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

Shopping in Cairo for children can be quite the daunting to task, but in Tommy Hilfiger Kids, we think we’ve found a solution. Known for its quality, preppy clothing collections, the Tommy Hilfiger brand has expanded massively since their launch in 1985, now successfully retailing from over 1,000 shops worldwide. Widening their scope from award-winning men’s and women’s clothing, the Hilfiger brand has diversified into other areas to include homeware and furnishings, fragrances, sportswear and even quintessential children’s apparel.

With several Tommy Hilfiger clothing outlets existing around Cairo, Heliopolis’ Citystars now boasts  Tommy Hilfiger Kids. Largely mirroring Hilfiger’s uniform, bold red and blue nautical colours, the window displays are eye-catching, showing off a range of chic and smart children’s outfits.

The shop stocks both an infant’s range and a limited range of clothes for slightly older children; the European sizing complicates the shopping process, whilst the shop assistants’ suspicious glances made us feel a little uncomfortable. The boys and girls sections are merged into one another, neatly hung and folded, but not strictly categorised, meaning you might be wandering back and forth across the shop floor if you’re looking for specific items.

Basics are expensive but varied, with boy’s pin-striped jeans (650LE), chinos (895LE) and bright red jeans (695LE). Similarly, the girls section fashions denim jeans (695LE), pastel coloured jeans (750LE) and stretchy leggings with a bright pink, elasticated waistband (250LE). There is also a very small range of onesies for babies, which were priced upwards of 300LE.

The summer collection boasts Hawaiian board shorts (550LE) and jolly, navy, shark adorned shorts (850LE) for boys,  as well as nautical day dresses (750LE), garishly bright red tunic dresses (750LE) and loud, stripy skirts (795LE) for girls. Meanwhile, other options include striped and plain polo shirts (550LE), short sleeved button-ups (850LE) and puff-sleeved tops with little hearts all over them (595LE). Swimwear is also available with brightly coloured bikinis (450LE) and swimming trunks (280LE).

Winter-wear is understandably lacking, though there were lightweight jumpers retailing for 750LE, wool cardigans at 595LE, heavier hoodies for 850LE, and waterproof jackets for 950LE at the time of our visit. 

The accessory section is almost non-existent other than for sun hats (250LE) and shoes, with pairs to complete any outfit; flipflops, boat shoes and ballet pumps range from 350LE-900LE. We also spotted a powder pink patchwork quilted blanket for a baby bed, along with gift boxes complete with an entire outfit – including booties and a hat – for a newborn (950LE).

Tommy Hilfiger Kids offers stylish, modish children’s wear and although most of the pieces were brightly coloured with a very cute ‘mini-me’ semblance, we got an overarching feeling that the clothes would be better appreciated by fashion-conscious parents. Lacking the fun factor, but oozing quality, the clothes come at a price which may be difficult to justify, particularly considering how fast children grow.