Simply Abu Dhabi XXVIII

6 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I A lthough on the surface it may not always seem so, it is often an extremely tough journey for someone of a privileged background to be recognised and accepted for their true and natural talents. People can sometimes be too quick to judge a person or company’s success based on heritage rather than objective facts. Her Highness Sheikha Mariam Bint Khalifa Bin Saif Al Nahyan is a remarkably talented 29-year-old creative designer and owner of the MKS Jewellery brand, and the granddaughter of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and daughter of Sheikh Khalifa bin Saif bin Mohammed Al Nahyan and Sheikha Moza bint Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Thankfully for everyone who appreciates fine artistry and craftsmanship, Sheikha Mariam has not let her privileged background interfere or hinder her creative passions, and she has remained undeterred on her entrepreneurial journey to establish and grow her own business. A graduate of Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, Sheikha Mariam holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies; in 2013 she took the brave and unprecedented step into the realm of public commerce when she founded the MKS Jewellery brand from scratch. Sheikha Mariam has always stayed true to the principle her family instilled in her: that success comes from merit. If it is deserved, appreciation for any endeavour will be authentic and forthcoming. Sheikha Mariam is proudly inspired by her home. The myriad forms of beauty and creativity in the United Arab Emirates inform her work and can be appreciated in the sophisticated symbolism and the mature flair for design that belies her 29 years. Her natural talent shines through in her artistry, and Sheikha Mariamwas awarded Young Designer of the Year at the Arab Woman Awards UAE 2015. Philanthropy is also important in the evolution of her business, and Sheikha Mariam is often committing her time and efforts to various causes. She designed a rug to help empower Afghan women by providing them with work, weaving traditional Afghan carpets for the Artist for Change campaign of the Fatima Bint Mohammad Bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI) in 2016. She also painted a traditional Arabic coffee pot known as a dallah to be auctioned for UNICEF MENA, as part of Architectural Digest Middle East’s One of a Kind royal charity auction. MKS Jewellery is destined to be a much admired and successful jewellery brand all over the world, thanks to the naturally gifted and determined mind of its founder, Her Highness Sheikha Mariam Bint Khalifa Bin Saif Al Nahyan By Nick Rice