Music has always been more than entertainment for Egyptian entrepreneur May Eldeeb. For the founder and creative director of Ritmo Apparel, it became the inspiration behind her fashion brand, creative identity and entrepreneurial journey.
Speaking on &ldquo;The Big Drive&rdquo; with Zeinab and Sami, Eldeeb explained how her passion for music influenced every aspect of Ritmo, from its name and collections to the way she approaches design, while also discussing the challenges of building an Egyptian fashion brand.
From Music Dreams to Fashion
Before entering the fashion industry, Eldeeb dreamed of becoming an astronaut. She later became fascinated by the idea of becoming a DJ.
&ldquo;I thought being a female DJ would be amazing, but I stayed home because my parents wouldn&rsquo;t approve,&rdquo; she recalled.
After studying at the American International School and later completing fashion courses with the London College of Fashion, she decided to launch Ritmo in January 2021.
The Story Behind Ritmo
The name &ldquo;Ritmo&rdquo; means &ldquo;rhythm&rdquo; in Italian.
&ldquo;I believe everything sounds good in Italian,&rdquo; she joked.
The inspiration came while she was developing the brand&rsquo;s identity and listening to music during the creative process. While working on Ritmo&rsquo;s brand manual, she heard The Black Eyed Peas song &ldquo;RITMO&rdquo;, which ultimately inspired the brand&rsquo;s name.
For Eldeeb, rhythm represents the creative process behind every collection and reflects the connection between music, emotion and fashion.
&ldquo;Quiet Until You Look Closer&rdquo;
One of Ritmo&rsquo;s core philosophies is the phrase &ldquo;Quiet Until You Look Closer&rdquo;.
Eldeeb explained that, just as music can transform people&rsquo;s emotions, clothing can influence how they feel throughout the day.
&ldquo;You dress according to the rhythm you want your day to have,&rdquo; she said.
She compared a wardrobe to the soundtrack of someone&rsquo;s life, explaining that butterflies became one of Ritmo&rsquo;s signature symbols because they represent transformation.
The butterfly motif is often hidden within the details of a garment, appearing in stitching, inside a jacket or in the pocket of a pair of jeans &mdash; details designed to be discovered rather than immediately noticed.
Every Collection Starts With Music
Music does not only inspire the brand&rsquo;s name. Many of Ritmo&rsquo;s collections and individual pieces are named after musical concepts, including Tempo, Beat and 11:11.
Eldeeb said music often guides the direction of her designs.
She cited Bob Marley as an influence, pointing to his military-style jackets and the message of unity behind &ldquo;One Love&rdquo;. She also mentioned Michael Jackson as an inspiration for some of her interpretations of the mandarin jacket.
Designing Clothes She Wanted to Wear
Eldeeb said Ritmo began with a simple question:
&ldquo;What do I wish I could find?&rdquo;
Before launching the brand, she often struggled to find pieces that matched her personal style.
&ldquo;I wanted leather jackets because they transform you. They give you that rock-and-roll feeling.&rdquo;
She begins each collection by sketching ideas before searching for the right fabrics, with a focus on creating clothing that she personally wants to wear.
Changing Perceptions of Local Fashion
Eldeeb also discussed misconceptions surrounding Egyptian fashion brands.
&ldquo;People think local brands should be cheap.&rdquo;
She explained that producing locally can often be more expensive because of manufacturing costs, advertising, taxes and photo shoots.
She believes consumers should avoid judging brands simply because they are Egyptian.
&ldquo;Every market has different segments.&rdquo;
The Biggest Challenge
For Eldeeb, the hardest part of fashion is not generating ideas but bringing them to life.
Finding manufacturers and craftsmen who can translate sketches into finished garments remains one of her biggest challenges.
Despite these difficulties, she said nothing compares to seeing customers wearing Ritmo designs.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s such an emotional moment,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;When people tag the brand, it feels like a message from God telling me to keep going.&rdquo;
Social Media&rsquo;s Double-Edged Sword
Eldeeb described social media as both essential and challenging.
While it has become the brand&rsquo;s biggest source of awareness, she believes consumers should make a greater effort to distinguish genuine reviews from misleading content.
&ldquo;If everyone contributes honest and ethical reviews, the entire ecosystem will grow.&rdquo;
Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Eldeeb hopes to showcase Ritmo at Copenhagen Fashion Week, which she admires for its creativity, colour palette and overall atmosphere.
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple:
&ldquo;Jump off the mountain. Open the parachute on the way down.&rdquo;
&ldquo;No one can fully prepare you for entrepreneurship. It has ups and downs, so you just have to start.&rdquo;
Egyptian entrepreneurs interested in appearing as guests on &ldquo;The Big Drive&rdquo; with Zeinab and Sami can send their stories to contactnrp@nrp.net.eg. The weekly show airs every Monday and highlights Egyptian brands, entrepreneurs and businesses.
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