TOYS FOR JOY

Max Dautresme is a man with an eclectic soul, whose international upbringing compounds his illustrious descent from a long line of creatives, artists and artisans. He has an uncle who ran a store full of Asian curios in Paris, a mother who was the goddaughter of Pablo Picasso, and a grandfather whose atelier hosted Picasso, Matisse, Miro, amongst others. Growing up, Max spent chunks of childhood in Brazil, France, the US, Korea and Japan; and developed a keen eye for culture and beauty along the way. These days, he is best known as one of the founders of A Work of Substance, an interiors and branding agency that began in Hong Kong and now has offices in Paris and Stockholm.

We visited Max at his home in Lantau for this story. He accommodated us with genuine warmth, as he would (and does) his own friends. “This place is usually packed on weekends,” he says, inviting us to return another time. Unsurprisingly, Max’s home is full of Japanese antiques and decorative touches, collected from his former residence in Japan, as well those gifted to him by his father after he downsized his Tokyo apartment. It seems like every object has a story, and Max is happy to tell them.

“I collect boards — surfboards, snowboards — and motorbikes,” he tells us. “They’re tools that are an invitation to travel. They allow me to project myself into aesthetic experiences and novelty.” Asked when he started, he answers simply, “When I got my own space.”

Running a business, as Max does — or just working in a busy one — can be stressful, and collecting things that inspire or reflect our inner selves is becoming a form of self-care; a bit like being allowed to pick out a big bag of treats as a child.

But it’s about more than function: collectors know that aside from design, materials and engineering, that emotional connection is at the heart of the best collectibles. And, as Max observes of his finely engineered bikes and custom-made surfboards, “They represent a craft or a ritual.”

For all those who appreciate fine engineering, high-end functionality and form, we have edited together some of the world’s most luxurious objects – that also simply spark joy. For the audio aficionados, we have the latest in noise-cancelling headphones by Bose to the classic speakers by venerated brand KEF and the intense Devialet Phantom home experience.

Classic design is iterated in other ways too. The beautiful lines of the iconic Aston Martin One-77 are the basis for the House of BUBEN&ZORWEG’s jaw-dropping Object of Time One-77, a winder for 32 watches with watch and jewellery storage, its own ruby-adorned tourbillon and much more besides… there’s truly something for the person who has everything.