Jude Benhalim: MOJEH gets personal with the up and coming Cairo-based jewellery designer
With a namesake brand that she launched at the ripe age of just 17, Jude Benhalim is currently the contemporary Arab jewellery designer to watch. Known for creating striking pieces inspired by fearless spirited women, Cairo-based Benhalim's mix of oriental and modern have garnered her quite the regional following. Her aesthetic is polished yet sculptural, characterised by a love of sterling silver, gold-plated brass and colourful custom-made resin stones. MOJEH sat down with the young designer to talk about muses, future projects and why we should all be wearing one of her pieces.
On her jewellery design adventure:
It started 8 years ago, when I was only 17; I had to do a creative design project to complete my high school graduation diploma, so I decided to design a small collection of beaded jewellery. I was surprised to see how well people perceived my designs, and how much joy it brought me to see my sketches come to life. That was when I knew I wanted to pursue jewellery designing as a career.
On the Jude Benhalim woman:
I think she is bold with an edgy and daring sense of style. I target women that are self-confident and value their individuality.
On her design process:
I am inspired by women and their journeys. I design each piece of jewellery with a fearless female spirit in mind. Each design is an expression of this muse and each collection moves with her, reflecting a specific sequence from her ongoing story. Beginning with her curiosity, she starts to explore spaces outside of her comfort zone and through these experiences she grows; discovering new and exciting ways to feed her soul. Each stop she makes in her ongoing journey inspires a theme for a new collection, defining its story and aesthetic. I believe in giving more than just a piece of jewellery, I love to tell a relatable story with every piece I make, and inspire women to feel confident and empowered just like I am inspired by them every day.
On new projects:
For 2018, I plan to expand to more international outlets, and to hopefully open my first flagship store in Egypt.
On her favourite piece:
I think that would have to be the Interchangable Mega Router Earring. You can wear the earring in more than 8 different ways and as a designer this definitely was a challenge for me to make and it’s the first of it’s kind.
Scroll through the Digital Citizen collection available online at Jude Benhalim
