I came to Tibet seeking depth, but what I found was something even more radical—freedom. Not just spiritual or artistic freedom, but a freedom from categories we in the West often mistake for universal truth. Especially gender.

One of the most surprising and powerful aspects of Tibetan jewelry is how it resists our binary expectations. There is no strict “his” or “hers,” no dainty femininity versus rugged masculinity. There are amulets—meant to protect, heal, empower. There are symbols—meant to connect you to your ancestors, your beliefs, your path. And these symbols? They don’t care about gender roles.

Wearing Power, Not Gender

In traditional Tibetan culture, jewelry is an extension of the soul. A way of anchoring yourself in the world. Whether it's a thick silver cuff etched with mantras, a coral necklace strung for spiritual vitality, or a turquoise ring worn for protection, the meaning has never been gendered.

Men wear bold, layered pieces. Women wear bold, layered pieces. There’s no shrinking away, no attempt to soften or harden based on assigned roles. Instead, people wear what speaks to them. What their spirit calls for. What their energy needs.

In a world still obsessed with labeling everything as “for men” or “for women,” Tibetan adornment offers a refreshingly non-binary lens. It’s not about presentation. It’s about presence.

Designing Outside the Binary

When Tsering and I started Orientra, this idea hit me hard. So much of Western fashion is entangled with coded expectations: soft curves for her, sharp angles for him. Minimalism for her, industrial textures for him. But the more I immersed myself in Tsering’s world, the more I saw how arbitrary and limiting those choices are.

So we chose not to design along those lines.
At Orientra, we don’t sort our pieces by gender. We sort them by energy. By intention. By feeling. We ask:
– Is this piece protective?
– Is it grounding?
– Is it rebellious, quiet, radiant, strong?

And then we let you decide what it means to you.
Not what it’s supposed to say about your gender.

Adornment as Identity, Not Performance

For many of us, especially those who identify outside the gender binary or feel limited by conventional norms, adornment becomes a powerful form of resistance and self-definition. That’s what I believe Tibetan jewelry inherently offers: not an escape from identity, but a return to something more essential. A raw, elemental kind of self-expression that predates fashion systems and breaks right through their walls.

In every piece we make, we try to honor that.
We don’t ask, “Will this look good on a man or a woman?”
We ask, “Does this piece feel real?”
“Is it rooted in something true?”

Because the soul doesn’t come in pink or blue.
And neither should the symbols you wear close to your heart.

A Home for the In-Between

At Orientra, we’re building a brand that honors tradition, not through imitation—but through liberation. And the truth is, Tibetan jewelry has always been ahead of us. It’s always carved space for those who live in-between, outside, beyond.

So whether you’re queer, non-binary, gender-expansive—or just tired of being told how you should look based on what’s on your passport—know this: you have a place here.

This jewelry is for you.
For all of you.
For whoever you are becoming.

—Clara
Co-Founder, Designer, Student of the In-Between