An Egyptian startup is reviving the country’s culture and heritage by bringing timeless, incomparable handmade accessories to its clientele who splurge themselves in fashionable looks. Launched by the end of 2014 and run by an Egyptian female designer and journalist Maryam Raafat, Eshq – or passion in English – is all about reviving and promoting Egyptian pharaonic, Nubian, Bedouin, folkloric and rural culture through its bracelets, necklaces, bags and a various array of other accessories. Raafat crafts accessories using copper, genuine leather and precious stones. “I have always been influenced and inspired by Egyptian heritage with all its variations,” Raafat, 32, said. “In Egypt, every governorate has its own heritage and culture.” “We have different styles, including the Bedouin style, the style of the Siwa Oasis, Upper Egypt, Pharaonic and the countryside style,” the young entrepreneur told Egyptian Streets. Raafat’s passion for accessories design started when she was at college. “At that time, I was fond of gathering raw materials and making necklaces and bracelets out of them. I have never had the idea of starting such a project until I heard of a workshop on copper making.” In this…
Eshq: Egyptian Startup Reviving Heritage, Culture in Handmade Accessories
November 28, 2017
