Difficult though it may be to believe, another New Year is already upon us, and with it yet more celebrations, as well as anticipation as to what the next 12 months will bring. Doubtless there’ll be new opportunities – some exciting, others unexpected but all, we hope, welcome – though our spectacles aren’t quite so rose-tinted that we imagine there won’t be the odd challenge too. But whatever else 2013 throws your way, everyone here at Prestige Towers sincerely wishes that the year ahead will be a time of achievement, contentment and happiness for all our readers.

In that same spirit of “out with the old, in with the new”, for this January issue we’re eschewing – albeit only temporarily – our usual practice of featuring movie or music stars, or giants of high fashion, on our cover. Instead we’re ploughing a new furrow by showcasing a leading light from the world of ballet – a woman, no less, who is one of the most acclaimed and admired dancers ever to have emerged onto the global stage from mainland China.

Named principal dancer of the San Francisco Ballet in 1997, at the tender age of 20, Shanghai-born Tan Yuanyuan is regarded as one of the preeminent talents of her generation. While visiting this city to perform in A Ballet Soirée, her second appearance with the Hong Kong Ballet last year, she took part in an exclusive photo shoot and interview for Prestige Hong Kong. Now at the very top of her game, she nonetheless admits that “you have to listen to your body to know what is the next step. It’s difficult to stay on top...with the constant practising and performing.” Not that this peerless performer shows any signs of stepping down soon.

Wrapping up this New Year package are interviews with superstar actress – and former dancer – Zhang Ziyi, artist Xiao Lu, cashmere king Brunello Cucinelli, modern renaissance man Pharrell Williams and Porsche designer Pinky Lai. It goes without saying that all these and more come with our heartiest compliments of the season.