Campari tailors a tribute to Asia’s top bartenders

Asia’s bar culture has never been more expressive—or more diverse. In the region’s most exciting drinking rooms, cocktails are no longer just about craft; they’re conduits for culture, memory and mood. And now, Campari is stitching that spirit into something more permanent: a jacket.

Following this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars ceremony in Macau, the brand unveiled ‘Tailored for the Bartender’, an initiative that honours the individuals driving the region’s bar scene. Each representative from the 1-50 list, as well as the One To Watch awardee, will receive a custom-made jacket, co-designed with a local tailor to reflect the essence of their bar.

Campari spotlighting Asia’s best bartenders with custom-made jackets

Created to be more than uniforms, these jackets are wearable reflections of a bar’s soul—built for performance, but designed with the nuance and intention that characterises great hospitality. Over the coming months, Campari will document the creative process in a series of short films and portraits, capturing the intimate decisions behind lapels, linings and stitchwork.

Some of the featured bartenders are names that have become synonymous with the evolution of Asia’s drinking scene:

Jay Khan of Coa in Hong Kong

Jay Khan, of Coa in Hong Kong, continues to define what agave spirits can be in a city better known for whisky and wine. His bar may be minimalist in form, but it is maximalist in spirit, elevating Mexican drinking culture with reverence and flair.

Supawit “Palm” Muttarattana of Dry Wave in Bangkok brings a modernist approach to tropical flavours, creating drinks that feel as thoughtful as they are refreshing. Bangkok’s bar scene is bold, and Dry Wave is one of the reasons why.

Keith Motsi, behind the stick at Virtù in Tokyo, merges Tokyo precision with a London-born ease. Set inside the Four Seasons Otemachi, Virtù is a cosmopolitan bridge between classic French technique and Japanese poise.

Andrew Ho of Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou co-founded one of mainland China’s pioneering speakeasies. The bar is a masterclass in experimentation, known for its in-house lab and drinks that often blur the line between cocktail and science.

Joash Conceicao, co-founder of Offtrack in Singapore, represents the next generation of bartenders infusing the city’s high-spec bar culture with casual energy. Expect considered cocktails, a genre-fluid music programme, and just the right touch of irreverence.

Keith Motsi of Virtù in Tokyo

Then there’s Workshop14, a newcomer based in Hanoi overlooking West Lake that was awarded this year’s Campari One To Watch title. The bar leans into Vietnamese ingredients and craftsmanship without resorting to cliché, marrying modern technique with local context. Its inclusion in the campaign underscores Campari’s commitment to celebrating not just the established but the emerging.

Bartender Supawit Muttarattana of Dry Wave in Bangkok

While ‘Tailored for the Bartender’ may have been born from an awards moment, it reaches beyond the ceremony spotlight. It recognises the hours before opening, the late-night team debriefs, and the countless iterations that lead to one perfect drink. These jackets are made to move, to last and to hold stories—not unlike the bars themselves.