PROFILES

This month HRH Jewels opens a shop in Monaco, an inauguration and more: the official launch of Hind El Karout's new jewellery brand.

This article could have been simply about a new brand launched by a wealthy young woman. But when her maiden name is Hariri and she's the daughter of Rafik Hariri, the Lebanese prime minister assassinated in 2005, you understand there's a lot more to it. Starting with the name. To English speakers HRH stands for Her Royal Highness, so a way of saying the clientele will be treated like royalty. But there's more: "H for Hind, R for Rafik, H for Hariri. My father is the linchpin of this brand, it's my way of paying him tribute." So the leitmotiv running through HRH is homage. Why jewellery? "Because I grew up seeing my mother wearing very lovely pieces. She has always appre­ciated beautiful things, not for their status value but for their intrinsic qualities." That edu­ca­tion forged Hind's tastes but as well her approach, her philo­so­phy. "An object isn't just its final expression, it can't be taken out of context; it's important to know how it was conceived, by whom, what meaning it carries, what values it upholds."

Grow and encourage others
So when you admire a piece of HRH jewellery you read a story. In the cuff made of real gold lace (very challenging), an idea born "at a moment when a thread of hope was needed"; in the ubiquitous rose dubbed Rose of Hope in reference to the one that famous French rose breeder Delbard developed for the Rafik Hariri Foundation; in the logo (a tiara stylisation) pointing upwards to symbolise rising, progression, challenging oneself and succeeding. But as intense and personal as the symbolism of these pieces is, this isn't about imposing a past or a pathos, quite the contrary. Reduced to its simplest expression – valorising roots, cultivating hope in all circumstances, surpassing oneself to achieve one's dreams – it communicates a positive uni­versal message that everyone can appropriate to write their own story, realise their own dream. The doors of Hind's dream are now open, thanks in no small measure to her perseverance and the unfailing support of her husband, Anas. The goal of HRH Jewels "won't be just to post good sales figures but to try to make people happier. Our ambition is to grow by encouraging others to." Idealistic? Perhaps, but that's how dreams start.

HRH Jewels
Pavillons Monte-Carlo,
Place du Casino
Tél. +377 97 77 69 30