The A-List by Mixmag Asia: Summer livin’ on our mind

Welcome to The A-List — a curated selection of the finest in music, art, food, culture and fashion by all the extraordinary talent that call Asia home. Every month, the Mixmag Asia crew vet and vote on the very best brands, events and more to deliver a not-to-miss list that should help you shape your month.

It’s been a rough year. It hasn’t been easy. And we’re not sure when it’s going to be better. It’s hard sometimes to write things that are positive when it feels like the world is crumbling around us. But when you dig a little deeper, there is so much positive unfolding all around us as the industry learns to adapt to the cards we’ve been dealt. As such, it’s more important than ever to shine an even brighter spotlight on the good things happening, and so The A-List continues to highlight some of the brighter elements happening in Asia — just a little different than before.

With small businesses all over the world folding in the wake (or in the midst) of the global pandemic, we’re thrilled to deliver some good news out of Vietnam — Savage is reopening. Not only did it survive these crazy times, but it found a new home during the downtime, made it pretty, powered it up and is set to reopen its door this month. On June 12, Savage 2.0 will open its door for a first dance on its new dance floor in the heart of Tay Ho in Hanoi. Although the grand opening isn’t slated until the end of July, there are still a string of events scheduled for this month including a launch party for On Point Worldwide Records (more good news!). The dusk till dawn line on this night will include Jarod Esc (Escaped Records, HK) who will play alongside Ouissam, Nayla, ToK and Wat De Phởq. When Savage full opens in July, it will also house a record shop and digital radio station called Pond Records. Follow along with with all the upgrades here.

It’s beyond imperative for people to understand what they are supporting, and why. In the case of Bandcamp’s fundraiser, it’s quite simple — they are one of the most highly respected platforms for independent music across the globe, and most of the music we hear today is as a result of the roots of racism, largely in America. The platform has dedicated Juneteenth (June 19) 2020, and for every Juneteenth thereafter, that 100% of their share of sales will go to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The legal fund has been effective in pursuing racial justice through litigation, advocacy and education, so save the date so you can also help to save human integrity for all of us while supporting musicians and artists in the process. Shop with Bandcamp here.

Since we all have a little more time at home right now, we should spending at least a portion of that on making the planet (that we’ve effectively fucked) a better place. Embarking on your own journey towards sustainability is a good place to start, and in case you need a little guidance, Green Is The New Black is just a click away with their sexy yet sustainable virtual Conscious Festival. The two-day virtually immersive event is designed to guide you towards embracing a more sustainable lifestyle by reconnecting with yourself, others, and the planet. The online expo will feature over 70 mindful brands as well as talks and experiential workshops lead by business leaders and change-makers. It’s important to stress that this event is not led by not climate extremists, it’s just a friendly little tribe looking to create systemic change to fix the most social, political and existential crisis of our time — in a sexy way. Register here.

Did you know that Bali produces a natural wine? Mind = blown. One of the islands only pét-nat wines (short for Pétillant-Naturel, meaning natural, sparkling and fizzy), Birthday Suit was introduced to us at one of the last parties before the Island of the Gods locked down when we were presented with a delightfully cloudy bottle of orange wine. It was so good, it sold out pretty quick since it's only made in small batches but they’ve just announced via Instagram that they’ve got a super small batch of rosé called ‘Petals’. It's an in-between harvest low contact (20 days on skins) lockdown juice that's made from the notoriously difficult Alphonse Lavallée grape, then fermented along with 10% cherries, blueberries and apple cider. Did you catch when we said local? Birthday Suit grows its grapes and makes the wine in the north of Bali in an area called Singaraja and is naturally fermented. The wine is also natural, meaning it’s not filtered which lends the wine its cloudiness, and contains no (or low) sulphates — meaning no hangovers. Get it while it’s hot (or should we say, chilled?).

Your holiday might be cancelled but summer certainly isn't. If you're in the market for a new piece of swimwear (or know someone who is, ahem ahem), the girls in our office are sporting sustainable swimwear this year and is something we can push with confidence. Conceived in Australia, born in Bali and nurtured in Hong Kong, Arvia Active is the eco-active brainchild of Tiffany Bisley. The label is focused on fashion-forward and versatile collections made of ECONYL® which is a regenerated nylon made from 100% post-consumer plastics. This June, Arvia Active launches its 2020 swim line that consists of three collections — Bali Hai, Island Life and Australiana, each of which were inspired with a tropical ethos in mind. Vibrant, sustainable, comfortable and also affordable with an exclusive discount (15%) for Mixmag Asia readers, the new swimwear pieces are produced in small batches making them close to one-of-a-kind, and are also sold separately so you can mix and match to your summer desire. Stay ethical, be aware and style up while you’re at it.

Mixmag Asia readers get a 15% discount — use code MIXMAG15 at check-out for online purchases at Arvia Active, plus Hong Kong readers can enjoy free shipping and returns.