The Stories of Nature - Lynyer

q: Why did you name your brand ‘Lynyer’? What is the meaning behind it? a: Lynyer is pronounced as 'Linear', it is a combination of my name Leen, along with the resemblance of linearity and fluidity in the silhouettes we create. I wanted the name to be different and unique. q: What is it about jewellery design that struck your interests? a: It all started when I was in my youth, my mother would sit me down and make me put on hers and my grandmother’s jewellery before going to a party. Afterwards, and throughout my 10 year career in fashion buying, I found that I have personally always been drawn to jewellery, more than clothing or other accessories. The craftsmanship and the difference in jewellery making across cultures is very vast and exciting. I imagine it as digging into a treasure box, to find a new way to create a piece of jewellery. q: Your designs are very much influenced by nature and travel, why is that so important to you? a: Nature is my source of inspiration as with everything in life, as cliché as that sounds. I am someone who will sit and watch Planet Earth documentaries and be mesmerised for hours. The patterns, the colours, the energy. It is an endless source of inspiration. Having said that, I am working on turning the company into 100% sustainable by end of 2020, to ensure we are showing gratitude for all that nature offers. On the other hand, travelling simply allows me to discover and be in touch our planet and its diversity. I believe that looking at the ways in which different cultures have evolved over centuries, will allow me to broaden my concept of beauty and design. It also exposed me to traditional jewellery in the local markets, and allowed me to meet new artisans and jewellery makers. q: Of all the places and countries you’ve been to, which one inspired you the most? a: South Africa, Pakistan and Mustique island in the Caribbean would be my top three. However in terms of Jewellery making, I would say Pakistan. The first time I visited was with my soon-to-be husband at the time, who is originally is from Pakistan. During our wedding preparations, I was choosing the right jewellery to wear with my wedding outfit, and because of that, it exposed me to a whole world jewellery making. After that trip in 2016, Lynyer was born. q: If your brand could tell a story, what would it be? a: It would be about a lady who loves to dress up in different characters. She uses her outfits and her jewellery to travel to different worlds. She would be wearing her moon hoop earrings with baggy jeans at an underground party, and on another day, she will put on a pair of statement earrings with an elegant dress to attend an event or a dinner. It is a story about a lady who is unapologetically herself, and knows how to express that through her style. q: What is your design process? a: It is very fluid, I work together with artisans in Lebanon and India at the moment. I usually start by sending sketches, mood boards and images of shapes that inspire me to the jewellery makers. Afterwards the discussions of how we can implement and translate these inspirations into jewellery starts. I have not studied jewellery design myself, therefore I rely heavily on the skills of the artisans. We finalize the sketches, and afterwards the samples are crafted. This is where a lot of back and forth with communications take place. Once the samples are approved, we start planning our photoshoot for the launch of the collection. q: How did you find out about Curated Crowd? a: Through social media, on Instagram!