Digital Cover: Elva Ni x APM Monaco

Beauty queen, model and actress Elva Ni ends 2023 on a high note, including imparting her beauty wisdom in our #legendChats Beauty Awards panel last summer. For 2024, Ni continues to build on the solid career she enjoys in acting and modelling. While the Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day coincide on the same dates this year, she tells Hill Choi Lee all about remaining kind and patient, and most importantly of all, expressing one’s love loudly

Valentine’s Day, the annual celebration of love and affection, beckons us to journey through the enchanting world of passion and romance. In an exclusive interview with the illustrious Hong Kong actress and model, Elva Ni, we delve into her personal experiences and reflections on matters of the heart as well as her plans ahead for this season of love.

Though 2023 and the start of 2024 are marked with a tendency for “revenge travel” for many Hongkongers, Ni is set to stay put and spend Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year in the city.

“I just came back from a family trip before Chinese New Year because I wanted to avoid the crowds,” she says. A season of indulgence is in the books for this former beauty queen as she plans to stick to enjoying traditional food like rice cakes, poon choi (a type of casserole) and various local pastries during “Chinese New Year”.

However, that does not mean she intends to be a recluse over this holiday period – which is practically impossible for anyone part of a Chinese household. Reconnecting and visiting friends and family are all part of the programme, which is something Ni doesn’t have trouble adhering to. While for Valentine’s Day, plans remain chilled.

“I enjoy visiting friends and family to exchange New Year greetings, as it creates a lively atmosphere. On the other hand, Valentine’s Day is usually more low-key for me. My husband and I might just have a simple meal together, and we don’t usually exchange gifts and I don’t expect him to buy flowers. I believe that [the] everyday happiness is more important.”

While Ni is adamant about keeping this festive season low-key, it is also important to impart and demonstrate the sentiment that matters. “Love brings people together, love is about being kind, supportive, patient, and accepting,” she explains. “I believe prioritising self-care is crucial as only by nurturing and maintaining your well-being can you effectively provide care and support to others.

“I really enjoy taking care of family matters, but I’ve noticed that when I don’t get enough rest, my energy and emotions suffer. So I try to make sure I get enough rest, which may involve reducing the time I spend on social media or cutting back on time spent with friends. It does require sacrificing some things, but I believe it’s important to know my priorities to find a balance between myself and my family.”

In that regard, it is important to speak out and express her feelings of love loudly, Ni says. To show these affections, the most important thing in a relationship is to have mutual acceptance.

“Because everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. If you want a relationship to last, it’s important to learn to accept each other’s flaws. I appreciate what Vincent [her husband] has done for our family and he accepts all my flaws.”

“For example, I’m a messy person and he keeps the house tidy,” she laughs. A twinkle of tease is detected when she talks about her relationship with her significant other. Ni reminisces about the things she enjoys doing together with her spouse, Vincent Ng, that fortify their connection.

“I love travelling together with my partner, especially going on road trips where we can stop at places, explore new restaurants, and enjoy the beauty of nature. In 2024, I would love to do more volunteering work such as improving the natural environment and helping those in need.”

Sharing this vision has been a long-time goal for Elva with her husband – a sentiment both divulged in a 2022 cover interview in which they elaborated on their adventurous streak.

After all, “Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul” she was quoted saying. “As such, I’m always looking forward to my next adventure.”

CREDITS
Creative and production / Hashtag Legend
Photography / Mario Chui
Videographer / Billy Elvis
Styling / Perpetua Ip
Styling assistant / Silver Ng
Makeup / Janice Lam
Hair / Sing Tam
Jewellery / APM Monaco
Wardrobe / Sandro, Maje, Giuseppe Zanotti, Dion Lee, Jennifer Behr, Lane Crawford

Also see: Digital Cover: Elva Ni and Vincent Ng x Kenzo