Just when the warm winds of May started to take hold in the capital, the connoisseurs of fashion put on their high heels and tapped into the direction of Zamalek to celebrate the new season. Fashion Funds has decided to venture into the floral allure of spring with a colorful fourth edition of its regular event, Fashion Brunch. With a stunning view of the Nile in the background, a number of the country's finest fashion talents displayed their cheerful interpretations of the warm season. From accessories to a rainbow of jewellery and deconstructed must-haves, the venue was truly circled with everything a wardrobe needs ahead of both spring and Ramadan. "This is our fourth season. It is our first spring season; therefore, we tried to add a young and fresh factor to the event. All the designers that we used are up-and-coming talents; their collections are spring-related—with light fabrics, bright colours, and a pallet of nude and white," explained Heba Serag, founder of Fashion Funds, while touring a number of her guests around the event. The minimalistic and contemporary venue welcomed each guest with a beauty lounge courtesy of ZO Skin Care. The skilful massage and beauty gurus took each person from the cruelty of the disturbed weather to the comfort of their skilful techniques and renowned products. After which, all shades of the year's top trends lined in succession. Sass is well-known for its casual sophistication and admirable melodies; therefore, it was Serag's primary choice for a location, which could reflect the sought-after young spirit. The contemporary hub harboured the latest collections from a handful of different local designers. "We have 17 designers today and this time we have included a lot of jewellery designers," Serag said. "Spring is all about accessorising; we do not accessorise much in winter—it is more about the coat, dark makeup, statement bags, and unforgettable boots. However, spring is a city season, before you hit the beach for summer. Accordingly, jewellery plays a significant role." The formidable collections showcased a wide range of linen investments and stellar shirts as well as colourful rompers for those who aim to drive straight to the coastal line as early as possible and kaftans for those who are already planning their Ramadan gatherings. As a keen organiser and curator, Serag personally selects her designers weeks ahead of each and every season. As always, Serag expressed her tremendous excitement for sharing her brunch with local talents; nonetheless, this time she was also proud to be introducing a few exceptional newcomers. "I am excited about all of the designers. For instance, Nubi—this is their very first appearance ever. She comes from a family-owned jewellery business that belonged to her grandfather. One day she asked her father for space and materials to experiment with. He gave her such a hard time at the beginning, but soon he gave her materials such as gold and diamonds for her to create her first pieces. Her debut designs sold out on the same day. Today, her dad is in the audience; he is quite sweet, and he is present for complete support," said Serag admiringly. According to the curator, the Spring Affair Fashion Brunch is also Danoush's first official visit to Cairo. The brand, which is originally based in Alexandria, showcased a number of revamped fashion staples. Their key mannequin featured a puff-sleeved top with dramatic cut-outs; an untraditional silhouette that attracted the flicker of multiple camera phones. On the other hand, Nazeeka and Koukla, who are considered regulars at the fashion brunch by now, came ready for the holly season with breezy garments and beaded jewellery. "Modern Kaftans is a nice match for the upcoming Ramadan season—along with Koukla and Nazeeka, the three cater to people that want to be fashion-ready for the next season," elaborated the curator. Meanwhile, Reem Jano—the jewellery brand—crowded the venue's corner with a long line of women, who cannot cease to complement and admire her arabesque marvels. "I personally love Sandbox—they created a collection in support of the burn hospital. That collection has truly touched my heart. I first got to know the brand when attending one their exhibitions. I thought it was very creative how the designer managed to match the burn marks of real victims with actual jewellery pieces," said Serag. Aside from jewellery and garments, the event also shed light on trendy and unexpected accessories. Posh sunglasses laid a wide diversity of cat-eye shades to cater to each taste and age. "This is my first time to work with Posh sunglasses, which I thought sold perfectly today because her pieces are funky, not the traditional aesthetic of eyewear," said the organiser. With that said, the brunch also witnessed the debut offline showcase of brands such as the direct answer to online casual shopping, Moda Fit, as well as Eman and Co, which is an up-and-coming jewellery brand. According the organiser, this memorable group of designers are all different in theory, yet somehow, they all come together and complement each other very well. The event was punctuated with a number of socialites, celebrities, and heavy-weight shoppers, who all walked out with local fashion finds and personal caricatures sketched on the ground in mere minutes. The attendees included the admired TV actress Eman, cinema starlet Ghada Adel, and everyone's favourite girl next door Amina Khalil. As for the element which makes Fashion Funds and its events stand out amid the ascending fashion competition in Egypt, this season Serag decided to take her welfare initiatives one step further. Instead of collaborating with an entity to donate a percentage of the sales revenue, Serag preferred to take the matter into her own hands. "This time we are not donating to an entity; instead, we are focusing on a case. At the moment we are looking for a child that needs an urgent surgery or long-term medication. I felt that organisations and known charity entities already have their own marketing and strong campaigning, hence they often get a lot of donations. This time, we want to personalise our charity mission," concluded Serag.
