KERB Clothing is Creating a Movement for Rejects
A look into the Cairo based label.
Founded in Cairo, Egypt, in May 2022, KERB Clothing expands its statement in curating apparel with premium quality fabrics and designs.
Founders Hamdy Ghossein and Hossam Issac have built a brand for individuals who are trying to make a differences in the world. KERB looks at artists, skateboarders, creatives and rejects and gives them a voice to express themselves. Creating a community out of diversity is what drives the movement’s identity.
“Hamdy and I have been friends since 2011 and we each had our own interests at that time, but we always talked about business and future plans” says Issac. “I lived in Frankfurt for three years studying marketing in City University of New York and after two years, I transferred to the University of New York in Prague, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I wasn’t happy with what I was doing, but I just had to obey my family and continue my studies without listening to myself”.
Issac traveled to New York and walked around Prague to find what was new, what was trending and new fabrics and shades in the market. While lost in his path in life, he dropped out of university in 2019 and dedicated his time to learn more about fashion – specifically streetwear and pop-culture.
Issac spent everyday studying and going to retail stores in Prague to find designs and feel fabrics from brands such as Off-White, Heron Preston, Stüssy, Palace, A-Cold-Wall*, Fear of God and HUF. After discovering KITH, Ronnie Fieg’s story became an idol followed by Virgil Abloh, Jerry Lorenzo, Shawn Stussy and more.
He launched his brand in Prague, but was missing the business front.
Ghossein comes from a self made and business oriented family. In 2015, he was the managing partner at a hotel in Ras Sudr on the Red Sea coast and after years of hard work and dedication, the hotel became the hottest spot in the coast.
While Ghossein was looking for a shift in career and Issac was holding onto his brand, they we were working on local brands individually and helping each other out. They would visit the same factories and fabric suppliers.
“We had the same vision for our brands, but targeted different communities. Two months into it, while helping each other, Hamdy asked me to create a label together. I didn’t think twice and that’s when we started developing KERB’s branding and business model”.
The founders study the latest cuts and revolution in the fashion industry, but choose to get their inspiration from the non-conforming communities of Cairo – giving them durability in design and timeless heavyweight fabrics for their everyday hustles and lifestyle.
KERB gets their inspiration from what Ghossein and Issac saw as a large gap within established brands in the city, the missing emotional connection. This plays along the initial moment one has when they first see an item of clothing and how they style it in their everyday outfits.
KERB’s first collection, “Movement”, includes the “Loco House” tee inspired by the 90’s with illustrations of a basketball hoop, skateboard ramp and graffiti, a signature tee with the tagline “From the streets to the streets”, hoodies, crewnecks and sweatpants.
Keep a lookout for a re-stock of all the KERB tees in the coming weeks, a Summer collection expected to be released in July as well as upcoming collaborations and events in Egypt to be announced. On the way is also a seasonal collection that will be produced annually with a percentage to be donated to chosen communities and charities.
You can visit the KERB Clothing website to check out their collection and keep up with forthcoming drops.
For more in fashion, BAIT returns with a full “Astro Boy” capsule collection.
