At the turn of the last century, vaudeville comedian and writer W.C. Fields famously declared, “Never work with children or animals.” That maxim was put to rest with this month’s photo shoot to celebrate Mother’s Day, by the adorable munchkins of three Hong Kong ladies: Ana Rivera, Louise Wong and Alison Chan El Azar. Their kids had us oohing, aahing and laughing as they tried on their mums’ designer accessories. And at the end of a long, exhausting day, we learned that motherhood isn’t child’s play.
Ana Rivera
Owner of modelling agency Model One, wife and mum (to Maya Ji Hye Garland, almost four, and Ryan Mathew Garland, nine months), Ana Rivera is used to multitasking. But if her kids had inclinations to follow in their glamorous mother’s footsteps, husband Brad has put his foot down. “He firmly believes the kids need their education and that’s a top priority,” Rivera says. “But I run an agency, so my perspective is a little different. I can see the opportunities [the modelling] industry can afford Maya, should she choose to pursue it later. Already, she’s done a few shoots that have been fun and age-appropriate when she’s been on holiday. And all the money she’s earned has been saved for her.” On the day of our shoot, little Maya tries on her mum’s sparkling shoes (“Look, princess shoes!”) and is hardly camera-shy. “As long as they graduate,” says Rivera, smiling, “they can do whatever they want.”Louise Wong
Louise Wong hasn’t let motherhood get in the way of an unstoppable career as a model and influencer (as we go to print, she has nearly 90,000 followers on Instagram). In an industry genuflecting to the new and forever young, she has stiff competition at home in the person of her own progeny, Affa Tsang, who at age five is all kinds of fierce. “I’ve become the background in my own shoot!” Wong says with a laugh as her daughter steps into her Sergio Rossi pumps. “I had no idea she can pose and take direction so well. I’ve only taken her to photoshoots maybe five times ever.” Despite the magic we see on screen, Wong draws the line at signing her little one to an agency, despite lucrative offers. “I think children should have a childhood. I don’t want her to work. Luckily, she wants to be a doctor or nurse – but her career choices change daily. Whatever she wants to be, I’ll support her 100 percent.”
Alison Chan El Azar
"Both were surprises,” says Alison Chan El Azar as she tries to somehow get her two younglings, Khalil El Azar, age three, and Kaia El Azar, two, into the same frame for our most bemusing and amusing shot. There are plenty of distractions: our photographer’s cat, a football, a box of toys and a mini circus tent filled with wonderment – well, a stuffed bunny, to be exact. “Girls are more independent and boys more needy – that’s what I’ve discovered with motherhood,” says Chan El Azar. As the first in her squad to have children while her socialite girlfriends hit every event, after-party and concert in town, this young, fit mum has no regrets. “I feel like my life basically just started with the arrival of my children. I can’t wait for my friends to settle down and join the bandwagon. I’m not missing out on anything. As long as my kids are happy, I’m happy.”Photography Ricky Lo Styling Florent Thiébaut Hair Cannis Chan at Brune Blonde Make-up Megumi Sekine and Leticia Bishop All Shoes Sergio Rossi
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