In Conversation: Ingrid Kesa

How would you describe your approach to work and creativity?

I absolutely love routines and thrive when there's rhythm and consistency to my days. Creativity comes to me when I show up with presence and find beauty in small details. I feel most inspired when I have my AirPods in and I'm walking around in nature - it's when I come up with my yoga flows or themes for my classes. I like weaving poetic wording into my meditations, making them like love letters to self. My yoga practice deeply informs my approach to work and creativity, and I try to infuse clarity and calm into everything I do (though not always successfully, of course).

Much of your work explores the intersection of discipline and care - both in business and in life. What  helps you stay connected to your values while building something meaningful?

I anchor myself in daily rituals: small, consistent practices that remind me of who I am and what truly matters. I feel deeply connected to spirituality and a higher power that’s much bigger than myself. The yoga teachings give me a framework for how I live and how I conduct myself. One word I continually return to is grace. It’s the throughline that carries me, connecting the way I live, work and move through the world. People often think of grace as effortless, but to me there’s grit behind it. Grace is the balance of softness and strength.

You’ve worked with some of the biggest names in beauty — from CHANEL to Mecca as well as co-founding LUI Body, what has that taught you about the meaning of luxury?

I think the meaning of luxury has pivoted from being something exclusive and aspirational to being something that is accessible and anchored in everyday rituals. Luxury to me is about elevating small moments through tactile touchpoints and assigning a sense of ceremony to things we might usually take for granted, whether it’s using a beautiful facial oil and taking a moment to massage it into the skin, mindfully enjoying a coffee in the sunshine and noticing the warmth of the cup in your hands, or creating a Sunday wind-down routine that involves preparing yourself a nourishing meal and hopping into fresh sheets.

To me, those little practices that tend to self are much more luxurious than owning the latest designer bag.

As a certified yoga teacher, what role does movement or breathwork play in your day-to-day?

Movement and breath play a huge role in my day-to-day life. The asana (the physical postures of the yoga practice) are an important component, but the real ‘work’ of yoga begins off the mat and out in the world. If we practice yoga enough, we can begin to truly live our yoga practice and embody those values in all we do. The breath is a powerful tool that we all have at our disposal, it can become a thread between body and mind, anchoring us in the present. I often say a quote when I’m teaching yoga, which is “if you’re ever at a crossroads or faced with a decision, know that there are always three guides within you at all times: your intuition, your nervous system, and your breath.”

When we become more in-tune with our own physicality we can live a life that feels lighter, easier and more in sync.

What’s your relationship with jewellery? Do you wear the same pieces every day or shift depending on mood?

I have a very sentimental relationship with jewellery and think it’s such a beautiful thing to invest in and treasure not just for yourself but for future generations. I pretty much wear the same jewellery every day which includes my Kate & Kole ‘N’ initial bracelet for my boyfriend Nathan. I also wear my AppleWatch every day too (and yes, I do take it off for formal events so that I don’t look like a Spy Kid at the function).

What does ‘living well’ mean to you right now?

There’s a lot going on in  the world right now and the demands of modern life are so encompassing. Living well to me means being able to move through the undulations of life in a way that’s grounded, settled and centred. Feeling comfortable in your own skin and regulated in your nervous system, holistically nourishing your body, moving with intention and having a strong connection to your internal moral compass and values, using them as a northern star to guide you in all that you do.