Creating modern, comfortable, and stylish outfits—while using dresses as a vehicle for feminism and femininity—El-Messiry, Foda, and Ali have bridged past and present, south and north. Through their fashion projects, they have reimagined Egyptian women's styles, motifs, and designs from Upper Egypt to Siwa and from Ancient Egypt to Coptic Egypt.
The essence of their work aligns with pioneers such as Suzanne El-Masry, Azza Fahmi, and Shahira Mehrez: Egyptian identity is worth celebrating.
"For me, it is all about Egyptian identity—not just in fashion but also in home décor, pottery, towels, and scents," said El-Messiry. She has created dresses, bed sheets, curtains, and lighting items inspired by Egypt's rich cultural layers for nearly three decades. "Whether it's Nubia or the Delta, Coptic Egypt or beyond, I seek inspiration and bring the many elements of our identity together," she added.
For over a decade, in Egypt and abroad, El-Messiry has built her reputation on "modernising heritage"—often in an eclectic manner. Her Ramadan table spreads, blending Islamic and Pharaonic designs, and her loose-fitting dresses adorned with motifs from various historical periods reflect this vision. "I believe it's important not to let our identity fade, and fashion is an interesting way to document history," she said.
Each collection requires extensive research, which she thoroughly enjoys, and skilled craftsmanship, which is increasingly difficult to find.
With a firm commitment to quality and investment in premium materials, El-Messiry refuses to compromise on production standards essential to preserving heritage. "Investing in training skilled workers is worthwhile," she said.
She credits her meticulous approach to quality control for the success of her collections. "Every step matters—designing, ensuring authenticity, sourcing the right fabrics and colours, securing the inscriptions and prints, and perfecting the finishing," she explained.
The Revival of Tally Stitching
Hala Foda, founder of Tallyna—a project to revive Upper Egypt's traditional tally stitching—identifies sourcing skilled artisans as a significant challenge in producing high-quality heritage-inspired fashion. "Each design is meant to showcase Egyptian heritage and the artisans' talent while fitting the modern Egyptian woman's style—something that is neither easy nor cheap," she said.
Like El-Messiry, Foda is pragmatic about budgeting for production and pricing for sales. Both acknowledge that branding high-quality pieces comes at a cost, particularly regarding fair wages for artisans.
"We create modern outfits—dresses, trousers, loose shirts—with tally stitching. But if the stitching is clumsy, we must discard the piece," she said. She has committed to offering competitive wages to retain skilled artisans and ensure continuity. "It's a demanding task, and if people don't see the value, they naturally seek other work," she added.
Tally is a traditional embroidery technique from Upper Egypt involving metal-threaded needles that weave nickel, silver, copper, or brass onto netted cotton or linen fabric. Historically, specific designs and fabric colours were reserved for significant occasions such as weddings. By the mid-20th century, however, tally was in decline.
Foda credits a 1990 UNESCO initiative for helping revive the craft by training young women in Upper Egypt. "A key part of preservation is merging heritage with contemporary fashion," she said. This philosophy led her to develop Tallyna through trial and error before launching collections and offering custom-made items.
Each of her designs is named in tribute to one of the core women who helped bring her project to life. "I did the research, but I couldn't have done this without them," she said. True to its name, Tallyna means "Our Tally."
Nawara and the Art of Siwa
Amani Ali, founder and manager of Nawara, a fashion brand inspired by Siwan heritage, believes folk knowledge and the dedication of community women are essential for any heritage-modernity fusion project. "Older generations, who have spent years crafting outfits for themselves and their families, hold invaluable knowledge of Siwan fashion," she said.
Ali's journey began when she became captivated by the region's designs and jewellery while working in an eco-hotel in Siwa. "I wanted to give this beauty a wider platform," she explained.
When she launched Nawara, she realised that younger women were less familiar with traditional embroidery than their elders. "I knew that unless they became interested and skilled, this art would fade—especially with the rise of ultra-Salafi ideologies that deem Siwan attire immodest due to its vibrant colours," she said.
At the time, much of the craft was already disappearing. "It's labour-intensive and expensive to embroider every dress so intricately," she noted. Without a structured initiative—even a small-scale one like Nawara—the incentive for younger women to continue the tradition would be at risk. Ali has encouraged participation by offering fair wages and allowing women to work from home while managing household responsibilities.
Like Tallyna, Nawara primarily operates through social media. "I ensure stable production but don't follow a collection-based model—once a piece is ready, it goes up for sale online," she said. Nawara also takes custom orders.
Like El-Messiry and Foda, Ali recognises that economic realities mean many of their pieces are purchased by foreigners who can afford the price tags.
None of the three initially studied folk art or fashion design—El-Messiry and Foda both have backgrounds in French literature, while Ali studied English literature. Each took it upon herself to master the craft. Today, they take pride in building brands that leave a mark at home and resonate globally.
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