Cairo - (AFP) - From the temples of Luxor to the pyramids of Giza, famous historical landmarks in Egypt host concerts, fashion shows and exhibitions, in light of the country's attempt to benefit from its ancient heritage to enhance its image as a major tourist destination and attract major brands.

On Saturday, the French House of Dior presented a fashion show for its men's collection at the Giza pyramid complex near Cairo, in an event that was its first in Egypt.

In October, the Temple of Hatshepsut in the southern city of Luxor hosted a fashion show by Italian designer Stefano Ricci.

The head of the Dior Group, Pietro Picciari, told AFP that the prestigious French house chose the Pyramid Complex to hold the show because it was "much more than just a background", as it was inspired in its new collection entitled "Celestial" ("Heavenly") from the history of ancient Egypt.

Perhaps the large "parade of mummies" that was held in Egypt last year, in a scene broadcast by television screens around the world, had an impact on attracting visitors to a country whose tourism sector contributes approximately 10% to its national product.

Even before the golden procession celebration, the Pharaonic archaeological sites remained a destination for world famous artists in various fields, as the international hip-hop and rock bands "Black Eyed Peas" and "Red Hot Chili Peppers" performed at the foot of the Giza pyramids. The French artist JR also exhibited his pictures there.

Prominent Egyptian art historian Bahia Shehab believes that such performances "encourage other brands and international cultural activists to come to Egypt."

This was confirmed by Egyptian fashion photographer Mohsen Othman, who told AFP that "it is necessary to organize such events in Egypt," as a fashion house the size of Dior "brings with it a huge budget," hoping that this will "support young designers who may put Egypt on the global fashion map.

Indeed, in September during Paris Fashion Week, the French luxury fashion house Balmain presented works bearing an Egyptian brand called "Okhtein", referring to two young sisters from Egypt who designed the products.

Despite the success of "Okhtein" products in penetrating Paris Fashion Week, exporting the products of Egyptian fashion houses abroad is still a complex process, in light of the need to reconsider the way this sector operates.

Most of the representatives of this sector, Othman says, "are self-taught people who have worked hard with few resources to reach the required level of global brands."

For her part, Engy Ismail, whose agency Flair works in luxury brand consulting, told AFP, "We have a large group of young designers who, with some professional training, can ... transform creativity into products."

Despite this, the Egyptian market in the fields of fashion and luxury jewelry has witnessed a remarkable boom, as Ismail says that the number of local brands has increased "from less than a hundred Egyptian brands to more than a thousand brands today."

Ismail explained that this large increase began in 2016 after the decision of the Central Bank of Egypt to devalue the local currency by approximately 50% against the US dollar, which deprived the largest Arab country in terms of population, with more than 104 million people, the ability to import.

In the face of reducing imports, according to Ismail, "a local market has emerged," especially since "(the class of) the richest 1 percent is sufficient to create demand" in a country that includes 86,000 people with wealth exceeding one million dollars, according to the "Credit Suisse" bank. .

"A recent competition organized by the Italian Vogue group enabled Egyptian brands to participate in Milan Fashion Week," she said.

However, these facilities seem insufficient for local creators, who complain about red tape in terms of customs procedures and the difficulty of obtaining travel visas.

"The (Egyptian) government's permission for Art Digit and Dior to organize events at the foot of the pyramids is a big step," says Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, whose agency, Art Digit, organizes an annual exhibition of contemporary art in the Giza pyramids area.

Abdel Ghaffar believes that Cairo is a magnet because of its ability to "merge contemporary and ancient art and heritage."

Shehab, a professor at the American University in Cairo, told AFP that Egypt has become "increasingly aware of the influence of soft power," relying on "culture to present its image."

Abdel Ghaffar says that it is necessary for the authorities to establish a unit dedicated to organizing marches, exhibitions, and even concerts and filming films in archaeological sites that qualify for this.

In the same context, Shehab adds, "If there is one sector in which we lose a lot of opportunities, it is the cinema," explaining that "we lost many of the great international producers who sought refuge in Morocco or even Saudi Arabia" due to the lack of permits to film in Egypt.

Because of these complications, the creators of the series "Moon Knight", one of the latest productions of the Marvel Hollywood studios that revolves around a superhero character granted power by an ancient Egyptian deity, had to create decorations that refer viewers to Cairo... in Budapest.