How a Natural Diamond Heirloom Inspired Zulaikha Aziz’s Jewelry for Mazahri
Aziz’s Afghani heritage plays an important role in the inspiration of her natural diamond designs.
Zulaikha Aziz was always drawn to design and creative thinking. So, when she founded her jewelry brand Mazahri, it was clear she would look to her Afghani heritage to inspire her pieces. “My designs are emotionally charged because they come from this long legacy that I’m trying to uplift” she exclusively tells Only Natural Diamonds.
“Being from Afghanistan, I’ve always been drawn to themes in embroidery in carpet weaving and particularly in the jewelry that my family was able to bring with them from Afghanistan,” she says of her design inspiration. “I’ve always been drawn to different design motifs that I’ve seen growing up, mostly based on my ancestral history.”
That ancestral history and the story of how her family came to America is closely tied to a diamond story, one that has been passed down from generation to generation. “Growing up there was a narrative that was repeated continuously in our household,” she explains. “The story of how we came from Afghanistan [to America] was really important.” The narrative involves a family heirloom—a natural diamond ring, and one that informs the process behind Aziz’s work. “Every piece I design I think of as an heirloom to be passed down.” Learn more about Aziz’s family history and the natural diamond at the center of the story.
