In keeping with the free spirit of the era, August Man Malaysia, together with official partners Mercedes-Benz, Hennessy X.O, Emporio Armani and TAG Heuer, celebrated the ninth edition of its annual Men of the Year tribute with a slightly rebellious slant. Held at The Gasket Alley, a brick-and-mortar treasure trove of custom motorcycles and accessories, and a lifestyle haunt for petrolheads, the 2017 Men of the Year event took on a biker theme and saw guests come together in their sleek and modern take on the cool, masculine style.
Boasting a floor space of 3,000sqft, the Alleyway was decked out with various mobile booths offering complimentary experiences that added to the lifestyle component of the magazine. They included hairstyling by barbershop and school Othrs. courtesy of our 2016 Men of the Year – Activism honoree Lex Low; shoe-shining by Blvckout; bow tie tutorials by Lord’s Tailor, which also introduced a range of Italian eyewear from The Bespoke Dudes; and a relaxing watch lounge showcasing the latest timepieces by TAG Heuer. At the same time, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia exhibited the E 300 Coupe Edition 1, offering the guests an up close and personal experience of the car, and a chance to participate in an Instagram contest and win a drive in a Mercedes-Benz for the holidays.
Following a warm welcome by emcee Bernie Chan, editor-in-chief Rubin Khoo presented the 2017 line-up of Men of the Year, made up of individuals who reflected the dynamic, enterprising and diverse energy of the time, including a woman who have shown more gumption than most men, one whom we are proud to count as one of our brethren. They included Jared Lee (Entrepreneur), Julian Yee (Sport), Kenji Chai (Art), Reuben Kang (Pop Culture), Andrew Ngo (Style), Sevencollar T-Shirt (Music), Joe Sidek (Culture), Daniel Tan (Education), Saw Teong Hin (Film) and Siti Kasim (Activism).
The recipients were each presented with a plaque and a personalised cover portrait by August Man Malaysia, as well as tokens of appreciation from various sponsors. The party continued with a series of exciting lucky draws that gave away exclusive prizes including a two-night stay for two pax at St. Regis Langkawi and The Andaman Langkawi, respectively; and a sporty TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 automatic chronograph in steel with blue ceramic bezel and matching blue dial details and alligator strap on rubber worth RM20,350, a contemporary iteration of the classic Carrera inspired by motor-racing. DJ Ethan Curzon then brought the house down with his invigorating set, rounding out the evening on a high note.
