Unstoppable in his creativity, the designer got his start creating Michael Jackson’s jackets and gloves, then he created the world’s most expensive perfume, and now his $65k bags are popular among celebrity and royal women
Handbags starting at $65k (£48k), have you ever heard of such a thing? Well, it is a thing and HRH Arfaq’s ghost handbags are some of the most sought-after handbags amongst royalty and celebrities. Custom made down to the very last detail, and taking 12-14 weeks to create, it takes longer to do a special commission Ghost handbag than building a Rolls Royce. But, the Ghost handbags are one-of-a-kind, tailored to the woman who wants the most unique of evening bags.
HRH Arfaq the creative architect has always had wheels of design ingenuity spinning in his head. From an early age he knew he wanted to create but he didn’t come from wealth, he had to build himself up to get to where he is today. His story thus far is filled with incredible breakthrough and incredibly low points. He has known what it is to want, and his beginning roots are of humble ones. From Yorkshire, UK Arfaq worked hard in his early years, but it’s when he saw Michael Jackson’s 1983 Billie Jean music video he knew he had to design for the famous global pop singer, and his unbreakable persistence to do this became a reality.
These $65k handbags you say
Standing in Arfaq’s showroom the reclusive designer is dressed in skinny black pants cut above the ankle, black crystal loafers, a black t-shirt with colorful print, and a light sweater. His energy is calm, not what many might think about him. With low lighting he motions for me to sit down as pleasantries are exchanged. After a few moments, Arfaq goes into detail about his bespoke handbags that by the end of the chat, it’s clear that his handbags aren’t of pretentiousness but works of art and a creative labor of love for Arfaq to express his creativity.
“The “Levitation” is what houses the Ghost,” details Arfaq. “The box opens and closes when a special button is pressed. Once the unit is closed, it is locked airtight. “There’s no moisture, and that’s something I specifically thought about for clients in hot countries,” he continues. “You can have problems with the skins fading, and then you lose that perfection.” If that ever does happen, clients have a lifetime warranty to rely on. Inside, the hand-stitched leather of the box is the same as those used in Bentley motorcars. Details like this are exemplary of Arfaq’s reverence for luxury. When the box does close, a series of wheel mechanisms inside the box stir into action. Look closely and you can see an engraved message on these wheels – usually a poem.”
No moisture or dust ever gets into the case because alligator and crocodile skins fade in the sunlight, and the moisture is kept to a point of perfection,” shares Arfaq. “Interior wise they’re all lined with the Bentley leather, hand lined and hand stitched. We have a platform down here which has all these incredible wheels, which turn and makes industrial wheel sounds. The only reason this exists is a sort of theater when you open.”
Everything is bespoke from the skins on the outside of the bag, to the interior. A teflon finish covers the bags so that raindrops don’t damage them. The most feminine and strong of women are his muse like model Kendall Jenner.
As the bags have not been on the market for long, women can purchase by invitation only, but Arfaq plans to transition to by appointment, and he is working on the next generation. “The Ghost intertwines its creative aesthetic majesty with the application of high-end technology implementations, breathing an extravagant soul to the beautiful exterior of the piece,” shares Arfaq. “All Ghost handbags are fitted with “teardrop lighting”, both in the handle which illuminates as it is touched, but also the interior of the bag, which has been creatively fitted with fibre-optic lighting which glistens with an astrologic constellation of lit-up diamond stars, custom-made to reflect the sky of the night of a memorable date for the client. At the time of build and delivery, the client can opt to have lighting control allowing the lights to automatically adjust to your favourite restaurant or theatre.”
It also has contactless payment on the bottom and on the front, thus avoiding you putting cards inside the bag. It will have GPS tracking which is standard and it can be globally tracked.” This new generation will also have a mini refrigerator inside for women to put medicine or lipstick into, a touch Arfaq added for women in hot, humid, and arid countries.
Michael Jackson
From 1983 Arfaq knew he wanted to design for Michael Jackson so he worked hard for four years and made his dream happen. By 1994 he got a forty-five-minute private audience with the renowned singer through Bob Jones, vice president of the production company in Chicago. It was then that Michael Jackson decided to buy every design Arfaq created, estimated to be worth over $680k+. Themed the “Fashion or Art” collection to which Jackson called: “pure genius.”
From that moment on Arfaq and Jackson worked together on various collections, cementing a flourishing creative, business, and personal relationship that lasted right up until Jackson’s death in 2009. “To be Michael Jackson’s designer was a dream come true, working with him closely in a creative field was a breathtaking journey. He was a visionary and pushed me hard to excel in my field,” remembers Arfaq.
The designer created over thirty-nine outfits and jewelry for the singer, which brought in a one-hundred percent sales record, the most any designer created for the singer. The jacket “Black Rain” was named after the it’s dazzling design and the effects it creates. It is an ultra-light-weight jacket, decorated with four specially commissioned military crests, which were all handmade and bespoke to the singer. Sewn with velvet gold wire and fine threads, the crests are exquisite in design. The finishing touches included 9ct gold button fastening.
Arfaq’s design creations can be seen in Jackson’s “HIStory World Tour,” the Brit Awards, and the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s first crystal jacket, the world’s first air-conditioned jacket, the world’s first perfumed jacket, the world’s first adjustable shoes, and the world’ most expensive cuff links. His last project for Jackson was in September 2001, which sold for over one million dollars. “He was my dearest friend and first ever client,” says Arfaq.
Perfumes
V1 was named by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2000 as the most expensive perfume in history. Its notes are rose, jasmine, neroli, spice, amber and wood. Arfaq and his team of perfumers, one being Arthur Burnham, who was HRH Prince Charles private perfumer, who passed away in 2007 are the only ones who know the formula. They dug deep into antiquity, to Roman, Greek, Egyptian, and Babylonian history as a guide to use spices like quinces, saffron, and myrrh to tell a fragrance story. “Many of these spices were discovered in Tutankhamen’s tomb after it was opened 2,000 years later,” muses Arfaq.
A work of artisan craft, the bottle is created by Ateliers Dinand in Paris, and made of 1kg of pure platinum 18ct gold and ruby crystal. It’s finished with a 2.6 carat diamond encrusted wreath. S.C. Gordon Ltd coach builders to Rolls-Royce and Bentley were commissioned to create the case, as well as the Connolly hide interior.
Mayfair
Located in London’s Mayfair, Arfaq’s showroom is named Maison de IF. The reason it’s called “if” is because once he saw a beautiful woman, he thought to himself what it would mean to him if she was his girlfriend, so you get the point of the name.”
The ghost handbags are really something that must be seen to be believed, but even deeper, also seen to get why they cost so much. In a world where many are in need so may ask, why spend $100k on such an indulgence? Arfaq seems to get this, that’s why he has set up the business to give back. “In about two years my company’s plan is to have one-hundred percent of my royalties go to charity. The company will still receive income but one-hundred percent of my earnings from the Ghost handbag will go to charity,” he says. When meeting him it’s palpable that he doesn’t do what he does for money. His life is full but not ostentatious, as he can be seen grabbing McDonald’s and doing ordinary things. And while he does drive a Ferrari and yes, it is a luxury, it’s more so simply his dream car. Quiet in nature creating $100k handbags, he’s quite low key living between London and Yorkshire.
Arfaq does what he does because he loves it and he can’t seem to turn off his wheels of ingenuity. The man is a serial creator and he’s very personable, hence all the details he has thought of for women and what they need in a handbag, striving to make it happen. He simply couldn’t do anything else with his time except this passion to create things with extreme personal touches. “I can create virtually anything that I think of and make it come to life,” he muses from behind his dark glasses. “I can write a perfume from a beautiful smile. When I sit with accountants they’ll advise me that I remove this or that detail, but I always say, ‘no I want it.’ I’ve realized to separate myself from business, and let others manage the business. I wish I understood how normal things work but I really don’t.”
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