R.A Creation'z - Blast of Creativity

This week we are delighted to have Riffat Alam answering our questionnaire. This lady has taken the very zesty 'Truck Art' and inspired by it has created a dynamic range of accessories in the newest launch. Enjoy the interview and make sure to stop by her page and order up from this festive and trendy virtual store.

1. Start by telling us where and how this successful idea was brought up in your mind?

I had always been a bit on the heavier side. So anything ready made, especially accessories would not fit me. And that would make me angry. I would love a piece and the shop would say we do not carry this in a large/XL size. I would want to accessorize in the latest trends obviously so I chose to recreate the stuff I saw and with my artistic abilities I would add my own twists to the accessories. This not only made my accessories unique but would lead people to ask where I got my accessory from and my usual reply would be I made it with the conversation coming to an end with the other person saying “love it! Make me one too please” and I would happily oblige. My one trademark was that whatever I made I inscribed it with “R. A. Creation’z” my way of showing that it was my creation. I was proud of it.

The first year of university kicked in, the everyday efforts to look good and wear the best accessories, friends, birthdays, celebrations and the loads of gift giving. Friend’s loved what I wore and I gifted them their favorites for their birthdays. This lead to more people noticing my work and asking for it and finally my best friends encouraged me to start up a Facebook page for my work and for that I will be eternally thankful to all of them. R. A. Creationz made its presence known on social media on 30th August’ 2008. The first order was placed by one of my closest friends who took a whole lot of stuff to gift to her cousins on Eid and that became my first official order. Then came more friends with requests for thread bangles, candles and what not, they demanded, I created. Sometimes I experimented too and the results were given away as birthday gifts or sold through the university fairs. All through my friends were my biggest supporters, my positive critics and my awesome customers. 

In 2012 March I heard of Chamak Patti! By then I was in my last year of University and my sister had joined the Visual Studies Department. She and her friends told me of this material used in truck art and which some people used as decorations on items or accessories. I had never heard of the medium nor seen it and to top it all off I did not know where I could get it in Karachi and no one was sure of the exact suppliers as well. I took a leap of faith. Pieced together whatever information I could muster from my sister’s friends and asked a friend to get me some basic materials from the places mentioned. He got what he could and I instantly fell in love when I laid eyes on the first roll of Chamak Patti. The color, the hues, the stripes, it was like this colorful world which beckoned me to endless possibilities, where I could work with color. It was and still is a love affair that goes strong. I see Chamak Patti and I am transformed. It has endless colorful possibilities which I see when I set eyes on Chamak Patti. People see stripes of colors; I see it beautifying a bangle, wallet, or ring. From those initial supplies I created jewelry that was well received! And then began the search for the actual suppliers of Chamak Patti. 5 hours scouring Karachi with my Father and we were able to locate the place. And the love affair intensified. Like a kid in a candy shop I got all the colors I could see. I stocked up on colors and began a frenzy of creating, worked all night to get the items prepared for an exhibition the next day at the Karachi expo Centre. The response was amazing Masha ALLAH! It was well received and the encouragement of people made me brave enough to try a whole new line of Chamak Patti Jewelry! On 15th April 2012 I launched my truck art jewelry collection titled “From Chinchi with Love” and the rest as they say is history.

2. How would you define your brand and work?

I would define my brand as a mixture of beauty, class, chichness and a big burst of Color. My work ethics are clearly laid out. I believe in doing the best of what I can and so my pieces do not leave my home for their destination until I myself am satisfied that it is near perfect (Perfect I believe is only ALLAH Tala’s plans and work.)

3. I was scanning the page and saw that you have these amazing thread-worked bangles, what other products does your brand feature?

Thread Bangles are a small portion of my work but they are in no way less important. They were what set me on the path to R. A. Creationz. My most popular line of accessories is the “From Chinchi with Love” Collection which is based on and inspired by our Pakistani truck art. Apart from that I have some candle work, decorative pieces to adorn one’s home, and different sorts of accessories.

4. Tell us about the exhibitions or events that you have taken R.A creations to? How was the response?

Till now I have exhibited at the University of Karachi (Student Week) fairs and once at the Social Expo last March at the Karachi Expo center.

The response has always been amazing and encouraging Masha ALLAH.

5. This Online shop has already gathered so much fan-following, but other than this where would you like to see this work of yours?

Alhamdulillah! All thanks to ALLAH Tala’s blessings R. A. Creationz and I have come a long way.

Future Plan, Insha ALLAH more products in the “From Chinchi with Love” range and maybe more experimental stuff. 

My ultimate dream is a quaint, cozy little R. A. Shop painted in rainbow stripes, fitted with dim lights, low tables and fairy lights strewn all over the place, filled with all sorts of items created by me in the truck art range. Insha’Allah!

6. Once you get an order, what is the procedure that follows? Also, what are the services that you provide for delivery for the customers residing in other parts of the country?

Once I get an order I get a double confirmation from the customer as all my orders are mostly re-created or customized so I take the customer’s specifications seriously and re-check for confirmations. Then I prepare a final invoice and ask them to pay the amount in advance including the courier charges through a bank transfer or easy paisa. Till then I have already started work on the order. Once the amount is transferred I take the address of the recipient. As I operate online, all my orders are couriered regardless of the customer’s destination. I have two dispatch days a month spaced a fortnight apart. All orders coming in and paid for one day before the dispatch day are dispatched on the nearest dispatch day. All payments coming in later than the dispatch day are put in the next fortnight’s dispatch.

Link:
R.A Creation'z Facebook Page!