Celebrity Life

Evelyn Choi — actress, model and influencer — shares fashion and beauty tips.

Evelyn Choi’s familiar face stares out from numerous advertising campaigns, magazine pages and social media posts. After first coming to prominence 14 years ago in the film Echoes of the Rainbow, alongside Simon Yam and Sandra Ng, she’s appeared in many TV shows and nearly a dozen films.

Her social media posts are peppered with makeup trends and tips, nods to designer brands, accessories, colourful dresses, jeans and frilly tops. She’s also known for mixing up designer gear with street chic, so we had to ask Evelyn Choi about all things fashionable – and the trendy young star obliged by doling out helpful advice, and her notions of fashion dos and don’ts.

Evelyn Choi, Actress-Model and Influencer

How has your fashion journey evolved?

I read a lot of fashion magazines and I check up on runway shows, but the most important part of my fashion journey has been the experience. My advice to others is simple: know yourself well and then you’ll know what kind of style suits your personality and shows the best of you.

Your Instagram feed is studded with tags for brands such as Gucci, Sacai, Miu Miu, Tods, Loewe and Giorgio Armani. Which are your favourites?

I don’t have a favourite brand or designer per se, as I think different brands have distinct features that make them unique. I enjoy and appreciate every individual designer.

Tell us about your accessories journey.

I like to wear the same accessories often, but style them differently each time. How do I choose a bag? Well, it’s quite funny: I use my wallet as a yardstick. Of course, I also see whether the bag goes with my jeans, as well as my little black dress. Quite a lot of people might opt for a signature look of a high-end brand, or a classic design. Somehow, I always end up liking new designs that encapsulate the brand spirit.

Would you be influenced by a model or celeb because they endorse a particular brand?

I usually decide for myself. A particular look or accessory might look good on a particular model, but not on me. That’s why they’re models. I believe different people have their own styles and qualities. Choose a style that matches you, not others.

Knowing you influence young women, does it make you more conscious about what you wear and post on social media?

For sure. That’s why I always share my #ootd (Outfit of the Day), not just because I want to share my fashion but, more importantly, because I want to give girls tips on finding their own style.

Who are your favourite Asian designers and style icons?

Three people spring to mind: designers Jason Wu and Vera Wang, and model and influencer Kiwi Lee.

What’s a fashion oops you had – and what did you learn from it?

I must say, hip-hop style really isn’t my cup of tea. I tried wearing very oversized tops and low-rise wide jeans and ended up looking very short and with no shape. But I wouldn’t say this style is an “oops I made a mistake”, it’s just not for me. I just can’t pull it off like others can.

Are there shows you watch just for the fashion?

I must confess I really like reality shows that help and encourage new and upcoming designers, like Project Runway and Next in Fashion. It’s always good to see how they fight for their dreams – and you as a viewer can also learn how to view fashion from different perspectives. From fabric construction to window dressing, the journey of an outfit from the designer’s first sketch to the end product is fascinating.

If you were to go to the MET Ball, who would you wear?

Wow – I really don’t know what I’d wear. I guess I need to see what the theme was first – it really starts from there, as the theme sets the tone. What I’d wear for Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination would be very different from China: Through the Looking Glass.

How collaborative are you with stylists?

To be honest, I don’t usually work with stylists, as I like to choose outfits myself – though sometimes I’ll work with a stylist on commercials or magazine shoots. I respect all the stylists in Hong Kong – I think they’re very professional.

What do you always have in your makeup bag?

Lip balm.

Beauty trends have been leaning away from glamour and towards skincare and wellness. What are your skincare tips?

My tips for readers are easy: less is always more. Don’t try to put lots of stuff and product on your face if you’re worried about your skin. I always remind myself that my body needs water. Good skin comes from within, not externally, so for glowing and smooth skin, drink water.

What’s your fashion advice for young girls – or boys?

You’re under no obligation to follow a trend. Maybe you can create your own instead.

The post Style Folio: Evelyn Choi, Actress, Model & Influencer appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

’Tis the season to reflect on the past, mull over the present and hope for the future, as we find out how four local personalities will be spending the holidays...

4 Hong Kong Personalities on the Festive Season

Jessica Jann, Actress

What’s your Christmas family tradition?

Lots of time together. I always used to go back home to California and be with my parents. We’d have a lot of meals together, spend time together, watch holiday movies and just be with each other.

What’s your favourite Christmas memory?

Years ago, when I was home for the holidays, I remember having a lovely family meal out with everyone. Then my cousins, my sister and I went to Downtown Disney in Anaheim. We ordered hot chocolate, sat by a fireplace, chatted nonstop and then got doughnuts afterwards. This year will be the third Christmas holiday when I won’t be back home.

Which moment from past holidays still makes you laugh?

Once my sister got us all, the entire family, these ugly, ugly Christmas sweaters but we absolutely loved wearing them! We laughed and took so many pictures!

What’s your Christmas wish?

I’m so lucky because my grandma (Abu) is in Hong Kong with all of us. I miss my parents, sister and nephew, but I’ll definitely be calling them. This year, I might still be in the hospital as my due date is really close to Christmas Day. My husband, Kenneth, and I are so excited, anxious and nervous. Christmas has always been my favourite holiday and I really can’t wait to hold my baby girl for the first time. I just wish she’s happy, healthy and I can’t wait to meet her.

Richard Ekkebus, Chef

Which Christmas tradition from your youth do you remember most fondly?

Back home in the Netherlands, my mum put a lot of effort into decorating the house and it was a true collective family effort – dad did the lights and fixed the tree, and my sisters and I would decorate the tree with garlands and hang Christmas baubles. But the most important part was the family reunion – grandparents, uncles and cousins all meeting. Large dinner tables and extended meals. We were allowed to sip our dad’s glass of wine to get a taste. The laughter, the happiness and, of course, the festive decorations and gifts.

What was your most memorable Christmas gift?

When I was 10, I got a concave skateboard to learn to ride in half-pipes. I was super into skateboarding but my skateboard wasn’t great, so my mum ordered one from a skate shop in Amsterdam – the real McCoy.

What’s your Christmas wish and hope this year?

Christmas is always a little awkward for me. I’m super-stressed, as it’s an important day for my guests. So we’re the family that unwraps gifts very early in the morning before I head off to work, to look after other families. With the pandemic, it will be a challenge this year, just as it was last year. We’d normally have our kids in Hong Kong but this year there’s an empty nest and – that’s somewhat sad. I want to make sure they all have a great Christmas, and my wife and I have organised parcels to be sent early so they reach them in time. We’ll probably do a thing on Zoom on Christmas Day.

Nick Buckley Wood, Art Connoisseur

What’s a favourite Christmas memory?

I don’t have many favourite Christmas memories in Hong Kong. I grew up in the city till I was 13 and then was in the UK. We don’t really celebrate Christmas that much in the Wood family. We all get together, and I suppose that’s the best memory – everyone being under the same roof. Otherwise, everyone’s scattered around the globe. I do like tropical Christmases more than snow-capped ones, probably because I’ve had more Christmases in Singapore and Hong Kong than elsewhere. So, sandcastle over snowman any day.

So a favourite Christmas meal for you would be?

Hainan chicken rice – with a giant chicken. And all the trimmings.

What’s the best Christmas present you ever received?

A puppy when I was a boy. A puppy really is the greatest present ever, at any age. I named him Tiffin.

Money no object, if you could bid for any artwork as a Christmas present for yourself, what would it be?

Maybe a Caravaggio. What’s a good Christmas-y painting? Maybe a giant pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama. What’s your end-of-the-year plan? I’ll be in Cambodia this year for Christmas. I bought an apartment and spent most of the year there, I was basically exiled – there’s no Covid where I stayed and I worked remotely. I’m also working on a non-profit project there. So this year I’ll be working on my apartment and the charity.

Elly Lam, Influencer

What’s your Christmas family tradition?

I have a big family, lots of brothers and sisters, and we all sit and watch old Christmas movies while sipping on homemade mulled wine.

What’s your favourite Christmas memory?

Cooking Christmas dinners together with loved ones every year is always a favourite. Oh, and I love Secret Santa!

Which moment from past holidays still makes you laugh?

Serving salty eggnog! It was ridiculous because it’s so easy to make. I was frantically trying to finish making Christmas dinner and, in the rush, I used salt instead of sugar in the mix! My helper served it thinking that’s how it’s supposed to taste. It was slightly embarrassing for me to serve failed eggnog – we still laugh about it.

For 2021, what’s your Christmas wish?

To be able to travel somewhere cold and snowy for Christmas this … well, I guess next year. I miss having a White Christmas.

The post Home for the Holidays: 4 Hong Kong Personalities on the Festive Season appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Eliza Sam, the Hong Kong actress with a million social media followers, talks to us about everything from style to stilettoes, on-screen and off.

Beauty Queen, film star, television actress, wife, mother and model – Eliza Sam is the gorgeous Canadian-born girl next door who’s been in the spotlight ever since she won the Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant in 2009 and went on to take the crown in the 2010 Miss Chinese International Pageant.

She was shot further into the orbits of celebrity via the smash television show Divas in Distress – her popular role in the latter gave her the nickname “Princess Heung Heung”, which still follows her to this day. We snatched a few minutes from Sam’s packed schedule to chat with her.

Eliza Sam, Hong Kong Actress

How has your fashion journey evolved over the years?

When I was a kid, I watched my mom upcycle clothes that I’d grown out of to make outfits for my Barbie. When I was an awkward tween she let me use her sewing machine, and ever since then, I’ve been making my own clothes. I studied fashion design too. I actually wore a DIY gown to a red-carpet event – I pulled an all-nighter to make it.

What do you love wearing?

I like to mix and match classic or luxury brands with unbranded street chic. Styling is mixing something old and new, not wearing a full look.

Tell us about your accessories journey.

Growing up, I’d buy a lot of things that were trendy at the time. But nowadays I prefer to invest in classic items, ones that I’ll like and use for a long time. My motto is “quality over quantity”. Once in a while, I’ll supplement with some seasonal items, but not often. It’s less wasteful and I regret less.

Bags or shoes?

That’s easy. My real love is shoes – they can make or break an outfit and I consider some to be art pieces. You can tell bits of a person’s personality by looking at their shoe collection.

Would you be influenced by a celebrity wearing a brand?

Influencers can definitely make me aware of a new bag, but I wouldn’t be influenced enough to buy it just because someone else has it. I can be inspired – if it’s styled really well I’ll think about it. There are a lot of It-bags, but I like to think about which situation of my life it fits into, whether it’s an everyday utility or a waiting-for-a-special-event kind of bag. I think a lot before I commit.

When did you make the leap from a few followers to this sudden jump to more than a million on Instagram?

I remember the day I reached 1,000 followers. I was amazed and touched that people even cared to follow me. I’m so thankful to all my followers, who encourage me to work harder and do better. It’s more than a million now and I’m genuinely amazed.

Knowing you influence young ladies who are looking at your aesthetic, are you more conscious about what you wear or post?

I’ve been aware from the beginning that, as a public figure, I inevitably have some responsibility to be a good role model. I love fashion, so I love styling and being styled in beautiful fashion. It makes me feel good. For me, fashion is an interesting thing – it can make me feel really amazing and confident, or it can make me feel self-conscious. Great fashion is really great art.

You’ve been in several television shows and films and had to wear clothes according to your character. What’s been the most memorable experience?

With shows like Emily in Paris or Sex and the City, it’s fun to look at the fashion – and there are a lot of It-items and so-called inspirational looks for that season or time frame. But I love looking at the clothing in dramas that hark back to a bygone era because we’re never going to wear such beautiful garments today.

Have you ever had the opportunity to wear such costumes?

Yes, twice, in two of my dramas. I had great costume designers and assistants who helped me wear them. You get to put on these grand robes and you really feel as if you’re in a fantasy. A lot of the historical things I wouldn’t know about, so I had implicit trust with the wardrobe department because they knew exactly what to wear according to which Chinese dynasty it was. I’ve had two parts like that, in Under the Veil and Lady Sour. Those have been my favourite costumes on-screen. I’m fully aware that, had I not been an actress, I’d never have experienced this kind of majesty in costumes. So in a way, I’m more interested in costumes than I am in contemporary fashion per se. Contemporary fashion makes me feel cool, but historical fashion offers a glimpse of fantasy.

What are the momentous outfits you’ve worn?

Two spring to mind: the gown I wore when I won my title and, of course, my wedding outfit. I have two boys now, so I guess, 30 years from now, I’ll save them for my daughters-in-law.

Rumour has it you have an epic shoe collection.

Yes, it’s true. More than 100, easily – and that’s not including what I have back in Canada. They are some shoes I have – like maybe 10 pairs – that are in mint condition. There’s a Miu Miu platform shoe with rhinestones, which is special. And heels, so many heels. Of course, I have a lot of Louboutins and I only wear them for a short period of time. When I’m home alone, I put them on, play along with some music and have my own dance party for one.

Has your fashion changed since your boys were born?

No, I was always a white-shirt-and-jeans girl. I’m still a white-shirt-and-jeans girl. I hike up the look with interesting shoes and bags, but at heart, I haven’t changed.

Any fashion regrets?

Super low-rise pants. They were so cool at the time, but I don’t think I could do it again. Ever.

Style Folio: Actress Eliza Sam on Her Fashion Journey

PHOTOGRAPHY RUBY LAW
ART DIRECTION AND STYLING TASHA LING
HAIR KOLEN BUT
MAKEUP DEEP CHOI
ASSISTANTS VENUS CHU AND PHEOBE
LOCATION THE LANDMARK MANDARIN ORIENTAL

The post Style Folio: Eliza Sam, Hong Kong Actress appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.