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

Cairo
may not be known for possessing a sailing and yachting culture, but that
doesn’t mean you can’t dress as if you are the world’s best sailor. Italian
brand Paul & Shark is known for their nautical inspired clothing
recognizable by a little shark logo. The brands clothing won’t protect you from
shark attacks though and neither will it make you conquer the seven seas. However,
you can look rather dashing all the same.

We visited the branch in the concrete consumer paradise that is Citystars which is located just
across from H&M. The store isn’t particularly big but carries most of the
basic items such as trousers, shirts and jeans for the men with the addition of
dresses and skirts for the ladies. As per usual with most retailers in Cairo,
the shop’s collection is one season behind the rest of the world.

The
women’s section on the left hand of the store is pretty small and consists of no
more than three racks. Paul & Shark’s female line is pretty reserved; most
designs will cover up your modesty and have sober colours. A bit more bright is
the Paul & Shark Swarovski collection. However, it is very expensive. A
simple sweater with some Swarovski diamonds is 2150LE for instance where a
cardigan in the same line is 2500LE. Normal jeans start from 1950LE and most
blouses and shirts cost 1900LE. Casual dresses are a bit more expensive at
2500LE. If you really want to keep warm then buy a cashmere shawl from 1150LE.

The
men’s department is very homogenous as well. Most sweaters sport typical
nautical flags and designs. The sweaters, though high in quality, are very
expensive at around 3150LE. The items that stand out the most are the coats
which will set you back a stunning 6950LE. Even though they look and feel like
they are capable of keeping you warm and dry even during a tsunami, it’s still
a lot of money. The majority of jeans are around 1450LE. The shirts are pretty
plain in design and the usual colours such as blue, grey, pink and black are
available from 1550LE. Most of the leather belts are available from 995LE. Some
are plain in design while others have a collection of flags on them.

Though
Paul & Shark in other parts of the world does have some interesting
collections, the lines available in Cairo at the moment pale in comparison.
However if you are keen on the nautical look and have no idea where else to
spend your money, Paul & Shark just may be the perfect store for you.