DUBAI: As the global design community turns its eyes to Cairo this November, the Egyptian capital is preparing to host the third edition of Cairo Design Week, a platform that highlights the region’s creativity, heritage and innovation.
At the heart of the movement is designer Hisham Mahdy, who founded the event in 2022 after decades in the design industry.
“Over 25 years, my design vision evolved with Egypt; from decoration and function to a language shaping culture, identity and the future,” he told Arab News. “I shifted from solo projects to building an ecosystem that nurtures talent, connects creatives, and bridges heritage with innovation.”
Before Cairo Design Week came the Cairo Design Award, launched in 2017 to recognize Egypt’s growing creative community.
“We had talent but no platform to showcase it, so I launched the Cairo Design Award as a statement that design matters,” Mahdy said. “CDA became a space for creatives to connect and be seen. But it needed a bigger stage — one that brought design into public life. That’s how Cairo Design Week was born.”
Now entering its third year, the event continues to expand across Cairo’s districts, activating heritage sites and building stronger global collaborations.
“The first edition tested the waters; the second proved its staying power. Now we’ve expanded into new districts, activated more heritage sites, and deepened collaborations,” Mahdy said. “CDW is no longer just an event; it’s becoming a movement.”
This year’s edition will feature exhibitions, fashion shows, installations and talks under the theme “Design, So I Can See You,” inspired by the Greek philosopher Socrates.
“For us, Arab identity isn’t something to be preserved behind glass — it’s living and evolving,” Mahdy said. “We’re not imitating global trends. We’re contributing to them from our own cultural lens."
