Fashion Progression In Morocco

Moroccan fashion design progression. 

The first generation of Moroccan designers were mainly women of the Moroccan elite who had no actual fashion training. They simply were privileged to have experienced growing up with the luxury of quality craftsmanship which allowed them to learn how to sow and embroider at a young age, this was considered as an important part of their education. These women were products of the nationalist movement, as they attended school, wore European clothes and had the opportunity to move to Casablanca once married to live a cosmopolitan and active lifestyle. Although these women had inherited a Moroccan fashion that consisted of heavy fabrics and many layers, which made it difficult and uncomfortable. As garments were wide and long with large belts, this restricted the women in their movement. Therefore Moroccan fashion was no longer considered suitable, and in many ways these women did for Moroccan fashion what Coco Chanel did for European women's fashion some say they liberated women by creating elegant yet comfortable clothes look modern and suitable for a active lifestyle.  

Zina Guessous is one of the designers from the 1st generation born in rabat 1925. Zina Guessous was one of the first designers to modernise the jellaba (kaftan) by redefining their shapes and finishes. what made her most successful was she was able to combine comfort with elegance, as this was something new for fashion in Morocco.

Guessous, Zina, born 1925 - died 1998 (Designer)

In the second generation moroccan 1990s is known as the caftan generation, were the second generation of Moroccan designers emerged. These designers were very different in comparison to the 1st generation designers, due to cultural, political and economical developments starting in the mid-1980s. Moroccan fashion went through the process of professionalisation, designers not only received training in fashion design but also the profession became accessible to the wider public since it was no longer required to study abroad. Although students were mainly taught how to create European fashions such as, trousers, skirts and revealing neck lines there was a longing for modernising Moroccan clothing. So designers began to re-introduce moroccan craftsmanship by mixing the european designs with traditional moroccan materials, patterns and decoration. These designs became very successful within morocco so much so moroccan designers were turned into national celebrities. 

Zineb Joundy is one of these famous designers who is also a member of a well-established Moroccan elite family. Zineb was born in the late sixties her designs were a mixture of european fashion and moroccan decoration. Zineb graduated from a french school in Casablanca, and went on to Paris to study at Chambre Synicale de la haute couture to study french fashion. She also got to work with Karl Lagerfield as well as working in the haute couture of Lavin in 1989. Zineb eventually left and moved back to casablanca to establish her own label which took her two years to train a team and finish her collection which was presented in march 1992. As her background in fashion was french haute couture she initially designed european fashion, but being back in casablanca she began to change her designs by adding moroccan hand crafts and patterns. From this collection Zineb atracted alot of media coverage and was selected for the cover of the first issue of Femmes du Maroc a moroccan fashion magazine in 1996. 

From that  point she began designing all her collections based on local garments and was often asked to represent Morocco word wide. 

Zineb Joundy