Traditional jewellery makes valuable heirlooms

Amira's unique pieces are inspired by her Egyptian heritage Cairo – Shima Mekkawi Jewellery designer Amira Bahaa, who specialises in traditional Arab pieces, revealed to Arabstoday what makes her designs special. "All my designs are inspired by the Egyptian heritage - culture

does not go out of fashion so these pieces become valuable heirlooms. Also, whilst my designs do have somewhat of an Oriental feel, they are also quite modern and contemporary at the same time."
Speaking about the start of her career as a designer, Bahaa says: "I began making jewellery only around four months ago. But the passion began as a kid. My mother was an interior designer and would bring me beads to embellish pillows and dresses with. I then started playing around with these and one day decided to make myself a necklace. I love traditional jewellery and began making pieces to go with my clothes."
"My friends really liked them and asked me where I had got my accessories. When they learned I'd made them, they started asking me to design pieces especially for them and suggested that I start making jewellery to sell. That is when I decided to step into this field."
She goes on: "The Nubian style is one of the most beautiful in traditional looks. It's famous for geometrical shapes, triangles and squares and so on - all mixed together with Sinai-style beads or brightly-coloured crocheted flowers, threads and small old coins. The Oriental style develops with all these changes and additions and becomes modern, new and different. It becomes a distinctive style of jewellery that any girl can wear anywhere. I also use silver-plated copper which I make stylish using shapes and colours."
On this season's fashion, she says "Traditional jewellery in blue, rose-pink, red and orange are definitely in fad."
 The unique designer ends with: "Girls should wear pieces that suit their height and the clothes they are wearing. We shouldn't just follow fashion trends for the sake of it, especially if it does not suit us. It does not matter how fashionable we are. It's more important to wear what suits out appearance."