Our Story

In 1988 Nevin Altmann started on a journey to the Siwa Oasis, accompanied by her baby daughter Tamara. Among the beauties Nevin discovered there were pieces of handmade crafts and embroidery, designed in the traditional way by the women of Siwa. Being a tradition that has been passed on from mother to daughter for generations, Nevin found the various kinds of crafts and embroidery on the brink of dying out, cast aside by modern mass production. Fascinated by the ancient art, Nevin then decided to dedicate herself to reviving the tradition and preserving it from dying out.

Starting off with traditional costumes and head covers, step by step, Nevin began to move the line of production to include more daily items such as cushions, bags and shawls, thus creating a unique blend between modern design and the traditional art of embroidery. As the production and with it the number of women employed by Nevin grew steadily, Nevin made it her personal duty to maintain the friendship with her employees as well as never to reject a woman asking for work.

Over the years Nevin not only succeeded in displaying and selling her products from Siwa in various shops and galleries, but also expanded the variety of crafts to include traditional art and embroidery from all over Egypt, such as Nubia, Sinai and Nile valley embroidery and many more.

Twenty-three years after Nevin's first journey to Siwa, her now grown up daughter Tamara has opened up her own shop in her mother's name, making it her duty to continue this fine line of work and create one more place in Cairo, where traditional Egyptian art can blend with modern fashion and design.

Nevin Altmann