What does FAME mean? To Christiana and Lara Jabara, it is not about flashbulbs or celebrity headlines. FAME stands for Female Artists of the Middle East. The name reads like a manifesto, and the platform doubles as a movement. Built by women and dedicated to women, FAME Collective is rewriting what luxury, art, and cultural exchange look like when seen through a distinctly female lens.
At its core, FAME is a multidisciplinary platform that stitches together the creative forces of the MENA region. It is not confined to a single category; it spans fine art, interior design, collectible furniture, jewelry, and statement accessories. Think of it less as a store and more as a living archive of women’s voices, each expressed through objects that carry both beauty and meaning. Pieces come from names we already know and revere—Nada Debs, Bil Arabi, L’atelier Nawbar, Noora Shawqi, Marzook, L’Afshar—and from rising artists whose stories are just beginning to take shape. The mix is bold, deliberate, and refreshingly unafraid to put heritage, craftsmanship, and modern identity in the same room.
A PLATFORM WITH PURPOSE
FAME follows a circular model. That means every jewel, painting, or piece of furniture sold extends beyond its aesthetic value, becoming part of a regenerative cycle of empowerment. The concept is simple but radical: female creativity fueling female futures. And unlike many luxury platforms that remain purely digital, FAME steps out into the physical world with pop-ups, curated exhibitions.
FAME is now taking its vision abroad, setting up a chic London pied-à -terre that feels more like an art-filled apartment than a traditional showroom. Opening in Belgravia during Frieze Week, the space will be launched with a panel talk at The Arts Club Mayfair, where co-founders Christiana and Lara Jabara will be joined by critic Nadine Khalil and a line-up of featured artists. Instead of static displays, the apartment will host rotating installations that mix contemporary art, collectible design, and jewelry in a way that mirrors the everyday life of the modern Middle Eastern woman. The idea is simple: to create a home-like setting where creativity from the region isn’t just observed but experienced.
THE FOUNDERS BEHIND THE VISION
Behind FAME is the mother–daughter duo Christiana and Lara Jabara. Christiana, armed with a degree in Contemporary Art from Sotheby’s Institute, has the curatorial insight to frame Middle Eastern creativity on an international stage. Lara, who studied Creative Direction at the University of the Arts London, brings the visual storytelling and campaign sensibility that give FAME its bold identity. Together, they’re creating a cultural space where women’s artistry from the region takes center stage, unapologetically and on its own terms.
WHY FAME MATTERS NOW
It is one thing to spotlight women artists; it is another to build an ecosystem that sustains them. FAME’s mission is twofold: to give women of the Middle East international exposure and to preserve the region’s heritage through craft, materiality, and story. This duality—progressive yet rooted—is what makes the platform relevant. In an art world often dominated by Western narratives, FAME insists on giving Middle Eastern womens a place at the table, and it does so with style.
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