OLEANA - YANINA FAOUR - JEWELRY DESIGNER - Words from Yanina to Xpat Life
I feel very honoured to have been chosen for recommendation as an XPP partner by Xpat Life and I was impressed to hear that they only choose the people they really like and things that motivate their inspiration.
When they asked me to write a few lines , I just want to let all know that when working with any of the people they have recommended we feel like working among friends. As a jewelry designer, trust is a very important issue, for centuries people have trusted their family jeweller for renovating their treasures or just bringing new pieces to life. As a fourth generation jeweller in my family I have the knowledge to commission pieces "Jewels a la carte" to meet the client’s specific vision or idea. The process is a collaboration so to insure a final piece of jewelry which will be adored for years to come.
The way I work is that I list a set of specific questions to better understand your idea and then use the questions as a guide.
Make an appointment and let's start designing together the jewel of your dreams.
Designer Yanina Faour is Argentina's "enfant terrible" of luxury jewelry, injecting new life into the conventions of fine jewelry. She creates intricate, sculptural pieces that tell a story, inspired by her deep appreciation of the arts, the architecture of her beloved home Buenos Aires 'Paris of Latin America,' and her vivid imagination.
Yanina began her career on a very different path, working in finance in Boston. After a few years, she was struck with the desire to return to her roots in Buenos Aires and pursue her true vocation and passion in life: jewelry design. Coming from a family of jewelers that goes back to her great grandfather, a traditional metalsmith who came to Argentina from Austria, she followed in his footsteps and dedicated herself to creating one-of-a-kind, handmade pieces. She launched her own brand Oleana in 2003, combining the artisanal craftsmanship of her ancestors with a fresh, modern aesthetic.
What sets Oleana apart is the choice of five distinctive jewelry lines for different moments of the day: Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Mandalas, Galaxy, and Liturgy. Each unique, handcrafted line proposes a different style of beauty to suit the eclectic tastes of the modern woman, from delicate, whimsical pieces for everyday wear to bolder, statement jewels for night. Yanina prides herself on working with fine metals and unusual precious stones such as the striking blue celestial onyx, a rare stone only found in the north of Argentina, that features heavily in her Art Deco collection.
Faour also plays with the worlds of art and fashion and has collaborated on limited edition lines with contemporary Argentine artists. This includes Maladie, with artist Celeste Martinez, that merges conceptual art with jewelry and was exhibited at several art fairs, including the Venice Biennale 2011 in Italy. More recently, she created Carnivore with visual artist Paula Toto Blake that adds new meaning to the term wearable art. The collection received several national awards and is currently available to buy in the boutiques of Buenos Aires' MALBA art museum and Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts store (US). Oleana was selected by French cosmetics company Guerlain to be associated with their brand in Argentina, in particular the Art Nouveau line and its interpretation of the mythical orchid flower.
Yanina has also presented her collection internationally at the Workshop Fashion Agency during Paris Fashion Week in 2010 and the Tokyo Rooms Fashion Fair in 2012. In 2013 her brand was awarded with the Argentinian “Seal of Good Design” by the Ministry of Industry in recognition of her innovative designs, local production and position in the market. Postulated by Vital Voices Argentina in March 2014, Yanina participated in the mentoring program for emerging women leaders organized by the Bank of America and Vital Voices Foundation. It was established by Hillary Clinton in 1997 to provide support and encouragement to entrepreneurial women worlwide.
Oleana jewelry is currently sold in Argentina, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, the US, England, France and online worldwide. Oleana is a member of the “Women’s Jewelry Association”.
What is Oleana?
Oleana comes from the word olas, the Spanish word for waves. As the water sign Pisces, designer Yanina Faour has always felt a strong affinity with the ocean and water. According to buddhist philosopy wáter is the most feminine of the five elements, but also the most powerful, overcoming any obstacles in its way. This fluid force that honours the female form is evoked through Oleana's artistic yet timeless jewellery that bridges the gap between tradition and innovation and breathes new life into the world of artistic fine jewelry.
