Photo: Courtesy of Kevin Ohana/Martyre.
Now Anwar, who’s covered Teen Vogue and L’Officiel Hommes and walked runways for Sies Marjan, Prabal Gurung, and Tommy Hilfiger, is dipping his toes in design with his new lifestyle and accessories label, Martyre, co-founded by with his friend Yoni Laham. According to Hadid, the pieces—which range from earrings and necklaces to bracelets and rings—were inspired by the 17th century Baroque period; he names contrast, movement, and intricate details as design elements that influenced the first collection.
From sterling silver to 14K gold, the selection embraces gender neutrality, taking products that were once seen as binary and marketing them toward an audience who sees the product without gender. “We wanted the line to be inclusive, to allow for a diverse range of people to be able to wear the collection,” he says. This includes a three ring set with the word “PRAY” on one, “FOR” on another,” and “US” on the third, a necklace with a pendant that reads “EVERY SINNER DIES A SAINT,” and a cuff that includes two dangling angels.
Photo: Courtesy of Kevin Ohana/Martyre.
When asked the biggest learning so far in the process, Anwar says patience. “I think we both wanted to see our ideas come to fruition quickly and in order to do this the right way we had to be detailed and diligent in our process, which we came to learn that takes a long time,” he explains.
Not giving up his modeling days just yet, Hadid is joined by models Georgia Fowler and Abdulaye Niang as the faces of the campaign.
Photo: Courtesy of Kevin Ohana/Martyre.
Asked what’s next, Hadid says it’s a bit hard to say. “We want to remain thoughtful and focused in what we create, and ultimately perfect our current offering before aligning on future plans. In a few years time, we do believe the Martyre brand can transcend new categories and industries with the same mission at its core.”
Photo: Courtesy of Kevin Ohana/Martyre.
To see the full range of products, check out the brand’s website here.