In a bi-weekly series, we're interviewing female executives, founders, CEOs—basically, boss ladies—on their "power suit" a.k.a. the outfit they wear every day for easy dressing to conquer whatever the job throws at them.
Mejuri began with, and still rests on, this simple premise: A woman doesn't need a man to buy jewelry for her. She can buy it yourself. Noura Sakkijha, a former engineer and third-generation jeweler, grew up around the family business and noticed that traditional high-end jewelry brands always targeted men, encouraging them to buy luxe jewelry for women. The baubles were occasional purchases, something to be saved for holidays or special events. Sakkijha wished to tell a different story.
"I wanted to create something that was exciting for women," says Sakkijha, who launched Mejuri in 2015. "The point of this direct-to-consumer brand is that women are buying jewelry for themselves or their friends. Men, and gifts from them, are welcome, but we're designing the content, brand values, photography, and everything for women."
Scroll through Mejuri's Instagram page and you'll see how the brand's minimalist, clean aesthetic (much like that of Everlane and Reformation) has easily attracted nearly half a million followers. There are no cheesy photos of couples on the beach or super blinged-out proposal 'grams; the focus instead is on thin gold ring stacks or layered necklaces. Mejuri works to target 25- to 35-year-olds who live in major metropolitan areas who wouldn't think twice about buying quality, affordable jewelry (prices start at $29) for themselves. (Insert Destiny's Child "Independent Women" lyrics here).
The brand opened up its first NYC showroom in December 2018 and, as someone who frequently walks past the SoHo store front, I can attest that it's always packed with—who else?—chic women. Mejuri entices its young shoppers with weekly drops every Monday to keep fans excited and waitlists for popular pieces that sell out quickly. The business recently raised $23 million in a Series B funding round, which will help push it further in its mission to providing quality, fine jewelry to women.
These days when Sakkijha isn't busy running Mejuri with her husband Majed, who is a co-founder and COO, she's raising their 4-month-old twin girls. (Sakkijha says that the secret sauce to working with your spouse is to divide and conquer.) Ahead, I caught up with the new mom to talk about how her morning routine has changed and how she dresses to go about her work as a #bosslady entrepreneur.
'When I'm in a rush, my go-to is a simple black outfit styled with jewelry (lots of it!).'
"I'm in the office most days, but my one rule is to be the first person my kids see when they wake up and the last person they see when they go to bed. I schedule my social life and work around that. Typically I'm woken up at 6 a.m. by cute noises from either or both girls. I get up, wash my face and brush my teeth, then go back to them. My husband and I take turns feeding them and playing with them. I read to them and we listen to songs together—that's a new routine. I am just putting them on a sleep training schedule, so we try to keep them awake until they go down for a nap. One of my favorite things to do in the mornings is pick out their outfits; I never just leave them in pajamas. My super nanny arrives around 8 a.m. and I'm in the office from 9 to 5."
"I have to credit my nanny because when she arrives in the morning, it gives me time to get dressed for the day. My style gives me a sense of confidence and I love picking out what to wear. When I get ready, it's really driven by my mood. If I have a formal meeting, then that dictates how casual I can go, meaning do I need to put my heels on? The nice thing about working in a creative industry is that I have the freedom to pick my clothes based on my mood and I get to express my own individuality. I don’t have to conform to a specific wardrobe. It can range from a suit to jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt, which is what I wear most days."
'With simple outfits, I love to take risks with my shoes and often times that means fun and bold designs like these Gucci loafers.'
"For me, it's what makes me feel great that day. Right now I am in a white skirt and beige top. My go-to, however—if I don't have time to think about my look—is jeans, a white t-shirt or white top, and my star print Gucci loafers. The shoes are comfortable and elevate any look.
I love brands like Everlane, Cuyana, and Aritzia. I'll sometimes mix in Zara pieces. When it comes to footwear, I invest a little more. I like Chanel heels or Louboutins, and in the winter, I wear Church's.
I have an Everlane bag for work, I used to wear a lot of Longchamp too. I tried to do the small, cute bag at work and carry my laptop in another bag, but that was too much. Now I just like to have one thing for my laptop because I lug it back and forth.
I also always wear jewelry with my outfits. This summer I was obsessed with our oversized hoops, I have worn them for most of the summer. I am also testing out a new ear cuff that makes me feel very edgy. I always have on a necklace and have been wearing our diamond one for the last two years, which I never take off and love to layer other pieces with. Right now, I also have my wedding band on, a pinky ring, and four bracelets that I've been wearing for the past four months."
"Simple, strong, and elegant."
"When it comes to how I look, confidence trumps everything and confidence comes from being happy and investing in myself. In general though, I do believe everything happens for a reason so if something doesn't work out, then I know, from the bottom of my heart, it didn't work out for a reason."
If you love Sakkijha's classic-yet-casual office look, shop from her favorite brands, below:
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