If you want a glimpse into the inner workings of a retail dynasty in the making, I recommend you meet the junior scion of just such a lineage — one who has yet to reach double digits.
On a recent Friday morning in the Flamingo Room — the glorious pink-inflected inner sanctum of Tashas in Mandela Square — I witnessed the subtle nurturing and encouragement nine-year-old Elayah Fabian receives from his father, Arie Fabian.
This, I realised, is what people mean when they say retail is in your blood. Arie, I suspect, was once part of a similar intergenerational programme, taken on the rounds and learning the ropes firsthand in the family business — Fabiani — founded by his father, Jeff, in 1978.
Arie confirms that his own apprenticeship began early. It was followed by a stint at Hugo Boss in Germany, and on his return to South Africa was marked by his unbounded enthusiasm for innovation.
“In my early years, I was impetuously driven by creativity, emotion, and the excitement of building the Fabiani brand in the mid-1990s,” he says. “We pioneered so many aspects of experiential retail and social responsibility long before they became industry norms. That pioneering spirit shaped the powerful brand equity we built during those formative years.”
The enthusiasm paid off. Fabiani anticipated many of the customer-centric and experiential retail strategies that are now par for the course, while creating a luxury brand that resonated deeply with burgeoning South African aspirations. What seems like a no-brainer now — diverse mannequins, in-store VIP experiences — was radical retail back in the day. The business was sold to TFG in 2011, with Arie staying on for a transition period.
Beauty, for us, is not transactional — it’s expressive, creative and deeply persona. EGG Beauty gives that philosophy a physical home
— Arie Fabian
His next act has business school case study potential. Fabian seems to possess an instinctive ability to read the market — and, more importantly, how to respond with flair. He launched EGG as a department store, and then as a focused beauty concept with the opening of the first EGG Beauty store at the Zone in Rosebank in October last year. This was followed by YAWA, a luxury multibrand platform with DJs Black Coffee and Euphonik.
Obviously, I want to pick his brains and understand his vision for retail in 2026.
”EGG Beauty sits at the heart of my vision for modern retail,“ he explains. ”It’s a focused, experiential beauty concept built around curation, discovery and human connection. Customers don’t simply shop products — they engage with brands, stories and sensorial experiences in a meaningful way."
The store is designed to feel intimate yet inspiring, combining thoughtful merchandising with atmosphere, education and play.
“The concept will continue to roll out across key locations, including Gateway and Bedford Square [this year].”
The beauty play is smart. Scroll through Instagram and you realise the power of this market segment.
“Beauty, for us, is not transactional — it’s expressive, creative and deeply personal," says Fabian. “EGG Beauty gives that philosophy a physical home.”
This thinking extends into the broader We Are EGG platform, which brings together fashion, footwear, beauty and jewellery under one roof in a way that feels curated rather than crowded. Later this year, EGG Gallery will launch at Sandton City.
“I see it as a gallery-style retail environment that gives our partner brands their own space to tell their stories and showcase their creativity — a celebration of individuality, craftsmanship and collaboration.”
His vision for YAWA is equally exciting. “It’s a luxury fashion and lifestyle platform focused on immersive monobrand experiences. These flagship environments are about depth — fully expressing the identity, heritage and cultural relevance of each brand through design, music and atmosphere."
YAWA will open at the V&A Waterfront this year. And South Africa’s first Casablanca monobrand store will launch at Diamond Walk. “It’s a Parisian luxury label founded by Charaf Tajer. I love it because it merges elegance with leisure and draws inspiration from travel, sport and modern romanticism.”
The thing that gives Fabian joy — other than his obvious delight in retail — is his engagement with people. “I’m constantly inspired by creativity — by watching people evolve, seeing teams grow and experiencing how brands and customers connect through the environments we create. That shared energy fuels my work and my motivation.”
He finds balance through wellness — heated power yoga, no smoking or alcohol, and a deep interest in ancient practices — but his deepest joy is his family: his five-year-old daughter Maya; the young apprentice we met earlier; and his beautiful, grounding wife.
I ask what advice he would give the young man who once set out to reinvent the family business.
“I would tell him to hold on to the passion but to learn the disciplines of the business of fashion from the outset,” he says. “There is a difference between being in the fashion business and being in the business of fashion. Brand equity, operational discipline and sound commercial decision-making are what allow creativity to endure, scale and succeed.
“I’d also tell him not to take everything so personally. Fashion retail is an emotional industry, but long-term success comes from clarity, calm, patience and resilience. That said, I would never trade the years spent working closely with my father — on the shop floor, in design studios and alongside customers. Those experiences remain the most valuable business education of all."
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