Okhtein reveal exclusively to Vogue.me artful depictions of the Egyptian handbag label’s new collection. The Spring 2018 offering is as imaginative as Abdelraouf’s art direction here, and will no doubt find its way into the wardrobes of current clients including Gigi Hadid, Beyoncé, and Madonna. Featuring a lineup of handbags, minaudières, and card holders, the collection, dubbed “Soul Handles,” is inspired by Cairo’s Moez Street door knobs.
“Ageless and beautiful, they remind us of a certain etiquette and cultural society where attention to detail was considered vital to maintaining a longing heritage,” explain the 2016 DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize accessories design winners of the vintage, antique knobs and handles erected on the centuries-old structures dotting the one-kilometer-long street.
Okhtein Spring 2018. Courtesy of Okhtein
Each piece in the collection is a riff on the geometric, Islamic patterns on the wooden doors built during the Fatimid Dynasty. Here, Mounaz and Aya, who launched the brand in 2014, capture the collection’s Pine on Leather X Swarovski bag, a striking minaudière with a Swarovski crystal-encrusted flap, the Mini Maple on Leather bag, and the collection’s signature Oak on Brass bag.
Peruse the gallery ahead to get an exclusive glimpse of the design duo and Okhtein graphic designer Dara Tamer’s sketchbook of the Spring 2018 collection.
The Vogue X Swarovski Talents bag. Courtesy of Okhtein
