Made in Beirut

Centuries of history saturated by eastern and western influences; a cultural awakening cultivated by European artistic movements; strong spirituality nurtured by diverse religions like ancient Christianity and Moderate Islam; and a great inclination for preserving tradition. Welcome to Beirut, the symbolic epicenter of a country of a thousand contradictions but also a fusion of important artistic trends. Here, where the East and West magically unite, where there are old mosques and modernist Thirties buildings, the future of jewelry reveals one of its most inter- esting and original facets, through highly aware designers able to celebrate his or her origins with a contemporary de- sign. Christina Debs, Noor Fares, Gaelle Khouri and Alia Mouzannar are some of the most exemplary interpreters. Young, cosmopolitan and eclectic, their creations hold the atmosphere and suggestions of the enormous Lebanese artistic patrimony, enriching it with multi-cultural inspiration and experimental manufacturing techniques.
«I try to create pieces that can be contemporary yet timeless at the same time. I think about the durability of my work,» explains Noor Fares, who launched her jewelry line in 2009. Born in Paris, but raised immersed in the richness of Arab culture, where jewels have more than just commercial value, Noor designs jewels that overflow with symbols and mystical meaning, created from geometric forms and sought-after materials like moonstone and rosewood.

More experimental and sometimes ironic, but always with a strong identity, Gaelle Khouri’s offering is a melting pot of stones, innovative materials and sculptural forms in which unconventional concepts co-exist in harmony with ancient musings, redefining the function of a jewel and giving it a particularly versatile soul. Christina Debs tries to reinvent the idea of luxury. Living between Beirut, Paris and New York, she is able to instill a touch of modern eccentricity in her classically elegant jewels. The bond between the Middle East and Europe also marks the work of Alia Mouzannar, in spite of her origins, which are strongly rooted in the history of Lebanese jewelry. In fact, Alia is the last generation of a family that helped transform the Beirut souk into a point of reference for quality jewels in Asia. Passionate about architecture, her first love, she makes jewelry with linear and defined proportions that hold a wealth of wisdom and experience from all over the world. And it is that ability to describe the interactions of dierent styles and cultures that make the aesthetic of new Lebanese designers special, adding a vast variety of greatly appealing jewels to the future of jewelry.