Ruby Ashraf founded Precious Formals in 1990 after quitting medical school and getting her MBA. She started designing clothes as a hobby and turned it into a $10 million business. Precious Formals became a leading prom and formalwear brand in the US, known for combining traditional designs with creative appeal. Despite becoming wheelchair-bound in 1995, Ruby and her husband Javed continued growing the business through their dedication and passion for fashion.

1. PRESENTATION
ON
RUBY ASHRAF (PGP '83),
PRECIOUS FORMALS
"Dil mein hai chaah, to niklegi raah."
PRESENTED BY: KEVAL PATEL
VRUNDA GANDHI

2. RUBY
ASHRAF
[FOUNDER
OF
PRECIOUS
FORMALS]

3. BACKGROUND OF RUBY
 Ruby grew up in Delhi and from an early age she
was exposed to business, meetings, clients.
 She had heightened sense of self awareness. And
the ability to take tough decisions.
 She quit medical school and got a bachelor‟s and
master‟s in science from Delhi University.
 “she got admission in Birmingham, England to do a
PhD in Fish Embryology. That was her special
interest.

4.  She got an admission in IIM Ahmedabad which
groomed her very drastically in 1983
 Ruby's first job out of campus was in the HR
department of BHEL.
 Ruby got married with Javed (professor at a
time)and shifted toAmerica in 1987
 An old and enduring love for clothes took her in a
different direction.

5.  Ruby always had the title „Best Dressed Girl‟ of the
batch.
 Ruby wear a dress designed by her own on xmas
party of collage and it was appraised by every one
 Ruby her self started creating case studies and
searching for information regarding to clothing industry
in all over America .
 She believed in shlock of GEETA „Karmanyewadhika
raste maa phaleshu kadachana‟ Kuch toh karte rahna
chahiye.

6.  At the end of the day, you should feel that I have given my
120% to it. And the day should not be wasted.”
 Ruby chose to focus on evening wear, which was very
strong then. Margins were high in evening wear and design
 Ruby‟s lucky break came when she designed a dress for the
wife of her husband‟s boss, and a photograph of it appeared
in Rich and Famous magazine.
 This gave her the drive to turn her passion into a business.

7.  She started designing her own clothes and for her
friends with no formal training
 She went to school to learn the art of dressmaking and
then spent a year visiting retailers across the country to
build up her knowledge of market demands and retailer
needs.
 She got her husband‟s company for opening the
business in Delhi but not in America as the hand work on
material is needed which is not done in America

8.  According to Ruby, You have to go door-to-door, you have
to do things at the grass root level.
 “The first thing in business is, you have to sell yourself.
And people should trust you. Do your work sincerely”
 She found a lot of weaknesses in her as a designer, after
that she realised that you should always look around and
future trends in fashion world
 The above qualities hhelps her to establish and sustaining
in market of India, America and China as well.

9.  Javed resigned her job to help Ruby in her business.
 Her husband turned his hobby of photography into
business to help in issuing catalogue for her dresses.
 He handles IT and FINANCE as well as ACCOUNTS of
the company
 As a couple and backbone of the company, they both
discuss the problems regarding the business and solve it
out.

10. A $10 million
Company
Precious Formals
was founded in
1990 by Ruby
Ashraf

11.  It was consistently introduced fresh new trends to
the formalwear industry in the USA.
 PF styles have made an impact on prom, pageant,
and evening-wear markets by combining traditional
designs with imaginative and creative appeal.
 In 1995, a devastating illness left her wheelchair-
bound. Ruby’s husband Javed gave up his work as a
university professor.

12.  It has grown to become the current leading prom,
bridal, and formalwear distributor in the United
States, with clients in several other countries as well.
 For over two decades, Precious Formals has striven
to become a leader in the formalwear industry in the
USA.
 PF has been a proud recipient of the Southwestern
Bridal and Formalwear Manufacturer of the Year
award for many consecutive years.

14. PRICE OF PF PRODUCTS
 Precious Formals dresses - $400-800
 „Glam Gurlz‟ - $200
 'Posh Precious„ - $600

15.  The Dallas Fashion award and the Atlanta DIVA
award.
 Contestants in popular pageants, including the
Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA
competitions, have adorned PF designs.

16.  Bridals/Bridal Accessories
 Girls' Apparel
 Prom/Social Occasion/Quinceanera
 Tween

17.  - 15 Teen
 - Glam Gurlz
 - Lux Gal
 - Posh Precious
 - Precious Angels
 - Precious Brides
 - Precious Divas
 - Precious Formals
 - Ruby's Gems

18.  Opportunistic
 Hardworking
 Passionate
 Goal oriented
 Has an eye for detail
 Convert interest into business
 Futuristic
 Self awareness
 Tough decision maker
 Updating of market trends
 Dedication and sincerity

19. MOTIVATIONAL WORDS
 You can achieve beyond your dreams, so it‟s OK to dream
and make an action plan to turn it into realty.
 There is not one formula to be successful; everyone who is
successful has gone through failures in the process. It
depends upon how hard we kick that failure and learn from it
and take up the challenge stronger to be successful.
 As an entrepreneur you don‟t say that „I have to reach a
particular place in five years‟. You just keep doing whatever
you are doing. You have plans, you have goals, and you
know a strategy. But still one doesn‟t even anticipate that so
much work will be done… you just keep doing it.

20. SOURCES
 http://dev.americasmart.com/amc/V40/exhibitor_
list/displayEx.cvn?exbid=4419&printfr=true&po
pup=1
 www.preciousformals.com