Egyptian Photographer Farida Mahdy Documents Grandmother's Style in 'Grandma and the Fur Coat'

Egyptian photographer and assistant curator Farida Mahdy started the project 'Grandma and the Fur Coat' in 2024 to document the style of her grandmother, Ehsan Ouf, in Cairo. Mahdy lived with Ouf for four years while studying photography. The series features portraits of Ouf, who in the 1970s and 1980s dressed like a celebrity in brands such as Chanel and Dior, owned a collection of wigs, and even matched the color of her cigarettes to her outfits. Mahdy wears Ouf's engagement dress from 1971 in one image, while Ouf wears a fur coat gifted by her late husband. Mahdy was inspired after finding boxes of old photos, many taken by her late grandfather, who died in 2000. She aims to continue his legacy and also started a second project, 'Ehsan,' focusing on Ouf as a 78-year-old woman aging gracefully. The work reflects on the passing of time and life changes after Ouf's social circle diminished following her husband's death.