
Home tour: Inside Bar Leone boss Lorenzo Antinori's new Hong Kong home
Everywhere you turn, there are treasures to be spotted. Posters of Wong Kar-wai's seminal 2000 film In the Mood For Love ('my favourite Hong Kong movie') and the 1968 sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey ('Stanley Kubrick is one of my favourite directors') are part of a collection of framed prints in the living area. A shelf acts as a divider between the space and the bedroom. It houses both books—one volume is an Italian translation of The Art of War by Sun Tzu, the Chinese military text dating back to the 5th century BC that Antinori says offers advice applicable for modern-day business—and paintings by family members; several relatives on his mother's side of the family are artists. By his bed are photos of his parents and a frame depicting a religious icon, a gift from his mother, who's a devout Catholic. 'I'm very close to my family—wherever I have lived, in Hong Kong or South Korea, I always have [these items].'
Don't miss: Home tour: Inside an Italian farmhouse-inspired retreat in Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Above Antinori with 'The Savoy Cocktail Book'—he worked at the famed London hotel's American Bar—and 'The South American Gentleman's Companion', a cocktail guide originally published in 1951
(Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
Above A close-up of knick-knacks in the home (Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
Antinori wanted to give the home what he calls a vintage, nostalgic edge. Some of his favourite things—art, film, music—come from the Seventies. His favourite movie, the 1997 indie flick Boogie Nights, is set in the era, and its aesthetics strongly inspired his decorating choices. 'I love the Seventies—they were a cool time because pop culture was extremely loud and visually impactful,' he says. 'There are a lot of elements from that period that I tried to bring into this space.' That influence is evident in the palette: think burnt orange, forest green and acrylic accents.
Above Lorenzo Antinori (Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
Above A view of the coffee in the dining room (Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
A neon sign that reads 'Bar Leone' lights up the space with a bright tangerine hue; the sofas are in the same shade; a Tiffany-style stained glass lamp, an emulation of the prized originals produced by the American artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with green, orange and yellow glass, glows softly in the corner.
Now read: Step inside 3 Hong Kong chefs' and restaurateurs' kitchens at home
Above Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong
Above A close-up of books in the home (Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong)
Antinori has applied the same design philosophy behind his bar to his home. 'We wanted Bar Leone to be a nostalgic space, almost like a trip back to a time in the past. We got a lot of references from the Seventies and Eighties. That's why some people feel like it has been there for a while. When I was thinking about this space, it was the same idea.'
He wanted the home to feel 'a little bit chaotic', he adds, 'almost like it's coming out of a movie by [ Boogie Nights ' director] Paul Thomas Anderson or Wes Anderson.' To bring this vision to life, he enlisted Tiffany Kwan, founder of the interior design firm Studio TK, who also worked with him on Bar Leone.
Above Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong
Above Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong
We wanted Bar Leone to be almost like a trip back to a time in the past. When I was thinking about this space, it was the same idea
- Lorenzo Antinori -
Above Photo: Zed Leets/Tatler Hong Kong
After finally settling in, there are still 'a few other pieces that I need to put up'. A home is a place where one never stands still, he says. 'It's almost a dynamic place. I will always think of new elements that I want to introduce.'
Much like the bar, the home has become a reflection of Antinori's personality. 'Bar Leone is a very personal project. I managed to fill it with things that I love, the things that remind me of home, the things that are connected to my roots. It's the same here; there are certain pieces that I have had in my apartment in Rome with my family, like the religious icon by my bed, the books, frames and prints.
'I think it's important to preserve this element of heritage that showcases our background and who we are. Otherwise, we just live in an empty box.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Tatler Asia
a day ago
- Tatler Asia
‘Virgin' by Lorde is the singer's sonic reckoning with identity, ego death and acceptance
In her latest studio album 'Virgin', Lorde trades polish for pain in 11 raw tracks A water bottle, duct tape and an X-ray scan. Promotional content for Virgin began with the release of its first single, What Was That . The accompanying video, filmed in Manhattan's Washington Park, shows Lorde crawling out of a New York City manhole to a crowd of gathered fans. This kind of sardonic theatricality has long been part of the singer's MO. And while a little more pared down, it reappears in her fourth album in a more subdued but still resonant form. Those who've grown up listening to Lorde will get the most thrill out of the album. It's the New Zealand singer-songwriter at her most provocative and most introspective. 'A hundred per cent written in blood,' she wrote on her official website. Even the album's artwork echoes this sentiment. The cover features an X-ray image of her pelvis, with her IUD in plain view. On the inner sleeve of Virgin's vinyl, she wears a pair of transparent trousers, leaving nothing to the imagination. It's less spectacle than invitation—a permission slip for fans to bask in her vulnerability. More from Tatler: Mid-year review: the best pop albums of 2025 There are remnants of the 16-year-old prodigy we met in 2013. But now, Lorde is in her late twenties, world-worn and heavier with experience and heartbreak. Gone is the teenage jadedness. In its place is something more threadbare. On David , the closing track, she nods to her debut with the line: 'Pure heroine mistaken for featherweight.' The callback is deliberate. Virgin reads like a summation, or even culmination, of everything she's written before. Thematically, one can draw similarities to earlier entries in her discography: the aftermath of a codependent romance ( Melodrama ), the ache of growing pains ( Pure Heroine ) and the quiet confrontation with self ( Solar Power) . But if Solar Power was escapist—slow dancing while the world burns— Virgin is scorched earth. Lorde sits in the wreckage, and there's no running away from it. Above New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde performs onstage during Glastonbury Festival 2025 () One of the album's main thematic tentpoles is Lorde's overdue reckoning with her sexuality and gender identity. While the singer hasn't officially come out as queer, she's been candid about her evolving relationship with her own body. She references this expected turmoil in Hammer and Man of the Year . In Shapeshifter , with its fairytale references and fast-paced beat, the singer reflects on the many roles she's played throughout her life—putting on nonexistent airs, often for the sake of a partner, and masking discomfort in exchange for affection. A similar confession unfolds in Broken Glass , where she references an eating disorder and an internalised distaste for her own body, pleading with the girl in the mirror to break free from a cycle of self-destruction. The album cycles through a grocery list of emotional opposites—longing and lashing out, hunger and abstinence, self-destruction and preservation—all distilled into a brisk 35-minute runtime. David closes the record in a fade to black, ending on the question: 'Am I ever gonna love again?' See also: 7 things to know about BTS member Suga Announcing the intention behind this project, especially in the early promotional period may have not worked in her favour. But even without that context, the music stands on its own. The songs are more literal than expected, and sometimes even to its detriment. Lyrically, this may not be her sharpest work, but its rawness offers a vulnerability that feels unfiltered and direct. Sonically, Virgin leans into repetition. Beats thrum and loop in varying iterations, as if she's rocking back and forth in a fetal position, trying to soothe herself. There's no attempt to disguise the pain with even more metaphor than it's worth. Though the album does play like an open wound, it seems as if it's this polished quality that keeps her rooted in the pop charts, even as she attempts to tiptoe toward something more experimental. Lorde's remedy for grappling with heartbreak is more cough syrup than chicken soup, and listening to Virgin for the first time is probably something you need to experience in a safe and secure space, preferably wrapped in blankets. It feels like abstaining from alcohol at someone's birthday party because you've been prescribed antibiotics for a waning fever; dry-swallowing a bitter pill; a stuffy headache after crying for hours; sobering up from a tantric high. It's that awkward moment of running into a former flame at a mutual friend's get-together and the ensuing spiral into self-rumination. With Virgin , Lorde reckons with what's left of herself after the flames have gone out. And in the moment, she allows those who have followed her since the very beginning to take part in this shared catharsis. NOW READ Lost hits? Unreleased tracks that would have dominated charts The next-gen pop queens: Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and more BTS reveals new 2026 album: a look back at their journey from rookies to superstars through their studio albums


Tatler Asia
3 days ago
- Tatler Asia
8 things to know about Zhao Liying, global brand ambassador for Givenchy Beauty
Zhao Liying returned to the small screen in 2024 with Unseen Sister , a suspense drama produced by iQIYI. In it, she plays a woman drawn into a psychological mystery involving her twin, in a role that sharply departs from her earlier romantic leads. The series has been praised for its tight pacing and atmospheric tension, quickly climbing the platform's charts. For Zhao, it's another reminder of her range—and a pivot toward darker, more layered storytelling. 3. She stars alongside Zhang Ziyi in 'She's Got No Name' Above 'She's Got No Name' also stars Zhang Ziyi, Jackson Yee, Eric Wang (Chuanjun), Jiayin Lei and Mi Yang. Zhao Liying takes on a leading role in She's Got No Name , a historical suspense film directed by Peter Chan and co-starring Zhang Ziyi. The film reimagines the infamous 1945 Shanghai murder case involving a woman who dismembers her abusive husband, a story previously adapted by Chinese cinema icons. This version promises a more nuanced, female-driven take. For Zhao, it's a high-profile entry into arthouse cinema, sharing top billing with one of China's most acclaimed actresses. 4. Her career didn't start in film school Unlike many of her peers, Zhao didn't attend a top arts university. She studied electronics and information engineering at a vocational college and entered the entertainment industry after winning a Yahoo-sponsored talent competition in 2006. Her trajectory, from background actress to leading star, has made her something of a rarity in the industry, especially one that tends to favour graduates from Beijing Film Academy or the Central Academy of Drama. 5. She keeps her private life tightly controlled In an era of oversharing, Zhao Liying is surprisingly reserved. Her Weibo feed is mostly promotional, and her Instagram only has 11 posts. Her public appearances are highly curated, too. Even major life events—such as her marriage to actor Feng Shaofeng and subsequent divorce—have been addressed with brief, minimal statements. That level of discretion is partly why her Givenchy ambassadorship feels so intentional: she brings prestige without excessive tabloid noise. 6. She's no stranger to fashion campaigns Before Givenchy, Zhao had already been tapped by luxury brands. She has worked with Dior and Gucci, appeared in editorials for magazines and attended fashion week events in both Paris and Shanghai. Her style evolution—from girl-next-door looks to more structured, high-fashion silhouettes—mirrors her on-screen transformation from romantic heroines to more mature, complex characters. 7. She wears Givenchy Beauty's Le Rouge Velvet Matte lipstick in the new campaign In the campaign visuals for Givenchy Beauty, Zhao Liying wears the brand's Le Rouge Velvet Matte lipstick, a hero product for the maison. The shades were selected to complement her pared-back styling—classic, controlled and quietly powerful. It's a calculated image shift: Zhao has often been cast in softer, romantic roles, but here she appears sharp and self-assured. The campaign leans into her evolving persona while anchoring Givenchy's identity in modern elegance. 8. Zhao Liying is also a global ambassador for Galénic Her partnership with Givenchy isn't her only tie to French beauty. Zhao Liying is also the global ambassador for Galénic, a luxury skincare brand known for its pharmaceutical-grade formulations and minimalist aesthetic. Announced in early 2024, the collaboration positions Zhao at the intersection of science-driven skincare and high fashion. It also reinforces her role as a trusted beauty figure, not just a celebrity face, but someone with influence in both treatment and cosmetics categories.


Tatler Asia
18-07-2025
- Tatler Asia
Fernando Jorge on crafting fluid jewels: The Brazilian designer's journey and vision for jewellery
With a design philosophy rooted in movement and cultural expression, Jorge shares with Tatler how he challenges traditional jewellery norms and connects emotionally with a new generation of luxury connoisseurs. On his visit to Hong Kong's Joyce boutique to showcase his fine jewellery collection, jewellery designer Fernando Jorge opened up about the journey that transformed his passion from engineering sketches to creating fluid, elegant jewels that capture the spirit of his homeland. Jewellery designer Fernando Jorge sits down with Tatler to chat about his career journey and his design philosophy at a trunk show in luxury brand boutique Joyce in Hong Kong How did you first become interested in jewellery design? It was a combination of small decisions and accidents that led me to jewellery. I always had a very visual relationship with the world and a natural talent for drawing, but I didn't have references for creative careers around me growing up. I initially studied engineering, then logistics, before realising I needed to pursue something more creative. When I started studying product design, I got an internship at a Brazilian jewellery workshop doing technical drawings. That experience blew my mind—I was working with the most beautiful materials in nature, creating objects that held deep emotional meaning. I fell in love with jewellery and realised this was what I wanted to do. Your designs have a distinctly fluid aesthetic. Where does that come from? It's a reflection of my cultural background and my interpretation of Brazil. I wanted to capture a sense of rhythm, movement and organic effortlessness but still maintain elegance. When I launched my first collection in 2010-11, the jewellery was very spiky and gothic. [Then] I came out with these soft, fluid pieces that felt new and essential. I'm aiming for something natural and ethereal. Now, 15 years later, a lot of jewellery has this free-form quality that moves with the body. I'm still true to that original spark, but my sensibility has also been refined with my time in London. What is your creative process when designing a new collection? It usually starts with an intention or an idea I want to explore. For example, I went from the concept of fluidity to electricity—from something dripping to something buzzing out of the body. Then I sketch and find a name or concept to reinforce the idea. The choice of materials comes with the intention. Sometimes it's a continuation of something I've done before; other times it's about exploring new combinations or techniques. But I'm always trying to balance innovation with timelessness. I want to be part of the timeline of jewellery that has existed for generations, while still making my mark on the present. See also: Inside the creative journey of Francesca Villa: how her vintage-inspired jewellery empowers self-expression and celebrates sentimental stories