Okhtein Draws On Inspiration From Victorian Egypt In Its Latest Collection
The creative forces and founders of the brand, sisters Aya and Mounaz Abdelraouf, share with Bazaar how they’re incorporating history and old-world architecture within their newest pieces
A favourite amongst A-Listers and Hollywood elite, luxury Egyptian accessories brand Okhtein has unveiled its AW20 collection as the designers looks to the past for inspiration. Dubbed ’Hotel Victoria,’ the collection fuses modern-day designs with old-world aesthetics, drawing on Victorian architecture and art within its newest creations.
Here, Bazaar speaks with founders and creative masterminds behind Okhtein, sister-duo Aya and Mounaz Abdelraouf, about the inspiration behind the collection; balancing heritage with modern design; and why they hope their clients will feel powerful when sporting a piece from the Hotel Victoria line.
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia (HBA): What’s the story behind the Hotel Victoria AW20 collection?
Aya and Mounaz Abdelraouf (A&MA): This collection represents globalisation and its influence on art and architecture. Queen Victoria of England influenced Egyptian culture significantly… ‘Hotel Victoria’ narrates the time Egypt was occupied by Britain, and reflects the influence of two cultures merging together. The strength of the Queen is reflected in the defined shapes of this collection and the beauty of Victorian architecture is mirrored within each piece. For AW20, we wanted our product offerings to be modern yet full of heritage.
HBA: And how exactly does Okhtein keep that balance between modernity, whilst still preserving the brand’s the heritage and signature within a new collection?
A&MA: For this particular collection we drew inspiration from our ancestor’s history. Our identity has always been found within the brand’s versatile designs and iconic motifs. Thus, we played around with these elements and manipulated them to represent Alexandria in the 1970s; the entire process of creating the collection relies on our sartorial imagination, which includes inspiring new stories, visions, and designs. It is also worth mentioning that we reinvented new processes and approaches that injected our design philosophy with social, historical, and cultural stimuli.
HBA: Can you share with our readers your favourite pieces from the collection?
Aya Abdelraouf: My favorite piece from this collection is the Kamelia clutch, inspired by the iconic style of a late French-Egyptian actress. It’s special to me, as it combines vintage elements with tortoiseshell plexi in an innovative manner, giving it a modern look.
Mounaz Abdelraouf: Mine is the Zayan, the brass and leather elements are so me; It’s a stand out piece that was meticulously crafted to meet the need of a timeless modern woman.
HBA: How do you want others to feel when wearing pieces from the ‘Hotel Victoria’ collection?
A&MA: We wanted our clients to feel powerful when wearing the pieces from this collection. This collection is very cultured and caters to those with a cosmopolitan taste and sense of style. We hope that our clients are aware that each pieces tells a story and through that we want them to feel unique and be trendsetters [within their respective circles.]
For more information on the collection visit mr.okhtein.com
Words by Laura Kell. Interview by Sufana Hammad. Images supplied.