Pixelated jewelry a hit with Arab women

Like the continually evolving nature of dresses, accessories are also entering a clamorous phase where they can no longer be taken for granted but are now turning into something equally more realistic yet extremely contemporary to gel with the stupendous variability of outfits.
As a matter of fact, it’s a very demanding job to live up to. To start with, one of them deals in the universe of enchanting jewelry that makes up an indispensable part of women’s eternal beauty. And no one can dispute this fact we are all aware of.
So the newly-joined member of the expanding group responsible for changing the status quo is a British jewelry designer named Francesca Grima who says her fine jewelry is all about holding onto a progressive attitude toward life.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, we sit down with her to find more about the brand as it makes foray into winning hearts and souls of women who are looking to try something bold and eccentric.
Grima’s increasingly unending passion for jewelry was very much a predestined path led by her parents who worked in the jewelry industry and for her they were the best teachers she could have hoped for. “It’s the only life I’ve dreamt about for myself while growing up and making a career in it at full throttle,” she says. “I’m glad I made it.”
No wonder she feels strongly about jewelry when she makes a key point that unlike fashion, it has intrinsic value and longevity. “You keep it for life and then pass it on to the next generation. Jewelry is therefore very personal — an extension of the self and a memorable bookmark in your life story. I like to think that every piece of jewelry has a story behind it,” she says.
In terms of the unique designs and why they are deemed the “favorites” for a number of celebrities, she says that it’s so because she tries not to follow any of the current trends, which tend to be quite romantic and floral. “I like to design pieces that reflect boldness, precision and elements of architecture,” Grima expresses. “I think it’s important to create a distinctive aesthetic that has some weight. I feel flattered that celebrities love wearing my designed pieces. But my dream client would be someone as enthusiastic about craftsmanship and original design as I am.”
When it comes to the design process, she is very articulate about what she wants to create in the first place. That’s how her inspirations start to galvanize. “My design process varies according to whether I’m working on a Grima design or a Francesca Grima design. For Grima, I’m usually inspired by a large stone, which would be the starting point for the piece, usually a one-off design and not part of a themed collection whereas, with Francesca Grima, I work mainly with precious metals thinking of an idea from which a collection or theme will evolve into many pieces,” she says.
There is one more thing that she sticks to no matter what. When working on her pieces, she doesn’t like to compromise on the design aspect simply to make the piece easier to manufacture. “I can’t let it go. This is what really gives my work a rock ‘n’ roll touch.”
While she aims to push the envelope with her electrifying creations, she makes sure the wearability and comfort factor of a piece is seamlessly entrenched. “I believe jewelry enlivens one’s personality divinely. It has got nothing to do with one’s physique,” she says.
And the craze for her pieces among women in the Arab world is astonishingly high. To Grima’s surprise and delight, a lot of her online customers are from the Middle East. “When I see Middle Eastern women’s choice of jewelry on Instagram, it’s definitely flamboyant and exotic — the sort of pieces one would wear for a special occasion,” she says adding that a lot of the jewelry that Western women wear is either everyday casual or is to be worn at work. Her jewelry fits more into that bracket. Nonetheless, she is over the moon with the sort of response she is getting from Arab women.
Grima’s latest collection is inspired by architecture, technology and textile patterns plus she has employed combinations of stones and materials in highly sculptural shapes. “When I designed “Pixel Hearts”, I wanted to take an object that’s usually perceived as smooth, feminine and romantic and give it some elegant posture. The result is a shape that retains its symbolic essence but at the same time has a degree of attitude,” she says.
All this commendable work that she has done to date sheds light on her proactive role in building a powerful brand as time goes by. “I’m just a year into my new venture, the Francesca Grima brand, and my debut collection has been well-received, drawing encouraging signs from new customers and the press alike,” she says. “I’m currently working on new designs for my “Pixel” collection and a new design theme is in the development process and should be launched just before Christmas.”
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