Clothing shopping in Africa
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Créazen
CréaZen's got your back stylishly covered with modern linen tunics with geometric embroidery and djellaba-inspired hooded silk shirts. Snap up pants and kaftans off the rack or made to order in linen, silky combed cotton or 'Moroccan cashmere' (cotton fleece), and don't miss reasonably priced designer accessories: jewel-toned silk necklaces, sassy tasselled belts and lucky leather slippers embossed with a hand of Fatima.
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Aya's
Deluxe, hand-embroidered designer fashions worthy of a royal reception are offered here, from chocolate brown linen tunics with geometric, sky-blue embroidery to striped-silk kaftans in jewel tones with wide black silk borders straight out of a Matisse painting. They're not cheap, but not a king's ransom, either - and unlike the chunky jewellery and leather slippers, you won't find similar designs elsewhere.
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Alrazal
No abracadabra is necessary to turn little ones into fairy-tale princes and princesses: a handmade, embroidered outfit from Alrazal should do the trick. For the price of what you'd pay for off-the-rack back home, you can get kiddie couture dresses and swashbuckling velvet pant sets - and yes, those silk tunics come in women's sizes right upstairs. Alterations and made-to-measure are also possible.
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Intensité Nomade
Mostly couture kaftans and tunics, with prices to match - but while you won't find bargains, you will find cleverly tailored men's linen shirts by major Italian and Moroccan designers. Hassan Hajjaj's silk-screened Pop Art T-shirt features colourful tea glasses for a Moroccan twist on Warhol, and a minutely pin-tucked ivory silk shirt duly humbles those of us who struggle with mending socks.
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Mobaco
Not as interesting as Mix & Match in design, but inexpensive and with a great range of colours. There’s always a flattering long cotton or linen skirt available, and men can choose from a rainbow of polo shirts sporting a camel logo. There are stores throughout the city, including at the Nile Hotel and the Semiramis (both Map pp120–1).
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Derb Fez El-Jdid
The kissariat along this bustling thoroughfare are home to stalls selling jellabas of every possible colour, quality, price and cut. Utilitarian polyester and wool styles predominate, but it's also possible to access Bollywood-style confections in satin and silk, as well as truly frightening faux-leopard-skin numbers.
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Bini Ou Binek
Work that riad-relaxed look with breezy, comfortable local designs in groovy paisleys, upbeat orange and blue polka dots, and other splashy prints. Snap up a dress for the price of a T-shirt back home, and be the toast of cocktail hour at Kechmara around the corner. The shop is in the entryway of Hotel Toulousain.
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Clean Ocean Project
Stop by the Clean Ocean Project with its cool surf wear in soft greens and blues. The business donates a percentage of all profits to beach-cleaning days and anti-pollution awareness. There are branches in Menorca and Barcelona; check the website for more info about this cool ecofriendly company.
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Mobaco Cottons
Egypt has always been known for its cotton products, and Mobaco is the most popular of the local chain stores offering reasonably priced, decent-quality cotton clothes for men, women and children. There are stores throughout the city, including at the Nile Hilton and Ramses Hilton Mall.
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Atlas
In business since 1948, the Atlas family specialises in silk. Sold by the yard, it’s both beautiful and sturdy, and holds its dye better than anything you might find for less. Kaftans and slippers are also available, and you can order custom clothing with any of the fabrics.
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Amar Bouldajdj & Frères
Embroidery is valued throughout Algeria, but perhaps nowhere more than in Constantine. The Bouldajdj brothers have an excellent selection of new embroidered clothes, particularly mejboudi (embroidered, sleeveless, velvet gowns), some of which sell for thousands of dinars.
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Nagada
Handwoven, colour-saturated silks, cottons and linens are the mainstay of this luxe shop in a grand villa – buy by the yard, or in boxy, drapey women’s and men’s apparel. There’s also very pretty handmade pottery from Al-Fayoum.
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Casa Elefante
For capulanas (the colourful cloths that women wear around their waist) and other textiles, try Casa Elefante or some of the other nearby shops opposite the Mercado Municipal. This is also a good place to look for a tailor (alfaiataria).
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Religion
Apart from its own brand of unisex fashion for the streetwise, this interesting boutique stocks clothing by the likes of Jacob Kimmie and Craig Native, whose T-shirts, printed with bull's-eye designs of Africa, you'll see everywhere in Cape Town.
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Wedding Clothes Shop
This souk specialises in wedding outfits. Hassan Bouazzaoui stocks hand-embroidered velvet wedding caftans in every colour (around around DH900), as well as embroidered wedding belts (from around DH100). It's a good place to buy a fez (Dh20).
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Mister Cuir Marocain
There's a wide range of leather jackets and coats in this shop; black and dark brown are cheaper than tan and other colours. Men's jackets are around DH800; women's jackets around DH650, or Dh 750 for a three-quarter length jacket.
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Naartjie
This attractive range of designer cotton children’s clothing has grown from a stall on Greenmarket Sq to a global brand. There’s a branch in Cavendish Square and a factory shop in Hout Bay.
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Osman Ahmed
As he doesn't speak English or stock fabrics, Mr Ahmed is the least convenient tailoring option, but his skills transcend the language barrier. He's used to foreign customers, and can work off a magazine photo.
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Warda La Mouche
This local designer makes glamour look easy with embroidered tunic T-shirts, metal-embroidered kaftans, and psychedelic slippers. Prices are fixed, and about what you'd pay for mass-produced basics back home.
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Orange Square
With books to select designs from and a decent stock of fabric, this trendy operation is the easiest place to get a suit made. But not the cheapest: prices start at E£1800.
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No Work Team
One local surf-wear label to check out is No Work Team. In its shop you'll find good-quality, comfy duds for men, women and children, with an unmistakeable surfing feel.
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Big Blue Kalk Bay
A good boutique for picking up some fun clubbing gear or beachwear by South African designers, including Jo Soap, Amanda Laird Cherry, Cuba Vera and Gottalotalove.
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Big Blue Cavendish Square
A good boutique for picking up some fun clubbing gear or beachwear by South African designers, including Jo Soap, Amanda Laird Cherry, Cuba Vera and Gottalotalove.
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Mahmoud Abd El Ghaffar
One of the best dealers in belly-dancing outfits in the city; the really nice stuff is upstairs. Look for the entrance down a little lane just off the main street.
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African Fantasy
African Fantasy offers a selection of locally made T-shirts and cards; it also has a branch at Mantenga Craft Centre and the Gables Shopping Centre. The Gables, too, houses the Buhle Bakho Make Handicraft Centre.
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