Q: How long have you been in Malaysia?
A: I’ve been in Malaysia for… erm… 27 years now. Now that I say it out loud, I didn’t realise I had been here so long!

Q: And was this always your business?
A: No. Originally, I was a yoga instructor and had been teaching for 18 years, as I love teaching and was in love with yoga.

Q: From yoga to fashion, that’s quite a change of career?
A: Well there was a transition period, while teaching yoga, I actually set up my own sports clothing store called ‘Dani’. The idea was that I could help my students find more outfits that they would be able to do yoga in, as it really was a passion.

Q: So, what changed?
A: Yoga did! I started to notice how the trends in clothes from yoga moved from organic cottons, and comfortable fitting clothes, to these almost latex, skin-tight monstrosities and I really didn’t want to be a part of it anymore.

Q: And Trade was born?
A: Yes. I’m a big believer in if you have an idea, you owe it to yourself to try it and that’s what happened with Trade. Shopping in Europe there are all these beautiful boutiques, you can just wander into and they always have some gorgeous brands you might not know about, that you fall in love with. I just thought, I can’t be the only one who would love to have that here, so I opened Trade in 2019!

Q: What qualifies an item to be sold at Trade?
A: Quality. I will not sell something unless it is a really well-made piece. The material must be beautiful, the finishing has to be perfect, and everything I stock is tried and tested, if I wouldn’t wear it, I won’t sell it. That’s why you would find these collections in the boutiques in Europe, not only are they gorgeous but they’re pieces that last…

At this point Daniella has a customer enter the store, and watching her interact with customers is incredible, her eyes sparkle with a joy explaining the quality of the fabric, suggesting matching items or ways to pair it with clothes her customer already has. Shopping with Daniella is like shopping with a close friend, she wants the best for you to the point where she will encourage you to take one item over another, at the disadvantage of a sale. She carefully wraps all her gifts, gives them a spritz of perfume and places them inside their own complimentary gift bag.

Q: I can tell, you genuinely love your clothes…
A: It means so much to me. Everyone owes it to themselves to dress up and feel amazing in what they wear, there’s a magic in that. I want to be that magic for people; a store they find, try, and buy pieces that they will treasure forever. There is an unparalleled joy in that, that is something everyone should experience.

To find your treasured piece and experience a truly beautiful shopping experience with Daniella, visit:

Trade KL
1st Floor, Bangsar Village 2,
59100 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
www.tradekualalumpur.com