Dress is a visual form of language. For language is purely a means by which one expresses a thought, feeling or belief. Therefore, dress is a way to convey these ideas without speaking a single word. For Morocco, fashion speaks a language of tradition mixed with the modern to create something as unique as the individual wearing the item does. Morocco fashion traces back to Northwest Africa. Today, Moroccan fashion designers find innovative ways to mix traditional Moroccan style with modern trends seen worldwide. Hard work coupled with worldwide recognition has lead to numerous awards by the fashion industry in places like Europe, the Middle East and North America.
The concept is simple, stick with ideas that express a Moroccan woman’s desire for fashion with authentic, sophisticated and fluid line designs. There is a high demand for fashionable clothing that meshes contemporary design with old world yet traditional charm. These features together create fabulous new world elegance, class and style in Moroccan fashion.
A perfect example of the Moroccan fashion revolution towards modern trends displays in the Kaftan. This traditional Moroccan style dress transforms the cumbersome and often weighty fabrics to sheer, free flowing gowns. These lightweight, sleek gowns highlight modern Moroccan fashion moving in the direction of western style modernism. This new fashion allows for freer movement due to the less bulky and sizable fabrics.
Moroccan fashion is not a carbon copy process. Rather, painstaking efforts ensue to present lines of clothing that appeal to all different shapes, sizes and needs of Moroccan women. This begins with exceptional quality fabrics arriving from India, Japan, China, Middle East and France.
Upon arrival, designers and tailors labor over each fabric as if it were their own. Creative energies draw from the fabric as designers and tailors review pliability, sensuality and textures. Fabric colors primarily remain in the chartreuse to rich rust color families. There is a good representation from the gold and silver families as well. In the final creative stages, designers and tailors rely on tribal accessory pieces to bring an outfit together. These pieces represent that which is traditional Moroccan style. Pairing a piece of tradition with a modern style creation bring the overall ensemble from old world charm to new world flare.
Moroccan fashion bridges the gap between maintaining traditional values and keeping up with modern styles. Each piece speaks to what Moroccan women want their dress to say about them. The fashion pieces created by the designers and tailors of Morocco execute this to perfection. The fine balance between cultural requirements and present day trends will pave the way for future success in the Moroccan fashion industry.
by Sam Mitchell
