Max&Co. &Co.llaboration SS24 - Fatma Mostafa, Artist and Jewellery Designer | ELHAM

The youngest Fatma Mostafa, winner of the 2022 Fashion Trust Arabia is the designer in the latest chapter of MAX&Co. &Co.llaboration.

A multi-hyphenate artist and craftsperson, Fatma Mostafa works across a variety of visual disciplines including painting, embroidery, photography and design. The daughter of a seamstress, her mother taught her different embroidery techniques at a young age. Following university in Cairo, where she majored in painting, in 2017 Fatma channelled her cross-disciplinary interests into her eponymous jewellery brand which incorporated Mostafa’s love of art and embroidery.

The Capsule — Elham, an Arabic name which means Inspiration, takes its cues from the strength and beauty of nature, as well as the crafts that consistently inspire Fatma. The Capsule brings out eccentricity notes, differentiating itself with colours and materials. Her inspiration is a mix of Egyptian landscapes as the countryside on the edge of the Nile and Monet's paintings with water lilies.

Highlights include a striking lion necklace, a cheetah bracelet and rings and earrings which feature painterly depictions of landscapes. These are joined by ready-to-wear jewels, like delicate, appliquéd tulle tees, ribbed tanks with gold detailing, and Mostafa’s take on the signature MAX&Co. logo T-shirt, here reimagined with floral detailing.

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I was always inspired by the landscapes

in Egypt, nature, art, traditional

crafts and painting.

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L’Officiel Arabia: How would you describe the Elham capsule?

Fatma Mostafa: I would describe it as creative, unique, and artistic, and I tried a number of new things as I worked on it.

L'O A: What were the inspirations behind this &Co.llaboration?

FM: The inspiration behind the Elham collection was derived from a lot of things, as usual. I was always inspired by the landscapes in Egypt, nature, art, traditional crafts and painting, but I wanted to add something special to our collaboration, so I added animals like Lion portrait and Cheetah with irregular dots that complements the landscape in order to add a sense of boldness and uniqueness to the collection.

L'O A: How did the collaborative process work? What was it like working with the MAX&Co. team?

FM: As this is my first time to collaborate, I feel so fortunate that it is with MAX&Co. During the development of the collection, they gave me all the freedom and time I needed to express my vision in terms of creative process and experimentation until we finalised the collection. I really enjoyed working with the team, as they were so friendly and open to all the new ideas. Moreover, they gave me the chance to experiment not only with jewellery, but also with garments for the first time and I am glad that I have this opportunity in our collaboration, as I love to experiment with different mediums.

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I wanted to name the collection 

in an Arabic language.

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L'O A: Why did you decide to call this capsule Elham? Which was the idea behind the name of this collection?

FM: Since I am an Arab designer, I wanted to name the collection in an Arabic language, which represented my heritage and had a global meaning at the same time. In selecting Elham, I chose it because that is the name of my mother, who introduced me to crafts and embroidery. Her name also means inspiration, so I think it's a great name for our collaboration.

L'O A: What kind of woman did you imagine when you created the capsule?

FM: I always imagine my designs for women who love being artsy and unique. Dressing differently is their way of expressing themselves.

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The four jewellery pieces have a

special place in my heart.

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L'O A: What are some of your favourite pieces and how will you wear them?

FM: Honestly, I love all of the pieces in this collection, the jewellery and the garments. Obviously, the four jewellery pieces have a special place in my heart, but I think I will style a different outfit every day from the collection.

L'O A: How would you describe your personal style?

FM: I would describe my style as effortless. I like wearing basic and comfy pieces and adding a statement piece; most often jewellery to make my outfit pop.

L'O A: You are an artist and a jewellery designer: how can you combine these two aspects together?

FM: The love for experimenting and combining art materials with each other started with me as a child, and that continues to grow throughout my college career as a fine art student when I experiment with all sorts of art materials, like oil painting, photography, and later on traditional crafts like embroidery and jewellery making. So it's all the forms of art for me to express myself and to combine my love and passion for all the things I do in a way that gives people something unique to see and then to wear.