Bolder & Beautiful: Georgina Wilson-Burnand is back with the best version of herself yet

Much has changed in Wilson-Burnand’s personal life since her It Girl days. She and Burnand married in April 2016 in England, and she gave birth to Archie in 2017; her then five-month-old joined her on the cover of Tatler Philippines’ September 2017 issue. Back then, Wilson-Burnand shared that she thought tying the knot and having children would end life as she knew it. Now, seven years and three kids later, she can’t imagine her life without Arthur, Archie, Alfie and Charlotte by her side. “I don’t even remember my days when I was single anymore,” she laughs.

She feels that the most significant change in her life though is how she divides her time among the many hats she wears. “Time is the biggest gift and the most precious asset that I have now; I’m cautious with who I spend it with and what I do,” she says. “I think being on time is giving respect, which I took for granted back in the day. That’s changed now.”

Admittedly, her current life is dictated by Google Calendar, which has everything she needs to do, from the most minor engagements to more significant commitments. “I try to note everything on it so I don’t miss [events] and can accomplish everything. For me, it’s discipline: I want to be the most efficient so I can spend the most time I can with my kids at home,” she says, adding that a newfound love for fitness currently takes up much of her day. “There are just not enough hours [in the day], every day.” It’s good that with technology, she can juggle all her responsibilities efficiently, including her role as a wife and a mother, her fitness regime and her business. Whether in Shanghai or anywhere else, she can balance her work as brand director of Sunnies with the demands of family life. 

Fortunately, her new neighbourhood is perfect for practising her new fitness routine. She wakes up at around 6am or 7am, walks for an hour and a half, or goes straight to the gym to lift weights. In the evening, she does another round of walking. “So that’s at least two hours of walking and living an active lifestyle for the rest of the day,” she says. As she told me this, she sent me a photo of the Russian Orthodox Mission Cathedral she had just passed. “It’s so big and pretty. I love the architecture,” she says, trying to help me visualise the charming street she was on. 

She started working with a new Hong Kong-based trainer, James Chester, about six months ago and is proud of her achievements. While it has resulted in her losing some of the weight she gained during her pregnancy, it has given her a new view on wellness. “I feel like I’ve shown myself more than anyone else the best I could be. For me, working on your body and giving yourself that discipline is the best gift you can give yourself. I am more motivated now to go further, which is the fun part of fitness. I feel like you’re never done. There’s always a new goal,” she says. Nowadays, she works out five to six days a week, dedicating around three to four days to weightlifting. In Manila, she does Pilates with trainer Aileen Abuel, and in Hong Kong, she frequents Family Form, a studio that focuses on mat-based, infrared-heated, full-body sculpting workouts. “Don’t be intimidated if you’re not doing it because everyone can start somewhere. You can get a good trainer, but there’s so much material online, too.”

It also helps that she has a sound support system: her husband and children join her for walks and even catch up with friends while working out. Such a network has been vital to her since childhood, leading to her self-confidence and decisive nature. “I’ve been blessed to have grown up knowing that I am very sure of myself and what I’m good at and, conversely, knowing what I’m not. I think that’s what’s driven me through life,” she says.  

She hopes to be able to pass on this independent attitude to her children, too. “I grew up in England and moved to the Philippines when I was ten. One thing that my mum and dad did was make me fly alone to the Philippines when I was as young as seven. I thought that was fun. I know it’s a different world now, but I’ve been trying to get Archie ready to fly on his own,” she says, hoping that her children will grow up unrestrained and assertive in their choices. 

“My kids teach me something new every day. I’m just so amazed to see these beings grow up and become real people in front of my eyes. The coolest thing for me is that they have had so much soul, character, and spirit uniquely theirs since they were born. Now, how do you nurture that? How do you make them be the best of who they are?” 

Wilson-Burnand, whose father is British and mother is Filipina, is particularly proud of her Asian heritage. This sentiment extends to Sunnies, the homegrown brand she co-founded with her friends in 2013. It started with the local eyewear Sunnies Studios, which later expanded to include the make-up line Sunnies Face, Sunnies Cafe, Sunnies Coffee, and, most recently, Sunnies Flask—all under an umbrella brand that’s proudly Filipino and values creativity, inclusivity and sustainability. 

“We exist because we want to create beauty in everyday things. We want to ensure that the objects you live with and use daily are the most amazing they can be. When we say beauty, it’s not just that it looks good but also that it’s functional and priced well. It’s beautiful for so many reasons,” she says, explaining that beauty goes beyond physical appearance to encompass experience: it could be beautiful because of how you felt when buying the product, because you love the colour, or because it’s the best lipstick you’ve ever worn. Something can be beautiful, Wilson-Burnand says, because “it makes a difference that adds value to your life, and you can’t believe that it’s reasonably priced.” Even when she and her friends established Sunnies Studios, she never saw it as just an eyewear brand; instead, she believed it was a lifestyle. “I think we’re now making that more and more real.”

The team at Sunnies take creativity and design seriously. They know that many Filipino brands could offer the same line of products, and the market is competitive, but they believe their approach is winning. Wilson-Burnand says they constantly ask: “What do the Filipinos want now? What packaging? What type of formula? We strive to get the best technology worldwide to bring it to the Filipinos. That’s our goal. I feel so proud when we talk about being a Filipino brand.” 

When designing the products, inclusivity and sustainability are top priorities. “Inclusivity in terms of pricing is important. For us, it doesn’t matter if your product is so amazing because if people can’t afford it, then it’s not really that relevant. We felt inclusivity was also missing in representing Filipino beauty brands,” she says. Sunnies has kept its price points reasonable, and its product designs in terms of colours, materials, and even packaging are suitable for the Filipino lifestyle. For example, Sunnies Face has long been known for bringing the most morena-friendly make-up colours in the market in formulas that suit the Philippines’ tropical climate.

As for sustainability, Wilson-Burnand shares that for many years now, the Sunnies Group has been supporting 1% For the Planet, an international organisation whose members contribute a portion of their revenue to environmental causes. “We also look at every material we have and how to improve it. How can we use recycled acetate? How can we minimise our packaging? How can we use packaging that people can reuse? I think sustainability is a forever commitment and quest, so it’s something that we’re constantly working on,” she says.

Wilson-Burnand, a confessed perfectionist, has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. She dreams of expanding Sunnies, a brand she co-founded, across the region. Currently, the brand has stores in China and Vietnam, but she wants to open more. Her goal is for Sunnies to become the top Filipino brand that comes to mind when people think of eyewear, make-up or whatever product line comes along the way. She believes there is still so much more to achieve, conquer, and explore, and the brand has a lot of untapped potential.

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