The vault: Tasbih Qazi
Tasbih Qazi, co-founder of Esfir Jewels, talks to us about how she got into designing jewellery
Tasbih Qazi, co-founder of Esfir Jewels, talks to us about how she got into designing jewellery, some of her favourite designs, and what to expect from Esfir Jewel’s upcoming collections
How/when did you get interested in jewellery?
I have been interested in jewellery since I was six years old. But in terms of actually doing something about it, the idea came when Hafsa (my partner) and I moved back from Toronto about a year ago. We felt there was a gap in the market, as it was hard to find unique statement jewellery, hence Esfir came into being.
What are your favourite pieces of jewellery (precious or costume)?
I definitely prefer statement pieces. My favourites are pieces from my own collection. The first is a cuff called ‘To Catch A Pearl’. Another favourite is a pair of earrings called ‘Starfall’, which was one of our initial designs. I absolutely love it, its edgy and the design is a mix of the East and West.
Where did you get them?
I designed them myself, which is possibly why they are my favourites. The cuff, ‘To Catch A Pearl’ was from a collection inspired by the Dark Ages. All the stones used in that piece, such as onyx, pearls and gold, are really earthy and sort of rough, which is really interesting. For ‘Starfall’ we had a fusion design philosophy in mind. The contemporary spikes on the end are an addition to the eastern top half of the earrings.
Is there any piece you are emotionally attached to and why?
The ‘Birdcage’ earrings we designed are something I’m really emotionally attached to. It was one of our first pieces and it turned out as perfect as we had imagined. Seeing it in flesh was truly an unforgettable moment.
Share a story with us about how you acquired one of your favourite pieces?
When Hafsa and I first started working together, we would message each other at 3am discussing ideas. One of us would share an idea we got from our surroundings and the other would add to it — that’s our process. So how the ‘Birdcage’ earrings came about was that, I had seen a series of paintings of caged birds done by a girl that I know. In the series of 15 paintings, the birds were flying out of their cages, and I fell in love with the idea, and thought it would look super-cool as a pair of earrings.
Is there anything on your radar that you want to get in the future?
I am looking into designing chokers hopefully soon. They are a super-fun emerging trend, and also something we’ve not done before.
How/when did you get interested in jewellery?
I have been interested in jewellery since I was six years old. But in terms of actually doing something about it, the idea came when Hafsa (my partner) and I moved back from Toronto about a year ago. We felt there was a gap in the market, as it was hard to find unique statement jewellery, hence Esfir came into being.
What are your favourite pieces of jewellery (precious or costume)?
I definitely prefer statement pieces. My favourites are pieces from my own collection. The first is a cuff called ‘To Catch A Pearl’. Another favourite is a pair of earrings called ‘Starfall’, which was one of our initial designs. I absolutely love it, its edgy and the design is a mix of the East and West.
Where did you get them?
I designed them myself, which is possibly why they are my favourites. The cuff, ‘To Catch A Pearl’ was from a collection inspired by the Dark Ages. All the stones used in that piece, such as onyx, pearls and gold, are really earthy and sort of rough, which is really interesting. For ‘Starfall’ we had a fusion design philosophy in mind. The contemporary spikes on the end are an addition to the eastern top half of the earrings.
Is there any piece you are emotionally attached to and why?
The ‘Birdcage’ earrings we designed are something I’m really emotionally attached to. It was one of our first pieces and it turned out as perfect as we had imagined. Seeing it in flesh was truly an unforgettable moment.
Share a story with us about how you acquired one of your favourite pieces?
When Hafsa and I first started working together, we would message each other at 3am discussing ideas. One of us would share an idea we got from our surroundings and the other would add to it — that’s our process. So how the ‘Birdcage’ earrings came about was that, I had seen a series of paintings of caged birds done by a girl that I know. In the series of 15 paintings, the birds were flying out of their cages, and I fell in love with the idea, and thought it would look super-cool as a pair of earrings.
Is there anything on your radar that you want to get in the future?
I am looking into designing chokers hopefully soon. They are a super-fun emerging trend, and also something we’ve not done before.