Cover Delight aboard the Faubourg Express (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
Delight aboard the Faubourg Express (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
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The Faubourg Express was a dinner experience that brought its guests on a ride through the roots of Hermès
Celebrated luxury retail label, Hermès, has continued to create timeless and stylish pieces from fashion to homeware. Recently, to celebrate the festive season, Hermès treated guests to a memorable ride on the Faubourg Express, which kicked off at One Ayala. The immersive Faubourg Express dinner experience drew inspiration from train stations, with guests making their way to a booth to receive a train ticket, taking them back to the roaring era of the Twenties. They then boarded a dining hall, a long, curved dining table imitating train tracks winding down the room.
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Above Jun and Eda Yupitun, Dr Earl Chua, Frannie Abad, Deandra Tan, Mario Katigbak, Stephanie Chung, Patricia Chua (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
Jun and Eda Yupitun, Dr Earl Chua, Frannie Abad, Deandra Tan, Mario Katigbak, Stephanie Chung, Patricia Chua (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
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Above Guests were served meals in three-layer bento boxes (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
Above Station-themed ticket booths (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
Guests were served meals in three-layer bento boxes (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
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Among the evening’s highlights was the four-dinner course prepared by Shangri-La The Fort, with each dish representing a single stop along the Faubourg Express: Sunrise on Honorè Valley, Cloud Race, Le Jardin Sur le Toit and the Wilderness. Each one was served in a bento box, intricately and delicately carved to look like Hermès’s flagship store. The meal’s explosion of flavours and myriad of textures was a journey unto itself. And yet, the adventure was far from over.
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The night came alive with two performances that captured the audience’s attention. Conductors carrying baggage staggered into the room, reacting to imaginary rough movements of a locomotive. The room was flooded in blue hues, while flashing lights and the sounds of howling winds and thunderstrikes created the atmosphere of a passing storm The second act consisted of a ballet movement using bags and trolleys of varying sizes as props. Then, an added bit of suspense: a conductor announces that a blue luggage had gone missing. The succeeding dance culminated in the luggage being found—which humorously turned out to be miniature, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It was nothing short of exhilarating, leaving one even more curious about what was to come next.
Some of the distinguished names who graced the Hermès dinner were Anton Huang, Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Mario Katigbak and Donnie Tantoco.
Above Mario Katigbak, Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Stephanie Chong (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
Mario Katigbak, Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Stephanie Chong (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
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Above Kathy Huang (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
Above Anthony Huang, Nikki Huang, Mitch Suarez (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
Kathy Huang (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
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Above Immersive performances by the staff kept guests at the edge of their seats (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
Immersive performances by the staff kept guests at the edge of their seats (Photo: courtesy of Hermès)
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This carefully orchestrated experience brought together the elements that make Hermès the acclaimed and innovative design house that it is. Every single one of the senses was delighted in surprising and unexpected ways. No detail was left untouched. Wonder and delight were around every corner of this extraordinary evening—one that made a lasting impact on each guest of the house.
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About
Tobias wants to write things that make people think, laugh, and reflect. He’s especially proud when he can sneak in a cheeky pop-culture reference or a pun in his titles and articles.
He possesses a deep love of history, resulting from years of books, games, and museum visits. It was this fascination with the human endeavour that fostered his love of writing, spanning genres, tones, and moods. He one day hopes to write a novel—he just hasn't decided on a genre yet. A certified homebody, you'll often find him on the computer he built himself, binge-watching Seinfeld or House, playing his favourite gacha game, or reading a book.
Work
Tobias is a features writer that specialises in branded content. Reach out to him at tobias.tomas@tatlerasia.com.
