Amira Brings Life Stories Into Upcycled Jewellery

By Sakini Mohd Said

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 (Bernama) —For many women, accessories are not merely style enhancers, but an essential element that can highlight personality and boost self-confidence.

Understanding this role, young accessory designer Amira Wani Jamil brings a different approach by creating accessories not only as external adornments, but also as a storytelling medium filled with emotional value in every piece she produces.

Operating her small brand, Ipil Kupil, since November last year, the 26-year-old, who hails from Klang, elevates human life stories — from loss and struggle, to renewal — through accessories made from upcycled metal, giving a fresh dimension to the world of women’s accessories.

For Amira, materials that may be seen as worthless and destined for the landfill actually have their own value and can be given a “second life”, in line with the growing attention towards sustainable fashion trends.

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“I’ve always been interested in fashion and women’s accessories. Since I was young, I loved upcycling materials into necklaces, using threads and newspapers, to the point that I became known as ‘Amira Kitar Tinggi’ (‘Amira the Upcycler’),” she told Bernama.

“As I grew older, I tried to revive that interest, but I didn’t want to simply make something pretty for the sake of it,” she said.

A loyal listener to her friends, Amira said many of her design ideas are sparked by life stories shared with her. From those stories, she translates them into designs so that each accessory is not only beautiful to wear, but also carries a story and the strength of the person behind it.

Met at the Upcycle Batik Wear Festival here recently, Amira cited the example of her earring collection titled ‘The Lotus’, inspired by her friend Koh Su Yen, who went through a period of grief after losing her mother to cancer.

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Based on the symbol of the lotus flower — closing and blooming — the design represents rebirth and conveys the message that life must be lived positively even when faced with various trials.

“I never expected designs made from stainless steel and accompanied by these life stories to receive such encouraging response from people of all ages. Many find collections like this appealing as a source of motivation,” she said.

Among her most popular collections are the ‘The Blooming Lotus’ earrings, as well as brooches and pins priced between RM50 and RM100, depending on the level of complexity.

Leaning towards motifs inspired by nature, Amira admitted she never underwent any formal training in accessory-making. Instead, she learnt the skills independently through YouTube before deciding to sell her creations after receiving positive feedback from friends.

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“Materials are not an issue because I collaborate with a furniture company. I made that connection when I went into the field for an architecture course project and was shocked by the amount of construction waste.

“However, I source materials for my products from the furniture company because they are cleaner and neater. The surface is also shiny, so it looks beautiful when turned into women’s accessories,” she said, adding that the activity also helps her relieve academic stress while serving as a source of side income.

Besides Amira, a total of 16 entrepreneurs took part in the Upcycle Batik Wear Festival, which also featured various batik upcycling workshops organised by third-year Bachelor of Arts Management and Cultural Studies students at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA).

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Project manager Dania Sari Danil-Hikman, 29, said the festival received an encouraging response from visitors and was seen as an ideal platform to raise public awareness on the importance of upcycling practices and sustainability.

“The upcycling concept was chosen as an innovative and sustainable approach to minimise textile waste, including old batik baju kurung fabrics. Through upcycling, the value of batik can be preserved in the form of new products that are more practical and modern,” she said.

She added that the feedback received was very positive, including from workshop participants who had never sewn before and are now inspired to turn the skill into a hobby or a source of additional income.

-- BERNAMA