All the world’s a stage
Some people spend decades trying to figure out what they want to do for a living, while others happen upon a career they love. GIGI and SABRINA CHEUNG are among the latter. The Hong Kong twin sisters tell NATASHA GILLESPIE-WONG how they went from performing in their parents’ living room to appearing in music videos and feature films
Cover
On Gigi, left
Pink pantsuit _ Boss
Black printed calfskin Montblanc x Maison Kitsuné clutch _ Montblanc On Sabrina, right
Blue pantsuit and black tank top _ Boss Black printed calfskin Montblanc x Maison Kitsuné tote _ Montblanc
Opposite page
On Sabrina, left
White dress with navy trim and navy cardigan (worn around waist) _ Miu Miu MB 01 Over-Ear Headphones x Maison Kitsuné _ Montblanc
On Gigi, right
White and navy sailor dress _ Miu Miu
White socks _ Prada
Black printed calfskin Montblanc x Maison Kitsuné tote _ Montblanc
(Talent’s own jewellery)
WHEN THEY WON fi rst and second runner-up in the Harbour City Children’s Singing Contest in the early 2000s, Gigi and Sabrina Cheung had no idea they were destined to be in the spotlight. Fast-forward to today and the 27-year- old twin sisters are appearing in movies and on TV, writing and releasing their own music, and shooting their very fi rst cover for #legend.
Seemingly unbothered by the sweltering heat, they strike pose after pose with sophisticated pieces from the Montblanc and Maison Kitsuné capsule collection for our outdoor shoot set against Hong Kong’s colonial architecture. Although still young and relatively new to the industry, the twins are the picture of professionals. Their upbeat, contemporary style perfectly showcases the joie de vivre of their generation and the collection’s signature leather pieces.
The giggles from set die down a little as we sit down for a post-shoot interview, a nervous energy in the air. While in some ways they’re as similar as chalk and cheese – Gigi’s signature bob versus Sabrina’s flowing locks, for instance – the Cheung twins have learnt to bring out the best in each other.
“I think our twin dynamic is constantly changing,” Sabrina says. “We didn’t decide at birth that one twin would be like this and the other twin like that. We’re growing, we have different experiences and we’re constantly affecting each other.”
Despite being a mere three minutes older than her sister, Gigi has all the trademarks of an older sister. “My family has always called me the elder sister so I’ve had that in my mind since we were small,” she says. “I was the one born earlier so I have the sense and responsibility of being an older sister even though there might not be a huge [age] difference.”
Sabrina adds, “I feel like we’re taking turns in the role of taking care of each other.”
The Cheungs’ introduction to performing came in the form of a regular family gathering at home. “There’s a tradition in our family of doing performances at Lunar New Year,” Sabrina says, smiling. “All my relatives, cousins, sisters, we have to perform our personal talents one by one. Gigi and I would always sing.” And so began the double act that graced stages in school choirs, storytelling competitions and speech festivals.
“We didn’t decide at birth that one twin would be like this and the other twin like that. We have different experiences and we’re constantly affecting each other” SABRINA CHEUNG