CHENNAI: All my soul needs is sappadu’ — reads a cover image with an array of traditional food items placed on a plate. This is one among the other hardcovers you find on the Instagram page of The Chumma Store. With limited designs on display — the flashy colours, bold fonts, and word plays leave us curious. The online brand was conceptualised by Zoha Sanofer and Afshan Waheed. As you scroll down the page, you read covers featuring — Aiyo Aiyoo Aiyooo, Pakka Chennai Kaaran, English Pesunalum Tamizhan Dhan, Mean Akkas saying ‘You can’t sit with us, and Slay Queen.
Offbeat ideas and sensible concepts brought these two together. “I have been acquainted with Afshan for almost a year-and-a-half. I follow her illustration works on her Instagram page — A Little Brown Scribbler. On December 18, I casually asked her if we could start a stationery brand together. It has been my dream. So we focused more on building a brand than earning a profit. This led to the inception of The Chumma Store — the name is open to interpretations just like our books. We received our first order yesterday,” says Zoha. The books are available as spiral-bound hardcovers and as soft covers.
The duo has a limited number of books that are readily available. “Nobody was ready to print 50-100 copies. We have used steel spiral and smudge-free papers to not compromise on the quality of the product,” shares Zoha.
The partners take inspiration from a range of subjects including city connect, delicacies, Netflix, film characters and current affairs.
“Unlike the common pastel shades and floral patterns, we decided to stand out with our unique choice of wording, themes, and easy-to-relate gender neutral ideas. We have a desi touch in all our designs. Right from the henna in the hand, a messy bun, to a lipstick shade — we pay attention to the intricacies,” shares Afshan.
In the future, the duo wants to create socially responsible covers. Their next edition will have a couple of designs revolving the theme of self-love. They hope to implement these minimalistic designs in pocket notes, magnets, key chain, and popsockets for phones. “We are working on designs including Sathyam popcorn, Marina beach, Biryani, and a lot more,” said Afshan.
Hardcovers are priced at `350. Softcovers are priced at `299. For details visit their Instagram Page: The Chumma Store