Nigora Tabayer, the founder and creative director of TABAYER, redefines industry standards and sets the bar high when it comes to creative design.
Born in Central Asia and raised with an international upbringing—she has called New York City, Miami, London and Paris home—Tabayer creates through a global and progressive lens. Her studies would bring her to the United States, where she obtained a business degree. Yet from her myriad childhood and early adulthood travels, and in her highly imaginative household (both her parents were in creative fields, her mother a fashion designer and her father an architect), Tabayer was drawn back to artistry and to the idea of making something finite come to life. She gravitated towards jewelry, perhaps as a result of her father’s blueprints and sketches around their homes; jewelry and architecture share a mathematical and linear approach. This is the origin story of TABAYER.
Tabayer’s evolution as a designer has always been guided by an aim for excellence—and not just in design, but in everyday life, too. She champions womanhood, individuality, strength and savvy, and she translates these traits into what she conceives.
Her love for the discipline runs deep; Tabayer has been a longtime jewelry aficionado. She designed her first piece—a pendant interpretation of the letter “N,” set with emeralds and brilliant cut diamonds that was inspired by her family—in 2016. At first, it was just a sketch, but upon being encouraged by the diamond house of GRAFF to develop the idea further, Tabayer crafted her debut lineup: The Eye Collection. With its talismanic eye motifs symbolizing protection, and a full run of the English alphabet, Tabayer officially launched TABAYER in Paris in 2019. Protection would become a key element in the process; Tabayer is a mother of three children, and nothing could be more important.
The Eye Collection will remain Tabayer’s signature offering, but the designer is launching an expanded product offering in September, 2019, including earrings and rings to complement the existing range of pendants and bracelets.
Throughout her work, Tabayer feels that it is essential to always blend beautiful aesthetics (often inspired by nature, travel and art) with a protective, safeguarding element—whether that be through symbolism, storytelling, or otherwise. Her approach is to create pieces that fit the lifestyle of a modern woman, and to make fine jewelry that is wearable and practical and intended to exist in the day-to-day. Her haute couture-trained eye and her dynamic background shape the process, and the results are pieces that capture more than just the brilliance of gemstones. They reflect the layers of her—and the wearer’s—personality, in shades of striking white, rich green or ocean blue.
Tabayer has a particular admiration for emeralds. She views them as amulets, which are historically seen as protective pieces. She also believes that green is a positive color, linking protection with optimism and vibrancy.
To shop the TABAYER collection, visit www.tabayer.com.
This article is presented by T1.
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