A look at the last fez maker in Egypt

(25 Dec 2017) LEAD IN
Once an Egyptian classic worn by all men in the royal era, there's now only one fez maker left in Egypt.
Nasser Al-Tarabeeshy makes the felt headdresses from his small workshop in Cairo.

STORY-LINE
Working away at his battered sewing machine, Nasser Al-Tarabeeshy works on his latest fez from his narrow workshop in Cairo.
At 65 years old he's the last fez maker left in the whole of Egypt - although many shops still stock and sell the hats.
His industry has declined over the past 60 years following the fall of the Egyptian Royal era - when it was imposed on all men to wear a fez.
The main frame of the fez is made from palm wickers.
Then a blue fabric lining is sewn inside the frame. Finally a kilim red cloth is soaked in cold water then taken to a steaming stove where it gets its final shape moulded out.
Al-Tarabeeshy works daily in his workshop, from morning until sunset, and is proud to be the only fez maker left in Egypt.
"Every city in Egypt has a fez seller, I have a nearby seller. Also there are sellers in Sharqeya, Mansoura and Upper Egypt - cities which sell fezzes. But all of those get their products from me," he says.
"I am keen to teach my sons this job which faces extinction. As long as the Azhar University works, I continue working."
The secret to his continued success is the nearby Al-Azhar Mosque and Al-Azhar Islamic University, where most of the students and professors are obliged to wear turbans.
The turban takes the same shape of a fez but in a different style. It is also made from red kilim cloth and is surrounded by white cloth with a black tassle on the top.
As a professional artist, Al-Tarabeeshy designs the turbans according to the face of his client:
"When the client comes in I take 10 minutes to watch his face details in order to prepare a turban that fits his head. That's why you see that the turbans are fewer than fezzes in my workshop," he says.
Most of the turbans are sold to Al-Azhar students. They range from 250 Egyptian Pounds (14 US Dollars) to 600 Egyptian Pounds (33 US Dollars) according to the accessories used in their design.
Al-Azhar Islamic Student Khaled Gamal has come for a fitting.
"We asked lots of people about a turban maker and all of them guided us here as it is the only place that manufactures these turbans," he says.
He calls the fez maker's work "very precise".
The turbans are usually worn by Islamic clerks, preachers, teachers and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.
Al-Tarabeeshy believes that this Islamic costume gives solemnity to the clerk as well as modesty in front of the worshippers in the mosques.
Lots of newspapers and magazines have published articles about Al-Tarabeeshy and his fez making business.
Fezzes are now mainly sold for fun and entertainment. Some are brought by tourists while others buy them for use in films or TV series.
The tools and machines Al-Tarabeeshy uses are now so old they can't be replicated. They were made during Egypt's Royal Era from pure copper.

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