Naza Yousefi

Naza Yousefi graduated in 2008 from Istituto Marangoni London, where she currently works as a tutor in the Fashion Design and Business programme. In 2015, she founded Yuzefi, a leatherwear brand launched through a tote bag collection she is currently selling on her online store.

Yousefi kicked off her career designing collections in the studios of Giles Deacon, Richard Nicoll, Christopher Shannon and Christopher Kane. Then she found herself fascinated by the versatility of leather after creating pieces for fashion editorials styled and shot by creatives including Hedi Slimane, Patti Wilson and Steven Klein. It is in the shift from ready-to-wear to leather goods that she decided to pursue a career as a fashion designer, yet rebelling against the dictates of traditional craftsmanship to create a very personal style, where every detail – from concepts to structural elements – is characterized by insightful eloquence. Yuzefi bags are small in size, to be worn only in free time and to contain few objects, in order to encourage experiencing life and real things in the real world. Even their style is playful and aware: gussets, bolts and structural elements that are normally hidden, are clearly visible on the outside for all to see, to emphasize the unconventional soul and meticulous craftsmanship work that goes into making high quality luxury bags. The Yuzefi tote collection will debut on the catwalks of London Fashion Week in September 2016.