Maker Spotlight – Get To Know The Face Behind The Brand.
Meet Ishita from Rangeen. Ishita lives in Raleigh. NC and has been creating jewelry with polymer clay for 2 years and selling for a little over a year now. She is 100% inspired by her culture, her family and her upbringing as an Indian American. She is inspired by things around her, but she draws most of her inspiration from the diversity of South Asia. Ishita LOVES to workout when she is not creating and she is currently training for a half-marathon. She loves to be outside in general. She also finds joy in DIY projects, cooking/eating and being busy with family and friends. Spending time to develop different life skills or things for her career keeps her busy and now that the world is slowly opening back up, she is ready to start traveling again. Her friends from college all live in different states, so they love meeting up in new countries and cities just to explore. When she is creating her beautiful art she loves putting on old 90’s Rom-Coms and Disney movies. She doesn’t like watching new things while she creates since she can’t focus on what she’s listening to, so having a classic feel good movie puts her in her happy place.
Rangeen specializes in unique earrings made mainly from polymer clay but they can also include beads, stones, mirrors and even spices. Her love of her culture shines through in every one of her pieces. You can also find wall hangings, ornaments and rings in her shop. Ishita gladly accepts custom orders and her website is in her IG bio.
Here are some words from Ishita:
-What made you want to start creating?-
“When I moved to NC from California I didn’t know anyone in the area and needed something to fill the extra time I had. Coming from California, I saw so many women here wearing gorgeous earrings, and as an accessory lover I needed them, so I decided to do some research and attempt to make them. It took me a few months of trial and error, I completely stunk, but after 8 months of practice I found my creative voice!”
-Would you like to share any family info? Pets?-
“I have a dog named Maggi (she’s named after my favorite Instant noodles)! She is truly one of the biggest lights in my life and gives the best cuddles.”
-What is your MOST FAVORITE item you have created?-
“THIS IS NOT FAIR! Uhmmmm I’d have to go with either my Heera’s or Peacocks!”
-What makes your shop unique? What is your specialty?-
“I would have to say the south asian touch! Everything we have is not only inspired by south asian culture, but we create designs that can translate well with both Western and South Asian clothing. We love working with traditional south asian elements (i.e. clay and kundan) and then putting a contemporary western spin on it! Rooted in culture, and celebrating all of us is a huge part of what Rangeen is and I think it’s something you can only find here.”
-What is the story behind your business name?-
“As a South Asian American, I wanted to make sure my brand represented the fusion of cultures and the diversity here in the United States. “Rangeen” (rung-een) directly translates to colorful in Hindi and truly showcases everything about this brand. Being Indian/inspired by India I wanted a name that truly fit both sides of who I am as a person plus I also wanted to showcase the beauty in the colors of our world and celebrate the diversity we have around us. And so Rangeen was the perfect name to fit all the criteria and celebrate “how rangeen our world is!”
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