Tatler Malaysia – October 2025

Summary

Roger Federer, photographed by Issac Lam wearing a Rolex Land-Dweller, opens Tatler Malaysia October 2025 with a 40-page "Best of Switzerland" dossier that doubles as a country-brand partnership with Switzerland Tourism. The 160-page issue traces Swiss excellence from Federer's Basel childhood through watchmaking, boarding schools, alpine resorts and the On Running CEO's expansion plans for Southeast Asia.

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Federer's exclusive ("A Man and His Mountains," p.118) runs 8 pages including unseen family photographs and a post-career reflection on his time at the Laver Cup and his role as Switzerland's tourism ambassador. The "Best of Switzerland" section (p.126-158) covers 10 features: Institut Le Rosey boarding school (p.126), Caroline Scheufele's Chopard family dynasty (p.128), UBS co-president Iqbal Khan on Swiss wealth management (p.130), La Prairie CEO Estelle Letang's longevity strategy (p.132), a Zurich insider guide (p.134), Andermatt's alpine transformation (p.138), the Lucerne music festival (p.142), a Lucerne art feature (p.146), a 5-lake country hotel guide (p.148), and collector Uli Sigg's 2,300-piece Chinese contemporary art collection (p.154). The Scene (p.24-66) covers 12 local events including Tatler Adrenaline 2025 at KL Golf & Country Club, the Armani Galleria launch, and Miss Teaspoon founder Hannah Tan's 14-year journey.

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Regular departments include Editor's Note (p.18), a Calendar (p.24), online highlights (p.12), and The Last Word (p.160). Style runs 38 pages: Swiss graphic-design fashion shoot (p.78), Eyka Farhana's cover counterpart (p.100), Van Cleef & Arpels Flowerlace collection (p.108), Tiffany in Bangkok exhibition (p.110), and the regular Watches, Jewellery and Beauty picks. The Swiss watch feature names 6 brands and 12 specific references.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Swiss Special

p.118 · A Man and His Mountains
Federer, 43, on why he chose On running shoes over Nike for his post-retirement sneaker partnership, his family's annual ski holiday in Zermatt, and his daily 6am workout routine. He still plays tennis "3 times a week, for fun, not for score." His Basel recommendation: Kunstmuseum Basel's Friday night free entry.

p.126 · Lessons Without Borders
Institut Le Rosey's director Christophe Gudin: 400 students from 60 countries, fees at CHF 130,000 per year. The school's Gstaad winter campus hosts Alps-based sports training. Applications for Year 7 must be submitted 18 months ahead.

p.148 · Life on the Lake
5 Swiss lakes—Lake Lucerne, Lake Zurich, Lake Geneva, Lake Lugano and Lake Constance—each with one recommended hotel. Bürgenstock Resort (Lucerne) from CHF 650/night. Park Hotel Vitznau from CHF 550/night. The feature names 12 specific restaurants across the 5 locations.

▸ Features

p.130 · Excellence Above All
UBS co-president Iqbal Khan, 53, born in Switzerland to Pakistani parents, manages USD 3.2 trillion in global wealth assets. He advises HNW clients to hold 15-20 percent of portfolios in Swiss francs as a hedge. His personal investment thesis: "Bias toward Swiss industrial mid-caps with global export exposure."

p.154 · The Accidental Collector
Uli Sigg, 77, donated 2,300 Chinese contemporary artworks to M+ Museum in Hong Kong in 2012, valued at USD 162 million. He still buys emerging Chinese artists under USD 20,000. His advice: never buy an artwork you haven't seen in person, and always negotiate the frame and shipping into the price.

▸ Style

p.78 · Swiss Style
An 8-page fashion spread shot at the Armani Galleria KLCC, interpreting Swiss graphic design through Akris, Bally and On Running. The Helvetica typeface—Swiss-designed in 1957—informs the graphic overlays. Each outfit pairs a structured blazer with technical running shoes.

p.108 · Light Work
Van Cleef & Arpels' Flowerlace collection: 12 new pieces inspired by lace-making techniques, each requiring 1,200 hours of hand-assembly. The Diamond Lace necklace contains 1,000 brilliant-cut diamonds. Prices start at EUR 180,000.

▸ The Scene

p.28 · A Kick of Adrenaline
Tatler Adrenaline 2025 at KL Golf & Country Club: 120 guests competed in 8 sports including archery, golf, padel, and a 5km run. Winner of the mixed-doubles padel: Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay. Proceeds of RM 150,000 went to Yayasan Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

p.64 · Return to Roots
The TeoChew Club—an 80-seat restaurant in Bangsar reviving traditional Teochew porridge. Founder Ong Kian Ming spent 2 years researching recipes from his grandmother. A 6-course dinner costs RM 168 per person. Opens for dinner only, closed Mondays.

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Editor's Take

The 40-page "Best of Switzerland" portfolio is a remarkably coherent destination package—10 features, 5 lakes, 6 watch brands, 12 restaurants, all with bookable specifics. Federer's interview is warmer than the Philippine edition's version, with more personal detail about his Basel childhood and his On partnership. But the Swiss theme overwhelms local content: only 4 of the 12 Scene events feature Malaysian subjects, and the rest feel like Switzerland Tourism advertorials. The Eyka Farhana fashion shoot (p.100) is a 6-page brand collaboration with no editorial independence—it's styled and produced by the brand's team rather than Tatler's.

Strengths
• 40-page Swiss travel dossier with bookable hotels and restaurant names at 5 lakes
• Federer interview with Basel-specific recommendations and daily routine details
• Uli Sigg collection advice—USD 20,000 emerging-artist limit, M+ donation valuation

Weaknesses
• Swiss theme overwhelms local Malaysian content—only 4 local events out of 12
• Eyka Farhana spread is a branded-content collaboration, not independent editorial

Verdict: Recommended — Swiss travel planners get exceptional value; Malaysian readers may feel short-changed on local event coverage.