Emma James's Latest Collection Draws on Cairo's Historic Details

Emma James has an eye for patterns. The founder of Emma James Studio draws inspiration from the motifs around her, from textile prints to decorative details woven into the places we inhabit. For her latest collection, she turned her attention to a familiar feature of Islamic architecture: the stepped cresting that traces rooflines across the region.

The 'Ziggurat Collection' translates this detail into three upholstered furniture pieces: a pouff, a bench and an ottoman. Each follows the cresting's repeated peaks, with upholstery softening the angular outline. The collection grew from James's interest in giving familiar decorative details a new role in the home.

The idea began with a mosque in Cairo that James often passes on her way back to Zamalek. Its decorative roofline caught her attention repeatedly, prompting her to consider how its stepped profile might translate into furniture. As she prepared her apartment, she decided she wanted a pouff with a playful character. Working with her upholsterer, she explored proportions that would preserve the silhouette while keeping the piece comfortable and functional.

The collection's name draws on another architectural reference. A ziggurat is a stepped pyramidal structure associated with ancient Mesopotamia, and James felt the name suited the furniture's geometry. She also liked the thought of people looking it up and discovering its history for themselves.

The pieces can be upholstered in a single fabric or in contrasting materials that accentuate their stepped outlines. One design pairs leopard print with green velvet, drawing on the decorative style of Madeleine Castaing, the French antiques collector and interior decorator. Castaing's use of green, turquoise and animal prints helped inspire the combination.

The stool sits in James's turquoise room, which pays tribute to her grandmother, whose favourite colour was turquoise. Her mother shares the same preference, carrying that affection across generations. “This room was kind of an homage to this legacy of loving that colour,” James explains. The stool's compact scale also reflects her belief that a single piece can introduce bolder patterns and colours into a room without requiring a complete change of decor.

Another version of the pouff pairs a Pierre Frey print with blue velvet. The printed fabric had been in the client's family for years before James incorporated it into the design, giving a treasured textile a new place in the home. She enjoys personalising furniture with fabrics and colours that already hold meaning for its owners. Although the collection shares a recognisable silhouette, each piece can take on a different character through its upholstery.

This personal approach informs James's view of contemporary Egyptian design. With independent furniture makers and young brands continuing to emerge in Egypt, she sees opportunities for smaller studios to explore more decorative forms. “I think this piece is important because it's telling a story of our city,” she says. “It's helping us bring decorative detail that has historic roots into our homes in a way that's useful.”

Looking ahead, James hopes to keep exploring familiar references through unexpected forms. “I love giving familiar things a fresh twist, with a nod to their history.” She is drawn to furniture with a playful quality and a story behind it, rather than pieces designed purely for mass production. As she puts it, “It could be a pouff, it could be a cushion, it could be your one armchair that has a bit more oomph to it.”

The 'Ziggurat Collection' is available for enquiries through Emma James Studio's Instagram account and email. The studio's website is launching soon.