers hanging overhead. It was a wonderful way to start the day each morning!

Another wonderful feature were old wide hallways with the original wooden floorboards creaking underneath as you walked. Along some of these hallways were rows of windows opening onto a light well that flooded them with natural light.

A nice touch is the long gallery turned into a museum of sorts detailing the hotel’s history and past glory.

All in all this was a wonderful hotel that met all my expectations of savoir faire!