This week, we are shining the spotlight on Safinaaz Rawji, aka The Grey Canvas! We cannot wait to introduce you to this Toronto fashion maven. In a former life, Safinaaz was an engineer at Microsoft. Today, Safinaaz has curated a lifestyle of elegance and has dedicated her platform to empower women. Through stunning content about fashion, motherhood, food and travel, Safinaaz’s Instagram and Blog are an inspiring glimpse into her life! Keep reading to get to know this Super Woman!
How did you get started as a creator?
S: For me, The Grey Canvas was a happy accident. What started as a platform for me to share my OOTD and vacations slowly turned into a fun full-time project that helped me get in touch with my creative side.
What’s your favourite part of being a creator?
S: One of my favourite parts of being a creator is taking a vision I have in my mind and turning it into an actual product. Especially when that final product pushes me into creating something unique.
What’s your greatest achievement to date?
S: Oh my gosh, this is so hard to narrow down. Every day comes with its own rewards and achievements. Every time I work on a project, I cannot believe that I pivoted from working as an engineer for a huge company to being my own boss. I still pinch myself that what started out as a fun and creative outlet became a full-time career.
What’s the biggest item on your bucket list?
S: The biggest item on my bucket list would be to own a property in France. I have a huge obsession with food and it would be a dream to live in a country known for pushing boundaries on what’s consumable and how to prepare it. After I have eaten my heart out, I would take a nice long walk on the same streets Hemingway did.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
S: It would be a dream to live in NYC. You already know I have a huge obsession with food, so to live on an island where I can have direct access to 72 Michelin star restaurants is nirvana. Up until the temperature gets too cold, then I’m ready to head off to France.
If the 10-year-old version of yourself met you, what would they think?
S: The 10-year-old version of me would never believe me if I told them what I do for a living. The technology that existed then is significantly different than what we have now. With it came new career paths and a better way to connect with people.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
S: Do what you love and never give up! I got this advice from my very first mentor and it has always stuck with me.
Who’s your role model?
S: There are so many individuals that inspire me in their own unique way. Some inspire me in philanthropy, some in technology, and some in content creation. In the content creator space, Chriselle Lim inspires me continually. She is a successful woman who has turned her platform into a full-time business. She runs a talented team to help execute all her content in house, designs her own clothing label and balances all this while still making time for her family.
Favourite restaurant in the city?
S: Jacobs Steakhouse. They have the best steaks in the city. My husband and I are always there to celebrate anything just so we can eat there.
Favourite brand?
S: I don’t have one particular brand that I gravitate towards for everything. At the moment, I love La Mer (for skin care), Chanel (for beauty and scent), Celine (for bags) and Zara (for on-trend clothing).
If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?
S: It would be a dream to have an opportunity to have dinner with Anna Wintour. She has played a pivotal role in recognizing fashion trends, mixing high and low elements, and connecting new designers to powerful fashion houses. I would love to get her opinion on how she sees the fashion landscape evolving the next few years and will technology play a role in it. Continuing on with my food obsession trend, Anthony Bourdain would also be my ideal dinner partner. I would let him pick a hole in the wall restaurant and I could pick his brain about his food travels. I would want to know what makes up the perfect meal and also what is sacrilegious in terms of combining ingredients for a meal. I would also want to know if he only travels to eat or does he travel to get in touch with the local culture and for sightseeing.
And there you have it! We hope that you got to know Safinaaz a little better. Make sure to keep up with Safinaaz by following her on Instagram.
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