Lindsay Taylor, founder and creative director of Sri Lankan based Tallentire House talks us through her day and how she manages to stay calm in the midst of running a successful business.
Q. How do you start your day?
A. With hot water and lemon, kids and pre school chaos but I am determined to get up just that little bit earlier so I can do the meditation course that my husband gave me for Christmas called waking up, it is an app which is really easy to use so there is really no excuse…and maybe then my days will be a little calmer!
Q. What gets you going? (exercise/ wellbeing routine)
A. I love to do yoga and swim in the sea and luckily for us living in Sri Lanka both are easy to find. I am very lucky that my husband is a yoga teacher so I even get to do it at home. I also love to go to the Sri yoga shala in the jungle and take advantage of all the wonderful visiting yoga teachers that come through every year.
Q. Where you are most inspired?
A. Anywhere and everywhere, I love the beach but also travelling to and from my shop in Galle in the tuk tuk listening to music and drinking in the scenery. I see pattern everywhere: old metal gates, wooden transoms, decorative cement blocks but it is colour that I find most inspiring: a stem of bananas resting against an old pink wall, the numerous blue and grey hues of a monsoon sea, the crazy colours and patterns on the ceilings of Mumbai taxis, ideas for the next collection are never far away.
Q. You are a successful business woman now, but what advice would you give your younger self?
A. Don’t be so critical of yourself and don’t panic, give yourself time and be kind to yourself, you will get it done and it will be fantastic. Too much stress is unproductive and just results in premature grey hairs!
Q. What cause are you currently championing?
A. Plastic pollution. Living in Sri Lanka we are constantly reminded of this huge global problem as there is virtually no rubbish collection and as a result plastic lines the roads and beaches…It even gets between your toes when you take a dip in the sea. We have to make a big global effort dramatically reduce our use of plastic before we ruin our beautiful planet.
Q. How do you relax and switch off?
Watching my children surf and going for long walks, although I have to admit that I don’t do that so much here in Sri Lanka - too hot and too many stray dogs! Give me the coast in Cornwall and I can walk for hours. I have to admit that I also enjoy great drama on the TV too.
Q. What’s your guilty pleasure?
Crisps! You can’t get decent crisps here in Sri Lanka which is probably a blessing as unhealthy as they are, but they are always top of my wish list when friends come to stay!
Q. You have to choose only one beauty product to use for the next 7 days, what would you pick?
A. I think I would have to go for a day/night moisturizer as I can’t bear the feeling of dry skin. I am not too fussy about brands as long as it is organic and smells good. In Sri Lanka there are some fantastic emerging beauty companies - Spice Island, Bodylicious and Green Leaf Herbals to name just three - incorporating ancient herbal remedies from Ayurveda and locally-sourced botanics such king coconut, Ceylon tea, mango, neem, lemongrass, ginger and cinnamon.
Q. Do you sleep well, what is your bedtime routine?
A. I would say I sleep pretty well generally but as I creep closer to the menopause I would say that that it is becoming more challenging!. I don’t have a very exciting bedtime routine but whatever happens I always clean, tone and moisturize my face and do my teeth.
Q. And the final question… your favourite Holistic Silk item and why?
A. As above, the eyemask without a doubt, I never travel without it. A holistic silk eye mask can almost make me believe I am travelling in business class even though I am clearly not, well not yet anyway!
After meeting at Chelsea School of Art whilst studying for their Textile Design degrees Joanna and Lindsay became firm friends. Now both founders and creative directors of their own textile based businesses, they have joined forces to create a unique collection for 2019 fusing Lindsay's Sri Lankan nature inspired screen printed cotton fabrics with Joanna's award-winning Eye Mask design.
