Having been a professional model for the past nine years, Chia has extended her domination of the local modelling scene by making huge strides in the fashion, beauty, lifestyle and entertainment industries.
Yesterday, television viewers saw the 27-year-old hosting her first talk show, Golden Lifestyle, a fashion and lifestyle programme in Cantonese, which premiered on Astro.Soon, the indefatigable lass, who studied acting at the New York Film Academy for three months less than a year ago, will be seen in a couple of major Hong Kong productions.
Yes, Amber Chia is, in all respects, a solid brand name cleverly cultivated ever since she rose to prominence as a global brand ambassador of Guess Watches in 2004. She is beauty professional yet personable, pretty yet practical.
It’s a wonder how the lady manages to juggle the multitude of projects on her plate.
Her upcoming film projects include the sequel to Ip Man, the biopic of Bruce Lee’s kung fu master and Best Picture winner of April’s Hong Kong Film Awards. Donnie Yen is reprising his title role in director Wilson Yip’s follow-up (scheduled for release next May) that continues with Ip Man’s move to Hong Kong, where he spreads the teachings of the Wing Chun style of martial arts.
For her role in the show tentatively titled Ip Man 2, Chia is required to learn Wing Chun kung fu from Yen’s martial arts master in Hong Kong. She’s taken 10 lessons to date.
“The first two where I had to practise stances (chat ma) were tough on my leg muscles. After class I had to take the train home. My legs felt so painful I couldn’t even walk home.
“At the fourth lesson I learnt to strike the punching bag (sa pau) with my fists. My hands really hurt. But I’m glad that I can do all that now,” Chia recalls with a look of relief.
Her other Hong Kong movie is also an action flick, which is being lined up for Chinese New Year next year. Chia will start filming the kung fu comedy, starring Hong Kong heartthrob Julian Cheung (or Chilam), in Penang in September.
For a small-town girl born in Ipoh, Perak, and raised in Tawau, Sabah, Chia’s fairytale rise to international fame has made her the poster girl for young model with big dreams.The rags-to-riches story of a poor fisherman’s daughter is documented in the 2008 book, Amber Chia: Supermodel’s Secrets of Success – a part-autobiography, part-modelling guide that made it to the Top 10 list of MPH’s non-fiction bestsellers list.
Her star has continued to shine brightly. Her alluring face, with the distinctively high cheekbones and pouty lips, is a familiar sight on billboards and magazine covers. She has starred in three local films – Possessed (2007), Seed of Darkness (2007) and The 3rd Generation (2005) – as well as several TV series made in Malaysia, China, Singapore and Taiwan.
Getting down to business
Yet, working in an industry that worships beauty professional and youth, Chia is only too aware of the ephemeral nature of a model/actress’ career. Now, she begins a new chapter in her life by charting her future in the world of business.
After returning from New York – where she was selected to model for Victoria Beckham at New York Fashion Week in February, apart from other stints in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami – three months ago, Chia founded her own company, Amber Creations. Although it will start by handling events and production work, the boss hopes to eventually widen its portfolio to include model needed fashion, skincare, beauty and accessories.
“I have often been asked to recommend good event management companies or help organise and choreograph young models for shows. So I thought it was time for me to do something different now that I’ve got nine to 10 years of experience in the modelling industry. I hope to share what I’ve learnt all these years with those who are new in the industry,” says Chia.
Her business nous may see her running another outfit not long after this. She’s already scheduled to organise a modelling workshop in September with a view to setting up her own academy.
“It’s a day workshop with Amber and I’m going to share my experience about the basic things models should and shouldn’t do in front of the camera and during shows,” offers the lady who quite often refers to herself in the third person.
Speaking in fluent English (the Chinese-educated Chia took English classes in New York), she continues: ‘‘Although we have yet to advertise or send out any invites, we’ve already got about 40 to 50 students by word of mouth. We’re targeting 100 students.”The workshop came about after Chia was inundated with requests for advice. “My fan pages on Facebook and Friendster are filled with messages and questions like: Amber, I want to be a model, can you help me? Where to go? How can I start?”
Realising the dearth of professionally run training centres for aspiring local television models, the fashionista says she hopes to start her own modelling academy as “more and more girls want to be models”.
One of the projects Amber Creations has been engaged to do is the graduation show of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology at Kuala Lumpur’s Bangsar Shopping Centre on Aug 16.
Chia’s enterprising spirit has also impressed the university’s president, Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing. “He complimented me on my work and business. He told me that it’s really not easy for television models and celebrities to make the switch from entertainment to business. In the entertainment line, we are pampered with easy money from product endorsements.”
Chia is slowly but surely getting the hang of being a “businesswoman”. For a start, she finds herself improving at writing proposals.
“I’m working hard to stay on top of things. Writing proposals used to take me ages but now I can do one up in just a night.”
Recently, the business-savvy star also entered into a partnership with Techninier Sdn Bhd to design and develop an interactive real-time social networking service which allows the public to trail their favourite celebrities.
Golden opportunity
Chia snagged her first hosting post on Golden Lifestyle after her guest appearance on the local TV game show, Super Challenge II, helmed by K.K. Wong. Impressed by Chia’s witty and spontaneous reactions as well as her ability to play by ear, the producer Yoko Chou offered her the job to host the new programme on fashion, beauty young actress and lifestyle – things that are right up Chia’s alley.
Only problem was her Cantonese, which is not her mother tongue. But Chou was insistent on it being in Cantonese, rather than Mandarin, which Chia is more comfortable with.
“Honestly, in Malaysia we don’t speak perfect Cantonese or Mandarin because we tend to mix up the many languages that we use. And you certainly can’t compare our Cantonese to that spoken in Hong Kong.
“Watching my own celebrity friends host their programmes, I found that even if they couldn’t speak fluent Cantonese, the overall feel was there. So I figured it was more important to ensure that your guests enjoy themselves and to keep the audience entertained,” says the presenter who confesses to learning Cantonese and English only when she arrived to work in Kuala Lumpur some nine years ago.
Chia is grateful to Chou for patiently letting her learn to be a host, “starting from zero!”
“On the first day we had to do 30 to 40 retakes. The producer was angry but she did not scold me. Fortunately, the shoots have gotten better.”
Brushing up on her Cantonese is not the only benefit that Chia has gained from her hosting job.
“More importantly, I’ve learnt to talk to the camera. And how to deal with people who talk too much.
“I’m also glad we have hairstylists, makeup artists, fashion stylists and other experts join us for the programme. We exchange tips about health and beauty and help each other out a lot.”
Golden Lifestyle features three segments: Lifestyle Express, Hairstyle Magician, and I Love Beauty. The first season comprises 13 episodes, of which seven have been filmed after her return from Hong Kong.
“Everyone knows that Amber is a girl who loves challenges. The first step is always the hardest. But once you get past that, everything will be smooth sailing.”The gal is determined to further improve her command of Cantonese and English so that she’ll get the opportunity to host different types of programmes.
“Life is about learning and Amber is still learning. I can prove to people that Amber can do different things.
“Hopefully when I reach 30, people will also know Amber as a businesswoman. It will be a dream come true.”
Apart from her business ambitions, Chia hopes to find the right man and start a family. “I like children and I hope to have my own kids,” says the third of seven children.
Still single and available, Chia is sentimental about finding the man of her dreams. “I believe that love is blind. When you love someone, you will think he is the best. So it does not matter to me what he is like. What’s more important is the feeling.”
Then she adds with a twinkle in her eye: “I hope my knight in shining armour appears very soon. Sometimes when I’m tired I need a shoulder to lean on. I don’t want to bury my face in my pillow and cry myself to sleep.”
Full of drive and enthusiasm at work, Amber Chia is also a romantic at heart.
Source : star-ecentral.com
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