KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 26): In a year full of ups and downs, Options dedicated its bumper issue to the best of 2021 — the good, the cheer-worthy and the iconic. Sweeping across the sports, entertainment, luxury fashion and literature industries, our "best of" list looks back at the last 12 months for all the colourful things it was.
Arranged alphabetically, the list considered personalities whose influence dominated the headlines, product launches that made us look up interest, and events that defined the year. Poet Amanda Gorman starts off the countdown, having burst on the scene this January at the inauguration of US President Joe Biden — a good way to start 2021 for sure, and also highlights the contribution of pop culture as it kept us company throughout the time we’ve spent this year on lockdown. Bentley’s hybrid Bentayga, Tifanny & Co’s Blue Book jewels, Jeager-LeCoultre’s four-faced Reverso — the luxury industry has ceaselessly worked at their craft, masterfully putting to work all accrued skills over the years.
The Tokyo Olympics finally took place this year, alongside many other sporting events that were postponed from last year to being held this year amidst much excitement. Other events we were able to celebrate were Chanel No 5's 100th anniversary, Cristiano Ronaldo returning to Manchester United, Mercedes-Benz launching its S-Class, and the Patek Philippe’s Museum feting two decades. On the local front, Unesco’s endorsement for songket and an ancient rainforest in Penang brought cheer to those who work to preserve heritage and biodiversity respectively. In our celebration of people who shaped the year were Elon Musk, Datuk Nicol David and Max Verstappen; we also mourn the loss of Prince Philip, the longest-serving royal consort in British history.
This year has been good, bad and painful, and it's going to be a difficult Christmas for many Malaysians who have been affected by the recent floods that washed through the Klang Valley and the East Coast. But hope springs eternal and we continue to work towards a better year ahead, for us and for each other.
Read more in the latest issue of Options, out with The Edge Malaysia weekly’s Dec 27, 2021 edition.