The window to the world, where beauty and politics once gave birth to a decade of flamboyance and supersonic travel – Paris forever remains the chosen terrace of diplomats, the Panthéon des poets, and the garden of desires.
For the Automne-Hiver 2022 collection entitled ‘Le Monde Diplomatique’, Casablanca pays homage to the fantasy and surrealism of both the house and Charaf Tajer’s birthplace. Lifting inspiration from the locked doors and quiet whispers that conceal the city synonymous with excess and aesthetic innovation – classic design codes are subverted into dynamic silhouettes.
In the film, which features actress Emma Mackey, the audacity and altitude of travel, as well as the architectural design language of Paris is celebrated through the prism of locations such as Le Bourget airport, Le Train Bleu restaurant and Maison Darre – settings that serve as vital protagonists in the story of a city that straddles classicality and modernism simultaneously.
Casablanca’s signature silk pieces play host to a midnight flight to Paris, mirrored by a symphony of aviation prints in France’s tricolore, which run throughout the collection, culminating in the deep satin quilting of outerwear. While hand-embroidered couture elements such as pearl, crystal, sequin and beading can be seen on twin-sets, knitwear, dresses and tailoring — reflecting everything from the gradient night sky, as seen from an airplane window —intricate featherwork adorns the house’s swan motif backless dress, a nod to the grace and elegance of the golden age of travel.
Blue and gold envelope accents echo the romanticism of luxury Parisian hotels, taking the form of wool embroidered capes, womenswear dresses and intarsia knits. Meanwhile, the sensual curvature of French designer Pierre Paulin’s work is paid tribute to in the cropped tricolore down jacket, as is the wicker of Pierre Jeanneret and French cafe chairs, which takes shape in the form of wide-brimmed hats, visors, and accessories, as well as interwoven as a new take on the house’s signature monogram.
The collection also marks the launch of Casablanca’s first sneaker, entitled ‘Atlantis’. The unique shape, which is guided by the lines of the ocean as well as the finish of classical sculpture, is an expression of the house codes, which continue to play with the contrast and harmony that exists between architecture and nature. Much like the subtlety and grace of diplomatic liaisons, Casablanca honours the poetry that surrounds us but is rarely perceived.
