The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Among the plethora of shops standing on both
sides of Nasr City’s infamously crowded Abbas El Akkad Street is Perto; a shoes
shop that offers ladies’ mediocre-quality footwear at affordable prices.

Once you step inside the shop, you find yourself
in a hallway-like space crammed with shoes and handbags from floor to ceiling.
The space then expands into a wider area with a few seats in the middle. Although
the shop is dimly-lit, its glass displays allow a lot of sunlight in. The
fixtures and shelves are wobbly, which made us wary when approaching them.

The sales attendants are helpful enough to ask
you once about your needs and if you politely dismiss them, they will go on to carefully
watch your every move around the shop.

Perto carries all the sorts of shoes that
you could possibly need. Ballet flats are available in abundance, in a variety
of colours and designs; glittery ballet flats are available in silver and gold
as well as pink, black, blue and green (85LE). Simple ballet flats with a bow
are available in basic colours like black, brown, navy blue and grey.

The shop also stocks items like pleather loafers
and satin evening clutches with metal embellishments. You can also find
high-heeled gladiator sandals and patent leather wedges in colours like
fuchsia, turquoise and black.

The shop’s collection of evening sandals is
remarkable; they’re available in all the colours that you could possibly need. Sandals
in colours like silver, gold, black and brown are found in abundance,
embellished with faux jewels. Satin evening sandals also come in colours like
red, purple, pink and white. However, the white satin sandals looked extremely
cheap, although they are priced at 100LE. A glittery pair of golden pumps is priced
at 100LE.

Perto’s handbag collection is not exactly
limited but tends to stick to patent leather and lizard prints. Leopard print
handbags are also available in browns and greys, starting at 140LE. Fake Louis
Vuitton monogram bags are also on offer for 145LE. There are also silver and
golden purses, while patent purple lizard print purses are available for 140LE.

Perto has a small collection of kids’ footwear
stacked at the back of the shop; it offers faux leather belts in greys, blacks
and browns, starting at 70LE. You can also find travel bags strewn around the
shop.

Perto’s collection of footwear and handbags
isn’t the best the city has to offer nor the most affordable, but if you happen
to be shopping in Abbas El Akkad St., why not pop in anyway?