A quick take with Kalyani Chawla Vice President of Christian Dior
Best work moment
Every day when I manage to conclude any business.
On your bedside
Maharani by Ruskin Bond and Transforming Life's Paradigm by Suresh Kothari, just re-read My Kind of Girl by Buddhadev Bose.
Massage or workout to de-stress
Workout and a deep tissue massage after. My fantasy. The former never happens and the latter when time permits rarely.
Designs that have caught your eye recently
Fantastic ideas in Architectural Digest and Elle Decor for local sourcing.
Your IT tools
My phone and BlackBerry. Yes, I have two phones! They have individual distinctive functions.
Favourite spirit
Talisker Malt Whisky and my spirit.
Favourite perfume
Paco Rabanne. It reminds me of my father.
Favourite wine
Gavi, Cloudy Bay or Barolo.
Favourite champagne
Dom Perignon.
Your sleeping ritual
Playing solitaire on my iPad and winning at least five games before I switch it off!
Favourite TV show
Revenge and Highland.
Best gift received
Time from a very busy person!
Best gift given
My innovativeness more than the gift itself.
Favourite cuisine
My mother's Bengali cuisine.
What food items do you like to shop for?
Hams and spreads like Tarama and I love caviar.
Newspaper TV channels and websites you prefer
I barely watch TV but CNN-IBN is informative without the anchors shouting and not listening to the panellists and cutting every sentence they speak.
Where do you like to sit when being driven? Upfront with driver or backseat like a memsahib?
I am the epitome of a memsahib in every possible way and enjoy the feeling of being one immensely!
On a plane do you prefer to network, sleep or catch up on films and reading?
I hate having conversations on a flight unless it is George Clooney sitting next to me. Films, for sure, as I don't ever seem to have time to watch them otherwise.
Fancy coffee or masala tea?
Good old English breakfast tea.
What do you cook on your day off?
Bengali fish curry and prawn malai curry.
Do you fill customer feedback forms? Why?
When I am superbly happy with the service. I mention names of servers as nobody really does it and it's well deserved. Hopefully, recognised by the management.
Are you a beach or mountain person?
I am a beach bum and that's where I shall get a shack someday and retire to, hopefully.
Your favourite city
Benares and Jaipur are tie-breakers.
What's your fragrance?
Anything light and subtle; J'dore suits me the most.
You get your work clothes from
Mix of Dior and high-street labels.
The shoemaker you trust your sole with
Bata rubber chappals... nothing beats that comfort!
The gels and oils and lotions you swear by
Dior beauty products are the most effective I have used so far out of a bottle, but my grandmother's recipes out of my kitchen are the best.
Your favourite evening wear
Depends on the occasion, but I am a dress girl.
Your weekday breakfast
Bourbon biscuits dunked in tea followed by some fruit.
Your current set of wheels
A Mercedes C class which I love driving myself.
Favourite cafe
Cafe Flore in Paris
Favourite restaurant
Zambar, best coastal food, I always over-eat!
Your workout regime
I am a lazy Bengali; it's my only challenge.
Your ideal dance music
Total jhing-chak, English though -- '80s... Bee Gees and Abba still do it for me, much to my 13-year-old's embarrassment. Coldplay is a close second though!
At parties do you like to talk turkey or make PC?
Drink and make as little polite conversation as possible as nothing really registers to anyone after a while. And hope there is very loud music.
A few of your Goddesses are
Ma Durga with her shakti fighting with all ten arms trying to slay so many demons around!
Your favourite motto
Mennu ki? Tennu ki? Live and let live.
God for you is
A Sindhi, who I have barters with: I turn vegetarian and He gives me what I want.
