Airyn Tanu

Indonesia

Marilyn Monroe sang it, but Airyn Tanu brought the idea that diamonds really are a girl’s best friend to life. Airyn’s prodigious jewellery career began when she started selling handmade necklaces and earrings in Perth, where her love for diamonds grew daily over four years at university under the hot Australian sun.

The diamond-focused jewellery brand she later founded, Passion Jewelry, now has nine boutiques around her native Indonesia. “Getting here wasn’t easy,” says Airyn, who is the brand’s COO. “I’d tell young brands that, first of all, you have to be very creative and not just follow others. Also, persistence—we work very hard but it pays off. I will also always ensure our pieces are unique because jewellery is like art; it needs to say something individual.”

Given Airyn’s love of jewellery, it’s no surprise that her clothes are notable for clean lines and a simple colour palette that allow her gems to dazzle. “I think elegance is about balance. If you have simple earrings, you can wear a big necklace. But if you have big earrings, that’s all you need. And if you wear a glam dress with crystals on it, you just wear maybe a ring. Less is always more.”