Style Man: Gift Stop for Men in Zamalek

Published On: 19/06/2012

Women's clothing tends to get far more attention on Cairo 360 than men's and this doesn’t seem fair considering how many males there are in Cairo that are in desperate need of a style makeover. So walking down Brazil Street in Zamalek, Style Man caught our eye and we thought; well why not.

It’s a noticeable shop, being the only one on its block and situated a little further up, closer to Mohamed Mazhar Street, it escapes the mayhem that characterises the rest of the street. The shop at the time of our visit was nice and calm with only the shop manager inside.

Style Man strictly sells men’s clothing and accessories. Essentially made up of two full walls of clothes facing each other, they offer international brands from places such as Spain and Italy. Their collection doesn’t change often and currently they carry quite a selection of summer clothing.

The most extensive item they carry are shirts, but they are also the least tempting. Short-sleeved shirts are available in abundance and are checked, striped or linen. The quality of the linen was nice but some of the patterns were a bit off, either in colour or actual design; they came at hefty prices of 675LE for the linen ones and 475LE for the regular cotton – the reason for this is because they are the Spanish label, Mirto.

There are also a bunch of polo t-shirts and while some were severely questionable, like one with a Hawaiian flower pattern, others were simple and wearable with just a few stripes across the chest (375LE).

The shop also carries jeans and trousers; linen ones came in subdued colours of tan and pale yellow and cost 675LE. While there are jackets sold separately, they also offer a range of full suits with price tags ranging between 3000LE-4000LE.

Apart from the clothes, Style Man offers accessories such as ties, belts and footwear. The tie selection wasn’t huge, but definitely promising. A nice grey Lanvin one will set you back 450LE while others were priced a little lower in the range of 300LE. They have a healthy collection of belts in different shades of brown and black, ranging from smart, formal ones to more casual examples.

The shoes, placed at the display window and part of what tempted us inside, also came in different styles for various occasions ranging from tie-up sneakers to more formal moccasins. The average price tag for a pair is 775LE.

Apart from the linen trousers, the accessories are more of a find than anything else. The prices at Style Man are undoubtedly steep and while some of the items seem worth it, others such as the overly embellished shirts in some cases, are not.

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Near By

Femme Rochas: Unassuming Jewellery Shop in Zamalek

11 Brazil Street, Zamalek

Most likely to be overlooked on the street; barely noticeable amongst the crowd of similar looking shops and the bustle that defines Brazil Street in Zamalek, jewellery shop, Femme Rochas, caught our eye with a display of colourful stoned necklaces and interesting collection of rings. The shop itself is considerably small but somehow manages to carry an endless number of products from floor to ceiling, as well as filling the glass vitrine. It is generally a jewellery shop, with items such as necklaces, bracelets and earrings. However, in typical fashion to local shops of this type, there are also a number of random house accessories such as mugs, decorative boxes and some questionable looking animal figurines. Coloured beaded necklaces come in different sizes, in either single strands or double; the most expensive of these necklaces goes up to about 400LE. Also ranging in that price are pendants, adorning a single stone, that come in a variety of colours. A beautifully dreamy sky blue one went up to 400LE but smaller ones, equally pretty, are sold at an easier range of 75LE – which is a considerable jump in price. There’s a large collection of earrings; silver ones or ones with raw-cut stones, as well as more modern designs with hearts; they are sold at an affordable price between 35LE and 45LE. Bracelets made entirely of the Turkish evil eye were the least pricey item, at 20LE apiece. After dabbling for a while with different accessories, we were very pleased to come across what could be considered the hidden gems of the shop. The owner sells authentic Turkish and Indian rings that would have easily gone unnoticed had we not had the patience, or the motivation, to find them. Although their collection is the smallest, these rings are definitely the highlight of the shop. Mostly with purple and blue stones, the workmanship is quite intricate and sophisticated – at least in comparison to our locally made ones. However their prices are definitely on the higher end, costing about 300LE to 400LE. As well as the jewellery, Femme Rochas has few house decorations. Varying sized boxes made of ivory with a velvet inlay are very reasonable with the largest one costing 125LE; they also have delicate oil incense holders made of glass for 25LE. Originally a women’s clothing shop, turned perfume shop, turned knick knack shop, Femme Rochas can’t be described as original. However, its full collection of earrings, necklaces and rings makes it a sensible stop on the path to freshening up your accessory collection.

Related Review

U Turn: Thrifty Men's Clothing in Heliopolis

8, Obour Bldgs., Heliopolis

With other branches located in Mohandiseen, Nasr City and Mall of Arabia in 6th of October City, the Heliopolis branch of U Turn is on the Orouba Road, positioned in between competitors, OR and Daniel Hechter. Strictly men’s clothing, the lower level of the shop focuses on casual attire, while the upper level carries formal wear including suits.

There is something unique about U Turn, despite the fact that they merely provide copies of world class cuts, albeit very good copies. With several branches around the city, the shop has made a name for itself, almost as good as a name as they would earn by creating something original. But the truth is, U Turn import all their clothes from Turkey and that gives them the advantage of selling the same merchandise at a cheaper price than its local counterparts.

The jeans cost around 350LE and come in different shades of blue and navy blue made with tough denim and a range of cuts. A selection of t-shirts and shirts are available between 100LE-200LE, while some Turkish brands can reach up to 250LE - these are most suitable if you’re looking for an original piece of clothing to wear. Make sure to check out the row of chequered shirts to your left as you enter the shop. There are also leather jackets and coats starting at the great price of 450LE, reaching no more than 600LE.

Moving onto the top level, we were pleasantly surprised with the variety of suits in style, colour and models. The prices range between 900LE-1900LE and are Italian cut, though Turkish made. You’ll be able to find whatever you’re looking such as slim fits for very reasonable prices. For a total of 1300LE you can buy yourself a whole new outfit including the suit, shirt, shoes and even socks – leaving you feeling like the chicest man in town.

There is also a selection of blazers sold separately and would work for both casual and more formal occasions. They come in a bunch of colours such as blue and khaki, priced between 400LE-600LE.

The shoe collection wasn’t particularly enticing, carrying mostly casual options though the variety as a whole wasn’t very big. The general price tag for a pair is 300LE.

The atmosphere in U Turn is a pleasant one, with staff who are efficient and helpful without crossing the line into being overbearing. It pays to ask; they are happy to help and make suggestions. With every corner offering something different, we suggest you check it out as soon as possible.

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Style Man: Gift Stop for Men in Zamalek

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