DUBAI: The UAE’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is returning for its 2022 edition with a stellar lineup of creatives, including renowned Egyptian jeweler Azza Fahmy.
The designer has been showcasing Middle Eastern style to the world for over 50 years. Her clientele list includes Julia Roberts, Shailene Woodley, Naomi Watts, Vanessa Hudgens, Joss Stone, Rihanna and more.
Ahead of the event, which is set to take place from Feb. 3-12, Fahmy spoke to Arab News about her participation at the festival’s 14th edition.
“It is truly an honor for me to be part of one of the world’s leading international literary festivals among local and world-famous authors,” she said.
The title of her book, she says, is a reflection of her reality. (Supplied)
Fahmy, who is also an author, will have a discussion session at the event during which she will speak about her autobiography “Never Ending Dreams.”
“I am also proud to be sharing my story, which not only represents me and the Azza Fahmy brand but also touches on important places, people, cultures and lessons for younger generations,” added Fahmy.
The title of her book, she says, is a reflection of her reality. “I still have so many more dreams that I want to bring to life, and my autobiography was definitely one of them,” she said.
In the book, which took three years to finish, Fahmy writes about everything from her childhood to celebrating 50 years of her brand.
In the book, which took three years to finish, Fahmy writes about everything from her childhood to celebrating 50 years of her brand. (Supplied)
Before writing her autobiography, Fahmy feared that she would not be a “good writer.”
“I had many requests to have a ghostwriter help me, but I insisted on writing the book myself because no one had the ability to tell my journey better than I could. After I overcame my fear, I realized that I truly enjoyed writing,” she explained.
The main reason she wrote her autobiography was to inspire young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams.
“I tell the story of my successful journey with all its ups and downs. My only advice would be to never give up and to keep going until you achieve your dreams,” she said.
Fahmy’s business is conceived, run and driven by women. There is Fahmy herself, the chairwoman and creative director; her elder daughter Fatma, who is managing director; and her younger daughter Amina, who is head of design.
The key element to the success of her brand, in her opinion, is passion.
“Being passionate about what you do will always be apparent to your customers, especially when it comes to designs,” she said.
“I like to believe that I am an artist. I see the world from a certain perspective and translate that into my pieces. I turned my love and passion for jewelry making into the brand as it’s known today,” added the entrepreneur.
The jeweler finds inspiration in everything she comes across, including music, museums, cultures, people and poems.
“Every collection we release is well researched. For instance, our Pharaonic collection took eight years to produce. I wanted to make sure that every detail I added to the pieces was an accurate representation of Ancient Egypt,” she said.
Despite the development of the design-making process over the years, Fahmy believes in the importance of preserving and evolving techniques that were used years ago.
“When every piece is handcrafted to tell a unique story, there is no doubt that the piece will speak more to its wearer,” she said.
There are 18 Azza Fahmy shops in Egypt, Jordan, Dubai and London.
Opening a store in Saudi Arabia is a plan in the works, said the designer. “We noticed a lot of potential through our online store. We hope that we will be able to have a presence there soon.”
