LSA100: Tastemaker Juwei Teoh is up-bead about life and what the future holds

Charismatic, incomparable and one-of-a-kind — Juwei Teoh is the epitome of a role model. She’s a walking flag of colours — ones that say determined, successful and cool. The Tastemaker and style icon speaks to us all about her 2023 milestones.

There’s truly nobody doing it like Juwei Teoh — a charismatic gaze, a model-esque aura, and a face card that never declines. The social media personality has been a mainstay from the very beginning — the original It Girl if you will. The true embodiment of a style icon and influencer. She’s not going anywhere so buckle up and keep staying tuned. The founder of accessories brand Gumme joins us on set one sizzling afternoon, radiating “Oh damn!” energy with every pose she does.

It’s Juwei after all — a bona fide superstar online and off. She has done it all throughout the years, from acting and singing to modelling and starting a business. All that while always giving one hundred percent in the fashion department. This year, she found herself navigating the streets of Milan as she attended Milan Fashion Week for the very first time. What’s next on her list of goals? Paris Fashion Week… and let’s be honest, it’s just a matter of time.

Of course, that isn’t all for the alluring Juwei. She recently collaborated with Carlsberg for the brand’s ‘Real Spicy Real Smooth‘ event — creating limited edition and exclusive Gumme phone charms. “I feel like it’s another milestone for Gumme,” expresses Juwei about the exciting partnership. Since launching two years ago, accessories brand Gumme has grown tremendously with signature pieces such as the Chromestar necklace and Metallic Hearts phone charm.

For somebody of Juwei’s status, it’s easy to feel intimidated. But, behind the cool persona and gorgeous photos is someone willing to share her experience — someone’s that’s always down to learn and explore. Despite her success and experience, she is very nonchalant about the need to keep growing. Maybe that’s her “secret”; that’s how she manages to stay on top of the game with every passing year — quietly and stealthily.

In between the LSA100 shoot for The Tastemakers category, I sit with Juwei — dressed in Marc Jacobs — as she shares all about her 2023 highlights, expectations for her brand Gumme, her thoughts on the social media industry in Malaysia right now, and more.

And yes, the mood is up-bead.

How has 2023 been for you, both personal and career-wise?

I think it has been quite challenging this year — usual lah! I’m always very busy every year but I think the most challenging thing for me this year is going to Milan Fashion Week. The experience was not as easy as I expected it to be. For me, it’s a little stressful physically and mentally. The whole experience happened in a very short period of around one week but I felt as if I’ve gone through quite a lot. But I feel that there’s a lot more for me to experience and explore outside Malaysia. You need to tell yourself that you need to keep learning, know more people and always improve yourself.

I didn’t go to a lot of shows but my favourite had to be Avavav. This was quite unexpected. I sent an email to them saying that I was interested in attending and that I was going to Milan. I asked if it’s possible for me to get a seat for the show. Then, I received a reply saying the brand had a ticket for me. (laughs)

This year has been in full swing and right now, I’m very much looking forward to next year. I’m also excited about the upcoming fashion weeks. I hope that I’ll be able to go to Paris to attend the shows there — even one would make me very happy.

You wear many hats as a content creator and entrepreneur, you’ve acted and you’ve released music too. How do you juggle between everything you do? 

Sometimes, I get a little confused because of the different roles I have to play — even with YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. There are times when my ideas and content will get mixed up between the platforms. But to be honest, there are different tactics for every platform. It’s definitely stressful but manageable. That makes me go: “Maybe there’s a lot of ways to learn different things”. So, when I learn something new, I realise that this can be applied to other platforms like YouTube or Instagram. It’s a mix and match — and I like discovering new content that could be applied to my work.

What keeps you going when you face difficulties in terms of work and life?

Me time! I don’t really share my secrets or thoughts with friends. Sometimes, if it’s something I can handle, I’ll solve or digest it by myself. After that, I’ll feel like everything is okay and tomorrow will be better. Just let everything die out. But, if it’s something that I cannot handle, I’ll speak up.

As one of Malaysia’s pioneering online personalities and fashion icons, what does it take to stay relevant after so many years, especially in a world that changes so quickly?

Just be yourself — be true to yourself. I feel like with the trends and the generations now, many people are doing them for the content instead of showing their true selves. You also have to blend the content with your own principles and personalities so that your audience can see your niche and keep following your content. Do what that makes you special.

What are the most common misconceptions about you? 

I’ve never really cared about what people are saying about me but then, I also wish that people could know more about me. So, I use my work to show it to them. When I show myself through my work, viewers will only see me as a person who has creative ideas but they wouldn’t have a deeper understanding about me as a person. That’s why I started my YouTube account. There, I show people my personality — the side that people don’t usually see. So, Instagram is for content and work while YouTube is for those who want to know more about who Juwei is.

What is the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard about yourself?

I heard someone say that I came from a very rich family. That’s ridiculous! They’re judging the book by its cover. (laughs)

What do you think about the social media industry in Malaysia right now? How is it different compared to when you first started?

When I first started, social media was not a big thing yet so I think a lot has changed for sure. It’s not wrong to look for those with higher followings or numbers for instance but it is a measurable matrix that brands are looking at. 

I’ve been in the industry for a long time and there are many young influencers and content creators out there who are doing exceptionally well. I think Christinna and Jestinna Kuan are doing very well. I can see that they’re putting effort tremendously into producing great content. Hard work never disappoints. There are so many rising KOLs who are doing amazing things now and it’s difficult for me to pinpoint who — everyone’s working so hard to create great content and it’s really cool to see the industry grow.

For those who don’t already know, can you share a little about Gumme and the inspiration behind the brand?

People overseas were already starting to use these accessories and as soon as I saw it, I’m reminded of the Y2K era where we would hang a bunch of stuff on our phones. So, I thought why don’t Malaysians have that — like looking at accessories. Because, people don’t see accessories as a necessity but I think they’re important too. I wanted to bring this back to show people that accessories can brighten up our mood. Not only for our phones but also for our body and outlook. I realised it’s more difficult to do fashion in Malaysia. As a KOL, I feel like I have the responsibility to introduce relevant and trendy things that I see overseas to Malaysians. It can definitely be challenging at first, but if you never try you never know. 

How has the reaction been so far since you started?

It’s getting there. Of course in the beginning, we had a lot of negative responses but I told myself I got to keep going. And so far, I’m content with the process we’ve made so far with Gumme. 

What do you think sets Gumme as a customised jewellery brand apart from others?

I’m starting to see a lot more small designer brands in Malaysia but I haven’t seen an accessories brand like Gumme yet. So, I can’t make a comparison. But, if compared to other categories, it’s still very small because we just started two years ago so I do hope it gets better. My ultimate goal for Gumme is that it becomes more than just an accessories brand. It’s all about fashion but I know it takes time.

Gumme also collaborated with Carlsberg this year, right? What was the experience like?

Yes, it’s our first big collaboration! Surprisingly, it was quite a different experience especially to know that the brand didn’t love Gumme just because of Juwei but for what Gumme stands for. The team behind Carlsberg also understands the brand so when I received this news — I felt like it’s another milestone for Gumme and for me personally. I hope that we can collaborate with more brands in the future. I do hope that we can work with different industries as well to make more unique creations.

What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned so far from running Gumme?

I’ve actually been learning a lot. Even up to today, I’m constantly learning because starting a business is a long journey. So, you have to be open to learn and to absorb information every day. When you fall and when you fail, you learn very important lessons. The biggest lesson that I’ve learned so far is that there are both good and bad moments in everything that you do — you need to embrace them no matter what.

How do you want to be remembered?

I want to be remembered as someone who radiates positivity and someone who’s always true to myself. If you’re busy chasing content instead of creating an identity, you’ll be forgotten easily. Just be yourself!

LSA100: 100 Malaysians, 100 Milestones

Lifestyle Asia KL introduces LSA 100, an annual list that recognises Malaysia’s most influential names and celebrates their talents, contributions, successes and milestones. As the bellwether of style, travel, design, entertainment, business, sports, and more, these 100 Malaysians represent the next generation of go-getters who are paving the way for sharing their know-hows with the world through the power of digital media. LSA100 comprises five categories namely The Rising Aces, The Trailblazers, The Disruptors, The Tastemakers and The Navigators. Find out more about LSA100 Class of 2023, HERE. 

editor-in-chief & creative direction MARTIN TEO | words RONN TAN | assisted by PUTERI YASMIN SURAYA & MALLIE MARAN | photography EDMUND LEE | videography SIMON TAN | video editing JACKIE MAH | makeup KF BONG using YSL BEAUTY | hair MEI CHOI | stylist AZZA ARIF | wardrobe MARC JACOBS