In 2021, Dina Zadoorian left Tehran with her family, relocating to Yerevan in search of a change and a more stable future. Settling in Yerevan, the family faced the challenges familiar to many newcomers — adapting to a new culture, navigating bureaucracy, and rebuilding her social networks. For Dina, the move became an unexpected turning point. Drawing on her passion for handmade craft and a course at TUMO Studios, she launched Shakar, a jewelry business inspired by both her upbringing in Tehran and her Armenian roots.

Dina moved to Armenia from Tehran four years ago, but it was not exactly by choice. “I had finished university, and I got used to life there, and I was kind of having fun”, explains Dina, “But at the same time I knew I wouldn't stay very long in Iran, but that wasn't the time when I wanted to leave.” She explains that following the Covid-19 period, many things changed in Iran. “It was difficult, everything has many layers there. The financial situation is not stable, you cannot plan for the future, everything changes every day, even the currency rate”, she says, “It is not possible to plan, and even if you are earning good money, if you take the money out of the country, it's just not that much because of the currency. Also the situation of the country, you don't have all the freedom you want to have. There are many problems in the society, it can be really depressing . Life is nice in many ways, but those problems weigh on you.”

Despite coming to Armenia many times previously as a tourist, and having an idea of what to expect, Dina found the initial move to be difficult. “With all the stress of packing your whole life and home and coming here, that was a lot of pressure”, she says, “Just trying to fit into the community, finding like-minded people. The first year, especially the first six months were difficult.” That said, she managed to start working quickly. She had studied computer engineering at university in Iran, and began working in the IT office at Picsart, but having started a jewelry course in Iran shortly before moving to Yerevan, she always had an interest in something a little more creative. 

“When I moved here, it was all about immigration and integration in the new environment, so jewelry stopped”, explains Dina, “It was IT, and still IT is there, but there was no jewelry making. And then, I think it was after one year and half, I told myself, now it's time to go back to jewellery.” She went to TUMO Studios and began a course studying jewelry that works with metal. “Since I was a kid, I was interested in different forms of art or making things with my hands”, adds Dina, “I did a little bit of painting, and mostly I was going to classes for kids, which was for pottery and sculpture. So I was working with clay, and that was something I was enjoying a lot. After that, I was interested in photography, so there always was something. But at the time of Corona, I wanted to have something to focus more on, one craft that wasn’t just a hobby. I was scrolling, discovering artists, watching jewelry-making, and buying handmade silver pieces. There was one I bought in Iran that I loved so much, not only the design but also trying to understand how it was made.”
 

After some time, Dina took the next step in beginning to create her brand, Shakar, meaning “sugar” in both Farsi and Armenian. “I was making some pieces, and I had the idea. I told myslef, starting a brand is the only way to share what you’re making”, she explains, “I don't know, it just felt very natural to start it. Because I was already making something, so I just had to put a name on it.”  About the name, Dina says that she wanted to keep the connection of two cultures. “I wanted to show that it's like me, coming from two cultures, and to show this shared world. Also because it's sweet.” The logo for Dina’s brand is part of the letter “ش”, the “sh” sound in Farsi, which has three dots above the letter, resembling pieces of sugar.

In Dina’s first collection, a silver teardrop keeps recurring throughout her jewelry. “It’s mainly because I went through different emotions, ups and downs, and I noticed I would cry a lot”, she explains, “Also I like symbolism, so I use Armenian elements. Maybe at the first glance, you cannot say it's Armenian. But anything I see around that inspires me, I take inspiration from that. And what I see around me is mostly Armenian or Iranian.” These inspirations can be anything, a building, a memory, or even a story.

Right now, Dina is focusing on growing Shakar. “It’s a way of life for me. Of course, it’s a brand and I should sell pieces, but what I love most is the expression, the chance to tell stories and express feelings.”, she says, “And what I'd like to achieve... Maybe to go to different exhibitions, different countries. And in a way, to research more into Armenian and Persian culture and then translate those inspirations into jewelry.”

And, while Dina’s move to Yerevan wasn’t easy at first, she really enjoys living here. “What I like is, especially Yerevan, it's very small and cozy", she says, “I like the warm weather. Everything feels warm here, even the people.” With a burgeoning business underway, it seems like Dina’s future in Yerevan is about to get much brighter.