At the Doha Jewelery Fair in TasteNoora Al Ansari makes a splash: this local businesswoman squares off against luxury giants by going against the grain in this conservative Gulf country.
Its booth at the Qatari capital’s Watch and Jewelery Show competes with the biggest names in the jewelery world. Ansari arouses the curiosity of visitors: since she opened her shop, Papillon, this designer is the exception in being in direct contact with customers, something that is not seen every day in the extremely rich emirate.
“When women saw me in the jewelry store (…) they wondered if I was Qatari,” she confides to AFP, at the fair, explaining that it is not usual to see women from the area directly dealing with their business and their customers.
“When they find out, they tell me: ‘we are proud of you. You make very beautiful pieces.’ And that motivates me.” ensures.
More and more Qatari women are entering the job market, but few are still making a name for themselves as entrepreneurs.
The week-long fair that ends on Saturday reflects the level of affluence in Qatar, whose vast gas reserves have made it one of the richest countries in the world.
The surroundings of the enclosure are a coming and going of luxury cars. Inside, creations from the world’s leading luxury brands such as Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Bulgari valued at millions of dollars are exhibited.
One of the necklaces exhibited by Cartier, for example, costs 21 million dollars.
“An honor”
Among the world jewelery fairs, this “it is always full” on the side of the exhibitors, says Buthaina Al-Maslamani, representative of Qatar Business Events Corporation.
For Ansari, this event, which in 2023 attracted 30,000 visitors, is “Like the big Qatari wedding”because it is highly anticipated among Doha society, which saves for the occasion.
A former executive in the education and oil industry, she designed her first solitaire ring in 2008 and launched her business three years later.
In 2022, it moved its store to one of the most expensive malls in Doha, alongside the international names it competes with at the fair.
“I feel very proud, as a woman and as a jeweler, because all the big names in Doha, all the jewelers here, are men.” Explain.
His clients appreciate his efforts to explain jewelry, he explains, like the four C’s of diamonds: color, cut, clarity, and carat.
When Ansari entered the business, there were only one or two Qatari designers.
Today, there are at least ten at the Doha fair, he says.
“As a local brand, being among the biggest names in the world is an honor, of course. It means that our jewelry represents our local styles and high standards.”
Source: AFP
Source: Gestion
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
