LONDON: Inspired by traditional Egyptian architecture from the 1930s, jewelry designer Doaa Mohsen showed off her latest collection at an exclusive event in London on Thursday, treating the well-heeled crowed to a showcase of her unique pieces.
Dubbed The Roshan Collection, the new line draws inspiration from the geometric lattice work of traditional Mashrabiya doorways — stained glass plates held together between delicately carved wooden doorways that were common elements of Egyptian architecture in the 1930s and earlier.
“It protects the women, people cannot see in from the outside, but light and air can come in. It’s like protecting precious gems,” Mohsen, whose brand is called Dalseen Jewelry, told Arab News.
Doaa Mohsen's latest collection is dubbed The Roshan Collection. (Supplied)
The collection is marked by delicate lattice work in 18 karat gold — one of the designer’s favorite materials to work with — and features tiny diamonds at the intersections. Bracelets, pendants and statement-making rings make up the new collection.
The Egyptian designer drew inspiration from her home country, but her path to success has been an international one.
Doaa Mohsen spoke about her new collection at The Luxury Network event. (Supplied)
“I started four or five years ago and the thing is I always liked jewelry but I never thought of it as a business or a career or anything,” she said. “One day I was working on something — I always designed my own stuff — and my jeweler told me, ‘Why don’t you go and study and become a jewelry designer… in London or San Francisco?’”
Due to her young children and responsibilities, the idea never got off the ground, but a few years later, things converged to make it all possible.
“After a couple of years, we moved to London as a family and this is when I started taking my courses, I opened my own company. Then we moved back to Egypt and I started producing.”
Guests gathered as The Luxury Network hosted a showcase of Dalseen Jewelry's new line. (Supplied)
Mohsen sources all her own gems, flying to conventions in Zurich and around the world to handpick the precious stones before heading back to Egypt where her workshop is based.
“I usually work with 18 karat gold and the highest quality of diamonds and I work with lots of stones. I’m in love with opals — they come in so many different shapes, sizes and colors,” she said.
“I work with different types of stones, not the typical or standard (stones) and I like different shapes, not the standard ones. I’m looking for uniqueness,” Mohen added.
