Daring, expressive, and passionate are only a few ways to describe Amy Lo. In the battlefield that is the film industry, the actress’ emotional sensitivity and her courage to challenge the norm are her greatest weapons. Over the past few years, she has proved herself through popular Hong Kong TV series such as Generation Slash and Afterlife Firm and is set to make her female lead debut on the silver screen with the upcoming film An Abandoned Team. When asked why she loved acting, she responded: “Because you have every right to be crazy, no one is going to judge you!” In a city bound by rigid societal standards, being crazy can sometimes just mean being yourself — a risk most aren’t willing to take. But Lo musters up the courage to embrace every side of her: the good, the bad and the crazy.

You shot with Leslie Zhang for the first time for your Vogue Hong Kong digital cover — how was it? 

We had a chance to work together before, but it didn’t happen because of the pandemic. Now, our stars have aligned! Leslie was quite different than I thought he would be. He is an extremely experienced photographer, but he is very humble. As soon as we met, he put his hands together and said, “hello, hello” to me. He is funny, endearing, and soft-spoken. He was gentle and guided me throughout the photo shoot, it went really smoothly. 

I rarely do photo shoots in swimsuits, and it was the first time I shot in a set that resembled those used in films. Although it was a relatively short shoot, it went really well. I was very happy that I got to work together with Leslie. I snuck a peek at the photos during the shoot, and I’m looking forward to seeing my digital cover!

You attended Paris Fashion Week with Chanel. What was the most memorable moment? 

The whole fashion week was unforgettable! It marked a lot of firsts for me: my first trip to Paris, my first trip abroad with my company and management team, my first Chanel fashion show, my first time meeting with the Chanel team in France…It was a very memorable fashion week, but the most unforgettable part was visiting Coco Chanel’s apartment. There was a lot to see in the flat, and there was a different story behind each floor. There was a floor for haute couture, one for storing treasured collections and the most special part was a room where Coco Chanel entertained her friends and guests. I left thinking, “Oh, so this is how a Chanel collection was born!” From the details of her apartment, I could tell that Coco Chanel was a tasteful woman with great ideas.

How does Chanel inspire you personally? 

After my trip to Paris with Chanel, I gained a deeper understanding of what “be yourself” meant. I felt Coco Chanel’s spirit, and I was very inspired by her story — if she hadn’t been herself, been so bold, and worked to change womenswear, she wouldn’t have become Coco Chanel, and we would not know her brand today. 

When I was young, I only knew that Chanel was a luxury brand. After growing up and becoming a model, I wanted to work and walk for Chanel and soon realised that Chanel is not just a fashion brand. I’ve worked with Chanel on different occasions. What’s interesting is that Chanel has been with me through different stages of my career, from shooting a magazine spread and attending events to shooting magazine covers and films and going to Paris with the brand. I shared many special moments in my life with Chanel. When I look back at my previous photos or magazine covers from three or four years ago, I realise that the person working with Chanel then is different from the person I am now.

How do you think Chanel resonates with the younger generation like you?

Simply put, Chanel encourages us to be ourselves, explore what we want to do and leave our own iconic legacy. Everybody wants to be somebody now, and it’s normal because we have more ways to learn about iconic figures around the world and discover things we want to try out. A lot of people, myself included, are not particularly bold or very inclined to show our true selves to the world, so we tend to imitate other people and lose our own shine or forget about our identity while fitting into societal standards. The key to Chanel’s success and timeless allure lies in the brand’s prominent design language. Of course, this language evolves with the times, but one as distinctive as Chanel’s is hard to come by.

What is your must-have item from Chanel, and why?

One item? Are you kidding me? I think each person is multifaceted, and what’s so special about Chanel is that I can express every side of myself through the brand. There is no limit to what you can do with Chanel clothing, and there is no set way of wearing them either. When I was in Paris, I bought a pair of printed Chanel jeans that were hard to find. I have a lot of different Chanel pieces, but not a lot that I can wear on a daily basis. I’ve been wearing these jeans for a lot of special occasions lately. They fit perfectly – not too tight or loose – and they’re fun. Chanel handbags are also a must-have. It’s difficult to choose one, but if I had to, I’d pick the Chanel 22.

When did you realise you wanted to be an actress?

I wanted to be an actress because I wanted to have fun. I shot a commercial once and found the process very enjoyable. Of course, I’ve always loved watching films, and I’m actually in a film club with my friends, where I share my thoughts on different films There are a lot of similarities between films and commercials: there’s dialogue, interactive scenes and film direction. Filming a commercial was what exposed me to acting. I think acting is fun because you have the right to be someone you are not. If you pretend to be someone else on the street, people will think you are crazy. But acting means going crazy. A French director I met in Japan once asked me: “Why do you enjoy acting?” I responded: “Because you have every right to be crazy， no one is going to judge you!” The director told me later that my answer left a deep impression on him as it was very real.