On the occasion of the Egyptian festival, Haysam Abdelghafar’s installation blends lighting, couture, and art to celebrate ten years of innovation
Against the historic backdrop of Café Riche, the crossroads of the city’s intellectual soul, design celebrated a return to roots projected toward the future. During Cairo Design Week, Sam House presented an installation that defies disciplinary boundaries, where light is no longer an accessory but the beating heart of an identity narrative. Under the creative direction of Haysam “Sam” Abdelghafar, the brand orchestrated an unprecedented collaboration, transforming the event into an exceptional showcase for contemporary Egyptian craftsmanship.
The Aziza Collection: A Tribute to Brass and Memory
The absolute protagonist of the exhibition during this Cairo Design Week was the Aziza collection, a series of lighting fixtures entirely handmade in pure brass. Each piece is a tribute to rural life, transforming traditional elements into design icons.
Among the most admired pieces are the Kerdan Chandelier, inspired by the traditional gold necklace that has adorned Egyptian women for generations, and the Dates lamp, whose forms evoke the fruit of the palm trees. In this vision, every lamp ceases to be a mere object and becomes a “character”—a fragment of collective memory infused with poetry.
Four Rooms, Four Women: A Sensory Journey
Curated by Sam Plus, the immersive experience guided visitors through four distinct environments, each dedicated to a different facet of femininity:
- Aziza: a warm homage to the Egyptian countryside, where brass captures the simplicity and textures of peasant life.
- Lucienne: a French-inspired space, where refined elegance and a Bleu Blanc palette evoke timeless harmony and beauty.
- Hikari: an environment embodying radiance and optimism, featuring clean lines and bold chromatic accents.
- Hilda: a room of contrasts and silent strength, where sculptural lighting reflects the duality between resilience and sensitivity.
A Collaboration Between Fashion and Furnishings
The creative dialogue was amplified by a collaboration with Maison Saeidi. The couture gowns harmoniously brought to life the furnishings by Nineteen Furniture and carpets by Kahhal 1871. This synergy, presented exclusively at Cairo Design Week, reinforces the idea that light—much like a garment—defines the way a space is experienced and inhabited.
The Sam House installation reaffirmed the brand’s mastery in designing atmospheres charged with personality, transforming the ordinary into a tangible form of storytelling and confirming its status as one of the most significant highlights of the entire event.
