The Art of Belonging with Brittany Nazmiyal: In the Weave of Her Wake at Rug & Kilim

Fashion fades, but a story never goes out of style.

To understand Brittany is to understand her love of form — not as ornament, but as language. In speaking with her, the lines between fashion and rugs blur effortlessly.

“There’s something so familiar in this work,” she reflects. “In fashion, the greatest collections — like Tom Ford at Gucci or Michael Kors at Celine — they weren’t just stylish. They carried a story. That’s what I feel with our antique Chinese Deco rugs, especially those by Walter Nichols. When I place one, it’s like selling a couture piece with a signature — like handing over a Tom Ford blouse from his most iconic collection. It’s a piece of history. A signed story.”

“A rug, like couture, is never just an object. It’s a personal statement, a lived experience.”

Innovation is tradition, rewritten.

Among her favorites is the Burano Collection, a study in ingenuity and modern elegance. “It’s one of the most fashionable things we’ve created,” she says with reverence. “Josh’s idea — the black weft — changed everything. It’s never been done before. Dealers and Designers recognize it. They say, ‘Someone who knows rugs made this.’ It’s the kind of praise that tells you we’re doing something rare.”

And rarity, here, isn’t just about scarcity. It’s about soul.

The truest luxury is trust.

What sets Brittany apart isn’t simply her aesthetic intelligence — though it is sharp, honed from her years in fashion and refined further by her intuitive sensibility — but her devotion to the unseen. She lights up when describing the three moments she lives for:

First, the challenge — when a client asks for more than what’s visible, more than what’s easy. “It’s when someone trusts you enough to challenge you. They want something custom, something that doesn’t exist yet. It means they see us. They believe in us.”

Second, personal trust. “When someone says, ‘Just show me what you love,’ it’s an honor. It means they see my eye, not just the inventory.”

And third — the highest regard — is service. “The way we serve our clients is everything. The professionalism, the honesty, the respect. Feedback is everything to me. It tells me we’re not just selling rugs. We’re offering a way of living.”

A name isn’t inherited — it’s earned, every day.

To be a Nazmiyal, Brittany says, is one of the great honors of her life. But she carries that name with a unique awareness.

“First, it’s about being honest. All of us — Josh, Sina, Cyrus — we live by that. Second, it’s about honoring the legacy Josh and Jason Nazmiyal built. People come to us because they revere Josh. I didn’t even realize how deeply respected he is until I heard it from others. He never says it himself — he’s too humble — but the industry speaks for him. It’s a name that precedes itself. My job is to stand behind that with grace.”

And third, she adds, is something less tangible, but unmistakable: Royal Culture.

“Royal Culture is not about status — it’s about a lifestyle. A way of treating people.”

“It’s a phrase we created, inspired by the era in Iran that Josh came from — the idea of royalty not as ego, but as a way of living. A joy of life. A casual elegance. I was blown away by how Josh lives — the way he hosts guests, designs, travels, speaks. That style of living… it’s the best form of artistry. And that’s what we share with our clients.”

When you educate someone about rugs, you invite them to see.

To Brittany, educating clients is not just a task — it’s a rite. “Buying a rug is one of the most personal choices you can make in a home — next to art. You live with rugs. They’re tactile memories. We don’t just sell them. We show you how to live with them. Why they matter.”

“People live with rugs. They walk on them barefoot, they raise their children on them. It’s more intimate than art. When you buy a rug, you’re not decorating. You’re choosing a piece of your home’s soul.”

Legacy isn’t what you inherit — it’s what you build.

Her gaze turns toward the future with the confidence of someone deeply grounded.

“I’m the newest member of the family, and I know my place. But I also know where I’m headed.”

Brittany is laying the foundation for private label collaborations — fashion houses like Fendi, Ralph Lauren Home — drawn by her vision of rugs as couture. “Every step I take is toward that. There’s a lot to learn, but I’m putting in the work. My clients will tell you — I’m always available. I know where I am. I know where I want to be.”

In a world saturated by trends and fast design, Brittany Nazmiyal offers something else: a rare kind of quiet rebellion. One that honors the past with clarity, and dares to shape the future with grace.