Egypt’s Fashion and Design Council launched the country’s first fashion week on Tuesday at a press conference in Cairo.
The opening night will be held in May at the Cairo Egyptian Museum and will highlight the work of notable Egyptian designers. “The Past, Present, and Future” will be the theme of the first edition.
“The past because, of course, our designers should be inspired by our culture, by our heritage. Use all the materials we have that have been used for thousands of years,” said one of the founders of the organisation, Susan Sabet.
“The present, because we do live in the present and we are very much aware what is going on in the world. And the future because we know where everything is going, where we should be in a few years.”
One of the founders, Paul Antaki, says that Egypt’s difficult economic condition is another motivation for consumers to hunt for local producers 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. Everything is there around you. Why do you have to go and look for imported products?” said Paul Antaki.
With Egyptian culture long serving as an inspiration for foreign designers, the organizers believe the moment has come for Egypt to have its own fashion festival.
