At Home With... Nimish Shah
At Home With… Nimish Shah
As Creative Director of homegrown fashion and lifestyle label, Bhaane, Nimish Shah has his finger on the pulse of a youthful India. From his Instagram account alone one can tell he is in fine form.
Between the bustle of wrapping up a busy year at work, we spent a Saturday with him reflecting on habits, lightness and post-isolation pleasures. Especially worth savouring is his flair for styling Himêya's new collection 'Vitamin-D' in his Delhi home:
What kind of a year has 2020 been for you?
It’s been a huge learning curve, one that has made me more anxious every time something new unfolds. It has challenged me, as I assume it has a lot of people in many ways. The major takeaway is that we’ve all had to grow up. For millennials, it’s been the year of “adulting.”
Featured (L): Rescue Hand Towels (R): Ruffle Hand Towels
How are you looking forward to ending it?
With a lot of solutions. After the stir, I’m hoping to end on a positive note. As I get a better grasp of the situation, it feels like climbing back on a running horse.
What about Himêya resonates with you most, and why?
The calmness, which is reminiscent of a lake. Words that come to mind are tranquil, mature, peaceful, sensitive.
Featured: Gamchha – Mud Brown Face Towel
“The word I relate most is ‘nuclear’. While it can be a wholesome, family-oriented brand, I find Himêya’s energy personal and nuclear rather than collective.”
What does 'lightness' mean to you? How do you practice the mantra of 'Less Is More' in your everyday?
Literally, lightness to me is physical mobility. Emotionally, it’s about the ability to reset – to sleep on the other side of the bed, for example – which can be the most difficult thing depending on your frame of mind. The trick lies in how much longer you take each time to reset.
Featured: Washed Woven Impressions – Olive Gray Pillow | Wheat Fields – Honey Duvet
“‘Less Is More’ has become a lifestyle habit over time. I was a hoarder for a split second but my wanting to change has made me a sharper editor, and shaped my personal aesthetic.”
What gets you out of bed every morning? Your morning routine?
A plan and checklist for the day gets me out faster, which is why it doesn't happen on the weekend. I have the highest energy in the morning and so my routine consists of a jump start rather than a roll out of bed. I’m up by half past six latest, work out by half past seven, after which I begin work.
Featured (L): Washed Woven Impressions – Olive Gray Pillow | Wheat Fields – Honey Duvet (R): Madras - Mist White Bath Towel
Favourite activity in bed?
We'll keep it PG-12. Watching Netflix – I’m on a Star Trek binge right now.
Your favourite space at home? How is it meaningful to you?
One is in my living room: a single chair with a good view of the opposite sofa that gives me a better perspective of the house and guests when I’m hosting. The second is my side of the bed – it’s these two spots in my personal space that I build energy around.
Featured: Grindled Flannel Mingle – Clay Red / Olive Gray Blanket
In a time of much uncertainty, what's keeping you creative and inspired?Listening to stories, observing how brands and companies are responding to certain scenarios that this year has brought. A lot of inspiring stories have emerged out of this time.
The last film you watched in bed?
I saw Mission Impossible 1 yesterday – a bit of a flashback.
What are the objects on your bedside table? What's one pet peeve you have when it comes to your bedroom?
A phone charger, bottle of water, and book.
Featured (L): Grindled Flannel Mingle - Clay Red / Olive Gray Blanket (R): Washed Woven Wheat Fields - Honey Duvet
“This is not really a pet peeve, but I never draw the curtains in my bedroom.”
I like to sleep through the sun peeping in from my window. It took me a long time to realise that even in a hotel I can’t sleep beside a dead wall.
What are you most looking forward to returning to once it's safe?
Bars and restaurants. Meeting random strangers and running your hand across a bartop. It’s childlike but I miss the gesture of grazing your torso on its surface, while reaching your hand over to greet somebody on the other side of a bar.
