The vault: Zaheen Kamran

Former fashion student, jewellery designer for Mor Mahal and owner of the eponymous jewellery brand, talks to us about her designs and inspirations

How and when did you become interested in jewellery?

I have always loved metal smiting, and the concept of making something miniature yet valuable with your hands is just mesmerising. It was in my foundation year at Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (PIFD) when I decided to pursue jewellery designing.

What are your favourite pieces from your collection?

I won’t be doing justice to my work if I name one piece as my favourite. There are a number of pieces, which are close to my heart and mind. From our latest collection the ‘Ball Braid Choker’ is the piece I admire the most. It’s a blend of art and simplicity.

Is there any piece that you are emotionally attached to and why?

I designed and manufactured the jewellery collection for a TV project titled Mor Mahal by Sarmad Khoosat. Each one of those pieces is close to my heart. Designing each piece according to the characteristics of a particular character and then getting it manufactured, the experience made me emotionally attached to each and every piece.



Share a story with us about how you acquired one of your favourite pieces:

This is the story of how the ‘Ball Braid Choker’ came into being. I was working on my ‘Chasing Tray’, in which we embed the design on a metal sheet using hammering and chasing tools. The old school braid was stuck in my mind and I started moving my tools that way on the sheet. The result was amazing, so I picked the ‘Chased Dooms’ and arranged them besides the braid. Then I soldered the pieces, bended it and the ‘Ball Braid Choker’ was created.

Is there anything on your radar that you want to make in the future?

There are a lot of things that I want to achieve. First is the revival of our local craftsmanship. We are working with NGO’s and are looking to provide opportunities to the labourers in remote areas of Pakistan. I am also working on some big projects with renowned names in the fashion and film industry. There is a lot more we have lined up which you will get to know about really soon!