Describing itself as 100 percent "Made in Egypt," Al-Qahira is a homegrown interior accessories store where each item demonstrates excellent Egyptian craftsmanship.
“We started our venture in a bid to give life to Egyptian craftsmanship, through creating homegrown designs that are practical for daily use,” said Ayman al-Azbawy, an interior designer and one of the showroom owners.
Displaying everything from furniture items, home accessories, lighting features, bed covers, cushions, paintings and women's jewelry, Al-Qahira houses impressive, locally produced collections.
“Everything we produce is made out of our own creation, inspired by Egyptian culture,” said Azbawy. “My other two partners, Suzan al-Masry and Ghada Sherif, are also experts in the field. We work on each item together in an effort to come up with an eccentric piece at the end.”
Their use of Arabic calligraphy, black-and-white pictures of Egyptian icons, and handmade copper works is what distinguishes the showroom collections from others.
For galabeya fans, the dazzling collections of traditional Egyptian clothing in different fabrics and designs incorporate the influence of experienced designers, as well as the fresh perspective of up-and-coming talents.
Though Al-Qahira opened its doors four years ago in Zamalek, it made its original mark in the market 15 years ago. Azbawy reflected on how the company first started, opening a workshop in the Hussein neighborhood near Al-Azhar and exporting their products to Dubai and Beirut.
“We have always aimed for Egyptian aesthetic art to get more appreciation and admiration in our modern age," said Azbawy. “It was very risky at the beginning because people were not aware of such kind of art years ago. But, over the past five years, it has become a trend in Egypt, especially in pop art."
