The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

This Turkish menswear chain has been
trading since 1938, and has shops in Azerbaijan, Iran and Iraq, a well as
Kazakhstan and all the other ‘stans’. Three chains populate Cairo, and the Mall
of Arabia branch in 6th October City is as well-stocked as most
menswear shops in the city.

The shop’s collection is generally split
into five styles. The Aquatica range is predominantly pool- or beach-side wear.
Although there were appropriately brightly coloured t-shirts, there were no
shorts of any kind available. Earthy colours – browns, beiges, and greens –
make up the Explorer range. The casual outdoor collection is also in short
supply at this Kigili branch.

The Marine and Sense collections seem to
overlap in style, and are both out in full force with a range of plain but
smart cotton-polyester-blend polo shirts (300LE to 450LE) that would look
dashing with a pair of chinos (starting at 700LE) and some loafers (400LE to 500LE).
However, some of the polo shirts are tarnished by small but obnoxious features;
a Kigli hand-signature on the breast turns the garment away from being subtle
and sophisticated wear.

Where Kigili really stands out, for better
and for worse, is its formalwear collection, Ceremony. Slim and straight cut
suits are plentiful, in a range of customary subtle colours, and some other not-so-demure
pieces. The latter is a shinier-than-shiny black tuxedo that even the late
James Brown would have winced at. Ranging
between 1800LE and 4600LE, the suits are suitably light for Cairo weather, but
in turn feel a little thin.

A range of smart-casual blazers could also
be worn with a pair of chinos and a smart polo shirt. Colours range from browns
and beiges to cross-hatch patterned grey. At the time of this reviewer’s visit,
the cheapest blazer cost 1400LE, with others reaching over 2000LE. Though the
blazers are sleek and well-cut, the quality is no more than decent, and not worthy
of such high prices.

The shirts in Kigili are hit-and-miss. A
small collection of chequered, short-sleeved shirts with buttoned-down collars
(380LE to 420LE) imitate something that you may find in Tommy Hilfiger, but
some of these interpretations of a smart-casual shirt fall well short of being elegant.
A white shirt with pink and blue stripes and black buttons is one particularly
bad memory.

At the time of our visit, the shop was
empty, and even the kind attendant was at his wit’s ends with the scarceness of
customers. It seems that this has allowed him to memorise most of the items, as
many of them are not individually labelled with prices.

There are many better options for the same
mature target that Kigili is going for, both in price and quality. So although
the shop is worth checking out for its basics and its formalwear, only a
drastic change in the overall style will ensure that it can attract guys away
from more versatile competition like Zara.