Going Native

It seems the hipster trend has swept the nation as of late (no matter how much hipsters don’t like to call themselves that – seriously, get over it; you're hipster) and we came across a new homegrown Egyptian brand that caters to that laid-back cool-casual aesthetic.

Native, which was just launched in Eid by Ahmed El Halabi, Malak Husseiny, and Ahmed Ghazi, is a collection of effortlessly cool attire that's so hipster-grunge it hurts. Think loose crop-tops that have literally been chopped off at the middle with scissors, threadbare tank tops with giant Oms, and guy's t-shirts with geometric patterns or tribal prints. And though the feel is essentially hipster, we love the 90s grunge revival they’ve got going on in their recently released campaign, with ripped, cut-off jeans shorts, grungy faded t-shirts and plaid shirts tied around your waist. All of this is injected with a little bit of a free-spirited hippie vibe, what with turban headbands and round 70s-style sunglasses.

El Halabi describes the line as "urban tribal," saying that its feel and aesthetic reflects upon the founders' own tastes. "It encompasses who we are as people; musicians, artists, photographers – creative people," El Halabi explains, "And this is the vision of who our customer is as well."

The three founders all had some background in fashion, in one form or another. "Malak has always been into design and wanted to create a fashion brand… I've been working in clothing production and my family has been in the business for over a hundred years," El Halabi tells us. So the trio teamed up to create the earthy hipstergrammable brand that makes you want to grab a guitar and go live in a garden somewhere.

Currently, you can shop the collection online, but they'll soon be featuring it in Zamalek's AB n G store, souk.com and other places. If you find yourself aching to live on the beach or hike through the mountains and go camping, all with an I'm-bringing-back-the-high-school-look backpack, then Native is definitely up your sartorial alley. "It's for the adventurous kind of people," El Halabi says simply. Namaste, bitches.

You can check out their Facebook page here or follow them on Instagram @native.apparel