Duwan

Sitting on the patio of her family beach house in Ras al Khaimah overlooking a violent sea, Sheikha Fatima Al Qassimi smiles at no one in particular as she sips her third cup of coffee before diving into her latest jewellery designing brainstorming session.

“You can find inspiration everywhere,” says the Ras al Khaimah royal, squinting at the sunset before taking out a black velvety box containing one of her favourite designs. 

“What do you think?” she asks, holding up a chunky ring made of three different coloured stones, blue to signify the sea, brown to signify the mountains and yellow to symbolise the desert –a ring she fondly calls the “RAK ring”.

Sheikha Fatima is the latest member of the northern emirate’s ruling family to embark on the road of fashion and art, following in the footsteps of male and female cousins who design everything from clothes to furniture, and other relatives who paint for a living.

While still undecided about whether to use her title when naming her line of jewellery, Sheikha Fatima is determined to lead a “revolution” and leave a “glamorous mark” in the world of jewellery design.

“I was born to do this,” says Sheikha Fatima, who did the unthinkable and worked in traditional jewellery souks across the country to get a “feel” for the jewellery market.

“No one knew I was a sheikha. I sold, bought, bargained, designed and watched the industry from behind the counter,” she says.

After a dip in fine arts and several odd jobs here and there in fashion, the 28-year-old sheikha finally settled this year on designing jewellery – much to the dismay of her family.

“It was hard at first for them to accept my career path, but now they are wearing my designs,” she says with a broad smile.

With a degree in business and management from the University of Sharjah, a degree in jewellery business management from Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai, and a jewellery design diploma from the International Gemological Institute, Sheikha Fatima is combining her business skills with her design flare and opening her own shop in Dubai.

Often, her fingers are sore and cut as she spends all day supervising or making jewellery.

“My fingers have become like that of a mechanic,” she laughs.

Sheikha Fatima’s designs reflect their creator’s characteristics: “A little bit modern, and a little bit traditional and a lot of Fatima,” she says.

One of the sheikha’s most popular lines are rings and pendants of the first Arabic letters of people’s names twisted and reshaped to reflect their future owner’s personality.

“I am currently working on a special set for the Lebanese singer Najwa Karam made up of sea shells, pearls and diamonds,” she says.

In less than a year, Sheikha Fatima has designed and sold over 1000 pieces of jewellery, 500 rings and 500 pendants, but admits that she hasn’t saved much of what she made.

“I need a financial manger,” she jokes, as she spends whatever she makes on creating other designs and shopping.

Sheikha Fatima also designed a tribute necklace for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai – a square pendant holding a golden plate inscripted with a poem praising the history of the nation and held together with the country’s flag colour ribbons.

“Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is my hero for his endless support to the youth and especially to the women in the country,” she explains as her reasons for dedicating the piece to him.

As for who she would love to work with, Sheikha Fatima pauses for a few seconds before announcing: “Cartier.”

“Just classy,” she says. The young designer often jets off to Paris to wander its streets and sit in its cafes for inspiration.

“There is just something about Paris,” she says with a dreamy look in her eyes.

One of Sheikha Fatima’s favourite designers is Ambaji Shinde, who designed jewellery for Indian princes and Hollywood stars. Sheikha Fatima says she would have loved to have worked with him but he died in 2003.

“That is what is beautiful about this field, your designs live forever,” she says.

But while she gets her inspirations from France and India, Sheikha Fatima admits that her heart will always belong to the UAE.

“There is no pure local brand of jewellery, and so I hope through my designs, we, the Emirati, can someday leave a mark in this artistic field,” she says.

Until then, Sheikha Fatima’s designs are quickly growing in demand, and for now, are called “FQ jewellery.”

“When I see someone wearing my designs, I feel so blessed and happy,” she said. “I can’t contain myself, and find myself screaming out loud, ‘Look look, she is wearing an FQ’.”

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NOTE:

Orders can be placed in the shop

To place and order or make an appointment call

Duwan :

04-3279404

Source (www.thenational.ae)

picture source : ( facebook -Fatima Al-Qassimi Jewellery Designs group )