‘We only live once.’
‘No, we only die once, we live every day!’
Fashion and Food blogger Riya Hassani
The name Riya Hassani, Fashion and Food blogger, has emerged from the city of textiles and diamonds. Surat has become well known in the industry of lifestyle and food blogging. Holding the passion for fashion at the very core of her heart since her childhood, she gave it all she had and has become an example for many.
Also being a food lover, her love for food gave her an initial propelling as she started her journey as a food blogger. As the blog continued to grow, so did Riya and soon she included lifestyle blogging into it. Riya has worked with top brands in the game such as Dine Out, Starbucks, Lays, Helo, Smytten, and several other brands. Bringing her A-game every time, Riya has gained an extraordinary reputation in the industry.
Upon asking about her initial days in the blogging industry, Riya says, “My liking for food and fashion exploration hits me with a different level of pleasure and so this is where the baby steps of my quest of miles began. I was rather clear about my interests in the realm of blogging and lifestyle.
Initially, I began as a food blogger and as time went on I started getting responses and the appreciation from the fans I received was in loads and so I further thought of taking it forward, and eventually, I moved towards lifestyle and fashion blogging. And this is how theflavour.tummy came into existence.”
The essential aspects that one would require to enter the profession of blogging according to Riya are, ‘ The most basic aspect according to me is that one must love his/her body and has to be body positive. Comparison of your body with that ideal figure one carries in mind is unnecessary. Embracing yourself and being more lovable will go in the long run. The next thing I would stress over is the passion, as that spark or the energy about your work should be eternally consistent.
Achieving something is not easy, one must keep going, be consistent with the efforts, there will be falls, there will be ups and downs, there will come many other things that will stand in your path, don’t stop, just get going and you’ll eventually reach the top. The third thing is uniqueness, to do things your way, that will express your personality and elegance within you. It’s obvious to think that clicking pictures, posting them, and getting likes is pretty easy but that compels a great deal of planning.
Copying is easier than creating something of your style. I would just say that when Uniqueness is backed up by passion and consistency, nothing can stop you! Even a simple hobby you picked up just to pass time could be an opportunity for you to reach the peaks of success.’
One is bound to come across hurdles in life and so it was in Riya’s case. So what were the hurdles she came across?
”Coming up with new content and creating a utility from the same for the audience is always challenging. Working together with brands also puts forward huge challenges such as, I do decline sometimes when it comes to promoting things that I don’t agree to or I would not endorse in my routine. In those circumstances, I do stick to my moral impressions, as the audience out there looks up to me for some valuable content and I can’t ever endorse such things for my gains.
Since Riya is into fashion and lifestyle for 2+ years, knowing her definition of fashion will surely be insightful. ‘ For me, fashion is something that is developed from within and which gradually develops. There is no particular definition of fashion, it has to be different for everyone. It’s not about doing something trendy even if it makes you uncomfortable, but doing something which suits you, comforts you.
I always focus on what suits me and my personality, the color combinations, the venues, the events, etc. If I’m comfortable with something then I’ll make it fashionable, but won’t just go for something that is trendy and makes me uncomfortable.’ We all get inspired by someone or something, it was the same for Riya. Her enthusiasm towards fashion roots way back in her childhood since she used to go shopping with her parents. ” I always loved to go shopping with my parents and wearing fashionable clothes is what I loved and besides that, everything around me has been inspiring me always.
But my greatest inspiration is the person I see every time I look in the mirror. I believe that the highest inspiration can be gained from the passion that burns within you. If you can get inspired by someone else around you, you can get inspired by yourself too.”
Apart from blogging, there are many other things Riya Hassani has a preference for, ‘My love for food is not something I can hide. I love cooking and eating both equally. Cooking is something I’m very inclined towards. During these lockdown times, I invested that time in cooking and spending time with my family.’
Her achievements are commendable, she has won the award for ‘best blogger’ and has been featured on several platforms. But there is one more achievement that is most precious to her. ‘ Awards and achievements are something that comes with success, but what is the most precious achievement for me you ask?
It is something that is a reward I’ve got for being me and consistently developing my passion. It is the words of my fans. Knowing that my fans are getting inspired by what I do and knowing that I was able to help them rise from something they never thought they could. This is something priceless that I’ve achieved and I’m very proud of it.
I love how the fans approach me and compliment my work, like what I do, and adore me for being me. This is what I believe one should achieve, you don’t have to change to fit in the world, development is essential but not by losing yourself but by understanding your uniqueness and refining it from within.’
Word of wisdom:
Being a lifestyle and food blogger, Riya often came across people who look up for answers to their problems such as self-doubts, procrastination, losing hope, etc. Her audience also looks up to her as an inspiration. Riya has a message for them.
‘I always emphasize never giving up on your passion and dreams. The path may seem difficult, you’ll come across odds that may seem like mountains, but always remember, even the tallest mountain can be claimed. Also whenever you lose hope don’t look down on yourself, it’s natural to feel beaten and exhausted, whenever you feel like this just keep this old saying in mind “Always remember why you started” and that indeed will fuel your desire to achieve what you always wanted to.’
Life is not simply about a journey that would reach its destination, death! But life is a journey which we are meant to enjoy, rather than simply move along as the path takes us. That is what life is about. And to enjoy life one must live it first. It is often misunderstood that life is simply about taking responsibilities, completing errands, and going on with it. But life is also about living.
It is about enjoying, observing, trying new things, etc. Now one of the most important aspects of living a life is how you live. Some prefer monotonous, some like it to be dynamic, so prefer subtle while some prefer adventurous. Stating that everyone has their preference of lifestyle. Speaking of lifestyle, today’s story is about someone who likes to add ‘style’ to ‘lifestyle’.
Fashion should always be about developing a healthy lifestyle and not about changing yourself as this wise man has rightly said:
“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live!”
– Gianni Versace
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