The Art Of Slow Living

Linda’s fashion journey has been, to us, an inspiring one—from being part of the fashion industry to making a sharp turn towards a more conscious and ethical lifestyle. As our first curator for the season, Linda shares insights into the journey that transformed her life, and her selection process for the pieces she curated for Shentonista Restyled, which are now available on our shop.

Share with us about how your own turn towards sustainability started.
It probably all started around 2015—it was a time when a lot of documentaries on the environment and sustainability were circulating on the web. I’ve watched so many documentaries that have changed everything I thought I knew. It was so impactful that I had to take a break from my fashion business for a deep reflection, to unlearn and relearn everything about my life and decisions I made. Some titles that really changed my perspectives were The True Cost, Conspiracy, and An Inconvenient Truth.

What do you consider as sustainability?
To me, sustainability is a process and a journey. It’s a circular motion, continuous, and it’s about self-sufficiency. It’s about creating long-term effects rather than easily disposable and temporary solutions. In Mandarin, sustainability literally means ‘to be continued’.

What was the easiest and hardest thing to let go of after you decided to make an effort to be fashionably sustainable?
The hardest part was actually explaining to people around me who were questioning and doubting my decision. Everyone kept cheering me on to stay in fashion when I was actually feeling miserable inside. Communicating with others was especially draining at that time and it gave me so much anxiety that I literally had to move away from Singapore.

The easiest was probably making the final decision of announcing my departure from the fashion world. I felt so relieved the second after I shared this online.

Could you share with our readers some simple/easy tips they can follow to kickstart their own sustainability journey?
Start by questioning yourself about your life. Find out what you deem as a “need” or  “want”. Find out what’s necessary to live, and what’s an excess. Being sustainable takes a lot of discipline, so it’s important to set your own boundaries first.

You’ve selected some personal pieces to be sold as part of Shentonista Restyled—of these items, is there one product you have an attachment to or have a story to share?
Every item I’ve collected has a story to tell but now that I’ve removed all my material attachments, I’m happy to let go of anything I own now. Let’s talk about the Pleated Culottes. I believe I got this piece at a thrift store in Melbourne, perhaps ten years ago? It has such beautiful fabric and amazing workmanship that modern clothing simply can’t duplicate. The same goes for the Vintage Blazer. I care a lot about the pattern-making of a garment. Nowadays you can hardly see such intricate details in fast fashion.

What’s something you’d go back in time to tell your younger self?
Don’t be over-ambitious. Think before you speak. Visualise before you act.

Where do you see yourself in the future?
I hope to live a simple, carefree, self-sustainable life close to nature; passionate and free.

Lastly, what’s a collective hope you have for our society?
I wish we can find more compassion, patience, and kindness in everyday life. Not just living for ourselves, but also learning to give and share as a collective being.