BarneyChengrealisedearlyonthathewantedtopursuehis
interestinfashionandoccasionalwear.“Asa youngboy,I would
seemymotherfeelbetterwhenshedressedup;therewasa
senseofhappinessandjoythatwasn’tusuallythere.”Hethrives
onseeinghowfashioncaninfluencesomeone’smood.“Itjust
liftsthemup.I wanttomakewomenfeelbeautiful.”Cheng
openedhisbusinessovertwodecadesagoandhasbecomethe
go-todesignerformanyofthecity’selite.Hisshowroominthe
heartofCentralinHongKongattractsanextensiveclientele
fromaroundtheregion.Chenghasalsodressedthelikesof
MichelleYeoh,IsabelleHuppertandQueenMargretheII of
Denmarkforimportantred-carpetoccasions.
Frombeadedgownsandembroideredqipaostotailoredskirt
suits,Chengcandoit all.“I’mdrawntoshinythings—sequins,
crystals,beads,diamonds.”Soit wasa logicalextensionwhenhe
introducedfinejewellerytohisofferings.“Wehelpclientssource
jewelleryorhelpthemresettheirexistingpiecesfora special
event,”hesays.Chengchoselong-timefriendandgod-sister
LaetitiaYuashispartnerforourshoot,withherposingina
creationhemadespeciallyforher.“BarneyandI metinToronto
whenwewereinhighschool.Ourmothersweregoodfriends,”
Yurecalls.“He’ssotalented,andthebestresultsoftencomewhen
yougivehimcarteblanche.”
Barney Cheng with Laetitia Yu
Photographed in his Hong Kong studio by Aff a Chan; Words by Justine Lee
178 singapore tatler. october 2019