What are three words that define your inspiration for the collection?
“Colorful, powerful, and perpetual.”
What is the significance of the stars in your Istanbul collection?
“A star is always mysterious. It is the light of hope and dreams.”
Is there a historical significance to your collections?
“After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the occupation became Istanbul. They ruled the region, including Beirut, for almost 400 years. My grandfather & father naturally inherited the influence of the Victorian Ottoman era.”
Did that influence your start in jewelry?
“My interest in jewelry was a natural path and at the same time resistance against the heritage of my conservative family.”
Is there a piece that you make that is technically the most difficult to produce?
“I love their color and how they shine. For a client who still wants to wear jewelry without being too sparkly, it’s the perfect stone. When I started creating with black diamonds, I noticed how interesting they are turned with the tip-up. Its solid color, strength, and three-dimensional aspects are intense.”
“Selim likens his workshop in Achrafieh, Lebanon, more like a laboratory rather than a factory. A place where he and his craftspeople can experiment with new stones, materials, and techniques.”
What are some of your favorite places in your city?
“The serenity of my house, the endless horizons of the sea. The paradoxical rich architecture of the city melted with deep history and culture.”
Profile Series: In CONVERSATION
Selim Mouzannar
“The Lebanese Designer Behind the Stars”
August 26, 2021
Selim Mouzannar established his namesake brand in 1999, in Beirut Lebanon, making him one of the most storied and revered jewelers’ in the market today. Selim understood from very early on that fine jewelry was meant to be celebratory, not too precious, and wildly individual. Selim gives us a glimpse into his European workshop and the historical references that shape his collections.
What are three words that define your inspiration for the collection?
“Colorful, powerful, and perpetual.”
What is the significance of the stars in your Istanbul collection?
“A star is always mysterious. It is the light of hope and dreams.”
Is there a historical significance to your collections?
“After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the occupation became Istanbul. They ruled the region, including Beirut, for almost 400 years. My grandfather & father naturally inherited the influence of the Victorian Ottoman era.”
Did that influence your start in jewelry?
“My interest in jewelry was a natural path and at the same time resistance against the heritage of my conservative family.”
Is there a piece that you make that is technically the most difficult to produce?
“In our workshop, we face challenges every day that force us to improve new techniques. It doesn’t mean that we always succeed.”
“Selim likens his workshop in Achrafieh, Lebanon, more like a laboratory rather than a factory. A place where he and his craftspeople can experiment with new stones, materials, and techniques.”
What are some of your favorite places in your city?
“The serenity of my house, the endless horizons of the sea. The paradoxical rich architecture of the city melted with deep history and culture.”
