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DUBAI: From learning her craft in a Cairo workshop in 1969 to launching boutiques from London to Riyadh, veteran jewelry designer Azza Fahmy is placing another bejeweled feather in her cap with a retrospective inside her boutique at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

The retrospective of her eponymous brand combines archival and current pieces from the label’s Ancient Egyptian collections and the soon-to-be-launched Scarab Collection.

Pieces from Azza Fahmy Jewelry’s collaboration with Beirut-based textile studio BOKJA are also on show.

The boutique itself is housed in the new museum that boasts more than 57,000 artifacts from ancient Egypt. Opened on Nov. 1 to international fanfare, the facility is the largest archaeological museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization.

It is perhaps fitting that the modern brand that has become synonymous with Egyptian craftsmanship has its own corner in the vast space.

“Egypt’s artistic legacy is vast and timeless, an endless source of inspiration that continues to guide everything we create,” Fahmy said recently.

“I’ve always believed that jewelry is far more than adornment; it is a storyteller, a keeper of memory. Through our work, we strive to protect and reinterpret this heritage so it can live on.”

The brand bills itself as “a custodian of cultural preservation through jewelry,” with the Ancient Egyptian Collection in particular paying tribute to the country’s past.

“When we created the Ancient Egyptian Collection, it was the result of 12 years of research, travel, and collaboration with Egyptologists.

“I’ve spent time on the West Bank in Luxor, studying artefacts and ancient sites to ensure that every detail is both meaningful and historically grounded, yet reinterpreted into something timeless,” Fahmy explained.

The upcoming Scarab Collection is similarly grounded in history, with Fahmy saying the symbol represents “rebirth, protection, and legacy.

“For this collection, we drew inspiration from the Giant Scarab at Karnak Temple,” she added of the site in Egypt’s Luxor.

Fahmy’s signature pieces have long been embraced by Egypt’s top entertainers, including the late actress and singer Soad Hosny and celebrated actress Yousra. 

Her jewelry has also garnered an impressive international following, including A-list actors Julia Roberts, Shailene Woodley, Naomi Watts, and Vanessa Hudgens, and singers Joss Stone and Rihanna. 

The retrospective at the brand’s store serves to highlight the designer’s desire to celebrate Egyptian design on the world stage.

“Our heritage offers a foundation of meaning, craftsmanship, and storytelling that few cultures possess. The future of Egyptian design lies in embracing that authenticity while engaging confidently with the world,” she said.