Samra Jewelery - Family History
She has the Russian name Katya and the Arabic surname Samra. She is the development director of one of the most famous jewelry companies in the UAE, Samra Jewelery, which belongs to her family. She is so young, fast-moving and energetic that she seems to give out 100 words per second, so our interview takes place almost in a blitz-poll format.
Katya, what international and own brands does Samra Jewelery represent?
Splendore! This is our own brand, we have been advertising it everywhere for the past 10 years. This is actually a wedding collection. It is a classic one, made of white gold with solitaire diamonds in rings, and is incredibly popular and in high demand. At the end of 2008, we opened the Splendore Monoboutique at the Dubai Mall. We have clients who come to Dubai specifically for the new Splendore collections. Another own line is Aya, which is very popular among Russian buyers. It usually has a lot of baguette-cut diamonds that Russian customers love.
How about “not yours” brands?
We are very selective. In our company stores brands such as Versace, Korloff, Celine are presented. By the way, Russian buyers absolutely sincerely believe that Korloff is a Russian brand, although it is French, but this does not prevent it from being very popular among buyers from Russia and the CIS countries.
What is the reason?
The reason, I think, is the famous black diamond weighing 88 carats, which belonged to the Korlov-Sapozhnikov family, and is now listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It was an aristocratic Russian family that went abroad during the revolution, and the diamond was sold to a jewelry merchant. Then, the owner of a French jewelry company purchased this diamond, found out about its history and named his company in his honor. Behind this stone is a great story. He was resold many times. Legend has it that anyone who touches the Korloff Noir diamond at least once will be generously endowed with the favor of fortune. This is probably why all Russians simply adore the Korloff brand, considering it to be native Russian. But when they find out that the jewelry and watches are actually from Paris, and made in the workshops at the Place Vendome, they begin to love Korloff even more. After all, it is a brand of prestige and just a luxury brand.
Are Korloff products sold only in Samra Jewelery?
We opened a specialized Korloff boutique in BurJuman, another such boutique will soon be opened at Dubai Mall.
What is the proportion of Russian buyers among your customers?
If we talk about tourists, then this is 60%. What I like about Russian customers is their desire to return. Arriving once in the UAE, and having been to Samra, the next year they already specially fly to the Emirates to come to us and get acquainted with new collections. For example, Americans or British, come once in a lifetime in the UAE, and leave back. And the Russians are completely different, they like to return to where they like. This is especially evident during the New Year holidays, during the Dubai Trade Festival, for which buyers from Russia and the CIS, in my opinion, generally prepare in advance, knowing about discounts and gifts.
Then you merchants should constantly surprise them?
Dubai is interesting in that you can always see and try something new in it. Of course, we are trying too. We release new collections, attract interesting brands, play with colors, textures, shapes of our products. I want to say that Samra Jewelery has many regular customers from Russia. Moreover, many prefer to come to our oldest store in the Deira City Center, despite the fact that we have boutiques in the Mall of the Emirates, in the Dubai Mall and other centers.
How many Samra Jewelery stores in the Emirates, including the newly opened?
We have Samra Jewelery stores at Dubai Festival City, Mall of the Emirates, Deira City Center in Dubai, two at the Deira Gold Market and one at the Sahara Center in Sharjah. In the Dubai Mall, we have one Splendore store and there will be Korloff, soon the first Versace jewelry boutique will appear there (I'll talk about it a bit later), another Korloff boutique is in the BurJuman shopping center.
Katya, as the company's development director, do you think it is risky to open new boutiques and shops when everyone around is talking about the financial crisis?
This may be risky, but the opening of the Dubai Mall, for example, was planned three years ago, and our contracts with this complex were concluded a long time ago. We just waited a long time for this event. In addition, the Dubai Mall cannot be called an ordinary shopping center, it is something extraordinary, and it seems to me that even for the sake of curiosity, people will definitely look in there and can’t get past selected stores such as ours (laughs). We will open the largest boutique in the Middle East for the Korloff brand in Dubai Mall. And we plan to open the first Versace jewelry boutique in the world in January-February 2009. It will feature the most exquisite diamond jewelry. While Versace collections are in our Samra Jewelery stores, but we want to devote a separate store to this brand. He deserves it.
Why, in your opinion, did Versace choose Samra as its Middle Eastern partner?
First, the leaders of the House looked at what we already represent. And they believed in us, probably. I always say that we are not collectors, but rather breeders. We do not set ourselves the goal of cluttering our shelves and display cases with a huge number of diverse collections. The expression - “Better less is more” is about Samra. In the luxury section we placed Korloff, in the fashion department - Versace. In addition, we have an amazing Thierry Mugler Angel collection in white gold with clear water diamonds.
Katya, today you are a successful business woman, which, you will agree, is not very typical of the countries of the East. Was it hard to get started?
It all depends on the family, even if it is eastern, and on education. My father always took me to the office when I was little. My first toys were jewelry. I watched how the gold is weighed, how diamonds are inserted into the mounts. Later I graduated from many special courses in gemology, design, jewelry. By the time I graduated, I knew exactly where I would work. Therefore, it was not difficult for me.
Since you grew up among jewelry, tell me which of the collections you like the most?
It is not entirely fair to single out someone. It all depends on where I am and what I do. For every day I like Splendore and Paola jewelry. My favorite watch is Korloff. By the way, I fell in love with this brand long before our company began to cooperate with it, and we began to offer Korloff watches and jewelry to our customers.
Where are Samra's own collections produced?
We have workshops in Jebel Ali, but nevertheless, the main work on the design, selection of stones and the final refinement of products we carry out in a factory in Italy. It is very easy to work in Dubai, because all the conditions for import, export, re-export of materials and finished products are created here. As manufacturers, we do not have any work restrictions. All that we have planned to do can be done. For example, today Samra Jewelery is the owner of the first online store that sells a variety of jewelry, and we will ship them anywhere in the world.
Samra Jewelery is a regular participant in Dubai trade festivals ...
Yes, we annually participate in the DTF and other initiatives of the Government of Dubai, in a huge number of local and international exhibitions. Our company, which has long been operating in the UAE market, has already become part of the local community. In fact, the Samra Jewelery network grew and developed along with Dubai. We can offer jewelry collections for people of all ages, starting with newborns. The sellers of our boutiques are always ready to make a discount or some pleasant gift to the buyer. We are engaged in charity work, supporting children and people with disabilities. We are sure that success begins with a good attitude towards those for whom we work. This is the power of Samra Jewelery.
Thanks for the conversation, Katya.
And happy New Year to you.
Interviewed: Elena Olkhovskaya
