Sara Sampaio Is Our February 2018 Cover Star!

In a speech given by Prince Philip on his 10th anniversary to Queen Elizabeth, he spoke about the depth of their 10-year relationship and how you had to “take the rough with the smooth” because “down there in the rough, in the long reeds of difficulty and pain, that is where you find the treasure.” He ended the speech by referring to the Queen of England as “mon petit chou”, which is French for sweetheart—a term of endearment that I found delightfully charming. I watched this episode in the current airing of The Crown on Netflix and I felt as if I was watching history repeat itself.

By that, I am reflecting on how 60 years down the line, time is still the biggest test of love. The apps we use today to find “love”, while immediate, are so different to the acts of courtship and seduction in the past. What you have now is the fleeting anxiousness of lust, the carnal immediacy of desire, the desperation of want—all heightened with a shrill “ping” that appears on our iPhone. True, these are all qualities we associate with love-making—but they are really just one side to the many levels and layers to uncover what true love is. Our cover model this month, Victoria Secret’s Angel, Sara Sampaio, embodies lust, desire and want. You want to be her or you want to be with her.

But delving into her story, 26-year-old Sampaio is actually an old-fashioned girl at heart—quite different from the sexy siren you see peering from the cover. But oftentimes, our true selves are the opposite of what we portray in public. Friedemann Vogel, the German ballet dancer featured in this issue, is the embodiment of masculinity. Yet the softness with which he caresses spring’s dramatic coats, with every muscled sinew in sight, attests to his balance of male and female; yin and yang. We can learn a lot from Vogel’s sense of harmony, which I strive to bring to my relationships.

I talk about my memorable “love guru” session, and delve into horoscopes, feng shui and the cosmos. Back down on this mortal plane, you can take a leaf out of our love guide, which is the definitive edit of all the must-have addresses to make that date night extra special. You can never go wrong with indulgent spa treats—the cream of the crop are listed in our annual Spa Awards. One piece of advice: Ditch the apps for a moment and return to the days of eye contact, sparkling repartee and a bottle of bubbly.

A little champagne never hurt anyone.

—Kenneth Goh, Editor-in-Chief 

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Photographed by Yu Tsai. Styled by Deborah Afshani. Sara Sampaio/The Lions New York wears dress, Loewe. Scarf; necklace; earrings; rings, stylist’s own. Makeup by Chanel. Makeup Artist: Kathy Jeung/Forward Artists. On the face: Le Blanc de Chanel Multi-Use Illuminating Base, Le Correcteur de Chanel Longwear Concealer in 30 Beige, Le Teint Ultra Tenue Ultrawear Flawless Compact Foundation SPF 15 in 40 Beige, Joues Contraste Powder Blush in 99 Rose Pétale, Les Beiges Healthy Glow Luminous Colour in Medium Light. On the eyes: Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in 286 City Lights, Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in 100 Santal, Le Volume de Chanel Waterproof in 10 Noir, La Palette Sourcils de Chanel in 50 Brun. On the lips: Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Jumbo Longwear Lip Crayon in No. 2 Rose Violine, Rouge Coco Gloss Moisturising Glossimer in 744 Subtil. Hair stylist: Maranda/The Wall Group. Manicurist: Lisa Peña-Wong. Producer: Trever Swearingen/88 Phases. Digital imaging: Luis Jaime/88 Phases. Photo assistants: Robiee Ziegler, Kit Sinclair. Styling assistant: Kirsten Layne.