ANN/THE STAR – Actress Amelia Henderson is a well-known figure in the Malaysian fashion scene. Beyond her modelling career, she is a regular attendee at various chic fashion gatherings across the city.
Recently, the 28-year-old beauty starred in a campaign for the local brand Alia B, showcasing diverse visual styles inspired by cinematic eras: silver screen, soft focus, and technicolour. She describes the experience as novel and remains impressed by the portrayal of each scene.
“If I have to pick one era that is most true to me, it would be technicolour, because I’m somebody who loves to have a lot of fun with fashion,” Henderson said about her favourite shot.
“I’m not somebody who’s scared of colour. I think that to see all the colours in the way that they were presented in the campaign is just so beautiful.”
Born in Klang, Selangor, Henderson is of Indian-Scottish parentage. She takes pride in metaphorically flying the Malaysian flag and celebrating the country via her dressing.
“When given any opportunity, I try to wear local designers. This is because I’m a product of Malaysia,” Henderson quips.
“I think this is the best way to elevate the local scene – fashion, entertainment or the arts, where we all work together. We should be proud of our identity as Malaysians.” Her career as an actress spans more than a decade. She has appeared in films, television series and even music videos.
Amelia’s current pet project is a podcast series titled Studio Sembang. Launched in 2022, it sees her speaking to different personalities from various backgrounds to share their stories and life challenges.
Tell us of your passion for fashion
It’s always something I’m into – or, paid attention to. I started working in entertainment when I was very young. In the scene, fashion is part of your branding and identity. So, it’s always been something important to me.
Also, my mum – when she was younger and even now – is super into fashion. We would always coordinate (our dressing) and she would always show me what style she thought was cool.
When I became a host for KLFW (Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week), that is when I felt like I really wanted to be a part of the fashion world.
Starting out, I saw brands like Alia Bastamam and thought, “Wow, what a dream it would be to one day to work with such incredible Malaysian designers who are doing such big things in the scene.”
You’re known as a trendsetter. Do you feel the pressure of keeping up with trends?
I don’t really know if I participate so much in what’s trendy. Working with such great designers over time has helped me to know what looks best on me.
That said, I think fashion trends are very important. They are part of pop culture, which influence what people wear.
I’m always more concerned about how comfortable and confident I feel, no matter the outfit that I choose to wear.
Comfort, feeling like I’m looking my best, and being able to put my best foot forward – those are the things that are important to me.
Can you describe your style evolution?
I don’t think the way I dress has changed much over the years. I’m just sticking with what I think looks nice.
However, I have to say that I’m very privileged to be able to work with so many designers over the years.
You could say that I’m always taking pointers from these people who are so much more educated in fashion than I am, then using what I’ve learnt to create a personal style that feels authentic to me.
What would you say is your focus at the moment, and how do you juggle life as a multi-hyphenate?
I do have a lot on my plate, but I’m such a workaholic that this is always my favourite state to be in – to be doing a lot of things at once. That’s when I feel I’m the most productive.
My focus would definitely be my production company that runs my podcast series. I’m trying to launch a streetwear collection as well, which is really cool.
At the same time, I still have to make sure that I’m not completely pulling away from acting.
I do have a really strong team though, and I don’t really do everything by myself.
When you have the right people surrounding you and you manage to build a community of like-minded individuals who are all after the same goals, it does make the workload a lot more easier to balance.
How do you see the Malaysian fashion scene changing over the years?
I think it is flourishing. You see more and more designers stepping up and really trying to create a new identity of fashion. While it’s very international – that is, very easy to export, but it still has this Malaysian-ness to it.
There are many out there who say that the fashion industry is just about living a glamourous life. How would you respond to such comments?
I think this is an issue with people who are not involved with the creative industry in general. They think that the fashion world is as perfect as we make it out to be. In reality, it’s not always a bed of roses. From my experience of working in fashion shows and hosting them, I’ve seen what goes on behind the scenes and I’ve seen how much effort, time and care that goes into planning such events. I think fashion is about empowering people to find beauty in their own lives, regardless of the situation.
It’s not about trying to be this unattainable, perfect thing that’s forever glamourous – to the point of not even being allowed the opportunity to drop that facade, but more about stopping and finding the beauty in specific moments. – Bervin Cheong
