The fashion world has long had an infatuation with theatre. What better way to gain inspiration for one’s designs than through the performing arts. Something magical takes place when one dresses up to attend a ballet, theatre show or an opera. As our cover star, Egyptian-born and Paris-based Farrah El Dibany, demonstrates through her talent and myriad performances, the ability to perform, share beautiful singing and art with others is a gift that uplifts not just an audience but an entire community.
Lebanese fashion designer Gemy Maalouf, who dressed El Dibany in one of her elegant and highly feminine gowns for the reelection of French President Emmanuel Macron, wants to give a message through her latest fall/winter 22-23 collection for women to be graceful, strong, intelligent and fearless – just like our cover star does through her singing.
“To all women rising from every chaos, conquering their existence, the delicate yet fearless woman overcoming all obstacles,” says Maalouf. Egyptian jewellery and fashion designers do the same - many of whose recent jewellery and fashion collections take their inspiration from the performing arts.
Melomania, the latest collection presented by Mrs. Keepa Studio, a high-end extension of the Mrs. Keepa brand’s outlandish and avant-garde approach to fashion, was inspired by music, theatre and art. “
I created it to celebrate life especially after the several years we have lived mostly inside,” said Mariam Yehya, the brand’s founder and director. “We felt we needed to stress more on the importance of enjoying life and we were inspired by many people in the industry, such as Lebanese artists Rémie, Donna Hourani and Ingrid Bawab, who we have all dressed. This collection is perfecting serving the cause of performance. It has a lot of flow and interesting silhouettes.”
The collection features sculptural silhouettes, glimmering threads, crystals and even feathers. The theatre is also captured in Party for One, the latest collection of Mohanad Kojak, founder and creator of Kojak Studio, which is inspired by the glamor, darkness and style of Studio 54. The pieces in the collection incorporate flowing lines, cuts and fabric mixed with exuberant mosaic sequins, that create patterns of light when one moves, coupled with the romance of guipure fabric.
“This collection was inspired after the Halston series was aired on Netflix,” explained Kojak. “It is inspired by Studio 54 coupled with my own ideas regarding how it was and what people used to go there had a dark and dramatic life – not only what was portrayed in their fashion sense which is glamorous and shiny. I wanted the collection to portray both aspects.”
Egyptian jewellery designer Amany Shaker has similarly derived inspiration from theatre but from the ancient Egyptians. Her latest collection, for her brand Ammanii, is titled Malikat, gold-plated sterling silver pieces with standout ornaments resurrecting symbolism from the ancient Egyptians.
“The pieces are theatrical in the sense that they draw from stories and films on ancient Egyptian queens, yet these have mainly focused on the lure of their physical beauty and the magnificence of their elegance,” she says. “Documented history tells more of their leadership, wit, diplomatic skills and wisdom that these queens possessed, especially those who had ruled and governed their kingdom. I wanted to revive their unapologetic beauty and frame it with power, confidence and an enchanting legacy that still exists thousands of years later to inspire us today.”
One of the most recognisable jewellery designers today is Azza Fahmy, known for her hand-crafted jewellery pieces inspired by seven thousand years of Egyptian heritage. Her latest culture collection is dedicated to The Golden Age of Arab Music, sheds light on some of the most iconic artists in the Middle East, whether poets, composers or singers, as their names are inscribed on each piece highlighting lyrical and melodic originality of the Arab world.
“Calligraphy, one of our signature elements of design, is what I believe makes our jewellery extremely unique,” she says. “Translating words that are strong in meaning into pieces of jewellery that can be worn every day is something special. There are many words that I enjoy reading and listening to, for example the words of the iconic Gibran Khalil Gibran ‘ لقد†جمعنا†الحب†فمن†يفرقنا†’ or Umm Kulthum’s infamous ‘ إنت†عمري†’. They are small phrases that mean a thousand words.”
The décor f a jewellery, fashion o r accessory item is a wearable translation of expression. What we wear touches our skin, exemplifies our style and creativity, and hence becomes an act of power and affirmation of one’s own individuality. Sister designers and founders of label Okhtein, Mounaz and Aya Abdel Raouf, may not have incorporated specific theatrical nods in their latest collection, instead the inclusion of iconic embellishments, array of summer colours and animal prints, make their recent accessories suitable for an outing to the theatre.
The message behind their latest collection, however, is about family and relationships, and what binds people together. “For our SS22 collection, we focused on grouping our pieces and recreating them in a manner that highlights their resemblance, just like the resemblance noticed in families,” state the sisters. Like the recent creation of other Egyptian designers, Okhtein’s new bold statement pieces celebrate living–and that is a theatrical statement to make after the last few years.
