Meet the Moroccan designer modernizing the caftan

Kenza Bennani, a Moroccan fashion designer, has made it her mission to modernize the traditional caftan. The garment recently made it onto the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. A variety of modern caftans are displayed in the New Tangier boutique, each with its own unique color, fabric, and cut, inspired by Moroccan heritage but designed for everyday wear, not only for special occasions. "We design modern Moroccan clothes with a focus on different origins, as we are a crossroad of different civilizations historically. And so we try to reinterpret these different cuts and different heritages in a way that is contemporary," says Bennani. The work is done in her grandmother's house. It's here where she sits and sketches new designs, carefully selecting the right color and texture from fabric swatches. The result is a little different from the caftans her ancestors would have worn. “We're focusing on the form and the function of traditional Moroccan clothes and not focusing on the ornamental aspect, which is generally what is expected of Moroccan clothing, and that way that allows us to really kind of highlight the beauty of the cut and the modernity of the cuts, and the fact that they're extremely body-friendly, they're unisex, they're the same shapes for men and women, and we try to just really don't invent anything new. We're just really kind of digging into the history of Moroccan clothing,” she says. Her work has won the praise of Hicham Bouzid, creative director of the cultural agency “Think Tanger.” For him, the Moroccan caftan is a symbol of national identity, passed down from mother to daughter, and from master to apprentice, for over eight centuries. Artisans bring her designs to life in the basement of the house, tracing the pattern on fabric, sewing the cloth together, and carefully cutting each piece. Their skill is just as important as the designer's. The process of creating a single garment takes between 18 and 35 hours. Bennani is very strict about what materials are used. This article was provided by The Associated Press.