In an exclusive interview with Tatler, Stanley Ho’s granddaughter and fourth-generation jeweller Fred Mouawad—who, after launching a collection in Hong Kong last year, have since embarked on a global exhibition tour—delve into the creative journey and how their two families have a shared history

As the granddaughter of the late casino tycoon Stanley Ho and daughter of the Hong Kong businesswoman Daisy Ho, Beatrice Ho, Tatler’s Asia’s Most Stylish honouree of 2022 and Hong Kong Ballet’s co-chair for its Madame et Mademoiselle female empowerment initiative, is no stranger to the limelight.

Last year, she joined forces with the centuries-old jewellery house Mouawad, which has roots in Lebanon and an international presence launching at The Peninsula Hong Kong, to create a capsule collection; a global exhibition of the tour followed, with a stop in Macau in February. Consisting of 12 pieces, a combination of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings, the Venus Collection marries the brand’s craftsmanship and heritage with Ho’s signature style and glamour.

It’s not the first time members of the two families have come together: in 2007, Stanley Ho famously bought the largest flawless cushion diamond in the world, weighing 218.08 carats, from Mouawad; it was named The Star of Stanley Ho and is on display at the Grand Lisboa in Macau. The hotel is also the location of the exhibition, which featured two pieces from the Venus Collection exclusive to Macau. 

Here, Ho and Mouawad tell us about the collaboration and how the collection promises to offer a fresh, modern take on luxury jewellery.

Read also: Haute jeweller Anna Hu continues to shine with the latest Papillon du Blanc collection

Tatler Asia
Above Beatrice Ho shows off the Venus Collection

What’s the story behind this capsule collection?
Fred Mouawad: The concept revolves around powerful femininity, inspired by the mythical goddess Venus. Heart-shaped gemstones are a key motif in this collection of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings, but with a twist. They represent the Venus within each woman, as a radiant emblem of self-love. The design is an invitation to each woman to express her self-love through the jewellery she wears.

Pearls are also integral to this collection, representing wisdom, but also alluding to Venus’s oceanic origins. The position of the pearls is in precise alignment with the hearts, reminding us of the need to balance mind and heart for true spiritual growth. One of the exciting and innovative features is that the gemstones and pearls can be interchanged; there are infinite possibilities for styling.

Beatrice Ho: I was fortunate enough to have sat next to Fred at Mouawad’s private launch dinner at The Peninsula Hong Kong in June. We bonded over beauty, culture and fashion, as well as our time in the US. Fred shared his life story with me and I mentioned the ways in which I am involved in the fashion industry. He told me he wanted to introduce Mouawad to a more youthful clientele, and that with my style and eye for aesthetics, I would be the perfect candidate to provide a fresh, alternative and avant-garde perspective to the brand.

Tatler Asia
Above Beatrice Ho’s style reflects her interpretation of beauty, femininity and sophistication

Tell us about the inspiration behind the designs.
Mouawad: From the inception of this project with Beatrice, our focus was on channelling her creativity into pieces that were not just incredibly stylish, but also effortlessly wearable. The balance between style and wearability comes with experience. At Mouawad, when we design, we always do so within parameters that enable our designs to be wearable. It’s our expertise and long-held traditions of craftsmanship that enable us to seamlessly move from inspiration to jewellery that is both elegant and functional.

Ho: My style reflects my interpretation of beauty, femininity and sophistication. It predominantly combines a preppy and polished style, with romantic embellishments and embroidery. The incorporation of heart-shaped gems at the core of the collection reflects the power of femininity and infuses my personal style and aesthetic. I also opted to include pearls in this line, since they exude romance, class and preppiness.

Tatler Asia
Above Beatrice Ho has injected her personal style into the Venus Collection

What was it like for you to work together?
Ho: I am very privileged to have met Fred. I have always had the aspiration to design and create something in the luxury space. While I had entrepreneurial ambitions, I did not have the complete skillset to do it on my own. He has been the perfect mentor. He not only shares and elevates my ideas, but also demonstrates leadership, respect and astute business acumen. His team has been working with me to execute my vision to the finest quality and with the highest attention to detail.

Mouawad: We were fortunate to work with Beatrice, who is exceptionally talented and creative, and has a strong sense of style. We began with exploring a broad scope of ideas and then began refining these through a number of stages, documenting all our work and reviewing it as a team on a weekly basis. As we moved closer to the final stages of two possible designs, we started working in parallel to create actual prototypes. We are extremely proud of the result, which has translated into an elegant and contemporary line that appeals to both a youthful and a more mature clientele.

What sets this capsule collection apart?
Mouawad: This is a collaboration between two families, [both] with a rich heritage of tradition, innovation and passion for jewellery and art. My father [Robert Mouawad] was the third-generation jeweller of the House of Mouawad, and I am the fourth generation. I had the opportunity to serve the late Stanley Ho and his family. For me, being able to continue this relationship with my son Jimmy, and with Stanley Ho’s granddaughter Beatrice, is paying tribute to that [relationship], and innovating together. We are combining the creative and artistic talents of Beatrice, with more than a century of expertise and passion for crafting jewellery, to create a new, contemporary line for today’s jewellery lovers.

Tatler Asia
Above The collection combines Beatrice Ho’s creativity with Mouawad’s passion for crafting jewellery

Who did you design this line for?
Ho: In our first meeting, Fred mentioned his desire to introduce Mouawad to a younger clientele and expand the brand’s reach to Hong Kong, Macau and the Greater China region. When designing this line, we took this into consideration. The choice of incorporating heart-shaped stones, ranging from tourmaline to diamonds, coloured gemstones and pearls, makes this line versatile and avant-garde. I included pink tourmaline, aquamarine, white diamonds and various coloured pearls to make this collection age- and budget-inclusive.

Any final thoughts?
Ho: The whole journey has been nothing short of inspiring and an unparallelled learning experience for me.

Mouawad: We want the wearers to feel timelessly elegant; joyful in their self-expression; a radiant feeling of self-love—and a profound sense of beauty emanating from these pieces.

Credits

Photography  

Courtesy of Kim Lamma

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