Building and maintaining a brand is a key goal of companies across the globe. Brands represent a company’s values, products, services and future. While many US, European and Asian brands are recognized and respected throughout the world for quality, innovation and market knowledge, in the last decade several successful brands have emerged from the Middle East, particularly Egypt, and are making their presence felt globally.
We here at Scoop Empire have compiled a list of Egyptian brands that are killing it abroad and making all of us proud.
1) Azza Fahmy
Worn by stars from Souad Hosny to Rihanna, Azza Fahmy’s jewelry has been shining its way to el3alameya, and although the price tags are painful for me to see (personally speaking), I would definitely invest three months’ salary on an Azza Fahmy item.
2) Zooba
The popular street food restaurant has been taking over Cairo for almost five years now. Oh, and how can we even start on how proud we are that Airbnb has styled their Egypt section in their HQ Zooba-style? Have a look at it, absolutely fabulous!
3) Okhtein
OKHTEIN FUTURE NOSTALGIA TIME CAPSULE COLLECTION from Okhtein on Vimeo.
These two actual Okhtein (sisters in Arabic) designers have been giving us butterflies for, what, three years now? I WANT ALL OF THEIR BAGS! The brand is now almost competing against the big names in the West and they’re definitely killing it, no question.
4) Up-fuse
What beats being both fashionable and environmental-friendly? Nothing that I can think of, really. And that’s why the international community fell in love with Up-fuse in an instant. Up-fuse was founded by Rania Rafie and Yara Yassin in 2013. The duo were so crazy about traveling and sustainability that they decided to use their passion for design and their aversion of over-consumption to come up with a holistic approach that supports local communities, while raising environmental awareness and decreasing waste; turning challenges into opportunities.
5) Yasmine Yeya Couture
Yasmine Yeya doesn’t need an introduction. I mean, look at this gown, look at this God-freaking-damn gown! This Egyptian-French fashion designer started her line after her success at Ellie Saab’s competition for young Arab designers. Yeya dressed Middle Eastern celebrities and socialites as well as distinguished international clienteles. To know more about Yeya, read this Q&A we had with her a while back.
6) Mrs Keepa
This line is also killing it, one fangirl at a time. Inspired by her husband’s last name, Mariam Yehia started Mrs Keepa right after earning her post-graduate degree from Esmod. Her collection is a hybrid between her 10 years of observing the modern Dubai woman, and her preparation journey of becoming a mother for the first time.
7) Temraza
Founded by Farida Temraza, Temraza Haute Couture’s dress designs have graced the runways in Cairo, London and Paris. And what can we say about Temraza’s heart-breaker designs? Her models leave us yearning for more as they leave the runway.
8) Norine Farah Couture
Brave, risk-taker and good taste. That’s how we shall describe her if we’re going to say who’s Norine Farah in three words. She will be representing Om El Donya at the World Fashion Week in Paris this November.
9) Karim Rashid
This interior designer has gone global thanks to his magically sleek furniture designs. His designs include luxury goods, furniture, lighting, surface design, brand identity and packaging. Time magazine has described him as the “most famous industrial designer in all the Americas.”
WE SAID THIS: You make us proud!