Yahya Karali | Lead Authenticator, Sold Attire
Author Profile
Yahya Karali
Co-Founder & Lead Authenticator, Sold Attire
Cairo, Egypt
Background
Yahya Karali holds a Management degree (MSc) from London Business School and an MBA from Reims Management School in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. He studied luxury management at Politecnico di Milano, immersing himself in the heritage houses, craft traditions, and valuation frameworks that define the industry from the inside.
Before founding Sold Attire, he worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company in London, where he developed the analytical rigour he now applies to authentication and luxury sourcing. His thesis examined the contrasting vintage fashion economies of London and Cairo, identifying the gap that became Sold Attire.
He co-founded Sold Attire in 2017 alongside his sister Aseel. At the time, pre-owned luxury was largely stigmatised in Egypt. Since then, Yahya has personally authenticated and sourced over 4,000 pieces from Japan's most exclusive auction houses. Sold Attire holds verified membership with Star Buyers Global Auction (Valuence Group, Japan), providing direct access to authenticated luxury inventory unavailable elsewhere in Egypt.
His authentication process combines hands-on expertise across hardware, stitching, leather grain, date codes, and serial formatting with AI image analysis trained on authentic and counterfeit archives. Every piece sold carries a lifetime money-back authenticity guarantee.
Education & Training
- MSc Management - London Business School
- MBA - Reims Management School, Champagne-Ardenne, France
- Luxury Management - Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Authentication Expertise
Yahya specialises in authenticating pieces from the following maisons:
- Hermes (Birkin, Kelly, Constance, Jige, Evelyne)
- Chanel (Classic Flap, Boy, 2.55, WOC, vintage RTW)
- Louis Vuitton (Monogram, Damier, Epi, vintage trunks)
- Dior (Saddle, Lady Dior, Book Tote, 30 Montaigne)
- Bottega Veneta (Intrecciato, Knot, Pouch, Cassette)
- Gucci (Jackie, Bamboo, Dionysus, Marmont, vintage)
- Fendi (Baguette, Peekaboo, Kan I, vintage)
- Prada (Saffiano, Re-Edition, Galleria, vintage nylon)
His authentication methodology covers hardware weight and finish, stitching count and angle, leather grain and edge treatment, serial number formatting, zipper pull shape, lining material, heat stamps, and date code verification.
Press & Recognition
- Harper's Bazaar Arabia - Named among the driving forces behind Cairo's growing vintage fashion scene
- CairoScene - Featured in "18 of 2018: The Egyptians Who Made Waves This Year"
- Star Buyers Global Auction - Verified member (Valuence Group, Japan)
Written by Yahya
Yahya writes authentication guides and sourcing insights on the Sold Attire blog. Each guide draws on hands-on experience with thousands of pieces, not secondhand research.
Have a question about a piece? Need help with authentication? Talk to Yahya directly.
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