It 's something inside me which I ca n't describe , as if I 've lived before in these places . '' In the 1960s , Fahmy was the first woman to apprentice in Cairo 's jewelry district . She says she 'd whither and die if she ever had to leave Egypt . She takes us on a personal tour of the beguiling Egyptian capital , where she finds inspiration in almost everything she sees . `` Everything in my mind is jewelry , '' she explains . `` I turn it into jewelry . '' Ibn Tulun Mosque The sprawling Ibn Tulun Mosque , the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land area , is also considered the oldest mosque in the city to have survived in its original form.Cairo fact file : How to navigate Mideast 's biggest metropolis `` It 's one of my favorite mosques in Cairo , '' Fahmy says . `` The beautiful windows of this mosque give me a lot of joy . '' Fahmy says she 's always fantasized about the windows of Ibn Tulun . `` One day I 'll do a project called the Ibn Tulun collection ,
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For the beautiful people , Azza Fahmy may be one of the best-known names in Egypt . Designer Azza Fahmy consults her daughters on jewelry designs in her Cairo studio . A high-end jewelry designer , Fahmy 's creations have adorned such beauties as supermodel Naomi Campbell and Queen Rania of Jordan . Her international luxury brand , Azza Fahmy Jewelries , blends Egyptian motifs and modern design to create high-end pieces . Working with precious metals and stones , Fahmy 's work is inspired by the distinctive shapes , colors , textures and calligraphy of the country . Cairo , the largest city in the Arab world nicknamed `` The City of a Thousand Minarets , '' is Fahmy 's home . She thinks she may have lived a previous life in old Cairo , which has now grown into a mega-city of almost 20 million inhabitants . See Azza Fahmy 's picks of what to do , see and eat in Cairo `` It 's a strong feeling when I 'm walking in the streets going to old houses , churchs and old mosques , '' Fahmy told CNN . ``