Karen Wazen Launches First Standalone Boutiques in Cairo
Karen Wazen Launches First Standalone Boutiques in Cairo
Lebanese-born entrepreneur Karen Wazen has opened two standalone boutiques in Cairo, partnering with the Egyptian retail group Baraka Group to expand her eyewear brand’s physical presence. The new stores at 5A by The Waterway and Arkan Plaza offer customers direct access to the brand’s full collections of sunglasses, optical frames, and accessories.
Lebanese-born entrepreneur Karen Wazen has opened two standalone boutiques in Cairo, partnering with the Egyptian retail group Baraka Group to expand her eyewear brand’s physical presence. The new stores at 5A by The Waterway and Arkan Plaza offer customers direct access to the brand’s full collections of sunglasses, optical frames, and accessories.
Wazen arrived in Cairo on November 8 for a three-day program marking the openings. The first boutique opened at 5A by The Waterway, with a second location at Arkan Plaza set to follow on November 9.
While the new boutiques mark a significant step in the brand’s retail expansion, Wazen has been available in Egypt since 2021 through its partnership with Baraka Group. According to Vogue, more than 12,500 pairs of sunglasses have been sold locally since then.
Born in Beirut, the 40-year-old entrepreneur first built her presence in the fashion and lifestyle space through social media and her blog, Karen’s Choice, which she launched in 2016. Her interest in eyewear eventually led her to establish Karen Wazen Eyewear in 2018. Wazen has previously shared that sunglasses helped her feel more confident growing up, a personal experience that inspired the brand’s early direction.
Initially centred on sunglasses, the brand has since expanded its collections to include optical frames, jewellery, belts and other accessories. Its growth has also extended beyond online retail. According to Vogue, physical retail accounted for 85 percent of the brand’s sales in November 2025, highlighting the role of its growing network of stores in its business.
Egypt has become an important market for the brand, with more than 12,500 pairs of sunglasses sold locally since 2021 according to Vogue. The latest openings are also part of a wider expansion strategy between Wazen and Baraka Group, which aims to establish between 15 and 16 branded stores across Egypt over four years.
The new boutiques will give Egyptian customers access to the brand’s wider collections, including sunglasses, optical frames and accessories. According to the company, new releases in Egypt will also follow its international and online launches, keeping the local offering aligned with its global collections.
(S.A.Dudajev--DTZ)
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