“Talli” is an age-old embroidery technique passed down for generations by women in Sohag and Siwa. The dying art form is considered an integral part of their identity and an extension of centuries-old family legacies in Upper Egypt and the Western Oasis. For centuries, mothers and daughters of Sohag and Siwa passed down their unique skills and embroidery technique to the next generation. Now, a local, woman-led brand, Toroz, is preserving this ancestral knowledge through carefully-made dresses, co-ords and shawls.
Fusing together traditional Egyptian embroidery and contemporary elegance, Toroz designs one-of-a-kind clothing that are hand-stitched by women in Sohag and Siwa using the age-old embroidery technique, Talli. Founder Lobna Zogheib quit the fast life to devote her time to preserving this unique and dying art form, helping stitch together the tapestry of tangible heritage that stretches across Egypt, mending one of the many threads that is in danger of unraveling completely.
Every Toroz piece is handcrafted by the craftswomen at its origin region, weaving their culture and identity into every stitch of fabric. Zogheib then takes the embroideries and incorporates them into modern designs. Toroz’s clothing carries the thumbprint of the talented craftswomen who made it by hand. This project not only preserves Egypt’s rich heritage but also financially empowers the talented women carrying on the tradition. These embroideries tell the story of every city through each thread.
