HELLO! AUGUST 2019 93Biggest achievement: “I was 19 when I left home
for college in the US. It was the first time a woman
from my family was setting foot not only out of the
country, but out of the city for a reason other than
marriage. It took tremendous personal and social
courage for my parents and grandparents to make
that decision and allowing me to fly out. From being
the only female recruit in my investment banking
cohort in New York in 2002, to becoming the
youngest graduate of Columbia Business School’s
MBA class of 2005 and successfully running a top
import house in India as the only female importer
in a male-dominated alcohol industry, I have been
continuously pushing boundaries.”
Success to you is: “A state of mind with plenty
of room for contentment, forgiveness and self-love.”
Biggest life lesson: “Don’t try to reason with a
man holding a gun.”
Personal style preference: “I love to dress
according to my mood and play with a diverse
variety of styles such as boho chic, vintage, preppy,
streetwear or even rocker chic. However, my
signature underlining all of them would have to be
comfort and ease.”
A fashion icon you look up to? “At the risk of
sounding clichéd, it is Lady Diana – nothing is more
fashionable than a warm smile and a giving spirit.”
Make-up rules you follow: “Moisturiser and
mascara. Mascara makes me happy! I am currently
in love with YSL’s electric blue mascara.”
What’s in your bag? “(You don’t want to know!)
Phone and wallet always, and the rest is hi-jacked by
baby wipes and toys to distract my two-year-old.”
How do you de-stress? “I’m a water-baby, so I
seek out the ocean. Or a pool will do! Also, melting
into my yoga mat is a great stress buster.”
The last book you read: “How to Love by Thich
Nhat Hanh.”
Your instant pick-me-up when you are
feeling blue: “88 percent dark chocolate from
Jean-Paul Hévin.”
The first thing you do in the morning: “Kiss
my kids.”
The last thing you do before going to
bed: “Set an alarm, exhale and immerse myself in
expressive gratitude.”DEVANGI PAREKH
Who: Director, Aza Fashions. After getting an MBA
from Wharton, Devangi moved back to India to join
her mother at Aza and is, now, involved in scaling
the brand both nationally and internationally
through omni-channel retail.
Current passion: “Learning about planet Earth,
the animal kingdom and the cosmos through
reading, watching documentaries and travelling.
For my honeymoon, we went trekking with the
silverback gorillas in Rwanda, did safaris in Kenya
and went scuba diving!”‘From being the only female recruit in
my investment banking cohort in New
York in 2002 to successfully running atop import house in India, I have been
continuously pushing boundaries’- Kadambari Kapoor
Kadambari Kapoor,
one of India’s only
woman fine wine
importer, defines
her style in a sheer
blouse worn over a
pencil skirt and sexy
Louboutins. Posing
beside her is Aza
Fashions director
Devangi Parekh, who
wears a gorgeous
ensemble by Rohit BalBiggestachievement:“I was19 whenI left home
for collegein the US. It was the first timea woman
frommy familywas settingfoot not onlyout of the
country,but out of the city for a reasonotherthan
marriage.It took tremendouspersonaland social
couragefor my parentsand grandparentsto make
that decisionand allowingme to fly out. Frombeing
the onlyfemale recruitin my investmentbanking
cohort in New York in 2002, to becomingthe
youngestgraduateof Columbia BusinessSchool’s
MBAclassof 2005and successfullyrunninga top
importhousein Indiaas the onlyfemaleimporter
in a male-dominatedalcoholindustry,I havebeen
continuouslypushingboundaries.”
Successtoyouis:“A stateof mindwithplenty
of roomfor contentment,forgivenessand self-love.”
Biggestlifelesson:“Don’ttry to reasonwitha
manholdinga gun.”
Personal style preference: “I love to dress
according to my moodand play with a diverse
varietyof stylessuchas bohochic,vintage,preppy,
streetwear or even rocker chic. However, my
signatureunderliningall of themwouldhaveto be
comfortand ease.”
A fashioniconyoulookupto?“At the risk of
soundingclichéd,it is LadyDiana– nothingis more
fashionablethana warmsmileand a givingspirit.”
Make-up rules you follow: “Moisturiser and
mascara.Mascaramakesme happy!I am currently
in love with YSL’selectricblue mascara.”
What’sinyourbag?“(Youdon’twantto know!)
Phoneand walletalways,and the rest is hi-jackedby
babywipesand toys to distractmy two-year-old.”
Howdoyoude-stress?“I’ma water-baby,so I
seek out the ocean.Or a poolwill do! Also,melting
into my yogamat is a greatstressbuster.”
Thelastbookyouread:“Howto Loveby Thich
NhatHanh.”
Your instant pick-me-up when you are
feeling blue: “88 percent dark chocolate from
Jean-PaulHévin.”
Thefirstthingyoudo in themorning:“Kiss
my kids.”
The last thing you do before going to
bed:“Set an alarm,exhaleand immersemyselfin
expressivegratitude.”
DEVANGIPAREKH
Who:Director,Aza Fashions.Aftergettingan MBA
fromWharton,Devangimovedbackto Indiato join
her motherat Aza and is, now,involvedin scaling
the brand both nationally and internationally
throughomni-channelretail.
Currentpassion:“LearningaboutplanetEarth,
the animal kingdom and the cosmosthrough
reading, watching documentaries and travelling.
For my honeymoon,we wenttrekking with the
silverbackgorillasin Rwanda,did safarisin Kenya
and wentscubadiving!”
‘From being the only female recruit in
my investment banking cohort in New
York in 2002 to successfully running atop import house in India, I have been
continuously pushing boundaries’- Kadambari Kapoor
Kadambari Kapoor,
one of India’s only
woman fine wine
importer, defines
her style in a sheer
blouse worn over a
pencil skirt and sexy
Louboutins. Posing
beside her is Aza
Fashions director
Devangi Parekh, who
wears a gorgeous
ensemble by Rohit Bal