Ziad and Nadine Fatah Allah, Egyptian twins, founded Al-Iskafy, a handmade leather shoe brand, in 2017. They aimed to revive the traditional profession of the artisan shoemaker, which had declined as modern industrial manufacturing took over. The brand name derives from the Arabic word for traditional shoemaker, a figure that once held a prominent place in Egyptian craft tradition.
The twins' connection to shoemaking runs deep. Their grandfather and father took them to craft workshops during childhood, where they witnessed how simple materials transformed into finished pieces bearing the maker's mark. Ziad told the newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat: "Our passion for all things handmade was passed down as a family inheritance; we became convinced that craft is a skill, a culture, and an identity worth preserving and developing."
Al-Iskafy initially produced clothing before shifting entirely to handmade luxury shoes. The brothers started by working with independent craftspeople in their workshops, then opened a dedicated studio in Cairo's Roxxi district. They later expanded to a factory in the Abbasiyya area. Each shoe undergoes multiple production stages carried out by skilled craftspeople, each an expert in their field, and can take several weeks to complete.
The brand targets customers seeking custom-made shoes in unusual sizes not widely available commercially—sizes above 46 or below 38 for men's shoes—as well as those with foot conditions such as flat feet or uneven feet. The twins also offer customers the chance to personalize designs by selecting leather type, color, stitching method, and details. Al-Iskafy recently launched a new everyday Active line made from natural leather with a lightweight sole, and plans to introduce a complete women's collection in fall and winter 2026.
Ziad emphasized that the brand's success depends on its craftspeople, a mix of older artisans in their 60s and 80s who inherited the profession and younger workers trained to ensure knowledge transfer. The founders have studied European shoemaking traditions in Italy, Britain, and Spain, and pursued specialized courses to develop their craft.
Both brothers have stated their ultimate goal is to establish an Egyptian academy dedicated to teaching handmade shoemaking, to restore prestige to the profession and attract young craftspeople to carry it forward.
