Stepping into Sami Amin’s showroom is always the beginning of a spectacular journey, where the country’s mesmerising history and breathtaking landscape turn into wearable tokens of nationalism.
The well-established designer has already covered many loyal fans with Pharaonic, Greek, and Roman motifs that were imprinted with love on statement brass and authentic leather.
Amin celebrated the launch of his 2017 collection earlier this week with an exclusive media gathering at his Maadi store. The new collection is inspired by yet another local icon: the ever so charming Alexandria.
“I personally really admire Alexandria. The city is rich with heritage, nature, and culture. I really wanted to create a collection based on the natural beauty of the undersea world as well as Alexandria’s Roman history,” said Amin.
Being one of the country’s front-men in the arena of design, Amin is a great expert in artistic local monuments and myths. “This collection is mainly inspired by the Catacombs of Kom El-Shoqafa, which is one of my personal favourites. It has a lot of unique motifs that merge the old Egyptian and Greek heritage; it feels like visiting a different world,” said Amin.
As with every collection, “Alexandria” includes a wide range of accessories. Despite the evident diversity between each and every item, the collection embraces an authentic aesthetic that links the different eras of Egypt’s history.
“A lot of the motifs revolve around snakes, which used to be a symbol for the great Alexander. The snake has always been a solid part of jewellery design in the modern local heritage. It has an obvious Roman origin but has a great horizon for creative designs,” said the designer.
The designer only releases one collection per year as his designs and presentation are always well-detailed and intricately handmade. This year, Amin continued his tradition of celebrating every new collection with an artistic display at his Maadi branch.
The elaborate installation features dangling plastic waves that clutch items from the new collection.
“The main concept behind the collection’s display is the meeting point between the sea wave and fishing net. Basically, I wanted to carve a wave in the infinite space. The end result aims to look like a flaying wave with the new collection intertwined into it,” said Amin.
