Reflections by Eileen Bygrave
Never did I dream, whilst eating curry bee-hoon or durian in Gopeng, that my road would one day lead me to the glittering orbit of Paris, interviewing the haughty Karl Lagerfeld. Also, that I would be in the Renaissance salons of the Palazzo Feroni-Spini in Florence
The Eighties
China was opening up to foreign investments. I was living then in England. Homesick for Asia, I accepted the chance to return, to Hong Kong. Our little team which included a Singapore colleague, was told to set forth and conquer the market.
We did, opening with noisy fanfare the first Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon in The White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou.
Then, when Leonardo Ferragamo visited Hong Kong in 1987, I was brought forth as the expert on shoe merchandising. This was because of my experience running my own shoe boutique in England. The result was that our Wharf Group was awarded the exclusive franchise for Hong Kong, China and Taiwan.
Those were heady days for entering the China market. In our portfolio, we held five European luxury brands. Hong Kong was the gateway for enterprises straining for a foothold in this potentially lucrative, but hazardous market. Ferragamo was the prototype for all our other brands.
Ferragamo and Florence
On one of my frequent trips to Florence, Ferruccio Ferragamo offered me the position of Europe Retail Director, to be based in the inner sanctum of the Palazzo Feroni-Spini, working with members of the Family. I asked why I was selected. Ferragamo was one of the earliest luxury houses to recognise the bounty of China and wanted to understand what products would appeal. They wanted my input.
Apparently, I had proven my mettle.
Thus, began two years of a memorable and stunningly privileged life. Initially, it was difficult to concentrate on the designs displayed on vast banquet tables, distracted as I was by the breath-taking frescoes on the ceilings. Across the walls, if they were not adorned with medieval tapestries, would be photographs of Salvatore, the founder, with film stars Greta Garbo, Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn.
My first apartment was inside the castle, with walls so thick we could safely social-distance. Walking to work as my boots echoed across the cobbles, I listened to the bells of the Duomo. At night, when the gentle lights of Florence guided me through the winding alleyways, I heard musicians basking, arias floating across the ancient piazza. So romantic, I savoured the theatre setting.
The salons in the Palazzo would be abuzz with suppressed excitement, the atmosphere rich with air-kisses. Glamorous women, and even more beautiful men, meandered hurriedly down the hallowed corridors. All this belied the serious back-room business of tight stock-control, to ensure that hemlines met the financial bottom-line.
“Fashion Unlimited”
My road took me back to Singapore to create a TV fashion series called “Fashion Unlimited”. It ran for a year, stressfully meeting deadlines every Saturday at 8 pm. The best episode was covering the haute-couture catwalk show of Chanel at the Ritz Hotel, Paris. Just before the end of the show, press and crews would scramble to interview the models and, of course, the high and mighty Karl Lagerfeld; he who would only grant interviews to Suzie Menkes of the New York Times and Anna Wintour of Vogue.
But guess what?
My road did lead me up to Karl. Audaciously, I shoved my microphone at him. He had to reply to my questions. “Fashion Unlimited” had a field day. We filmed in the sacred chambers of Coco Chanel and sat on her famous chesterfield settee.
So, the gravel road from Gopeng did lead me up to the paved highways of fashion.
Video: Turning Point: Shoe queen’s latest venture in Singapore
Published by Eileen Bygrave
(Feature image courtesy of Salvatore Ferragamo)
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Eileen Bygrave nee Keng Siok Hian was an SCGS girl. She worked mainly abroad, in various aspects of the fashion industry. For 26 years she worked from HK, opening the China market for Italian fashion. Then she worked from Florence as a global marketing and communication director for Salvatore Ferragamo.
