Harper\'s bazaar Malysia September 2018

222 HARPER’S BAZAAR SEPTEMBER 2018

When not chasing after her kids and

managing this modern mansion, Peng finds

time for yoga, her favourite superfood smoothies,

playing Ryuichi Sakamoto on her baby grand,

and planning the next family holiday, where

Kyoto remains a favourite. “I remember reading

Memoirs Of A Geisha and it really sparked my

desire to visit the city. The natural beauty, its

gracefulness, and the tranquillity make it the

best place to be inspired by,” she says. Peng now visits the city of

shrines armed with an “Excel spreadsheet of restaurant reservations”.

In between checking things off her gastronomic bucket list, she

enjoys doing things off the beaten track, like taking a train out to

neighbouring cities like Nara and Kobe. “In Japan, possibilities

are endless. One thing that we did recently was taking the Sagano

Scenic Railway to Kameoka, and then coming down via a raft to

the Hozugawa River—what a thrilling experience!” she reminisces.

We end our shoot and interview with Peng back in her walk-in

wardrobe—where else would we be?—for requisite Instagram

shots. She picks out a favourite outfit bought recently, a Saint

Laurent lace dress with a jewel-encrusted neckline that takes our

breath away. “This is why I am so obsessed with fashion! The cut,

the flow of the garment, and the proportions are really crucial. I

can see myself wearing this dress even when I am 70 years old.

Fashion is forever!” she laughs. “Like what Oscar Wilde said,

‘One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.’” g

Now, in the late afternoon, we’re walking

through the courtyard, before sitting down

for a prawn linguine lunch, prepared single-

handedly by her “favourite chef ”, her son Justin

Lee, who at only 12 years old, can put together

a whole six-course meal of “deconstructed”

beef Wellington and chocolate hazelnut

soufflé. Switching off fashion mode, Peng talks

about the recent remodelling of her home,

after moving back from a four-year stay in

Hong Kong.

“We’ve had this house since 2009, and it

was designed to be a three-storey home with

a sunken garden. We recently gave it a facelift

with the overall colour tone inspired by my

Etoupe grey Hermès Birkin!” she explains.

The couple was very hands-on with every minute

detail of her home, from the Volakas marble floor tiles to the Gessi

faucets and sleek Olivari door handles. She only selected a handful

of statement designer fittings,

such as a white Louis Poulsen

lamp in the kitchen and a

quirky Porada mirror and

chest combination that sits

in her foyer, firmly believing

that “less is obviously more”.

ART DIRECTION: MARIE LIM. HAIR: CKAY LIOW. MAKE-UP: CAT YONG. PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: ALPHONSE LESTER. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE: ZUE WEI LEONG

T h e Fa s h i o n a b l e

LIFE

Bright sunny

mornings in the patio

The Sky from the Place de la

Concorde, 1963, Marc Chagall

Peng’s latest reads

Crystal glasses from Griffe

Peng Lee in a Dries Van

Noten dress with her

French bulldog Tofu