Available in red, white and blue ceramics with yellow, rose and white gold, the colourful collection is Hestia's most successful to date.Adam Moco/Supplied
Before moving from Turkey to Canada in 2012, Yasemin Mutlu had a career running her own marketing communications agency. “I soon figured out I wouldn’t be able to make the same progress in marketing communications in Canada because I didn’t know the history, the values, the consumer insight, even the calendar of the country,” she says. Instead, the move gave her the unexpected opportunity to explore a lifelong passion. “My husband was kind enough to remind me of my second passion in life, which was fine jewellery.” Mutlu enrolled at the Gemological Institute of America in New York and launched her jewellery line Hestia in 2016. The collection is now stocked in stores across North America.
Named for the Greek goddess of hearth, architecture, home and family, Hestia releases a new collection once or twice a year. Mutlu finds inspiration in new trends in jewellery from around the world and brings them to Canada. “I try to find a niche where there is a real need that is lacking first locally then globally and from there on, I create a collection,” she says. She’s also working in the bridal category, creating custom engagement rings and wedding bands for couples.
Hestia’s newest collection is Hearth, which pairs Mediterranean ceramics with gold craftsmanship and precious stones in unisex designs. Available in red, white and blue ceramics with yellow, rose and white gold, the colourful collection is her most successful to date. “It lets you personalize with the stacking options and is still accessible.”
Hestia Jewels, hestiajewels.com.
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Lana Gold Baguette Diamond Bracelet, $1,100.
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Elemental 14K Solid Gold Rectangular Thick Chain Necklace, $2,235.
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Cara White Ceramic Baguette Diamond Ring, $600.
Style news
Queer Eye star Tan France has collaborated with artisan-focused e-commerce platform Etsy on a limited-edition collection. Featuring lifestyle items for the home such as pottery, incense holders, coasters, a throw and a journal, the collection was made in partnership with 13 makers including two from Canada. Montreal’s Woolfell has created a pair of slippers with the reality show’s fashion expert while Drizzle Honey of Calgary is offering a food gift. Etsy regularly collaborates with lifestyle experts such as France on special collections. For more information, visit etsy.com.
The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto has recently opened its exhibition The Cloth that Changed the World: India’s Painted and Printed Cottons. On view until the fall of 2021, it’s an examination of Indian chintz, celebrating the technical mastery, creativity and influence of the country’s painted and printed textiles, from its origins to artisans working today. The exhibition also explores the consequences of global consumer desire for the textile including its role in the Industrial Revolution, the trans-Atlantic slave trade and ongoing environmental concerns. The show includes 20 recognized masterworks alongside 10 new acquisitions and loans from international collections. For more information, visit rom.on.ca.
A new subscription box service is aiming to support small retailers and producers in Nova Scotia. Showcasing some of the province’s most unique businesses, Community Haul will include five to seven locally sourced and produced goods boxed and shipped out every month including art and craft pieces, clothing, food and pet items. The organization’s goal is to support more than 100 of the area’s businesses through bulk orders while also donating a portion of sales to the IWK Foundation, the fundraising partner for the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. For more information, visit communityhaul.ca.
Vancouver-based fashion brand Obakki has relaunched, expanding its focus to include lifestyle and home items. Founded in 2005 by Treana Peake, Obakki started out as a ready-to-wear apparel line with an ethical commitment to slow and sustainable design that has grown over the years. Now, Peake is expanding her relationships with Indigenous artisan groups from around the world to develop handcrafted homewares and lifestyle products. Some of these recent additions include pottery from Oaxaca, Mexico, and brass jewellery from Nairobia. For more information, visit obakki.com.
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