Quick questions with Marianne Fassler creative director, Lezanne Viviers

The one indulgence you would never forgo? Fresh flowers and art. I rotate my artworks, so that there is only one in front of me when I wake up.

What are your essential lotions, and potions? Charcoal masks, charcoal tablets, and BB Cream from Bobbi Brown.

Which gadget couldn’t you live without? My Samsung Note8: even before social media, a camera has always been part of my daily life. I love photographing flowers, fleeting moments on the street, or an unexpected intrusion of beauty.

What is your most sentimental and important object? My engagement rings: I inherited my granny’s, and, of course, the ring my husband proposed with to me just more than a year ago. Both these rings were given in love and sincerity and serve as aides-mémoire.

What is your preferred drink? Coffee in the morning, water and Rooibos tea during the day, and méthode cap classique on weekends.

Where do you eat out? Coalition Pizza serves an amazing Neapolitan margherita pizza, perfect in its simplicity. Yamato in Illovo for anything Japanese.

Which element of your wardrobe signifies your style? I either wear all black, powerful hues, or print-on-print. I love opposing masculine and feminine elements: there are no two days where I am the same person.

What was the last object that you fell in love with? A Japanese Boro cloth: a family heirloom that is shaped over generations by repairing patches of dyed indigo or hemp textiles with a decorative Sashiko stitch. It’s a great example of the Japanese philosophies of Mottainai (zero waste) and Wabi-sabi (a view that embraces imperfections).

A watch brand you love? Time is just an illusion: only now is real.

The last place you travelled to that captured your heart? I just returned from two months’ honeymoon in Japan. The Japanese taught me about the art of living. From Ikebana, the Japanese way to arrange flowers; to Butoh theatre, avant-garde Japanese dance, and the Japanese aesthetics of minimalism, Japan taught me to observe the beauty in the mundane.

Which books can we find on your bedside table? My Eternal Soul by Yayoi Kusama and The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzó.

Which musician really appeals to you at the moment? Mx Blouse and Moonchild Sanelly. They are creating such uniquely South African sounds and challenging societal expectations regarding gender roles, sexuality, and respectability politics.

What’s next on your list of must-have items? A devil’s-red, hand-made ceramic vase from Ben Orkin, found at Guild or at The Voorkamergallery, would be perfect for me to practise Ikebana in at my weekly flower-arrangement club.

What is the first item you add to your grocery cart? Biltong.

The best gift you’ve been given recently? A beautiful turquoise Modernist lamp from my husband. In the fast-paced, fast-fashion times we find ourselves, I prefer buying either hand-crafted artisanal goods or antiques.

 A gift that you’ve recently bought for someone? Striking hand-made ceramic stoneware plates from Belinda Blignaut’s non-profit organisation, Artisafire. These plates are the result of clay-therapy used to explore ideas and delve into one’s subconscious thoughts.

Which place inspires and rejuvenates you? Nature is an artwork in her own right. I take time to observe her in her splendour. She centres and grounds me, and teaches me about myself.

A place or person that’s recently caught your attention? Diskotekah — DTK, Pussy Party, and Faka. These people and places are synonymous with born-free South Africa and gender fluidity. Read Turn up the Volume and Queer the Dancefloor, by Rifumo Mdaka, on Bubblegumclub.

What was the last item of clothing you added to your wardrobe? Any item from Marianne Fassler is a wardrobe investment. Fassler pieces become heirlooms, as they are not seasonal. The garments are handmade with love in an ethical and sustainable way, and promise to start conversations at any art fair. Fassler dresses are comfortable and made for real women, living real lives. Watch out for Kwaai/Kwai-Kwai/Kawaii, the Spring/Summer 18/19 Marianne Fassler collection, which explores the ancient affiliations between Africa and Asia.

Your favourite city in the world? Johannesburg is my soul city: rebellious, energetic, and bustling. Paris is the ideal week away: a carafe of wine at a brasserie on the pavement of Le Marais, an exhibition at Palais de Tokyo, and a stroll through Montmartre. Kyoto in Japan at 5.45pm daily, to observe the fleeting geiko and maiko between their engagements. Chefchaouen in Morocco at about 5am, waking up to the morning prayers echoing through the surrounding mountains.

- From the September edition of Wanted magazine.