A Jewellery Curator Shares Her Little Black Book
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@CAFTANIIFIRENZE | @THEOVERDRESSED | @RAZANALAZZOUNI
The coolest jewellery boutique is always The Gold Souq. It’s a treasure trove of beautiful gold jewellery and is home to some of the most skilled jewellers. I would recommend buying St. George coins as they retain their value. I also love pebbled gold beads strung on a chain – they’re so shiny.
Some of my best buys have come from my friends in the jewellery business. One of my friends, who is also a colleague, told me to buy a pair of pigeon blood rubies at two carats each and now they’re earrings set in yellow gold. I love them. When it comes to everyday jewellery, however, it doesn’t get better than diamond studs. They really light up the face.
A regional brand I love is Razan Alazzouni Studio. It’s not the best kept secret but it’s a gem. It’s in the middle of Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and stocks lots of ready to wear. It also has a couture service.
I also love shopping at Abayat Nouf Al Sudairi in Khobar. The pieces are versatile, wearable and chic. I love Nouf, she’s such a great mentor – but she’s also so down to earth and approachable.
I also really enjoy Suwa and Arabulous in Bahrain – they’re very different brands, but are hugely popular resort wear labels that use exceptional materials to make the best cuts and fits.
My most recent brand discovery is Dissh. My sister told me about it, and I’ve been hooked ever since. The quality of the pieces is beautiful and the selection is very versatile – it suits my lifestyle right now.
A favourite vintage piece I own has to be a Cartier Bambou collar with matching earrings and a ring. I admit, though, I didn’t buy it – I took it from my mother and months later asked if I could keep it. As expected, she rolled her eyes and said, “Better than it staying in the safe.” It was a win!
I dress according to my mood. Sometimes I’m mellow in a COS t-shirt and Agolde jeans and other times I bring out my Emilia Wickstead pieces. If I want to be fun and boho, I’ll wear Ulla Johnson. When I want to be extra, I dip into vintage couture. For resort wear I love Caftanii – it’s so chic. No matter which designer I wear, the best comment is when someone says, “Oh, this is so you.”
@DISSH
If I could only shop in one type of store it would be the grocery store. I say that because you can buy fashion and everything else online. I’m very particular about my food and with the selection of foods available to me, I am absolutely spoilt for choice.
My go-to store in Bahrain is Al Osra. Take everything away from me but don’t take away my free range organic French or Irish eggs. I also love the sushi grade tuna. In Saudi, the Consumer Oasis is where I go for fresh chicken liver and naimi kharoof.
I love the coffee at GB Café in Bahrain. Everything is good but the one dish I like to treat myself to is the fried chicken burger, washed down with lime kombucha and then I get some rye cookies to take away. If I’m there in the morning, I order an iced almond milk matcha in the summer and hot almond milk matcha in the cooler months. In Khobar, Oi is a fun place to people watch with a coffee and your laptop.
@THEOVERDRESSED | @MOEZACHOUR2 | @DISSH | COS | AGOLDE
Cut at the Four Seasons is my go-to dining spot in Bahrain – mostly for the service. The team always makes me feel so special. I even book by texting the restaurant manager who is nothing but gracious. They even accommodate me when I say, “I texted Fabio but he didn’t respond!” If I’m with four or more people, we always order the Tomahawk steak. It’s cooked and served to perfection, and the French fries are heaven with the bearnaise dip. I don’t usually order dessert, but at Cut everything is good – from the basque cheesecake to the baked Alaska.
You’ll find the best hidden gems at the Al Felwa & Al Jawhara Museum in Dammam. Think cars, trinkets, memorabilia and just so much from the family’s rich history. For incredible scenery, it’s also worth visiting Jabal Al Qara in Al Hasa in Khobar – the topography is fascinating.
At home, we make a big deal of Saturday mornings. We all love Eatsy’s pastries, so on Saturday morning we get a big box of croissants and pain au chocolat.
One of the coolest jewellery boutiques has to be @TheOverdressed. I know I’m biased but we really do it all – we launch brands, we talk about brands, we visit trade shows and we host flash sales. Plus, you can engage with all of it on Instagram.
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