EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Yasmin Sewell On Meditation, Etre Cecile, And Swapping Instagram For Exercise…

The businesswoman and street style star talks to Marie Claire about juggling work and motherhood with healthy eating and meditation...

Yasmin Sewll is the enigmatic, forward-thinking fashion consultant and street style star. She’s also a prolific businesswoman, wife, mother and dedicated meditation practitioner who advocates a healthy mind and body.

Not only that, Sewell is also working with the Hemsley + Hemsley sisters and Gary Gorrow on a series of video seminars - Mind, Body, Reset – with the aim of promoting and advising on all-round wellness.

We caught up with her to find out how she finds the time to meditate daily as well as prepare fresh, healthy food for her family while running 3 businesses and traveling to the international catwalk shows…

How did the collaboration come about?

We all originally came together through Gary – he first taught the Hemsleys and I meditation (separately) before we knew each other, and then ended up connecting us… we’re all so much on the same wavelength that it was inevitable we’d end up collaborating one day. Being able to come together and really make something special through our shared passions is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, so The Mind Body Reset is a concept that means a lot to all of us… it’s something we all believe in and it’s something we all live on a daily basis.

What is the aim and philosophy behind your seminars?

You know, it can be really hard for people to maintain focus on their health in an age where our daily lives are clouded with things like technology and over-commitment and stress… the entire philosophy behind the concept is about having an opportunity to truly ‘reset’ in terms of the way you approach living. It’s a process of realisation… becoming aware of habits you may have fallen into that aren’t going to help the longevity of your wellbeing. Learning the meditation and then incorporating this into your every day routine is the easiest regular reminder to reconnect with yourself. Nurturing your mind needs to come hand in hand with nurturing your body through conscious eating… knowing what you’re putting into your system to benefit your health on so many levels. Through The Mind Body Reset, we are able to show people how easy it is to reach a place of much higher health, through a series of easily achievable changes.

Who would benefit from watching the seminars?

Absolutely everyone can benefit from watching the seminars – there are things in there we can all learn from. In particular I think it is perfect for anyone who ever feels fatigued, lethargic, stressed or just has a nagging sense that they could be paying more attention to their wellbeing. For those people who know they need to make changes, but keep putting it off until tomorrow… this is for you. It’s so easy. It’s a change for life… and a longer, more fulfilled life at that.

How long have you been practicing meditation?

Since I was 23, but Vedic Meditation since I was 30.

Why is meditation so important?

Because we're constantly consumed and living in our heads in the middle of a world on fast forward that is only getting faster and more intense. Meditation really allows you to get in touch with that deeper place that is your consciousness. People don't realise there's another place you can access, and so often burn out, just pushing on in their hectic lifestyles with no escape. Being able to remove yourself from this for at least 20 minutes every day truly helps you to be so much more engaged and effective on every level.

How do you incorporate meditation and healthy eating into your busy life, especially at fashion shows and with a young child?

It's actually just about making the choice. Everyone can make the choice... it's like choosing to work out every day, or to sit on Instagram 6 times a day for 10 mins. You'll make the time if it's a priority for you. My husband now knows that I have to meditate before we leave for work, so he'll spend time with my son for 20 minutes in the morning making sure I can sit uninterrupted in our bedroom. I meditate again in the evenings, which I fit in before dinner just after my son has gone to bed... you have to make it easy for yourself, and find ways to get it to work with your lifestyle. When I'm travelling, it's naturally easier to fit in my two daily sessions, as usually I'll be alone and not having to coordinate with my son's schedule and needs. In terms of staying healthy, I'll always take really good yummy teas with me, and supplements as well. It's really about staying aware so that things don't completely go out the window. In saying that, I'm not the girl who goes to fashion week and goes to all the parties to get drunk... I'll be back in my hotel room in the evenings, in bed watching movies. Ultimately I'm just a grandmother at all possible times...!

Aside from mediation, how else do you incorporate a healthy balance to your lifestyle, such as with exercise?

At the moment being so pregnant, my main form of exercise is through Pilates – it’s actually a lot of work, and sometimes I’m almost dreading doing it knowing the physical exertion that lies ahead, but I always come out the other end feeling great. It’s something I’ve been really conscious to keep up throughout the course of my pregnancy.

What are your top tips for a healthy mind & body?

1. A healthy mind comes through is meditation... Vedic meditation is so effortless and simple, and so easy to slot into your life as long as you make the choice to do it.

2. Observe your thoughts and what's going through the the mind: how much pressure you're putting on yourself, how negative you're being, things you're anxious over that you may not be aware of... watch it, and process it. Meditation helps you become aware of these things and helps you be able to detach from them.

3. Sleep! A good 8 hours every night. In bed before 10.30pm is ideal... it's not for everyone, but it truly does make a difference.

4. Body brushing and flossing... both really important.

5. Easily digestible meals at night. Very nourishing, like a great daal or soup, with lots of good fats.

And finally, what’s in-store for you for 2015?

There are so many things I am really excited about, for both my own company Yasmin Sewell Ltd. and my brand être cécile… I just can’t tell you yet!