Mary Anne at her beautiful home in Cebu wearing a dress by Milly and earrings by Deepa Gurmani, with her husband Derek

Where they are now is a world away from the hectic pace of life in Hong Kong, which was home to the Arculli family until SARS struck in 2003 and necessitated an abrupt exodus from the former British colony. It wasn’t supposed to be a permanent move; Derek’s family, after all, has been in Hong Kong for five generations. But the fresher, cleaner air of Cebu, the less frenetic lifestyle, and the opportunity to raise their family in a more salubrious, casual, and family-oriented environment proved too attractive to ignore. 

“I loved living in Hong Kong,” Mary Anne says, “but the lifestyle can be very demanding. You’re out every night, but then you’re also working and raising a family. You have to balance social obligations, business obligations, and familial obligations. That’s just how it is in Hong Kong.”

Mary Anne met Derek in London, an arranged meeting that didn’t go as planned.

“I was supposed to meet Derek at a blind date set up by Carina Asuncion, who was working with Derek at the time,” she related. But on her way to the blind date, Mary Anne was nearly run over by a man trying to park his car at the curb. There she was, all flustered, a striking figure with her fair skin and light brown hair, in black thigh-high boots and a tartan mini-skirt that showed her long legs to full advantage. The man who came close to killing her was dazzled. It turned out he was her blind date! 

And so began a transcontinental love story that had Derek flying as often as he could from Hong Kong to London, and Mary Anne sneaking a trip to Hong Kong whenever her schedule allowed. She had completed the Sotheby’s SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) programme, and proceeded to study art and interior design at the famed Inchbald School of Design. When her course ended, she moved to Hong Kong to begin her career as an interior designer with the prestigious international hotel design firm Hirsch Bender.

The couple married in 1996 and had their three children—a girl followed by the twins. Pretty much expecting Hong Kong to be their home indefinitely, they purchased and extensively renovated a sprawling apartment on the South Side.

White blouse and black capri pants by Cary Santiago; shoes, Mary Anne's own

“I do miss the excitement of being in a cosmopolitan city, with all the things going on. I miss the food, the sheer variety and quality. I miss our friends, too,” Mary Anne admits. On the other hand, “You always have to look at the bright side of things,” Derek says. “In Hong Kong, I don’t think we’d have the lifestyle we have now, in terms of family. There, family comes fifth. It’s all work and entertainment…”

“And networking,” Mary Anne avers. “It’s all for business, and you can’t not do it. But we love the life we have now. We’re also fortunate that we get to travel.”

Mary Anne has strong family ties in Cebu. An Aboitiz on her father’s side and an Osmeña on her mother’s, this Georgetown graduate with a degree in Business is heir to a legacy of public service, philanthropy, a strong work ethic, and an abiding love for Cebu. 

This deep connection is clearly reflected in the stunning house she and Derek have built in Maria Luisa. “Everything in this house—our whole home—was made in Cebu, or the Philippines. I would never think of putting anything else. What for? This is who we are and what we love,” she affirms.

Derek and Mary Anne in their family room

Photography by Jan Gonzales | Words by Bambina Olivares Wise | Art Direction by Anton San Diego

Read more about Mary Anne and Derek Arculli in the October 2016 Issue of Philippine Tatler, available in all leading newsstands and bookstores. Download a digital copy on your device via Zinio, Magzter, and PressReader.