At Carrie K., we believe jewellery is a powerful symbol of who we wish to be and what The Good Life means to us — but sparkle doesn’t build legacies, people do. Wish Makers, are our inspiring members of The Good Life Club, who choose courage over comfort.
Welcome to Carrie K. Wish Makers
And the conversations overheard at the Carrie K. Wish Bar
Meet Tina.
She built the world’s largest vintage handbag museum – The Private Collection by StrangebutCool in Penang.
1. On Beginnings
Who were you when you first fell in love with vintage handbags?
I was sixteen. My mother gave me a black leather vintage bag she carried as a young woman in England. I remember thinking, “Oh my God… this is wow.” That was the first spark — even if I didn’t know it yet.
Photo source: mintmarket.com
Years later in New York, I walked into a shop filled with transparent Lucite bags. When the light hit them, they glittered. I bought one without knowing what it was. Only much later did I realise I had fallen in love with a very specific chapter of design history.
That’s how it starts. Quietly. Without you knowing.
When did they become more than beautiful objects?
When I stood at the doorway of my own vintage handbag vault and saw shelves and shelves of bags in different colours, material, shape, history. I thought, “This collection has gone crazy.” Then I realised — this is not just collecting. This is the makings of something bigger.
That was the birth of the vintage arm of StrangebutCool. I kept a private reserve. The rest became the start of something bold.
2. On Meaning
What do you hope people feel when they enter The Private Collection?
WOW!
That’s the word. It’s Wonderland. I see it on their faces — astonishment, joy. Someone once called it “the happiest place on earth.” I think that’s exactly it. Happiness.
Photo source: strangebutcool.com
What do these vintage bags represent?
These bags carry design history. It's a time capsule, really, of a generation of women who understood elegance— that a handbag was the finishing touch, not an afterthought.
These bags speak of care, intention, occasion. Of dressing not just to wear something, but to complete a story.
3. On Courage
I imagine not everyone understood this vision in the beginning.
Was there a moment when someone told you this dream was too niche, too ambitious — maybe even impossible? And what made you boldly decide, “I’m going to do it anyway”?
I’ve been told since 2011: “It’s too niche.” “Best of luck.”
You need courage. A lot of it.
Non-creatives couldn’t grasp the vision. So I chose my team carefully — people who understood design, texture, feeling. I created vision boards, material boards, documents filled with references. I knew what I wanted women to feel when they walked in.
I woke up one day and said, “I’m building a museum in Bali.”
Photo source: strangebutcool.com
I didn’t know how to build one. So I visited museums around the world. And then I decided — we will do it our way. Not behind glass. The bags will be presented as art.
When you have a clear vision, you move. Even if others don’t see it yet.
4. On the Turning Point
We often celebrate the milestones, but rarely the messy middle.
Was there a season that tested you — perhaps when you questioned the path or had to make a difficult decision?
Covid tested everything.
My business was in Indonesia. I was locked in another country. I had to close it down remotely. I didn’t know if there would be anything left after.
The hardest decision? Keeping my team.
I spent three days recalculating spreadsheets. Could we afford to support them for three years — salaries, food, rent, school fees? I decided yes. We would.
It was the best decision I ever made.
Covid taught me three things:
1. I’m tough.
2. Kindness matters more than ever.
3. And you must reinvent — but never lose your soul.
We reopened. Different. Leaner. Wiser. But the soul? Still intact.
5. On Sustainable Creativity
You don’t just collect — you preserve, reinterpret, and give pieces new life.
What does sustainable creativity mean to you personally?
Photo source: strangebutcool.com
Vintage itself is sustainability. Fashion is a loop — why not carry beauty forward?
At StrangebutCool, we turn what people throw away into something joyful. Is it perfect sustainability? I don’t know. But it delays trash from landfill. And that matters.
Sustainability isn’t a slogan. It's a lifestyle. I don’t shop much. I create. I ask myself: will I still love this in fifteen years?
To shape change, you must live it.
6. On Her Dragon & Phoenix Bespoke Love Mark
You chose to create your Dragon & Phoenix Bespoke Love Mark as two stackable expressions — powerful yet harmonious modern twist to two powerful traditional Chinese symbols.
Tina's Bespoke Phoenix Ring
Tina's Bespoke Dragon Ring
What is the story behind your unique rings? I heard the family got involved in this grand endeavour.
The family was involved. Carolyn sent questions to six of them. I don’t even know everything they said. It was so fun, we distilled it to its essence and “Dragon” emerged.
Coincidentally, my Chinese name — “Long” means Dragon. The character carries the dragon within it. Strong. Majestic. Protective. Loves Fiercely. Protective of my inner circle.
The Phoenix represents Reinvention. I’ve reinvented myself many times — founder, designer, artist, now stepping more visibly forward. You must go through fire to rise again. That’s the Phoenix.
Inside the ring is etched: Carpe Diem. Seize it now. Don’t wait.
That is how I live.
7. A Wish to Carry Forward
If these rings remind me of anything, it is this:
Reinvent to stay relevant.
Protect the people who helped you build it.
Carpe Diem
If I leave a legacy, I hope it is this — that those who worked with me feel inspired and empowered to go out and do it themselves.
That would be enough.
Stay tuned for our next Wish Maker!
Stay tuned for our next inspiring Wish Maker from The Good Life Club — our Carrie K. community who believe in celebrating a life well lived.
