‘I was bullied after losing my leg at 12 – people constantly mock my body’
EXCLUSIVE: Yueliang Selene has become a fashion powerhouse with a cult following, thanks to her fearless sense of style and a TikTok account that’s clocked up more than 4.5million likes

Aged just 12 she had just had her left leg amputated after life-saving surgery(Image: Cover Images)
As she lay in her hospital bed the future looked very bleak for Yueliang Selene. Aged just 12 she had just had her left leg amputated after life-saving surgery. Now 23, she looks back on that little girl and can hardly believe how far she has come. Selene has become a fashion powerhouse with a cult following, thanks to her fearless sense of style and a TikTok account that’s clocked up more than 4.5million likes. She is known for her bold looks, sky-high platform shoes, and dreamy visuals that blend gothic glam and Far Eastern chic. But behind the carefully curated outfits is a story of survival, transformation, and reclaiming identity after trauma.

She is known for her bold looks(Image: Cover Images)
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“I had my leg amputated when I was around 12,” says Selene, who lives in rural China. “It was because of osteosarcoma, which is bone cancer. I had constant leg pain before the diagnosis but we had no idea it was something so serious. “I had to take two years off school. When I came back, it was my first time facing society as an amputee.” That return wasn’t easy. “Whenever I went outside, people would stare. Some even said awful things out loud, like, ‘Look, there’s a cripple’ or ‘That woman with a short leg’.

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“I became afraid of strangers. I didn’t go anywhere for fun. Even the supermarket felt too scary.”

Selene has become a fashion powerhouse(Image: Cover Images)
Changing schools several times only made it worse. Selene dreaded meeting new classmates and the judgment she expected from them. “I was terrified of the way people looked at me,” she says. But things began to shift when she entered university where she’s now studying law. Far from the teasing crowds of her childhood, she slowly started exploring who she was and how she wanted to show up in the world. “I’ve actually been interested in clothes since I was in fifth grade,” she says.

Things began to shift when she entered university(Image: Cover Images)
“I believed wearing something beautiful made me feel stronger. But it wasn’t until university that I had the space and freedom to experiment.” And experiment she did. One scroll through her TikTok reveals a fashion chameleon. One day she’s decked out in Lolita lace, the next in sleek J-fashion streetwear or edgy Visual Kei. She doesn’t box herself into one aesthetic. “I don’t have a favourite style. I like trying them all—JK schoolgirl, Japanese, Korean, sexy, cute, Goth. I’ll wear anything I think looks good,” Selene explains. “Every outfit has its own charm.”

Selene is no stranger to online hate(Image: Cover Images)
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With no formal training in fashion, Selene is entirely self-taught. “I still have a lot to learn. I’d love to try designing clothes one day, but for now, I’m just focused on finding what suits me.” Despite the millions of fans who celebrate her style, Selene is no stranger to online hate. “Social media is a double-edged sword,” she admits. “Some comments hurt deeply. On Douyin (Chinese version of TikTok), I’ve even had to turn off comments because it got too much.

Every outfit has its own charm(Image: Cover Images)
“People constantly mock my body. There are more comments than I can count.

“All I can say is, don’t pay attention to those people. They’re not worth your energy.” Though she’s modest about her impact, Selene’s influence is undeniable.

“Thousands of followers comment on how inspired they are by her outfits, her bravery, and her refusal to hide. “I don’t know if I’m a disability advocate,” she says. “But if someone with a disability sees my video and feels a bit more hopeful, that makes me really happy.” And her must-have item? “Platform shoes,” she says without hesitation. “Always platform shoes.”