At the forefront of a new generation of designers shaking up jewelry-making in the region are Dubai-based Fatma Husam and Noura Sarraj, whose brand MAS launched in November 2017, and has amassed a huge following since then. They crossed paths at a time when Noura had a jewelry line of her own and Fatma, a style influencer with over half-a-million followers on Instagram, was fresh from her travels with brands such as Van Cleef & Arpels.

“We just clicked,” says Fatma. “She [Noura] wanted to make a necklace for me that she could introduce in her own jewelry line. Then we thought, ‘Why not launch our own business?’ It was a bit of my style paired with her expertise.” So far, they have rolled out three collections, ‘Hayma’ (2017),‘Melikah’ (2018) and ‘Sidra’ (2018). Hayma draws inspiration from how an oyster makes a pearl by creating layers of nacre to coat the grain of sand that slips between its shells.

“We thought that, just like grains of sand, so many girls wish to be unique and can truly stand out with vigor and resilience [like the pearl],” Fatma explains. ‘Hayma’ features 18K rose-, white-, and yellow-gold earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets bedecked with malachite, onyx, mother of pearl and pink quartz. “They represent love and happiness. Studying gemstones, you will know they have certain kind of energies,” Noura shares.

‘Melikah’ epitomizes strong, feminine women, while ‘Sidra’ references the eponymous desert tree, hailed as a symbol of perseverance in the Arab world. “We wanted to reflect on how beauty can blossom even in a harsh environment,” Fatma notes. ‘Sidra’ features delicate bracelets and rings and will soon include earrings and necklaces.

“Our jewelry is for all ages and is suitable for every occasion,” says Noura. “The designs are simple and classy, but stand out,” adds Fatma. As the collections continue to resonate with the UAE buyers, the duo plans on expanding to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman. They currently stock their designs at Voguish in Dubai’s City Walk and Bahrain’s Moda Mall.

“We want girls in this region to not only wear global brands but also local ones; they are just as strong,” say Fatma. “We wish to become a big business in the region and be known as a homegrown name that can compete with global luxury jewelry brands.” What is crystal clear is that MAS is set to scale greater heights.  

Images courtesy Of Mas. @Masjewels