Panorama | Traces of Downtown Cairo’s tailors

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Ghuriya Street, in what is now known as Islamic Cairo, was Egypt’s main hub for the fabric and clothing trade. When the Ismailia Quarter, with its European design modeled after Baron Hausmann’s planning for Paris, was developed in the second half of the 19th century, this new and modern area (which we currently know as Downtown) became a magnet for residents, capital, and commercial activity. Over time, the center of the textile trade gradually shifted from Ghuriya to Fouad Street (now 26th of July Street) and its surroundings, while Ghuriya's importance diminished. And since fabric markets are often shadowed by tailors ready to serve their joint customers, tailors also largely relocated downtown.

As time went by, the fabric trade and reliance on tailors gradually declined as people increasingly purchased ready-made clothes. Many tailor shops also disappeared under redevelopment schemes, such as those in the Continental alley, following the demolition of the hotel of the same name in 2018. Yet even as business faded and shops closed, many Downtown tailors left behind their signs.

These traces of a once-thriving industry offer glimpses into its history. We can spot the prominence of French in shop signs, and labels such as "civil tailor" or "military tailor." Some tailors advertised themselves as specializing in either men’s or women’s wear, while others served all. There were tailors in shops, apartments, and even in alleys so narrow that they only allow for single-file foot traffic. Most of Downtown’s tailors have now disappeared, but their enduring signs still remind us: “We were once here.”

Text and images: Michel Hanna