Colette Kinsella bores into one of Egypt's more successful glossies Whenever I settle in a favourite haunt for a coffee and a muffin I am amazed at the plethora of English-language magazines strewn around. Apart from news-based publications, there always seem to be an inordinate number of high-gloss magazines with eye-catching photos on the front and slick adverts on the back -- dedicated variously to interior design, travel, art and culture or sports and fitness. Many are evidently inspired by foreign lifestyle publications, yet on closer inspection most turn out to be no more than pages and pages of advertising interspersed with poorly written, inconsequential fluff. Many seem to swan onto and off the market, attracted by lucrative short-term advertising revenues, then, a couple of issues later, withdrawing back into the void whence they were conceived; few have the vision or stamina to stay the distance. On this occasion it is the magazine with a moody picture of Canadian rock-star Bryan Adams on the cover that attracts my attention, however, and it just happens to be one of the most successful glossies on the Egyptian market -- Enigma. "Bryan Adams gets ready to rock the Pyramids," it proclaims, and it turns out the performance -- at the Pyramids tomorrow -- will be in celebration of the magazine's fifth year in business. But what gives Enigma the staying power other glossies lack? According to , both editor-in-chief and principal driving force, the difference stems from Enigma 's "highly professional" approach to publishing -- something reflected in the overall appearance of the magazine. The key seems to be in the attention paid to detail and deadlines; the editorial team sets strict guidelines for presentation and regular rubrics, as well as photographic quality and continuity; according to Shihata, "most magazines here [in Egypt] aren't run like that" -- something borne out by even the quickest scan of some of this month's competition. None has Enigma 's slick cover, quality fashion photography or clear, accessible layout. The glossy professional image, however, does not necessarily extend to copy, where there is considerable room for improvement. That said, Enigma 's vision is different from that of other magazines, the editor explains. It is distributed in London and the Gulf as well as Egypt, and in it Shihata aims to produce what amounts to "an international Arab magazine, not just an Egyptian publication". But within such a framework, what does she aim to project? A positive image of the region, by the look of it: "We want to show the beautiful side of the Middle East, which nobody really sees or talks about." Most of the images coming out of the Middle East, she feels, are overly negative. And she is eager to emphasise that "we have a positive vision". To mark Mother's Day, this month's issue, for instance, profiles and photographs no less than six "stunning Arab mums" -- almost all of them models or artists who graduated from the American University in Cairo graduates -- as well as their children; they include a young Egyptian artist living between Egypt and the Netherlands and a young hairstylist whose new salon in Cairo is increasingly setting the trend. Looks will only take you so far, however, for at the end of the day sales figures are what counts; and for a publication to work it must resonate with its target audience. No figures regarding distribution or money made are forthcoming but Enigma says it is tapping into the aspirations of a new generation of well-educated, sophisticated young people influenced by the West, "but not necessarily in a negative way". A glance through the table of contents may provide an insight into the interests of such a generation: the "Lifestyle" section, for example, showcases luxury homes; this a well- heeled Cairo young couple show off their "eclectic space" in Heliopolis. The "Runway report", on the other hand, provides inspiration for those eager to dress to impress with the latest from Dior & co, while "Yummy mummy" is a selection of sumptuous photographs of the latest fashions for mothers-to- be. Like many publications of this genre, Enigma is heavy on the advertising, with advertisers seemingly feeling that this is the perfect vehicle for accessing a market hungry for the latest mobile phones, cars and luxury holidays. The content remains light, with lots of visuals, open to the charge of superficiality, but Shihata makes no bones about what Enigma is selling: a lighter side of life for people who want to take a break from the heavier issues dealt with in other publications. According to Shihata, her readers are also interested in progress and democracy, and want to see Egypt opening up to foreign investment and taking its place in the economic world order; hence the regular showcasing of new trends and entrepreneurs in the region. But in describing that audience, Shihata is also describing herself: she too is part of a skilled, dynamic core of young people returning to Egypt from abroad, bringing with them tools and knowledge acquired there and intent on investing their time and money in the future of their own country. Born in Kuwait to Egyptian parents, Shihata lived in Vienna and Washington DC before moving to London, where she studied international relations. Her interests have always leaned towards fashion design, but her father -- prominent Egyptian figure Ibrahim Shihata, founder of the OPEC fund and former senior vice president of the World Bank in Washington DC -- insisted that his daughter should acquire solid skills in case a career in the unstable world of fashion failed. Yet Shihata's obsession with design persisted, and after a six- month stint with Vogue London she set her sights on New York, the centre of the magazine business in the US, where she landed the position of senior assistant to the editor-in-chief of Vogue New York at the startlingly young age of only 21. Now she laughs as she recalls the year she spent with the magazine -- a feat that required a large measure of self- confidence, she admits, mixed with hefty dose of naïvety (and presumably also talent). It was a demanding time, but also, in its way, rewarding, and as she says herself, "it was a very difficult environment, but had it not been for that experience I probably wouldn't have been able to start my own magazine so young." The opportunity to do so presented itself a year later, in 1998, on her moving back to Egypt when, determined to start her own publication, she joined forces with Shafik Gabr, former head of the Egyptian-American Chamber of Commerce, to produce Cleo -- "Egypt's modern lifestyle magazine". She was only 23 when the first issue rolled off the press. Enigma is Shihata's second venture -- she left Cleo after one and a half years due to "business difficulties" -- though it targets the same audience. Editorial content -- the latest designer accessories, household furnishings and trends -- appeals to middle-class socialites among whom image is everything. In such circles it is important to see and be seen; and both magazines have made reference to controversial subjects such as sexuality, adultery, mixed marriages and the stigma attached to divorced women; the last couple of issues have also included blurbs on "why babies should not be the latest accessory", and whether or not hi-tech communication is good for relationships. These are not hard-hitting journalism pieces -- indeed they remain a far cry from the kind of material you would find in such Western counterparts as Vogue or Elle, but to their credit the mere headlines and photos are fresh, unique to the local scene. Cleo was also the first Egyptian magazine with bikini shots, and this year's February issue of Enigma featured lingerie. "I've been pushing boundaries since I started," Shihata laughs -- and getting away with it, it seems. Most feedback from readers is positive, so it looks like the audience is getting what it wants. What that audience wants right now is to party with Bryan Adams in the shadow of the Great Pyramids. The charity event promises to be a dazzling evening, with plenty of "stars, glamour and style"; all proceeds will go to the Al-Madad Foundation, which works with children of the Arab world who have been traumatised both physically and mentally by the direct experience of occupation.
