About the Founder

Maya grew up between India and Germany, an experience that has shaped her way of seeing. Maya’s South Asian heritage formed her earliest understanding of beauty: hand-dyed fabrics drying in the wind, the intricate sparkle of embellishments on saris worn by women passing by, the scent of spices in the streets, and the vivid energy of everyday life. Rajasthan, the region her family comes from, has influenced her creative vision profoundly. Its palaces, carved archways, and quiet corners filled with colour and story have become places she returns to for inspiration.

Alongside Rajasthan, Maya’s sense of home is rooted in the south of Germany, in the Odenwald region where she grew up. The region shaped her understanding of quality of life, grounded in a connection to the land, slow country days, seasonal eating, and an intimate relationship with nature. The carefully preserved Fachwerkhäuser (half-timbered houses) common to the area, instilled an early appreciation for detail, craftsmanship, and construction designed to last for generations. This culture of making, where quality is valued over speed and longevity over display, informs how Maya approaches design.

In both, the Odenwald and Rajasthan, she recognises an overlapping language of craft, labour, and lived heritage. These places form her understanding of Heimat (home), one that honours slowness, respect for materials, and the quiet beauty of things made well.

Self-taught, Maya founded Maya Nora in response to what she felt was missing: design that truly reflected cultural duality without dilution. Her practice is deeply hands-on. She selects fabrics and beads by hand, visits artisans, spends time learning their techniques, and builds relationships rooted in respect and exchange. 

Maya Nora emerges from this lived experience.

“Creativity begins with the beauty of the everyday: personal memories, fleeting encounters, a scent carried in the air, the sound of children laughing. These personal memories become the foundation of my work.” - Maya Nora Sirohi