My personal style is: Living in Kerala, my personal wardrobe is tropical modern. We hardly have a change in weather except for a slight dip in the levels of humidity-- so a modern tweak in a tropical wardrobe is what I go with all through the year.
My personal style icon: I've never really looked at someone as a style icon but I find inspiration in how people dress. Sometimes it's the effortlessness with which a street vendor wears his kurta or the ease with which people put together an ensemble. It's really more about ideas than the person.
An item in my wardrobe that means a lot to me: My blue Chendamangalam handloom shirt that I wore for my Lakme Fashion Week GenNext show. It's also special because I took inspiration from this shirt I made for myself when we started our work with Chendamangalam post the floods.
My favourite souvenir from my travels is: The dhotis that I buy for myself when I travel around the country. I have a collection of quite a few from across various states in south India
The best gift I have received: The space and time to be myself. I owe it to my family.
The best gift I have given: Decorating my nephew’s baptism party.
The last thing I bought: A lost-wax-cast bronze lamp called a paathi vilakku. It was a gift to myself on my birthday.
The last book I read: The ‘Ashtavakra Gita’. It was life-changing.
The last film I loved: I haven't loved a film like I've loved the 2012 Malayalam film ‘Ustad Hotel’.
My Spotify list would include these songs: ‘Rangpura Vihara’ by Agam, ‘Padayatra’ by Job Kurian, ‘Moon Child’ by Bombay Jayashree, ‘Mohanam’ by Aruna Sairam, ‘Paayal’ by Maati Baani and so on.
My beauty/ wellness routine is: Simple and revolves around my daily sadhana and meditation. And strictly comprising only natural ingredients.
My favourite holiday destination: The temple towns of South India. The energies always match, there will be beautiful textiles to shop, great local food, music and arts and lots of craft to indulge in.
I love to collect: Furniture.
My fridge always has: Eggs, yoghurt, fruits and chocolate cake. There will always be the basics but with space for some joy.
Minimalism or maximalism: I am a minimalist with a penchant for maximalist accents. Can't do either on its own. The former gets too boring and the latter increases my cortisol levels.
My home looks like: My home was built by my grandfather in the 1960s. But currently it is writing a chapter that belongs to our design sensibility. It is a mix of Kerala meets art deco meets the modern eclecticism that we have brought into it.
My favourite mix of traditional and contemporary is: I have to say it's the sarees I make. But if I have to choose a second favourite, it has to be the spaces designed by Geoffery Bawa.
My best ideas come when: I am relaxed. And not forcing ideas to come.
The best way to spend Rs 20,000 is: A quick weekend holiday around Kochi. Worth every penny.
My idea of happiness is: That state of being that you step into to get things moving. Happiness is a prerequisite rather than a consequence.