In our quest to explore the designers of the Middle East, we meet with Ghada el Sokkari Sultan. Her brand, Rock by GS, is a testament to creativity, and proving that fine jewelry isn’t necessarily classical. Her love for jewelry started years ago, going around jewelry stores, shopping for pieces that were vintage. She actually loves all things vintage: watches, boxes, and even cars! We can see her posing next to a 1970s car that was owned by her dad, which she painted into this classical cherry red color.
“In my early twenties, I took a few pieces of my jewelry and commissioned someone to make them into two earring and ring sets I designed. Another creation that I love would be two Art Deco style bracelets I crafted out of small jewelry items that I’ve collected over the years. They’re inspired by vintage Cartier.”
Ghada draws her inspiration from everything and anything, and attempts to incite happiness and positivity into people viewing her brand. That is clear from the colorful palette used in the actual jewelry, to the branding and packaging.
At some point she was robbed and lost all her jewelry. She started making pieces for herself to rebuild her collection. A friend of hers loved the creations so much she started showcasing them across stores in Dubai; and after a while Ghada decided to establish her brand.
Rock by GS is known for pinky rings, which Ghada has been designing for a decade. She believes that jewelry doesn’t have to be limited to a certain occasion or time of day, and assures us that her designs can be worn anytime.
Speaking about her taste in fashion, Ghada shares her love for street-wear. She absolutely adores Balenciaga, stating that his designs are trendy and practical. Her latest obsession is Loewe: “I bought the amazing Elephant Bag, and I loved it so much I also bought the phone cover.’
She continues to tell us about her latest collection: the Lotus. “As Egyptians, we don’t really appreciate our Pharaonic heritage, and I felt like Egypt deserved more jewelry designers that celebrated that period in our history through their work.” One morning in Europe, she walked into Chanel, and saw the last collection Karl Lagerfeld designed which is inspired by the Pharaos. She felt like it was a message, as she was just thinking about her project before walking into the store! From that coincidence, the Lotus collection was born.
Lockdown has impacted everyone, but Ghada took that chance to throw herself into her work. “It helped me a lot in concentrating on my social media presence, and I think I succeeded in making the brand more recognizable.” She is just taking life day by day, until she sees where the world is headed. She is focusing on making the brand recognizable, especially to international audiences. Already retailing across multiple platforms, the brand will also get its own dedicated website soon.
Find Rock by GS at Gigi, Galleria Mall Al Barsha.
by Nouran Rashad
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