(Photo courtesy of Amina K.)
By Fatma Ibrahim
Local clothing brand Amina K. displayed its latest collection at the Eklego showroom in Heliopolis last Tuesday and Wednesday.
The brand features a new line of handmade Egyptian pieces every season. Amina, the fashion designer and founder of the brand, described this season’s collection as “a woven shred collection”. This is her eighth collection.
“This season’s feature is the weave, which comes in different shapes in each piece,” the designer said. “It is a consistent theme in the whole collection. We incorporated light fabrics like chiffon and light viscose for summer, and linen for an elegant look.”
While Amina K. promotes Egyptian workmanship and quality, the style also reflects regional cultures. “Our colour scheme is inspired from the Nubian mud houses; those earthy colours like mustard and brick are mixed with vibrant melon and mint colours,” Amina explained. “We even used Nubian style in decorating the showroom, to highlight the collection.”
The collection is ready-to-wear, and Amina said she was keen to cater to many styles. “Therefore, for each design of a dress, for example, there is a long version and a short one, and then one with sleeves and the other would be sleeveless.” This is done to reach a wider range of customers but allow the pieces to be matched with each other.
“We know that some people like to stand out and dress differently from everyone else. So we made a collection of pants and tops, so that people can mix and match with what they have in their own wardrobe or pick pieces that match their style from the collection.”
Amina said half of her pieces are made locally, and she seeks to add different handmade features every season. “It is not a mass production line, so pieces are made one at a time to focus on the details and ensure high quality.”
Amina studied fashion and marketing in London for five years before launching her brand in 2009 after graduation. “It was just a side project that turned into a full brand,” she said.
When asked why she decided to be a fashion designer, she said: “It is something that I always wanted to do as long as I can remember. I studied both fashion and marketing because when you open up your own brand and get right into the business you end up doing both.”
