It was nearly a year ago last February when a group of four friends decided to get together to create a brand: an artistic outlet to express their ideas, but also to give back to the community. And so Hana and Heba el-Awadi, Dina Sabet, and Miram Milad planned El Horreya – Designs for Freedom, and last week opened their first store, at 14 Montazah St. in Zamalek.
El Horreya is the embodiment of four distinct personalities. Hana el-Awadi explains that everyone worked on everything in the beginning, but different roles then developed: "Dina is the artistic, hippie-like one and Miram is very funky – the two of them are the ones mainly involved in design – although all of us are involved in the design process and gather every time we decide to make a new product or line. Heba is very classy and sophisticated – she has taken over dealing with foreign markets and finance. My style is much more casual and laid back and I’ve been dealing with the marketing."
While the women of El Horreya – Designs for Freedom are not politically charged, one of the most important things they do is to reach out to the community. They try not to focus on big charities – although they were first involved with S.O.S. for Gaza (inspired by their line of Palestinian scarves). Their approach is rather to help out where help is less frequently provided. Their latest endeavor is creating plastic covered pouches (like purses) with pink ribbons for the Breast Cancer Awareness effort. "The pouches were best sellers," explains Hana, showing me one of the last pieces on display. "We decided that because the product was specifically designed for charity, 50 per cent of the profits would go to the Egyptian Breast Cancer Society, rather than our usual 20-30 per cent."
El Horreya – Designs for Freedom hasn’t only ventured into pouches. Last season saw an attractive line of house ware: bowls in different sizes adorned with small charms. The boutique at 14 Montazah St. has cushions strewn around it in multiple designs and colors. "A lot of men have come to us to ask for shirts," says Hana, pointing out to me a selection of shirts whose cuffs and collars boast intricate designs. But their accessories are the most popular items sold. El Horreya – Designs for Freedom seeks to incorporate elements from the cultures of the entire MENA region, and have taken inspiration from Asia with their latest, Afghan-influenced line (pictured). They sell their products at Ego (a high-end boutique in Heliopolis), Loolies (a house ware and clothing store in Zamalek), Euphoria (a boutique in Mohandessin) and Kaf Fatma (a boutique in Maadi), as well as now at Ghazl el-Banat (their outlet at 14 Montazah St. in Zamalek).
