MILAN — Egyptian jeweler Azza Fahmy has opened a store in Riyadh, making its retail debut in Saudi Arabia.
Housed at the city’s landmark Kingdom Centre, the 861-square-foot space was developed in partnership with Attar United, one of the region’s leading luxury retailers that over the past 14 years has partnered with the likes of Chopard, Rolex and Graff.
“Opening a boutique in Riyadh felt like a natural next step for us, as we’ve always shared a strong connection with our Saudi clients and market,” said Fatma Ghaly, chief executive officer of the firm, which was founded by her mother Azza Fahmy in 1969. “With growing demand for our pieces and presence in the region, the timing couldn’t be better to bring the full Azza Fahmy experience to Saudi Arabia and strengthen our relationship with our loyal Saudi clientele.”
The opening also saw the unveiling a new arty interior concept, hinged on celebrating the brand’s heritage while showcasing special pieces from talents in the region, including Randa Fahmy, Bokja’s Huda Baroudi and Maria Hibri.
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“We’re introducing a new visual brand identity that will extend across our stores, the most crucial touchpoint for our clients,” Ghaly said.
Key elements include a lotus and papyrus-inspired chandelier and handcrafted tapestry drawing inspiration from the beauty of Ancient Egypt’s temple columns, flowers, papyrus and celestial motifs. Ghaly said the new visual identity launched in Saudi “is a concept that will be adapted to different markets, each reflecting the unique cultural elements of its region.”
After Riyadh, the brand will expand to a new, larger space in London, where it first landed in 2018 with an outpost at Burlington Arcade. The new store will still be within the famed venue but will mirror the new interior approach.
Overall, the brand’s retail operation comprises 14 boutiques — mostly in Egypt — which add to a selected wholesale distribution, including Bloomingdale’s and That Concept Store in Dubai, 51 East in Qatar, Beymen Department Store at the Four Seasons Cairo and the Four Seasons in Amman.
Looking ahead, the company will focus on further international expansion, supported by Alsara Investment Group, whose holdings include the likes of Okhtein, Akoni, KhrisJoy and Retori brands.
As reported, in 2022 Bidayat, a subsidiary of the Alsara Investment Group founded by Mayhoola for Investments CEO Rachid Mohamed Rachid, took a significant minority stake in the Cairo-based business. At the time, financial terms were not disclosed and Ghaly said the female-led family firm had been approached by potential investors over the years but they listened intently to Bidayat’s proposal given Rachid’s extensive experience in the fashion and luxury sectors and the digital, distribution and brand-building expertise.
Azza Fahmy is a pioneer herself. The company’s founder broke into the male-dominated Egyptian jewelry sector in the late ’60s and brought storytelling and cultural depth to her métier, often researching and collaborating with historians and academics for years before completing certain collections. Fahmy is currently chairman and creative director of the brand, while her other daughter Amina Ghaly serves as head designer.
Scarabs, feathers, stars and architectural motifs feature in Azza Fahmy jewelry. The opening of the Riyadh boutique coincided with the debut of the high jewelry collection “Tale of the Nile,” a line highlighting the brand’s craftsmanship via pieces adorned with positive affirmations and gems such as emeralds, tanzanites and rubellites.
Retail prices on Azza Fahmy’s e-store start at around 230 euros for silver rings and run up to 17,820 euros for the Haneya gold necklace with precious stones likes diamonds and emeralds.
Throughout the years, the brand has joined forces with fashion designers. It started with a two-year collaborative partnership with Julien Macdonald in 2006, followed by tie-ups with Preen in 2010 and Matthew Williamson in 2013.
Other cultural collaborations included two bespoke collections created for the British Museum for its “Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam” exhibition and “Egypt: Faith After the Pharaohs” show in 2012 and 2015, respectively.
Azza Fahmy also operates a fast-growing contemporary jewelry design school in Cairo and a foundation dedicated to handicraft preservation and vocational training.
