Row-G's artistic director Rahim Rawjee on his style, and personal favourites

Essential beauty products? My hairstylist Michelle Hopkirk and, of course, sunscreen.

Scent you adore? Scents always evoke memories so I’m naturally drawn to those that take me back to my fondest ones. I remember the summer of 1991 in Toronto like it was yesterday. It was when the fragrance Kenzo Pour Homme was launched, and I wore that exclusively for three years. It was the best of my early adult years. The underground scene in Toronto was so vibrant with creativity. Parties at undisclosed locations around the city at abandoned warehouses where you needed to know the proprietor or someone at the door to get in. We were always decked out. We spent the early evening making our outfits for the night, mostly put together with safety pins. We always skipped the queue because we were the cool kids. We would arrive at 1am and dance until late in the morning. The energy was raw. The house music of the ’90s was so pure and melodic — we felt free; we just danced. So many great memories and we forged amazing friendships which I still hold dear today. Now I’m creating new memories with a little concoction of scents I’m putting together at home. Might package it soon...

Tea or coffee? Both.

Three words to describe your style? Marry, f**k, kill.

How do you relax? By relaxing my attention and interrupting the flow of thought. Kind of like mini pauses throughout the day or just tapping out of the illusion and into reality, if that makes sense. A practice of self-abidance.

Reading? The Secret of Ana’l Haqq by Khan Sahib Khaja Khan.

Listening to? I wish I could think of this cool alternative band, but the artist I have been listening to for the past two weeks is Mariah Carey. I’ve been listening to Fantasy non-stop.

Sunday mornings are for? Staying in bed all day with a good book; it doesn’t have to be a Sunday.

What makes you happiest? I think I’m my happiest when I’m making clothes, designing and creating. I suppose it’s because that’s really the true nature of who we all are — creators.

The last place you visited that knocked your socks off? The Amalfi Coast, Italy.

When travel resumes as normal, where would you love to go? I have been working on a custom made-to-measure men’s shoe range for two years, which was supposed to launch in the first quarter of 2020. Of course, things changed and the range was suspended. We’ve continued development as far as possible remotely but when travel resumes, actually, when I feel it’s safe to travel, it’s back to Naples to finalise designs and craftsmanship.

Dream dinner-party guests? Marianne Williamson, Dolores Cannon, Rupert Spira, Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, and Egon Schiele.

Lust-have items? I think I have everything that I want but I know my new puppy Joey wants an Hermès harness.

Fridge essentials? Avocados, coriander, almond butter, sparkling water, seasonal fruits and vegetables, tofu, wine.

Best gift you’ve ever received? The unconditional love of my mother.

What inspires you? I’m not always inspired and I think that’s OK, but just finding that frame of joy in life that you need to hang on to and vibrate with. We’re all still growing so it can seem to be elusive at times and that’s precisely when you realise there’s really nothing to do but practise the art of happiness. I think inspiration and happiness are synonyms.

• From the April edition of Wanted, 2021.