What is your current career stage and what can help you unlock your next level?
Well, I've always worked hard on whatever I do. Despite being born in London, you're always at a disadvantage when being brought up in a poverty-stricken immigrant family. You always have to put in 200% in order to compete with your counterparts to even be equal to them. It wasn't easy, required working late every night, doing side gigs most evenings - but I've now reached Head of Design status for the last 4 years. I want to be honest, I'm always itching to do more, to be more and I really don't feel like I've reached my potential.
I have always battled imposter syndrome, and still do. I'm always really shy, so learning to embrace myself and grow confident is always something I would learn to do better to unlock y next level.
When I was young I always wanted to be like William Morris - an incredible artist, architect, typographer, painter, designer, textile designer and everything else in between, but I was told that I had to choose one path because specialising is more important. So I ended up studying Architecture just for the sake of it, then information design and I have always been in the pursuit of creating beautiful things. Now I just want to be surrounded by inspiration and beauty so that I can continue to dabble in things that make me happy - and perhaps I will naturally forge a path that will be unique to me.
Why would you want to join 1833/١٨٣٣?
I actually came across it in the Monocle magazine, on the plane ride to Dubai. It was almost like a sign from the heavens.
I just recently relocated to Dubai from London (born and bred). I don't know anyone else here, and I'm usually quite introverted and shy, so it would be good to be able to connect with other like-minded creative individuals. And have some creative fun along the way!
Otherwise it's quite difficult making spontaneous friends in a place that is hard to get around, unless you have a car.
What are your creative interests? How do you spend your free time?
15+ years experience as a product designer, designing apps and websites for startups and financial companies - before it was even a thing! I hardly had much time outside that. However with the time I did have I would travel a lot and learn about other cultures. I've visited 45 countries so far, many of them more than twice, some every year. I'm fascinated by Asia (Japan and Korea) I watch a lot of K-Dramas. I'm also a great cook (if I do say so myself). I have starred on BBC Masterchef back when I was 22. Since then I have travelled and learnt to cook in a lot of countries, I would say I'm better now than I was back then - so young and naive!
I also have had a lot of side hobbies. In order to strive for perfection I started making my own ceramics - plates and bowls to eat my food from.
Alongside painting and interior design moodboards, most recently, I have been into making jewellery (silversmithing) and gemmology. I studying it back at school, and ended up nt tcontinuing. I picked it up again 2 years ago as evening classes learning to handmake and covering all the basic skills of the craft. Enough to be confident to make my own collection. I am a massive history geek and love going to museums and checking out jewellery from ancient digs.
I am into very mystical and spiritual stuff, even learnt astrology during the pandemic. Always on a quest to learn and grow and never stagnating.
I could go on forever but I think I've covered most of my creative interests. I'm also usually quite shy so I don't like to show off about everything - this was a good exercise.