Bazaar Arabia Spends 24 Hours With Zina Khair, Founder Of The Syrian Crafts Council
The entrepreneur and founding board member of the Syrian Crafts Council on balancing business, culture and community while finding meaning in the rituals of everyday life
7:30am My day starts quietly with visualisation or a mindset session on the Welltth app. It’s a ritual that helps me pause, reset and start the day in a better frame of mind before everything moves at full speed. 8:00am Coffee is non-negotiable – either a double espresso or an Americano. This is my quiet catch-up hour going through emails, messages and, if I’m honest, a healthy amount of scrolling. I gravitate towards things that make me feel good: art, design, beautiful interiors, philosophical quotes and whatever my daughters send me overnight.
8:30am Most mornings begin with movement – a reformer Pilates class at Reshape or a workout at the gym. Lately, I’ve been going to UCRYO for cryotherapy, too.
9:00am My skincare routine is fairly simple and I’m loyal to brands and products that work for me: La Roche-Posay Effaclar, Dior and TRU. For perfume, I’ve been using Burberry Black and Valay by Parfums de Marly for years. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with Musc Pallida by Hermès and Meant to Be by Nishane. Getting dressed is dictated by my day and mood. I’ll often be in denim, a crisp white shirt, flats and a good handbag. I never take off the bracelet my sister gifted me: it features a coin engraved with my mother’s fingerprint and signature on one side and my father’s on the other.
9:30am Breakfast is simple: just coffee with a date or a delicious date cookie from Mama’esh. If I have a business meeting, I’ll have yoghurt with granola and berries – The Arts Club does my favourite. At the weekend, nothing beats a traditional Syrian breakfast spread at Sah el Nom café.
10:00am My workday usually begins in Sharjah, where much of our production takes place. My work spans Le Marais 101 and corporate gifting projects. I launched Le Marais 101 in 2019 to celebrate individuality and rethink the way we consume fashion. What began with handcrafted leather accessories and bespoke handbag embellishments gradually evolved into a broader world of customisation, special commissions and corporate gifting. No two days are the same, from reviewing samples, client meetings or overseeing production. Seeing a finished piece come to life never gets old.
2:00pm Lunch is usually with friends, a business meeting, or a special occasion. I accept fewer lunch invitations now, instead focusing on work or recharging, but LPM Dubai and Zuma have been long-time favourites, and I love Flamingo Room and Il Borro.
4:00pm Afternoons are usually dedicated to meetings, project follow-ups and the relationship-driven side of my work. Between exhibitions, brand launches, gallery previews, talks and meetings, days fill up quickly! I enjoy being part of a community built around creativity, entrepreneurship and culture. One place I return to is Alserkal Avenue because every visit feels different with a new exhibition, concept, café or creative project. Sharjah has also been one of my favourite cultural destinations, and I always visit the Sharjah and Barjeel Art Foundations. Abu Dhabi’s cultural scene has become increasingly exciting, too.
6:30pm This is when I connect with my colleagues at the Syrian Crafts Council, where I serve as founding board member and lead partnerships. It is dedicated to preserving, documenting and safeguarding Syria’s rich craft traditions – such as Syrian brocade, Ajami and stained glass – whilst helping these crafts evolve and find a place in contemporary life. Afterwards, no matter where I am, I connect with my daughters. They both live away from home, so our daily calls remain one of the most important parts of my day.
8:00pm I’ll usually catch up with friends – whether over dinner or a hosted gathering by a brand or gallery. I enjoy discovering new places to eat, like Le Piaf and Siena in DIFC. Siena embodies everything I like about Italian cuisine. I’ve been a member of The Arts Club for several years and I love its cultural programming. More recently, my happy place has become 1883, for the energy of the community and the thoughtful curation of events. I do crave quieter evenings more and more: no make-up, hair in a bun, comfy PJs, home-cooked food and absolutely no reason to leave the sofa. Add a good Netflix series, and I’m very happy.
12:00am My evening beauty routine is simple: Biologique Recherche’s Masque Biofixine and Dior Prestige Le Concentré Yeux. I spend a little time reading, currently Lettre d’une inconnue by Stefan Zweig. I’m also drawn to authors like Milan Kundera, Elif Shafak and Marguerite Duras.
1:00am One constant throughout my day is prayer. These are moments to pause, reflect, express gratitude, ask for forgiveness and reconnect with what truly matters. No matter how busy life gets, my connection to God remains an important source of comfort, perspective and strength. And then, eventually, it’s lights out… ready to do it all over again tomorrow.
Zina’s picks
Images Supplied
From the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Interiors Summer 2026 issue