Karen Wazen in Egypt: How Eyewear Became a Regional Power Play

When Karen Wazen Eyewear first landed on shelves in Egypt in 2021, it felt like a cool new arrival. Today, it looks more like a regional power move. The Dubai-based influencer-turned-entrepreneur is now preparing to roll out a full network of Karen Wazen Eyewear boutiques across Egypt, in partnership with Baraka Group, one of the country’s leading optics and fashion retailers.

For Niche readers, this is more than a celebrity brand expansion. It’s a real case study in how a Middle Eastern label can treat Egypt as a strategic fashion market, not just a stop on the way to Europe.

From influencer to brand founder

• 2018 – Karen Wazen, a Lebanese-born, Dubai-based fashion influencer, launches Karen Wazen Eyewear, her namesake sunglasses label.

• The brand quickly rises from an “influencer line” into a serious regional player, now stocked by 20+ international retailers and e-commerce platforms and spanning multiple collections.

Her starting point was personal: Wazen has spoken openly about feeling insecure about her large eyes, which turned into a genuine obsession with sunglasses and, eventually, into a business idea aimed at premium yet accessible eyewear for the Middle East.

Step one: Karen Wazen Eyewear enters Egypt

The first official move into Egypt came in February 2021, when Karen Wazen Eyewear announced it was launching with Baraka Group as its first and exclusive retail partner in the country.

Key facts:

• Karen Wazen Eyewear became available across Baraka and C&Co stores in Egypt starting March 2021.

• Baraka Group explicitly framed the collaboration as a major step for Middle Eastern fashion, saying it “fosters the potential reach of Middle East fashion and its ability to match global trends.”

This was distribution phase one: Karen Wazen Eyewear on the wall next to global brands, testing whether Egyptian shoppers would actually buy into a regional designer name.

The answer was a clear yes.

Why Egypt became a top market for Karen Wazen

According to recent coverage and partner data, Egypt has turned into one of Karen Wazen Eyewear’s strongest markets:

• The brand has recorded 50–80% year-on-year sales growth in Egypt since launch.

• More than 12,500 pairs of Karen Wazen eyewear have been sold in Egypt through Baraka and C&Co stores to date.

• Vogue reports that Egypt is where Wazen has her largest online following, with roughly 12% of her eight-million-plus Instagram audience based in the country.

In other words, Karen Wazen Eyewear Egypt isn’t a branding exercise. It’s a market with hard numbers behind it: double-digit growth, a loyal consumer base and a clear appetite for a regional name that feels both aspirational and relatable.

The next chapter: 15–16 Karen Wazen boutiques across Egypt

On 11 November 2025, Cairo-based fashion platform SceneStyled and other regional outlets confirmed the next phase: a nationwide rollout of Karen Wazen Eyewear boutiques in Egypt, again in joint venture with Baraka Group.

The expansion plan is very specific:

• Start date: early 2026

• Pace: one new store every quarter for approximately four years.

• Scale: around 15–16 monobrand Karen Wazen Eyewear stores across Egypt once the rollout is complete.

Social posts from the brand and partners confirm that these will be dedicated Karen Wazen spaces, not corners in multi-brand stores.

That shift—from distribution to full retail ecosystem—is what turns the move into a genuine regional power play.

Why Karen Wazen chose Egypt as her flagship expansion

In a recent comment about the Baraka partnership and Egypt launch, Wazen said:

“Egypt holds a very special place in my heart — its culture, energy, and people have always inspired me. Launching here feels like a homecoming.”

Beyond emotion, there are clear strategic reasons:

• Demographics: Egypt has one of the region’s youngest, most fashion-engaged populations, highly active on Instagram and TikTok.

• Retail backbone: Baraka Group offers nationwide optics infrastructure—malls, high-street locations, and e-commerce—that can scale a brand quickly.

• Regional signal: A successful Egypt rollout sends a strong message across MENA that Arab-born brands can own prime retail real estate, not just rack space. For Wazen, Egypt is both a commercial bet and a visibility platform—a way to cement her status as a regional retail force, not just a digital figure.

What makes Karen Wazen Eyewear different? (in brief, factual)

From a product and brand point of view, Karen Wazen Eyewear focuses on:

• Bold, recognisable silhouettes – circular “Retro XL”, cat-eye “Glamorous” and rectangular “Harper” are quoted as best-sellers.

• Premium-accessible positioning – seen in global retailers, yet priced to speak to a wide Middle Eastern consumer base.

• Regional identity – Wazen often frames the brand as part of a wider shift from “always looking West” to celebrating homegrown Middle Eastern fashion.

The Egyptian boutiques will bring that mix physically into malls and streets—from New Cairo to Alexandria and other governorates highlighted by Baraka’s early teasers.

Karen Wazen Eyewear in Egypt

Is Karen Wazen Eyewear already available in Egypt?
Yes. Since March 2021, Karen Wazen Eyewear has been sold through Baraka and C&Co stores across Egypt under an exclusive distribution partnership.

What’s new from 2026?
From early 2026, the collaboration evolves into a joint venture that will open approximately 15–16 standalone Karen Wazen Eyewear boutiques nationwide over about four years (around one new store per quarter).

Why is this expansion important for regional fashion?
Because it shows that a Middle Eastern brand, founded in 2018, can:

• prove strong sales in Egypt (12,500+ pairs sold so far)

• secure a long-term retail rollout with a leading Egyptian group

• and use Egypt as a core market, not just a side market, in its global strategy

For Niche Magazine readers, Karen Wazen Eyewear Egypt isn’t just about new sunnies on the shelf. It’s a live example of how Arab female-led brands are building real retail power—and choosing Cairo as one of their main stages.