While sitting in his custom-made truck, he sips his cold smoothie to fight the burning sun before he heads to a baffled modern-day damsel in distress. As the street buzzes outside the windows, Mohamed Antar walks his client through his progressive space.
They only have a few minutes to go through the latest fashion collections to get her ready for the approaching night. Like a contemporary fairy god-mother Antar offers his client the perfect beach-destination attire. From sundresses to over-sized shirts and a rainbow of accessories, Antar has managed to find a local answer to geographic restrictions and fast-paced summer nights.
A few weeks earlier, Antar and his good friend Ahmed Ekhtiary spent a long week juggling ideas in order to find the most feasible method to reach their audience. After founding their prêt-à-porter label, Recesses, the duo were fully aware of the growing market challenge; therefore, they aimed to depend on old-school Godzilla marketing.
“Everything started rolling, when I began contemplating innovative methods to market my newly-established brand. At the time, I knew that marketing would include social media communication and blogger-powered product placements. Meanwhile, we were also trying to find a celebrity that can become our official face. However, none of these seemed to be enough.” said Antar.
After studying the market and taking a closer look at what women truly wanted, the two partners were left with the conclusion that the summer season was never set to be static. While the country’s fashion aficionados migrate to the north coast, garments are often left untouched in the capital.
“I want to follow my audience wherever they might go. Today they are in Cairo, while tomorrow they can head to Sahel, before they decide to spend a long vacation in Gouna. The need to follow our potential clients everywhere around Egypt led us to Fashion on Wheels,” Said Antar.
Their innovative approach to retail involves a branded truck and a selection of Egypt’s finest home-grown brands. Every weekend, the Sahel-bound truck picks a hotter-than-the-sun destination in order to meet yet a new bunch of fashion-hungry clients.
The mobile truck is designed to accommodate a fitting room and urban visual merchandise. “We designed our truck to meet the most efficient and cost-effective standards.” Antar added “We were keen to make it open from all sides to give it maximum space. On the other hand, we also wanted it to be aesthetically appealing to customers while they walk beside it.”
Week after the other, Fashion on Wheels parked in front of high-traffic shopping destinations and star-studded compounds. With a welcoming layout and colourful branding, the truck managed to interrupt many random walks and attract a growing number of clients.
The open and accessible design gives the passer-by an opportunity to peak into the truck and enjoy classic window shopping. The merchandise include ready to wear tops, sun dresses, colourful skirts, statement hats and beach-worthy bags.
The vehicle currently harbours few brands including Jazzy eyewear, Camicie, Opio, HL Bags, Nezaf, Talaya swimwear, and without a doubt, Recesses.
While watching women walking into his truck with wondering eyes and roaming the space to grab their favourite picks, Antar cannot help but remember the close memory of his partner and himself discussing the logistical details behind their project.
According to the founders, the wheels started rolling only few weeks after they had the idea. “It gives me great pleasure to spend my day inside the truck and welcome people, who come to take photos with it. From my place, I can hear people passing around and talking about the truck.” Antar added “Every good comment is a reminder that “Fashion on Wheels”, the first fashion truck in Egypt, was only a personal thought a few weeks earlier, nonetheless, now every single detail has come to reality.”
Due to the seasonal trends, Sahel was an obvious port of call. “We started our journey at Sahel given the fact that it has the highest traffic during this particular season in Egypt. On the other hand, we are planning to bring our project to Cairo by the end of summer; as we have already received inquiries from many Cairenes,” said Antar.
