Interview with accessory designer Ruchika Chani.

CHUCHUMAI in Hindi is: A woman who makes a lot of noise.

CHUCHUMAI is also the nickname given to designer, Ruchika, by her father when she was only two years old. Born in New York, into a family with extensive experience in manufacturing, Ruchika has been around fabrics  and fashion production ever since she can remember. Her memories of exploring fabrics being dyed and cut, visiting local markets, choosing trims and performing quality control, all played a role in her passion to create her accessories CHUCHUMAI.

Using special hand woven fabrics, CHUCHUMAI's creations are in fact voices of the strong women who weave them in villages around the world. Her collection was first launched at Cabana in Miami and can be found in Dubai at Sauce on Sea. 

Ruchika what inspires your collection? 

I live a pretty mobile lifestyle and a lot of my inspiration comes from this. I like things to be easy to travel with and multi purposed. I am a travel junky and love to visit new places for inspiration and I particularly enjoy exploring different culture's traditional arts and crafts.  I adore visiting markets, souks, and small rustic villages. Chuchumai was born on  a cobble stoned hill in south turkey, and it was the most organic conception. I was walking in and out of little homes, whose front doors were open for anyone to come in and observe as the women in the community sat there making this fabric that I instantly connected with. I knew immediately what I wanted to do next. 

Tell us more about the community of women who work on the textiles?

They are the cutest, warmest cherubish looking grandmothers around!  The level of hospitality and kindness goes beyond anything i have seen.  They live so simply but are so generous. Their craft was taught to them by their mothers and passed down many generations, its tedious and laborious. Each piece of fabric can take months to make and is one of a kind. Buying these fabrics to create my collections, I hope to help them keep their tradition alive for much longer and allow the younger generation to value their skills. 

Describe the CHUCHUMAI woman? 

The chuchumai customer is someone who can recognize and appreciate craftsmanship and is not afraid to take risks when it comes to fashion. She is a cross between bohemian, trendy and classic in her style and a free spirit at heart.  She beats to her own drum!

How would you describe your own personal style?

Eclectic,  comfort driven, chic, bold, and quirky at times. I do not follow trends, try to mix it up a bit to keep my style unpredictable.  

Some Fashion Icons In your opinion?

Nicole Richie, Mira Duma

Favorite websites or social media handles?

net a porter\moda operandi/asos/ matches