all i want for christmas: jesper mcilroy

Photographer & creative director Jesper McIlroy has long been one our favourite guys in Hong Kong.  Why?  He's super nice, he's a talented photographer and, yes, we admit, he's handsome, too!  We've had the pleasure of knowing Jesper and his beautiful wife, Cara Grogan, for several years now, and there are big changes in store for the happy couple, who are expecting their first child in the new year!  We couldn't be more excited for them and, with those genes, their baby is guaranteed to come out with both a beautiful face and a kind heart.  It's been a big year for Jesper: he was featured on (and almost won) StarTV's hit new design challenge show The Apartment, his photography career has truly flourished, he married the gorgeous Cara and, of course, their baby will soon by on its way.  We're all hoping for a wonderful year full of health, happiness and success for Jesper and his family!

Photographer Jesper McIlroy with his wife, model and founder of Genie Juice, Cara Grogan.  They are expecting their first child in 2014! Congratulations and all the best to the gorgeous couple!

Best gift you've ever given? 

 Surprise trip to Palawan, Philippines, which included a proposal :)

Best gift you've ever received? 

My dog when I was 10 years old.

Worst gift you've ever given? 

I once gave a girlfriend a birthday present on the wrong month (the right date, but the wrong month)...that was embarrassing.

Worst gift you've ever received? 

New Kids on the Block cassette tape (yes, I am that old), which I re-wrapped and gave to my girlfriend (on my 9th birthday).

Dream holiday destination? 

 Heli-Snowboarding in Alaska.  Or I've always wanted to visit Rajasthan, India.

Favorite holiday dish? 

 My family is Danish and each year we have rice pudding as dessert and in the pudding 3 whole almonds are hidden. The people who find the almonds while they are eating win a prize.

Favorite holiday drink? 

 Manhattan.

Favorite Christmas carol? 

 Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee.

All I want for Christmas this year is... 

A healthy baby girl. My wife is expecting on the 1st of March

What's topping your wish list this Christmas? 

 Well, as a photographer, I'm pretty obsessed with camera gear, so probably Canon lenses. And, I still love shooting on film and I collect film cameras, so maybe film.  Yeah, for most people that's pretty boring...

Holiday shopping strategy? 

 Is there such thing? I buy last minute. And I do absolutely no shopping on 'Black Friday' (while in the US, which is the day after Thanksgiving). You can YouTube this; people are crazy!

What will you be wearing this Christmas? 

 I love being in the snow and having to wear big jackets and boots, and warming up by the fireplace, but this year I'll be in Hong Kong and looking forward to hopefully wearing Insight board shorts and Havaianas!

See more from Jesper McIlroy and his photography here.

Follow Jesper on Insgatram at @jespermcilroy.

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all i want for christmas: vnikali

Veronica Li of style blog vnikali has had a great year.  She's collaborated with some of the biggest names in the fashion industry, including Superga, Swarovski and Chanel, she travelled to Austria to attend a ball to fete Omega and her styling career has kicked off!  Known for her feminine and sophisticated style, vnikali has carved out a great little niche for herself in the industry as an authority on timeless, classic style.  She's also incredibly creative, which we learned first-hand when we collaborated with her on a Superga DIY project earlier this year, in which she created a baroque-style design for her Superga's, inspired by her trip to Austria.  These creative talents have lead her styling career to flourish this year in Hong Kong.  We can't wait to see what this talented girl does in 2014!

Veronica Li of vnikali, blogger & stylist.

Best gift you've ever given?

Home made pajamas for my family! I sewed everything myself :)

Best gift you've ever received?

When I was young, 'Tickle Me Elmo'! I couldn’t sleep for days, because I was playing with Elmo. I can still remember now how happy I was!

Worst gift you've ever given?

A very ugly iPhone case that I found last minute for a Christmas dinner, I felt  ashamed afterwards!

Worst gift you've ever received? 

A HKD$10 Doraemon cheap carpet (you can easily tell it’s bought in Mongkok)!

 

Dream holiday destination?

Aurora Borealis over Bear Lake, Alaska to view Northern Lights while sipping on hot cocoa. 

Favorite Christmas carol?

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. 

Favorite holiday dish? 

Roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing; usually we save the white meat for turkey sandwich the next day. 

Favorite holiday drink?

Champagne Cranberry Punch.

All I want for Christmas this year is...

To fly somewhere last minute without any plans (I'm tired of planning)! 

What's topping your wish list this Christmas?

A new chic camera bag from Rebecca Minkoff.

Holiday shopping strategy?

It’s the only holiday that you can spoil yourself with a good excuse! Especially on Boxing Day, so just reward yourself for all of your hard work in 2013 and let the new goodies bring you good luck in 2014!  I tend buy a lot of candles and tea during Christmas season!  No idea why, but it just happens! 

What will you be wearing this Christmas?

This year I want to wear lots of metallic with a cozy knit and a nice headpiece for some Christmas spirit!

See more from Veronica Li at vnikali here.

Follow Veronica Li on Instagram at @vnikali.

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all i want for christmas: alan see & alexa bui

When it comes to cool couples, Alan See and Alexa Bui have got to be at the top of our list.  As one of the co-founders of artisnal menswear boutique, The Armoury, Alan See is one of the best dressed men in Hong Kong.  His wife, Alexa, is equally stylish in the womenswear department and a style icon in her own right, thanks to her blog Cashmere & Candy.  Although they might appear to an outsider as totally serious 'fashion people', they actually both have a refreshingly hilarious sense of humour.  A couple minutes with these two and they'll have you in stitches.  On top of that, they're also parents to an impossibly adorable baby boy.  How they find the time to do everything, we don't know!  They are a super-couple, for sure.  Find out what this crazy couple is doing for the holidays in our special All I Want for Christmas couples edition below!

Alan See: self-described 'Menswear Enthusiast, Trying Father and Doted-on Husband'.

Alexa Bui: Style Maven, Supermom and Make-up Artist.

Best gift you've ever given?

Alan See: Wait, let me check my wife's answers first... The best gift I will have given will be in about a weeks time!

Alexa Bui: [Our baby] Bean to Alan!

Best gift you've ever received?

AS:A photo book of captured memories.

AB: Can I say Bean again?

Worst gift you've ever given?

AS: It must have been the engagement ring I proposed with, because my other half is now attached to me for life! Haha...

AB: Well, there was that first Valentine's Day I had with Alan. He was all romantic and gave me a Juicy Couture charm bracelet with a ton of charms, all dispersed throughout the day. I, on the other hand, gave him a Jimmy Eat World concert DVD.  LAME!  I like to think I've stepped up my game since then.

Worst gift you've ever received?

AS: Coupons to a place I'd never shop in or encourage people to shop in. Thanks!

AB: I can honestly say that I can't think of one! I guess I'm just really lucky to have people that know me well, ha!

Dream holiday destination?

AS: It would be a combination of places, which would include the snow, the jungle, old cities and ending up with a nice long rest on a beach. There are quite a few spots like this and I want to head to them all!

AB: Too many to pick just one but Maldives and Machu Pichu are on the list.

Favorite holiday dish?

AS: Spotted dick...actually, I hate the pudding, but how can you not love the name?

AB: Turkey. Definitely the turkey. And lots of gravy.

Favorite holiday drink?

AS: Marshmallows and hot chocolate.

AB: Mulled Wine/Egg Nog.. depends on who makes it!

Favorite Christmas carol?

AS: "Oh Holy Night" has always been stuck in my head since watching Home Alone when it first came out. It is not your typical jingle jangle Merry Christmas song, but has one of the most powerful choruses to make you feel something different completely!

AB: Mistletoe by Justin Bieber. I KID!!! I like them all, but I love blasting Mariah's All I Want for Christmas is You as soon as Thanksgiving is done. I can't help but shimmy to that. I'm sure I embarrass Alan quite a bit when it's played in public and I unconsciously boogie to it.

All I want for Christmas this year is...

AS: To spend a great time in front of a fireplace and Christmas tree

with my new family!

AB: To see the Northern Lights [in Finland]. Fingers crossed we see them!

What's topping your wish list this Christmas?

AS: A nice big vacation!

AB: A girl can never to have too many shoes...

Holiday shopping strategy?

AS: I think Calvin (Hobbes' bestest buddy) said it best when he said, "Creativity can't be turned on like a faucet, you have to be in the right mood.  Last minute panic."

AB: I will have 24-hours in Paris. It's going to be pure madness.

What will you be wearing this Christmas?

AS: Tweed, flannel, and for my lapland trip, a reissue of one of the iconic parkas used by Sir Edmund Hillary to scale Mount Everest.

AB: Seeing that it will be -20 degrees, probably a very unsexy snowsuit. And long johns. Definitely long johns.

See more from Alan See at his Tumblr here and more from Alexa at Cashmere & Candy here.

Follow Alan See on Instagram at @seealan and Alexa Bui at @cashmereandcandy.

Visit The Armoury here.

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all i want for christmas: mandy d'abo

As the Director and Founder of The Cat Street Gallery, Mandy d'Abo has spent much of her life rubbing shoulders with creative artists and people who appreciate artistic flair.  Jealous, much?  We certainly are.  Mandy herself is a highly creative soul and her gallery, The Cat Street Gallery, reflects that creativity.  She was one of the first to see Hong Kong as a growing market and appreciation for art and it was this belief, coupled with her eye for style, that has brought her immense success in the city's burgeoning art industry.  As an Australian, Mandy has big love for her Aussie brands, in particular, sass & bide, and if you ever see her around town in a dress you just have to have, chances are it's one from sass & bide.  Oh, and you guessed it: she'll be wearing sass & bide this Christmas! 

Best gift you've ever received?

A vintage watch.

Best gift you've ever given?

Tailored velvet smoking jacket by the Moustache tailors on Aberdeen Street.

Worst gift you've ever given?

A pair of socks.

Worst gift you've ever received?

Pair of socks!

Dream holiday destination?

Amanpulo.

Favorite holiday dish?

Glazed ham and mini baked potatoes with creme fraiche and dollop of caviar.

Favorite holiday drink?

I love egg nog!

Favorite Christmas carol?

Once in Royal David's City.

What's topping your wish list this Christmas?

A 2014 Smythson diary, La Perla bra, sass & bide dress.

Holiday shopping strategy?

First panic...always last minute!  Gough Street and Aberdeen Street for stocking fillers and Pacific Place on Christmas Eve for everything! Amazon.com for overseas presents/books for godchildren and hampers for family.

What will you be wearing this Christmas?

A party dress by sass & bide (that I hopefully will get for Christmas!)

See more from The Cat Street Gallery here.

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all i want for christmas: celine lindvall

As the PR & Marketing Manager for Maximal Concepts, Celine Lindvall lives a sweet, sweet life.  The French native gets to work with the whole range of Maximal Concepts' venues, including top restaurants such as Brickhouse, Blue Butcher and the new Fish and Meat, as well as the nightclub, PLAY and Electric sekki's favourite spa, Flawless.  Told you it was sweet!  The portfolio of brands within the Maximal Concepts group can often be found at the top of most people's 'Must Visit' lists at any given time in Hong Kong.  Celine Lindvall is also quite simply just a super cool chick.  Her style is perfection and she's got a killer shoe collection (seriously, check out that photo below).  Though her work life is busy, she always looks impeccable every time we see her!  She's also clearly not a fan of cold winters, as most of the things she's listed in her All I Want For Christmas interview revolved around the sun, the sea and cold cocktails!

Best gift you've ever given? 

A whole collection of Neil Young and Leonard Cohen vinyls. My dad gave me my love of old vinyls and I found a secret place in Shum Shui Po owned by Paul Au on 239 Cheung Sha Wan Road... It's a music lovers' heaven.

Best gift you've ever received? 

My British short hair cats, Picasso and Banksy! I'm a real cat lady! My husband used to hate cats and he just bought them to make me happy, "Happy wife happy life."  Now he can't spend a day without them!  I treat them like my kids and spoil them rotten.

3. Worst gift you've ever given? 

An I "Heart HK" T-shit?

Worst gift you've ever received? 

Probably one of these scary Christmas sweaters. You know the ones that have reindeers and corny teddy bears on it. 

Dream holiday destination? 

 During winter, I try to escape in Thailand or Vietnam. Anywhere I can get a tan, ride horses and get great cocktails, really... 

Favorite holiday dish? 

Oysters or grilled fish. Chef Russell Doctrove from Fish and Meat cooks an amazing grilled whole sea bass, that reminds me of home.

Favorite holiday drink? 

The "Tom & Jerry" Christmas drink at Blue Butcher. This is a festive drink that was invented in 1850's and Blue Butcher brought it back to life with its own little twist!

Photo by Daniel Haddad of HungryHK.

 

What's topping your wish list this Christmas? 

I guess a pair of Saint Laurent studded punk ranger boots would do! *Hint Hint*, Santa! 

Favorite Christmas carol? 

Douce Nuit, the French version of Silent Night. My mum used to sing it every Christmas after drinking a glass of Champagne. 

All I want for Christmas this year is... 

A flight to France so I can give a big hug to my Mum! 

Holiday shopping strategy? 

I am obsessed with Christmas!  I start thinking of my gifts in early November.  I know, don't judge me! I love, love, love the spirit it brings; everyone is happy and shopping malls are even more exciting at this time of the year.  Christmas songs put me in a happy shopping mood!  I've found great gifts for my girlfriends at Flawless. I changed all my cosmetics to Medik8, a great skincare brand that Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston use, so I share the love and buy some for my girls. I love looking around to find the perfect gift; so no strategy really. I just need a bit luck to find good ideas!

What will you be wearing this Christmas? 

I just bought this gorgeous little vintage black dress in Paris. Open back with a whole lot of feathers at the bottom. Will probably add a pair of gold Christian Louboutin and chunky jewels. Smoky eyes and I'm good to go! 

See more from Maximal Concepts here.

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all i want for christmas: angela kan

After the success of last year's All I Want For Christmas series on the Electric sekki blog, we are kicking things off again this year with a very special lady.  With a new show on TLC, Beach Life with Angela Kan, which premiered earlier this week on Monday at 9pm (and continues to air on the channel at the same time each week), Angela Kan is the current talk of the town.  This bubbly, gracious and beautiful girl deserves all the success she is currently enjoying with the show, in which she explores the 'Beach Life' in a variety of different beachside paradises each week.  Sounds like the perfect job, doesn't it?  Well, the show couldn't have chosen a more perfect host.  Angela's upbeat personality and humble generosity is contagious; spend one minute with this girl and she is bound to put a smile on your face.  So when we started putting together a list of the people we wanted to talk to this year about their holiday plans and traditions, Angela was at the very top of our list!  She's such a great girl that we're sure this quick little interview simply isn't enough for Angela Kan for you, so make sure to check out her show on TLC, Monday nights at 9pm!

Best gift you've ever given? 

Fly-boarding lessons.  Hands down best gift ever!  Check out Flyboard.com.hk.

Best gift you've ever received? 

Surprise rooftop serenade backed by Hong Kong's own Noughts and Exes (a band I LOVE!) with the chorus sung by everyone present. It was a perfect Love Actually kind of moment.

Worst gift you've ever given? 

I tried to 'regift' last Christmas, 'twas a big #fail on my part!  Regift with caution: remember, the gift has to be personal, even (and especially) if it's a hand-me-down!

Worst gift you've ever received? 

None, all gifts feel special on some level. 

Dream holiday destination? 

Hidden Beach, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

All I want for Christmas this year is... 

YOU!!!!!!!!

Favorite holiday dish? 

Does candy count?  Will Ferrell as "Elf" says YES!  In that case, the gingerbread house. Fun noms!

Favorite holiday drink?

Mulled wine from a weihnachtsmärkte!

What's topping your wish list this Christmas? 

I want a Christmas filled with presence; just want to be with friends and family that I love.

Holiday shopping strategy? 

"5 Hands" works for me: 

1. Handmade 

2. Hand-me-down 

3. Second-hand 

4. Helping hand (community or service work) 

5. Hand-in-hand (spending time together)

Favorite Christmas carol? 

I adore nativity songs! O Holy Night is a fave.

What will you be wearing this Christmas? 

Anything warm and fuzzy, with UNIQLO 'Heat Tech' underneath.

Watch Beach Life with Angela Kan on TLC, Monday nights at 9pm!

Follow Angela Kan on Facbeook here.

FollowAngela Kan on Instagram at @angelakantravel.

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nanushka's sweater love

This fall, our favourite cool-girl label, Nanushka, launched a line of wonderfully cozy and whimsical sweaters, aptly called 'Sweater Love'.  To celebrate the launch of this line, the label put together an adorable little campaign video that makes long for sleepovers and jumping on the bed.  Shot with the 1960's in mind, the film showcases the Nanushka designer herself, Sandra Sandor, with who she call's her 'Nanushka friends' hanging out in a vintage-style bedroom and dancing to rock music on a retro bed.  Oh, and Elvis plays a small part in the film, too.  It's the perfect complement to Sweater Love's vintage-inspired oversized and colourful sweaters.  With the temperature dropping around the world, sweater weather is definitely upon us, and we can't wait to break out our Nanushka 'Sweater Love' pieces ASAP!

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killing it in camilla & marc

Lately, we've seen a lot of our favourite women wearing camilla & marc at events around town, including model Jennifer Tse 謝婷婷, actress and recent 2013 Gold Rooster Award winner Song Jia 宋佳 and Chinese megastar actress Yao Chen 姚晨.  We think it's safe to say that the label has finally landed in Asia with huge success!  The label is known in their native Australia as being one of the country's few truly luxury labels, whose aesthetic is sleek, sophisticated and utterly modern.  These three gorgeous ladies chose pieces from the camilla & marc Resort 2014 collection, whose palette was largely monochromatic, featuring chic yet sexy pieces that we are all obsessed with here at the Electric sekki showroom.  We can't wait to see who wears the label next!

Jennifer Tse 謝婷婷 attends an event in camilla & marc.

Song Jia 宋佳 attends an event in camilla & marc. 

Song Jia 宋佳 attends an event in camilla & marc.

Yao Chen 姚晨 in camilla & marc at an event for her new blockbuster film, Control.

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