Ann Ong: Filipino pride

Award-winning fashion accessory designer Ann Ong is known for her clutch bags that won the Katha Awards at the Manila FAME for three consecutive trade shows. She has also joined the Maison & Objet in Paris to showcase not only her jewelry collection but also her line for the home.

Recently, Ann was invited to present her brand and her gorgeous pieces at the annual Honoring the American Music Awards Luxury Gifting Suite, a celebrity gifting event hosted by special events company Celebrity Connected, at the W hotel in Los Angeles. Her gorgeous pieces captivated celebrities and up-and-coming artists during the gifting event.

Doors of opportunities were opened to Ann in the US when she won the Best Designer award at the New York Now exhibit for the Sustainability Category in January 2016.

Some notable personalities who admire Ann’s work are Carlo Rampazzi, an architect in Paris who is a collector of her work, and interior designer and fashion icon Iris Apfel, who loves her collection of dog clutches.

Ann is about to launch her brand at Galeries Lafayette in Jakarta. She is also set to open her store at Shangri-La at the Fort. I am sure Manila’s fashionistas will be looking forward to that!

The ultimate listening experience

The name that is synonymous with Scandinavian luxurious audio and entertainment systems is Bang & Olufsen (B&O).  It has become the epitome of superb audio quality and timeless designs that were years ahead of the competition. Unfortunately, the price was also quite premium that not everyone could enjoy the B&O experience.

In 2012, to make its price points more accessible to people who wanted to own best-in-class audio equipment, B&O launched a new brand called B&O Play. It focuses on audio-video products that combine convenience with high-quality, contemporary design for the digital generation. Instead of integrated home installations, B&O Play features portable products that are intuitive to use, and easier to integrate into the client’s daily lifestyle.

After almost four years, the B&O Play brand finally arrived in the Philippines and found a home at the BoConcept Showroom at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. BoConcept’s energy, modernity and great love for design make for the perfect showroom to display the complete line of B&O Play products.

Marketing manager of Tenkiebox Anthony Kierulf said, “We are very excited to introduce our latest products to the Philippine market. The B&O Play brand is for customers who want superior sound and acoustic experience in a beautifully designed device.  While more people are now consuming digital content everywhere, the quality of the listening experience has somewhat eroded. Since 2012, B&O Play has provided the opportunity to experience media in a convenient way while maintaining a level of outstanding quality — an experience that evokes the senses and elevates the listening experience even when you are mobile.”

The new collection of audio devices includes superb speakers like the Beoplay A1 Bluetooth speaker that has ambient True 360 sound; Beoplay A2 Active, a dust- and splash-resistant speaker that only weighs 1.1 kg.; the powerful Beolit 15 Bluetooth speaker with acclaimed acoustics, premium materials and Scandinavian design by award-winning Danish designer Cecile Manz; and the Beoplay A6, the premium one-point music system that easily connects over Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Google Cast, DLNA or Bluetooth 4.0 in a matter of seconds.

The brand also introduced new headphones and earphones including the light & loud Beoplay H2, which features adaptive fit technology; the Beoplay H5 wireless earphone that gives an immersive listening experience and delivers outstanding Bang & Olufsen signature sound; the Beoplay H7, a wireless wonder that offers an uncompromising sound; and the Beoplay H8 noise-cancellation on-ear headphone, which has lambskin clad memory foam.

 (Most products are available at the BoConcept Showroom in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, and the full line of the B&O Play Collection at URGe branches in Greenbelt and Greenhills and Mobile1 Rockwell.)

‘A Journey to Spain’ at Rambla

Premium Wine Exchange (PWX) hosted a five-course wine dinner at Rambla in Rockwell called “A Journey to Spain” that featured wines from various regions in Spain.

It was also the launch of one of Premium Wine Exchange’s newest brands, Bodega Classica Hacienda Lopez de Haro. Bodega Classica is a Rioja winery specializing in the creation of great reds that have been aged in the cask created by and for the consumer of quality wines. It bases its philosophy on its taste for simplicity, elegance and experience.

Hacienda Lopez de Haro export director Carlos Garcia was present for the dinner that featured tuna tartar and mojito; oyster salad with green apple and tomato heart; sobrasada (cured sausage from the Balearic Islands), parmentier potatoes, fried egg and pine nuts; cod fish with ratatouille and garlic foam; and juicy rice with pork sausage, bok choy and thyme. The dinner, prepared by Rambla’s new chef Pere Moreno, finished off with Catalana cream and biscuits.

(Premium Wine Exchange is located at the ground floor of Alegria Alta Building, 2294 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City. For more information, call 840-5319 or visit www.pwxchange.com.ph.)

Happy New Year, everyone!

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)