DUBAI: Emirati jewellery designer Noura Alserkal has always had a passion for creating things. Founder of the jewelry label Turabi, the creative identifies first as an artist, then as a designer. So, it is not surprising that her jewelry is unconventional and reminiscent of works of art.
Alserkal is a nominee in Fashion Trust Arabia’s jewelry category, with the winners to be announced at a ceremony in Marrakech on Oct. 24.
The FTA 2024 Advisory Board selected 18 finalists from applications submitted by emerging talent across the MENA region. The board included the likes of Erdem Moralioglu, a British designer loved by celebrities, jewelry designer Gaia Repossi and US designer Kelly Wearstler.
Nominees are competing for six awards: The Ready-to-Wear Award; Eveningwear Award; Jewelry Award; Accessories Award; Fashion Tech Award; and the Franca Sozzani Debut Talent Award.
Alserkal began her love affair with the craft in 2012. She started her business by creating and selling beaded bracelets but soon decided she wanted to learn more and eventually earned a master’s degree in jewelry and metal from the Royal College of Art in London. There, her love for working with her hands and exploring offbeat methods in jewelry design took shape.
“I felt it was so important for me to understand the art of making jewelry — and I soon fell in love with the creative process and working with my hands. My degree taught me a lot about conceptual jewelry,” she said.
Her signature process, lost-wax casting, allows her to sculpt jewelry in a way that feels more like creating miniature sculptures. “I wanted to explore what it means to disrespect gold and to create pieces that aren’t perfect but have their own organic beauty, like nature itself.”
Alserkal’s brand Turabi reflects her love for imperfection, exemplified by her line “Imperfect.”
“The first piece I did was a ring. I started adding drops of wax on a mandrel and then connected them — I liked how the drops weren’t perfect, circular drops,” she said, before explaining the ethos behind her “Water” collection that “draws inspiration from how water sits on the body.” This conceptual yet wearable approach to jewelry is at the core of Turabi’s identity.
Alserkal acknowledged the significance of being nominated at this year’s Fashion Trust Arabia Awards, where winners will receive a financial grant of $100,000 to $200,000, based on the size of their business.
"It’s a huge validation. As a small business, you must know if you’re on the right track. Having a moment of recognition like this helps,” she said.
