“I don’t see any fashion at Egypt Fashion Week. More like fashion WEAK”
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So what could’ve been done to make EFW better?
EFW has been in the works since covid, however, it seems that the initial attempt wasn’t the best and might’ve needed more planning. The show took place in the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Street from May 12th till the 15th. The show was complete chaos, however, if the concept was executed well, it would’ve skyrocketed Egypt’s tourist attraction. It would also alter all the false Western misconceptions about Egypt regarding that we are ancient and living in a pyramid(which is where the Dior show was held.) Here’s a list of alterations that would’ve made EFW the new IT Egyptian event.
EFW With an Exclusive Guest List
The first modification would be inviting different people. The event had a fundraising feel to it due to the fact that it wasn’t exclusive. If the guest-list consisted of A-listers, the event would’ve taken a different turn -instead of the mayhem that it appeared to be. Rising TikTok stars and influencers should’ve attended as they are currently revolutionizing social media. Having them attend would’ve enhanced all businesses’ success rate as it would’ve reached a lot of different demographics through the guests’ platforms. Fashion icons like Jessica, Laila Ezzat and Amira Adeeb, among others should’ve attended to ensure the event’s successful coverage and exposure.
A Different Theme
Another alteration that would’ve guaranteed better success for EFW would be changing the theme as a lot of the designs were just off-theme. The theme was “the past, present and future”; however, designers seemed to only focus on the past aspect of the theme. They used old fabrics and agricultural designs, which is why “the past” or “our golden days” would’ve been better themes for the accurate branding of the whole event.
Better Brands
A lot of those watching were rather upset that EFW didn’t include most of the local and luxury Egyptian brands like Okhtein and Hadia Ghaleb. We get that other designers would like to expand their connections and networking, however, some of the designs were questionable like the “made in Egypt” design which was practically half-naked men with jeans on with “made in Egypt” written over their chests, which of course, caused controversy.
The event planners should’ve viewed the businesses attending and ensured that both new and known businesses would be displaying their work, and that said work was acceptable as a representation of Egypt’s fashion.
Different Models
The main goal of EFW was to highlight the stunning Egyptian legacy, thus hiring only Egyptian models rather than international ones, would have been yet another modification that ensures real success. Although there is a wide ethnic diversity in Egypt, the models should have had some Egyptian ancestry because it seems very hypocritical for people who are not Egyptians to be proud of our Egyptian heritage. Especially in lights of recent events, where Egyptian heritage has been exploited internationally in the name of Afrocentrism.
New Venue
The only alteration left that should have been made is the venue. It would have been wiser to replace the inadequate museum with a more suitable setting. They seemed to be strolling around a straightforward garden fountain, which brings us back to the fundraising motif.
Luxor or Siwa, have fantastic scenery and would’ve been better places to hold the event. Since location completes the appearance of the designs, the placement was just as important. It would’ve been more appealing to the eye.
We hope the next version of this event is well executed to teach the world about us Egyptians and our beautiful culture and heritage.
Written by: Jana Shrombokhomy