Daniela Rifai

This week we interviewed the founder and creator of Smell of Jasmine, Daniela Rifai. Daniela is a talented creative writer, fashion influencer, and avid world traveler who is also the Austrian Brand Ambassador for Alexa K. ​

Describe yourself using 4 words.
A mix of an Urban Seagull and Lion in One.
 
In what ways do you embrace your Wolf Spirit?
I try to stay the original version of myself, at all costs.

How do you define your personal style?
I like to wear clothes that are chic, stylish, effortlessly elegant and quite minimal. I don't feel very well in outfits, that are, in some way, too complicated. Because, I think, dress should let us see the person, wearing it, not overshadow them. I treat my face, hair or shoulders as part of my statement “accessories”. When I create my outfit, I consider, which of these “accessories” I want to let stand out. 

What are you inspired by, or what motivates you?
The unceasing desire to keep my life exciting. That desire motivates me to learn new things, visit new places, starting career in an unknown area. And that desire also influenced my choice of the life partner. 
 
What woman/women do you admire, or who inspires you? (Still alive or not)
​Since I remember I've always looked up to Coco Chanel, the most incredible entrepreneur of all times. I admire, how she managed to be herself and basically build the entire business on that. She ignored the rules of the then society and did what she wanted to do. It is not easy to do so for a woman, these days, and it was nearly impossible in her times.
I also admire Zaha Hadid for similar reasons. The still alive woman I find inspiring is Amal Alamudin Clooney, because of her work as a human rights attorney. And the source of inspiration for me is also my mom, because I don't know anyone else with such a broad range of knowledge. I'm also proud that she is a very open minded person.

How did you get into your career?
From a very young age I knew, that I want to do something creative and probably work in media. It was an obvious decision for me, to go study media and communication. I had been working in this area for years and gained experience from the different types of media, from art and culture focused radio to the business and economy magazine. But I'm an extremely visual person. I'm obsessed with design, fashion and photography. I wanted to make my stories visual. Starting my blog was an important step for me. It gave me an opportunity to show my other skills. Thanks to that, creative direction is now an important part of my work. 
 
Imagine that you were featured on the cover of an international magazine in the year 2020, what would the title of your feature article say or be about?
I'm not sure, but it is likely that the article would be somehow connected to the women empowerment. I think that is the hottest topic of this century. Until women get the same opportunities and status as men, and the real protection from violence and abuse, the world will not move on for better, in any other areas. If someone started to study the causes of major problems of the world, they would find out that it has a lot to do with the unequal status of women in most of the countries. And that is something that all the women need to understand at the first place, and then all the people.

What new ventures/events/plans are you looking forward to for the rest of this year?
I have a lot of work plans right now and I'm looking forward to that. I feel inspired, so I hope, will turn that to an awesome content. I hope I will also travel for some trips, in between.