A Look at Egyptian Fashion Trends

Egypt has been considered as a fashion hotspot since the early seventies, and this continues today. Cairo, the capital of Egypt, is a city with a great deal of undiscovered small shops that offer the latest Egyptian trends in clothes and accessories. Although there are many large clothing and fashion companies based here, the real heart of the Egyptian fashion industry is the street vendors selling all manner of hand made items from wood, clay and animal skin. The demand for these products is constantly increasing and the streets of Cairo are now host to an endless array of craft stalls and specialty stores selling all manner of unique accessories. Egypt Fashion Week has grown to become the most popular event of the year in Egypt, attracting hundreds of visitors from around the world.

Egypt fashion trends tend to follow the political circumstances of the country, with more emphasis being placed on local traditions and religious observances. This has resulted in a noticeable decline in the number of western-styled clothes being sold in Egypt, though more western styles have made their way to the Middle East and Asia. Cairo has become somewhat famous for its liberal outlook on fashion and this has led to an influx of various fashion trends from all over the world. One of the things that distinguishes Egyptian fashion trends from those of other countries is the emphasis on locally made clothing. The use of locally produced materials and fabrics, in combination with traditional methods of dressmaking, has resulted in some remarkable designs.

Cairo Fashion Week trends tend to focus on the Muslim and Coptic communities whose religious beliefs are often different from that of the rest of the Egyptians. Because of this, a lot of the traditional Islamic clothing is omitted and only the most basic necessities are worn. The use of western style clothing is usually reserved for special occasions and weddings, and when such occasion arrives, it is usually only with the families and close friends. The use of western fashion in Egypt can be found in the forms of high fashion salwar kameez, with both women and men opting for this type of casual outfit. Men also wear long full dresses called ikayis, with full sleeves or no sleeves at all and sometimes a tight sleeveless version too. Watches, cuff links, belts and glasses of varying colours are common accessories to accompany these types of clothing.