Egyptian designer named finalist in regional Creators of Craft design challenge

Cairo-based jewellery designer and artist Youssef Mohammed Karam Hussein has been named one of five finalists in the Creators of Craft Design Challenge, organised by IQOS in collaboration with Vogue Arabia and with the participation of Italian design house SELETTI.

Hussein, the only Egyptian in the final round, will compete alongside four designers from the UAE and Lebanon. The finalists will travel to Dubai in November 2026 to present their physical prototypes, with the winner to be announced at the inaugural Vogue Arabia Ball: Art Edition.

The winner will receive a commissioned collaboration with IQOS, a paid trip to Milan, a feature in Vogue Arabia’s print edition, and access to masterclasses curated by the judges.

Launched in December 2025, the challenge invited designers from Egypt, Lebanon, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait to create an accessory for the IQOS device. Open to participants from fashion, product design, jewellery, and architecture, the competition asked entrants to reinterpret traditional craftsmanship through a contemporary lens, combining art, technology, and heritage.

Hussein, founder of Peace of Art Design Studio, drew on the Egyptian mashrabiya for his entry, reimagining the device holder as a wearable piece of jewellery to be worn as a necklace. The design is available in brass or leather. The brass version is made from a single flat sheet using cold mechanical connections, making it durable and easy to disassemble, while integrated charms add a subtle cultural reference.

The other finalists are Fabi Faisal and Razan Basim from the UAE, and Marc Keyrouz and Elie El Khoury from Lebanon.

The entries will be judged by a panel comprising Manuel Arnaut, Head of Editorial Content at Vogue Arabia; Yan Marois, Vice-President Global Brands at Philip Morris International; Stefano Seletti, Founder and Creative Director of SELETTI; Nadine Kanso, Founder and Creative Director of Bil Arabi; and Natasha Carella, Director of Dubai Design Week.

Ali Nevzat Karaman, Managing Director for Egypt and Levant at Philip Morris International, said: “Egypt’s rich design heritage continues to inspire contemporary creativity. Initiatives like Creators of Craft give emerging designers an opportunity to build on this legacy, translating cultural influences into original concepts that reflect their own creative perspectives.”

He added that having an Egyptian designer among this year’s finalists “highlights the depth of creative talent in Egypt and the role regional platforms can play in bringing that talent to a wider audience.”

According to the organisers, the initiative aims to support the regional design community by giving emerging designers international visibility and connecting them with established figures in the creative industry.