Meet Rasha Hamdan from Yislamoo: Arabesque Greetings, Art & Collectibles

Move over Hallmark, we have something far more kitcsh and Arabesque, proudly conceptualized and nurtured in our region. Today I am introducing to you a beautiful home-grown concept by a talented young lady in Amman, Jordan.

Meet Rasha Hamdan, the founder of Yislamoo. Processed with VSCOcam with t2 preset What started off as a greeting cards concept has now expanded to all things art with collaborations with local artists and a firm base in the capital of all things fashionable; Dubai ofcourse! Do have a browse through their gorgeous website www.yislamoo.com From greeting cards to wall art, mugs, canvas bags and more, this upcoming brand is taking the fashion-forward into a frenzy! Here’s what Rasha has to say…

How did you come up with the concept of Yislamoo?

Yislamoo’s conception was when I noticed a huge gap in the market when it comes to offering Arabic greeting cards, back in 2011 there was no such thing as a birthday card that would say: Sanah Hilwa Ya Gameel (the quintessential birthday song and our answer to Happy Birthday to You) So that was the first card I designed from my home based office in Amman…. from 3 stands in 3 small bookshops to 30 stands across the region and reaching The States, our brand grew and has garnered critical acclaim.

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What does Yislamoo mean?

Yislamoo, as an elaborate way of saying Thank You, it translates to a prayer: “May you be safe and well”. It is a true representation of beautiful Arabia, because in our culture it is almost mandatory to return the favour on spot, a gift for a gift, an invitation for an invitation… etc and when we don’t have something on hand to give back we return the favour with a prayer Yislamoo, not a mere thank you.
Yislamoo celebrates art from beautiful Arabia by collaborating with talented artists and calligraphers to bring memorable pieces. We hope to reach every home and heart in this region and beyond, with our growing collection of wall art, quirky greeting cards, and personalized gift ideas.

Of all the pieces you’ve designed so far, which one is the most special to you and why?

From my personal designs: I would say, The Arabian Side of the Moon

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From the network of contributing artists

1) Love by Dina Fawakhiri

2) Mashallah by Aya Barqawi

3) Happy Cheat Day by Mohamed Ali

Given the size of the Arab population, why do you think no one thought of Arabesque cards before?

Because greeting cards is not something common in our culture. It is a western habit that originated in China actually.

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What are the different genres covered by Yislamoo wall art and cards?

We are mainly inspired by beautiful Arabia but not as an isolated concept. The way our culture, in terms of language and visuals was influenced by it’s surroundings.

What is the creative process that goes behind designing a Yislamoo piece?

Varies! Sometimes it’s just an impulse and a concept would come up while running on a treadmill and other times it’s a long process of research, edits and re-edits and asking and inquiring.