Stephanie Spear Haus of Urbi is one of Reston Town Center’s newest additions, but the ethos behind the brand is timeless. The founders, married couple Denys Shalayev and Pratiksha Kamath, want to sell customers timeless jewelry in a peaceful setting and create lasting connections. The boutique, located at 11962 Market Street, is the culmination of the duo’s journey. Read on for more with Denys and Pratiksha of Haus of Urbi.
About The Brand
Denys and Pratiksha have a shared background in digital advertising: he works with paid media, and she works with analytics and data strategy. “We worked with clients including Microsoft, Accenture, Esteé Lauder, La Mer, Pepsi, Accenture, and Subway,” Denys said. Their respective life paths brought them to Manhattan, where they met in 2017. Denys emigrated as a child in 2002 from Ukraine to Brunswick, Maryland, eventually earning a degree in marketing from the R.H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, and then moving to Manhattan for his career. Pratiksha moved from her native India to New York City in 2011 to study at New York University, where she received her master’s degree in integrated marketing.
Photo credit: @hausofurbi
The two met in New York City in 2017 and started dating in 2019. They got married in early 2021. While they enjoyed their respective careers in NYC, eventually it was time to come back to the DC area. They moved to Leesburg in 2021, and during that time, Pratiksha started experimenting with jewelry making as a hobby. She started with making polymer clay jewelry. Urbi Goods was born in 2022, with the couple selling their handmade goods at different fairs and events throughout the area. “We realized we could do it,” Denys said.
Read more: The Fairfax Girl’s Ultimate Fall Bucket List
In 2023, Pratiksha left her corporate job to focus on Urbi full-time. Denys followed suit in 2025. Their consistent appearances at fairs and other local events throughout 2022 and 2023 led the duo to open a year-long pop-up space at One Loudoun in 2024. When the lease on that space was up, it was time for a new iteration of the brand: a new look, new products, and a new address. In 2025, the new Haus of Urbi opened in Reston Town Center at 11962 Market Street.
The Experience
The sandy–pink exterior of the shop is as inviting as the high ceilings and natural light in the space. Customers are invited to try on any of the pieces they wish, mix and match items, and have a fun and relaxed experience. “A lot of people are curious about their jewelry,” Denys said. “They want to know where and how it was made, and what the materials used are. We are excited to talk to customers and educate them about our jewelry.”
Even the word ‘urbi’ is a hint at the brand’s aesthetic. “Urbi as a combination of urban and chic,” Pratiksha said. “Because we envision people wearing our designs in all kinds of settings.” The duo describes their pieces as high-quality pieces that can be dressed up or down. There is no ideal consumer, as the pieces are meant to be worn by anyone, anywhere. “The designs are minimal and classic, dainty but not fussy,” Pratishka says.
Each design is made using thick layers of 18k gold over sterling silver. The team uses high-grade freshwater pearls and AAA+ cubic zirconia stones, and all materials used are free of nickel, which is a common skin irritant in jewelry. There is an emphasis on quality, hypoallergenic properties, and lasting value. Pratiksha points out that the high quality of the materials used means customers can resell or reuse the raw materials in the future if they want to. “Growing up in India, that’s how women would pass wealth down,” she said. “The jewelry was beautiful and sentimental, but it was also worth something for the future.”
See more: All About Vienna’s Pear Tree Cottage
The brand’s offerings include necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and permanent jewelry. There is a permanent jewelry studio in the back of the shop where the team can ‘zap’ customers with their purchases and remove permanent jewelry if necessary. “Someone came in asking for help removing her bracelet because she had an MRI coming up,” Denys said.
Photo credit: @hausofurbi
Haus of Urbi is located at 11962 Market Street in Reston Town Center and is open daily from 12PM to 6PM.
Follow @thefairfaxgirl on Instagram + TikTok for the latest Northern Virginia updates, and check out our events calendar, which has over 100+ events weekly to peruse.
