Setting the trend

Born in Senegal and raised in Lebanon, Leïa Khalaf’s journey to becoming a trailblazing jewellery designer is as vibrant and dynamic as her creations. Initially pursuing a legal career in France, Leïa eventually answered the call of her true passion—jewellery design. Her artistic journey began at the age of twelve, crafting bead accessories that quickly garnered admiration.

In 2013, she founded Leïa K., a brand synonymous with contemporary elegance and resilience. Over the past decade, she continued growing her brand’s presence across the Middle East and beyond. In this interview, Leïa shares insights into her brand’s journey, achievements, and vision for the future.

Tell us a little about the brand’s journey in the Middle East. How has it been so far?

Our journey began in Beirut, and after ten transformative years, we are thrilled to be expanding our footprint in the UAE. The receptiveness of the local community has been incredibly encouraging, and we feel confident that we are on the right track to establishing Leïa K. as a prominent Middle Eastern jewellery brand.

What are the major business milestones that the company has achieved over the past 12-24 months?

In the past year, we partnered with the prestigious luxury retailer OUNASS and successfully established a physical presence in Dubai at the Gold and Diamond Park. These milestones mark significant steps in our growth trajectory and bring us closer to our vision of becoming a household name in the region.

Share a little about the challenges and the top three learnings that have helped the brand grow in the region over the past 2-3 years.

1. Adapting to the Post-COVID Landscape: We learned the importance of diversifying our offerings by creating collections across various price ranges while maintaining exceptional quality.
2. Shifting Sales Strategies: Transitioning away from consignment stockists to focusing on firm wholesale orders has proven vital for controlling inventory and enhancing profitability.
3. Investing in Digital Marketing: Increasing our advertising budget for social media has significantly amplified our brand visibility and customer engagement.

Highlight the recent innovations that were undertaken by your company in areas of digital transformation, human resources, and sustainability.

We’ve centralized our production in the UAE, an international hub that allows us to ship globally while significantly reducing our transportation carbon footprint. Embracing a fully digital approach, we have positioned ourselves as one of the first jewellery brands in the Middle East to prioritize an online presence. With the global e-commerce market growing at an annual rate of 20% over the past four years, we are well-positioned for continued success in this space.

Fast forward to 2025: What is the growth outlook for the brand?

Our vision is to solidify our reputation as the go-to brand for everyday jewellery with effortless designs. We recently introduced an elevated collection that caters to diverse tastes, and its early success indicates a promising future. We aspire to develop Leïa K. into the premier destination for jewellery gifting, catering to all ages, and increasing our presence on luxury online platforms.

Anurima Das