Egypt's haute couture looks for foothold in international market

"Nowadays, the fashion industry in Egypt does exist. The notion of creating fashion that reflects our own culture and copes with international standards is booming," Sara Onsi, the owner of Egyptian bridal dress brand Sara Onsi, told Al-Monitor.

Onsi, who is a business administration graduate, said she spent four years designing bridal dresses and studying all aspects of fashion. Then she launched her evening line and succeeded in displaying it in a New York fashion show.

"Being in a New York fashion show is not that easy. A designer must prepare a good profile for her or his collections," Onsi said.

"It was a challenge to display my first collection in an international show and be on equal footing with other international designers," she added. "I was keen to produce dresses with high-end finishing and the best quality."

The passion to create Egyptian fashion brands drives many to teach themselves everything related to fashion, from drawing the design to sewing and finishing the garment.

Aya Abdul Salam, the founder of Bijar, an Egyptian fashion brand for casual clothes, said there are many courses both online and offline that teach how to be an experienced fashion designer.

Salam said that her journey started by making unique pieces for her friends and family, then she converted it into a real business with a high demand.

"What I want in my collections is to give ladies the feeling of being more feminine and special. It is totally different when a woman finds herself wearing what makes her unique and feeling her own self."

"We don’t have to wear items that don't suit us or make us feel uncomfortable," Salam added.