Saja Kilani’s appearance at the Golden Globe Awards this year marked a defining moment for Tamr Henna. By wearing the brand’s Moon of Bethlehem earrings on one of the world’s most visible stages, she placed a label rooted in cultural memory within the international conversation. For founder Maryam Ibrahim, a Palestinian-Jordanian jewellery designer, the impact was immediate and deeply personal. “That moment was completely unexpected for me,” she says. “I had not planned it at all, so when I first saw the image, I was honestly overwhelmed. I remember that I cried. At that moment I felt as if Palestine had won a small, quiet victory.”
That emotional force sits at the centre of the brand. Ibrahim approaches her practice with the eye of a storyteller and the precision of an architect. Her references draw from cinema, literature, architecture and Palestinian tatreez. “I have never experienced design as a profession. It is the way I think, observe and respond to the world,” she shares.
For her, the creation of each piece starts long before the sketch. “My design process almost always begins with a story,” she explains. “When I see a pattern, a traditional ornament or even a small architectural detail, I don’t immediately think about jewellery. Instead, I begin imagining a scene around it.” This method helps the designer develop a visual language shaped by memory and form.
One of the most important foundations of that language is Palestinian tatreez – a traditional form of cross-stitch embroidery that has been practised for centuries. What draws Ibrahim to it is not only its beauty but also its structure. “These patterns are not only decorative; they contain memory, place and identity,” she continues. “When you study tatreez closely, you realise that many of its patterns already contain a very contemporary geometry.” She feels it’s not something that’s fixed, but a living material capable of moving across mediums and generations.
Certain places are central to Ibrahim’s creative world, with the Old City of Nablus in Palestine’s West Bank being one of her most enduring inspirations. Its narrow streets, stone arches and layered textures have informed the shapes and mood of her collection from the outset. Even now, she imagines the jewels belonging naturally within historic Palestinian cities, in dialogue with their architecture and visual rhythm.
One of Ibrahim’s most emotionally significant works is the Quwar (Flower Pot) masterpiece necklace. In tatreez, this motif typically consists of a central vase or pot from which various flowers, branches or geometric "stars" emerge. “Some forms can be sketched easily on paper, but translating them into a physical object requires extraordinary skill,” she adds.
The balance between craftsmanship and relevance is what sets Tamr Henna apart. Ibrahim’s priority is clear: “What matters most is that the piece’s design, story and quality remain intact.”
This article was originally published in the April 2026 issue of Vogue Arabia.
