“We believe in the beauty of simplicity, enjoying and shedding light on the little pleasures of life – through each and every piece, we hope to induce a sense of delight, an appreciation for understated elegance, making luxury accessible and for everyday. We believe good design moves us and touches the deeper parts of ourselves”
Launched in December 2015 by Yara Tlass, the fine jewelry concept USFUUR, which means “bird” in Arabic, offers minimalist winged-motif jewelry, and represents concepts of freedom, hope, strength, and inner peace. Crafted from pure gold, the brand offers pieces ranging from necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings in 18K solid gold and in colored beads, crystal, brass and silver.
Tlass is a strong advocate for human rights and has partnered up with a Syrian grassroots organization called Myhomeland/Watanilli to donate a percentage from the sale of every piece of jewellery to help support refugee communities in need. Damascus-born, Yara studied and lived in many cities from Lugano to Paris and London and settled in Dubai in 2014.
CityPages Magazine: When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career as a jewelry designer?
Yara Tlass: It was after having been exposed to many artistic endeavors and design projects that I decided I wanted to pursue this path – I found jewelry to be a beautiful intimate medium of self expression where product design and art and culture can collide. It all happened very spontaneously, when I first my launched sketch and design , the feedback was incredible and I had dozens of pieces purchased in days that’s when I knew I should keep at it and started designed and developing my collection.
CPM: What triggered your passion for jewelry design?
YT: Being exposed to some of the world’s best talents, artistic projects and designers is when I realized I wanted to delved more into the world of jewelry – combining high quality craftsmanship with deeper ideas and concepts is what interests me – not just how the product looks but what it is also says or means.
CPM: Who have been your biggest mentors in this industry and what is the best advice they have ever given you?
YT: I’m inspired by many incredible women in this industry from entrepreneurs running successful businesses to artists and designers building great products and crafting new narratives – some of the best advice I’ve received is to seek feedback only from those in the arena, and isolate the noise; and don’t take criticism or rejection personally. It’s almost always a vehicle for growth or a nudge into a better direction.
CPM: What is Usfuur’s main philosophy?
YT: As a brand, we believe in the beauty of simplicity, enjoying and shedding light on the little pleasures of life – through each and every piece, we hope to induce a sense of delight, an appreciation for understated elegance, making luxury accessible and for everyday. We believe good design moves us and touches the deeper parts of ourselves.
CPM: What is one thing that makes your process different to other designers out there?
YT: I think the brand a strong sense of identity and a signature that distinguishes it from other designers in the sense that we like to stay true to our core essence and the values that represent what we’re all about. We also have a social mission at the core as with every piece, the brand gives back to help support displaced communities via the arts and education.
CPM: How do you manage to empower women through the world of jewelry?
YT: By creating pieces that brighten up their day and bring them joy. High quality statement pieces that they can wear and cherish for seasons to come while also knowing that they’ve contributed to a good cause.
CPM: What do you want women to feel when wearing your jewelry?
YT: A sense of being limitless, confident & content, free and at peace.
CPM: Who would you most like see wearing your jewelry?
YT: My friends and family and our incredible community of women and clients are amongst some of my biggest supporters. Seeing women from all walks of life wear my pieces over and over brings me so much joy.
CPM: Do you have a most treasured item in your personal jewelry collection?
YT: Some of my most treasures are from the classics collection, the colored enamel pinkie rings that come in 18k gold, the latest orange pendant crafted in deep green and rose hues and the Etel sunset statement piece in celebration of artist Hugette Caland and Etel Adnan. Every piece has a soft spot and tells a beautiful story.
CPM: What is your biggest design inspiration for 2023 and beyond?
YT: My biggest inspirations come from art and music, film and architecture. I’m inspired by diverse cultural environments and surroundings and love the juxtaposition of contrasts- the strong and the delicate, the new and the old – I’m also really enjoying interiors and furniture and home decor at the moment.
CPM: What’s your take on social media? How important do you think it is towards building a brand?
YT: It’s really important from a commercial perspective – as a brand, it allowed me to grow and connect with audiences and clients across the globe – and I really enjoy that aspect of sharing and creating and connecting with my community but it can also be draining and distracting if were not able to isolate the noise and focus on what makes us different and valuable instead of following the hype. It’s a double edge sword but I think if we use it as tool to leverage what we want to put forward, it can be extremely effective.
