Functional elegance
> Selina Yeop Jr designs bags that are versatile and suitable for all social occasions
CONCEIVED in July 2017, Malaysian label THESELINA has been growing at a very fast pace. With 10 designs spanning across three major collections, these bags are essentially a response to the struggles of what many women can easily relate to. It is no longer about designing for design’s sake, but rather the bags are thoughtfully crafted to serve a singular purpose.
Heavily influenced by cultural and social attitudes, Selina Yeop Jr believes that no woman should have to choose between functionality and style when it comes to accessorising. So the question is why the compromise when you can feel at ease?
“Back in the days, women tend to carry small minaudières or evening bags where you can only store your phone and a compact powder, but today, women don’t necessarily want to compromise on their comforts,” she explains.
By mixing practical performance with polished structure, the bags perfectly befits the dynamics of a multi-faceted woman. Its oriental charm paired with European sophistication continues to be the brand essence that exemplifies the term, functional elegance as THESELINA is designed for the discerning modern women.
The path to how you started this label is evidently driven by your passion and interest. Do you think it’s something you’ve inherited or something you’ve conceived yourself? I’ve always liked anything to do with stylish living. Naturally to me the stylish lifestyle is not just about the clothes that you wear or the shoes you put on or the bags you carry. Stylish lifestyle encompasses everything; where you live or what you work as or what you do.
Fashion to me is just part of the component of being stylish and I have monetised it into a revenue generator. We all say that we must earn a living but if you see it that way it makes it look like a job; if you love what you do then you never work a day in your life right?
Why did you choose London to establish your label? It is because London is the fashion capital of the world. If you want to do anything remotely related to fashion, it must be done in cities like this. If I were to do it in Malaysia, I think people would think it’s just another local brand. To launch in London, it takes a lot of courage and resources so I supposed the brand integrity is built around the initiatives of getting it out there, in the established fashion market.
Every fashion house has an iconic bag that stands out. Which bag do you think would be the icon of THESELINA? I have not thought of it but that’s a good question. For now, the popular one is the Mini Duffle. Women who have carried it, wherever they go they have received lots of compliments. I think I’m still new, I’m still feeling and finding my way around with the designs that I’ve come up with.
Timeless and a few other words best describe the designs – functional, practical, versatile and luxurious. I think designers today reference this to create something that stands the test of time, yet in fashion, there’s always a need to anticipate what’s coming next and what’s new. What do you think? Yes, in fashion people are always trying to anticipate new trends. But what I would wish for THESELINA is if I were to put it in a time capsule, and in another lifetime when somebody opens the time capsule they can wear it. That is my definition of timelessness.
Do you think you’re paying attention to what’s happening in the fashion world? It is important to see what trends are catching the attention of the consumers because you need to sell things that people are looking for, but having said that, it can’t be too trendy that people can’t relate. For example, the
What does the future hold for THESELINA? I’ve just launched my diffusion line in London last month. This new line is for the mass market.
The current range is priced from RM2,400 to RM5,500, while the diffusion line will be priced below RM1,000 so everyone can have a bag from THESELINA.