096 Nadine Kanso: Reclaiming Arab Identity Through Calligraphy and Fine Jewellery

Nadine Kanso is a pillar of Dubai's creative community. Born in Beirut, the Lebanese designer has called the city home since the year 2000. And over the past quarter century, she has become one of its most distinctive and beloved creative voices. A talented photographer, a recognised fashion muse, and someone with an innate gift for interior design — Kanso is a born artist in the fullest sense of the word. But it is jewellery that has become her most powerful form of expression. In 2006, she founded Bil Arabi — a jewellery house built on a single, heartfelt premise: that the Arabic language is one of the most beautiful things in the world, and that it deserves to be celebrated. Better yet, worn. Drawing on her background in graphic design and her deep love of calligraphy, Kanso began transforming Arabic letters and words into handcrafted jewellery. Messages of love, strength, and beauty — rendered in gold and precious stones — worn as declarations of identity by a devoted following across the Arab diaspora and far beyond it. Nearly two decades on, Bil Arabi is considered to be one of the region’s most prominent jewellery houses. With Kanso being tapped for collaborations with leading international luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Berluit and Guerlain and being named a Forbes Middle East Fashion Innovator in 2024. In our conversation, we explore what it means to build a luxury brand around cultural reclamation — and how she has stayed true to that original vision while growing Bil Arabi into an international name. We also talk about the particular kind of resilience it takes to be a female founder in this industry, what it means to her to represent the region on a global stage, and why, after twenty years, the Arabic language still has more to say. Kanso's story is one of identity, artistry, and wearing your heart on your sleeve, with a message carved in golden words of love and self-acceptance. – 🎬 Thank you to Studio Wacked in Paris for the amazing support of my French-based podcast episodes and Poddster In Dubai for their amazing studio and team where this episode was recorded: 💌Drop me a DM: @jessicamichault or just old school email me. 📝 My website: Connect with Us: ✅Instagram : ✅Facebook: You might also like: 💟 💟 💟 Thank you for watching this video, click the "

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096 Nadine Kanso: Reclaiming Arab Identity Through Calligraphy and Fine Jewellery is an episode from Fashion Your Seatbelt by Jessica Michault.

This episode is 49:19 long.

This episode was published on May 7, 2026.

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