Spirituality really inspires me. The calmness and peace emanating from religious spaces and the Bible are etched in my drawings and can be seen in my first collection, which is pristine and untouched. I love draping the body to accentuate its curves and I usually want to see myself in the same image and this is what makes me surpass the ordinary. The fluidity of fabrics, the draping and fall of various textures excite me immensely.
Places also inspire the soul. For me, it is Bali in Indonesia which really brings out my creative best. I am very close to its beauty and Asian influence, with its intricately carved structures, white beaches and sapphire blue water. It is more in sync with my designs and as much I indulge in the West, it’s the East that really rivets and excites me. The colourful sarong really heightens appeal and vibrancy. The unique motifs, batik prints and profusion of colour on the sarong is beautiful. Asian designs have a special feel that is admirable. Indonesian designer Ashley Isham is someone I follow with great interest. The effect of his lines, colours and textures. He represents femininity, fluidity and grace. The fact that he uses the fabric to the maximum, working intricately with cuts, rather than embellishments, is amazing. He creates his designs to feel like the wind and ocean, representing Indonesia and what it stands for, he converts this into garments and beautifies the woman.
As told to Suruchi Kapur-Gomes