Cover With sailing being a favourite pastime of the Owens, they explore Ferretti Group's newest superyacht, the Riva 110 Dolcevita. Ralph Lauren outfit (Christopher); Dodo Bar Or from Net-a-Porter, APM Monaco jewellery (Victoria) (Photo: Ken Wu/Tatler Hong Kong)
With sailing being a favourite pastime of the Owens, they explore Ferretti Group's newest superyacht, the Riva 110 Dolcevita. Ralph Lauren outfit (Christopher); Dodo Bar Or from Net-a-Porter, APM Monaco jewellery (Victoria) (Photo: Ken Wu/Tatler Hong Kong)
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Named among Asia’s Most Influential last year, the couple set sail to find their own sanctuary amid Hong Kong’s skyscrapers
When Victoria Tang-Owen and Chistopher Owen go sailing, there’s always a chance their five-year old son Rocco will try to usurp the captain. “He loves to give directions; he’s quite vocal about that. He loves to sit at the controls and watch the radar, that kind of stuff,” Christopher tells Tatler, joking that Rocco is “a little bit bossy”.
While sailing has long been a favoured pastime of the Owens, the past few years have been an opportunity to explore Hong Kong in a different way, he adds. With family vacations abroad becoming more of a rarity during the pandemic, the stylish couple—who work together on the multidisciplinary agency Thirty30 Creative—needed to find another way to recuperate from their busy but fulfilling day jobs.
Above (Video: Sheng Productions/Tatler Hong Kong)
Victoria says, “I think Covid-19 just brought us to really explore Hong Kong: what we have and how we can [enjoy] it.”
Although it’s easy to miscast Hong Kong as just a concrete jungle, there are so many stunning natural spots to explore, especially by water. For Victoria, who spent part of her childhood here, one of her earliest boat trips was sailing in a sampan from Aberdeen to the towering Jumbo Floating Restaurant, which sadly recently sank in the South China Sea en route to its new home.
“The boating culture has always been very strong in Hong Kong,” she says. Family is at the heart of her earliest boat chartering memories, heading out on trips very similar to ones she now goes on with her own son.
As she grew older, it became an escape from the adults, as she would sail out with friends to share a few drinks. “You’re 18 and you’re grown up and you think you know the world, and you think you know better than [your parents],” she says.
Victoria Tang-Owen wearing Mila one piece swimsuit, Jade Swim from the Holiday Project (Photo: Ken Wu/Tatler Hong Kong)
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“Then when you have a family, it also [becomes] an environment that you can safely bring the kids to and do activities.”
Rather than heading to waters crowded with party junks like those near Clearwater Bay, tranquil outlying island Po Toi, home to lush jungles and awe-inspiring natural rock formations, has become something of a sanctuary for the couple to escape the city and recharge with their friends. Their ideal situation is to anchor down nearby the island for a quick swim, then disembark to explore the area. With activities including lunch at the local seafood restaurant and exploring the spiritual centre of Po Toi at its Tin Hau temple, it isn’t uncommon for the family to pitch a tent and camp overnight on the beach—as well as helping to clean up the beach with Rocco.
Special thanks to Starship Yachts—Riva Exclusive dealer.
Credits
Photography: Ken Wu and Affa Chan
Videography: John Shea and Nathan Han, Sheng Productions
Grooming: Wendy Lee
Styling: Tasha Ling
Outfit: Ralph Lauren (Christopher); Dior (Rocco); APM Monaco, Fendi, Ralph Lauren, Dodo Bar Or from Net-a-Porter, Antique Rose from the Holiday Project, Fendi (Victoria)
