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

It’s all but fact that shoe shopping in Cairo causes many an Egyptian with many a wardrobe problem. There just never seems to be enough options that offer quality and affordability in equal reasonable measure. With Maadi City Centre being one of the better malls in Cairo, housing an array of shops to peruse at leisure, we were sure that we’d find something to titillate our fashion senses. So, on a whim, we decided to check out one of the newer shoe shops, Rockport.

Simply put, the shop was an utter disappointment. Narrow and long, it was quite the visual eye sore with bright, artificial, yellow lighting doing nothing to flatter the merchandise on display. 

But apart from the interior, the shoes themselves were also of equally shattered expectations. Though completely inoffensive, they were just very bland in design. Rockport specialises in dress, casual or semi-casual shoes that supposedly combine style and comfort. While we were quite intrigued by the comfort factor, we were unequivocally disappointed with the aesthetics.

The men’s shoe selection consisted of basic leather dress shoes that, although suitable for formal occasions, lack a certain flair and as a result, fail to catch the eye. Ranging between a hefty 400LE to 600LE, the price range seemed a bit of a miss. The casual shoe collection didn’t fare much better and included several potential faux pas traps, with some quite atrocious sandals.

The women’s section was a bit better – better, but still lacking when it comes to the overall design and craft. Like the dire men’s section, the women’s collection seems to be shaped by the same comfort-driven approach; we felt like they were a failed attempt at re-creating that distinct Hush Puppies style.

The level of service in no uncertain terms reflected all of the above; sluggish, uninterested and unaware are just a few of the words that come to mind – but then some may prefer that to the silent stalker approach adopted by many shops in Cairo.

Frankly, we left the shop unimpressed, dissatisfied and still on the prowl for more shoe shopping targets; ones that can contribute to the affordable-and-stylish shoe deficiency in Egypt.