Being a native from Nabeul, oriental in the blood but Parisian in the heart, Shourouk’s love affair with jewelry began early. During her childhood, she was already playing with her grandmother’s diamond bracelets. Later on, her combined experiences in several fashion houses made her understand that jewelry was her vehicle for artistic expression.

“I love playing with contrasts and colors. I’m inspired by travels and I feel I have to express in my designs all that I discover. I am bewitched by folk and naïve art, in particular by the powerful Mexican masks and paintings, it seems habitual for me to capture all those forms and colorful objects of everyday and twist them giving a sophisticated touch,” she said.

To her, it is all about mix and match. She always tries new techniques and materials. “For me, it’s more than jewelry, it’s all about the details and creating a piece that is perfect from all angles. I make jewelry because it makes me feel like a sculptor, at the end they stand alone just like pieces of art,” she added.

Shourouk has just created a beauty line for Sephora. Arab News chats up with her to find out more about her work and designing secrets:

What first got you interested in designing?

I’ve been raised in a really feminine world, around glamorous women, haute couture and makeup. I started customizing my t-shirts and dresses with vintage embroideries. I loved to go to the flea market to find 1900’s embroideries with metal sequins; it’s quite hard to find those today.

How important is makeup and beauty for you?

I am addicted to makeup and I collect eye shadows just because I love their colors. Also, I must confess that I am crazy about lipsticks! I can’t stop buying them, I have one in every bag, in the makeup bag, in the pockets of my coats, and you’ll even find them in the kitchen!

Tell us about your collaboration with Sephora.

It was always my dream to have my own makeup collection, and thanks to Sephora my dream came true! We did a capsule collection comprising morning-to-night makeup.

What were your thoughts when Sephora first approached you?

I was very excited! They wanted me to customize both jewels and makeup in order to create a bejeweled limited edition. It was a big surprise for me. As a young designer, I wasn’t expecting it to happen to me.

Knowing Sephora, I was sure they would be able to understand my attention to colors. They helped me express my love for colors perfectly!

What inspired you when you started designing beauty products?

The collection was all about hippie-capri, it was about elegance. My muse was Marisa Berenson, I was inspired by her makeup, the way she combined it with her dresses, her purple or green turban with matching bikini and makeup. It was all about technicolored pastels in contrast with electric colors and a bit of glitter.

Tell us about the design process for Sephora.

First of all, I like to be surrounded by beautiful objects, I collect books, images, vintage headpieces. I always bring something back from my trips. It can be Indian bangles I bought from a market in Mumbai, or vintage carafes from Thailand. Then I do some sketches but it’s more about playing with the crystals. I wanted to capture the magic of the sparkling stones and the shine of my jewels in the capsule collection.

For me the most important part of a piece is about paying attention to details, I am really sensible about it. Our pieces are all made by hand, mostly using techniques of embroideries. What I always require is that one piece for each product is made by hand in our studio in Paris so that we can see how exactly the piece fits.

Tell us about the collection.

Shourouk for Sephora capsule collection offers four mono eye shadows, and an eye shadow palette, a blush pot with powder that looks like precious stones, four nail glitter polishes, a jeweled blush brush that can be worn as a ring, a magic jewel that can be worn as a bracelet, choker, headband belt or brooch and of course, a jeweled makeup bag to keep those makeup treasures! It is all about creativity and playfulness.

What is your favorite piece and why?

I love the palette — it is the real surprise. It a fusion of both the makeup world and the jewelry world. It looks like a jewelry box and when you open it, it looks like a bracelet but in actuality it’s a beautiful eye shadow palette.

I also love the jeweled blusher brush! This glamorous piece has a jewel that you can take off and wear as a ring.

You have dressed Jennifer Lopez, the US First Lady and Sarah Jessica Parker. Who would you like to see wearing your designs from the Middle East and why?

I had already the pleasure to see my jewels on the talented and gorgeous Latifa Arfaoui and Nancy Ajram. I am their big fan and I love the way they wear my jewels! But my craziest dream is that the legendary diva Majida El Roumi wears my pieces! I love her style, her personality, her way of singing and I would love to see her wearing one of my designs.

How would your describe your “Shourouk for Sephora” collection.

Magic and bling bling!

What are you working on right now?

Right now I am designing maxi brooches.

The new collection, Fall Winter 2015, will arrive soon and with a lot of surprises!

What is next for Shourouk?

I will soon launch a bridal line.

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