Thread: Eman Zaki and copying design..

A few of the new Eman designs on FB, are looking remarkable similar to a few costumes from Amira and Sahar.

The black assuit, is almost exactly the same as Amiras. Even the same fabric, and the same beads.
I dont know if it maybe is a special costume, that is supposed to have that fabric, and those beads?

The new lace-drape costumes looks very much the same as Sahars. Dont know if Eman made them first, but I think its kinda weird for designers to make so similar costumes. Especially when they are so famous.

Eman:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...95932443754041

Pharaonics: (Cant find it now, it has been on bellydancestore forever, but now its sold. However, it looked exatly the same as the new Eman, but here is a similar)

https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=1&lpc=1&lpo=6


Eman:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...95932443754041

And Sahar:
http://bellydancestore.biz/gallery.p...productId=8360


I love the new Emans, but I think its weird that they copy a Pharaonics costume, when they are capable of making their own, stunning, original designs.

If that is a special type of costume, that is supposed to have that fabric, and the eye-beads, then I understand.

The Dahlal link is beeing silly, its on page 3 =)

I don't they're similar enough to be considered copies, especially the Sahar. Maybe inspiration, but also I think Eman is catering to what her clients want...and if they've expressed interest in these styles it gives her an opportunity to try them on her own and please her customers at the same time.

Originally Posted by EliAnn

A few of the new Eman designs on FB, are looking remarkable similar to a few costumes from Amira and Sahar.

The black assuit, is almost exactly the same as Amiras. Even the same fabric, and the same beads.
I dont know if it maybe is a special costume, that is supposed to have that fabric, and those beads?

The new lace-drape costumes looks very much the same as Sahars. Dont know if Eman made them first, but I think its kinda weird for designers to make so similar costumes. Especially when they are so famous.

Eman:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...95932443754041

Pharaonics: (Cant find it now, it has been on bellydancestore forever, but now its sold. However, it looked exatly the same as the new Eman, but here is a similar)

https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=1&lpc=1&lpo=6


Eman:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...95932443754041

And Sahar:
http://bellydancestore.biz/gallery.p...productId=8360


I love the new Emans, but I think its weird that they copy a Pharaonics costume, when they are capable of making their own, stunning, original designs.

If that is a special type of costume, that is supposed to have that fabric, and the eye-beads, then I understand.

For the assuit costume - I've been seeing that classic style for years. Suhaila and her daughter Isabella have matching ones they wore to a Rakkasah severla years ago. I don't think anyone can call dibs on the old assuit bra and skirt combo.

As for the lace design - the assymetrical drape from the bra of Eman's is similar to Sahar's but the skirts are constructed completely differently. I agree with Andalee that they're significantly different enough.

Edit to add pictures:


Isabella's is pink.

I don't know if they're really copies. It's more like a fashion trend, in my mind. And, they aren't new fashion trends, as these things seem to go in cycles. Belly dance fashion is like clothing fashion in that there tend to be trends that all the design houses follow and create their own version of.

Originally Posted by EliAnn

The black assuit, is almost exactly the same as Amiras. Even the same fabric, and the same beads.
I dont know if it maybe is a special costume, that is supposed to have that fabric, and those beads?

The word Assuit refers to the fabric those costumes are made of, which has traditionally always been black mesh with silver metal pounded into it (though assuit has also been available in white and red, and is available in other colors more recently). I can remember Pharonics/Amira making assuit costumes in red and black with silver coins back in the mid-90s. I can remember Eman first making them as a dress that revealed a separate bra, and using the turquoise scarab beads, about 5 years later.

The draped lace was actually an Eman innovation, as I recall, which was later picked up as a trend by Amira and others.

Eman and Raqia Hassan live(d?) literally next door to one another, in the same apartment building. Raqia hired Eman's head seamstress when she started her own line, so there was a lot of overlap in their designs at first (both heavily inspired by Dina, who was a protege of Raqia and - IIRC -- a customer of Eman and who, according to Raqia, actually sketched/created many of her own costumes. Dina was later costumed by Sahar Okasha)

Originally Posted by Lauren_

The draped lace was actually an Eman innovation, as I recall, which was later picked up as a trend by Amira and others.

Yes, I got draped lace costume from Eman in maybe 2005?? I can't remember for sure, but she's been doing variations on that look for years....

Wow, thanks Lauren!

@EliAnn(Hej på dej och välkommen)
yes I know what you mean by copying each others designs(it´s surely a cut throat business)
Since Eman presented her pharaonic designs I´ve seen so many copycats making their own(of lower qual.)

But the biggest browraiser for me was Hanan Mahmoud´s inspirations from Sim Moda...I don´t think they got them sold yet(years later)in Bellydance Store...wait:
No,not yet:http://bellydancestore.biz/gallery.p...productId=4316

@Shushanna:Yes-the first link(Sabriye you look lovely)also made me immediatly think:USA!Jamila!FAB!

I was in Cairo with Andrea of NeeNee's Imports on a buying trip, so I got to visit a lot of ateliers with her. The designers were almost neurotic about keeping their designs a secret from each other... but many of them had pictures from Dahlal's website printed out on their desks! It was funny to travel all the way to Cairo and then see Samira (a fellow St. Louis dancer) everywhere I went! So designs travel here, then back via our internet retailers, to be copied. LOL

One Cario costumer even tried to sell us his knockoffs of American Neckelmann's costumes - which at that time were really inexpensive plastic student costumes in the Brazilian style. He seemed hurt when we weren't enthusiastic and said we should see how pretty they are on a dancer... and he pulled up the Neckelmann's website to show us pictures!

We also had a seamstress at one atelier offer to sell her own knockoffs of her boss's knockoffs of another designer's work.

The thing with Assuit is that it is a folk fabric used in costumes meant primarily for folkloric dance styles. So the embellishment will usually be a nod to folk arts as well--coins, turquoise and coral beads, scarabs, evil eye beads. But the focus in Assuit costumes is always the beautiful designs on the fabric itself.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

The word Assuit refers to the fabric those costumes are made of, which has traditionally always been black mesh with silver metal pounded into it (though assuit has also been available in white and red, and is available in other colors more recently). I can remember Pharonics/Amira making assuit costumes in red and black with silver coins back in the mid-90s. I can remember Eman first making them as a dress that revealed a separate bra, and using the turquoise scarab beads, about 5 years later.

Watch into this clip and Katy is dancing in an Assuit dress.
There's also an old Nagwa clip (tabla solo) in a pretty fab assuit dress.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

The draped lace was actually an Eman innovation, as I recall, which was later picked up as a trend by Amira and others.

Yep. And now Eman is the first I'm seeing doing really cool things with Mesh.

Some things are just timeless. Some things are fashion trends. There ARE copycats. There are also amazing creative designers...some of whom might find "inspiration" from others. That's OK in my book, as long as they make it their own. You can't reinvent the wheel every time.