One sec, just brushing off my writing skills…..Oh hey! It’s been a minute. I hope all of you are well and honestly, mainly healthy. Sh*t be cray around the world so I think the basics are what we should all be grateful for.
But back to myself…..things have been a little odd since the year started. Nothing in particular to complain about-kids are beautiful, husband still makes me laugh, roof over our head, etc…but in general, I’ve been going inwards a lot more. Yes, aging does this to most of us. And with that, comes a lot of reflection.
I love reflection. Nostalgia. I finally have a really great relationship with nostalgia, the past, my youth. I would say- even a few years back- I would yearn for the past, for my adventures, for the times I really could breakdance, in a very unhealthy way. I’ve now come to the point where I can smile about it all, tell my (very inflated) stories, and be at peace with the life that has unraveled up till now.
I went home a few weeks ago to hang out with the Thakkar crew, and it may have been my favorite visit ever. Nothing in particular happened, the usual pjs all day, eating Nani’s food, watching horror movies with big bro, trying to learn the new Serato DJ Pro tricks, making sure all our kids were playing tennis well etc. weekend. For me, for some reason, this visit was a very big reminder about where I’ve come from. A pretty low-key, free t-shirt wearing, humble yet successful, musically inclined family who could give two sh*ts about the social media world and the amount of likes needed to feel “fulfilled”.
It woke me up again.
So when I came back to Dallas and started prepping for my latest interview, instead of feeling the usual dread of editing and wondering what people will think, I was filled with complete gratitude that the conversation brought me back to a very beautiful phase in my life. I didn’t yearn for that time anymore, I just smiled thinking about it.
When we moved to India back in 2009 as expats for a few years, I decided to shift my focus from law to...basically whatever exciting opportunities came my way. So, in between DJ school (shoutout to Spin Gurus DJ & Remixing Academy), I started working as freelance writer for Condé Nast India and magically had the opportunity to work at the mecca of it all, Vogue. One of the most prominent fashion and lifestyle magazines around the globe.
Let’s Get To It.
I can tell you, the experience was as awesome as it sounds. My interview with Rochelle Pinto this week is a full circle moment for me...and then some.
Rochelle Pinto is the Head of Editorial Content for Vogue India. Honestly, I was a bit hesitant to do the interview initially. I just kept thinking, will she really want to share her journey in an authentic way?
Uh, yes. She was as honest and vulnerable as leaders can be.
Rochelle has had quite a professional journey and is exactly how you think a Vogue head would be-poised, intelligent, well-spoken, beautiful, and as a bonus, she’s totally down to earth. In case you were also wondering if she gets to work with and receive advice from Anna Wintour, the answer is yes.
Rochelle shares her insights into what is currently happening in Indian fashion, content, beauty, and all things that we should know. She speaks frankly about the challenges of representing India in all its diverse richness and describes what it was like growing up in Goa , free of gender stereotypes, with parents who encouraged her to do all the things boys could do. I think I love her mom and dad too.
We discuss the ways Vogue India is currently uncovering untold and fascinating stories all over the country, how they approach covering Bollywood content, her thoughts on the globalization and rise of Indian artists, designers, and celebrities in the West, and how the Vogue global family has become much closer in the past few years.
The interview was more than a compelling look into the inner workings of Indian fashion and culture, it also helped me understand the heartbeat of India today. And as much as I think the US is a constantly evolving zeitgeist, India in turn is a microcosm ( a very big one) of cultural and traditional stories now becoming a very big part of a global society which all seems to be blending together very rapidly.
At the end of our conversation, I told her I would be coming to visit her offices this December when I finally take my kids to India for the first time.
Basically, I'm going to win some major mom points for this.
A big shoutout to Malini Agarwal for the connect, the OG of digital content in India and someone who is always supporting other women.
As always, I want to end with a song that I love. Besides my obsession for 80s British New Wave bands, I’m a HUGE fan of 90s rock.
And to you- thank you for supporting and being a friend. Sending each of you my love.
“Maybe she’s just looking for, someone to dance with.”
When Vogue Speaks, I Listen