Автор: karymsakov_qq4zn395

The West’s curiosity with Chinese-inspired design didn’t start online; instead, today’s fascination with Chinese aesthetics has deep and surprisingly familiar roots. 

Scroll through social media right now and you’ll find a steady stream of Chinese aesthetics repackaged for global consumption. Whether it’s the power of Shanghai Fashion Week, the viral appeal of plush collectibles like Labubu dolls, or starting the day with a mug of warm apple-boiled water and qigong stretches: this is what the internet has dubbed ‘Chinamaxxing’. 

Once dismissed as old-fashioned or niche, these aesthetics have suddenly found themselves in vogue amongst those in the West with a TikTok account. All the while, offline (read: the real world), China dominates as a global superpower. And it’s this omnipresence in news and culture, together with the ever-shifting perceptions that the US and China hold on one another, that has sharpened the West’s fascination with the country today.

Like most online movements, Chinamaxxing offers only a partial view, packaging fragments of a vast culture into something digestible and highly shareable. But the impulse and fascination with a stylized, curated version of Chinese culture is far from new.

In fact, you only have to look back to the 17th and 18th centuries, when Europe fell hard for what it understood (or misunderstood) to be ‘the East.’ Increased trade with China during the High Qing era brought an influx of porcelain, silk, and lacquerware into European homes – luxury goods that quickly became markers of taste and status. 

From this grew chinoiserie, a decorative style that translated cultural admiration into interiors, architecture, and the curation of objects that were less about accuracy and more about creating an atmosphere. Chinoiserie wasn’t interested in faithfully reproducing China. Instead, it thrived on interpretation. Despite its name deriving from the French chinois (meaning ‘Chinese’), designers borrowed freely from across Asia, frequently collapsing Chinese, Japanese, and even Indian motifs into a single aesthetic.

Hand-painted wallpapers filled with fantastical landscapes, pagoda-style rooflines, delicate fretwork, lacquered furniture, and an entire cast of dragons, exotic birds, and improbable gardens created an escapist vision of a distant, harmonious world.

Royal patronage helped accelerate the trend. George III’s fascination with all things Chinese saw him encourage a scholarly exchange of sorts, where British architects, academics, and scientists were sent out with trading companies in order to bring back as many ideas as possible. London’s Kew Gardens opened shortly after in 1759, housing hundreds of new species of flora clippings from China and the Western New World. The Great Pagoda was completed in 1762 as a gift for Princess Augusta, as one of several Chinese buildings designed for Kew by Sir William Chambers.

In 1787, the Prince Regent, who would later be crowned King George IV, commissioned Brighton Pavilion as his newest holiday retreat. Despite lying on England’s south coast, the architecture ditched notions of nautical design for something more Middle Eastern-inspired – an onion-domed, bamboo-lined, lantern-lit Chinese palace like no other of its time.

See also: How To Bring Regencycore Into Your Home

Nowhere was this more apparent than in the rise of the ‘China Room.’ By the mid-18th century, having one had become a quiet flex among Europe’s upper classes. At Harewood House, the late-18th-century interiors incorporated Chinese wallpapers and porcelain as part of a broader display of global taste, while Burton Constable Hall and Claydon House leaned more heavily into decorative fantasy, with intricate fretwork, lacquered surfaces, and densely layered ornamentation.

These rooms were designed to entertain, lined with imported (or import-inspired) porcelain, cabinets filled with curiosities, and walls covered in hand-painted wallpapers. Crucially, they were less a reflection of real Chinese interiors and more a staged illusion: most of the objects, while sometimes made in China, were created specifically for export or interpreted through European design. The result was an imagined version of China, assembled for display, conversation, and status.

Even without the unifying force of the internet, this aesthetic wasn’t confined to Britain. The Chinese House in Sanssouci Park is a gilded, playful interpretation of Eastern design, while Russia’s Chinese Village, commissioned by Catherine the Great in the late 18th century, turned the idea into a full architectural experiment – proof that chinoiserie was becoming a continent-wide fixation.

But for all its beauty, chinoiserie came with complications. Brighton Pavilion’s architects, John Nash and Fredrick Crace, had never been to China, which might explain why the palace’s decorative palm tree columns, hybrid dragons and gibberish Chinese characters were inaccurate. William Chambers, the architect behind Kew Gardens’ Great Pagoda, did visit China, yet his rendition was still built with an inauspicious number of floors.

At its core was imitation: an aesthetic built on what Europeans thought China looked like, rather than what it actually was. Many objects in these interiors were made specifically for export, tailored to Western tastes rather than reflecting authentic Chinese design. Others were produced entirely in Europe, filtered through imagination and second-hand references. The result was something visually rich but culturally distorted: a version of China that existed largely in the European mind.

Some saw chinoiserie as frivolous and illogical; others viewed it as a sign of cultural confusion, or worse, a superficial engagement with a complex civilization. With hindsight, it’s difficult to separate the aesthetic from the broader context of empire, trade, and exploitation that made these objects – and crucially this fascination – possible in the first place.

Which brings us back to now. The current wave of Chinese-inspired trends may be faster, more digital and more self-aware, but the pattern feels oh-so familiar. Then, as now, elements of a culture are selected, stylized, and circulated for consumption. The difference is the medium. The instinct, it seems, hasn’t changed much at all.

The rock and roll royals bought the 100-year-old Hancock Park mansion in 2015 and first tried to sell it about four years ago.  The rock and roll royals bought the 100-year-old Hancock Park mansion in 2015 and first tried to sell it about four years ago. 

Each Titan Noir model features two physical iris modules that control light output. Each Titan Noir model features two physical iris modules that control light output.

Why eating with the clock may be the simplest ‘biohack’ in the book. 

We’ve been told that longevity lives in the details of what we eat. But the bigger lever might be when we eat.

Misaligned meal-times – especially late‑night eating – can throw your internal clock out of sync, with ripple effects on sleep, metabolism, and even blood pressure. The fix? A simple 10-to-12 hour eating window that tracks with your circadian rhythm.

“The circadian rhythm is the body’s internal 24-hour clock, regulating everything from sleep and hormone release to digestion and energy levels,” explains Dr Mariel Silva, director of medical services at SHA Spain, the global pioneer in integrative health. While this rhythm is centrally controlled in the brain, it also runs through “peripheral clocks” located in most organs – and food plays a surprisingly powerful role in keeping the entire system in sync.

“Alongside light exposure, when we eat is a key signal that helps regulate these internal clocks – particularly those linked to metabolism,” explains the doctor, who holds a masters in anti-aging medicine. Eating by the clock drives more efficient digestion, blood‑sugar regulation, and energy use, with recent studies showing it can lower blood pressure and support heart health, too. Conversely, irregular eating habits can lead to circadian misalignment. “Over time, this may interfere with hormones such as melatonin, affect sleep quality, and increase the risk of metabolic issues, including weight gain,” Dr Silva continues.

Rather than limiting what you consume, “circadian fasting is about synchronizing restriction with one’s environment,” explains nutritional therapist Mark Bennett, lead nutritional scientist at wellness coaching platform Wilding Tribe. Quite simply, it means intentionally eating “between sunrise and sunset.»

For famed human biologist and founder of The Ultimate Human Wellness, Gary Brecka, circadian fasting “calms late‑day cravings, improves sleep, and makes recovery more predictable with better HRV” (or heart rate variability – a window into the body’s stress and recovery systems). “I front‑load calories earlier in the day,” he says; “keep my eating window to roughly eight-to-10 hours in daylight, and stop eating two-to-three hours before bed.»

While Brecka may fast for marginally longer than others observing a time-restricted eating plan, the approach is still far from punishing. But what reads like the simplest biohack in the book feels complicated when you consider the logistics of long-haul travel. “In individuals who travel frequently, circadian disruption is common, particularly when crossing multiple time zones,” Dr Silva explains. The solution here is to use food to help the body adjust. “One of the most effective strategies is to shift your mealtimes to match your destination as soon as possible,” Dr Silva says.

Bennett agrees. “Once on the plane, immediately adjust your watch and devices to the current time at your destination and aim to eat your meals from that point onwards as if you were there.” Avoid eating if it’s nighttime at the new location; upon arrival, “aim to get morning, noon, and late‑afternoon sunlight exposure as soon as possible.”

To further support your alignment, Dr Silva advises prioritizing “foods that support alertness and sustained energy” by day, highlighting complex carbohydrates “including oats, brown rice or buckwheat, which can help reinforce the active phase of the circadian cycle”. Then, come evening, lighter meals can help signal to the body that it’s time to unwind. “Foods rich in tryptophan, including bananas, legumes, and nuts, support the production of serotonin and melatonin – both of which play a role in sleep regulation.”

Regardless of time zones, Brecka keeps a consistent morning routine – breathwork, movement, and a few other cues: “Your body learns the routine as a signal for ‘daytime’, so it travels well.” He gets outside for natural light within the first hour of waking, easing into the day instead of “blasting” his brain with blue light. Then, he caps caffeine early, and bookends bedtime in the same way – think “no screens in bed, room cool and dark, cotton sleep mask.»

Consistency is key, he’s learnt. “Those small, repeatable cues are what keep circadian rhythm tight: light early, stimulation paced, a portable morning ritual, caffeine discipline, and a predictable wind-down.”

As Dr Silva adds, “aligning our daily habits with our biological rhythms can significantly improve overall health” – and fasting when it’s dark may be the simplest way to start.

Breitling resuscitated the long-lost brand, and now it’s back with a slew of new watches. Breitling resuscitated the long-lost brand, and now it’s back with a slew of new watches.

With a $1,000-plus entry point, the house has reimagined jeans as a high-fashion proposition rather than an everyday essential. 

There are few fabrics more democratic than denim, but Alaïa has never seemed particularly interested in democracy. Precision, yes. Sensuality, always. Practicality? That’s newer territory. And yet, with the launch of its first dedicated denim collection, Alaïa makes a compelling case that jeans are no longer an off-duty fallback. 

Under the direction of Pieter Mulier (as one of his parting gifts with the house before he steps down as creative director), denim has been reframed as a ‘second skin,’ engineered to hold, shape, and follow the body with the same intent as the maison’s famed knits. The collection presents six silhouettes: bootcut, straight, skinny, palazzo, fit-and-flare, and the intriguingly titled ‘round’. 

Crafted in Japan, the fabric itself is treated with near-obsessive care: rope-dyed indigo for depth, hand-washing, and over-dyeing for nuance, laser work, and shaving for a finish that feels far from a mass-produced staple.

Denim, of course, is not new to Alaïa. It has lingered in the brand’s orbit since the 1990s, but was never quite the main event, let alone given its own dedicated line. Which is precisely why its arrival feels significant – and perhaps even more so considering the brand is far from alone in its renewed fixation on the fabric.

At Chanel, Matthieu Blazy has made denim an early signature of his tenure. As part of his debut show at the Spring/Summer 2026 couture collection, denim texture was printed onto sheer, silk trousers and sent down the runway, while stars Margot Robbie and Kylie Minogue covered the latest campaign in relaxed, wide-legged jeans paired with boucle jackets. There’s even a limited-edition denim-inspired beauty line, fronted by the internet’s favorite ‘It’ girl Lily-Rose Depp – a nod to the material’s cultural saturation.

Elsewhere, designers are circling similar territory. Erdem has flirted with low-slung, skater-adjacent jeans styled with silk, while New York’s Maria McManus has leaned into regenerative cotton denim via a collaboration with Agolde. Even houses not traditionally associated with workwear, from the likes of Balmain, Lemaire, and Akris, are reworking utilitarian codes in increasingly luxurious fabrics.

See also: An Expert Guide to Sourcing Vintage Jeans

And yet, the question that has been hovering over the industry for the past year comes back into the internet’s talking points du jour: Is this gravitation towards practicality a subtle recession indicator?

Historically, moments of economic uncertainty have often nudged fashion towards utility; towards pieces that feel justifiable, versatile, enduring. And there is a certain logic to the idea that consumers, even at the luxury level, are seeking garments that can do more, clothes that work harder. 

But that reading only goes so far. Because what Alaïa, Chanel, and their contemporaries alike are proposing is not utility in the traditional sense. These are not ‘sensible’ jeans that are widely purchased as a staple for outfit rotations. They are painstakingly constructed, technically sophisticated, and, crucially, still priced within the upper echelons of luxury (the Straight jeans sit at the lowest end of the collection’s price, starting at $1,100, while at the opposite side, the Round jeans cost $1,500). 

In that sense, these are pieces designed to earn their place in your wardrobe, to outlive fleeting trends (or an Instagram post). There’s also, perhaps, an undercurrent of realism. After years of fashion chasing novelty, there is something genuinely appealing about clothes designed to be lived in. The classic white T-shirt and jeans formula still holds (and is the go-to outfit of choice for some of tech’s biggest entrepreneurs, namely Mark Zuckerberg), but now those jeans come with artisanal Japanese fabrication and a silhouette that signals its pedigree.

And that’s where Alaïa’s denim lands most convincingly. Because for all the talk of practicality, these jeans are not an exercise in restraint. So, should we read this launch as a recession barometer? If so, it’s a decidedly fashion-flavored one.

The Reservation: SoNoMa by SingleThread is the restaurant’s first international outpost. 

Three Michelin stars, a ‘best restaurant in the world’ title from La Liste, and a spot on 50 Best’s extended ranking program: SingleThread’s resume is a stellar one. And now, in its 10th year, the restaurant is going international for the first time, with the opening of SoNoMa, inside the freshly launched Capella Kyoto. 

First opened in 2016 by farmer Katina and chef Kyle Connaughton, SingleThread has built its reputation on its commitment to hyper seasonal and local ingredients, sourcing much of its produce from its own 24-acre farm, right in the middle of Sonoma Wine Country. Awards have stacked since, and SingleThread continues to be one of the US’s most celebrated restaurants.

See also: The Six Hottest Supper Club Tickets to Book in NYC Right Now

On paper, Japan makes sense for the Connaughtons’ first overseas venture: the duo spent several years living there. But guests might wonder how the SingleThread experience – which is one so deeply connected to the biodiversity of the Californian landscape – can be transported to Japan. Apparently, by literally transporting it: ingredients including heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, nuts, and cheese are being shipped from the States, surely raising some eyebrows about Katina and Kyle’s original commitment to locality. 

The bounty of the Kansai region is, at the very least, being highlighted, creating an ‘evocative dialogue’ between the two sides of the world. Local Nanatani duck, for example, which is known for its tenderness, is slow-grilled and served with seasonal Honda Miso from Kyoto.

See also: Is Ottolenghi’s First Amsterdam Restaurant Worth It? Here’s Our Verdict 

There’s bamboo shoots, harvested daily from a grove just thirty minutes from the restaurant, and a three-part dessert highlighting Ohara honey farms. The drink list is another amalgamation of US and Japanese produce, with Californian wines sitting alongside a range of Kyoto sakes.

“For Katina and me, this project is deeply personal; it is an expression of the years we spent living and working in Japan and the perspective that experience instilled within us. That same reverence is in every relationship we’ve built with artisans and growers in the Kansai region […] It’s this dialogue, focused on tradition and terroir that shapes how we approach every dish,” says Kyle Connaughton.

Tasked with running the kitchen at SoNoMa is chef Keita Tominaga, who was born in Sonoma County. He spent his childhood in his family’s Hana Japanese restaurant, and was professionally trained in Japan.

Big sister SingleThread is known for its intimate atmosphere (with just over 50 seats), but SoNoMa takes this to a new level with only ten spaces at its kitchen-facing counter set-up. It’s new territory for the SingleThread team, in every sense, but if the original’s success is anything to go by, Kyoto may have just gained a new star.

With trackside action paused, we turn to F1 watches – because this season, the real movement is happening on the wrist. 

It’s barely begun, and yet the 2026 Formula 1 season has already stalled. An unexpected hiatus caused by the postponement of the Bahraini and Saudi Arabian races, scheduled for April, has left the grid momentarily frozen in time. 

So to make the most of the respite, we’ll catch you up to speed about the changes that have happened off the track, where the pace has certainly quickened. While the Formula 1 drivers sit twiddling their thumbs until they can get back behind the wheel, Elite Traveler takes a look at the watches being worn on their wrists. 

The best watches worn by F1 drivers

TAG Heuer steps in as the sport’s new official timekeeper, replacing Rolex, while partnerships across the paddock have quietly reshuffled, from Breitling joining Aston Martin to IWC announcing a new name for its newest watch.

Aston Martin and Breitling

Aston Martin enters the F1 2026 season with a new name on its wrist, swapping the longstanding partnership of Girard-Perregaux for the aviation-rooted bravado of Breitling. The collaboration may be in its infancy, but has already begun its multi-year commitment on a strong footing with the launch of the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco. 

Reimagined for the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team, the debut Navitimer watch leans into the model’s utilitarian past, a nod to the days when drivers relied on its slide rule to calculate lap times and fuel consumption mid-race.

Driver’s choice

Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso: Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco
Lance Stroll has been quick to adopt the new uniform, wearing the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 almost as standard kit. Fernando Alonso, however, plays a more nuanced game. A long-time ambassador for Richard Mille, his personal loyalties lie elsewhere. Even so, he has been spotted in official imagery sporting the team’s new Breitling, a subtle nod to where the power balance has shifted. 

See also: The Watches Worn By the World’s Most Famous Men

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS and IWC

At Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team, continuity reigns, at least on the wrist. IWC Schaffhausen remains firmly embedded as an official partner, its Pilot’s Watches a familiar sight from pit wall to podium. Yet the departure of Lewis Hamilton has subtly shifted the narrative. Where once the collaboration between the two brands leaned heavily into Hamilton’s singular sense of style, 2026 marks a return to the driver as muse: this time, with George Russell stepping into focus.

Driver’s choice

George Russell: Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41
George Russell’s namesake Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 features the classic tri-compax layout, now rendered in black ceramic with flashes of electric blue – a color scheme lifted directly from Russell’s own race-day kit. It’s personal without being ostentatious, a watch that mirrors both the team’s precision and its new-era poster boy.

Oracle Red Bull Racing and TAG Heuer

If 2026 is a year of recalibration, Red Bull Racing is doing so with a familiar partner. TAG Heuer, returning as the sport’s official timekeeper after taking over from Rolex in 2025, continues its long-standing alliance with the team, even as its presence across Formula One expands. As the partnership with the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team enters its next decade, TAG Heuer has seen various World Championship titles claimed and, with it, the creation of special edition timepieces.

Driver’s choice

Max Verstappen: TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph
For Max Verstappen, the formula is well-rehearsed: TAG Heuer has named several collections and even watches after the champion Formula 1 driver. Yet away from the circuit, he braves a more indulgent, flamboyant edge. Spotted pre-season in a full-gold Carrera Chronograph, Verstappen traded his track-ready, Monaco steel for something decidedly more decadent: a victory lap in a 39mm case of yellow gold with a matching brushed dial and contrasting black subdials.

McLaren and Richard Mille

Fresh off a dominant 2025, the McLaren Formula 1 Team enters the new season with momentum, but with Richard Mille still firmly on board as watch of choice. 

Driver’s choice

Lando Norris: RM 72-01 Automatic Flyback Chronograph
For reigning champion Lando Norris, that means an ever-evolving rotation of statement pieces. The RM 72-01 Automatic Flyback Chronograph, lightweight, architectural, and unmistakably modern, marks a celebratory moment, its crisp white design a nod to Norris’ career-defining year.

Oscar Piastri: RM 67-02 Automatic Extra Flat 
Meanwhile, teammate Oscar Piastri takes a more restrained approach. Not one for daily wristwear, he reserves his RM 67-02 Automatic Extra Flat for the podium; its featherlight carbon construction and flashes of papaya orange echo the car itself.

Ferrari and Richard Mille

Over at Scuderia Ferrari, after a turbulent 2025, stability is the watchword. And with Richard Mille as a firm partner, it’s looking for a line-up that pairs legacy with star power.

Driver’s choice

Lewis Hamilton: RM 43-01 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph 
Enter Lewis Hamilton. His RM 43-01 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph unites two of haute horology’s most revered complications in a single, sculptural form. Hamilton’s version is the carbon TPT with flashes of Ferrari yellow seen on the hands – those wanting accents of the classic red can find that on the titanium edition of the chronograph. 

Charles Leclerc: RM 67-02 Automatic Extra Flat
A familiar face on the podium and a familiar timepiece for this list, Charles Leclerc continues his long-standing relationship with the RM 67-02, rendered in Ferrari’s signature red and white. While it’s believed Leclerc’s watch of choice is a prototype, the bones of this celebrated watch remain the same: lightweight, skeletonized, and built for speed, it remains one of the most seamless translations of motorsport into watchmaking.

Sitting on 20 acres and offering 47 bedrooms, the Village at Lyons can serve as a private compound or a commercial wellness retreat. Sitting on 20 acres and offering 47 bedrooms, the Village at Lyons can serve as a private compound or a commercial wellness retreat.

All of the collectible kicks have been worn by the NBA star during tunnel walks, warm-ups, and/or games.  All of the collectible kicks have been worn by the NBA star during tunnel walks, warm-ups, and/or games.