The Apparel Industry after COVID19

Recently I was asked to give projections on what the apparel industry would look like after COVID 19. 

Nobody can have a full projection as long as this crisis is still ongoing. If we are back in a few weeks that's one story and if we are back in a few months that's another. However, some of the existing trends could move faster than previously expected with potential implications for specific manufacturing countries. Some of these factors and their impacts are listed below: 

Egypt is not Ferguson

Comparing the brutality of the police in Ferguson to that of the police in Egypt is something that is not only wrong; wrong as in the thought process is pathetically flawed; But it is also sad (in a really pathetic way) that instead of us trying to find ways to correct our wrongs we are, yet again, doing our best to justify them, and in a pathetic look-the-US-is-doing-it-too way.

You want to quit smoking?

For 25 years, I have smoked between 1 and 2 packs of cigarettes a day. Sometimes, when I went out late or worked long hours, I smoked up to 3 packs. People who know me would not be able to imagine me without a cigarette. Even worse, I couldn’t imagine myself without a cigarette. Whenever I considered quitting I would start panicking. In the past years, I’ve been thinking about quitting but thought that I was doomed to eternity with cigarettes. That I was not the “type” that could quit. I even convinced myself sometimes by saying “after 25 years, my body is so used to smoking, I would be sick if I quit” or used arguments like “I’d rather live a short happy life than a long and miserable life because I can’t smoke”. I told myself stuff like “it’s because I love cigarettes”.

Suicide at 49?

I was just reading about L'Wren Scott  who committed suicide a few days ago. And it hit me.. Why would someone commit suicide at 49? Shouldn't most of one's existential questions be answered by then? Why would you end a life at such a late age when you're already done with the most difficult bits?

But then I thought again. Why not? I mean having taken the most important part of the ride, why not get off when you're still on top? Who wants to live those last 30 years? Adult diapers? all sorts of pains in every joint, muscle and bone? Memory loss? And all the diseases and medication? People getting bored with you? Missing out on all the new technologies? Wishing to break free from an incapable body? Who wants those?

But then I thought again. Yeah.. Why not take those years? If I measure the increase in my comfort levels with who I am past my 30's and I extrapolate that for the coming 30 years, I can see myself becoming one of the happiest people in the universe. The speed of deterioration in one's mental and physical capabilities with age are much less than the improvement in one's comfort levels with oneself.

I see there are valid arguments for both. It's a personal choice. I just found it a bit surprising that at the age of 49, some people are still struggling with their existence. 

قانون العمل الغير رسمي فى مجال البناء والمقاولات

يتحدث الكثيرون عن الرأسمالية المتوحشة وأنياب رجال الأعمال.. لربما لم يتعامل هؤلاء مع العامل المصري.. وخاصةً فى مجال البناء.. إن هذه الفئة من عمال مصر قد إلتهمت الرأسمالية إلتهاماً.. وإليك بعض الإرشادات إذا أردت أن تقتحم هذا المجال أو بمعنى أصح إذا أردت أن يقتحمك هذا المجال: 

Why June 30th might have been a blessing for the MB

I’ve had many discussions regarding the following arguments, with people whose understanding of Egyptian politics I respect. They all disagreed with my views below.

Maybe June 30^th and the removal of Morsi was more in the advantage of the MB than we might like to think. Let’s look at it this way, what June 30^th did to them is the following:

ده حمادة وده حمادة تاني خالص

إزدواجية المبادئ عندنا فى مصر جزء من ثقافتنا التى نعنز بها.. كل واحد فينا قادر إنه يسمح لنفسه بحاجات ويمنعها هي هي عن الناس التانية.. طبعاً الإخوان هما ملوك الإزدواجية بس الصراحة كلنا عندنا نفس المشكلة.. حاديكوا أمثلة: