Dalia Sadany
Dalia Sadany is an Egyptian architect and interior designer who creates sophisticated, contemporary spaces for her residential and commercial sector clients. Dalia, provides a full service, design and build solution following the ancient, Master Builder approach to construction, a process which sees the architect retain responsibility for the project from conception to construction to handover. Dalia has developed a group of company partnerships under the umbrella Dezines, comprising Dezines, which offers architecture, interior design and landscaping services; DECON, which specialises in high-end interiors; and GUSH a bespoke furniture maker. Handmade in Egypt, the bespoke furniture collection features contemporary coffee, side tables and chairs. Accents and decorative features inspired by Egyptian folklore adorn some of the designs, as do inscriptions of calligraphy. Dalia's furniture was awarded the 2012 A' Design Award in Furniture, Decorative Items and Homeware Design category in Milan, Italy.

Azza Fahmy
7000 years of Egyptian culture and tradition embodies the luxury jewellery collections of Egyptian jeweller, Azza Fahmy, whose elegant, statement designs you cannot help but visualise adorning the necks and wrists of Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Like the legendary ancient culture that influences it, Azza Fahmy jewellery is elegant and regal, featuring handcrafted intricate detailing in gold and silver precious metals, and vibrant, shimmering gemstones, that help lend a contemporary edge.

Azza Fahmy began her jewellery career forty years ago when a book on 'classical jewellery during Europe's Middle Ages' compelled her to learn more about jewellery making. Turning away from a career in interior design and further formal studies, Azza chose instead to learn her craft amidst the passageways of Khan El Khalili in Cairo, becoming an apprentice to one of Egypt's most highly skilled master craftsman. This was during the seventies, and in pursuing an apprenticeship; Azza was challenging some of the cultural and socially acceptable expectations of the time. After two years of hands-on training, Azza went on to study more of the theoretical side of jewellery making in London, courtesy of a British Council fellowship, returning to Cairo in the early eighties where she set up her eponymous workshop, Azza Fahmy, assisted by two workers. 

Azza is inspired by traditional Egyptian jewellery, and during the early years of her workshop began to explore the culture and history of Islamic design, combining her findings with a love of architecture seen in sleek sculptural forms, resulting in a distinctive signature style that has awarded Azza an international reputation as the leading jewellery designer in North Africa and the Middle Eastern region. Poetry is another of Azza's passions, and led to the sought-after Azza Fahmy signature 'Culture Collection', which sees meaningful and inspirational verses traditional poems, rendered in elegant calligraphy and inscribed into bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and key chains.  

The connection between culture and the designs produced at Azza Fahmy is very much at the heart of the business, and has seen Azza become a cultural ambassador for country, earning Azza the title; 'First lady of cultural jewellery'. This role has seen Azza travel extensively, sharing her insight and creations in more than two hundred international exhibitions. To day Azza Fahmy, employs over 170 people in roles that include handcrafting, designing and marketing.

...jewellery fit for a queen

Adrère Amellal
No electricity meaning no lights, no TV and definitely no sockets to charge your phone/laptop/iPod or other media devices, Egyptian luxury eco-lodge Adrère Amellal is the ultimate get-a-way from it all; an enchanting place that blends into the spectacular setting of a desert oasis.

An eight hour drive from Cairo, Adrère Amellal emerges out of the desert landscapes of Siwa, Egypt's largest oasis, which is home to natural hot springs, date palm plantations, salt lakes ancient ruins; and has a strong Berber culture. Adrère Amellal means 'white mountain' in the local Berber dialect and signifies the Lodge's location at the base of a white sandstone mountain. Built into the side of the mountain using mud and salt bricks, Adrère Amellal is a sprawling complex, whose shuttered windows overlook the shimmering salt lake, Lake Siwa. Not unlike an ancient biblical town, an aerial view looks like the Lodge has been carved out of the landscape.

Based on the concept of connecting nature and heritage, Adrère Amellal was created by Egyptian environmentalist, Dr Mounir Neamatalla, and is part of a local sustainable development plan, that supports initiatives such as creating sustainable livelihoods and enabling positive conservation efforts within the local area. The construction of the Lodge utilised traditional construction techniques and made use of natural materials. In addition to the mud and salt bricks, palm wood was used, whilst date palms form the roofing. The construction is designed to enable natural ventilation, and a natural spring supplies water to the Lodge and also feeds a swimming pool that is located in the tranquil setting of a palm grove. Handcrafted by local artisans, doors and furniture are made from olive wood.

The Lodge comprises forty private rooms each different from the other, they vary in size allocated according to the number of guests staying. Some have balconies or roof terraces that come with beds for those wishing to sleep under the stars. Furnishings are simple, yet comfortable; linen sheets on the beds, cushion covered seating areas carved into the walls and the stone floors are covered with locally woven Berber rugs. Guests are encouraged to explore and the Lodge features many nooks and crannies in the form of open courtyards and sun drenched roof terraces.

A mix of Egyptian and some western dishes, meals are feasts taken in different places, one night atop a roof terrace, the next in an open courtyard. Food is either local or homemade using ingredients from the Lodge's own organic farm. Breakfast is taken by the lake, and lunch by the shade of the palm trees surrounding the pool. Afternoons bring trips into the desert, and at night the sense of mystery is heightened with the lighting of hundreds of lanterns and candles made from beeswax, placed to light your way around the Lodge. 

In the stillness of the desert, the ultimate luxury comes from spending time in a place that allows you to just be.

Jeanne Habashi - Le Caire
Ancient Egyptians were among the early pioneers of cosmetology as they continually sought ways to enhance beauty, and preserve youthful appearances in a society where physical appearance was of paramount importance and whose women were fame for their beauty. Plants and natural ingredients were used to create skincare products that included moisturisers and anti-wrinkle creams, and over four thousand years later have inspired a premium luxury skincare line; Jeanne Habashi - Le Caire. The company was founded in 2006 by Jeanne Habashi who is originally from France but moved to Cairo in 2004, and there became captivated by the beauty secrets of the ancient Egyptians; researching the history Jeanne came across some papyrus documents showing detailed formulas of some of the ancient beauty products and although some of the ingredients were no longer suitable for modern formulas... ox gall anyone?... Jeanne sought to combine the latest technologies with ingredients she imagined the ancient Egyptians Queens... think, Nefertiti and Cleopatra... would still use today.  

Jeanne employs a holistic approach to skincare using natural ingredients that have been linked to Egyptian Antiquity such as White Lotus, known for its energising, nourishing and brightening properties, and Neroli a precious essential oil extracted from the orange blossom which is said to have relaxing, purifying and soothing values. Caviar is another luxury ingredient used in the anti wrinkle formulations, and is said to possess energy and nutrients that help rejuvenate the skin. The Jeanne Habashi - Le Caire skincare line comprises facial treatments across three sub-rituals, each taliored towards different skin types and requirements: Purifying Ritual, Moisturising Ritual, Anti-Ageing Ritual; and a Body & Senses Ritual that offers body-care and wellness across body lotions and aromatherapy oils. Jeanne Habashi - Le Caire has developed products for local hotels and spas including the Kempinski Nile hotel in Cairo to create a range of luxurious amenities for the hotel. Jeanne Habashi - Le Caire was a recipient of the prestigious Cartier Women's Initiative Awards in 2009. 

... and, as the company says premium products 'fit for a queen!'