DUBAI: Celebrity-loved Egyptian luxury accessories label OKHTEIN has launched a bespoke service at stores in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, offering clients the chance to design their own clutches and bags with founders Aya and Mounaz Abdelraouf.
The service features two catalogues — Bridal and Evening — each showcasing hand-embroidered fabrics and artisanal techniques. Clients can choose from a selection of materials, motifs, and embellishments, including intricate metalwork, Swarovski crystals, glass beading, bullion stitching, and brass coins.
“At some point, we realized that instead of telling one story, we could open the space for women to bring their own. That is where bespoke came in. It became more of a dialogue: less about designing for someone, and more about designing with her. She chooses what feels right to her, and we translate that through our craftsmanship into something that feels very personal,” the sisters told Arab News in a joint statement on why they decided to launch the service.
The pair will personally sketch and guide the design process of each creation, which will be completed with a custom monogram engraved inside.
The service will be available by appointment at Dubai City Walk in the UAE and Kingdom Mall in Riyadh.
“The UAE and Saudi (Arabia) have always been very important to our journey … Women there are very expressive in their choices. They know what they want, and they’re very thoughtful in how they choose what they wear, which naturally aligns with the idea of bespoke,” the sisters explained.
Clients will be in good company, with the likes of Beyonce, Gigi Hadid and Rihanna sporting the 2013-founded brand’s distinctive bags in the past.
Explaining the key differences between the bridal and evening catalogues, the sisters explained that with “bridal, everything is centered around a more restrained, all-white palette. The fabrics, the embroidery, and the materials, from embroidery to pearls, create a very specific language that feels softer.
On the other hand, the evening options offer more variation in color, texture, and expression.
“They’re designed to move with the woman through different moments, so they feel more versatile and a bit freer, not tied to one specific occasion.”
When asked what bespoke piece they would design, the pair pointed to the shared influence of their grandmother.
“Our grandmother has always been a big part of how we see fashion, especially when it comes to fabrics and materials, so I think it would naturally start from there: maybe taking something we associate with her, a certain richness in texture or attention to detail, and building the piece around that.” --
