1. “Design is a solution to a problem. Art is a question to a problem.” John Maedaexecutive life
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many causes they defend, among which are social
responsibility, sustainable development and heritage
conservation.
Social responsibility, and a concern with main-
taining an equilibrium between the economy and
the ecosystem, is apparent through most of their
designs. Their collections ‘DISCARDED’ (based on
CDs), ‘COINED’ (based on coins), ‘UNLOCKED’ (based
on keys) and ‘PATCHES’ (based on cloth remains) to
name but a few, saw the pair transform useless or dis-
carded materials into beautiful modern pieces, while
simultaneously reducing the impact of waste upon
the environment.
This creative reuse was, and still is, one of the
strongest traits of the brand, and one which they have
endeavored to develop while collaborating with other
parties who share their vision. Through Arcenciel’s
environmental program, for instance, they were able
to turn tin cans into fancy evening bags, which saw the
creation of ‘CONSERVED’. As part of their ‘STILL LIFE’
collection, and with Swarovski’s support for eco-jewel-
ry, they also designed luxury pieces by matching non-
biodegradable plastic bags with Swarovski crystals.
A creative collaboration with NK (Nour Kays)
“nothing is lost, everything is transformed and art is formed”
vanina
Words by Sara Ghorra
abeautiful piece of jewelry is aesthetically appealing. A
beautiful piece of jewelry with a story behind it is even
more interesting.
And when the story is fueled by talent, creativity,
entrepreneurial drive and a spirit of activism, a piece
of jewelry can evolve into a tangible testimonial.
VANINA’s range is an exquisitely crafted collection
of stories; an assortment of subtle yet powerful state-
ments embodied in unique handmade pieces, all ech-
oing a single message: “Fashion is a Tool”. Although
the brand labels itself as ‘Responsibly Capricious’,
anyone who takes a closer look would agree that it is
first and foremost ‘responsible’, and only ‘capricious’
in as much as its creators are continuously inspired to
raise awareness of ecological, social and cultural is-
sues through the creation of novel designs.
Joanne Hayek and Tatiana Fayad, the duo be-
hind VANINA, are childhood friends who have always
shared a ‘creative complicity’. They spontaneously
designed their first piece of jewelry when they were
19, while experimenting with old, devalued Lebanese
Lira coins. This developed into a collection they later
named ‘COINED’. The ladies had not planned to be-
come jewelry designers as neither of their academic
paths were related to fashion. Joanne studied archi-
tecture at the American University Of Beirut (AUB),
while Tatiana pursued a business degree from Saint-
Joseph University (USJ).
And yet, what started as just a hobby back in 2007
is today a lifestyle brand recognized in some of the
world’s most prestigious cities, as well as a wholly inte-
grated business with a personality that one can’t help
but admire. Over the course of eight years, VANINA has
tastefully matured into a truly principled company with
unshakable values, one of which is patriotism.
Joanne & Tatiana have made a point of produc-
ing every piece here in Lebanon, even if it has meant
sacrificing monetary rewards which could have been
gained by outsourcing. This contribution to the sus-
tainability and growth of local communities and small
businesses is perhaps what they are most fervent
about. This positive involvement has not only ben-
efitted the skilled craftsmen and women they partner
with, but has also given a beautiful soul to their de-
signs, one that is proving very attractive, especially to
international clients.
Behind each of VANINA’s jewelry collections lies
a different mission, but all of them echo one of the

2. “Design is a solution to a problem. Art is a question to a problem.” John Maedaexecutive life
august 2015 | www.executive-magazine.com82
enabled them to develop the technique of creat-
ing patterns by layering and fusing sheets of plastic
bags. This resulted in the creation of a new material
and a collection of the same name - ‘PLASTILE’. Their
innovative use of technology is also expressed in the
edgy ‘LEAVES’ collection of stylish jewelry made from
used paper sheets. Thanks to a partnership with ‘More
Than Printing’ (MTP) and ‘Arab Printing Press’ (APP)
and through MCor’s special 3D printing technique,
paper sheets were transformed into superb, geomet-
rically-shaped jewelry pieces.
All these collections, impressive as they are, only
make up part of the passion the two women share.
They care not only about protecting the environment,
but also about maintaining traditions. For their ‘90s
we love you’ line of shirts (individually stitched by
Palestinians who live in the camps), they aimed to
help preserve the heritage of Palestinian embroidery
in collaboration with the NGO Inaash. In partnership
with ‘L’Artisan Du Liban’, they also created the ‘HALFA’
collection of hand-woven shoulder bags made from lo-
cal straw that grows in Akkar in the village of Koueishra.
Through VANINA, Joanne & Tatiana are ‘using
fashion as a tool’, and are truly succeeding. They
are transforming trite materials into pieces of art
that are trendy, funky and modern, yet created in
the most traditional ways. They are using technol-
ogy in the direct service of environmental protec-
tion and waste minimization by creatively merging
it with design. They are creating jobs and ventur-
ing into projects that raise awareness for the NGOs
they collaborate with. They are always refining the
process of ‘standardized customization’, which they
developed to make sure their clients get unique
pieces even when the demand is high. Finally, they
are attempting to grow as steadily and as healthily
as possible so as not to compromise the essence of
their mission.
It isn’t everyday that one has the pleasure to dis-
cover that beneath the surface of a glamorous jewelry
brand lies a local business with a noble mission. If
more companies adopted only some of the methods
VANINA is using, we would surely witness a change on
a much wider scale in Lebanon.