FIELD of PLENTY
Vogue Singapore|May, 2024
Vogue Singapore explores the enduring entwinement between Chanel and camellias with a visit to the maison's open-sky laboratory in Gaujacq; a haven and research ground dedicated to Gabrielle Chanel's favourite flower.
EMILY HENG
FIELD of PLENTY

The sun is a warm, insistent pressure on the back of my neck as I shelter beneath a gargantuan shrub bursting with fuchsia camellias. The slightest movement brings a spray of blooms closer to my face, leaving behind a trail of condensation. A bee meanders past, landing on the waxy surface of a leaf overhead. It is possible to imagine that spring has arrived in

Gaujacq, a commune located in the southwest of France. And yet. there are signs that today is an anomalous occasion. A wooden bench feels swollen and damp under my touch, while every step I take is accompanied by a distinctive squelch-signs that heavy rain has just swept through.

"We're having a spot of good weather today," remarks Jean Thoby, international camellia expert and owner of the botanical conservatory garden I am standing in. Indeed, the land in La Chalosse is associated with frequent rainfall and non-existent winds. The fact that the sun has chosen to emerge today feels fortuitous; a blessing befalling us as we traverse the sprawling grounds of Thoby's Plantarium: the home to 2,000 varieties of camellia, including two seedlings from the mother plants that were purportedly ordered by Gabrielle Chanel more than a century ago.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May, 2024 من Vogue Singapore.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May, 2024 من Vogue Singapore.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من VOGUE SINGAPORE مشاهدة الكل
As You Like It
Vogue Singapore

As You Like It

Slender new designs to the Tiffany & Co. Lock collection make it a breeze to style and wear. Vogue Singapore's editor-in-chief Desmond Lim takes the jewels for a spin on Aimee Cheng-Bradshaw, Christabel Chua and Lennard Yeong.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024 Issue
In Its Own Way
Vogue Singapore

In Its Own Way

It’s easy, low-stakes even, to praise a classically beautiful watch. How about trying to appreciate and understand timepieces with aesthetics that challenge?

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024 Issue
Fashion's Fresh Slate
Vogue Singapore

Fashion's Fresh Slate

As we contend with some of the industry’s biggest shake-ups, fashion experts weigh in on their predictions for the new season.

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2024 Issue
LAU FEY
Vogue Singapore

LAU FEY

After winning her first Grammy, the songbird opens up about her Asian upbringing, body-doubling with her twin sister and how she sends her music through time.

time-read
7 mins  |
September 2024 Issue
Sasha
Vogue Singapore

Sasha

With a career spanning several decades, countless runway shows and the record as the longest-serving model for Prada, the Russian supermodel and artist is widely recognised as one of the defining faces of the 2000s. Today, fashion's ultimate muse returns to grace the cover of Vogue Singapore's September issue, channelling the best of '80s kitsch and maximalism amid a flurry of daring silhouettes, striking embellishments and exuberant neon hues.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024 Issue
An Actor PREPARES
Vogue Singapore

An Actor PREPARES

Ahead of her new film 7he ustigators, Oscar-nominated actor Hong Chau sits down to talk about her preparation for the role, how her relationship with acting has evolved and what success means to her.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024 Issue
CHYPRE &CHIC
Vogue Singapore

CHYPRE &CHIC

After 71 fragrances in the house's 187-year history, Hermès debuts its first chypre scent. Here's why Barenia, and the whopping 998 tests it took to birth it, matters to perfumer Christine Nagel.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024 Issue
DECORA PLAY
Vogue Singapore

DECORA PLAY

In our local fashion landscape, where style often veers towards the plain and conventional, embracing the kitsch and vibrant world of Decora fashion represents a courageous defiance of the norm. Natasha Aliya Dawson, a local Decora dresser, talks about her journey with this bold style.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024 Issue
On BEAT
Vogue Singapore

On BEAT

H&M Studio's new autumn/winter 2024 collection is an ode to jazz musicians.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024 Issue
A NEW VISION
Vogue Singapore

A NEW VISION

Daniel Lee's Burberry is at once a profound reflection of the past and a projection into the future. In a photo shoot capturing the essence of the new Burberry, Lee is joined by English supermodel Karen Elson and Thai actor Bright Vachirawit.

time-read
8 mins  |
September 2024 Issue