Last month, at Hong Kong's biggest party, the annual Rugby Sevens festival, an unusual trend emerged among Hong Kong's investment banks. The softer side of those hard-nosed masters of the universe was on display, manifested in the décor of their hospitality suites.
The UBS box was decked out in a fetching "Hello Sailor" trim, complete with "Welcome Aboard" sign, gangplank, portholes and staff decked out as jolly tars. Then Village People's "In The Navy" struck up over the speaker system.
JPMorgan's box boasted a sort of "Beastie Boys meet Vivienne Westwood" theme with illegible spray paint graffiti, loud rap music and gold dollar sign necklaces. The walls featured outrageous pink fur and fake zebra skin.
Citigroup's pirates theme included ludicrously wide pirate hats, scarves and eye patches.
Even the bluest of blue-blood banks, Goldman Sachs, succumbed to the fad to flaunt its feminine side with a soft Caribbean theme, featuring grass skirts and calypso music.
Thankfully, it was normal service on the field of play, with England winning its third Hong Kong Sevens title in a row.