JANUARY 2009

THE SECOND COMING

The month is almost over already!! In 20-odd days we've had a 2nd New Year, 2 extra ink sessions, 2-many nights pouring over detailing and have gone through more than 2 ink cartridges. There's also the matter of a 2nd street name. It may be a self-appointed title, but it's a title none-the-less. So, from this day forth, if you should see me out and about, call me "Baccarat Wong". If you are in the know, or your pseudonym happens to be "Never Lose", I don't need to explain any further.

The boys at Dragon Wai giving the stairway a thorough workout

The ever expanding Nike Collection gets a few classic additions

ROGER!!!

You can't tell me this guy didn't put EVERYTHING into this match! The first serve % might have been low, but that was a HUGE performance from both players. I will freely admit Nadal is the ONLY player I would HATE to play. Simply because it wouldn't be fun to have to virtually put your physical and mental health at such peril to win a point. No matter how good the shot, no matter how you close you think you are to hitting a clean winner.. bet your house, it's contents and all future earnings that the man at the other end of the court will not only get on it, but hit a ball at an angle which doesn't exists against you. Point after point after point after point for as long as you can stand.

So congratulations to Rafa for taking the title. As for Roger.. I was tired just watching such a high level match let alone playing it. You'll be back with a higher 1st serve percentage and will close the deal.

NEVER STOP TRAINING....... EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER!

Sitting at a desk and grinding away to get these clothing a step closer to reality and ignoring fitness training probably wasn't the best idea. On the return to training it took all of 10 mins to earn a few blisters and realize (yet again) why basic maintenance is crucial. Back on our favourite practice courts in town, we got down to a little court work with some rather comedic results. Unfortunately for me, most of the session was captured on tape...

A few interesting shots from the first day back on court

The trademark behind-the-back volley... forget about the smash

Attempting to get some rhythm on the practice court

The thanks you get for going back to practice

HEAD TO HEAD 18-2

As we are sitting here watching the Australian Open Semi-Finals between Roger Federer & Andy Roddick.. it's a little difficult to do anything else. This is an absolute master class from the Swiss player who enjoys playing Roddick as much as Roddick hates their head-to-head record. It's interesting to see how one man can beat just about everyone on tour yet has no answer for one player no matter how many times they play.

Even though he is playing well enough to beat everyone else, not to mention make the semi-finals of a grand slam event, he is getting completely dominated as I type. No matter the effort, Roger is on virtually every ball to deliver effortless, near faultless tennis. Tough life!

Roger taking care of business.

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI! GONG XI FA CAI! 恭喜發財!

A special greeting on the auspicious first day of the Chinese New Year. We made an attempt to start the year with some solid practice but every court in town was locked. With the threat of a 14 day imprisonment for scaling the face to hit a few balls... we decided it a miss. Ok, we did start to climb the fence but spotted someone walking their dog and panicked! Very annoying as I went to the court decked out in a red top and red underwear for good luck.

Can't tell you much about the evening celebrations as I slept through the festivities after a superb marathon effort at the desk. With the training called off the only person not stuck inside and willing to accommodate requests was Leon of Shitoujii. You know what happened next..

Warding off bad luck, evil spirits and the lesser-spotted garden variety skank with signal red apparel

ERRRRRR!

The picture says it all...

FINISHING TOUCHES

Finally! The long overdue session to finish the classic F1 Ferrari racers we started just before summer 2008 has been taken care of by non other than my good friend and artist Leon of Shitoujii. An unbelievably cute puppy was busy stealing the show on arrival at Ace Dragon/Dragon Wai Tattoo Studio so we had to grab a ton of pics before getting down to the business of ink application.

THE BACCARAT WONG

Our first trip of 2009 to Macau proved once again to be a fruitful one. With my partner in crime and the man who taught me the very rules of minting, we left the accounts of the casino .0000000000000001% shorter than they would have liked.

A little slice of Macanese pie

LET'S GO OUTSIDE

The key to successful social integration is, believe it or not, go outside! On realizing this, I have to admit I gave very serious thought to a swift return to my feral ways. However, things tend to pass you by if your only daily interaction is with far too many computer screens and fabric samples. Strapping on a very fresh and VERY sweet pair of Cipher Libertines (purple of course), I took the gamble and went to see what the various merchants in town were up to.

Delicious booties from Cipher bless the public roads for the first time.

Preparing to head out into the the concrete jungle.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

So, as the first New Year this month rings in and another one beckons in a few weeks, it's time to get the line officially up and running and get some clothes out to you, him, her, them! With the advertising market as dead as a doorknob, there are more than a few creative types, fashionistas and everyone in between bumming around so if you are reading this, your phone rings and you see my number pop up on the screen, pick up because the time for "cashing in favours" has arrived dear friends, distant associates and anyone I have a number for :D

Observing activities in the markets, in the various store and throughout the news, the international financial turmoil doesn't offer the most inviting conditions to launch anything. However, we will not be deterred in our quest to get our premium sportswear on the market and make a few respectable sales. Unless your name is Bernie Madoff, making the big margins each year takes calculation and timing. I don't operate on on luck and prefer to ready myself to act when the circumstances are favourable. Even when the situation is not looking good there is always a window of opportunity open. It might be a matter of shimmying up a drain pipe and shuffling across a ledge to get to the window, but the window is open nonetheless.

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK

Sort of anyway. If you hadn't noticed, a light dusting down of the site has taken place. Ok, just a few fonts switched here and there and widened the layout but it's a start. I liked the way we can change the intro page as and when so that's staying. The main reason for this meddling is to give me a little more space to type, wax lyrical and get my thoughts across as we begin to push the GUNN label to the market. Fingers, legs, arms, eyes and "t's"crossed, I will be able to document the stuff that won't be going on the GUNN site and give you a peep into the behind the scenes activities of starting up a clothing label. You know, the unbelievably exciting, non-stop pool partying, champagne flowing from the rafters..ering whist fending off the lustful beauties who refuse to... yeah baby! In reality, cold morning showers could easily be mistaken for pool parties, what I was told was flowing champagne appears to be the distilled water dispenser and the lustful beauties... on closer inspection they are middle-aged, bespectacled fabric suppliers wanting cheques. The reality behind all the runways, competition and now taking a brand from the design stages to the stores is as unglamorous and glamorous in equal measure. Hopefully you'll stop by and see how things are going often and go through the ups, downs and sideways with me. Better still... order some GUNN apparel for yourself, you friends, your relatives, associates, their associates, their families etc. Share the wealth dear readers, share the wealth. Also... I'd like to buy nice house (nothing too flashy) and without your help, it's not going to happen. Ta! :D

Working my pants off, literally, because someone has to

THE AWAKENING

A few weeks of sleep is sometimes the best tonic after rough ending to the year. In my pursuit for the ultimate hermit lifestyle I have discovered the only bonus to looking feral is that people tend to step out of your way without dispute. Without taking a step outside for almost two weeks, getting prepared to join a world that's had a fortnight's head start to 2009 required a bit of work... to say the very least. So, after a cold shower, a splash of warm water on the face, a brutal shave and some industrial strength cleanser..

Returning to the land of the living