Q
What gets you out of the
bed in the mornings?
Working with people on a
different continent and a five-
hour time difference means I
usually wake up to encouraging
progress from my artisans back
in Kenya; their excitement is
contagious. A good Kenyan
coffee blend helps too.
Q
Of these four – sky, ocean,
mountains and animals
- what inspires you most and
why?
Animals. I feel privileged to
have experienced so much
nature first-hand growing up,
and it has inspired a lot of
my creativity. My collection
incorporates elements found
in nature, such as the ripple
effect found on an Impala horn
Q
Which room in the house
do you spend the most
time in?
Our living room is the core
ofour home. All the other
rooms feed off it, so I can be
seated in there and still feel
connected to the rest of the
household.
Q
What would you like to
have as your last meal
onearth?
I have a crazy sweet tooth
and I couldn’t leave earth
without one last taste of
sugar. My great-grandmother
used to make a sweet
flatbread called puran poli
that was from her childhood
inIndia. She passed that
recipe on to my grandmother
and, now, my mother.
replicatedona bangle.I hope
it encouragesotherpeopleto
considertheimpactnaturehas
ontheirlives.
Q
Describeyourpersonal
designstyle.
I wouldsaythatI havea
definiteAfro-luxvibe!I love
playingwithearthytonesand
textures,sowehavemudcloth
cushionsandbeadedpots
interspersedthroughoutthe
home,whichwethenpepup
withbrasstones.MyAnkole
collectionsumsthisupbest.
Q
Nameaninteriortrendyou
don’twanttoseeagain.
Farbeit formetobesmirch
anyone’sindividualstyle!
However,’70sstyleofvinyl
flooringis mypersonalpeeve.
The founder of Singapore-basedjewelleryandhomeaccessories brand
Ashepa shareshowgrowingupinKenyainfluencedher creations.
UP CLOSE
CHETNA
BHATT
(^58) text ELIZA HAMIZAH