Selina Sanders

Selina Sanders' namesake upcycled, slow fashion brand started somewhat accidentally. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, and after losing her job as a professional designer for mass market fashion, she made a top out of a tea towel and quilt for sleeves during the quarantine, posted it on Instagram and caught the eye of style influencer and YouTuber, Beth Jones. Sanders sent the top to Jones who shared it with her large following on social media and instantly gained a fan base for her work. Today, Selina Sanders sells her one-of-a-kind pieces such as tops, dresses, summer sets, jumpsuits and accessories directly to her customers via her website through monthly drops.

Selina grew up in the Philippines and moved to California, United States in her late teens. She attended Otis College Art of Design in Los Angeles to study fashion design and worked as an apparel and footwear designer for various corporations for over 15 years before starting her own label. The experience of seeing the waste and overconsumption that fast fashion is known to heavily advertise compelled Selina to start a brand that would practice more sustainable ways to design and produce clothing. She employs a small team of local skilled sewists, and only works with fabrics that would otherwise be discarded/donated or end up in the landfills through reclaiming, salvaging, mending and repurposing. She sources fabrics like tea towels, bedsheets, blankets, aprons, quilts, curtains and doilies that she transforms into playful and colorful clothing from thrift stores, charity shops, and supports small businesses like antique stores and online vintage resellers. She believes that by caring for our clothes and dressing according to our own expression, not dictated by trends is the key to curating a eco-conscious wardrobe.

Selina Sanders lives in Altadena, California. Follow her on Instagram and Tiktok @selina_sanders for upcycling magic!