How One Egyptian Slow-Fashion Brand is Repurposing Luxury Fabrics Into Eco-Minded Pieces

Founder Sara Saad shares how Zakeia is upcycling couture, creating something beautiful and sustainable

There’s so much more to being a sustainable shopper than just buying organic fabrics. Something that 25-year-old Sara Saad recognised when she thought up the idea of her limited-edition Egyptian clothing brand, Zakeia that produces beautiful, eco-minded pieces from her atelier in Cairo.

The slow-fashion label, named after Sara’s late grandmother, is a 50-piece-only collection made entirely from deadstock fabrics sourced from suppliers who work with couture fashion houses in Paris. “Every now and again the supplier will have forgotten to remove a label and we might, for example, see a beautiful fabric from Valentino,” she reveals. By purchasing these luxurious leftover fabrics, Sara keeps her collections limited and exclusive while also not adding to the heavily polluted fashion industry.

“When I was younger I would shop at fast-fashion retailers and I was always extremely bothered when the whole class was wearing the same items,” says the former procurement consultant, who quit her job in London to start Zakeia in March. “We wanted to eliminate that and allow every woman to express her voice with clothes that celebrate her individuality.”

Because the fabrics are in short supply, no two collections are the same. However, running through all the pieces is Sara’s love of bold, vibrant colours, as seen in the shirred, daffodil yellow maxi dress and tomato-red tie-dye mini, and vintage appeal in the off-the-shoulder crop tops and delicate ruffled florals.

She adds, “Having a slow-fashion brand allows us to cater to each customer’s individual needs and create beautiful, high-quality clothes that will do little-to-no harm to the environment and last for generations to come.”

From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia July-August 2021 Issue.