Text Rubin Khoo
Stylist Nigel Lee
Photographer Aaron Lee @ Lensworks Studios
Hair Artist CK Liow
Make-up Artist Alvin Loh
Location 8 Conlay
This story was first published in Prestige Malaysia March 2019 issue
The typical anxiety that surrounds hitting a milestone appears to be non- existent from Ung Yiu Lin, who turns 40 in September. Instead, she sees it as a time for her to reap the benefits of all the hard work sown during her 20s, thus entering into a new decade ready to embrace the opportunity to refocus on her life. “There is nothing to be afraid of,” she says nonchalantly. “Age is but a number. I have always planned my life according to milestones, so I have always worked towards that. I am not living my life blindly and suddenly woke up one day and found myself at 40, worrying ‘what do I do?’”
Instead Yiu Lin, has always been very focused on what she wanted out of life. At just 26, she decided to leave a corporate career at Boston Consulting Group to embark on her own business venture, setting up the multi-label store ShoesShoesShoes. “I planned it so that by the time I was 30, I would be in a very good place,” she says. “I was very career driven and not focused on relationships.”
Within the next five years, Yiu Lin was already married to national squash player Azlan Iskandar and had, had her first child. Now, at 40, the emphasis has shifted towards the family. As a mother of three – Zara Aaliya, Ava Aaliya and Lucas Iskandar – her youngest just nine months old, Yiu Lin wants to ensure that she is present in her children’s lives. “With young children, you really want to be there for them,” she says. “There is no point having children if you are going to be hands-off.”
That, however, doesn’t mean that business will take a secondary role. Just as she has evolved over the years, so has her company and now Yiu Lin plans to take on the bigger role of mentoring emerging designers. “There are a lot of talents out there but perhaps they lack the right partners,” she explains. “As a designer, you can’t do it all from designing the collection to production to marketing to finding stockists. It is a lot to handle and I know because I did it a long time ago.” The starting point for this new direction was her investment in designer Afiq M, who since coming under her direction has already produced four ready-to-wear collections. “We are now taking him to the Middle East and are looking at new markets. I feel that this is what I would like to focus on.”
The advent of digital technology has also enabled the exploration of new opportunities without having to worry about physical expansion. “Back then, you always had to think about where else to expand to,” she says. “There was the reality of having the right business partners, the right mall. It was very difficult. Now in this day and age of social media, you can get the brand out there easily and at a much lower cost.”
Opportunities are abundant, and these aren’t confined to just the fashion world. But the entrepreneur is also quite aware that she has greater commitments now, which means that she needs to be a bit more discerning about her ventures. “I need to be a bit smarter about it,” she says. “What I bring to the table is the business and backend side of things. Hopefully, the designers will be able to figure out the direction and the collections, so I don’t have to be too involved.”
With turning 40, Yiu Lin now has a newfound appreciation of time, accompanied by a sense of self. “It is about being my own person and enjoying life,” she states. “At the end of the day, you can only do so much. There is only so much money you can make, so much success you can have. It is the memories and moments that will follow you to your grave. I really believe so.” Her perspective on life now has somewhat evolved from the 20-year-old who set out to define her own destiny. “There is a sense of maturity,” she opines. “When you get older, you learn to prioritise. When you are younger, everything is important and you have to do everything yourself. Now I know what is of utmost importance and what is not.”
Being aware of these limitations means understanding the need to delegate. And this is something that, she says, should not result in “mum guilt.” “Because I work, I can’t give my kids everything,” she explains. “But they look at me as a role model. They see me and their dad always doing things. We never sit down (maybe that’s why my kids never sit down!). We are always looking for things to do. We are that kind of family. We always want to be challenged which I believe it keeps you alive.”
Her zest for life too is perpetuated by her philosophy of not being bothered by the little things. Don’t take life too seriously is one of the rules she abides by, particularly in this age of social media. “People get too caught up in constantly comparing their lives to others,” she says. “Why? Be present in your own life and make the most of it.” One should focus instead on positivity. Positive energy, she says, attracts more of the same. “It’s very simple. If you are not happy about something, just do something about it,” she says. “Don’t whine and complain. That’s my biggest hang up about people who are unhappy about things. You can do something about it. You just choose not to.”
As a mother of two girls, Yiu Lin also strives to ensure that she raises her girls to be “headstrong” women, valuing independence and not succumbing to pressure. “You have to live your life to the fullest and not take no for an answer,” she stresses. “Just because you are a girl doesn’t mean you can’t do things.” She adds, “It is very important for a girl to hold her head high, hold her ground and not give in to pressure.”
It is something that she has never felt having always been focused on her goals. At high school, sport was what she dedicated her energy to. “I was a swimmer, I trained twice a day and went to school,” she states. “I was winning medals and getting paid for it. For me that was my goal of getting to university. Azlan too is a sportsman and so very disciplined. We both connect in that way. That’s what I hope the kids take away from us. It is really about being your own person and being independent.”
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