Okhtein, the buzzy Egyptian accessories brand cofounded by sisters Mounaz and Aya Abdelraouf, is expanding into fine jewelry, debuting their first collection of pieces crafted from 18-karat gold and gemstones.
“It was a natural progression; we worked closely with brass artisans for years and we were curious to start working with a more precious metal like gold,” Aya Abdelraouf explained of jumping into the category.
Mounaz Abdelraouf added, “We are both jewelers at heart, always reimagining our bag hardware as statement jewelry pieces. When designing our handbags, we would always start with the brass hardware and that’s pretty much why the hero of any Okhtein bag is its metal hardware.“
Okhtein’s debut fine jewelry offering.
Courtesy Okhtein
The debut collection is inspired by the organic relationship of “sisters,” the duo said, and their intricate detailing and distinct cultural and historical influences. The mix of rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces are embellished with diamonds, black diamonds, semi-precious stones, rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
The cofounders see their brand evolving on a bigger scale, with an identity, style and vision that transcends categories. “The next chapter is to fully focus on a full accessory portfolio; adding fine jewelry to it sort of completes it. We are aiming to grow the brand regionally and internationally so expect more activations and pop-ups in key cities,” Aya Abdelraouf said.
The debut jewelry range is priced from $500 to $3,500 and lands at retail globally this fall.