Cairo’s once-thriving world of bespoke tailoring is quietly fading, even as it carries the city’s layered history of craft, politics, and style. At its heart is Samir El Sakka, 89, one of the last master tailors trained in Europe, who continues to hand-make suits in Downtown Cairo despite revolutions, economic shocks, and dwindling demand. Around him, fellow ateliers struggle with rising rents, fast fashion, and a lack of apprentices willing to learn the trade. While a handful of families and loyal clients fight to keep the tradition alive, the craft now stands at a crossroads, suspended between nostalgia for a golden era and uncertainty about whether it can survive modern Cairo.
Financial Times
