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What is the peculiar chemistry that draws men to Asian women. Part 1 of a 5-part series.
Two Asian women in their 30s walk down Rodeo Drive. Pastel couture floats
around the shoulders of one and the other is poured into an alluring black
strapless. They are accompanied by two European men in their 40s.
Punctuating the night with laughter, they skip up a flight of steps and
disappear into the dim recesses of a restaurant.
Poolside at the Kahala Hilton I spot a tall slender Corean woman in her early
20s strolling toward the lounge. She wears a red string bikini and a matching
wide-brimmed hat. Her face reflects the sun's tropical glow. A handsome
bronzed man hands her a tall mai tai. She plants a long kiss on his lips. Their
passion is as palpable as the sizzling heat.
On Bond Street one damp London afternoon, I catch a flash of extravagant
legs followed by the body of an exquisite Japanese girl in a white Chanel suit
and high spiked heels. Her long jet black hair flows shimmeringly over her
shoulders. As the driver pulls away, she flies into the arms of an elegant
silver-haired gentleman.
Luigi Fumagalli is an internationally renowned artist born in Italy. His works hand in the U.S. Senate and in prestigious galleries around the world. Roger Moore, Neil Sedaka, Jim Nabors, Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts are some of the collectors of his paintings. His colors are bold and compelling. His subject of choice? Asian women.
His success affords him a condo with panoramic views of the sparkling Honolulu coastline. After passing through the sophisticated security system, one comes into a soaring marble entry decorated by the vibrant colors of his paintings.
The first to greet me is an affectionate cat. Fumagalli follows. An azure tee-shirt peeks out from under a buff shirt. His sleeves are pushed up. He has prepared pasta for me. It is delicious. Several times he asks if I am enjoying it.
Around the black sculptural leather sofas where we sit are mirrored walls reflecting light. Fumagalli's dancing Latin eyes soften his rugged looks. His curly hair has a touch of grey. He talks animatedly, laughing frequently.
"In Milan, we really didn't date the American way," he tells me. "Ours was more romantic. I remember when I used to stand under the balcony of this girl Gabriella Valente, my first love, just staring.
"She looked like the sun goddess to me, so beautiful. I was only 13 and her father used to chase me away with ice water. He would throw it over the balcony!