‘I’ve been having so many ideas of how I’m going to present my haft-sin this year,’ Paria says. When I look at them, they rouse memories of roaming around the bazaar at Naqsh-e Jahan square, and drinking tea while lounging on the grass.’ Leila describes the origin of her dishes, which were custom-made for the occasion: ‘When I was in Isfahan meeting the Qalamzani artisan who produces the metalwork for Eclectic Decks, I asked if he could create a few small plates for me to use for my haft-sin. My mother opts for paisley-patterned tablecloths, called termeh, or kalamkari fabrics. In true Persian style, individuals are free to practise artistic licence when arranging their haft-sin. On this night, people light bonfires and jump over the flames, singing songs and reciting poems: ‘ Sorkhiye-to az man, zardiye-man az to’ (‘Let your ruddiness be mine, my sickly pallor yours’).Īn apple, sumac and senjed are presented on metal dishes produced bespoke for Leila by Qalamzani artisans with whom she collaborates on her decks People gather and celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and hope over despair. It's a reminder to shed old habits and beliefs and move forward into adulthood with a clean slate.’ Chaharshanbe Suri, the Iranian Festival of Fire, falls on the Tuesday preceding Nowruz. As we talk about Nowruz, she tells me that the tradition ‘marks a fresh start … As a child, I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of this practice, but now I understand its significance.
Her creations showcase a singular blend of traditional Iranian craftsmanship and contemporary Western styles, reflecting a deep appreciation for her cultural heritage and willingness to experiment and innovate with new techniques and materials. Paria Farzaneh is a designer who embodies a combination of artistic flair, emotional depth and intelligent design sensibility. But the process of purification goes deeper than this. Believing that bad omens thrive in the dark, dirty corners of a house, we prepare our homes to welcome in a new year rid of c heshm (evil eye). My Iranian mother takes this chance to venture into the next year unblemished very seriously. It’s called khaneh tekooni, which translates as ‘shaking the house’. Persian rugs being beaten and rinsed, floors being scrubbed and windows being cleaned to sparkle are where preparations for the festival really begin. Flowers are blooming and trucks are loaded with bundled Persian rugs that are being sent for washing.’ From her time living in Kerman, Iran, she recalls how, in the run up to the new year: ‘Neighbourhoods are packed with merchants selling herbs and goldfish. Established in the cradle of skate culture, her brand sees traditional Iranian art and craftsmanship translated on to skateboard decks, marrying her cultural connections to both Iran and America. It emphasises the importance of family and community, and of the resilience and hope that lies at the heart of the human spirit,’ says Leila Nazarian, the creative visionary behind Eclectic Decks, an art and lifestyle brand based in Santa Monica. The writer, age five, celebrating Nowruz in traditional Iranian clothing, typically worn in the north of Iran It ushers in the possibility of a fresh start: a ‘ now-ruz’ – a ‘new day’. Observed annually on the vernal equinox, it marks the beginning of a new year for millions of people across Iran, Central Asia and beyond. Originating over 3,000 years ago, and rooted in the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism, Nowruz celebrates the rebirth of nature and the triumph of light over darkness through a series of symbolic rituals. These things mean one thing: Nowruz is nigh.
These sensations are amplified when I return to my family home in Manchester and am greeted with the delicate aroma of blooming hyacinths, a plate of sabzeh – lentil sprouts – grown on the kitchen windowsill, and the occasional plink of water as a new goldfish stirs in a bowl. The air becomes fresher, the sun warmer and the mind clearer. The shift from winter to spring brings about a profound sense of renewal and revitalisation, both in the natural world and within oneself. Every year, as March arrives, a transformation takes place.