YOU CAN FIND ANY WAY FOR SELF-EXPRESSION. AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS WAY THIS METHOD APPROPRIATE BY TASTE FIRST TO FRIENDS AND CLOSE, AND THEN, AND TO ALL OUTSIDE PEOPLE. THE HISTORY OF THE YA GHALI JEWELERY SERIES BEGINS ABOUT THAT BECAME A PART OF THE LARGE BIL ARABI COLLECTION.
They were created by the Emirate designer Nadine Kanzo and presented to the international audience at the Harvey Nichols Gallery in Dubai. However, first things first.
Nadine, today in the jewelry industry you can find jewelry for a variety of tastes and budgets. When did you decide to start producing your own jewelry collections?
My career began in 2006 and not at all with jewelry. I am an artist and photographer. Once I prepared an exhibition called “Me'en Ana” (“Who am I?”) And was dedicated to the self-identification of the Arabs after the events of September 11, 2011 and the labels that the immigrants from the Western countries awarded us after that terrible disaster. Many people began to consider all Arabs as terrorists. That is why I decided to photograph a variety of people from Arab countries and make art collages with captions with the following content - “I speak and think Arabic” or “I look like an Arab” to make people think and stop being prejudiced about us.
After the exhibition, I wanted to tell others about myself, about our culture, language and national identity, about how proud I am of my country and my historical roots. It seemed to me that this should not be just a photograph. Then I decided to do something else, and created an unusual gold ring. In principle, it all started with him. Since all my exhibitions were called “Bil Arabi” (“I am an Arab!”), And this phrase became my logo, I called it
Wow! So the inscription on your ring is the logo?
This is the Arabic letter “ein”, which is repeated four times, since these are the initials of my husband Aziz and son Amr. And next to it is the letter “N”, with which my name begins.
When did gems appear in your collection?
The first ring was simply made of gold. Then I thought it would be nice to add dots and dashes to it - in Arabic there are a lot of them. So first small and then large stones appeared. The choice of stones and letters in the jewelry is usually individual. I offer my customers a choice. For example, if you like citrines, I will show all the options for their faceting - drops, hearts, flowers, etc., and then add what you have chosen to your letters. Starting with a couple of initials, a person usually goes over to words, and stones of a different level already appear here - diamonds, rubies, sapphires.
How big is your collection today?
The entire collection is quite large. And I must say, many products from those that were released at the very beginning are still popular among buyers. Often I repeat simple rings with initials of gold, returning to the roots ...
What do you represent at Harvey Nichols?
As part of my collaboration with Harvey Nichols, I decided to launch a brand new jewelry line. They belong to the “high jewelry art” and are collectively called “Ya Ghali”, which means “dear to the heart” or “dear”. This collection has more diamonds, and there are simply unique, made in a single copy of the jewelry. I supplemented the usual earrings with "arabesques" inlaid with semiprecious stones. In general, the lineup consists of 20 unique jewelry, each of which has an Arabic accent.
Earrings do not look symmetrical, is this done on purpose?
Yes. They attract attention, and it is immediately evident that this is manual work.
Who were your first customers and customers?
The bulk of my clients are UAE citizens, however today there are Russians, Japanese, and other customers. It seems to me that anyone who ends up in Harvey Nichols will not pass by a window with my jewelry, as they may well be a pleasant souvenir for those who traveled through the UAE as a tourist, and also live here for a long time, but sooner or later they will return anyway Homeland.
What gems do you personally love more than others?
When working on collections, I choose brilliant stones, but my personal preference is emeralds. I just adore their deep green color and hidden magic. True, it is difficult to work with emeralds, they are very fragile.
Where are your workshops located?
I have a workshop in Dubai at Gold and Diamond Park. In addition, I work on jewelry in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Jordan.
What are your plans for expansion outside the region?
I really want to enter the international market. Now I am preparing a presentation for Europe. I want my jewelry to be seen and appreciated in London, Paris, New York, and other world fashion capitals.
How do you feel about competition in the jewelry industry?
It seems to me that the Bil Arabi brand has a certain specificity, and there is no need to talk about any direct competition. In the end, the world is so large that there is a place for anyone who wants to say something to others or do for the rest. It would be a desire! And I have it, I'm an Arab! (laughs).
What is the hardest part of your job?
To be able to explain their position in the work and remain at the peak of creative growth. I made two exclusive jewelry for Christie's, and each of them had its own story that came from my heart. As for creativity, there are certain challenges, as buyers may not always understand or accept the artist’s vision. So far, for six years, I myself have been managing the creative process. Who knows, maybe soon I will need the support of someone else, with completely different outlooks on life and the world.
Thanks for your time, Nadine.
I wish you new creative achievements.
