Chinu Kala is tall, pretty and stylishly dressed. She climbs down the stairs gingerly in her black stilettos to meet me. Dressed in an all-black outfit, which is contrasted with a striking silver-steel accessory on her neck, she looks like she has just walked off the ramp.
Meet the beauty who is also the brain behind the accessories for women and children called Rubans.
“Rubans in French means ribbons. I chose it as ribbons are a symbol of colour and elegance. That is what my accessories are all about,” explains Chinu. Then she adds that Rubans is a Fonte venture, which provides corporate gifting solutions to clients in India.
Chinu offers an exhaustive range of accessories. From hair bands for children to rings, earrings, chains, bracelets and collars for teens and women, the range is mind boggling.
There are collars that come with sequins and stones that start at Rs. 1,500. These can be worn as a party wear or even for weddings and formal occasions. Chinu adds that the collection for Rubans is sourced from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, where she works closely with designers.
“We also have something called as statement pieces. They are called so because you can make a style statement by just wearing them. We have funky ones with bright stones or sober designs with intricate patterns. These can be worn with Indian or Western outfits,” she explains.
“Wearing accessories is a knack. Not every one can wear them. And, those who do, wear them in style. I am also not professionally trained in fashion. But, my journey in life has exposed me to fashion and style,” recalls Chinu, who started off as model with Gladrags in 2007. Then at her “friend’s insistence” she participated in the Mrs. India 2007 contest, where she made it to the top five finalists.
“It was here that I learnt that models used larger-than-life accessories. That grabbed my attention and I started reading and learning more about them. The contest itself was like a grilling session, where we had experts from every walk of life teaching us how to sit, talk, walk and dress. I have been trained by the best panel and that is what still keeps me going. It has groomed my personality. I was like a rough stone, who has been polished to shine,” she says.
The Mrs. India contest is what triggered her passion to sell fashion, she says. “So, I have to keep it trendy, chic and alive. That is what I try to achieve with Rubans.”
Rubans will be available at Phoenix Mall from February 28. But you can shop online at >www.rubansindia.com .
This article has been corrected for a typographical error
