Waking Up With: Meeka Hossain
Meeka Hossain is an LA based creative. Her chic style is a balanced mix of easy neutrals layered with contrasting colors and textures. Here, we discuss changing careers, sources of inspiration, and decorating her new home.
Hello! First off, tell us a little about yourself and what you’ve been up to lately?
My name is Meeka Hossain and I’m a full time content creator with a love for fashion, beauty, design, and travel. Some fun facts about me are that I hate chocolate, tequila is my drink of choice and Casino is my favorite movie.
What is your morning ritual?
I am such a morning person! I’m an early riser and wake up around 6-6:30am and the first thing I do is drink a cup of hot tea, pick a fresh scent for my Vitruvi diffuser, and stretch.
Tell us about your work, how did you get into it? What about your work continues to inspire you?
I started in the fashion industry as a personal assistant at 22 and worked my way up to a marketing director for the last 5 years at NSF Clothing. I recently just went full time influencer in May which was a major pinch me moment! At 22 I wanted free clothes, and of course more money, but more importantly the freedom to create whatever ideas I had without getting approval from my superiors. Instagram gave me a creative outlet to have my own voice, both verbally & visually, and I loved feeding that side of myself. What started as a side hustle slowly developed into another full-time job. If there’s anything the past year has taught me it’s to slow down, reflect, realize and pursue what makes you happiest. Working for myself has always been my goal and I’m constantly inspired by the people I meet along the way and the places I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to because of my job. The most rewarding part of my job is having the creative freedom to be myself 100%.
How do you challenge yourself to avoid repetition in your work and instead always be growing and evolving in a way that feels true to you?
Don’t pay too much attention to what everyone else is doing and post the things YOU are passionate about. There is a difference between getting inspired by someone’s work and blatantly copying it. When you copy someone, you lose your voice and your audience will notice that. When I’m in a creative rut, instead of forcing myself to continue working, I like to step away from social media and do some things that I enjoy like hiking or having a yummy dinner with good friends. When I feel more centered, I’m able to jump back into my work refreshed and with a new outlook.
You also have a lifestyle blog, Catch Meeks If You Can, can you tell us a little bit about it and how it came to be?
My blog started as a travel blog back in 2017 and slowly expanded to cover various aspects of my daily life. When I started it, I was traveling a lot for work and for leisure and a friend said “You’re always gone, it’s like Catch Meeka if You Can”. I thought it was catchy and Meeks is my nickname so that is what I’ve called my blog ever since. Today Catchmeeksifyoucan covers everything from travel guides of all the places I’ve visited, to skincare rituals passed down from my family, to workout and wellness routines I love.
Who and what inspires you the most right now?
Travel has always been my number one inspiration. I’m a visual learner and being in a foreign place has always helped me submerge myself into learning much faster. Someone who also inspires me is my sister, I love how well she balances motherhood along with the other relationships in her life.
What always lets you down and what never lets you down?
I am always let down when I’m at a restaurant and the dessert menu only has chocolate (I hate chocolate but love desserts). Something that never lets me down is the power of a good book.
Can you tell us a little bit about your home? What’s your approach to decorating?
I recently moved into a new apartment and love it! My style really combines minimalism with maximalism. I like tonal things and I like color. I love textures and different shapes and am ok to get experimental. I also primarily buy vintage pieces and so I have learned to trust the process and be patient in sourcing pieces. You can’t rush the process!
Fill in the blanks:
The coolest place I’ve ever woken up in is: In a Sprinter van overlooking the Utah mountains.
The best cup of coffee/tea is at: Blue Bottle! I like to have it with their waffles.
A thing about mornings I’ll never get sick of is: My best work is always in the first 4 hours of waking up.
