Gucci, Fendi, Prada, and Yves Saint Laurent knockoff clutches and shoes fill small Heliopolis shops. They sell, despite their clearly poor manufacturing quality, for up to EGP 3,000 (USD 156). The international fashion industry is a mammoth, constantly evolving with new styles and globalized trends. Fashion e-commerce in the Middle East alone accumulated USD 1.6 billion in 2018, with Egypt projected to reach USD 300 million this year. In seeking recognition and success, however, fashion labels are often subjected to copyright infringement and theft—violations that seem irrelevant to many not working in the industry. Although counterfeit goods are often associated with the Chinese market, the practice of buying little, faux trophies of status has reached all corners of the world—Egypt included. Azza Fahmy, a staple Egyptian jewelry design house known for its resplendent use of precious stones, toils one design at a time, with entire collections taking over a year from conception to manufacture. One of its prized designs—taken from the Pharaonic Collection—is a Vulture Collar depicting Nekhbet, the ancient Egyptian goddess of royal protection. Inspired by the amulet of the formidable Egyptian queen Ahhotep, the necklace is characterized by…
How These Egyptian Brands Are Spearheading the Fight Against Counterfeits
September 12, 2022
