By Latoya Gayle

“A former nurse is revealing how her unflattering healthcare uniform inspired her to launch a fashion business.

Ramina Ashfaque recalled representing Pakistan internationally in beauty pageants before her uncle’s death inspired her to go to nursing school in a recently published interview.

When she began working long shifts as a nurse, Ashfaque struggled to find scrubs that she felt comfortable wearing.”

“I did pageants in my 20s, and then I went on to become a nurse, and then I just saw that I didn’t like any of the scrubs that were out there, so I just decided to make my own,” she told Local 10.

The founder and chief executive of Ashh Scrubs said her designs are “fitted” and “more girly” than traditional scrubs worn by healthcare professionals.

““I was always like the skinnier girl, so they all felt like a big paper bag on me,” she said.

Ashfaque recalled in an Instagram post on Tuesday, Sept. 1 about getting called into the office after she and a group of other nurses wore her designs to the hospital on launch week.

“When I started Ashh Scrubs, I was still working full-time as a nurse,” she said. “Twelve-hour shifts in the telemetry unit and I want to be really clear about something — I wasn’t selling at the hospital.” ”

“She said other people were selling items, such as candles and T-shirts, without being questioned by superiors. However, she was brought to tears frequently by talks in the office once they became aware of her online business.

“Three months after I launched, we were doing real numbers and I was finally able to afford to just walk,” she said, adding, “I loved being a nurse, I still have my license. I just wasn’t meant to stay there.””

“The business owner revealed that she took a financial risk to launch her fashion brand.

“I bet pretty much all my savings. I was working like crazy as a nurse, doing super overtime because this was during COVID too,” said Ashfaque. “There was so much overtime — I was working, working, working. I was like, I can’t do this anymore. I took every penny I had and put it into this.”

She quit full-time nursing to focus on her business just three months after it launched. ”

“Best decision I’ve ever made,” Ashfaque said.

Ashh Scrubs is described as “scrubs that combine exceptional comfort, sophisticated style, and uncompromising functionality” on the brand’s website. The scrubs for healthcare workers come in sizes from XXXS to 3XL.

“All the pants come in petite, regular, tall,” Ashfaque said.