Walking through the insane crowd at Kala Ghoda, i vaguely remember standing in front of this one stall that most of my friends were keen on dragging me to! Why, you might ask? Apart from the quirk that filled the entire place, the owner had an amazing, almost soothing hypnotic voice. Having known Random in Tandem - the brand - for a while now (and insanely in love with their Wordsworth bookends!) it was awesome meeting the person behind it all! So, for our next 'The Everyday Girl' series, meet Naqiya Yusuf of Random in Tandem!
What was your first job right out of college? Take us through your career path...
I'm sorry to disappoint..but I never did go to college. As for my first job - it was Motherhood! My life has paved out quite unconventionally and most of my education has come from life itself. I grew up in London, got married very young and moved to Bombay. Only after having two children and having an insane desire to get my creative juices flowing, did I do a one year diploma course in Home Furnishings here through B.D Somani. By the end of the course, I was already expecting my number 3. Thankfully, just before delivering, I managed to complete a 6 month internship at Zeba Design Studio.
Is it quirkiness that attracted you? How did Random in Tandem happen?
Even though my course was primarily focused on Soft Furnishings, my teacher Kanika Bawa was fantastic and she lay high emphasis on the importance of 'design' in general.
After working with fabric based products at Zeba, I realized that I didn't like fabric much and was attracted to more tactile products like metal, glass & leather. The seeds for Random in Tandem were sown when I was re-doing my home & husband's office a few years ago and could not find the fun contemporary high quality finish accessories that I wanted and had been exposed to in Europe.
Why the name Random in Tandem? Where do you draw inspiration from?
The name Random in Tandem was inspired by my own personal experiences. All these 'random' experiences of growing up in the West, living in the East, having family spread out across the globe and studying and being exposed to a wide range of cultures and communities has all come into 'tandem' into whom I am today. Consequently, my designs speak a global language, not bound by any one region or religion. I focus on symbols, images & emotions which anyone, anywhere can identify with.
What's a typical day in your life like?
Like most Mumbaikers - rushed! The day starts early by first sending the kids off to school. Then its Yoga on most mornings. After that, a quick recce on the home & personal front and then I'm at office by 10.30-11am. The bulk of the day then disappears in tedious business work - answering emails, making phone calls, having meetings, chasing payments - and so on so forth! My creative juices primarily flow after twilight hours. I'm not able to get far sitting at my desk. I have to get away. Chill. Ironically, I need distraction to focus. Coffee shops are my usual haunt. Thank God for Starbucks in Mumbai!
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