Maja Sonic is reinventing silver jewelry in Cairo. Her artsy and sculptural necklaces are in stark contrast to the ubiquitous ethnic necklaces found everywhere from the humblest Khan Khalili stall to the trendiest shop in Zamalek.
She describes her style as ‘urban modern’ and creates her jewelry for “stylish urban women, who do not follow trends.” One of her loyal customers is the designer Sylva Nasralla, who set up the successful fusion fashion label Nagada. “Sylva has not only encouraged me but she even asked me to create a special collection of necklaces for her 2004 Fashion Show,” says Maja.
Maja is part of a growing number of artists who feel that the value of a piece of jewelry is not based solely on the material used but mainly in their own skilled work. This trend, which started in the 60s, has changed the wearer’s outlook on jewelry. Women are no longer buying jewelry as an investment or as a status symbol.
Women wear the jewelry which suits their lifestyle and reflects their personal taste as well as their emotions. A piece of jewelry has become an object which can also be funky, baroque, funny, romantic or sensual; it can also be made of wood, feathers, plastic, glass, ceramic and not only of gold or diamonds. Customers, even the youngest buyers, are looking for something markedly different; they increasingly value the stamp of an individual creator.
Maja’s artist-made jewelry has created a stir and even Arab women who favor gold are falling for her unusual silver pieces.
“A jewel is like a sculpture. I am always searching for interesting stones. I even go out into the desert looking for natural stones. I have actually found beautiful crystals in the desert. I carefully select each stone I work with. I choose a stone which speaks to me and I create a one-of-a-kind piece. People are looking now for a touch of uniqueness from jewelry.”
Maja, who is also an accomplished painter, favors colorful, uncut stones which she blends with her skillfully crafted silver pieces. She cannot predict which idea or which stone will grab her attention but she admits that she still loves working with lapis lazuli: “I have liked blue ever since I went diving in the Red Sea. From that time on, all kinds of blues came out in my paintings and are still coming out.” In a world marked by globalization and mass-production, seasoned consumers all over the world want to feel unique. They are showing a more individual approach to the way they wear their clothes and their jewelry. Maja’s creative signature (www.majasoric.com) has been understandably successful. Like any work of art, her pieces make you stop and look: They are racy, bold, extravagant and energetic. Her sculptural jewels create a mood, an emotion and the wearer simply loves them both.