As a Son of a Diplomat, I travelled a lot with my father and lived in different countries. So, travel became part of my DNA, giving me a sense of great adventure that triggered my curiosity and widened my imagination.

I have loved fashion for as long as I remember and have always been influenced by my family, who loved to express their sense of style. I remember my Grandmother told me stories of how they used to grow silk and then eventually sell it together with the most delicate fabrics in my grandfather's fabric shop in downtown Beirut.

My father was always impeccably dressed. He used to take me with him to show me the different types of fabrics before choosing one for his personally tailored suits. He always wore various hats, especially a Stetson and still carries with him until now a bag to go around town. My sense of style was born then.

My mother radiated timeless beauty, elegance, and finesse in everything she wore. Her love for timeless handbags and beautifully crafted shoes cannot go unnoticed.

On the other hand, my sister had it all – the understated elegance and beauty with a touch of colour and edge to her style. She influenced my passion for bags, colourful tones and the contrast detail later evident in my work. She is my greatest advocate. Our parents always told us, "Well-crafted pieces speak for themselves"

In 2001, I graduated with a BA in Business Administration from the American University of Beirut. I then moved back to London in 2003, where I acquired an MA in Marketing Management with a focus on the consumer behaviour of luxury brands from the University of Westminster. After graduation, I was employed by Capelli NY, based in New York, where I became responsible for designing and developing men's accessories in the UK. I later pursued my enthusiasm for fashion accessories in Milan, where I attended Instituto di Moda Burgo and trained at top brands like Costume National and Armani.

In 2009, I finally decided to pursue my long-lived dream of patterns, mosaics art and beautifully crafted travel-inspired bags and accessories, so I established MARK / GIUSTI. For me, it is a perfect union: my love of mosaics and my love for beautifully crafted travel-inspired bags and accessories.

I initially started to tailor to a very exclusive clientele by creating bespoke designs and collections for private VIP customers and families who requested beautifully crafted pieces that are not available in the mainstream market, which is much more logo driven. Due to the increased demand, I started the brand's international expansion in 2012 by participating in international showcases and fashion weeks. Luxury Boutiques and department stores such as the Conran Stores, Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdales, Isetan and Luisa Via Roma, to name a few, across the US, UK, Asia, and Europe quickly spotted the brand, and it was stocked in 17 international countries.