Handcrafted products shine at Les Createurs Christmas exhibition

AMMAN — The 17th edition of the annual Les Createurs Christmas exhibition kicked off on Sunday at Abdali Mall, featuring a variety of handcrafted products made by 60 designers and artisans from Jordan and Lebanon. 

The exhibition, which was first launched in 2006 by Sirine Sidani Abu Ghazaleh, a Lebanese national residing in Jordan, will run through December 7. 

This “cross-cultural exhibition” aims to provide local designers and artisans, especially women, with a platform to promote, market and sell their products, event co-organiser Riman Shami told The Jordan Times. 

Non-profit and charity organisations can also participate, Shami noted. 

Georges Antonios, a designer and artisan from Lebanon, is participating in the exhibition. 

Antonios is the founder of Coqlico, a start-up design house that produces and sells modern designs of the finjan, a small porcelain cup used for drinking coffee in the Middle East that is typically adorned with decorative patterns. 

“The finjan isn’t just a cup; it is a materialised part of our heritage and a symbol of comfort and community, bringing people together,” he told The Jordan Times. 

Coqlico’s products include planting pots and candle containers. 

Sandra Jelly, another exhibitor, is a Dutch designer and social entrepreneur with a background in business and advertising. 

She founded Lumeyo, Bedouin by Design, 14 years ago with the aim of economically empowering women, reviving the region’s weaving heritage, promoting sustainable designs and reducing waste. 

The project’s weaving team is composed of a group of women from Udhruh, Maan, who Jelly met while visiting  Petra on sabbatical. The team creates handwoven items, like bags, rugs and pillows, out of recycled sweaters.

“Each piece is an expression of Bedouin weaving heritage,” Jelly, who supports the marketing and design aspects of the project, told The Jordan Times.

She also noted that this exhibition provides these women, who are also farmers, with a platform for their products without requiring them to leave their homes.

The exhibition also features the works of Sarah Beydoun, the founder of Sarah’s Bag, a Lebanese fashion house and social enterprise that creates handcrafted bags and accessories.

Maya Cherfane, who handles the company’s international sales, noted that its products are made by female prisoners and women at risk of economic deprivation who undergo training on different types of handicrafts, such as embroidery work, beading, crocheting and hand stitching. 

Each piece requires 10 to 15 days of meticulous work, according to Cherfane.

“Sarah’s Bag aims to provide these women with the opportunity to learn valuable skills, have a steady source of income and improve their living conditions,” she told The Jordan Times.

Adel Qaddoumi, 35, is a Jordanian structural design engineer exhibiting handcrafted wood products. 

Qaddoumi is the founder of Talidi, a startup specialised in woodwork. 

“I chose the name Talidi because it comes from the Arabic word ‘Talid’ which describes something authentic, antique and long-standing,” he told The Jordan Times.

“I try to preserve and bring to life traditional handcrafted woodwork by incorporating tatreez and Islamic patterns as well as mosaic inlays and Arabic poetry in modern designs,” he said.

Qaddoumi’s products include jewellery boxes, tableware and lamps as well as bookmarks made from recycled wood scraps. 

Sana for Special Individuals, a non-governmental organisation that aims to “empower people with intellectual disabilities and their families”, is also participating in the exhibition.

The organisation is showcasing a number of paintings created by a group of young adults with disabilities who are supported by Ruwwad Al Tanmeya, a non-profit community empowerment organisation, according to Randa Sallaj, a Sana representative.

“Art enables these young people to express themselves, be productive members of society and create a source of income,” she told The Jordan Times.