PETALING JAYA, March 2 — A group of Malaysian children living with HIV can now proudly add the title of “fashion designer” to their resumes.
Theselina, a homegrown luxury fashion brand, donated 30 of its high-quality totes to halfway home Rumah Solehah to be used as canvases for the kids to express their creativity.
Each bag features side panels that were lovingly hand-painted by a Rumah Solehah resident, meaning no two designs are the same.
The result is a collection made up of unique accessories that can take its wearer from the boardroom to the ballroom with ease.
The bags will be sold at RM980 each by the Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) via pre-launch bookings and will be unveiled at the upcoming Women @ Work, Women @ Play event on March 10 in conjunction with Etihad Airways’ International Women’s Day celebration.
The money raised will go towards Mercy Malaysia’s medical relief efforts and health-related developments for vulnerable communities as well as Rumah Solehah’s provision of care for women and children with HIV.
Theselina founder Selina Yeop Jr said the brand hopes to empower marginalised communities by giving them an avenue to explore their talents and capabilities.
The children at Rumah Solehah are currently searching for ways to make a living once they turn 18 and leave the centre, having grown up without the care and security of a traditional family.
“As women leaders, we want to project the same confidence and compassion to others, especially to the less fortunate.
“We are pleasantly delighted to see how the girls from Rumah Solehah transformed a handbag into a work of art.
“This project has given them new hope for the future, where they can explore doing arts and crafts for a living,” Yeop Jr said in a press release.
Mercy Malaysia vice president Datin Raja Riza Shazmin believes that the collaboration with Theselina will bring a “touch of humanity” to the world of high fashion by creating a collection that can potentially change the lives of women and girls for the better.
Interested buyers can contact Azizah (+6019-3144622) for pre-launch bookings.
