Siwan embroidery has made its way into the select world of Italian haute couture. Italian fashion designers have discovered the intricate beauty of Siwan embroidery. Its exquisite dainty stitch and its floral patterns have brought a refreshing look to traditional garments such as the ubiquitous jean trousers or a simple white cotton dress.
Siwa has a lot to offer because two people, Mounir Neamatalla and his sister Laila have been instrumental in launching Siwa on the global market. Mounir Neamatalla unsurprisingly has just been named one of the most enterprising people in Egypt.
Neamatalla has begun to collaborate with international designer labels by liaising with the seamstresses and embroiderers she employs in the Siwa Oasis on the western edge of the Egyptian desert.Most recently, the Siwan women stitched traditional motifs into couture garments and accessories for the Italian atelier Ermanno Scervino. Maverick marketing is yet another method that entrepreneurs are using.In 1996 when giant international fashion brands were still dithering about the role of the Internet in their retail operations, the Senegalese fashion designer Oumou Sy was opening an e- commerce site to sell accessories abroad.One of Africa's most well- known fashion designers, Sy had made private clients in Europe after she appeared in several high-profile exhibitions there. Such self-made artisans and designers isolated from any organized fashion industry are often those first out of the starting blocks.Capitalizing on handicrafts, cottage industries and traditional techniques, they experiment with product development, negotiate microfinancing and find clever partnerships.
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