Digital Cover #6: Christinna and Jestinna on perfect gifts, festivities and more
2023 has been a whirlwind for the Kuan sisters and together with Swarovski, we are here to catch up with Christinna and Jestinna on their year, the festive season, the art of gifting and more.
Known fondly by their fans and the industry as the Kuan Sisters (which is a sub-unit of The Kuan Family), Christinna Kuan (@ms_kuan) and Jestinna Kuan (@jestinna) have risen to fame in the past few years as leading social media influencers, content creators and artists in their own right.
With countless viral moments, from their annual Lunar New Year song and entrepreneurial feats with The Sis Club and Hoholand Market to major luxury brand collaborations and local Malaysian TV appearances, there is no stopping this dynamic duo as they rise to stardom.
Ever stylish and vivacious, these two girls have grown to be two of our favourite personalities to work with, which now leads to our latest digital cover, where we partnered with Swarovski to showcase the vibrant and captivating Christinna and Jestinna in the finest jewellery collections, just in time for the festive season.
While they are often associated together for various projects and appearances, Christinna and Jestinna also stand out with their own achievements and successes. Christinna, the younger of the two, is one of the foremost Malaysian fashion representatives on the global stage, where she has made a significant mark on New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks respectively.
Always spotted on the front row of runway shows and seen rubbing shoulders with international stars like Lee Min-ho, Willow Smith, Davika, TWICE's Momo and more. With over 800 thousand followers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube combined.
As for Jestinna, she is celebrated for her various musical feats. Known for her love for K-Pop, Jestinna has several viral TikTok dance cover moments including Blackpink's various hit songs, New Jeans' Super Shy and ITZY's Swipe. To date, she has garnered over 6.2 million likes on TikTok alone.
Dance aside, she is also an artist who has released multiple hit singles like 一瞬間 (which translates to "a split second", a duet song with her fiancé Danny Lee) and Makin' Me Feel.
Continuing with their long list of achievements, the duo also has various joint projects from music to fashion and philanthropy, they have proven to us time and again that they are forces to be reckoned with.
Together with their family, their annual Lunar New Year songs have garnered millions of views and are loved in the Asia region, while their joint entrepreneurial project The Sis Club has risen to be one of the cult Malaysian lifestyle brands, which also extends to Hoholand Market, a festive market that is created to give local Malaysian brands and creators a platform to showcase their works and making its second-year appearance this 22nd to 24th December 2023.
With The Sis Club, Christinna and Jestinna also delved into philanthropic projects, the most recent was the collaboration with local Malaysian designer Melinda Looi for the "MELPOWERING PINK" Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.
And most recently, the two were awarded as two of the Top 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs by Entrepreneur Insight.
In line with the festive season, we had a quick-fire interview session with Christinna and Jestinna to talk about the art of gifting, their past year's success and more:
2023 is wrapping up soon and you've appeared in the headlines for quite a number of things. What do you think is your biggest achievement of the year?
Christinna: This year has been transformative for me, with a focus on self-improvement being my biggest achievement personally and professionally.
Jestinna: This year, being recognized as one of the top 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs in 2023 is definitely a highlight. It’s a really honourable recognition for my journey thus far.
And moving forward to 2024, what is your goal?
Christinna: In 2024, my main goal is to embrace life to the fullest while also working on building something special with my siblings through our company.
Jestinna: Looking ahead to 2024, my goal is to continue shining on the stage and of course, be the hottest wife (Jestinna is engaged to 3P's Danny Lee and set to hold their wedding in January 2024).
When it comes to the festive season, what is your ideal way to celebrate?
Christinna: My ideal way to celebrate the festive season is to keep it simple and just spending time doing things I love. Like having a cup of hot chocolate and reading books.
Jestinna: For festive celebrations, my ideal way to celebrate is to be with my family. There’s nothing quite like sharing joyous moments with your loved ones.
What is the first thing you consider when choosing a gift?
Christinna: Something that’s meaningful and useful to the person.
Jestinna: When I choose a gift, the first thing I consider is ensuring it’s both meaningful and aesthetically pleasing. Beauty with a purpose, you could say!
What is the favourite gift you've received from your sister?
Christinna: I love everything she gifted me and I appreciate her taking the time and effort to buy a gift for me. It’s the thought that counts.
Jestinna: She always chooses the most thoughtful gifts, it’s impossible to pick a favourite! Each one holds a special place in my heart.
What do you hope you'll get as a gift this festive holiday season?
Christinna: I hope for something that adds a touch of festivity to the celebration.
Jestinna: I love accessories. Probably a sparkling necklace, bracelet, or earrings – something that adds a bit of sparkle to the celebrations would be nice.
Speaking of festive celebration, your annual Lunar New Year song will be out soon, can you share with us a little sneak peek of what to expect?
Christinna: You can expect some energetic vibes as we celebrate the Year of the Dragon, which happens to be my brother's year of birth.
Jestinna: This year, we’re trying out something different from the past years. We’ve included something cool that we’ve never experimented with before. It’s going to be a unique experience for our audience!
Discover the latest Swarovski collection now on www.swarovski.com.
CREDITS:
Creative Direction & Styling: Amelia Tan
Photography: Edmund Lee
Hair: VV Chan
Makeup: Rachel Seok
Jewellery: Swarovski
Outfits: Brian Khoo, United Wood, Alia Bastamam, Nelissa Hilman and Pinko
