This Egyptian Brand’s New Collection of Women’s Bags Are as Practical as They are Gorgeous

These days, the term 'practical fashion' is basically an oxymoron. Whether it's retro, avant garde or fashion-forward inspiration driving a brand, comfort and true practicality invariably take a back seat to aesthetic. One local bag brand, however, manages not only to bring fashion and practicality a little closer together, but to also call on some of the country's heritage. 

L'omdaBoga creates gorgeous bags, many of which are inspired by craftsmanship that's been used in Egypt for decades. Aiming to create bags to suit the multi-faceted nature of the modern woman's life, her latest collection, FW18', is versatile and bomb AF. 
Founder and designer, Noura AlNaggar, looks to arm women with the tool that'll aid them to navigate through the different aspects of their lives without compromising the aesthetic. New mama? No problem, L'omdaBoga's newest collection includes a waist bag so you can have your hands free for the twins, the hubby, the career and the everything in between. 

"One woman told me, I wish I had a bag that kept getting bigger forever so it inspired the saddle bag and it's multi-functional," AlNaggar told CairoScene. "It includes four removable bags in one, allowing you to carry an absurd amount of necessities. I believe women are so versatile and their preferences are multi-faceted. Our decision-making about fashion is often rational when it comes to functional decisions: a strap here, a handle there, twelve pockets inside, and definitely feather-light, but then we find we are perfectly willing to carry a solid box as a bag for hours if we find it beautiful and worth the effort."The essence of L'omdaBoga which was inspired an Ancient artifact, envisions the type of woman who is in control of everything and who voices her capability to take charge of her own voice. And in pursuit of that control and power, L'omdaBoga, is creating the tools needed for her to navigate through all the aspect of her life. 

“I started L'omdaBoga a couple of years ago with a tote bag that could carry everything,” says AlNaggar. “Basically the tools that help me take on the challenges and different dimensions in my life. In Egyptian, Bo2ga means a huge tote bag and L'omda means El Omda. I’ve started making smaller ones since then, but the big one is a classic and you always need it especially if you’re the type of woman who’s always on the go.”AlNaggar experiments with different materials and designs for her creation and doesn't shy away from taking risks. Inspired by Egypt, AlNaggar finds that much of her designs stem from experiences on the streets, in the markets and in the country's heritage. 

"I'll stumble upon a wood-worker for example and I want to truly understand his experience and I think the only way to really do so is for me is in my designs. That's how I can engage this craft in Egypt and raise appreciation for it," says AlNaggar. "I have my own artistic language, as well as a very eclectic style. I like to see how different inspirations and different art traditions come together to create a new design." L'omdaBoga's FW 18' collection doesn't stray from the original essence of the brand, but rather works towards progressing and getting to the next level in whatever material or designs that were previously used. Drawing its approach  from three elements - function, material and craft - the latest collection explores crafts like Arabesque and Marquetry. 

"L'omdaBoga bags are often a visual diary of the experiences to be found in the contexts in which they were conceived. So with the Wicker Basket and for the Wood Roll Clutch, for example, these were an inspired from traditional crafts that we once widely used in Egypt but have receded as technology and mass-produced goods took over."  

While the FW18' collection has been released online and put on display in a couple of exhibitions, the bags will officially be on sale by the beginning of December. 

Check L'omdaBoga on Instagram.