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 CLOSECHETNA
BHATT
(^58) text ELIZA HAMIZAH