From our fierce foremothers (think Nefertiti and Cleopatra), to the stars of the Golden Age of Cinema (think Souad Hosny and Zubaida Tharwat), Egyptian women have, in no uncertain terms, made their mark over the years with their grace, power and beauty.

These days, it’s the women emerging from Egypt’s burgeoning fashion scene and into the world of international catwalks and magazine covers that are becoming the new faces of Egypt across the world. Here are five our fashion faves.

Imaan Hammam

The one, the only, the A-list star. Born in the Netherlands to Egyptian and Moroccan parents, Hammam has been featured on the cover of fashion’s biggest publications, including Vogue, and is a stalwart of the industry’s elite. Signed to Viva Models in Paris, Why Not Models in Milan and Code Management in Amsterdam where she is based, you can’t say her name without following it up with ‘superstar’.

Mariam Abdallah

Though she’s a relative newbie, Abdallah as already shot with most of Egypt’s biggest brands and secured agency deals all over the globe. The curly-headed muse is signed to City Models in Paris, Trend Models in Spain, The Wall Agency in Mexico, and three other agencies in Egypt.

Sherouk Farid

This green-eyed goddess has proven herself to a staple in the local fashion scene, modelling for magazines, luxury labels, high-end brands, and making appearances in Vogue. Farid is represented by agencies all over the world, including Uniko Models in Spain, Booking Models in England, and Barefaced Model Agency in the UAE.

Habiba El Kobrossy

A fresh face on the scene, Habiba El Kobrossy has been featured in Vogue Italia and Elle. Signed by City Models in Paris, 2m Model in Milan, MMG Model in Dubai and UNN Models in Egypt, this is one femme fatale that’s going to be dominating the game for a long time to come. She’s also a taekwondo instructor. True story.

Suzan Salah Idris

A native of Sudan, but a staple of the Egyptian fashion scene, the now Toronto-based Suzan Salah Idris has worked with the biggest in the local industry, and has been featured in Elle Middle East and the Swiss-born star has been turning heads on Canada’s fashion scene.