Cairo Brand UNTY & Palestinian Rapper Shabjdeed Collab on New Line

Where the local fashion scene has become saturated with countless street-style brands desperate to make a name for themselves, UNTY stands boldly out of the crowd. Over the last few years they have elevated the standard of Egyptian streetwear with a consistent output of creative designs, high quality, and unique creative direction. 

The brand first began as a thesis project in AUC in 2013 by Omar Mobarek and Mostafa Tarek, who a year later left the company. Mobarek, who still designs and runs UNTY alongside finance manager and legal consultant Omar Fayez, told SceneNoise that the brand was founded upon their illustrations, “inspired by the struggle to adjust to Egypt’s social structure.”

As Mobarek grew more attached to Cairo’s brighter side, UNTY’s voice became more lighthearted and playful, resulting in a number of collaborations with underground creative collectives elevating the fresh and youthful culture in the same way. Collections began to develop in association with popular nitsch collectives and brands like Jellyzone, INFP, Bags Code – and even the Ghassan Kanafani Cultural foundation, where a limited collection capsule was created in support of Palestine. 

In its latest capsule, UNTY have teamed up with none other than Palestinian artist Shabjdeed for an electrifying collection of jackets, hoodies, pants, and shirts. 

When asked how the collaboration came about, Mobarek told SceneNoise that it was years in the making.

“4 years ago, a friend of mine sent me a Boiler Room set from Palestine. That’s the first time I heard Shabjdeed and I’ve been hooked ever since.”

The pair first met in 2019, when Shabjdeed came to Cairo for a gig at the Swiss Club. After instantly connecting, a friendship developed – after bonding over the intricate art of embroidery in Palestine, the two began to discuss the idea of creating a project together. 

That project is available online for purchase now, but hurry – over half the collection has already been sold out.