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These Limited-Edition Jewels Pay Tribute to Ancient Egypt

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Image courtesy of Dima Jewellery. Photographed by Luka Boskovic and Stefan Stojanov

Her reign may have ended thousands of years ago, but Cleopatra VII’s legacy certainly lives on in many ways, the latest iteration of which has resulted in an exquisite new jewelry collection. Dima Jewellery, a brand founded by Palestinian designer Dima Rashid, has paid tribute to Ancient Egypt and its former ruler in an eight-piece Cruise collection, created in collaboration with Anika Bozic Al-Sarraj. The label and the Paris-based style icon and model teamed up on the limited-edition line, which takes particular inspiration from two key symbols of the ancient civilization; the scarab and the serpent.

“I’ve travelled the world and seen so many different places, all beautiful in their own right, but living so close to a country like Egypt, with such rich, mysterious, and infinite heritage has always been my greatest muse,” Rashid tells Vogue.me. “Ancient Egypt is so much more than just a time in history. It’s a civilization that celebrated beauty in every aspect of life, and that is precisely what inspires my pieces.”

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Image courtesy of Dima Jewellery. Photographed by Luka Boskovic and Stefan Stojanov

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The collection features rings, earrings, and a necklace, with 18kt gold, pavé diamonds, and citrine stones providing a central theme. The latter, a yellow-hued gemstone, was chosen for the collection due to its warmth and resemblance to the sun, Rashid reveals. “I love conveying life in my designs whether through colors, animals, symbols or nature,” she adds. A campaign for the line was shot in Paris, with the pieces modeled by Al-Sarraj, who was also drawn to citrine’s “symbolism and positivity”. “When we started designing, I imagined modern Cleopatra and what she could be wearing which led us to draw inspiration from Ancient-Egyptian symbolism and re-introducing them in a conceptual manner,” the style star says.

The collaboration between Al-Sarraj and Rashid “came naturally”, the Dima Jewellery founder said. “Through Anika’s many visits to Egypt, she’s always been mesmerized by the rich history and culture, and being so close to another creative made it inevitable we’d work together,” Rashid says. The limited-edition line has been designed in a malleable format, with pieces able to be added or removed from designs for a versatile, personalized finish.

“The beautiful thing about this collection is that it’s simple yet dramatic at the same time,” says Rashid, who was born in Kuwait and now resides in Cairo. “The pieces are designed in a way where you can wear them high-drama by adding additional pieces to the earrings and necklace, or you can wear it minimally, or even create a mix and match of both.” Dima Jewellery, which was launched in 2002, uses ethically sourced artisanal gems from the Middle East and India, with 18kt gold, diamonds and precious stones all hallmarks of its collections. The handcrafted pieces have been worn by everyone from HRH Queen Rania to Gigi HadidNaomi Campbell, and Hend Sabri.

The Cruise collection forms part of Dima Jewellery’s Spring 2018 line, and is available for pre-order before it launches in August.

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