This week, we speak to Viktoria Plonska, Founder of TORICERÁ, a UAE-based ceramics brand. The brand emphasises the beauty of handmade pieces crafted slowly and cherished forever.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
By harnessing the beauty of custom, handmade ceramics designed to last, the founder takes inspiration from clay. By realising the progress comes from imperfections, she launched a brand, that truly resonated with what she believes in. From customised pieces to decorative motifs personalised on these small batch production ceramics, each piece tells a story.
To delve into Plonska’s story, Emirates Woman delves into her journey as an entrepreneur and how she’s scaled her business since launching.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Art, always. I was quite a creative child, drawing, painting or making something out of nothing. It was the one thing that made me feel most myself. Time would just disappear and I loved that freedom to just play and explore. It feels like a beautiful full-circle moment now, because the same joy I found in those classes has become the foundation of the life I’ve built with ceramics today.
What was your first job?
My first job was as a part-time shop assistant while I was at university. At the time, I thought I was just folding clothes and chatting to customers, but looking back I realise I was learning something bigger, how much difference small details and genuine care can make. I loved meeting people from all walks of life, and those early lessons in patience and connection still follow me into the studio today.
What brought you to Dubai?
I moved to Dubai for opportunity, but also for adventure. I wanted a place that felt full of possibility, where I could both build and reinvent. Over the years, Dubai has been the backdrop where I really grew up as a person, it’s where I found myself, reinvented myself, and eventually built up the courage to start my own brand. I couldn’t be more grateful for everything this city has given me.
What inspired you to enter the space and launch your brand?
My journey with ceramics began as a way of slowing down. I had been living in such a fast-paced, achievement-driven world, and clay allowed me to be present, to be patient, to adapt, and most importantly, to listen to what it was trying to teach me. I actually felt called to pottery for a very long time before I tried it. Deep down I knew it was for me. It’s a bold thing to say before you’ve even touched clay, but I just knew. When I finally sat at the wheel, I fell deeply in love with the craft, and I haven’t looked back since. From there, TORICERÁ unfolded naturally. What began as a hobby soon became more, as friends, family, and eventually strangers started showing interest in buying my work. I had always wanted something of my own, something that felt both creative and meaningful, and ceramics became the most natural extension of that. I never imagined it would grow into what it is today, and at such speed, but I’m endlessly grateful it has.
Talk us through the concept?
TORICERÁ is a ceramic brand with soul. I create custom, handmade ceramics designed to last, both in quality and in sentiment, offering pieces for individuals as well as for commercial spaces. I imagine them becoming part of someone’s home, space, and daily rituals, pieces that hold meaning long after the moment they’re made. Maybe it’s a mug that’s reached for every morning, something that speaks perfectly for a brand, or keepsake treasured and passed down in the family. That’s what I hope for the work I put out there, that it carries stories, gathers memories, and feels special enough to stay with people for years to come. At its heart, TORICERÁ is about creating ceramics that feel timeless, whether they live in a family kitchen or on a restaurant table.
What are the key elements of your role?
I try to stay away from calling TORICERÁ a “small business,” but as the founder I really do wear all the hats – artist, creator, photographer, and packer. But the heart of my role is storytelling. Through clay, through social media, even through the way a piece is wrapped, I’m telling a story about slowing down, about ritual, and about finding beauty in imperfection.
Talk us through your daily routine.
No two days are ever the same, but they always start with coffee (or matcha), a quiet moment and a walk with my dogs. From there, it could be hours at the wheel, trimming or glazing pieces, photographing work, responding to clients or planning future collections. I like to keep things varied so the rhythm of the studio always feels fresh. I usually end the day editing content or journaling, sometimes ideas for what’s next, other times simply what requires my attention the following day. My dogs are part of the rhythm too, they pull me away for a pause, which I need, because time has a way of slipping until suddenly it’s evening again.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
Start small, and start imperfectly. You don’t need everything figured out before you begin. Clay has taught me that progress comes through mistakes, the kiln doesn’t always give you what you expect, but often it’s better. In fact, some of my best work has come from experiments or what I thought were “happy accidents.” You learn something new every single day, clay always has more to teach. When it comes to turning passion into business, my advice is the same: just start. Open the online store, put your work out there, and trust that you’ll figure things out along the way. Just know it’s a lot of hard work. Running your own brand comes with responsibility and long hours, but if you really want it, there’s no reason you can’t make it work. Consistency builds momentum, and momentum builds everything else.
Tell us more about the pieces.
At its heart, TORICERÁ is building a name for ceramics that feel personal, not mass-produced. We bring this to life through different offerings depending on our clients’ needs, but each share the same ethos of care, intention, and meaning. For individuals, we create personalised ceramics within the brand’s style that customers can make entirely their own. Our custom mugs are especially beloved, they can be finished with text, decorative motifs, or even handle bows, making them not only everyday essentials but also deeply meaningful gifts. For commercial settings, we offer small-batch production, partnering with coffee shops, restaurants, salons, and lifestyle brands to craft ceramics that elevate their spaces and enrich the client experience. And then there are our own curated drops and timeless staples, inspired by moments, moods, and the shift in seasons. Most recently, our Earthtone collection captured a lot of love and attention, proof that when a piece truly speaks to people, it naturally finds its place. Our drops are limited and fleeting, alongside signature pieces that, when loved, return again and again.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever received is to enjoy the process of becoming and to stay grateful. It sounds simple, but it’s shaped how I live and work. So often we get caught up chasing what’s next that we forget to notice the moment we’re in, the very moment that might be something we once dreamed of. Learning to slow down and actually sit with those experiences has been life-changing. When you stay present enough to celebrate the small wins, the big milestones, the everyday rituals, and the quiet in-betweens, you realise that’s where the real magic is. Gratitude for both the ordinary and extraordinary makes life feel fuller, and it has a way of inviting even more of the good stuff in
And what is the worst?
The worst advice I’ve ever received is ‘just play it safe.’ I don’t think playing it safe has ever created anything meaningful for me. Every big leap in my journey – moving countries, changing careers, starting my own brand – came from taking a risk. The scary decisions have always been the ones that shaped me the most.
View this post on Instagram
What’s the biggest challenge you have had to overcome?
The biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome is letting go of perfection. Clay is humbling; it cracks, warps, resists. In the early days, I would get so frustrated when things didn’t go exactly to plan. But over time I’ve learned to see those moments as part of the beauty and process, they’re proof of life, proof of being handmade. Learning to embrace imperfection has freed me not only in my work, but also in how I approach the business and myself.
What’s lies ahead for the brand?
Looking ahead, more growth is at the heart of what we’re aiming for, building on the momentum TORICERÁ has found so far. That includes expanding partnerships and collaborations with other brands, and bringing our pieces into a physical store. But more than anything, I want TORICERÁ to become a space where clay and human connection meet. On the horizon, we’re working on wellness gatherings built around clay as a medium, spaces for people to come together, to connect, to play, and to experiment. It’s a way of taking the community we’ve built beyond the screen and into the real world, of giving back to the people who continue to support me, and of creating opportunities for them to meet like-minded individuals and cultivate friendships. These gatherings won’t be about technique or perfection, but about slowing down, sharing conversations, and finding joy in the act of making. At its core, the future of TORICERÁ is about growth with intention and continuing to create pieces and experiences that feel personal.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Supplied
