Walking with an air of mystery, Asmi Shrestha is one Miss Nepal who is comfortable in keeping it real. After all, being a model since the age of sixteen if there’s one thing Asmi knows well then it’s being genuine. She shares that Miss Nepal was the reason behind being a model in the first place. It definitely worked! Being on ads, runways, winning various prizes all helped in building her up as she eventually won the coveted Miss Nepal crown in 2016.
It was back in 2011 when I saw photos of Asmi online that I thought she should be on my RAMRI ALERT feature! After all, she is RAMRI and Hey… I know for sure she’s so much more than ramri (not that being ramri is a bad thing). It has been forever since I had a chat with Asmi and today, here we have her on the blog to talk a bit of everything.
LEX: Hey Asmi! It has been a while! How are you doing? What’s running through your mind lately?
ASMI: Hi Lex. I am doing amazing. These days I am all about working on my personal well-being. I am focused on making the best out of everyday I have been living.
LEX: That’s great!! I definitely need to keep in touch with you. I’m sure you can give me some tips there. Ever since you started modelling, you’ve had that cool swag. As you went into Miss Nepal and became the winner, I felt I saw your style mature and that was probably due to growing up and being a Miss Nepal. How do you view your style evolution over the years?
ASMI: Probably Lex. Over the time, I have learned to keep it more simple and subtle. I try not to spend a lot of effort and time in it. It has always worked the best for me.
LEX: I like that! You just have to keep it natural. As a model or lets say, a visible figure with a large following – there’s an expectation from many that you should always be all proper, dressed nicely and be perfect with a capital P. Do you personally feel that pressure?
ASMI: If I surrendered to such pressure, I would probably be messing it up as I am someone who can never give their best in such situation. I try keeping it real. I have been asked at times about repeating my outfits and shoes but for me I have never believed the idea of not repeating the clothes and shoes which are worn once.
LEX: Yess! We talk so much about recycling and reusing – I definitely agree with you there that clothes, regardless of who you are, can be worn again. You have collaborated with many brands over the past but more recently, it’s your collaboration with Natraj Boutique that I seem to see more. What do you like about the boutique?
ASMI: What I love about Natraj the boutique is their wide range of fabric which has been carefully selected and produced by the designer and his team. It is not just about the beautiful design but the outfits look amazing when there’s proper finishing to it. I would say at Natraj, they have always prioritised it and that’s why they have been able to stand out. Their cheerful, dedicated and hard working team is the cherry on top.
LEX: With saris, heels, getting hair and make-up – it must take a lot of time and effort to get ready for events. How long does it take you normally to get ready for a formal event?
ASMI: For a formal event I would say two hours as it takes a lot of time to do my hair. Make up doesn’t take much. I am not good with styling my hair. Sometimes if I am draping a Saree, I won’t deny it might take longer than two. I feel like getting your Saree right is a super power or something alone that line.
LEX: Do you still need help in certain areas, such as getting a sari on?
ASMI: Hahaha I am bad at experimenting with my hair for which I often get complaints. Make up has become quick for me with a lot of practice over the years.
LEX: It’s very common to have a celebrity bring their own collection in stores such as H&M/Topshop. Would you like to design or simply, choose your best picks from a fashion brand and present your own collection one day in the future?
ASMI: May be with Natraj if I ever can. We already have Vadhu and Ecstasy. Coming up with a collection of my name would obviously be great. 
I would love to sit down with Pratik and his team. They know my style very well. So together we could come up with designs which are minimal. I would definitely stick to subtle colours. I feel like no outfit should outshine a woman’s personality. It should complement instead. Then a perfect blend will be created.
LEX: I like that, “no outfit should outshine a woman’s personality”. Alright, moving away from fashion, are you working on anything currently?
ASMI: Lex, I have teamed up with My Emotions Matter which is an education company and we are working on raising the awareness of Emotional Intelligence in Nepal. We provide workshops to various groups like students, working professional and teachers. Right now, we are conducting sessions named ‘Start Here’ for youths to help build their self confidence which we all know is one of the major problems of Nepali youths.
LEX: That’s incredible and I agree! Whether in Nepal or away, Nepali young people definitely have challenges when it comes to self-confidence. Alright I see that we’re running out of time so I have to ask, with many Miss Nepal’s entering cinema, is that of interest to you?
ASMI: Acting definitely is not on my list, Lex.
LEX: Where would you like to see yourself in five years time?
ASMI: In five years time, I still see myself living a simple and content life. A happy family has always been on the top of my list. Healthy work life balance with my loved ones around me. That’s all I wish for.
LEX: Thank you Asmi for your time!
