Egypt is using the ancient grandeur of its pyramids as a backdrop for modern pop concerts and fashion shows, hoping to boost its image, tourism and the luxury brand sector beloved by its wealthy elite.
French fashion house Dior presented its latest collection at the Giza pyramids on Saturday, after Italian designer Stefano Ricci held a show at Luxor’s spectacular Temple of Hatshepsut in October.
Dior chief executive Pietro Beccari said the fashion house chose the pyramids as much more than “just a useless background”, drawing on Egyptian astrology for the so-called “Celestial” collection.
Before that, American pop bands Maroon 5 and the Black Eyed Peas performed at the Giza Necropolis, where contemporary art was also recently shown at the latest Art d’Egypte exhibition.
The modern cultural impulse is a new direction for the image of Egypt.
Long a cultural powerhouse in the Arab world, with hugely popular singers and movie stars, especially in its heyday in the 1950s to 1970s, Egypt has set its sights on its ancient heritage to attract global attention once again.
A harbinger of the new embrace of ancient culture and history was a “golden parade” last year of 22 pharaohs who crisscrossed Cairo from an old museum to a new one in a carnival-style extravaganza.
It was part of a push by the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to revive tourism, which accounts for 10% of GDP and some two million jobs, but has been hit by political instability, economic turmoil and the covid pandemic.
Showcasing Egypt’s heritage in a new context “will encourage other brands and international cultural figures to come to Egypt,” said art historian Bahia Shehab.
Fashion photographer Mohsen Othman agreed that these glamorous events are vital.
Big brands like Dior “come with a big budget”, employ local talent and “support young creators who can put Egypt on the world fashion map”.
Iman Eldeeb, whose agency selected two Egyptian models for Saturday’s show, said it was a “long-awaited step for the fashion world in Egypt.”
Egypt’s luxury goods sector has grown despite years of economic turmoil in which the pound lost half its value in the 2016 currency devaluation.
Despite the recession, Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, is home to 86,000 millionaires, according to Credit Suisse.
“The top 1 percent is enough to create demand,” said public relations specialist Ingy Ismail, who advises luxury brands.
The boutiques in the malls of Cairo’s posh new satellite cities are “up to the standards of international luxury brands,” he said.
Egypt’s bubble of super-rich has helped create a local fashion design scene whose pioneers have recently ventured onto the catwalks in Milan and Paris.
At this year’s Paris Fashion Week, Cairo-based luxury label Okhtein showed a bustier made of resin reminiscent of Egyptian alabaster at French fashion house Balmain’s show.
It was a rare success story for Egypt’s creative sector, where “most people are self-taught and work hard with few resources to try to meet international standards,” Othman said.
Ismail said the country’s luxury clothing and jewelry market “has grown from fewer than 100 Egyptian brands to more than 1,000 today,” fueled by “a huge pool of young creative talent.”
International events offer rare exposure, but bringing them to the country remains a challenge.
“It is a big step for the government to authorize Art d’Egypte and Dior to organize events at the foot of the pyramids,” said the curator of the art show, Nadine Abdel Ghaffar.
Red tape and tight restrictions can still get in the way, he suggested, conceding that “the legislative framework is complicated.”
But “promoting the culture of the country” must be a priority, added Abdel Ghaffar, who believes that a dedicated government body could better promote exhibitions, concerts, shows and even film production.
Shehab said many realize that Egypt, known for its timeless architectural marvels in the desert, needs to project an updated image of itself.
“There is increasing awareness of the need for soft power and culture as representation of the country,” he said, warning, however, that Egypt still needs “better infrastructure” for this to happen.
He even dared to dream that Egypt could attract Hollywood productions, if only it started issuing permits.
“We have lost count of the number of international productions that have resorted to shooting in Morocco, Jordan or Saudi Arabia,” he said.
The last Egyptian-themed production was a television miniseries from Disney+, Marvel Comics. moon knight, for which two complete Cairo city blocks were built from scratch, on a set in Budapest. — AFP
