DANUTA CIRCLE
Yara Flinn
Like most successful businesses, the fashion brand NOMIA found its footing through intuition and chance. Yara Flinn, then 23, was fresh off a job at the Fondazione Prada, with hopes of pursuing an MFA. At the same time, an interest in clothing spurred her to take pattern-making classes at FIT, resulting in a few early pieces. Her friend Pamela Love—now a jewelry designer, then working at Barneys New York—offered to wear one of Flinn’s dresses to a staff meeting. “It’s such a crazy story,” Flinn says, “but they ended up buying a few styles from me.” A label was born. Ever since, NOMIA and Flinn have evolved together, finding moments of exhilaration and easeful restraint. For the past several years, the designer has opted for intimate showroom appointments in lieu of runway shows. “Honestly, I find them so stressful and depleting,” says Flinn. “I had to start paying attention to the way things made me feel.” In 2021, she and a friend collaborated on a pop-up shop in Brooklyn. A year later, NOMIA opened a place of its own, with a buildout by Flinn’s architect husband and a curated mix of vintage objects and like-minded brands. These days, family routines with their six-year-old son act as a grounding force. “It’s the opposite of looking forward,” she says. “I am always just trying to stay present.”
What projects are you currently working on?
Always learning and growing with NOMIA. Having the store has been a fun and time-consuming new project.
How did your birthplace influence who you’ve become?
I love being from New York. There is something so special about this city—the creativity and the momentum is so inspiring and sometimes overwhelming. One thing I love about New Yorkers is, as tough as they can seem on the outside, I have seen so many acts of kindness and solidarity, too.
What is your favorite time of year?
I love the beginning of summer in NYC—as hot and sticky as it can get. There is such a vibrant energy. I love going to Jacob Riis Park and Fort Tilden, and eating outdoors. And the fact that everyone is so loose and free with their plans to meet.
How do you like to spend time in nature?
I love the beach. It brings me the most peace and joy, spending time with my family there. We all love the water.
Is there a scent from the botanical world that connects to a personal memory?
The first bloom of lilacs. I remember at my college there were lots of lilacs, and the wind would carry the scent every so often.
What is your sun sign, and moon and rising if you want to share, and is there a characteristic that resonates with you?
Sagittarius sun, Libra rising, and Cancer moon. I feel spontaneous and led by a quest for deeper meaning and understanding of humanity, but I also love to have fun and joke around with my loved ones.
What self-care ritual keeps you going?
Getting a massage or going to a bathhouse every once in a while—though not often enough. For a cheap and easy one, I like long walks exploring the city or parks.
What qualities in others do you consider to be a beauty inspiration?
Natural confidence, a well-lived life, courage and authenticity.
In your approach to wellness, what are you leaning away from and/or toward?
I am leaning away from judgment, perfection, anything that makes me feel inadequate. And moving toward being more open-minded and accepting of others.
What is one thing that helps you get energized?
If I am feeling very overwhelmed or fatigued, I find that sitting up straight in my chair and doing a few 3-7-8 breaths can reset my mood and heart rate.
What favorite activity keeps you unplugged from the internet?
Aimless walks listening to music and sketching.
What do you collect, and why does it delight you?
I love collecting vintage architecture and interior design books. It’s like living vicariously through other times and places. I really appreciate how much care people put into their homes—not by hiring the best designers, but accumulating memories and objects that contextualize them over time.
What favorite plant or flower do you enjoy having in your home?
For the home, I always love white tulips or a bright bouquet of orange marigolds.
When have you recently cried because something was beautiful?
I cry often (Cancer moon!) because I am overwhelmed that as cruel as humans can be to one another, we are also capable of such deep compassion and courage. We could all use those reminders once in a while.
How do you wind down for bed?
More deep and aware breathing, along with a quick gratitude check to remember that there is so much to be grateful for—including a warm bed to sleep in, and the health of my loved ones and myself.
What is a good rule to live by?
The golden rule is cliche but everlasting for a reason: Do unto others.
