Maha Lozi: Black Is the New Black

A “confluence of influences” is how Maha Lozi’s self-titled jewellery range has been described, taking inspiration from every aspect of her life, and it can be seen from her work how diverse a life she has had. Although originating from Lebanon, Maha Loza was French-schooled, before studying in America, then living in the likes of Bahrain and Dubai – a whole range of cultural influences that can be seen throughout her different collections. Now, she calls London her home again, a city she first moved to at age five.

Her unique design aesthetic developed through studying fashion, before realising her true passion lied in the field of jewellery design, in which she was able to channel her talents into creating beautiful, intricate pieces. Despite some items taking hours to create by hand, with some earrings involving thousands of individual stones, she insists she wouldn’t do it any other way: “there are so many man hours involved in making these pieces. These are made by real people, and I live through it with them.”

Her latest collection, “Black Is the New Black”, takes a more gothic turn from her previous work; while she still maintains the intricate gem work and punk influences as seen in “By the Horns”, things take a turn for the darker with this collection. The end result is striking with a vintage twist, yet is completely wearable – this is something she takes pride in, stressing the importance of “trying to create something that looks incredibly old with the edginess of today”. Stand out pieces include the collection’s “Margin Call” razor blade dog tags, which look even better when combined and layered. The dagger pieces in the collection, including delicate rings and longer length necklaces, are also must-haves.

Sophie Prescott

Head to the Maha Lozi website here for a glimpse at all of her collections, past and present.