Egyptian Brand Sole 22's New Collection Was Built Around an Ashtray

When Egyptian footwear label Sole 22 set out to design its latest release, founder Hana Ghazi wasn't looking at fashion references. Instead, the Electric Collection began with a small ceramic ashtray, whose vibrant grid became the blueprint for a collection built around bold colour, geometric forms and one-of-one collectibles.

"When we started designing this summer collection, we wanted to embody this feeling of being super loud, cool and funky, but also very stylish, elegant and structured at the same time," Ghazi tells SceneStyled. "Then we stumbled upon this ashtray with many block colours. At first sight it looks so funky and crazy, but it's actually a bunch of squares. It's very structured, geometric and calculated. That's exactly what we wanted to convey."

The inspiration feels fitting for Sole 22, a brand Ghazi built on the architectural language that has defined it from the beginning. After studying architecture and later designing retail spaces for Tiffany & Co. in New York, she brought that same emphasis on form and structure into footwear.

The Electric Collection also introduces Limited Collectibles, a new series of one-of-one pieces made from carefully sourced leathers and specialty materials. Amongst them is a python glove crafted from genuine snake leather in apricot orange and space grey."With this collection we wanted to introduce something new called the Limited Collectibles," Ghazi says. "We worked really hard on sourcing our leathers, materials and fabrics. It's all one of one. You won't find the same pair or the same size, and that's what makes it extra special."

Beyond the collectibles, Sole 22 experimented with new leather treatments, dyeing techniques and materials across the collection while revisiting some of its signature silhouettes, including a summer-ready Blade Mule. In the past nine months alone, the brand has developed 17 new styles.

"We explored so many different materials and different ways to dye leather," Ghazi recalls. "The whole goal was to make the shoes feel funky but elegant."For Ghazi, however, the collection reflects a larger philosophy that has guided Sole 22 since its launch. "Essentially, the vision through Sole 22 is that shoes are the whole outfit. They can make a huge statement through their silhouette and texture."

That philosophy is what ties the Electric Collection together. Whether through sculptural silhouettes, vivid colours or one-of-one craftsmanship, the collection is built around the idea that a single pair of shoes can define an entire look.