Maria Tash

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

Tash's work, under her eponymous brand, has combined elements of mainstream piercing culture with fine jewelry, coining the term “Curated Ear” to refer to an ear pierced with fashionable intention and under the direction of piercing experts. Maria Tash (birth name Maria Tashjian) attended Columbia University and the Fashion Institute of Technology. She also attended King's College in London, England. later became Venus by Maria Tash until eventually Tash decided to use her own name for the shop. While first specializing in navel jewelry, the shop later become known for a variety of ear piercing styles. Maria Tash has since opened permanent locations in Rome, Dublin, Harrods London, and Dubai.

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.

In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Maria Tash began to offer complimentary virtual appointments through FaceTime and Google Hangouts in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Arabic.

Design and cultural impact Tash modified several industry standard methods of assembling jewelry to create pieces that better fit the wearer. Tash's designs are often smaller and more subtle than the traditional punk-style heavy piercings that were popular in the early 1990s, when Tash began piercing.

Her designs have been worn by Hailey Bieber, Rihanna, Ashley Graham, Queen Rania and Maritta Hallani.