Egypt to Get Its Very Own Fashion Week for the First Time
For the first time, Egypt will now have its very own fashion week in May, as announced by Egypt’s Fashion and Design Council on Tuesday, March 21, according to the “Egyptian Streets” website.
Under the theme, “The Past, Present and Future”, the opening night of the first edition will display the work of prominent Egyptian designers at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, Cairo.
“The past because, of course, our designers should be inspired by our culture, by our heritage,” Susan Sabet, co-founder of Egypt’s Fashion and Design Council, said at a press conference in Cairo to announce the launch of the event.
“The present, because we do live in the present and we are very much aware of what is going on in the world,” she added. “And the future because we know where everything is going, where we should be in a few years.”
Paul Antaki, who has long been a pioneer in Egypt’s fashion industry and introduced a major brand, Benetton, into Egypt’s market, said that the current economic situation in Egypt encourages people to embrace local manufacturers and brands.
“We think that it is the right time to tell people that: here in Egypt without importing, you can dress from Egyptian products, fabrics, styles, and designers,” he said at the press conference. “Everything is there around you. Why do you have to go and look for imported products?”
The industry-leading business Creative Headz, which has 15 years of expertise producing fashion events, will co-produce Egypt’s inaugural fashion week together with Launch metrics, an official partner of the New York and Paris fashion weeks.
Fashion in the Middle East has been experiencing unprecedented transformations, mainly due to the growth of e-commerce and new government policies, such as Egypt’s recent decision to set up a Textile Industries Council.
Two weeks ago, Dubai Fashion Week, which was rebranded from Arab Fashion Week, debuted at Dubai Design District and garnered significant interest from international designers, including Jean Paul Gaultier, Moschino, Iris Van Herpen, Bouguessa, Amato, Bhype, and The Giving Movement.
Local fashion brands are becoming increasingly popular among Middle Eastern consumers, according to a BoF Insights report. Senior fashion executives are optimistic about growth in the region compared to other areas, as 55 percent said that the region will have the most promising development prospects in 2023 versus 2022.
