A Crystal Grows In Brooklyn: Inside Sweet Saba's Studio

Talk about a candy crush. Everything about Maayan Zilberman, the chic confectioner behind Sweet Saba, says luxury. But the founding principles of her brand are rich with nostalgia, family, and culture. Here, we go inside her Brooklyn studio.

Zilberman, a former lingerie designer, is the toast of the town with Sweet Saba, a line of handmade luxe candy that is adored by New York’s fashion elite. Estée Lauder, Irene Neuwirth, W Magazine, Delpozo, Jimmy Choo, Smith & Cult, and Bergdorf Goodman have all collaborated with Zilberman on her bespoke candy creations. Earlier this month, she even partnered with the fabulously popular Instagram account @everyoutfitonsatc, to re-create the infamous Sex and the City “Post-it note” and Carrie Bradshaw’s nameplate necklace in candy form.

Yes, Zilberman is that cool.
A post shared by SWEET SABA by Maayan Zilberman (@maayan.zilberman) on Mar 11, 2018 at 2:30pm PDT
Her architectural designs offer a sensually delightful experience. Sweet Saba’s so-called “grown-up candies” are not only chic in their design, they are also meaningful–drawing on the collective memory of real life objects reimagined by Zilberman’s aesthetic. Fusing humor, unexpected flavor, and an undeniable surrealism, the boutique candies that make up the Sweet Saba line are works of edible art that appeal to the fashion world.

The art world, too, has taken note of the line, which Zilberman founded in 2015. By 2016, Zilberman had launched a collaboration with The Whitney Museum of American Art. By 2017, she had staged sugary sculptural installations in Los Angeles and at Art Basel Miami.
A post shared by SWEET SABA by Maayan Zilberman (@maayan.zilberman) on Feb 17, 2018 at 11:56am PST
Sweet Saba’s avant-garde candies are edible relics of a world that’s built on fantasy and allure. The fact that they are also delicious just adds another layer of cool to this distinctive candy line.

About the author

Jill Di Donato

Fashion Editor

Jill is a New York native who holds a BA in Literature from Barnard College, and an MFA in writing from Columbia University. She is the author of the novel Beautiful Garbage (She Writes Press, 2013) about the downtown Manhattan art and fashion scene in the 1980s. A former staff writer for The Huffington Post and Bustle, Jill comes to Culture Trip after working with Refinery 29, Vice, Salon, Paste Style, Los Angeles Times, Nylon, Shopify, Autre, and producing content for emerging fashion labels. She teaches classes about fashion and culture at Barnard College and The Fashion Institute of Technology. Her prized possessions are her Gucci fanny pack, vintage rocker t-shirts, and her grandmother's collection of costume jewelry. She's always on the lookout for a gem-encrusted turban.