“Jewelry looks different on different people,” says Amany Afify, Anty, principle founder. “It is about the person wearing the jewelry, how you style it and wear it.” The company name, Anty, means ‘you’ in Arabic and reflects both Afify’s Egyptian heritage and her desire to encourage and empower women to embrace themselves and their own personal style.
Coming to America
Born in Cairo, Egypt, Afify came to the United States in 2015 to attend Drexel College in Philadelphia, where she earned her master’s degree in economics. She worked as an analyst for the City of Philadelphia before returning to Egypt, where she worked as a government economist. After getting married, Afify returned to the U.S. in 2019, settling in Washington, D.C. Shortly after her return to the U.S. the world shut down due to Covid.
Getting Started
During lockdown, Afify had plenty of time on her hands, so she decided to follow her love of fashion and design. After consulting with her sister and close friends, Afify decided to launch Anty during the pandemic, which came with its own set of challenges. “I started from scratch. I had no funding, I was using my own money and money from friends. As a start-up I wanted to save money so I did all of the set-up to start the business, including making a website,” recalls Afify. “I did things I didn’t know how to do. I was always learning. Also, everything had to be done on Zoom and it’s not the same as brainstorming in person.”
Pharaoh’s Grace: A New Collection
Fast forward to 2025 and Anty has added a new collection to the line: Pharaoh’s Grace, which draws upon Afify’s Egyptian heritage for inspiration. “This collection was inspired by ancient Egypt,” explains Afify. “We use various symbols that have meaning. The lotus flower, which blooms out of muddy water, is symbolic of rebirth and new beginnings. We drew upon Queen Isis (pronounced I-zeez) whose wings are a symbol of protection and the sun God Ra, worshiped for positivity. Scarabs are another popular symbol as it is believed that they protect you from the evil eye.”
Red, green and blue were all popular colors in ancient Egypt, so the Pharaoh’s Grace collection is filled with emeralds, rubies and blue sapphire. Sapphires and lapis lazuli are both colors of water, so they are used for lotus flowers, while green malachite is also used to add a pop of color to other designs. Most of the pieces are in yellow gold as that is what was used in ancient Egypt.
Artisan Made
Much of the jewelry is handmade by women artisans in Egypt and as a result there is limited production. “We want the jewelry to feel truly special; that’s what makes your piece uniquely yours,” comments Afify.
In addition to working with women in the workshops that produce her jewelry, going forward Afify plans to collaborate with women designers using Anty as a platform for their work. “It’s an avenue for them to show their designs and to have a community of designers,” concludes Afify.
By Amber Michelle
