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The Curation by Nour Hassan
The Curation, formerly Radical Contemporary, is a Digital Curator and Podcast based between Cairo, Dubai & Jeddah. We curate everything from art, fashion, and design, to culture, wellness and tech to present you with only the best brands, founders, products and pioneers.
The Curation by Nour Hassan
Anne Mehany: On Fashion, Dreaming, Grief and the Power of Hope
In this episode we speak to Anne Mehany, co-founder of Maison Mehany a multidisciplinary creative house. We explore Anne's extraordinary journey from a young girl captivated by fashion to a leader in the Egyptian luxury design scene. Driven by passion, her inspiring story unfolds through layers of personal loss, including the death of her father at age 21, and the journey she endured while discovering her path in the challenging world of fashion production.
Anne invites us into her world of aesthetic storytelling, where each project is approached with a fresh vision and dedication to excellence. With upcoming projects that include a skincare line and a personal photography book, along with her love for Pilates, Anne is continually pushing boundaries while remaining rooted in her core values. Maison Mehany has worked with major international clients such as EMAAR and Jean Paul Gautlier, as well as numerous features in notable media such as Numèro, Harper's Bazaar Arabia, Vogue Arabia and more.
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Action. Welcome to the Curation, a show for the culturally curious. This is your host, noor Hassan. Each week, I'll guide you through a curated edit of the finest in art, fashion, design, culture, luxury, wellness, tech and more. This is your go-to space for discovering trailblazing ideas, untold stories and meaningful conversations with innovators and creators who are shaping our world. There's no gatekeeping here, so sit back, tune in and let's discover only the best together.
Speaker 2:I like to curate all my documents From Al Mahani. From Al Mahani.
Speaker 1:Curated by Al Mahani. But what was the moment that you were like I have to do it? Why Pilates?
Speaker 2:Dark red suit and I I don't like red you fainted?
Speaker 1:yeah, no way. Oh, your parents were not about I got rejected three times how did you convince?
Speaker 2:them to take you to london and we were allowed to watch all the fashion shows. Oh my God, I knew about Maison Mahani, so he blessed it. Eight months later, I lost my dad. With my dad, it was something that I always looked at him as if he was hopeful in life, and I was also hoping that something would happen.
Speaker 1:Okay, guys, right now I'm sitting with Anne Mah mahanni, the co-founder of maison mahanni, and anna is not only the co-founder of maison mahanni, but anna is my friend. Hi noor, hi anna, guys, but I'm always in front of the camera, so if I'm awkward, please don't judge me. You're gorgeous, but no, I'm behind the scenes. I mean, I'm the producer, the creative director, the person behind the scenes making the show run. Thank you, nick, you agreed, thank you, thank you. Thank you so much for this and for the opportunity.
Speaker 2:It's not the time. It's not the time, but happening. Finally it's happening, yeah I chased you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, my first question for you an is is who is Anne Mahoney right now, today? Give us a little snippet.
Speaker 2:I'm Anne Mahoney, as you know, co-founder and creative director of Mizo Mahoney. I started my business in 2015, when I was studying. I went to London when I was 21 years old. I studied there for four years, london College of Fashion, in the University of the, providing image making and all of that and all of that. I describe myself as a dreamer, as a strategist, as a creative director in my own bubble, in my own world, and that's how I express myself in a nutshell. Who is Anne Mahanian?
Speaker 1:I love that. And then I feel that you're a dreamer From the moment I met you. Every time you talk to me about something, for example, it's been a year or two, and all of a sudden I find that it happened. You know, yeah, and that's something we'll get into. Okay, I want to ask you one of my favorite questions, sure, which is what is your morning routine? Oh, we're on this podcast on the Curation. We like the details.
Speaker 2:And I know everything. I wake up and then what? Okay, on on a good day, yeah, uh, but I check my phone really, I check my phone, me too, and I hate it. Yeah, I know yeah, but I always do that instagram or or like Instagram WhatsApp anything you know, those are the two things I check in the morning.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but if it's a good day, I want to be healthy I have like a pre-breakfast two hours, which is take my vitamins meds, because I take my medicine every day. I'm a Hashimoto patient. Yes, for they put my meds, vitamins. All of that. Go do my skincare routine, shower, put my workout clothes and then, but if it's either go to Pilates or workout, would you have, like a coffee, a matcha?
Speaker 2:uh, yes, I go straight to the workout that's so, that's so like different, I don't know but I wake up, and I wake up very early and I take my meds, so I need to eat anything after the day, after an hour or so, so I just go straight to the workout and then I eat and drink. When do you wake up? I wake up at 7. That's early. It's either very early or very late. I don't have in between okay, and the skincare routine?
Speaker 1:do you have non-negotiables, like, do you have a skincare routine that you don't negotiate? I mean, for example, something you love a lot in the skincare routine.
Speaker 2:My favorite product is the Barbasterm Exfoliating or Enzyme Cleanser Okay, this is my favorite product. Or the Zoskin Exfoliating Pads I like anything or I love anything that's exfoliating Okay, and you use this in the morning. My skincare routine is very simple, very basic Just gentle cleanser in the morning, any kind of moisturizer and. I will face oil by night and that's it.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you don't have the 10-step skincare routine, the TikTok vibe. No, I used to have that Same. I used to have that.
Speaker 2:Same I used to have that 10-step and all of that, but I don't have the luxury we have a life, yeah, but I don't have the time to do that it's only a three-step routine? Okay, and usually everything has to be quick. I have a document. I like to curate all my documents. For example, I have the pre-breakfast and you saw my Italy item.
Speaker 1:Right, I have a similar document. Me and Anne were in Rome, like it was Brian Whatabod a month or so ago, so I asked him like hey, can you send me your recommendations? I had to be about like some random messy WhatsApp list and whatever. Can you send me your recommendations? I had to be about like some random messy WhatsApp list and whatever and sent me the most clean aesthetic document with the recommendations and a schedule. I followed it.
Speaker 2:I was like oh great.
Speaker 1:Like if I had gone to a travel agency, they would not have sent me this.
Speaker 2:I was like okay, I invested too much in it.
Speaker 1:It's beautiful, it's beautiful and it was the vibe I have one bath for my day.
Speaker 2:Went to all the restaurants.
Speaker 1:To the dismay of my husband. He's like what's this? I'm like my itinerary.
Speaker 2:From Anne Mahoney. From Anne Mahoney, curated by Anne.
Speaker 1:Mahoney. It's like what, okay, so simple, routine, coffee, pilates, and then you get to work yes, okay, amazing. And then you got to work yes, okay, amazing. So I want to take this back a little bit, okay, all right. Uh, who is an mahani as a kid, as a child, aiza araf, were you always into, like, fashion, aesthetics, all of this? Um, to be interested in this industry? Like, where was the spark?
Speaker 2:um, honestly, and I can't remember any, to be honest, I can't remember my childhood, okay, but uh, I remember that I owe that to my mom.
Speaker 1:My mom used to like buy a lot of magazines in our house a lot of fashion tv 24 7 we kind of fashion tv, the nostalgia, but any past midnight or we were not allowed yeah, and also there was some very like controversial stuff on fashion tv, like models with their boobs out and nipples and all of that different time, yeah she used to put like password past midnight and we were allowed to watch all the fashion shows.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, as soon as we wake up, Okay, so you always had an interest in Moldova.
Speaker 2:I had an interest in art, design, curation, but when I was young I didn't know what curation means. But my mother was always keen on wearing clothes. She used to pick our outfits. She was very strict. For example, as simple as going out to see our family, we had to wear a certain style. She taught me how to pick fabrics, cuts you don't have to follow the brands, but if a jacket has a strong character, then because of the fabric or the cut and how I grew up in this subject. I remember one time I commented on my cousin's outfit. I think we were a family at the time and we went to a wedding. I made a comment how are you wearing sneakers?
Speaker 2:And we went to Farah, he was a kid as well, but the idea that I was really interested in picking up my outfit, putting everything together and what's like a favorite piece from your mom's wardrobe that you remember growing up, that she has until now, of course. I think I have this dark red suit and I don't like red, by the way but the suit is really, really nice. Well, I couldn't wear it up until I don't know when, but this year, obviously, because it was very tailored, tailored and you know, very tight but, I've tried it.
Speaker 2:I tried it once but said this suit is really, really cool and the dark red material, the material, the cut, the fit is insane, yeah okay, so I want to go into.
Speaker 1:Um, you decided, obviously after studying etc, to get into fashion, and and not just fashion, but production. Yeah, out of everything you can look at fashion, understand for styling, as as you said during your upbringing. Um, there's fashion buying, there's like editorials, there's everything what made you really fall in love with, like, the art of production.
Speaker 2:I was lucky or privileged from the point of view that growing up, I knew what I wanted to do in my life, whether it's design, interior design or fashion but growing up I knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer. That means fashion designer specifically, specifically fashion designer, because that's the only thing I understood in the fashion industry. I didn't know anything.
Speaker 2:I was 14 years old and then I started, when I was in school, I started to see the best universities in fashion, yes, obviously. University of the Arts, parsons, esmod, all these big names. When I was 16, I was kind of intimidated. Obviously, if I asked my parents I want to travel, they would say straight no.
Speaker 1:Oh, your parents were not about Traveling abroad and studying.
Speaker 2:For them, the topic Was not shocking, but you're still young, you're a girl, so my father was afraid of me.
Speaker 1:It was traditional.
Speaker 2:But he was open. Why not, masters, you're still young, don't think about it now, just delay it. And my father was very protective. We lived in a bubble a lot and we're going to get into that. But anyways, I consider myself privileged in this area Because I know what I want to do, whether it's arts, fashion, anything in this industry. So I did my research, so I was fighting for something in the fashion world but then I did IB Acad. After that I did IB. Of course, academically I was really bad.
Speaker 1:I mean fun fact.
Speaker 2:I know you're very organized, but academically I was failing my classes. I wasn't the best, but I did IB at the end of the day which is really difficult.
Speaker 2:So good job, and I passed it because of art. That pushed my grades, but it's fine. But so, by the kid, I applied to university of the arts. I got rejected three times, wow. And I got accepted to in parsons and s mod, okay. And then I went to my dad, poppy, I'm this. And that no, you're not traveling. Wow. I told him why? No, she's a girl, not too soon, just go to AC. And try.
Speaker 2:When I thought, no, I don't want to go to AC. Yeah, after that I went to AC. I stayed a year. I hated it. I didn't feel like I was doing what I wanted to do, right.
Speaker 1:And at that time AUC wasn't developed in the arts yet. It was developing, but not there yet.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I was doing random. I was doing literally random major, I don't know what major, doing literally any random major. I'm out of she major. Well, I was taking around the classes are Egyptology, architecture class, a lot of an aha hamily and I'm sharp, hmm. But so I decided and no, I know, I'll apply for London actually and could. The Nipsey flundering were beset youAL. The process was not easy at all to do this and I applied behind my parents back and I said I'll do this and by chance, I found that UAL, they're doing a course with two. These two are, they're kind of shaped, who I am right now. My name is Sandra Abdullah and my followers, the first ones who brought you To Egypt. Really they helped me. Creating my portfolio, okay. Before the course how to create your portfolio, creating my portfolio, okay. So I started a course, a course, and you know how to create your portfolio.
Speaker 1:So they brought it to Egypt and you know you give students opportunities to apply right.
Speaker 2:Not to apply but to work on their portfolios before applying. Oh yeah, yeah. So now I applied and then they got, and they got a professor for a master's degree and by chance I saw on social media the ad. I'm like UAL is coming. That must be sketchy. I told her. I said, yeah, the course is going to start tomorrow, wow, but we don't have any spots. I'm like, no, I need a spot, yeah. But I said, okay, but you need to transfer now I'm just gonna do a course.
Speaker 1:Well, he was very supportive in any in the course at the beginning okay wow.
Speaker 2:But I said, okay, fine, go, I went. They're my friends until now. I took the course. I talked to the professor. He told me what to do. You have to be very specific. What do you want?
Speaker 1:to do Fashion.
Speaker 2:Design, styling, production.
Speaker 1:There's everything. The thing is UAL is a whole world. It is the fashion school.
Speaker 2:They have more than 150 courses.
Speaker 1:Exactly, of them is curation Of them is curation of them is everything you could possibly imagine did he guide you?
Speaker 2:yeah, he guided me for a few days early. What should I do for, like, my portfolio? Uh, I had them as they am in a cool huggy, so he kind of guided me, but that was fine.
Speaker 2:The website late url. The URL was coming again. But for interviews, oof, and if you applied, you just send your application number with a just interview. Okay, so I did it. I also left my parents' house. I went to the interview. I got the acceptance immediately. Really, you applied, obviously, on a lot of things. We're going to give you an offer, which was, you know, it was a foundation at first, but it was the same level of a bachelor degree. Okay, and they told me at that time you're going to do styling and production. Sorry, you're going to do In Sa'aytah. You will do styling and production. Sorry, you will do. It is divided into three things Business, media or design. Okay, you're going to pick two and then you will see how it is Interesting For a whole year and you have to go yes, so now you're done. You entered, I got accepted to you. So how did you convince them to take you to Londonondon my mother's story? Your dad, yeah, I got accepted. Okay, because the visa is difficult.
Speaker 2:So she won't come to you and we go to. La every summer. So in the summer I went and got the visa. From the moment I got the visa, my father saw how much I was fighting for it and I was extremely determined. He felt that I can trust him now. Yeah, you have it. I have it in me.
Speaker 1:Okay. So, aiza, I want to talk a bit about your dad. So your dad, I think, played a very pivotal part in who you are actually, and I know this because I know you've told me about it, you've written about it. Can you tell us a little bit about your relationship with your dad? Sure?
Speaker 2:my dad, honestly, was my best friend. I know he's the same person, but that's why we were clashing a lot and I used to tell him when I was applying. I used to tell him I take this from you. Being stubborn is a nice thing and a bad thing because you.
Speaker 2:If you use it in a good way, you'll do what you want. But if you're using it in the wrong context, of course you will fail. But my relationship with my father was something that I always looked at him as. He was hopeful in life, he was full of life, he loved life to the fullest. He did everything, even though he died young. He was 54. And it was the first year After I applied For UAL. He sent me the group and he was very organized.
Speaker 2:Even he was double we kind of have this relationship until now. Yes, he was always saying I trust you, you're gonna do it. Even briefly, he was blessed. I felt that he was always on my back, if that makes sense. So the first year that was the first time I arrived. As I was saying, it was design and media I went and did all of that. I was building too, because the second year you see what you're going to do Right. So I got At the end of 2015, up until August 2016,.
Speaker 2:This year was the most difficult year in my family, because we lost our uncle, who I consider my godfather, and my father was also a kind of father, not a big brother. Okay, so we lost our uncle. And then, eight months later, I lost my dad, and I was still in LA and I got a call from my mom. My mom's voice was strong, but I didn't know what was happening in Egypt and I immediately went down to my dad in a coma. I didn't know what a coma was. I didn't know what happened. So, of course, I was talking to you yesterday and I was 21 years old 21.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 21. So it was a month later. So I went down suddenly. That was, of course, suddenly. That was for me a shock. Then, when I saw my dad, everything was in a coma. I didn't know what happened. He got a heart attack and we were in a coma for 24 days 24 days. I lost faith. I lost faith in God. I would love to talk about, but not much. No, please go ahead.
Speaker 2:I lost faith because I felt that I was asking God it's either you leave my father or you choose him. But my father lives a day he didn't like. I didn't like it. I understand what you mean, because my dad was always active so I didn't want to see him in something else you needed.
Speaker 1:You were asking for one or the other exactly, and, of course, when it happened, he passed away on my birthday.
Speaker 2:So I always celebrate that day, that. And, of course, when it happened, he passed away on my birthday. So all of a sudden, I celebrate that day. That. I don't take it on a negative note. I take it as a celebration. I mean that all of a sudden he's with me and we celebrate. All of a sudden, I take it that the journey of loss and death is such heavy and strong. But it's such a heavy and strong, but it's such a beautiful journey. It taught me a lot of things and it shaped me and it shapes me every day. So since then it's been 8 years.
Speaker 2:8 years, of course, was a rollercoaster of emotions, rollercoaster of stages how to take the good things and to be resilient. A roller coaster of emotions, roller coaster of stages how To take the good things and to be resilient and strong, and always the best. I do what I want. So I think it's the main drive for me and for my employees that I'm always inspired by himani. I'm always inspired by him. I'm always inspired by how much he was a dreamer as well. Yes, so anything he dreams of happens and I dream of anything that happens, and that's how I started Mizao Mahani when I was studying. So I was working when I was studying. So I was working when I was studying, and from the background my father used to tell me don't you work.
Speaker 1:now you know work a little bit, but I always had this issue and I think you know even being hopeful is such an important point. Honestly, I'm just listening to you. I I really teared up a little bit.
Speaker 2:It's such a beautiful thing although I usually I'm not the one actually I have it tattooed on my wrist hope, the word hope.
Speaker 1:I love that such a strong my grandmother come in, always talks to me about hope. But I think in the end it's a generational thing and they had a lot of hope and it's hard to instill it in us Because we feel that there is a lot of cynicism and skepticism in our generation. But I want to ask you because, now that you have Maison Mahani and something that you said, your father always dreamed of something and it happened. And the interesting thing about Maison Mahani and the fashion industry in general when we started is that there really wasn't one when you started. You were one of the first serious, creative production houses doing an aesthetic that was not presented before in Egypt at least. Let's be fair and say that. So I wasn't afraid that people wouldn't understand your aesthetic, wouldn't understand the way you work this part. Obviously it pays off in the end. But, like when I started something called podcast, it wasn't known what podcast or this format. I want to know you a podcast was. I didn't know the format. I want to know you weren't scared to start.
Speaker 2:No, this is the only thing I credit myself. I'm scared. I'm scared of a lot of things. As a person, I'm scared, but when it comes to work, if I have an idea, I just do it. Yeah, so that's how we started. You know, andrew is my partner.
Speaker 1:Yes, shout out to Andrew. Hi, andrew, we should get Andrew on the podcast, next episode, when he's here when he comes back, next episode when he's here when he comes back.
Speaker 2:But Andrew is literally my backbone as family and as my partner. How we started Muzama Hani, andrew's background was in pharmaceutical, with my family because my family was in medicine and all my family because my family was all in medicine. So Andrew also studied pharmacy and biotechnology and then he followed the whole family thing. But his dad lives in Paris and growing up he was always going to Paris.
Speaker 2:He kind of has, he has this kind of Bordeaux, the European element, and going up into this character, not the typical Middle Eastern or Egyptian, so he was always into fashion and art so whenever I had an art class. When I'm in school or in university, he always helps me with my projects and always tells me my insights and Andrew is your cousin.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my first cousin. Everyone thinks we're siblings. I thought you were siblings the first time I met you, but you look like each other not even my sister no, he's your sister, you can tell features of course, but but like andrew, no, not at all. But I was like oh, interesting but, then I was like okay, he's her first cousin, but you guys work really well together, I think he's a completely different character. So when you deal with him versus you, it's like there's two different worlds but it works.
Speaker 1:No, and that's why he lives in berlin but see, I want to get into my zone behind me more. I want to know what services do you guys like provide and how did you do the transition from being a fashion, creative production house to luxury?
Speaker 2:Okay, what we specifically do production, creative direction, art direction, styling. When we started, we had these pillars and we what's it called these pillars? And we Sorry services, these pillars, and we what to call these pillars? And we sorry services, and we provide to all our clients, whether it's fashion or hospitality real estate, all the clients of us but you started fashion focused. Yes, I started fashion focused because my studies right, but the next clients the taste, or how. We have a distinctive taste but we want to apply the luxury market, for example.
Speaker 1:It's a luxury real estate brand. It has luxury verticals in the luxury market, in the aesthetic market. I mean, in the aesthetic market, for example, it's a luxury real estate brand, it has luxury verticals not all compounds, but in general it can be considered that, yeah, but it's interesting that they came to you as a production house. So basically you went transitioning from fashion to luxury. In general, yes, and this was a strategic move right.
Speaker 2:It wasn't. I think it was a strategic move Andrew can see it but I felt that I was skeptical that we would enter this market or not. Okay, but I felt that it's working Okay and it's working for our own good, that we do what we want at the end of the day. Right, but I felt that it's working okay and it's working for our own good because we're doing what we want at the end of the day, right and we're showing our taste, aesthetics and vision, but towards something that's also commissioned and it's also commercial.
Speaker 1:Yes, and if you tell me more about your creative process as an like, what makes it different within Maison Mahani than any other production house that I can go to. You know there's so many production houses but you guys offer something specific, but can you tell me a bit about your, your creative process?
Speaker 2:once we take the brief from the client, we do a brainstorm session. We see what we're going to do first, and then everyone of us takes their time. We make our own little mood boards and he writes and also makes his own mood board, and we kind of merge our own ideas. So we feel like we're kind of a married couple Together. Together, so we make our ideas together and then we shape and we kind of give birth to a new, completely new thing. A completely new thing. Well, bordo alashan, our backgrounds are different, and andrew kind of grew up in paris by the european aesthetics. Aesthetics kind of shaped him and I'm still kind of growing up.
Speaker 1:I go to him a lot you have western aesthetics, but you know them apply them.
Speaker 2:In the Middle East there's a bridge.
Speaker 1:I really feel there's a bridge and I think it's important. It's not for everyone, which is actually a really good point, but the clients that want this specific bridge, that want to reach an audience that is middle eastern but also, uh, westernized, also well traveled, also kazahiga you really really know how to tap into that aesthetic perfectly. Yeah, um so, other than creative direction, styling, production, etc. In general, I feel like you are a sort of production agency that works very closely with the client. You are not, you don't just produce, you you're involved no, yeah, we do everything.
Speaker 2:The two of us, me and Andrew and I do something we love because there are clients. Until now it's been 6 or 7 years and they believed in us since day one, knowing I was a student in London. They were like shipping. I always owe that to the Egyptian designers.
Speaker 1:Yes, all these clients, they shaped us in a way what other clients that you feel really shaped as you worked with them over the years.
Speaker 2:Michael Oro, don Tonani. Numero L'Officiel Divas, the magazine. We have a strong relationship together, amor. We have a strong relationship together, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor Amor it's a really, really big thing and it's important that any of these clients are diverse.
Speaker 1:Well, it's not just fashion, it's luxury, um, and I'm really looking forward to see what's coming up next for Maison Mahani. Is there any project that you want to share?
Speaker 2:we're working yeah, we're working on very interesting projects. Right now we can't disclose the clients, but say any. Some of the clients are already mentioned, danny, but we're working on the next year the plan. But a lot of the clients are international and regional yes and we're tapping into the regional market now yeah, even more yeah even more, so that's exciting for us what was the first job that you got from Mizao Mahanika Production House?
Speaker 1:Did you feel, okay, wow, we're going to make a change, we're going to make some progress here.
Speaker 2:The first project that we got. I think I felt a major change for me Numero cover, which we did with Amra Zateen.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:We did it in Paris. That Numero Cover that we did with Amra Azzedine. We did it in Paris. That was for me to work with such a great team stylist. His name is Jean-Paul, his name is Jean-Paul and Amra Azzedine is the photographer and we are a production and the talents were Tilan Blondo and what's his name? Daniel Day-Lewis.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:Yeah, gabriel, his son, oh my. God, we were doing the Numero cover and it was in 2018. So for us, it was something we felt like we were making steps. Here we're making progress.
Speaker 1:We're making progress.
Speaker 2:We're making progress.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you've worked with Vogue. You've worked with Jean-Paul Gaultier, You've worked with Numéro, You've worked with let me check guys Amor. Amor Chloé. What's a campaign that, for you, you're really proud of as Anne, like something that you felt like we worked really hard, we've got it. Took a long time, but it's happened. Jean-paul goutte okay yeah no, tell me more, because this is brilliant. When I saw also in my home, honey, the jean-paul goutte campaign, I was was a moment for us yeah, yeah, for the region, yes, uh, you know he met the whole team.
Speaker 2:He called me. He's like, and you know, the project that we got, I'm like what idea? Very calm, I'm very cold. We got John Paul Goethe. I'm like what. I was super excited Because it's a big deal. It was a big deal and they gave us the whole thing.
Speaker 1:And the production was where.
Speaker 2:In Luxor and Aswan.
Speaker 1:Luxor and Aswan Wow.
Speaker 2:It's a lot of trust, trust and work, where they gave us the whole thing, from creative direction to production, to styling. It was all under.
Speaker 1:Mizal Mahani yes, and the campaign was for a perfume. Right yeah, perfume. The iconic bottle of their body. Right yeah, the goddess.
Speaker 2:The goddess bottle and they were doing an international campaign where they invite 26 influencers, slash models, where they were big names like Clara Berry, mimi Moucher, all these kind of big names, and for them it was an experiential campaign, so it wasn't just content creation.
Speaker 1:It was everything. Wow, you had to give them an experience, exactly, oh my.
Speaker 2:God, but so the experience was designed by the team Okay, and we were handling all the content parts Perfect.
Speaker 1:Facilitating the content and everything. It was an incredible campaign. Thank you, we got the congratulations. It was amazing, thank you. Okay, so what's like the hardest shoot day you've ever been through. You've been through a lot with Maison Mahani honey over the past like I want to say eight years. Um, okay, so when I met you you had just started. It was like in the first year or second year?
Speaker 1:yeah, first or second year, and I will never forget yeah, I don't know. I think it was yasmin, in a way our mutual friend, who was telling me nur, you have to meet an I'm like, and she would always just call you an and you call me annie, annie yeah, oh my god, it was so fun because, um, I think in a final, we started in a time where the possibilities felt endless, because we were kind of paving an industry and, to be honest, it's still in in the process we had the space and and this is something that's really important to actually talk about how did you feel?
Speaker 1:and, honestly, we were kind of like shooting in the dark. Should should I produce this and put it out there and see if vogue picks it up? And then, 2016, 17, vogue and harper's and l started in arab. So we were with the movement, exactly step by step. So at first one felt that anything is possible. Now it's obviously a bit more difficult, a bit more established, but at the beginning did you really feel like you could do whatever you wanted in production?
Speaker 2:Honestly, when I was studying I felt it wasn't challenging because the projects were already created and up until now we've never reached a client. Okay, all the clients reach us. In a way, they come to you, they come to us. Even Jean-Paul come to us through someone. Okay, we're proud of that. People tell us not because we're doing a full on marketing campaign on ourselves, but people put trust between me and them and Andrew how he deals with every client. But people put trust between me and them. They see the work and Andrew how he deals with every client. But deep in my mind it was something that I was sure we could do something in Mosque. We had the space, we had the time, we had the sources that we could do big things and what was the most difficult thing.
Speaker 1:I will return to this question. That was really difficult for you that you got through also Jean-Paul Gaultier.
Speaker 2:I was shocked for the second day. No, you fainted, no way, because I have a phobia. I have a phobia from a lot of things one of them is the sickness, oh my god. And I was filming at 45 degrees and Andrew was in the office, and then you fainted and, oh my god and all the team of Jean Paul Gaultier got up and sat with me and they made sure I was okay. They gave me meds and all that. So wow okay, that was the day I forgot wow.
Speaker 1:So right now, you've been 8 years as an employee. You've done so much. You've done creative campaigns, you've been in magazines, you've been featured, you've done your own work. What's something that you haven't done yet as an that you really feel like I still want to do, as an employee or otherwise?
Speaker 2:creatively image making design that you really feel like I still want to do for Maison Mahani or otherwise. Creatively Image making design how to design an image and I make the same design elements, but I apply it to the image. Okay, for example, how to treat photos in post-production. It can be something analog or something digital. Giving an example, I'm inspired by Haseen Shailan design methods, where he puts the fabric under the ground and sees how this is the treatment of the garment.
Speaker 2:I also want to experiment this kind of thing with commissioned designers or commissioned projects of the garment. But I also want to experiment this kind of thing not commissioned designers or commissioned projects. Of course, it's not feasible for anyone or for everyone, because you also a client, tells us at a certain time it's all commercial, they have objectives that we need to achieve. So they have objectives that we need to achieve Right. So to have the equation of doing something creative and doing something that's commercial when we make this kind of equation, that's what we're always trying to do. Something I've always wanted to do is to publish my own book, your book yeah, your book yeah yeah, I were waiting for the book, yeah you got me a book today.
Speaker 1:It's gucci. Encore I might steal it I don't know. Yeah, take it okay, uh, last thing I want to talk about with you is just something really, really important, which is your journey with health. You have done something that I think is so inspiring, not just in your work, but in your own self, and that's the health journey. And I want to know, first of all, before, how you became the hottest Pilates girly in. Egypt Aloe Pilates girly in Egypt. That's you, aloe Pilates girly. Um what made you take your health seriously?
Speaker 2:um. Well, back to Andrew, andrew, andrew.
Speaker 1:Waiting for you.
Speaker 2:Andrew taught me a lot In my life. By the way, that's his handwriting.
Speaker 1:I love that. Can you show the camera?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Hope, hope, it's beautiful Okay.
Speaker 2:Andrew is a healthy person and I was always inspired by him. But after my father, I got into a really bad depression For almost six years and I was always an emotional eater and I wanted to eat Nutella jar. I mean, everyone who knows me knows this the whole jar. I mean, all the people who know me know this. The whole jar. Yeah, the whole jar in one In an hour. In an hour. Like pudding. Yeah, I treat it as my Greek yogurt now.
Speaker 2:Love that, but I was finishing Nutella ice cream and when I go to my mom's, my mom and my sister were living in my house, so I was always eating and for me health was a side.
Speaker 1:Food was an outlet for you Exactly, and you weren't thinking about health or anything, or my appearance or anything.
Speaker 2:But for me it was hard to work in the fashion industry.
Speaker 1:And it was a big part of your personality, exactly.
Speaker 2:And to wear and do all these things. Unfortunately, people, people are vain and they take it in their mind that you're a stylist but, it's under the lines that I can see it, but at the same time, I wasn't different. I was different in my health.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I mean, I forgot about you, even though you were better dressed than most with the tabi boots and like let's be real for a second, but anyway. But no, but, like the health thing was something that was on your mind, I know, for a while.
Speaker 2:I was heavy on shoots. I couldn't stay all day. I felt extremely heavy. My wife was hurting me. Until my mom told me after three years that she was doing a surgery, I was like I have willpower.
Speaker 1:I'll do it myself All that.
Speaker 2:One of my closest people and one of my close friends did a surgery. He told me close friends did a surgery. He told me I did a surgery and I got stuck with it the sleeve, yes, the sleeve. I said no, I won't do it and I'll lose my time I was in.
Speaker 2:London, but anyway, I came one day it was 2022. And I was sitting there. I went to the doctors a lot it was 2022, and I was going to many doctors and the doctors who changed my life were two doctors Dr Sherif Haqqi and Dr Abdelrahman. I went to them and told them at the first meeting with me. Sherif Haqqi told me at that time I'm the last one to tell you to do a surgery Really, yes, and I went to Egypt and he told me this word. He told me you need the surgery Really. Don't do it.
Speaker 1:There's no point.
Speaker 2:So I started working out. I started working out, I started working out twice a week and that was my journey. How to build a support system around me? Exactly, people think that you have to do everything by yourself. Yes, but I think it's a shame to ask for help and it's not a shame to ask for help around you from your family, from anything.
Speaker 2:So I always walk on kind of four pillars and this is also back to Andrew Hall, the teacher these four pillars we are created by mind, body, soul and heart. Yes, your mind is literally your mental workout and mental health. So I always tell and I always say do therapy. You have to have self tuning, yes, and see what your body needs and wants. And of course, the second pillar is your body. How do you, how do you get inside your body, how you treat it? For example, I fell in love with Pilates. I fell in love with working out. But now, from a girl who was not moving to someone who is working out literally five to six days a week, that business belly can a dream, yes, the heel cut up, a shock, so that I'm body killer. The sole part is the spiritual part, where you have your own beliefs. You have your own God for business. Bailey praying in the morning and kind of start my own day on a good note, I started something very fascinating with what's moving me in my life.
Speaker 2:And then you have the heart. You fuel yourself with healthy relationships and healthy friendships. So I started those pillars. These pillars are not fueled, the brain won't work, but each one of them fuels the other and you have to fuel it Exactly.
Speaker 1:And so when you did the surgery and you started losing weight but what was the moment that you were like I have to do it?
Speaker 2:Like I'm doing it, I didn't know how to breathe, okay, and I was on the ceiling and I didn't know how to breathe and I didn't know how to do my robot.
Speaker 1:And you're like you're in your 20s?
Speaker 2:Yes, I was 20. I did it in 2022. I'm 29. Do the math oh my god.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was like 27, you're 27.
Speaker 1:This can't be my life, that's it yeah, I mean like let just want to tell you honestly, I just find your story so, so, so inspiring and I feel like so many people can benefit from it, because actually, it's like you said, it's the four pillars, it's the mind, it's the heart, it's the soul, it's the body, and if all of this wasn't together, even if you did the exercise by the way, it wouldn't have made much of a difference. It would have made a big difference. All but not everything, and like any advice you have for someone who wants to pursue a fitness career, Just follow your body and follow your heart.
Speaker 2:Try as many classes as you need. There are currently, for most of you, made classes, whether bar class there's everything.
Speaker 1:What made you fall in love with pilates? Why pilates? I'm a pilates girl.
Speaker 2:I read about it and I saw videos, the low impact movements. When you say to work on your core, the posture to get snatched, but in a healthy way, it's not aggressive. It's not aggressive on you but it's hard.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's difficult enough for you to say, okay, wow, I worked out exactly. Yeah, this, I think, is so good. It's actually a very good point. Anyone who does want to get into movement. I think pilates is a good place to start and it's not asking you for so much exactly, but you got results, yeah you get amazing results yeah, I can tell you too. Okay, we went through a lot of different things. Aiza araf, what's next for an?
Speaker 2:uh, a lot of things working on on my book. Yes, working on two brands.
Speaker 1:Will book is like an aesthetic book. What?
Speaker 2:type of book. It was my personal project in Gamma and this is also a story. I mean you need a podcast when I publish it.
Speaker 1:By the way, 100%, I know, I'm waiting. We collect books, I'm waiting for Elisina, and I collect books and I've been waiting for it and I've been hearing about it, so I'm waiting for it honestly.
Speaker 2:The problem is that I open things and close them. But the time will come Exactly, but it will come. The time will come. Briefly, the book is about something I was into photography in the university and photography to me is something really personal, because there are a lot of clients who ask me why don't you do your photography? And I do everything. But I feel it's such a personal thing. When I was in photography in my personal project, it was about scanning and creating mediums on a scanner, literally a scanner, a4 scanner. So I was doing, for example, imageries, and that's the idea of design, image design or image making, presented in a book, in a book and so you and you have two brands.
Speaker 1:You're working on one of them, I know yeah, I'm excited about it.
Speaker 2:It's a skincare brand.
Speaker 1:You guys are gonna love it. I don't I can't say the name, yeah it's not okay, but guys, the name is really cool. The branding is amazing with my family. I'm waiting for my samples, girl.
Speaker 2:I think I have one in my bag.
Speaker 1:I'll let you try it patiently for my samples amazing and anything else that you're working on.
Speaker 2:I'm working with my best friend on a brand Bordeaux. I can't say the name, but it's a collectible brand. I'm working with my best friend on a brand Bordeaux. I can't say the name, but it's a collectible brand. Every collection had been inspired by a movie or something that's very specific, amazing.
Speaker 1:Okay, our last question for Anne Mahoney, the queen of curation. What is Anne's edit? What is curated by an elevates your life? Little things, it can be anything that is your likes personal edit I see my goal all the time to awaken my five senses.
Speaker 2:I always tell my friends that I don't understand this language, but I feel that you have to have five senses. Nice smell, you wear, a nice texture, so fabrics are important to me.
Speaker 1:Food is something I love to eat. What's?
Speaker 2:your favorite meal. I have a lot. What's your favorite food? But I eat it every day and I feel like I'm fulfilled my shake, my protein shake. Your protein shake. What do you put in it? Just coffee, frappe and protein? The ice vanilla Vanilla, not chocolate.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, the ice cream vanilla protein powder interesting, but actually they it's a known thing for cakes okay, okay, okay, amazing but that's my okay, um, and any products that you feel like are like really, really like very on, you can't live without them curated by you.
Speaker 2:I think my lip balm, summer Fridays, oh, it's so good.
Speaker 1:Which ones do you have?
Speaker 2:The cocoa butter thing.
Speaker 1:It's so good, I was skeptical.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's really good, or perfumes, and perfumes are very important, guys.
Speaker 1:Anne just made me discover the most amazing perfume. I put it on before the episode and I and I'm smelling like I have to order it, but I almost want to gatekeep it no it's fine, it's fine. Okay, let's do in your what's in your bag. All right, let's go, all right. So this is a celine phantom yeah from pb philo, which we love. Okay, what's in your bag, girl?
Speaker 2:Okay, I have everything in my bag. I'll start with the Hassan and Mary Poppins. I have my beauty slash everything.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, it's a hot dog triangle pouch. I love that pouch. It's really, really useful yeah and it's waterproof as well. I have my perfume this is my favorite perfume can you tell us what perfume it is? I know I said I don't gatekeep, but fine the Orilla.
Speaker 2:Basically it's Rehle, but in French Orilla by Dettique. Actually, the story behind this perfume is so, so inspiring. The two founders went around the region, where they collected all the Arab scents and put them in a perfume bottle.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:It reminds me a little bit of Deir, if you guys know what that means or the church. So it has the idea of perfume. I see it has perfume leather, wood, amber, raspberry and it's Orilla yeah, orilla love it. Yeah, I have my CBD for CBD oil. I love the CBD oil. It's by Hi Stevie, sorry by Stevie, it's oil.
Speaker 1:It's by Hi Stevie sorry by Stevie, it's a.
Speaker 2:It's a good brand yeah, it's a very good brand okay in LA. My brush, two-inch brush. Why my deodorant? Nice, my mascara, westman Atelier mascara. Can I see it? Yeah, is it good? Yeah, westman Atelier mascara.
Speaker 1:Can I see it? Yeah, is it good? Yeah, westman Atelier, ooh.
Speaker 2:Okay, Just tried this one the Nude Stix eyeshadow.
Speaker 1:Looks good. Hot tone, hardo yeah, love it.
Speaker 2:Thank you. I also have my serum by Sonsi. Oh, it's a new brand by a blogger called I can't remember.
Speaker 1:I've heard of it. Yeah, is it good? It seems like you finished it, so it's good. It's very, very good. I love this.
Speaker 2:Drunk Elephant. So good, the Drunk Elephant bronzing drop. And my meds, yes, my prebiotics the meds pouch.
Speaker 1:Yeah, guys, the meds pouch, guys, the meds pouch is Saint Laurent, just a dust bag, just a dust bag.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just make use of everything, sustainability yeah sustainability. Here we go, my dental floss amazing, my dentist would be so proud of me, obsessed. Yeah, my scrunchie. What else? Oh, I have a sound, actually a sample of our new skin care oh my god, actually it's a body serum.
Speaker 1:It will be the first body serum in egypt I need a body serum and I don't want to get the necessary, so I'm not gonna get it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm waiting for that Okay.
Speaker 1:so, guys, that was the biggest patch I've ever seen in my life.
Speaker 2:And then Then I have my biggest. They're really good. No, I love them, but they're not. Honestly, I was influenced. Not exactly, but they're not super practical, but they're amazing when you work out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay. I want to see the black. Okay. I amazing when you work out. Yeah, okay, they wear. And I want to see the black. Okay, but I love that you got the black. The white, I feel, is too.
Speaker 2:It's too much yeah and then I have another bag in my bag in case I don't want to carry a heavy bag and then so it's like a bag in the bag. I love it.
Speaker 1:Just have my cute ysl, very cute and you put in here, like all of the like little makeup things that you need. Huh, yeah, the essentials. Okay, I call them the essentials.
Speaker 2:Okay, I use all my pouch, I love it, I have. These are my favorite products. Okay, the Summer Fridays the lip butter bomb Love it, this one is amazing. The Tarte Juicy Lip Uh-huh. And then I have my eyebrow pencil by Refai. It's really good, yeah, love it. The Gizou Lip Oil Love it. The eye what's it called the eyebrow gel? And this is my favorite lipstick. It's almost done, I guess.
Speaker 1:By Chanel.
Speaker 2:By Chanel.
Speaker 1:What color?
Speaker 2:I don't know, it's called Rouge Allure, yeah.
Speaker 1:I love it, but these are essentials, honestly.
Speaker 2:And I have my little, I have the same, it's the best yeah. I love it, I think I got good as a gift. The the musk oil and the westman atelier I need to try this brand.
Speaker 1:You're gonna get me on this brand the contour stick amazing.
Speaker 2:And then I have my I.
Speaker 1:How the hell did you fit this in here In this pouch? The essentials.
Speaker 2:Okay, and then my card holder.
Speaker 1:Chanel.
Speaker 2:I didn't change my card holder for so long. Beautiful, yeah, it's a classic, yeah, and I always lose my card holder, by the way, it's a fun fact, but my problem is that it's mine, but I have a lot of pictures, okay, so for me I don't know if I should put it in a. That is so cute. I always carry it with me. I love it so much, yeah and my grandmother used to write on the back of pictures in French, but on the back of pictures, oh, in french that is so cute.
Speaker 1:I love that. So you put your pouch in the bag and then in the bag you have your work things yeah, my work things and I have my in my pouch, if you know.
Speaker 2:You know the virgin mary oil really.
Speaker 1:But I feel protected and I can I see yeah, I've never seen this on.
Speaker 2:That's so interesting for god is the religious part is in me. Yeah, for that, literally in my pouch. Can I see the pouch?
Speaker 1:I want to hold the pouch and then I have my shades. I love the shades you walked in with, by the way. Can? You put them on my current favorite, tom Ford sick, literally insane. Shout out to Meze as well.
Speaker 2:I love them did she get? You on these.
Speaker 1:I love it. They're so cute amazing.
Speaker 2:So these are my sheets, I think you're an ipad girl yeah, love my ipad. You don't have a laptop? No, I have my laptop okay but my laptop is very heavy. If I always carry my ipad, okay to my like all my meetings and yeah I have my favorite, uh, but it's more of oh, what's that that? That was an exhibition in la. It's beautiful. I took that picture and it's kind of the space I want for mizoma honey oh, my god, I love it.
Speaker 1:Okay, so it's an ipad and a pen and a notebook.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and my notebook this is not the notebook. This is my diary your diary, yeah, and you're writing it every day no, but uh, I write whenever I feel sad, so the first thing I wrote it was actually I posted about that you did yeah, the letter to my father uh, the, and it's on her instagram, guys, you can read it. It's so beautiful but god, I love how follows I'm like, I'm like, literally styled by anna guys this is the funniest thing.
Speaker 1:Can we end on the t-shirt? Boss of god, I must give her a t-shirt in case she needs to change okay but first gelato, and that's something I love. That is me, guys. Thank you so much, ann Annie. Thank you guys.
Speaker 1:That's what's in Anne Mahoney's bag. Guys, in case you needed to know, this is the real life. Mary Poppins, here you go. Okay, I want you to tell me a couple of more sentences about Maison Mahoney. Yeah, and that's it. Okay, do we have? We're good? Okay, by the way. Way, what's in your bag was freaking fascinating, I'm not even kidding.
Speaker 1:I can't believe. No, we thought it was a lot of. You know, aya pulled out seven things because I asked her what's your lip color? She's like, so I use this. This is seven things. I'm like Aya. No one can replicate that. What are you talking about? That's it, and hopefully next time we have Andrew with us to talk more about his side and Berlin yeah the Berlin side is wild.
Speaker 2:That's Bordeaux, something that's shaping Mzoma honey in a way, exactly exactly.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, thank you, thank you, thank you everyone, thank you, thank you guys we did it guys, uh, finally.