TIE THE KNOT WITH A TWIST
Not every girl wants a traditional white wedding with dripping pearls and diamonds. Some want to show off their individuality and self-expression with a funky brooch, a striking tiara or a snazzy pin.
If you are planning to walk down the aisle, and are looking for a unique piece of unconventional bijoux, then meet Tatiana Fayad and Joanne Hayek, the design duo behind Vanina. Friends since the age of fourteen these girls spent their time growing up designing quirky jewelry, using old coins, buttons and vintage stuff combined with odd bits and pieces. The results: unique one-off designs.
“We wanted to create pieces that were different, just for fun,” says Fayad, who is inspired by films, books and nature. “But our main inspiration remains Beirut itself and its people.” Their 2011 collection features a feminine and humoristic mixture of themes and styles, always carrying a message…be creative! “It is very important for the bride to be comfortable in her dress and confident about her look,” says Fayad. “It’s a little twist that will change her look.” During their first year at university - Tatiana studies marketing and advertising at Saint Joseph University and Joanne is an architecture student at the American University of Beirut – the young duo designed jewelry just for themselves. Family and friends loved the results and encouraged the girls to share their quirky creations with others. They launched their first collection in 2007. It was a sell-out. Orders rolled in and the girls decided to set up their own label. Their newly minted label was named Vanina, inspired by a song by Dave, a singer from Holland. Jewelry is what they started off with, and it is still the biggest part of their collection. Now their collection also features shoes, bags, dresses, t-shirts, and belts. Each design is unique and the creations vary from one week to the next. The duo creates according to whim reusing old bits and pieces found locally, or new stuff picked up abroad. “Sometimes we find out that a celebrity has worn a Vanina necklace or a pair of earrings in a video clip, or a shoot. We once came across a photo of a celebrity in a European magazine wearing one of our belts,” says Hayek.
So if you’re itching to trot down the aisle with a difference get your hands on these quirky designs,100 percent Lebanese and totally affordable; prices ranging from 12 to 350 dollars. Their designs also make great untraditional gifts for the maid of honor and the bridesmaids. Fayad and Hayek are still so young, 23, but, with years of design experience under their belt, these bold girls have big plans for the future. Now selling in Lebanon and the Middle East, and exporting to Europe, Asia and the States, they hope one day to open their own Vanina shop in their hometown of Beirut.
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