Max: What does your company do?
Ridwan: My business, RRIPZ CUSTOMS, is a custom fashion brand which specialises in custom denim. What is your role? I’m a one man army, you could say. I make all the custom work myself, obviously, but I also run my socials, content, and scheduling — the whole package.
Max: What is the proudest moment in your career so far?
Ridwan: I would definitely say getting my own studio space. I had been looking for about a year, as I had outgrown working and running my business from my bedroom. So when I found out about Bond House, I did the viewing straight away and moved in two weeks later 😉
Max: What is it like being both a local resident and a part of the Bond House community? / What is it like being a part of the Bond House community?
Ridwan: I live about 20 minutes from Bond House. It’s a 15-minute cycle on a good day, or just one bus, so in terms of locality it is very convenient. What I like most about the Bond House community is that it is full of creatives all in different, unique fields. My next-door studio neighbours make rugs. Other tenants’ occupations include photographers, streaming, and the fashion industry, etc., so it’s good to have everyone under one open space.
Max: What drew you to Bond House initially?
Ridwan: Definitely the locality to where I live, but also I love the modernised building. Can you tell us about any exciting projects that you are working on at the moment? I have an upcoming showcase where I will be exhibiting most of the projects and work that I’ve made on my journey, so that’s exciting. It will also be a chance for like-minded individuals in my field to mingle, network, and possibly learn something new.
Max: What does a typical day in the studio look like for you?
Ridwan: I come in and write down my to-do list, as I’m a visual person. If I don’t have something written on my to-do list, I will definitely forget to get it done. Then I work on any custom orders that I have and check my socials to see if there are any messages to respond to. Once all of that is done, with any disposable time that I have, I work on a project which I would film content for to post on TikTok and Instagram.
Max: How important is location to your work?
Ridwan: Very important. I don’t want to be dreading an hour journey into the office and then have a whole day of work ahead of me — it can be demotivating. That’s why I’m grateful that I’m very local.
Max: If you were describing this studio to another creative or start-up, what would you say first?
Ridwan: The building alone sells itself — very secure, modern, and clean. But mainly, the environment and community of the tenants is something to look forward to. You’ll be surprised how people who may not be in the same creative field as you can have a positive impact on your work or provide help you didn’t think was accessible.
Max: Any future plans for Studio GRS2?
Ridwan: As of right now, I’m taking it day by day. As for the studio, I have pretty much made it my home over the last couple of months since moving in. Going forward, I want to perfect my craft and skills in the industry so that I can excel further and maybe even move into one of the bigger studios in Bond House!
