Dee interviews Sara Nazoor, founder of the Sri Lankan jewellery brand ALKE. The conversation delves into Sara's journey of creating unique and show stopping pieces using recycled materials and considering emotions of the designer and the user. They discuss ALKE's eco-friendly approach, mental health advocacy, and Sara's 73-day walk around Sri Lanka to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention.

The podcast highlights the blend of creativity, sustainability, and emotional expression in Sara's work and her vision for scaling ALKE by empowering communities through sustainable practices.

Summary

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

01:04 Meet Sara Nazoor: Founder of ALKE

01:28 The Unique Approach of ALKE Jewellery

04:24 Combining Jewellery Design with Mental Health Advocacy

07:25 The 73-Day Walk for Mental Health Awareness

16:45 Scaling ALKE: Community Training and Sustainable Practices

24:36 Challenges and Successes of a Female Creative in Sri Lanka

29:44 Future projects

About Sara Nazoor and links

Sara Nazoor started making jewellery at 13 years old and kept developing her techniques over the years to finally launch her brand ALKE in 2014.

ALKE jewellery is made of recycled material, designed and crafted by people who are paid fair wages and given recognition for the work they do. She has worked with Emerge Global as a design mentor at their incubation centre, training young women in designing and manufacturing contemporary jewellery. 

In 2015 she showcased at ARTWALK in Sri Lanka, and in 2016 her work was placed third at the International Art and Design Competition conducted by Accademia Riaci, Italy. She was also chosen as a mentor for the Shilpa Saviya design mentoring program in 2017 by the Colombo Design Market. 

ALKE Design pieces

Title: Sri Lanka: Modern Perspectives from an Ancient Melting Pot
Host: Dee Gibson — Sri Lankan-born, award winning designer based in London and founder of boutique hotel Kalukanda House in Sri Lanka. www.kalukandahouse.com | instagram @deegibson2017 & @kalukandahouse

Podcast Themes:

• Modern Sri Lankan identity and culture
• Architecture, art, and design
• Sustainability and heritage
• Diaspora experiences and storytelling

Why Listen:
This podcast offers deep, intelligent storytelling about Sri Lanka’s evolving identity — a blend of East and West, ancient and modern. It’s for listeners who love culture, travel, architecture, and thoughtful conversation.