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THE BIG BOOK 
OF “BEE2A”

FEB — JUL 2023

An experimental publication that unpacks Egypt’s evolving perception of fashion, taste, and class. It critiques how trends once dismissed as “bee2a” (tacky or distasteful) regain value when embraced by the westernized elite. Through over-the-top graphics and unconventional design, the book challenges the boundaries between good and bad aesthetics, encouraging a more nuanced perspective on subjectivity in design.

Rooted in extensive research—including semi-structured interviews, visual archives, and online questionnaires—the publication dissects taste from philosophical, sociological, and psychological angles. It explores fashion’s role in non-verbal social expression, deconstructs the visual language of “bee2a,” and examines its relationship to global design trends.

The project culminates in The Lookbook, a high-fashion editorial shoot featuring deliberately “tacky” yet meticulously styled outfits. By presenting these controversial aesthetics through a polished, high-end lens, the book forces viewers to question their own biases—proving that taste is always in flux, shaped by culture, power, and time.


TYPEAcademic 
COLLABORATORS
ROLECreative Director, Art Director, Editorial Designer, Photographer,Editor, Visual Researcher, Graphic Designer, Stylist, Director Of Production, Print Coordinator.

CREDITSSupervised by Amparo Baquerizas, German Univeristy in Cairo,for Bachelor of Graphic Design, Bachelor Project & Thesis. Models; Mourad Ragab & Laila El Ghorab.
CATEGORYCreative Direction, Art Direction, Editorial Design, Photography,Graphic Design, Styling.
COPYRIGHTSMalak Ayman Hossny, German Univeristy in Cairo


 



© Malak Ayman Hossny 2025