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Maria Tash
MARIA TASH
FormerlyVenus Body Arts
Company typePrivate
Industry
Founded1993; 31 years ago (1993) in East Village, Manhattan, New York
FounderMaria Tashjian
Headquarters
New York
,
United States of America
Number of locations
  • 7 concessions
  • 5 freestanding
[1] (2022)
Area served
Products
OwnerMaria Tashjian
Number of employees
~200 (2019)
Subsidiaries
  • Maria Tash Financial Group Inc.
  • Maria Tash Limited (U.K)
  • Maria Tash Ireland Limited
  • Maria Tash S.r.l. (Italy)
  • Maria Tash Middle East Jewellery Trading LLC (U.A.E.)
Websitemariatash.com

Maria Tash (born Maria Tashjian in West Islip, New York) is a jewelry designer, celebrity piercer, and retailer. Tash founded the eponymous MARIA TASH, a New York-based luxury piercing and fine jewelry brand.[3] The brand specializes in body piercing, ear curation,[4] and fine jewelry design. Originally founded in New York City in 1993, Maria Tash has since expanded globally.[5]

Tash's work, under her eponymous brand, has combined elements of mainstream piercing culture with fine jewelry, coining the term “Curated Ear”[6] to refer to an ear pierced with fashionable intention and under the direction of piercing experts.[4]

Maria Tash's own Curated Ear in 2022[7]

Early years and education

[edit]
The Tashjian Family[8], Islip New York cicra[citation needed]

Maria Tash (birth name Maria Tashjian), originally from West Islip, New York, was born and raised in New York City.[9] Her mother, Rose Tashjian (née: Bakos[citation needed]), emigrated from Kalamata, Greece, to the United States as an infant in 1928, where she would marry Armenian-American Albert Tashjian, an engineer at Lockheed Martin in 1965.[10] Maria Tash attended Columbia University[11] and the Fashion Institute of Technology.[12] She also attended King's College in London, England.[12] Her thesis work was done on the theories of fractal cosmology.[citation needed] Barnard College recognized Tash's academic work by awarding her the Henry A. Boorse Prize, an honor given "to a graduating Barnard senior, preferably a major in the department, whose record in physics shows promise of distinction in a scientific career."[13].

Maria studied at the Juilliard School of Music and would perform at Carnegie Hall, appearing as a background violinist in film productions and as a violinist on several recordings.[14]

Before pursuing a career in jewelry and piercing, she expressed an interest in public service, teaching computer literacy to ex-Soviet refugees.[15]

In 1992[citation needed], she attended Fakir Musafar’s "Fakir Intensive," an intensive program and master class in piercing and body modification at the Fakir Musafar School of Body Piercing San Francisco, where she honed her trade as a piercer before launching her career.[16]

Career

[edit]
photograph of a MARIA TASH store in Dubai Mall 2019
MARIA TASH Fine Jewelry and Luxury Piercing Dubai Mall, 2019

Tash opened her first studio, Venus Modern Body Art, in 1993[11][12][17] in Manhattan's East Village, specializing in body piercings and jewelry. Venus Body Arts[17] eventually became Venus by Maria Tash[18] when Tash decided to use her name for the shop. While first specializing in navel jewelry,[19] the shop later become known for a variety of ear piercing styles.[20][9]

Tash launched a line of international stores with its flagship location opening in New York City in 2004.[12] In 2016, the brand began expanding globally with the opening of a shop at Liberty London.[21] Maria Tash has since opened locations in Rome,[22] Dublin,[23] Harrods London,[24] Dubai,[25][26] Kuwait, Miami, Dallas, and Los Angeles.[27]

In November 2018, she opened her second freestanding location outside New York City with a 2,000 sq. ft luxury boutique in The Dubai Mall.[28][29]

In 2020, during the Corona-Pandemic, Maria Tash began to offer complimentary virtual appointments through FaceTime and Google Hangouts in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Arabic.[30]

Continuing plans of national and global expansion, MARIA TASH secured a senior secured credit facility in 2022 from Second Avenue Capital Partners, LLC ("SACP"), a unit of SB360 Holdings.[31]


Inventions and innovations

[edit]
black and white technical drawing from US Patent US10905206B1
Figure from Maria's patent: "Piercing techniques, earrings therefor, and methods of manufacture and use thereof"[32]

Maria Tash is also an inventor and innovator in jewelry design, mechanisms, and even novel piercings,[33] and holds numerous patents[34][35] across multiple national jurisdictions. She has patented new types of piercings known as the "Tash Helix" and "Tash Hidden Rook".[36][37] These novel piercings use placements for the piercing underneath the extrinsic structural cartilage of the outer ear, both the helix and the rook, to hide the wearable components of the jewelry and give the designs the appearance of floating freely on the wearer.

Tash patents relating to jewelry cover both unique design elements and technical mechanisms. Her innovations extend to gemstone cuts with Tash developing novel diamond cuts to support her designs, such as the "silhouette" cut diamond.[38][39]

A Curated Ear being designed in TASH Studio

Outside of jewelry and design, Maria also holds utility patents,[40] including the virtual “Try-On” tool TASH Studio[41], a virtual “Try-On” tool,[42], released in 2023[43] which uses AI to apply real piercing principles to the simulation. By showing realistic styling and piercing results such as accurate scaling of jewelry, how much gravity sits on a ring, and full 360° rotations of studs, Tash aimed to increase consumer confidence and lower the rate of returned jewelry—with hopes that the software would prove useful for a myriad of jewelry and retail purposes outside of her own company.[44]

Design and cultural impact

[edit]

Tash modified several industry-standard methods of assembling jewelry to create pieces that better fit the wearer.[4] These include a “threaded” style earring backing and "invisible set" diamonds, which are notched and set below the crown.[45] Tash designs are often smaller and more subtle than the traditional punk-style heavy piercings that were popular in the early 1990s,[46] when Tash began piercing.[12] However, she still borrows from her punk roots to create jewelry that combines modern luxury aesthetics with the punk style.[47] Tash designs with the permanence of piercing in mind, sometimes comparing her work in jewelry with that of the tattoo.[48]

Her designs have been worn by Hailey Bieber, Rihanna, Ashley Graham, Queen Rania, Florence Pugh,[49] Gigi Hadid[50] and Maritta Hallani.[29]

Maria is actively engaged in the cultural life of New York City and is a current member of the board of The Lincoln Center Theater.[51]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ https://www.mariatash.com/store-locations.html
  2. ^ "D&B Listing: Venus By Maria Tash Inc". D&B Business Directory. Dun & Bradstreet. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  3. ^ "About the Designer | Discover Maria Tash". Maria Tash. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  4. ^ a b c Kale, Sirin (2019-07-03). "The curated ear: why delicate, decorative piercings are the new tattoos". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  5. ^ McCall, Tyler. "How Maria Tash Went From Piercing Her Friends' Ears at Home to Launching a Global Jewelry Line". Fashionista. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  6. ^ OConnell, Edaein (6 September 2019). "#CuratedEar: What it is and where you can get one". IMAGE.ie. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  7. ^ "@mariatash". Instagram. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Find a Grave: Rose Bakos Tashjian". Find a Grave. Find a Grave. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b Caroline, Hamelle (September 2019). "Des petits trous, des petits trous...". Grazia France. 508: 50–51.
  10. ^ "Find a Grave: Rose Bakos Tashjian". Find a Grave. Find a Grave. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  11. ^ a b Angrilli, Linda; Matthew Nadelhaft (2004). "Piercing Analysis." FIT Network Magazine
  12. ^ a b c d e QAPP. "15th QAPP (The Association of Professional Piercers) Annual Conference & Exposition Handbook" (PDF). QAPP. p. 34. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  13. ^ "Barnard College Academic Advisement: Honors". Barnard College. Barnard College. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Discogs: Maria Tashjian". Discogs. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  15. ^ McShane, Larry (January 21, 1995). "Pick A Part, Pierce a Part—High Fashion in the '90s". AP News. AP News. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  16. ^ McShane, Larry (January 21, 1995). "Pick A Part, Pierce a Part—High Fashion in the '90s". AP News. AP News. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Body Piercer to Christina Aguilera Comes to Avenue A". localeastvillage.com. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  18. ^ Staff, Racked (2013-02-05). "Noho Piercing Shop Venus by Maria Tash, Sketched". Racked NY. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  19. ^ Top Fastening Navel Jewelry Technique, retrieved 2019-10-03
  20. ^ "The piercing trend gets an upmarket makeover: how Maria Tash made the 'curated ear' a style essential". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  21. ^ "Celebrity piercer Maria Tash opens permanent London shop at Liberty". Evening Standard. 2016-08-08. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  22. ^ "Come si portano i piercing d'estate: i consigli dell'esperta". Glamour.it (in Italian). 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  23. ^ ODonoghue, Niamh (6 September 2018). "A permanent Maria Tash pop-up is coming to Brown Thomas this October". IMAGE.ie. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  24. ^ Ma, Fiona (2018-08-06). "Piercing Princess Maria Tash Joins Harrods' Fashion Lab with New Boutique". WWD. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  25. ^ "This Celebrity-Beloved Jeweler is Opening up a Dubai Boutique". Vogue Arabia. 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
  26. ^ "مصممة الأقراط المتعددة المفضلة لدى الملكة رانيا تفتتح بوتيكها في دبي مول!". Gheir. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  27. ^ Sidell, Misty White (June 15, 2022). "Maria Tash's Next Expansion Phase Could Push Piercings to Luxury Establishment Ranks". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  28. ^ "Celebrity-approved piercer Maria Tash to open boutique in Kuwait". Arab News. 2020-02-05. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  29. ^ a b "Exclusive: Celebrity-Loved Jeweler Maria Tash to Open a Boutique in Kuwait". Vogue Arabia. 2020-01-30. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  30. ^ Sidell, Misty White (2020-04-24). "Maria Tash Offers Virtual Piercing Checkups During Lockdown". WWD. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  31. ^ "Second Avenue Capital Partners Provides a Senior Secured Credit Facility to Maria Tash". PR Newswire. May 03, 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ "Patent US10905206B1: Piercing techniques, earrings therefor, and methods of manufacture and use thereof". Google Patents. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  33. ^ Sidell, Misty White (September 8, 2020). "Maria Tash Rolls Out First Formal Collection and Two New Piercings". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  34. ^ "Patents: Maria Tashjian". Google Patents. Google. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  35. ^ "MARIA TASH: Virtual Patent Marking". Maria Tash. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  36. ^ "Maria Tash Piercing Guide". MARIA TASH. Venus by Maria Tash Inc. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  37. ^ "Patent US10905206B1: Piercing techniques, earrings therefor, and methods of manufacture and use thereof". Google Patents. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  38. ^ Singh, Amrita (September, 2020). "Maria Tash's New Jewellery Collection Sets New Highs". About Her. Retrieved 24 January 2023. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. ^ "US Patent USD969014S1: Cut stone for jewelry" (PDF). Google Patents.
  40. ^ "Patents: Maria Tashjian Utility". Google Patents. Google. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  41. ^ "Patents: Technologies for virtually trying-on items US20220197459A1". Google Patents. Google. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  42. ^ "TASH Studio". Maria Tash. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  43. ^ "@mariatash: Express your creativity with our new TASH Studio". Instagram. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  44. ^ Sidell, Misty White. "Maria Tash Launches AI-powered Virtual Try-on Tool". Women's Wear Daily. WWD. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  45. ^ "Pierced to Perfection: An Interview with Maria Tash". About Her. 2019-07-29. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  46. ^ Punk : a directory of modern subversive culture. Bradshaw, James. [U.K.]: Holloway Contemporary Art. 2007. ISBN 978-1430321545. OCLC 713202876.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  47. ^ Sidell, Misty White (October 19, 2022). "Maria Tash Releases New Collection Inspired by Goth Punk Hairstyle". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  48. ^ Rozwadowska, Frankie (January 17, 2023). "Morning Routine: How Jewelry Designer Maria Tash Starts Her Day". Savoir Flair. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  49. ^ Balao, Neia (January 3, 2023). "As Florence Pugh Celebrates Her 27th Birthday, Take A Look At Her Edgiest And Most Glamorous Style Moments". Wonderwall. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  50. ^ "Gigi Hadid wore Maria Tash jewelry while attending the 2022 CFDA Fashion Awards". 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  51. ^ "Board of DIrectors". Lincoln Center Theater. Retrieved 30 March 2023. {{cite web}}: Text "Lincoln Center Theater" ignored (help)



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