Wikipedia

Draft:Guzema Fine Jewelry

Guzema Fine Jewelry
TypePrivate
IndustryJewellery / Luxury goods
Founded2016; 10 years ago (2016) in Kyiv, Ukraine
FounderValeriia Guzema
HeadquartersKyiv, Ukraine
Key people
Valeriia Guzema (founder & creative director)
Mariana Lenha (CEO, Guzema USA)
ProductsFine jewelry (gold, diamonds, gemstones)
Number of employees
~100 (2025)
Websiteguzema.com

Guzema Fine Jewelry is a Ukrainian fine jewelry company founded in 2016 by designer Valeriia Guzema in Kyiv.[1] The brand specializes in handcrafted gold jewelry featuring natural diamonds, produced by approximately 48 artisans in a Kyiv atelier.[1] The company operates boutiques in Kyiv and Lviv[2], and expanded to the United States with a pop-up boutique in SoHo, Manhattan, in late 2024.[3]

History

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Founding and early years (2016–2019)

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Prior to founding the brand, Valeriia Guzema was born in 1991 in Svitlovodsk, later moving to Chernihiv. She graduated from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with degrees in linguistics and journalism, and worked as a fashion editor and coordinator at the Ukrainian edition of Elle beginning in 2013.[1][4]

In 2015, she used $500 in savings and eight gold dental crowns from her maternal grandfather — which yielded 50 grams of gold — to commission her first jewelry designs. The initial collection was stolen from her car days later, and she spent six months saving to restart, officially launching Guzema Fine Jewelry in 2016.[1]

The first collection, called "Classic," featured minimalist gold pieces with flat geometric surfaces that became the brand's signature design element.[4] In 2017, Guzema opened its first boutique in Kyiv and received the Elle Style Award for "Best Startup" in Ukraine.[5] The brand debuted internationally at Los Angeles Fashion Week in 2018.[4]

2020–2021

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In 2020, the brand's Kyiv boutique was destroyed in a fire, requiring a full rebuild.[6] That same year, Kyiv Post included Guzema in its "Top 30 Under 30" list.[6] In 2021, Valeriia Guzema was named to the Forbes Ukraine "30 Under 30" list.[7]

Wartime period (2022–2023)

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Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the brand initially directed all profits to humanitarian aid and the Ukrainian military.[8] The "Freedom" collection featured pieces symbolizing Ukrainian resilience, with all proceeds donated to the Guzema Foundation.[4] The "Spadok" (Heritage) collection drew on traditional Ukrainian motifs including coral, amber, and embroidery patterns.[4]

The brand gained international visibility when First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska wore a Guzema brooch during her July 2022 visit to Washington, D.C., including meetings with Jill Biden and an address to the United States Congress.[9][10] Women's Wear Daily reported on Zelenska's choice to wear Ukrainian designers at subsequent diplomatic events.[11]

In May 2023, actress Hannah Waddingham wore Guzema jewelry while hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.[12]

In 2023, Guzema received the Vogue Ukraine Talent Prize in the "Resilience and Social Impact" category[13] and was listed in the Forbes Ukraine "Next 250" ranking of notable Ukrainian companies.[14] Vogue Singapore also published an extended profile of the founder.[15]

US expansion and international growth (2024–present)

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In April 2024, the brand opened a third Ukrainian boutique in Lviv's historic center, its first location outside Kyiv.[2]

In August 2024, Guzema jewelry appeared in the fourth season of the Netflix series Emily in Paris, worn by actresses Lily Collins and Ashley Park.[16]

In December 2024, Guzema opened its first US retail presence — a pop-up boutique at 74 Grand Street in SoHo, Manhattan, open through January 3, 2025.[3] Forbes Ukraine reported that Ukrainian production increased by 30% following the US launch.[17]

In February 2025, the brand collaborated with American fashion house 3.1 Phillip Lim on the "Snake" jewelry collection, which debuted at New York Fashion Week. The collection featured gold snake-shaped chokers and bracelets.[18][19]

On May 20, 2025, The New York Times published a feature article by Vanessa Friedman profiling the brand's expansion, reporting that the company had grown to approximately 100 employees with 48 craftspeople in its Kyiv workshop, and that about 80% of sales still came from Ukraine. The article also noted that global sales had been overseen since October 2023 by Mariana Lenha, CEO and co-owner of Guzema USA, and that a permanent New York boutique was planned.[1]

In 2025, the brand launched a collaboration with model Delilah Belle Hamlin on the "Metamorphosis" capsule collection, which was covered by Women's Wear Daily and JCK.[20]

Media and cultural presence

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Guzema jewelry has appeared in the Netflix series Emily in Paris across seasons 4 (2024) and 5 (2025). According to Only Natural Diamonds, the brand was featured nine times in season 5, making it the third consecutive season with Guzema pieces on the show.[21]

In February 2025, Prince Harry received a Guzema × Superhumans bracelet — made from melted military munition fragments with an inscription in Ukrainian — at the Invictus Games in Vancouver.[22] He was later photographed wearing the bracelet at a WellChild Awards ceremony in London in September 2025.[23]

In October 2025, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex wore Guzema jewelry at three consecutive public events in New York. Town & Country reported that the pieces were a gift from Prince Harry, who had received them during a visit to Ukraine.[24]

Other public figures who have worn Guzema jewelry include Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament;[25] actress Milla Jovovich;[1] actress Hannah Waddingham at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023;[12] and Jenna Ortega in Sabrina Carpenter's "Taste" music video.[26]

In early 2026, the brand's pieces were featured at Paris Fashion Week.[27]

Design and craftsmanship

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Guzema's jewelry is handmade in the company's Kyiv atelier by a team of 48 artisans.[1] The brand works primarily in gold with natural diamonds. When Ukraine's gold export ban took effect after the 2022 invasion, the company contracted with workshops in Italy and the United States to manufacture pieces for the international market.[1]

Signature design elements include flat geometric gold surfaces ("flats"), spherical forms ("orbs"), and a transformer mechanism allowing individual pieces to be worn in multiple configurations.[28]

In 2025, the brand introduced colored gemstones (aquamarine, rose quartz) for the first time in its "Celestial Blue" capsule collection.[29] That year, the brand also announced its first men's line, "Vi Levare," under the creative direction of Tymur Fatkullin, the founder's husband.[1][30]

Philanthropy

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The Guzema Foundation was established in 2021 to support social causes in Ukraine. Its longest-running initiative, "Charity Chain," involves the sale of symbolic chain necklaces, with proceeds directed to funding pediatric heart surgeries at the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery through the Tvoya Opora foundation. As of April 2021, the Kyiv Post reported the program had raised over $168,000 and funded 80 operations.[31] According to the brand's website, the cumulative number of funded operations reached 467 by 2025.[32]

Following the Russian invasion of 2022, the foundation shifted focus to wartime humanitarian needs. Vogue Ukraine reported that the brand transferred 1 million hryvnias to the military on the first day of the invasion.[8] Wartime charitable campaigns include a collaboration with volunteer Tata Kepler (June 2023), which raised over 1 million hryvnias for combat medic equipment.[33]

In August 2025, the foundation launched the "24+1" collection — gold bracelets featuring the heraldic symbols of Ukraine's 24 oblasts and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea — with 100% of profits directed to military equipment purchases. The initiative raised over 1.6 million hryvnias.[34]

In 2025, Guzema Foundation collaborated with the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation on a limited-edition dart-shaped necklace, raising over 1.9 million hryvnias for strike UAVs.[35] In December 2025, the foundation partnered with the Sternenko Community Charitable Foundation to produce the "Silver Guard" pendant; the campaign raised 3.24 million hryvnias, which funded 37 interceptor drones for the Sumy Border Guard Unit.[36][37]

In January 2026, Guzema Foundation and Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) launched the "Ticket Home" keychain — a limited-edition brass accessory styled after a train ticket — with all proceeds funding electronic warfare equipment for military units where railway workers are serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[38]

In collaboration with the Superhumans rehabilitation center, the brand created a bracelet made from melted military munition fragments, which was presented to Prince Harry at the 2025 Invictus Games.[22]

Awards and recognition

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  • 2017 — Elle Style Awards, "Best Startup" (Ukraine)[5]
  • 2019 — Elle Style Awards, "Best Fashion Collaboration" (with Monatik)[4]
  • 2020 — Kyiv Post "Top 30 Under 30"[6]
  • 2021 — Forbes Ukraine "30 Under 30"[7]
  • 2023 — Vogue Ukraine Talent Prize ("Resilience and Social Impact")[13]
  • 2023 — Forbes Ukraine "Next 250"[14]
  • 2025 — Featured profile in The New York Times by Vanessa Friedman[1]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Friedman, Vanessa (May 20, 2025). "Despite War, a Ukrainian Jewelry Brand Is Coming to New York". The New York Times. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Guzema Fine Jewelry відкрили бутик в історичному центрі Львова" (in Ukrainian). Vogue Ukraine. April 10, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Guzema Fine Jewelry Lights Up NYC's SoHo with First Pop-Up Boutique". JCK. December 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "How I Got Here: Valeriya Guzema Finds Inspiration In Her Ukrainian Roots". JCK. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Guzema Fine Jewelry: Valeriya Guzema Leads the Way in the Ukrainian Fashion Industry". Grazia. August 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Shulzhenko, Daria (November 27, 2020). "Valeriya Guzema: Self-made jewelry designer inspires female entrepreneurs, supports charity". Kyiv Post. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Валерія Гузема — Forbes.ua" (in Ukrainian). Forbes Ukraine. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Bringing victory closer: How Ukrainian brands help the country today". Vogue Ukraine. 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  9. ↑ Friedman, Vanessa (July 21, 2022). "In Washington, Olena Zelenska Dressed for Ukraine". The New York Times. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  10. ↑ Satenstein, Liana (July 20, 2022). "The First Lady of Ukraine Dressed With Pride to Meet President Biden". Vogue. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska Champions Independence". Women's Wear Daily. 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Hannah Waddingham's Stylist Explains Her Vibrant Eurovision Looks". Women's Wear Daily. May 14, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  13. 1 2 "Сила та натхнення: лауреати першої премії Vogue Talent Prize" (in Ukrainian). Vogue Ukraine. 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Guzema Fine Jewelry — Forbes Next 250" (in Ukrainian). Forbes Ukraine. 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Ukrainian designer Valeriya Guzema on hope for the future". Vogue Singapore. July 3, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  16. ↑ "'Emily in Paris' Shines Its Spotlight on Fine Jewelry". JCK. August 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Guzema: Валерія Гузема запустила тимчасовий магазин у США" (in Ukrainian). Forbes Ukraine. December 7, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  18. ↑ Francisco, Natalie (March 6, 2025). "Guzema, 3.1 Phillip Lim Collab on New 'Snake' Designs". National Jeweler. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  19. ↑ "The Guzema × 3.1 Phillip Lim Jewelry Collab Sssslays". JCK. February 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Delilah Belle Hamlin & Guzema Debut Jewelry Collection Metamorphosis". Women's Wear Daily. 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  21. ↑ "The Secret Weapon Behind Emily in Paris' Costumes: Diamonds". Only Natural Diamonds. December 19, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  22. 1 2 "Prince Harry was presented with a bracelet with an inscription in Ukrainian". Obozrevatel. February 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Prince Harry wears Superhumans bracelet at London charity event". Rubryka. September 11, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Meghan Markle Wore This Ukrainian Jewelry Brand for Three Straight Appearances". Town & Country. October 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Meet Valeriya Guzema, a Ukrainian Gem in the Fine Jewelry World". Only Natural Diamonds. July 19, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  26. ↑ Stone, Becky (August 2024). "Judge the Jewels: Jenna Ortega Slays in Guzema". InStore Magazine. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Guzema Fine Jewelry at Paris Fashion Week 2026". guzema.com. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  28. ↑ Silver, Hannah. "The Ukrainian brand rethinking jewellery design". Wallpaper*. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  29. ↑ McLemore, Lauren (2025). "Guzema Debuts First Colored Gemstone Jewelry". National Jeweler. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Guzema Launches Vi Levare Men's Jewelry Collection". InStore Magazine. 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  31. ↑ Shulzhenko, Daria (April 19, 2021). "Do good while shopping with these Ukrainian brands". Kyiv Post. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Charity". guzema.com. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Нова благодійна колекція Guzema Fine Jewelry" (in Ukrainian). Vogue Ukraine. June 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Єдині, звідки б не були: Guzema Fine Jewelry представив нову благодійну колекцію до Дня Незалежності" (in Ukrainian). Elle Ukraine. August 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Charity projects". Guzema Foundation. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  36. ↑ "«Спільнота Стерненка» закупила дрони на суму 3 млн грн завдяки розіграшу прикрас" (in Ukrainian). Shotam. February 24, 2026. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  37. ↑ "Silver Guard: limited collection from Sternenko and Guzema Foundation". NV.ua. December 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Solutions to win: 'Ticket Home' charity project to support combat brigades with electronic warfare equipment". Rubryka. January 7, 2026. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
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