Located in the heart of Cairo and amid the bustling streets of Zamalek, a hidden gem glimmers under the sunlight and illuminates the darkest night.
The pink walls and white marble promises fairy-tale fashion, paralleled by the minimal gold staircase which expresses timeless sophistication. In the midst of it this stand three proud partners, focused and inspired. Rana Faramawy, Nahla Boshra and Sama Faramawy have decided to change bridal routines with an enchanting new concept.
The three musketeers plan to relieve brides from endless shopping trips, cheap quality, and limited options with their bridal haven. Situated upon two floors, their newly-opened concept store caters to women with extraordinary taste and an eye for beauty.
“We wanted to have a one-stop shop for brides; everything from the dress to the veil, the shoes and even the lingerie,” said Sama Faramawy, adding “We are looking for a full experience; we plan to pamper our brides and make them happy. I want to give them the amen comprehensive experience that they might get abroad.”
According to the founders of Weaving Grace, their main goal is to offer a different experience that cannot be matched anywhere else in Egypt. Consequently, their target audience are brides, who used to have to travel abroad to find their sought-after dream dresses.
“Our bride is most certainly feminine; yet, she is bold and adventurous. She never follows the crowd. Therefore, our selection of dresses is quite far from what is available in the market. We have Boho dresses for destination weddings, as well as contemporary designs for unconventional brides,” explained Sama.
Handpicked by the three partners, the majority of dresses are in fact imported. However, the store also offers many exceptional local options. Weaving Grace stocks the designs of YolanCris from Spain, Alessandra Rinaudo from Italy, and Bambah from Dubai as well as Kojak, Christine Massarany, Amany El Cherif, Yosra El-Barkouky, and Caroline Yassa from Egypt. On the other hand, the store also harbours items from Halo Headpieces, Misura’s footwear and Nada Adel Apparel’s lingerie.
Between the white floor and mirror ceiling, the store encapsulates everything that an upcoming bride might be interested to check, including the dress, accessories, and wedding details.
“We offer wedding-planning services, from the venue to the decorations and even the DJ. Meanwhile we also have dresses for the bride’s close family such as her mother and sister,” Sama added “Aside from our displayed merchandise, we have a number of collaborations such as have Soha Khoury for makeup, Richard Boustany for hairstyling and Remon Markiz for photography.”
When asked about favouring an offline store in the age of e-commerce, the founders expressed their appreciation for the traditional physical experience, given the fact that the bridal experience is often emotional and overwhelming. “I personally like to dress the bride for her final fitting, see the mother cry when we find the perfect dress, and the eye twinkles that her friends share in unison,” said Sama.
With that said, the founders’ evident involvement in the minor details as well as the big picture are evident in the exclusive number of dresses and top-notch services. Given that she personally selected the displayed dresses, Sama would opt for a big wedding that can fit all of the gowns, which she has in stock.
“I would like to have a very big wedding, where I can actually wear every single dress I have in my store. They are all quite beautiful; every dress has a special vibe. I would certainly like to have a hundred-day wedding to wear all of the dresses that I love by the designers that fascinate me,” said Sama with a giggle.
As for their near-future plans, the three founders plan to expand online in a untraditional way.
Meanwhile, they have their eyes set on the region to expand in several cosmopolitan Arab capitals.
