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carving out a position in the fashion industry
In late 2014, three and a half years after graduating from university during a particularly turbulent political and economic period in Egypt (the "Arab Spring" of 2011), Amira Motwae decided to change career paths. This case study revolves around Amira's journey in deciding to create her own startup and fashion brand, Elia, and the dilemmas she faced in doing so.After working for a year in the corporate world and then some time for an e-commerce startup, Amira realized she did not have a passion for either of these endeavors. And Amira believed in following her passion. Indeed, it was challenging at first to leave a stable job with a steady income, particularly in the midst of a potentially unstable regional economic environment. But inspired by her experience in Jumia - at that time an emerging e-commerce startup - as well as by her father's advice to help "revive the Egyptian culture through fashion," Amira decided to follow her dream and create her own startup within the fashion industry. This decision would lead to the birth of her brand, Elia, in 2015.But first, Amira had some decisions to make. Specifically, she needed to identify which niche within the fashion industry to pursue. Her market analysis of the shoe industry, as well as lessons learned in sourcing and manufacturing her product, ultimately led her to focus there, despite having almost no previous background knowledge in this particular sector. She also found herself navigating obstacles due to her gender in the heavily male-centered manufacturing world of Egypt. As she gathered the resources, skills, and knowledge needed to begin her business, Amira - like any good entrepreneur - needed to decide: When was the right time to follow her dream?
Nellie El Enany, Noor Soror, Hannah Gemei.
Originally Published InEl Enany, N., Soror, N. & Gemei, H. (2022). Elia: Carving Out a Position in the Fashion Industry. Cairo, Egypt: The American University in Cairo, School of Business.
Includes bibliographical references and index.