Peter Som – whose devotees include Scarlett Johansson and Michelle Obama – is branching out from fashion to food, sharing favourite recipes in his first cookbook, Family Style
New York Fashion Week by storm with his sleek style and joyful dresses, donned by the likes of Michelle Obama and
Scarlett Johansson , has since leapt headfirst into an exciting new chapter of his career, trading in clothing for cooking, and promoting his new recipe book, Family Style – a love letter to food, heritage and, above all, what it means to feel at home.
'I would definitely not call it a pivot,' Som clarifies. 'I haven't left anything behind – I still do clothing with Rent the Runway; I have a few deals and projects coming up.' But cooking, as it turns out, was part of Som's life, long before fashion entered the equation. 'I grew up in the kitchen next to my grandmother and mum,' the designer explains, 'and all through my runway collection years, [I would] come home after a day of fittings and fashion show preparations, close the door, make something from beginning, middle to end within a span of 45 minutes, and enjoy it.'
Peter Som acknowledges the audience's appreciation after his spring 2009 collection runway in New York. Photo: AFP
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A 45-minute meal and a 15-minute fashion show might not seem like they have that much in common, but in Som's hands both come to life as a compelling showcase for self-expression and more often than not, a celebration of colour.
'How do you stand out?' the designer asks. 'How does that product differentiate from everybody else? Even when I wrote this cookbook, I wanted my voice to be authentic. … I found that creative approach is how I approach everything. Obviously the fundamentals and technicalities are different, but you eat with your eyes – the same way a great outfit attracts your eye.'
Peter Som's first foray into cookery, Family Style, celebrates food and family. Photo: HarperCollins Publishers
Many of Som's recipes, such as the potsticker frittata or char siu bacon cheeseburger, are as striking visually as they are strong on flavours, a reflection of the designer's Chinese-American identity and penchant for making things that just work well together, be it fabrics and prints or spices and sauces. They're also irresistibly fun to make, eat and look at. 'Just like that outfit has to feel great when you put it on, so too does that dish have to taste great and be delicious,' says Som.
If cooking has always been simmering in the background of Som's life, joy continues to be that all-important thread that ties all his pursuits together. 'I always said I design happy clothes,' he muses. 'I want clothes to make you smile, to be a mood lifter. Every designer has a different view on that – I'm not
Rick Owens . So it's similar with the cookbook – I wrote every word myself. I wanted that sense of joy, curiosity; hopefully some humour in there.'
Peter Som's mouthwatering char siu bacon burger. Photo: Handout
Som's voice, unmistakably his own, shines through many of the book's cheeky recipe titles, with undercurrents of his multifaceted, multicultural identity rising to the surface – think A Plate of Very Nice Oranges, a modern spin on the fruit slices traditionally served after a Chinese meal, or Mom's Five-Spice Chicken (But on a Sheet Pan), another fun twist on a classic of Chinese cuisine. (Personally, I'm partial to the cacio e pepe sticky rice with egg.)
Then there are the fashion analogies sprinkled throughout, which allude to Som's stylish past. The designer refers to stir-fries as the 'little black dress of Chinese cooking', meant to be accessorised and embellished, dressed up or down to the maker's desire – a comparison that makes me chuckle inside in knowing agreement.
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HKFP
17 hours ago
- HKFP
Timeline: Hong Kong civil society's mysteriously axed venue bookings
Independent civil society groups, NGOs, opposition parties and activists say that the space for operating in Hong Kong has shrunk since the onset of the city's two security laws. But aside from dwindling political room, finding literal, physical spaces for their events and fundraisers has also become complicated. In recent years, bookings by these groups have been cancelled at the last minute. Some venues cited anodyne reasons like urgent maintenance work, while others provided no explanation for the cancellations or alluded to official pressure. Among them was the Democratic Party – the city's largest opposition party, which is now facing disbandment following a Beijing-decreed overhaul of Hong Kong's electoral system in 2021. In 2023, Chief Executive John Lee was twice asked about the party's inability to secure a venue for its annual fundraising dinner. While Lee did not respond directly, he said that 'private organisations arranging private activities is the matter of the private organisation. I have no comments regarding private activities.' As the city steps up its effort to tackle ' soft resistance,' HKFP looks back at the recent history of mysterious venue booking cancellations. November 2018: Chinese dissident writer Ma Jian In 2018, local venues declined to host Chinese dissident writer Ma Jian, who was set to appear at two literary events that November, one of which focused on his new satirical novel, China Dream. Organised by the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, the talk was originally set to take place at Central's Tai Kwun art space, which cancelled the booking two days before it was due to take place. The then-director of Tai Kwun, Timothy Calnin, said that the space should not 'become a platform to promote the political interests of any individual.' The replacement venue, the Annex, located in Central's Nan Fung Place, issued a statement hours before Ma landed in Hong Kong, stating that it would not host the writer. Since 2020: Tiananmen vigil For decades, Victoria Park was the site for a mass commemoration of those who died in the Tiananmen crackdown. The 1989 crackdown ended months of student-led demonstrations in China, with hundreds – perhaps thousands – killed when the army cleared protesters in Beijing. Authorities have denied permission for Hong Kong's candlelit vigil since 2020, initially citing the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst the organising group – the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China – disbanded in 2021 in light of the national security law. In 2020, thousands gathered in Victoria Park to attend the annual candlelight vigil despite a police ban citing coronavirus-related public health concerns. In 2021, the park was sealed off several hours before the usual starting time of the vigil due to similar reasons. In 2022, the government announced it would temporarily shut down parts of Victoria Park, a day before the 33rd anniversary of the crackdown. Citing online calls that 'incited' unauthorised assemblies on the day, the authorities said the closure was to ensure public order and prevent the spread of Covid-19. In 2023, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department temporarily closed off part of the park, citing a phased maintenance project scheduled until the end of June. The LCSD added that the two football pitches and half of the two-hectare central lawn would be out of bounds until the end of June that year, owing to a phased maintenance project that began in March. Since 2023, Victoria Park has become the venue for the Hometown Market, a patriotic food carnival organised by a pro-Beijing group in Hong Kong with booths offering various Chinese regional foods among other activities. The carnival was held from June 1 to 5 in 2025. September 2021: Cantopop singer Denise Ho Cantopop star and pro-democracy activist Denise Ho had to cancel her September 12 live concert after the venue terminated her reservation agreement less than two weeks before the event was to take place. The Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) informed the singer's company of the cancellation in a letter on August 31, citing 'circumstances where public order or public safety would be endangered during the course of performance of hiring.' The live concert was originally set to be held at the HKAC's largest concert venue, Shouson Theatre in Wan Chai. Ho, an ardent supporter of the city's pro-democracy cause, accused the venue of providing no evidence or explanation for the cancellation, despite several inquiries. She also refuted the allegation that her concert could have endangered public order. The concert was held online on September 12, with Ho performing via livestream from a last-minute location without any air-conditioning. The livestreamed gig went ahead after the HKAC reneged on its promise to refund the singer the reservation fee of HK$127,800. May 2023: Cantopop singer Anthony Wong The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) declined to lease its venue to pro-democracy Cantopop singer Anthony Wong for his concert, originally scheduled to be held in August 2023. The singer said he was initially notified in January that his application to book a venue at the HKCEC was successful. In a letter shared by Wong on Facebook, the HKCEC provided no reason for the cancellation. 'We are sorry to inform you that we are not in a position to proceed with the execution of the licence agreement and the provision of venue for the Event,' the letter read. The singer, who was a vocal supporter of the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement and the 2019 protests and unrest, said that he and his team were 'calm' when they received the cancellation notice. 'However, I think that the HKCEC management owes Hong Kong citizens an open explanation as to why the right of a citizen – who loves Hong Kong – to perform for other Hongkongers has been taken away,' the singer's Facebook post read. September 2023: The Democratic Party Hong Kong's largest democratic party called off a fundraising dinner after two restaurants that were meant to host the event pulled out at the last minute, with one citing broken windows after the typhoon. The fundraising dinner was initially arranged at a restaurant in the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, but the hotel said on August 31 that it had to cancel the party's booking. The Democratic Party chairperson, Lo Kin-hei, said the hotel did not give a reason. The dinner was then moved to a restaurant called Federal Cruise Banquet Centre, located in Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. But the restaurant informed the party on September 3 that it had to undergo maintenance works due to broken windows after Super Typhoon Saola hit Hong Kong one day earlier. The two cancellations for the annual dinner came after state-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po published an editorial accusing the Democratic Party's fundraising dinner of 'likely being a platform for the party to continue covertly promoting… illegal protest-related information.' The newspaper said that on the surface, the party was fundraising to continue operations and the upcoming District Council elections – but that in reality, the money could be related to raising legal fees for activists charged in the 47 democrats case. Before 2019, the Democratic Party's events were regularly attended by top officials and members of the pro-establishment. Then-chief secretary Matthew Cheung and financial chief Paul Chan were among those present at the fundraising dinner in 2019, while in 2018, then-chief executive Carrie Lam donated HK$30,000 at the event. The WeMedia Summit 2023, originally scheduled to be held at the Jao Tsung-I Academy on December 9 and 10, was forced to move online after the organiser was unable to secure a venue for the two-day event. The conference, organised by an NGO called Culture & Media Education Foundation, was to feature sharing sessions by freelance journalists and representatives from independent media outlets in Hong Kong. On November 17, however, the academy informed the foundation verbally that they had decided to cancel the booking. Following enquiries from the foundation, the academy said in a December 5 email that the contract termination came after 'careful consideration.' But it did not give any detailed explanation for the decision. The academy said in the email that 'our academy has determined that the event is not suitable to be held in our premises. The NGO later found a meeting room managed by the Centre for Community Cultural Development (CCCD) in the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC), as well as a restaurant in the arts centre under the Hong Kong Baptist University's (HKBU) management. But around four days before the summit, the CCCD and the restaurant informed the NGO that they were unable to provide the venues, citing pressure from the JCCAC. Chan said the venue providers told them that the media conference did not match the type of cultural activities hosted in the centre. The organiser eventually moved the summit online, as they did not have enough time to find another venue. May 2024: Cantopop singer Denise Ho Activist-singer Denise Ho announced that she would move her May 10 performance online – on her birthday – after she was unable to secure a live venue. The singer, who was arrested in December 2021 in connection with the Stand News sedition case, said it was very difficult for her to do a 'normal show' in an 'abnormal place.' Ho was convicted and fined in November 2022 for failing to register the 612 Humanitarian Fund – a legal fund for pro-democracy demonstrators which she was a trustee of – as a society under the Societies Ordinance. December 2024: Cantopop singer Pong Nan Hong Kong Cantopop singer Pong Nan vowed to 'keep performing,' after his concert scheduled for January 2025 was axed due to a venue cancellation by the city's art hub. 'You can stop a show, but you cannot stop me. I will keep creating, keep singing and keep performing as usual,' the singer – known for his support of the 2019 anti-extradition bill movement – wrote on Instagram. Nan's concert was originally set to take place at The Box, the city's largest black box theatre at the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD). Sunchase Productions said that they received a written notice from the WKCD on November 27, informing them that the booking for Nan's concert was cancelled. Neither Nan nor the production agency mentioned whether the art hub had provided an explanation for the cancellation. The WKCD told HKFP that it had no comment on the hiring arrangements for any individual events. Days before the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) was to hold their scheduled tournament matches, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced a nearly two-month closure of the football pitch in Happy Valley. The LSCD said on Tuesday that a football pitch at Happy Valley Recreation Ground would be temporarily closed from February 7 to March 31 for 'repair works.' The press union had planned to hold the HKJA Cup matches at the Happy Valley pitch on February 8 and 15, according to InMedia. The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) was forced to hold its annual fundraising online after two hotels cancelled its bookings. The HKJA initially scheduled to hold its annual fundraising dinner on February 15 at the Regal Hongkong Hotel in Causeway Bay. But two days before the event, the hotel axed the venue booking, citing 'water leakage causing unstable power supply.' However, when an HKFP reporter visited the hotel on Friday, February 14, a Valentine's Day matchmaking event was taking place at the function room the HKJA had booked. Three staff members had no knowledge of a power failure. The HKJA rescheduled the fundraising dinner to be held at another hotel, Eaton HK, on February 24. However, Eaton HK also cancelled the press union's venue booking days before the event, with no reason given. Following the cancellations, the HKJA held an online auction for 11 donated items on February 28 and also opened an online store. June 2025: Greenpeace Greenpeace in Hong Kong said it had to hold its eco-tourism seminar online after a university cancelled the venue booking for the event, citing 'urgent maintenance.' Greenpeace was originally set to host a series of talks on the city's eco-tourism policies in a Cheng Yu Tung Building lecture hall at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) on June 22, according to the NGO's social media announcement on Saturday. However, one day before the event, Greenpeace received notice from CUHK that the venue needed urgent repairs and decided to move its talk online, the green group said. June 2025: School debate contest A secondary-school debate competition featuring prominent democrats as judges was scrapped after a Tsuen Wan shopping mall and a local university cancelled bookings for the event. The competition was originally set to be held at the Citywalk shopping centre in Tsuen Wan, owned by developer Sino Group, on June 28. The organiser of Zi3Sin6 Debate said it was notified on June 25 that the booking had been pulled due to 'urgent repairs.' The group then booked to hold the competition at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, but the university withdrew the venue on June 26 'after inquiring into more details about the competition,' the organiser also said. The judges were to be former chairperson of the Democratic Party Emily Lau, and founding members of the now-defunct Civic Party Audrey Eu and Alan Leong. July 2025: Taiwanese singer Anpu Taiwanese singer Anpu cancelled her concert in Hong Kong scheduled to be held on August 23 at AsiaWorld Arena, with the organiser citing an 'irresistible force.' 'Due to the irresistible force of the organiser's situation, there is no way for the concert to go ahead as planned,' concert organiser CCY Entertainment said in a statement on July 29. It did not elaborate on what the 'irresistible force' was. However, the Taiwanese singer, whose full name is Chiao Anpu, publicly supported Taiwan's Sunflower Movement in 2014 and Hong Kong's pro-democracy Umbrella Movement in the same year. Anpu nevertheless came under fire from fans in 2024 after her management company posted her handwritten message celebrating China's National Day on October 1 on Weibo. July 2025: Pink Dot HK The city's largest LGBTQ+ event, Pink Dot, was cancelled after the organiser failed to secure its usual venue at the West Kowloon Cultural District. In a statement on July 31, the organiser said that it 'began to engage [with the] West Kowloon Cultural District' early in 2025 to rent Art Park – an outdoor venue – on October 12. 'However, while we were busy with planning and preparations, we were notified… that the venue could not be rented to us, without any explanation provided,' the statement read. The October event would have been the 11th year that Pink Dot had been held in Hong Kong.
HKFP
2 days ago
- HKFP
‘A sanctuary for us': China's Gen Z women embrace centuries-old script
At a studio in central China's Hunan province, a teacher grips an ink brush, gently writing characters of a secret script created by women centuries ago and now being embraced by a new generation. Nushu, meaning 'women's script', emerged around 400 years ago. Barred from attending school, the women secretly learned Chinese characters and adapted them into Nushu, using the script to communicate with each other through letters, song and embroidery. Passed down through generations of women in the remote and idyllic county of Jiangyong, it is now gaining popularity nationwide among Chinese women who view it as a symbol of strength. Student Pan Shengwen said Nushu offered a safe way for women to communicate with each other. 'It essentially creates a sanctuary for us,' the 21-year-old told AFP. 'We can express our thoughts, confide in our sisters and talk about anything.' Compared to Chinese characters, Nushu words are less boxy, more slender and shaped like willow leaves. 'When writing… your breathing must be calm, and only then can your brush be steady,' Pan said. On Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, the hashtag 'Nushu' has been viewed over 73.5 million times — mostly featuring young women sharing tattoos and other modern work incorporating the old script. Student He Jingying told AFP she had been enrolled in a Nushu class by her mother and that writing it brought her 'a deep sense of calm'.'It feels like when the brush touches the paper, a kind of strength flows into you.' Against 'injustice' Nushu is more than just a writing system — it represents the lived experiences of rural women from the county, Zhao Liming, a professor at Beijing's Tsinghua University, told AFP. 'It was a society dominated by men,' said Zhao, who has been studying Nushu for four decades. 'Their works cried out against this injustice,' she said. The words are read in the local dialect, making it challenging for native Chinese speakers not from the region to learn it. Teacher He Yuejuan said the writing is drawing more attention because of its elegance and rarity.'It seems to be quite highly regarded, especially among many students in the arts,' He told AFP outside her gallery, which sells colourful merchandise, including earrings and shawls with Nushu prints. As a Jiangyong native, He said Nushu was 'part of everyday life' growing up. After passing strict exams, she became one of 12 government-designated 'inheritors' of Nushu and is now qualified to teach it. 'Really special' An hour's drive away, around a hundred Nushu learners packed into a hotel room to attend a week-long workshop organised by local authorities trying to promote the script. Zou Kexin, one of the many participants, told AFP she had read about Nushu online and wanted to 'experience it in person'.'It's a unique writing system belonging to women, which makes it really special,' said Zou, 22, who attends a university in southwestern Sichuan province. Animation student Tao Yuxi, 23, one of the handful of men attending the workshop, told AFP he was learning Nushu to gain inspiration for his creative work. He said his aunt was initially confused about why he was learning Nushu, as it is not typically associated with men. As it represents part of China's cultural heritage, Nushu has to be passed down, he said.'It's something that everyone should work to preserve — regardless of whether they are women or men.'
HKFP
6 days ago
- HKFP
12 arrested in Hong Kong-Shenzhen joint operation targeting suspected fake concert tickets
Hong Kong and Shenzhen authorities have arrested a total of 12 people in a joint operation targeting the manufacturing and sale of suspected fake concert tickets. More than 400 high-quality counterfeit or half-finished fake concert tickets were seized by Hong Kong and Shenzhen police in a recent crackdown on a cross-border syndicate, the city's police force said at a press conference on Sunday. Four men, aged between 24 and 39, were apprehended in Shenzhen, including a Hong Kong man who mainly resides in mainland China and is said to be the mastermind of the syndicate. During the raid in Shenzhen, local authorities seized suspected counterfeit tickets for ongoing and upcoming events, printing machines, invisible ink, cutters, envelopes, and other equipment used to produce the suspected fake tickets. In Hong Kong, seven men and one woman, aged 19 to 65, were arrested for offences including conspiracy to defraud, possession of false documents, obtaining money by deception, and money laundering. They were linked to at least 16 cases of fake concert tickets, with total estimated losses exceeding HK$100,000. Local media reported that the tickets included the concert of South Korean pop star Kwon Ji-yong, also known as G-Dragon. Police said last week that his fans were scammed out of more than HK$610,000 worth of fake tickets to his sold-out Hong Kong concerts. Police said the seized tickets were highly convincing, with the font, anti-counterfeit features, and paper quality closely resembling those of genuine tickets. However, there were minor flaws that could be spotted with the naked eye, for example, differences in the wording of the English terms and conditions, as well as variations in the placement of punctuation marks in the Chinese text. In June, eight people were arrested for allegedly selling high-quality counterfeit tickets to concerts by Cantopop star Nicholas Tse, Taiwanese singer Jay Chou, and four other musicians. The eight suspects were part of a cross-border syndicate involved in at least 40 suspected scams, according to local media, with total losses estimated at around HK$650,000.
