We have always taken pride in stocking some of the most stylish oriental rugs in London here at Sharafi & Co, so we are delighted by any opportunity to further affirm our fashion credentials.
That has been the case with the new exhibition at Central Saint Martins by one of the legendary art and design school’s newest graduates in Fashion Design with Marketing, Anne Marie Kirollos, and for which Sharafi & Co has served as carpet sponsor.
A showcase of empowered feminine tailoring and traditional Egyptian arts
Anne Marie K is an up-and-coming Egyptian designer informed by a philanthropic approach to the societal position of Egyptian women.
Her new exhibition, A Voyage Down The Nile – or Voyage Aux Bords Du Nil 1940 – showcases her graduate collection, incorporating a selection of items that infuse the essence of female empowerment into feminine tailoring and elegance.
One of the key aspects of Anne Marie K’s creations is her reinvention of cultural orientalism in a manner that helps to reintroduce the otherwise dying arts of Egypt to the wider, Western world and beyond.
What are the collection’s main inspirations and aims?
Colour plays an instrumental role in the collection, its blues, greens and mustardy oranges having been taken from Egyptian scenery, while the exhibition’s pieces have also been developed from accustomed techniques still used by Egyptian women, including tulle bel telli, glass blowing, tent-making, fishnets and many more.
The grander aim of the collection is to assist in the resuscitation of traditional Egyptian craftsmanship. Each and every piece also tells its own story of Egyptian arts and plays a role in drawing the conversation to the all-important objectives of lowering Egyptian poverty levels and improving the rights of women in Egyptian society.
As Anne Marie K has observed: “My collection is the tale of a cosmopolitan, cultured woman who is taking a journey down the Nile River. As she travels, she stops in different cities, and consumes the cultures she encounters; making every outfit she wears a window to cities that are not fully explored by the West… nor by Egyptians themselves.”
We couldn’t be prouder to endorse Anne Marie K
Here at Sharafi & Co, Anne Marie K’s imagination, ingenuity and celebration of Egyptian culture enthral us, and we are pleased to have been able to provide the carpet sponsorship for this hugely compelling and relevant exhibition.
Our oriental rugs in London, of course, have their own strong links to the world of fashion. Persian and oriental rugs have long been visual masterpieces and have never truly gone out of style – indeed, that may make them among the finest fashion staples of all.
Choose Sharafi & Co when you are seeking timeless, versatile and well-made oriental rugs in London that are also available at the most competitive prices and worthy of a place on any global catwalk.
