Meet The Founders

 

Yusuf Ozekici & Emilia Irizarry are a husband and wife duo who together form the Power-House that is Rug Starz. Both are driven by entrepreneurial spirits as well as a passion for sharing the deep and rich histories of each of their cultures. 

Yusuf, born and raised in Turkey, is a lawyer & highly sought after Rug Dealer. His ancestral roots are steeped in the tradition and art of Rug Trading. He has traded rugs in Antalya, Turkey, as well as the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, later moving to Italy where he sold high end rugs to high end European clients. In the year 2000 Yusuf established his own Rug Import business in the USA.

Emilia is an entrepreneur through and through. Known for her dedication and intuition, her spirit led her down this journey with Yusuf. She brings vision and creativity to the duo - bridging ancient rug trading traditions with a modern approach - bringing high end, from the source Turkish Rugs to the world. Together they are sustaining an age-old art and culture.