As millions of Egyptians prepare to celebrate Mother's Day on 21 March, acclaimed Egyptian jeweler Azza Fahmy has launched her latest collection, adorned with love words and motifs for moms.
Fahmy has used the brand's signature mix of gold and sterling silver and encrustations of diamonds and precious stones in her latest creations dedicated to motherhood.
The collection has chosen two faces to showcase the designs, from more than one perspective, symbolizing the passing of traditions through consecutive diverse generations.
The first is social entrepreneur Elisa Sednaoui, who embodies a diverse background rooted in Italian, French, and Egyptian heritage. The second is Saudi actress Fatima Al-Banawi.
Fahmy, who set a revolutionary trend for jewelry making in Egypt in the late 1970s when she created her first designs away from the typical bracelets or rings that most Egyptian women would wear, has introduced jewelry inspired by Nubian architecture and Arabic calligraphy.
More than half a century ago, the Cairo-based jeweler Fahmy ventured as an apprentice in the male-dominated workshops of Khan El-Khalili, learning all about the craft of centuries-old jewelry making.
She then started her workshop with a handful of people, aiming to tell stories of heritage and culture through her creations, before launching her line and eventually becoming one of the most famous Egyptian jewelry designers.
She collaborated with famous names on the catwalk.
Now, Fahmy is acclaimed worldwide for her designs that rely profoundly on research and for the manifestation of the Ottoman craftsmen hierarchy, which has been sustained in Egypt for centuries.
In her workshop, where Ghali heads the design, craftsmen are ranked according to their work longevity and experience into three categories: the master (osta), the handyman (snaiei), and the young workers (sabi).
Thus, the skilled trade is preserved and passed on.
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