Where are you based?
Los Angeles.
How would you describe yourself, in a sentence?
A passionate individual who views life as an art form.
A plant, tree or flower you love to give as a gift (or have in your home)?
Jasmine plants. They are so beautiful and have a lovely fragrance. They're also known to be a great form of stress relief, and add calm to your day.
A moment in your life that inspired you to start Amarilo & Haati Chai?
I believe what we end up pursuing as adults is based on something that we became exposed to at a young age, whether we realized it or not. I'm first-generation Bangladeshi-American and for us, jewelry plays an integral role throughout our lives. My grandmother planted the seed for what I do now. She noticed very early on my love for jewelry and nurtured it.
Every year she would visit Bangladesh and bring me different things from her journey -- clothing, dolls, textiles, jewelry. After some time I requested that she only bring me back jewels. Eventually one year she asked me to sketch out what I wanted, and that summer when she returned from her travels she brought my sketches to life. At the time, I didn't think to myself that I would be a designer one day, but without realizing it the seed had been planted.
What is one of your go-to nature escape(s)?
Hiking.
What advice would you give to someone starting in their sustainability journey?
Don't be too hard on yourself. Whether it is recycling, to starting your own garden, focusing on non-toxic use in your home, or prioritizing energy efficiency -- start small, and work on different areas bit by bit.
Stella wears the bikini brief in cloud, high-waist brief in cloud and high-waist brief in charcoal.