From vulnerably sharing her heart with the rest of the world through her latest song Penat, Daiyan Trisha gets real with Alisha Azuddin on life during lockdown, volunteering and defining her style.
STORY BY ALISHA AZUDDIN PHOTOGRAPHED BY EDMUND LEE STYLED BY ABDUL AZIZ DRAIM
Coat; sequined top; inner blouse; denim trousers; knee-high boots; and earrings, all from Louis Vuitton. Galaxy Z Flip3 5G smartphone in Cream, from Samsung.
Can you hear me?”—Like most meetings of 2021, the familiar phrase rings through the room as these were the first words I was greeted to when jumping onto a video call with Daiyan Trisha. Once the connection had stabilised, we opened to the topic that’s never too far away—COVID- 19. Checking in on each other’s mental and physical health, the state of our country and what we can do to motivate ourselves, our short introductions quickly spiralled to a comforting chat with a friend.
Dress; boots; and earrings, from Louis Vuitton. Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone in Green, from Samsung.
Working to build her own personal collection, some of her favourite designers include the likes of Dior, Chanel, Celine, Prada and Bottega Veneta, with heartstrings also tied to Haute Couture Maisons Iris van Herpen, Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad. One of her favourite pieces is a treasured Chanel Boy in a deep maroon. “It was one of the first bags I’ve ever bought from Chanel and probably one of the most expensive bags that I own too,” she shares.
“I have such a loving and funny memory tied to it because I remember trekking through the ice in Finland with my precious Chanel bag—my friends really thought I was crazy and kept warning me to jaga elok-elok because the chances of me falling into the snow and ice were pretty high. But I was dedicated to my outfit and wanted to make sure that I looked good. I know it was definitely not practical but I was wearing an all-white outfit with a charming maroon lip, so I made sure that the bag matched my lip colour perfectly!”
But one handbag that Daiyan has made her next ‘goal’ bag is none other than the iconic Birkin. “A Birkin is like THE bag. I don’t have one yet but it’s an aspiration of mine and something I’m going to work hard for to achieve—but it’s a lot of money!” she exasperates. With plenty of finishes and sizes to choose from, it’s a classic brown that’s at the top of her wish list.
Daiyan’s criteria when it comes to handbags is style over practicality as she confesses that she is a light traveller. “I’ve noticed that I don’t own many tote bags because I’m not the kind to bring so much stuff with me. I’ve never been the girl to have a bag that’s like a Doraemon pocket that can store just about anything.” With functionality taking a backseat in regards to Daiyan’s design choices, all she needs is a bag that fits her short list of essentials: phone, wallet, mask, sanitiser and car keys. “As long as it fits those things, I’m happy!”
