Dalila Barkache

It's official. I'm in love.

Dalila Barkache – or, more accurately, her jewelley – is my new No.1 crush.

I was lucky enough to meet Dalila last night and in between dancing to 80s floorfillers and demolishing a tableful of delicious Moroccan food she let me get my hands on the beautiful pieces shown below.

Not only do they work on a visual level, they have that all important - oft overlooked – tactile appeal: satisfyingly weighty, in some cases mobile (2nnd & 3rd images from the bottom), and multi-textured. They push certain emotional buttons too. Who won't enjoy a secret smile knowing that their apparently simple gold band is lined with hidden diamonds? Other materials include gold, oxidised silver and rock crystal which Dalila has cut according to her own rigorous specifications.

Bit of background: Dalila has Moroccan roots and grew up in the Parisian suburbs. Having travelled extensively through Asia and the Middle East she fell in love with Beirut and in December 2006 she inaugurated the first Commes des Garçons guerilla store in the Lebanese capital.