From Fashion to Mansions: The Sheer Versatility of Maksters Manor

There is something to be said about universal designs, the kind that still works regardless of the product it’s on. What’s good for the goose isn’t always good for the gander, but those who pull it off are able to effortlessly expand their portfolio to (taking this metaphor to its logical conclusion) include all manners of fowl. Maksters, a fashion brand based in London and Paris founded by Egyptian brothers Khaled and Ahmed Makki, is one example of this versatility - one that is more clearly seen with the establishment of Maksters Manor, their newly formed furniture and interior design studio based in Cairo and London.

Since 2014, the Makki brothers’ fashion products have earned them international acclaim, particularly due to their footwear. Shortly after finalising a new collection of bespoke loafers in 2020, the brothers had to put everything on pause as COVID-19 restrictions put the whole world to a grinding halt.

“People had to stay home and evidently there were no social functions,” Khaled Makki tells #SceneHome. “During that period we were all forced to take a step back and reconnect with our surroundings, sparking the idea to apply our designs in making our indoor environments prettier.” In 2021, this notion evolved into Maksters Manor, a furniture and interior design studio based in Cairo and London.

“It kicked off when a client approached us and declared her fondness for our designs, asking us to design her home with the utmost freedom of expression,” Makki explains. Inspired by Middle Eastern heritage, the studio presents designs that are ripe with rich patterns which create a visual array of bold Mediterranean blues, reds, and greens. In a continuous representation of their belief that art is adaptable in its essence, Maksters Manor relied on their versatile design catalogs in a slew of projects which include celebrity hairstylist Haitham Dahab’s salon, a jewellery store in New Cairo, and residential work that looks to startle the market with colourful game.

“Trends tend to remain relevant for a year, maybe two,” Makki says. “We attempt to create designs that are timeless, looking just as good after numerous years as they would after their immediate conception. The aim is to always try to be unique, because if we don’t provide something different, things may get a bit redundant. If you’re a creative, be expressive and don’t corner yourself in a specific genre. As long as you can visualize something, then it can be done.”