From The Straits Times    |


Gown: Strapless beaded bustier gown with ombre skirt with ruffles from Kevolie. Jewellery: Tiffany Enchant oval morganite ring, Tiffany Soleste platinum diamond pendant with a 32.34 carat pear-shape morganite, and Tiffany Enchant® fleur earrings in platinum with diamonds, all from TIFFANY & CO.

Myolie was in Singapore when Nuyou magazine editor Terence Lee asked her if she’d like to be our cover girl for Sept 2016. Of course, she said yes. However, unlike many other Hong Kong celebs, who simply cannot get around without a posse of assistants, Myolie showed up at our studio promptly at 10am with just her personal assistant, and two suitcases of beautiful wedding and evening gowns – including the ones in these pages – from Kevolie, the bridal salon she co-owns with Hong Kong stylist Kev Yiu.

Up close, Myolie looked younger than her 36 years. Her skin, sans makeup, was luminous and practically flawless. Her luscious pout, also bare, was pillowy.

Known for her youthful mien and bubbly personality, the award-winning actress is also well known for many notable dramas and movies, like Triumph In The Skies, Ghetto Justice and Curse Of The Royal Harem.

After the shoot, Myolie graciously answered all our questions – and we had lots!  

What does love mean to you?
Love is very powerful. It makes everything okay. If there are any problems that can’t be worked out, love will turn the tide and pull you through. Love also means compromising and sacrificing. It can give you courage to do things you never thought you’d ever do.

How did you know Philip was the one for you?
It wasn’t love at first sight, but I knew he was my type the moment we met. For a relationship to blossom, you have to get to know each other better, and there needs to be chemistry between you. After our first meeting, we stayed in touch by chatting regularly as well as exchanging Whatsapp messages to understand each other’s values, how we wanted to live our lives, and what we envisaged for a future together. Everything fell into place perfectly – and pretty fast. 

What do you love about Phillip?
Everything! We’re just so compatible. We also share strong values when it comes to family ties and money – very important issues for married couples. 

See also: 13 cute photos from Myolie Wu and Philip Lee’s multi-city honeymoon!

Did you have the wedding of your dreams?
I’d always pictured myself getting married outdoors, with a big white tent and lots of greenery. That’s usually pretty hard to do in Hong Kong, but Philip and I found the perfect spot – at the Beas River Country Club. For the day, we agreed on a simple theme of pastel and white flowers. For the evening banquet at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, we had a red theme that was glamorous and dramatic. 

How long did it take to plan?
We booked the venue six months ahead of time and then sat down to arrange and confirm everything else two months before the big day. Philip and I made a lot of decisions together because sharing our union with family and guests was more important than how our celebration would look. Of course, we were lucky to have friends from the creative industry, who helped with the decorations and other nitty-gritty things. Kev Yiu, my friend and designer for Kevolie, did my gowns and the bridesmaids’ dresses. 


On Myolie: Beaded long-sleeved gown from Kevolie. Jewellery: Diamond platinum ring with pink diamonds, and platinum diamond cluster necklace, all from TIFFANY & CO.

What were the days leading up to your wedding like?
Two nights before the wedding, I couldn’t sleep at all. Thank goodness it didn’t show. On the day itself, I was up for makeup by 5am. We had the gatecrashing at home later that morning. The solemnisation ceremony in the afternoon was followed by the banquet, and our after-party went on till 4am. 

Of course, everything went really well. If anything did go awry, no one said a word to me or Philip. I’m truly grateful to our friends and family who helped pull everything together. We were even lucky with the weather. The forecast said rain, but the sun was shining down on our solemnisation.

Many brides say their wedding went by in a blur. Was this true for you?
Not at all! Although it went by quickly, because we had a really packed schedule, I remember everything else but the food during the day as I didn’t get to see or taste anything. After the ceremony, I was busy taking pictures with all our guests. By the time we were done, there was nothing left!

At the banquet, I was busy taking pictures as well, and didn’t even get to see the reception area or what the decor looked like. I only ate two of the 10 dishes. 

What were your dresses like?
I wore the qun kua to pay respects to both our parents and elders at the tea ceremony, which was beautiful and very emotional. As for my wedding dress, Kev and I designed it together. I like long-sleeved dresses and mermaid silhouettes, so it reflected both elements. As I also like a vintage feel, we added a high collar made of French lace, too.

See also: 6 ideas to steal from Hong Kong actress Myolie Wu’s wedding

What inspired you to open Kevolie?
I’ve always liked fashion and have been styling my own outfits for quite a while. And I’ve also always wanted to own a business. I met Kev a few years ago, after I had worn a couple of his designs. When I was invited to attend the 2011 Venice Film Festival Awards, he made a beige-pink, low-cut mini dress with a floor-length lace overlay, and I loved it because it made me feel young and beautiful. 

At the time, Kev didn’t have any tailors working for him. He designed, hand-stitched the dress and did all the beading. After seeing this, other celebrities asked him to design outfits for their concerts and videos, and I was really happy for him because I’ve always admired his dedication. He wasn’t earning a lot, but he was faithful to his passion.  

Earlier last year, he told me an investor wanted to start a brand with him, and suggested pulling in a celebrity to boost it. Kev thought of me straightaway as he’s always considered me his muse. I had doubts at first as I didn’t want to start anything that would fail because of my inexperience in business. Of course, I finally said yes and promised myself to work hard; I didn’t want to be a sleeping partner. 

I’ve learnt a lot since our grand opening in August 2015, from brand building to marketing and promotions. We’re also growing as more people are recognising our dresses. And I’m always happy to wear Kev’s dresses when I travel because I believe in his designs and the blood, sweat and time he puts into each one. Our dresses can’t be found elsewhere. I have faith
in Kevolie. 

Does Kevolie have a signature style or look?
We don’t have just one as we see ourselves as a forward-thinking brand. We’re very strong in beadwork, especially with crystals, and versatility. If a bride says she wants a puffy, princess style for the bottom half of her dress, or a low- cut bodice, or something vintage, Kev will make it happen.


Gown: Strapless beaded gown with watteau train. Myolie wears her own wedding and engagement rings. Jewellery: Platinum diamond cluster necklace, Pebble ring in platinum with diamonds and Tiffany Victoria alternating hoop earrings in platinum with diamonds, all from TIFFANY & CO.

What is Hong Kong’s bridal salon scene like now?
It is very competitive. There are many choices, both affordable and high-end. Hong Kongers are used to having access to different options, so some salons package pre-wedding trips as part of their services. It’s not easy, but we haven’t gone in that direction as we believe that as long as we make quality dresses, we’ll have customers. 

Do you offer any other services?
Besides dresses that are custom-made by Kev himself, as well as made-to-order dresses from existing designs, we do dress rental. 

Do you have plans to expand?
We are looking at the possibility of a second salon in Beijing, China. It’s all down to the location, and we will need to find experienced tailors as our dresses are all handcrafted. 

Any projects coming up?
We did our Fall/Winter 2016  show in June; the dresses I wore today (during the shoot) are from that collection. Kev’s inspiration was the 1920s, when women were dressed all the time, whether they had money or not. We used a lot of bold colours for this collection that includes gloves, hats and more. Our message to brides: that they can be bold, that they can try striking colours for a change, and that they can be different.  

Check out Kevolie the next time you’re in Hong Kong: 50 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

Photography: Joel Low, assisted by Alfie Pan
Styling: Steve Thio, assisted by Jimmy Tan and Felicia Tan
Hair: Dexter Ng/HP 9742-0431, assisted by Kent Ling, using Shiseido Professional
Makeup: Cindy Goh/HP 9791-2874, using Cle de Peau Beaute
Videography: Jimmy Tan

This story was first published in Her World Brides Sept 2016.

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