A Special Boutique in Kuwait City

«I’ve always been obsessed with jewelry, but most of my favorite brands and styles were only available abroad. I got frustrated that I couldn’t shop for the jewelry brands that I liked in the local market, and noticed that most people in Kuwait were buying jewelry from the same 2 or 3 big brand boutiques. Aubade was founded with the idea of bringing all of my favorite international brands to Kuwait, and it allowed me to introduce new names to the market. I usually fall in love with a brand and buy a few pieces for myself first, before I bring it to the store. I look for diversity, originality and quality, and the brands in my store have to be unique and unlike anything we have seen, so that no two brands will be alike. Most of them come mainly from Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris. And Italy, of course. Kuwaiti women are leaders of the region when it comes to fashion and jewelry, so our clients are always ahead of the trends, they’re also very well informed and do appreciate more established brands that have set their standards when it comes to quality and finishing. Over the years, the spending style of our clients has become more apparent. We have noticed that when it comes to seasonal pieces, clients are more comfortable purchasing them if they’re at an easy, safe price point. However, with timeless and classic pieces, they are willing to go much higher as they know they are getting their money’s worth in terms of quality and wear. Thus, as a business, we tend to try to keep our trendy, seasonal styles at a lower price point to ensure that our clients will be comfortable enough to buy an item that may get limited wear. Overall, however, I’d say our best price range at Aubade would be the $2000-$3000. The Middle Eastern woman is highly fashionable and well informed. We’re very exposed to fashion and at times we even pick up on a trend before it reaches the western world. We are very close to the western taste because at the end of the day, we all follow the same fashion world. However, many women in the region choose to be modest in how they dress, which means they can be a bit more creative in how they apply fashion and trends to their modest dressing. This leads to a very refined and stylish Middle Eastern woman. We are also witnessing the emergence of leading regional designers that are setting the tone for Middle Eastern style and are reaching a global audience, which is something I am very proud of! Jewelry has always been embedded in our culture and history. Before oil was discovered, Kuwaiti families were making a living by diving for pearls. Jewerly played a big role in our tradition, especially during weddings, where women were decked out in solid gold pieces for their hair, hands and feet. This season plain gold necklaces and coins have seen a huge surge. Cuban link and herringbone chains mixed with gold medallions are the ultimate go to layering style as of late. We’re also seeing a shift towards edgier jewelry – black gold and black diamonds have really picked up in store, with such styles as Eva Fehren’s claw rings, Anita Ko’s safety pin earrings, and Kat Kim’s ear pins being best sellers for us this past year. I’m excited to announce that we are currently undergoing a store expansion, so it will double in size. What’s next after that? I definitely have my eyes set on an online venture as well as opening a second location – where that will be is yet to be revealed, but I’m eager to bring the Aubade experience to a new region.» ◆

We have noticed that when it comes to seasonal pieces, clients are more comfortable purchasing them if they’re at an easy, safe price point