A brand with strong roots in Arabic culture and delicate craftsmanship, Azza Fahmy has been leaving its mark worldwide with artistic pieces and remarkable partnerships.
The brand’s history started when Azza Fahmy became an apprentice in Khan El Khalili, Egypt’s ancient jewellery quarter, learning from one of the craft’s most respected masters. When she became a young design graduate at the City of London Polytechnic, she set out to accomplish her dream of having her own brand. This was back in 1969. Fast forward to today, Azza Fahmy Jewellery boasts an exclusive clientele, including royalty, celebrities and jewel connoisseurs worldwide.
Her creations are characterised by Arab inspired motifs such as Arabic calligraphy, Egyptian wings, the ubiquitous evil eye and Hamsa or hand, and astronomical symbols like the moon and stars. Each piece is uniquely handcrafted using 18-carat gold, sterling silver, the brand’s trademark mix of both metals, and precious and semi-precious stones. Celebrated as Egypt’s first luxury multinational brand, the maison has collaborated with reputed international designers such as Julien Macdonald, in 2006, for a two-year collaborative partnership for London Fashion Week, and British design duo Justin Thorton and Thea Bregazzi, in 2010, for an avant-garde collection presented at Preen’s catwalk show during New York Fashion Week.
There have been several cultural collaborations as well, including two bespoke collections for the British Museum; the first in 2012 to support the Museum’s Exhibition, Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam, which entailed historic reflections inspired by Hajj pilgrimage and sacraments. The second, in 2015, for their exhibition, Egypt: Faith after the Pharaohs, which explored the early development and co-existence of the major Abrahamic faiths in Egypt from 30BC onwards. In late 2012, Azza Fahmy Jewellery unveiled some of its most classical and iconic pieces at the Louvre Museum shop in Paris. The items had the historical complexity and sophistication of different civilisations portrayed in Ottoman inspired designs.
During the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, Azza Fahmy, showcased at Fifty One East’s pavilion, presented a curated collection of pieces that highlighted the brand’s core values of preserving and repairing heritage while continuing to inspire future generations. Recently, she forayed into architectural design, a testament to the designer’s passion for her craft. Azza Fahmy is returning to Doha after two years, and the collections can be found exclusively at Fifty One East at Lagoona Mall and at Fifty One East Watches and Jewellery store at Doha Festival City.