This designer collaboration line for women was very well received after its debut in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand back in 2015, and the latest collection will be available in 15 countries. The drape and tuck designs of the new range will add a touch of grace to the wardrobes of women everywhere.

New York-based, British-born Hana Tajima created the collection in keeping with Uniqlo’s Life-Wear commitment to reflect the lifestyles of wearers so they can enjoy better lives. “The range is popular for adapting to diverse individual and cultural settings and offering elegance, comfort, and contemporary styling,” she says.

The Autumn/Winter 2017 collection offers an extensive range of chic colours that also simplify coordination. It includes fabrics that are even gentler on the skin, as well as fabrics with different textures, with tweed featuring for the first time. Another refinement is the fabric drapes and tucks that improve design depth. A belted long coat is new to the collection, which also comprises skirts, dresses, and tunics, as well as several AIRism pieces, notably stoles, a hijab, and a headband.

The line will be available from June 2 in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, and successively in China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Russia and Australia.

Taking place on June 17 from 11am to 7pm, the wedding showcase is being held in the hotel’s 1,360-square-metre Grand Ballroom, the residential Garden Rooms’ Events Suite and at Salathip, where a Thai wedding scene is recreated with the picturesque tributary of the Chao Phraya River as the backdrop.

The top eight spenders, who confirm their wedding during the wedding showcase, will receive an extra bonus on the hotel’s wedding packages and a complimentary room voucher for two nights at one of the following Shangri-La properties: Maldives, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Yangon and Penang.

In addition, couples who pay using the hotel’s bank partner’s credit card, KTC, will enjoy one complimentary room stay at Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok when spending more than Bt200,000 at the event.

Brides-to-be may find inspiration for their dream weddings at the wedding showcase with the help of professional helping hands, including Khan Mak by Wedding at Home for Thai wedding decorations; Ladawan The Wedding Planner, the wedding photograph expertise by Impressshot; digital guest books and souvenirs by Social Touch; lights and sounds specialist by Ploenjit; wedding souvenirs by Melt Me; wedding invitation cards by Anya, wedding gowns by Pnina Tornai, Rivini and Alyne; and beautiful jewellery by Ananta Fine Jewelry.

For more information, please call (02) 236 7777 ext 6873 or 6893 or email: suphinya.sukitwattananon@shangri-la.com.

SNEAKER BRAND Keds and stationery brand Rifle Paper have collaborated on classic running shows adorned with floral prints.

The three-piece collection utilises the popular Rifle Paper prints Jardin de Paris, Les Fleurs and Wildflower to update the classic Champion tailored lace-up shoe, the lace-up with platform Triple, and the Triple Decker slip-on.

Keds’ Champion, Bt2,990

Rifle Paper has inspired women entrepreneurs with its rapid growth to international stature since its launch in 2009. The small stationery business based in co-founder Anna Bond’s garage apartment has evolved with a product line spanning multiple categories, including fabrics, fashion accessories and wallpaper.

Meanwhile another footwear brand, Camper, has teamed up once again with its creative partner, British designer Jasper Morrison, this time on the Together project.

Morrison has been sharing his talents with Camper since 2011, developing both stores and shoes. He’s one of the world’s best-known industrial designers, listed fifth on the Dezeen Hot List.

Tatami men’s sandal by Camper, Bt4,350

Morrison has created a sandal of simple elegance inspired by Japanese tatami mats. The basic white sole and a tatami insole recall the Japanese term for a pair of mats placed side by side.

The men’s sandal has Velcro straps that cross over the top of the foot and behind the heel. The women’s shoe is a slip-on, also with crossover straps.

Isamu by Camper, Bt8,250

Camper has two new models for the summer. The Isamu is a sculpted, futuristic reinterpretation of the classic women’s clog, with clean lines and smooth materials, and the Oruga women’s sandal merges a sporty sole with playful, original designs.

And, if you’re looking for functional and fashionable shoes that are perfect for any outing or adventure, look no further than the 7 Seas collection from Sperry.

Sperry is known for inventing the world’s first boat shoe and has produced many sea-tested lifestyle products. The technology behind the 7 Seas shoe was developed in partnership with the America’s Cup, the pinnacle event in competitive, international sailing.

Sperry’s 7 Seas, price unavailable

The new line consists of a pro shoe that America’s Cup sailors will wear in competition, as well as a consumer version.

The newly introduced weatherised model is designed to handle cold and wet conditions. Seasonal features include a high-strength knit vamp, rubberised mudguard for extra water protection, and lug traction pods to tackle the elements.

The 7 Seas will hit the Thai market in July and will be only available at the Ikon shop at Siam Square One. Call (090) 908 3337.

Keds and Camper are also available at Ikon and at leading department stores.

PANPURI, THE Bangkok spa and manufacturer of its own line of luxury spa and aromatherapy products that are sold around the world, has had a decade-long presence in the Japanese market. But it’s only recently opened its first spa-retail outlet there.

It’s prime real estate, too – in the heart of Ginza, Tokyo’s main business and shopping area.

The 70-square-metre spa opened last month on the Beauty and Wellness floor of the Ginza Six complex, with a refined, minimalist interior in wood, limestone and black marble. The lighting, mirrored in light wood, gold and stainless steel fittings, sets a soothing, welcoming tone.

“Panpuri represents a place where we awaken to the perfect balance of our outer and inner selves, as well as the environment,” said founder and managing director Vorravit Siripark.

“As we unveil our first signature store in Japan, we instil in Japanese fans a unique approach to beauty and wellness that is organic, result-oriented and sensorially delightful.”

Vorravit started the business when he was just 28, in 2003. From the start he aimed to make Panpuri a global brand, cashing in on overseas admiration for Oriental botanicals, which are the main ingredients in the range of products for use from head to toe.

The products, inspired by Asian spiritual remedies, are now exported to hotel spas and department stores in more than 20 countries.

The Ginza shop will offer the complete range of bath and body, skincare and home-ambience products, together with a selection of items and services that underscore the brand’s advocacy for a natural and organic “wellness lifestyle”.

Designed as an urban escape from the bustle of metropolitan Tokyo, “Oasis Journey” is a 90-minute treatment entailing a foot cleanse, back scrub, back-legs-and-arms massage, a facial and a head massage.

A selection of body and aromatherapy massages, facials and body treatments are also offered, and all products used are free of harmful chemicals.

Panpuri has unveiled an edition of its Siamese Water eau de toilette only for Japan. The 50ml glass is housed in a strongbox designed with Japanese-inspired brushstrokes. It’s infused with sensual night-blooming jasmine, delicately interwoven with certified-organic ylang-ylang and refreshing peppermint oils.

The Siamese Water collection has been the brand’s best-selling scent since its inception in 2003.

Azuma Makoto’s dramatic floral installation  “Flowers in Oil” commands attention in the store.

Taking centre stage at the store is an installation created by renowned flower artist Azuma Makoto. His enchanting “Flowers in Oil” celebrates the beauty of blossoms immersed in sunflower oil selected for its rich emollient and preservative properties.

The artwork represents a fascinating approach to the use of flowers, plants and nature while highlighting a distinctive oil base that’s been one of the brand’s ingredients since the beginning.

Azuma has pursued artistic activities to elevate the value of flowers and plants by finding their distinctive characteristics while adding his unique artistry. He calls his creations “botanical sculptures”.

One of his most notable projects came in 2014 when he partnered with an aerospace company to send a bouquet and a bonsai tree into the stratosphere, documenting their journey and eventual disintegration using cameras.

“Our collaboration with Panpuri is a convergence of Japanese and Thai culture,” says Azuma.

“With both countries being rich in fauna and flora, we wanted to open the store with a unique approach to flowers, botanicals and nature, using a base that Panpuri is already known for – its oils. We’ve done installations before with flowers, but this one is very special.”

For details, visit http://www.Panpuri.com.

EVOLUTION works in mysterious ways, especially when it comes to sex.

Behold the humble and homely seed beetle, an insect that has successfully spread to every continent on the planet except Antarctica.

The male of the species, it has long been known, boasts an imposing member resembling a fearsome medieval weapon, the spike-studded ball mounted on a shaft.

Ouch.

“The penis is covered in hundreds of sharp spines which pierce the female reproductive tract during mating,” explains Liam Dougherty, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Western Australia in Crawley, and lead author of a study that asks a deceptively simple question: how do females cope?

The answer – based on a decade of laboratory experiments spanning 100 seed beetle generations – reveals a remarkable story of adaptation, and an evolutionary tit-for-tat that Dougherty likens to a “sexual ‘arms race”.

“When males evolved to increase male harm, the females co-evolved to reduce that harm,” and in more ways than one, Dougherty says.

To begin with, the female tract grew thicker across generations, “making the spines less able to pierce the tissue”, he explained.

Lady beetles confronted with ever more dangerous male gear also developed new immune responses, one giving them more protection against infection, and another allowing their damaged tissue to heal faster.

The findings, published on Wednesday in the British Royal Society journal Proceedings B, provide rare evidence of how “traumatic mating”, as it is sometimes called, can simultaneously drive adaptive mutations in both sexes.

But this fascinating evolutionary pas-de-deux still leaves begging a fundamental question: what is the raison d’etre of a male sex organ that reduces female lifespan and perhaps reproductive output?

What, in other words, would Darwin have to say?

Some biologists have suggested that the weaponised genitalia reduce the chances of females coupling with other males.

But female seed beetles do, in fact, mate with more than one partner.

More likely, says Dougherty, is that spines on the male organ changed to increase the number of eggs fertilised compared to competitors.

In either case, “the female well-being is sacrificed at the expense of male fitness”, he adds.

“Traumatic mating has evolved because it increases male fertilisation success.”

The scientists also speculated that deeper holes made by longer spines allow chemicals ejaculated by the male that influence female behaviour, and make her more pliant, to more quickly find their way to the brain.

Seed beetles are not the only creatures prone to male-on-female pain sex.

The best known example is probably the bed bug. Its penis – which looks like a hooked hypodermic needle – pierces the females abdomen, injecting sperm directly into the body cavity.

Nor are females always on the receiving end. Several species of spider practice sexual cannibalism in which larger lady arachnids eat their mates – but only after the deed is done.

For the seed beetle experiment, the insects were gathered from 13 locations around the world – including Benin, Brazil, California, Nigeria, South India and Yemen – and raised separately under identical laboratory conditions.

The scientists were thus able to show that changes across generations in each sex’s genitalia, which varied from population to population, were interdependent.

Many animal species display low levels of sexual conflict, but such behaviour rarely leads to the full-on “arms race” escalation seen in seed beetles, Dougherty notes.

“It is still unclear how important sexual conflict is in driving evolutionary change in the animal kingdom,” he says.

Workaholic Japan is known for long office hours and stressed out employees, but one company claims to have a cure: Cats.

A total of nine fluffy felines eat, sleep and walk freely in the small office of IT firm Ferray in Tokyo.

Hidenobu Fukuda, who heads the firm, introduced an “office cat” policy in 2000 upon request from one of his employees, allowing staffers to bring their moggies to work.

“I also give 5,000 yen (Bt1,550) a month to those who rescue a cat,” he says of his charges.

An IT company in workaholic Japan is curing employees’ stress with cats. / AFP 

Other Japanese companies are also allowing animals in the office to help reduce stress and anxiety.

At Oracle Japan, an Old English Sheepdog named Candy works as a “greeting and healing ambassador”, according to the company website.

The company says it has had an office dog since 1991, and Candy, the fourth one, now has Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Meanwhile, Pasona Group “hired” two goats in 2011 and two alpacas in 2013 as full-time employees, partly for healing purposes.

Tokyo is also home to some 60 registered cat cafes, thanks to a growing number of feline lovers.

Eri Ito, who works at Ferray, says she is sold on the animal’s soothing ways.

“Cats are sleeping just beside us… It’s healing,” Ito says.

But there is also a downside to having felines in the office, Fukuda admits.

“Sometimes a cat will walk on a phone and cut off the call, or they shut down the computers by walking onto the off switch,” he says.

Available at both the Phuket and Hua Hin properties from Thursday (June 1), the programme offers customised treatments and guidance for the addicted and the stressed.

Founded by renowned holistic psychotherapist Dirk Stikker and managed by a team of highly experienced therapists, doctors and nutritionists, this innovative programme focuses on just one individual, one couple or one family at a time to ensure completely personalised therapies.

There are two programmes from which to choose, each of them designed for clients seeking to improve wellbeing and to combat addictions. Each tailor-made recovery schedule combines intensive therapy and counselling sessions with an array of rejuvenating spa treatments and other complementary activities, all set within secluded tropical surrounds.

“We selected Aleenta Resorts to host Mastermind2.0 in Thailand because we felt a real synergy with the two beach locations, especially with the brand’s innovative wellness philosophy and personalised service to each individual guest. The relaxing, private atmosphere at Aleenta Hua Hin and Aleenta Phuket makes both resorts ideal for participants looking to focus on regaining their physical and emotional balance,” Stikker says.

Through a life-changing experience that helps soothe and heal the mind, body and soul, participants are armed with the tools they need to live life to the full after completing this fascinating holistic healing journey. They are also provided with a personal road map to follow that makes the most of the programme’s comprehensive after care services.

“Aleenta has always provided guests with stays and experiences that nourish and inspire them. At Aleenta Phuket, our Ayurah Spa & Wellness Centre offers relaxing, indulgent treatments but also takes a more medical, results-oriented approach to wellness. In Hua Hin we combine home-grown herbs with holistic treatments to offer more of an essential Asian spa experience,” says Anchalika Kijkanakorn, managing director and founder of Akaryn Hotel Group.

Book online at rsvnmgr@ahmshotels.com or call (02)154 8112.

“We are delighted that the Aloft brand has arrived in Australia. Our aim is to deliver a gathering place for tech-savvy Next Gen travellers and locals, individuals who value self-expression, style and connectivity,” says Mike Fulkerson, vice president, brand and marketing Asia Pacific.

“Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is a dynamic, growing city, and an important gateway to and from Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The city has an internationally focused export and tourism economy, so we look forward to welcoming business people and travellers from all over the world.”

Aloft Perth exudes a sassy modern style that is reflected in its free-flowing open areas that are imbued with bold, local influences. The hotel’s personality is communicated through a vibrant collection of artwork by well-known Australian artists and an eclectic, modern decor in both its guestrooms and communal spaces.

It offers 224 guestrooms with ultra-comfortable beds, custom amenities by Bliss Spa, fast and free Wi-Fi and 55-inch televisions linked to a Plug and Play connectivity panel. The lively social spaces encourage interactivity amongst guests while the WXYZ bar, with live music ranging from acoustic sets by local artists to DJ mixes, showcases speciality craft cocktails, an extensive wine and beer list and light bites.

The Re:mix (sm) lounge is always abuzz with energy as guests and locals meet, mix and mingle or take a dip in the Splash pool. For those on the go, Re:fuel by Aloft, Aloft’s signature 24/7 grab and go market, provides light meals, mix-and-match munchies, healthy bites, beverages and more.

The signature restaurant Springs Kitchen offers contemporary homemade specialities made with local, fresh produce. It even boasts a pet-friendly terrace, with water bowls and special treats for furry friends, encouraging neighborhood residents and travellers with pets to drop by for a coffee, snack or meal – day or night – accompanied by their four-legged friends.

Business travellers can host innovative meetings in the Tactic meeting rooms, which are suitable for small-scale meetings and large-scale conferences with the capacity for 300 people.

Outside the hotel, the modern city of Perth awaits exploration. Nearby highlights include the Perth Central Business District and Northbridge nightlife and entertainment districts. For a history lesson, head to Fremantle, a maze of streets lined with 19th century Victorian-era architecture that has been adapted into charming cafes and boutiques stocked with local goods. Day trips by boat take visitors to Rottnest Island, home of the unique marsupial, Quokka, or by car to the nearby and very popular Swan Valley vineyards.

Find out more details at http://www.AloftPerth.com.

            Surface Pro is not only a powerhouse laptop, but also a mobile creative studio with a vibrant 12.3-inch PixelSense touch display that supports the new Surface Pen, and Surface Dial both on- and off-screen.

Twice as accurate as the previous version and enhanced by PixelSense Accelerator custom silicon, the new Surface Pen and new Surface Pro together set the standard for faster, more fluid writing and drawing, and now Surface Pen supports tilt for more natural shading too. Inking in applications across Windows 10 and Microsoft Office 365, including the new Microsoft Whiteboard app, will unlock ways for people to use digital ink to be more creative and productive.

A full-size glass trackpad with five-finger multi-touch capabilities allows for ultimate precision, and the entire keyboard is wrapped in soft yet durable Alcantara material, creating a comfortable palm rest and aesthetic.

Starting at US$799 (Bt27,200), the new Surface Pro allows people to customise their experiences with an array of colourful options for the new Surface Pro Signature Type Cover, the new Surface Pen and the Microsoft Surface Arc Mouse. Each comes in rich tone-on-tone Platinum, Burgundy and Cobalt Blue.

The new Surface Pro will launch on June 15 in 25 markets including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Thailand launch is expected to be announced soon.

They are also keen to learn about the latest innovations and technologies in renewable energy and how they can utilise energy with the best efficiency. With this in mind, they will no doubt be turning out en masse for the “ASEAN Sustainable Energy Week 2017”, which brings together technologies and equipment in the fields of renewable energy, the environment, and energy efficiency under one roof.

The event, which is being organised UBM Asia (Thailand) in collaboration with the public and private sectors, runs from June 7 to 10 at BITEC, Bangna and will showcase the latest and most comprehensive technologies and equipment in the renewable energy, environment and energy efficiency areas. Related showcases including Renewable Energy Asia, Energy Efficiency Expo, and Entech Pollutec Asia will run in parallel.

This year’s event includes international seminars on four key topics: “Renewable Energy Asia 2017: Moving Towards ASEAN’s Smart Cities”, “EPPO ASEAN Energy Forum”, “Electric Vehicle Technology Conference: Innovation for Sustainable Mobility” and an academic seminar on “Environment, Safety, Move Forward to Industry 4.0”. More than 100 international conferences, seminars and presentations from leading companies, world-class speakers, scholars and researchers from various countries around the world, especially from Asean, will also be part of the event, which will feature 12 international pavilions from the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, China, Taiwan, Korea, and Malaysia.

Find out more at http://www.asew-expo.com.