RIYADH: As part of their mission to empower Arab designers, Layali Maraya is featuring regional designers at the Mansard Hotel in Riyadh until Wednesday. The three-day event, held under the patronage of Ameera Al-Taweel, Layali Maraya features modern luxury in a collection of Arab brands including Okhtein, an Egyptian label known for its handcrafted handbags with detailed accents that represent the beauty of Egyptian culture. Also featured is Lynyer, a Lebanese brand by Leen Abelnour, who finds inspiration in Asian and Middle Eastern jewelry aesthetics and nature to create bold pieces.
“I ended up going for very big statement pieces that go with Middle Eastern women, and make women stand out wherever they are, especially for confident women who want to walk into the room and turn heads,” she said. “All the pieces that you see here are nature inspired. They are also very culturally inspired by India, Pakistan, and by Lebanon, which is where I’m from.
” Growing up in the Kingdom and traveling internationally to pursue her career, Abelnour said that being back in Riyadh was a full-circle moment for her. “When I launched the brand, I wanted to work with small artisans around the world ..
. I started realizing that growing up in Saudi Arabia has really affected my taste in jewelry,” she said. The founder of Saudi clothing brand Harjuss, Saud Saleh, said the label completes “basic, essential, human needs.
” Harjuss’s ready-to-wear collections are created around the.
