You may have spotted them at your upscale hair stylist's or your dentist's minimalist waiting room.

Decision makers, head honchos, movers and shakers, big kahunas, captains of industry (if you've coined a neologism, mail me).

Found between the pages of The Peak, the magazine of luxury lifestyle, here they were, in the flesh and pressing flesh at the publication's 25th anniversary gala dinner at Shangri-la hotel.

What? The Peak is 25 years old?

Madam, you haven't been going to the right hairdresser and dental surgeon!

In its birth year, 1984, it was 'the art of fine living'. In 1993, when a shareholder of the publishing company took over the title, it was 'the finer things in life'.

Five years ago, SPH Magazines acquired it and majorly overhauled its readership to reflect younger corporates and entrepreneurs.

Today, it wears the mantle of official luxury lifestyle monthly for the elite of Singapore's who's who, including the diplomatic community.

(If I didn't see you that night, you're a and-who-are-you?)

The 300 guests were made up mostly of men in black tie.

Spread out between those delectable chocolate squares provided by one of the leading sponsors, Swiss Bank Julius Bar, were past issues of The Peak. Every last one had a man on the cover.

How come?

They are captains of industry and 'unfortunately', said a feminist spokeman, most of the captains of industry are men.

(Parliament, please take note, hor.)

Many of whom are married or partnered with tasteful women. Certainly in their dresses they were.

Second generation of old family firms were in full attendance, scions of founding fathers of watch retailers, wine merchants, construction and engineering, architects and builders, gas and energy, property tycoons and professionals.

Wine, women & song

Clinton Ang (left) is one such son, from one of the oldest companies, Hock Tong Bee, wine merchants.

Named after that chap who was in the White House in the '90s? Must have been a very good year.

'Oh, 2008's a good year,' he said. He meant for his bottles.

It was a sedate affair - why do people have the notion that corporate suits would not want a wild evening?

There was an excellent dinner, a jazz singer with a great voice - how you tell is she chose songs that are not easy to sing - and a little big band with a wonderful repertoire.

The dessert bar - a social fixture in hotels in the noughties - was brilliant.

If only the lighting in the ballroom had been less peculiar - it defied any shade found on colour charts - which made the butter look like foie gras and the foie gras look like... never mind.

Overheard: "This crowd, they are the people who (can afford to) buy complicated watches".

This article was first published in The New Paper.