Friday March 29th, 2024
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This Egyptian Brand’s Mother of Pearl Clutches Merge Arab Architecture with Kenyan Colours

Sweet mother of pearl!

Staff Writer

Every woman knows that there is no such thing as having too many bags. Lately, however, it seems like we can't find those stand-out pieces that can turn any plain-Jane outfit into a fashion statement. And for those of us with a bit of an eccentric taste, it's even harder to find a design that's out-of-the-box and edgy. But don't fret because with JIJI Collections, we might have found exactly what we're looking for as her clutches merge mother of pearl, Middle Eastern architectural patterns and vibrant Kenyan-inspired colours to create sassy, one might even say avant garde, pieces.

Unlike us, found of JIJI collections, Jihan Adel Mostafa, didn't waste her time looking for shells by the beach and then disposing of them when she got bored. Instead she took their gorgeous interior and infused it into her designs to create something edgy that works for every occasion. Having launched this year, Mostafa finds most of her inspiration in her roots. The Egyptian designer spent much of her youth in Cairo strolling the streets of Khan El Khalili, Moez Street and Downtown Cairo, where she fell in love with the architecture, art and stories that her city had to offer. Having also lived in Kenya with her family for several years, Mostafa also found her muse in the vibrant colours of the country's heritage and merged them to create gorgeous artisanal pieces."I’ve always been very drawn to Arabic architecture, Mostafa tells CairoScene. "I don’t know what it is, but it feels like it’s a part of me. I’m in love with it. With Arabic architecture, there are so many beautiful designs and so much you could do with them. As for the colours I choose, I like them to be vibrant and I think I got that from my time living in Kenya. It's a very colourful country, be it in terms of their traditional attire or their architecture.” 

Using different materials including wood and copper, Mostafa merges mother of pearl in all her designs, but not without adding a modern twist to it.

“I love mother of pearl and it has so many different shades that it goes with everything," explain Mostafa. "I feel like it isn’t used enough in Egypt or in the fashion scene in Egypt, which is a shame because you can wear it in the morning or at night or anytime of day really. It works with everything.”Sold at Oiseaux Du Nil, a boutique housing the best of Egyptian fashion brands in Zamalek, these are definitely your go to clutches if you're feel like getting little rebellious with your outfits. 

“Egypt has excellent artisanship and I was bothered that there weren’t any satisfying designs that make use of the raw materials in Egypt,” says Mostafa. “I have two pieces that are my absolute favourite, Yellow Arabesque and the Precious Blocks. I think of them as my two lucky pieces, because they were such a hit when I first launched and I personally wear them all the time.”

Check out JIJI Collections on Instagram.