Born in Srinagar, Kashmir, Ayesha Depala spent her early years surrounded by nature and Himalayan stillness. From a young age, she was drawn to what she calls “the unseen,” an interest that shaped her early study of healing and energy practices. “My love for healing art began at a very young age. I immersed myself in various healing modalities, studying Astrology, Breath-work, Reiki, and NLP,” she says. “This journey of self-discovery has always been a quiet parallel to my creative path.”

After relocating to Dubai more than two decades ago, Ayesha built a successful fashion business. Her eponymous label became known for refined, feminine couture and modern bridalwear that appealed to women seeking understated sophistication. She showcased at regional fashion weeks and dressed many high-profile clients across the Middle East, quickly cementing her place in the UAE’s growing luxury fashion landscape.

But as her creative career flourished, Ayesha’s personal interests began to shift. “During the stillness of the Covid years, I was called inward – to reflect, to unlearn, and to listen more deeply,” she explains.

That period of reflection led to a new venture that would bring her longstanding passion for wellbeing and conscious living into focus. In 2024, Ayesha and her husband, Dipesh Depala, co-founded Divinom, a Vedic healing skincare apothecary developed from preserved ancient Indian knowledge. “At Divinom, we are not creating beauty products, we are restoring truth,” she says. “The world does not need another beauty brand. It needs purity, integrity, and responsibility, values that honour both human and planetary wellbeing.”

Ayesha’s approach to product formulation is informed by her research into Ayurveda and her frustration with the global beauty industry. “The beauty industry today is one of the least regulated in the world. In the name of beauty, we are sold illusions. Meticulously packaged lies designed to exploit our deepest insecurities,” she says. “Behind every flawless campaign lies a silent epidemic: women’s health disorders are soaring. Autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, uterine and skin diseases are increasingly prevalent.”

Each Divinom product is created using traditional Ayurvedic methods. “Our formulations contain zero additives and are 100% pure. But our definition of purity extends far beyond ingredients; it begins with the people who create them,” Ayesha explains. “Every member of our team follows a plant-based diet, maintains a disease-free, sattvic lifestyle, and undergoes cleansing rituals before participating in any harvest or formulation process.”

Though rooted in Vedic philosophy, Ayesha credits the UAE with shaping her aesthetic sensibility. “My connection to the Middle East, and Dubai in particular, has profoundly shaped my vision for Divinom,” she says. “Growing up amidst a culture that celebrates opulence, artistry, and the sacred interplay of tradition and modernity, I developed a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, luxury, and the transformative power of rituals.”

Her belief in discipline and purpose continues to inform both her business and her personal life. “We often move through life unintentionally, carried by momentum rather than mindfulness. In my view, it’s essential to live with intention – to greet each day with purpose,” she says. “A peaceful start, nourishing the body with sunlight, breath, and movement, sets the tone for everything that follows.”

Reflecting on her evolution from fashion designer to wellness founder, Ayesha describes it as a process of alignment rather than reinvention. “The last seven years of my life have been profoundly transformative. Less a becoming, and more an unbecoming,” she says. “Through deep self-inquiry, I’ve come to understand that we live in a mechanistic world where value is too often placed on the external. Yet true success, in its purest form, is the ability to live fearlessly, in deep connection with oneself."

Her advice to others mirrors her own path of steady growth. “Never operate from fear, and never from a mindset of scarcity. Allow yourself the space to evolve,” she adds. “In truth, there are no failures – only lessons that guide us closer to who we are meant to become.”

Ayehsa’s goal today is to bring consciousness into everything she creates. “People often say, ‘Chase your dreams.’ My philosophy is different. When you live in integrity, in alignment, free from inner conflict, your dreams will find you.”