Moroccan culture has long inspired fashion, notably in the designs of Yves Saint Laurent. Arab and Middle Eastern representation is now at an all-time high, with visionary designers shaping contemporary fashion with their immense talent and skill.
Art And Then Some spotlights the fashion world’s most famous Moroccan fashion designers, from rising stars to red carpet favorites to industry legends.
Table of Contents
Casablanca
It’s THE success story of the moment. Casablanca has taken the fashion world by storm in just a few years. Founded in 2018 by Charaf Tajer, this chic streetwear brand with retro vibes is now all over Paris. Tajer, a Franco-Moroccan ex-nightlife entrepreneur, has pulled off something amazing. In no time, Casablanca hit the Fashion Week runways. They’ve done cool collabs too, like sneakers with New Balance and leather bags with Bvlgari. What’s next? Casablanca keeps surprising us!
Mina Binebine
The creations of young Marrakech designer Mina Binebine have caught the eye of the international fashion scene. Just a year ago, she showcased her latest collection at Art Heart Fashion Week in New York. This successful debut led her to compete in the Africa Fashion Up competition, a Parisian event for contemporary African fashion. Out of a hundred stylists, Mina made it to the top five finalists. She presented her collection “Éclosion” at the event, standing out as the only woman and the only North African among the winners. Gradually, this Moroccan label is making waves beyond its borders!
New Tangier
Kenza Bennani’s 100% Tangier-based label is making waves internationally. As she puts it, “Tangier attracts many foreign tourists, helping us reach this specific clientele.” Currently, 30% of her sales come from abroad, split between her Tangier store and online orders. Her creations are especially popular in England, the United States, Dubai, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Notably, her American customer base includes many African-Americans. “This community seeks to embrace its Africanness,” Bennani says, which aligns perfectly with the essence of New Tangier.
Maison Sara Chraibi
In 2020, Sara Chraïbi received the “Stand With Creatives” award from Fashion Trust Arabia, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser of Qatar. This award supports and rewards innovative Arab fashion designers. By offering a North African and Mediterranean perspective on fashion, Chraïbi has built a brand DNA that is both diverse and deeply rooted. Now, she aims to share this unique vision with the world.
instagram.com/maisonsarachraibi
Baby Calips’Oh
It was in an episode of season 3 of “Emily in Paris,” when Lily Collins carried the Baby Calips’Oh, that the general public first discovered this surprising bag. This unique creation is the brainchild of Moroccan painter Nadia Chellaoui, who decided to design luxury leather goods inspired by her paintings and launched her eponymous brand. Following this high-profile collaboration, Chellaoui continued to make waves. She created three oversized bags for the Franco-Belgian brand THEUNISSEN’s show at the last Fashion Week, as well as XXL bags for the new “Origenes” collection by Spanish designer Juana Martin. Her creations have graced the covers of Vogue Japan, Vogue Arabia, and Elle magazine.
instagram.com/nadiachellaoui_artiste
Dihyan Jewellery
In 2020, the young jewelry brand was just beginning to make a name for itself. Less than two years later, it became a finalist at the Fashion Trust Arabia in Doha, in the jewelry category. During this event, creator Youssra Nichane met Charaf Tajer, the founder of the Casablanca brand and a jury member. A few weeks later, the Casablanca team reached out to her, proposing a collaboration for the Men’s Fashion Week Fall-Winter 2023 show. The result? Nichane crafted a jewelry collection for seven looks, each piece hand-designed by her artisans and inspired by Moroccan culture. This collaboration was a major achievement, with the first look of the show featuring a chmar, a traditional Moroccan jewel used by women to roll up their caftan sleeves. Rumor has it that even Naomi Campbell was impressed.
Late For Work
Winner of the Casa Moda Academy in 2018, Youssef El Idrissi made a mark at the International Fashion Festival in Africa (FIMA) in 2019 in Dakhla, where he won first prize in the “young creators” category. This recognition gave him significant visibility and motivated him to create his own brand: Late for Work. The concept? Merging two worlds: the formal attire of white-collar workers with the 90s streetwear of young people. “It’s as if I took young people from the street to take them to work,” Youssef explains, “hence the name of the brand.” The result is feminine and unisex pieces, offbeat and unstructured.
For his designs, Youssef draws inspiration from his surroundings, transforming everyday kitsch materials—like Chinese blankets, Raja terry towels, and kitchen tablecloths—into creative plays on texture by mixing them with denim or poplin. He embraces upcycling, turning sleeves into closures or collars with large bows, adding a playful touch to his collections.
LAGERTHA
Lagertha was launched in March 2021, named after a Viking warrior, the companion of the famous Ragnar, known for being the only woman allowed to fight alongside men, as designer Ansar highlights. Inspired by the style of the British royal family in the 90s, Lagertha reimagines this elegance and creates dresses and skirt or trouser sets for women using noble fabrics.
What’s special about Lagertha? The brand applies meticulous tailoring and finishing to all its pieces, ensuring a perfect fit for women of all shapes and ages. Each piece is custom-fitted to the customer’s morphology. We adore her buttoned designs, which remind us that timeless chic is truly making a comeback.
instagram.com/lagerthaofficial
L A D R A A
Mouad Ladraa has been designing dresses since he was a child and always wanted to create clothes. But his parents pushed him to study interior architecture instead. He never gave up on his dream, though, and saved his first paychecks to launch his own collection. He showed his first designs at the French Institute in 2019.
Now, Mouad has his own workshop. He makes ready-to-wear collections for both women and men and helps clients customize their pieces. In his capsule collection, Rebirth, he reimagines three classic Moroccan caftans: khrib, dfina, and lkbira. His aim? To make them practical for everyday wear. Mouad turns the caftan from a ceremonial garment into dresses, jackets, and shirts that can be worn on the street. With floral prints, a punk vibe, and reworked brocade, his designs truly blend tradition and modernity.
