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Crafted with love in every twist and turn of wire wrapping, Getstoned.Rings hopes to inspire joy within those that adorn these wonderful handmade accessories. Below we speak to Huda Bahrudin on brand inspiration, accidental creative approaches and more.
What is your brand's creative direction and artistic approach? Why have you decided to go down this route?
Being punfully playful has always been the core of my brand’s creative direction. It started with a wordplay, so I just rolled with it – no one likes anything half-baked. I enjoy the little chuckles I get from my followers when they catch it. In terms of artistic approach to my crafts, in the same spirit of playfulness, I enjoy taking the experimental route in creating pieces fresh and new. Wire-wrapped jewelry is abundant, and being experimental is one of the ways I set myself apart while reinforcing my brand (and pleasing my inner child of craft!).
Please share what has been the brand's most admirable achievement thus far!
The best thing that came out of Getstoned.Rings has really been our experimental series where we played with ear cuffs in different forms (our Ear Kebabs are by far the highest in demand!). It garnered genuine attention and from start to finish, it felt as euphoric as when I first started – when friends see value in my creations, except it tripled – people online are recognizing what I do too. From genuine attention to having our back-to-back releases sell out within an hour or so, and seeing people wear our experiments and matching them with outfits and makeup looks? It really lights me up, and I hold onto these little triumphs very dearly.
What hardships have your brand gone through?
It’s not as much a hardship than a little buzzkill, but I’d say moments where I cave into self-doubt plus the heightened paranoia of being duped. It’s one thing to feel like your personal creative process is taken for granted, it’s another on its own to be invalidated and gaslighted into thinking your creations aren’t special in the first place – and I’ve faced both of them. I try my best to stay above in such moments, and I’m blessed to have supportive friends who help me retreat into my safe space when things get overwhelming.
How are your products sourced and made?
I source my materials from both local craft stores and imported goods online, and it’s often a cycle of trial-and-error to be able to pin down on quality while maintaining the affordability of my brand. All our wire-wrapped pieces are handcrafted in my own personal workspace.
What is your brand's creative approach?
To be very blunt, my brand’s creative approach in crafting our products is essentially organized chaos, and almost always accidental. Some failures create lengthy trial-and-errors, other failures create completely different ideas on its own. I’ve learnt to just bask in both.
Happy accidents are merely the spark, however – I always try to structure it around several variations of prototypes, and wearing them out to test their comfort and durability can take a week or two. My creative approach has evolved compared to when I first started – I see it reflected in the tangible output of my brand, from craftsmanship to packaging and personalized touches – and it’s all thanks to the massive love and support that has allowed me to elevate every detail.
We craft with love in every wire wrap, and we believe in creating quality pieces that not only people can adorn, but also inspire joy in themselves.
How did your brand come about?
It came about unintentionally – I have always been crafty in whatever I find myself doing and playing with wire jewelry started as random as any other tiny projects I throw myself into. What really kickstarted it into a business was the support I got from friends who saw value in my trinkets and were willing to put value on it. Since I quit my job as a marketing executive in the telecoms industry, I thought why not? I started PKP thinking I’d be a fitness geek (that failed) and ended up with a craft jewelry business. It’s comforting to know life has its own sense of humour.
What was your inspiration for your brand?
The inspiration for my brand has always been a little bit everywhere. Sometimes they’re inspired by childhood nostalgia (think Winx, W.I.T.C.H., and Sailor Moon), but essentially inspired by day-to-day life. I’ve always loved manipulating and personalizing my own trinkets, and the same has been for my crafts at Getstoned.Rings. Whenever I get a random spur of ideas – almost always untimely and makes me lose sleep – I can usually trace it back to a nostalgic feeling from my childhood.
What are your brand creative values?
We value authenticity, quality, and most importantly love in our handcrafted pieces. We take pride in our wire jewelry that speaks for itself, if it doesn’t scream Getstoned all over – our authenticity is flattery most have complimented us with, and we want to maintain that, if not take it higher. We craft with love in every wire wrap, and we believe in creating quality pieces that not only people can adorn, but also inspire joy in themselves.
What advice can you share with other local business owners out there?
I wish I knew that being a one-girl hustle isn’t as simple as posting, selling and shipping out. Some advice I would give to other local business owners out there would be a simple Do-and-Don’t: Do play nice, always – the small business community is very wholesome if you make it wholesome. I’ve connected with so many creative people on Instagram, marveled at their crafts, and learned something new every day. Another piece of advice that goes without saying – DON’T treat business pages as your personal Pinterest feed – it’s great to acknowledge inspirations, but it’s never okay to disrespect small creators.
What are your goals and vision for your brand in the years to come?
My goal is to maintain Getstoned.Rings as an affordable handcrafted jewelry brand that bridges playfulness and elegance in our contemporary wire-wrapped pieces. Whether it’s a tiny pendant, a statement ring, or an intricate ear cuff, I envision Getstoned.Rings to become the sui generis of local handcrafted jewelry, inspiring whimsy through artistry and authenticity wrapped pretty.
Lastly, what makes your brand and product unique?
In its foundation, I think Getstoned.Rings sets itself apart from others through its variety of ring silhouettes, a diverse range that grew from the moment we started until now, driven by my own motivation to be different. As our range of accessories grows to go against its name and explores a wider range of varieties with necklace charms and earpieces,
I believe the uniqueness that our brand brings forth is something that speaks for itself, and one that our followers can genuinely see – especially our day one stoned babies. With the popularity of wire-wrapped accessories that builds on many different aesthetics, my brand offers uniqueness in fresh and distinct pieces, and our experimental series solidifies that.
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