In this exclusive interview with YourLuxury Africa ahead of the launch of her book, India Hicks: Entertaining, with a side of chaos, the British designer and writer spoke to us about the rituals, travels, and philosophies that continue to inspire her creative world.
Growing up with David Hicks
YLA: You grew up in one of Britain’s most celebrated design families as the daughter of David Hicks, yet you’ve built a career on your own terms. What are some defining moments that shaped the creative path you’re on today?
India: Growing up with my father meant growing up in a world where design was not simply decoration; it was a language. He taught me that a room needed personality, wit, tension and, ideally, one slightly unexpected thing. His standards were terrifyingly high. A badly placed cushion could provoke the sort of reaction normally reserved for a national emergency.
But the defining moments in my own life often came when I stepped away from that very ordered world. Moving to a small island in the Bahamas was certainly one. My path has not been particularly straight. There has been intention, certainly, but also instinct, curiosity, and occasionally impulse.
YLA: Your work spans interiors, design, books, television, and humanitarian initiatives. How have those seemingly different worlds influenced one another, and what continues to inspire you creatively after more than three decades?
India: They may appear to be different worlds, but to me they’re all connected by storytelling. A room tells a story. A book tells a story. Humanitarian work tells the most important stories of all: stories of courage, survival, and people rebuilding their lives.
Each part of my work sharpens another. Design has taught me to notice detail. Writing has taught me to stand back and consider meaning. Humanitarian work has taught me perspective. I continue to be inspired by people who make things well, by houses that reveal the lives lived inside them, by old photographs, journeys, gardens, and conversations.
What Island Life Taught Her About Luxury
YLA: How has living in the Caribbean changed not only the way you design, but also the way you experience beauty and luxury?
India: Island living loosened me up. I arrived carrying the rather structured influence of British interiors and my father’s immaculate eye, and the Caribbean taught me that beauty can also be faded, sun-bleached, salt-stained, and slightly crooked. Here, a door may swell in the humidity, a dog may appear in the middle of a photograph, and a hurricane may undo months of careful planning.
Living on an island has made me value natural materials, local craftsmanship, air moving through a room, and objects that improve with age rather than collapse under it. It’s also taught me that luxury is not necessarily polish or perfection. It’s the kind of beauty that cannot be arranged too carefully.
It’s also taught me that luxury is not necessarily polish or perfection.”
YLA: What does luxury mean to you?
India: Time. Privacy. Freedom. And, increasingly, the luxury of not being in a hurry. True luxury is waking without an alarm, swimming before breakfast, and sitting beside someone you love without either of you reaching for a telephone. It’s a beautifully made object that carries the mark of the hand rather than the insistence of a logo. It is fresh sheets, a cold room, a hot bath, and a cup of tea.
The Rituals of Home
YLA: What are the little rituals or everyday moments that make you feel happiest when you’re at home?
India: I admire perfection, but I’d choose warmth over cold perfection every time. Our home is filled with dogs, books, photographs, sandy feet, and evidence that people actually live there. I love the quiet moment before everyone wakes and watching the house gradually come alive.
YLA: What does a perfect day off look like?
India: There would be family, dogs, salty air, and no rigid plan. Perhaps a boat ride, perhaps a game of pickleball, and certainly laughter.
YLA: Which luxury brands, artisans, or designers do you admire?
India: I admire places that create an atmosphere rather than merely provide an impressive room – somewhere that understands lighting, scent, sound, and the importance of being made to feel genuinely welcome. Ralph Lauren is the master of it all; I also admire hand-block-painted linens from Pomegranate, or a custom piece of jewellery from Daniella Draper.
YLA: Is there a destination you return to whenever you need to recharge?
India: Windermere Island is where I return to. A swim, a walk along the deserted beach, and the familiar rhythm of island life can rearrange one’s thoughts far more effectively than any wellness retreat.
England restores another part of me: gardens, rain, humour, and a deep sense of history remain stitched into who I am. I like the contrast between those two worlds: one sun-bleached and barefoot, the other layered, eccentric, and usually carrying an umbrella.
The Art of Entertaining
YLA: Which essential ingredients transform a beautiful setting into an unforgettable experience when you’re hosting?
India: The first ingredient is not panicking. A beautiful table helps, but it shouldn’t feel so precious that guests are afraid to touch anything. I like layered linens, candlelight, flowers from the garden, mismatched objects with stories, and food that can survive a slight delay. But what people remember is how an evening felt. They remember generosity, humour, music, conversation, and being seated beside someone unexpected.
“The first ingredient is not panicking.”
YLA: How do you unwind?
India: A quiet evening usually involves a bath, a book, and the relief of taking off whatever shoes seemed like a good idea several hours earlier.
More from India Hicks
India’s book, India Hicks: Entertaining, with a Side of Chaos, is available from rizzoliusa.com
Discover more from India Hicks
