Charaf Tajer, one of this year’s LVMH Prize finalists, has quickly made a name for his menswear brand Casablanca. Now, the French-Moroccan designer is taking his first steps into womenswear with a 15-piece capsule for Net-a-Porter—and not a moment too soon.
This expansion has been much hoped for by female fans of the brand. A cofounder of Paris label Pigalle, Tajer positioned Casablanca as an “après-sport” brand. His very-relevant-for-now idea was to wed leisure and luxury. Cashmere-terry track suit, anyone? In a short span of time, the Casablanca signature was easily definable: custom prints and an irresistible citrusy palette that set a vacation mood. (It’s a look that has its own hashtag, #casaway.) Tennis is a favorite theme as well, but the Casablanca vibe reads more nightclub than country club.
Tajer has designed the new women’s pieces as a sort of mirror image to the men’s. “We always like to bring a bit of femininity into menswear, in womenswear it’s a bit the same, but on the other side.” Tajer sees the Casablanca woman as one who is dominant and self-assured. The imagery created for the capsule suggests that she’s also the type for whom only the best will do.
Camille Hurel and Goldie Boutilier (who performs music as Goldilox) were tapped, says Tajer, “to create a story around a classic Italian and French bourgeoisie lifestyle.” With big Jackie O. hair and oversized glasses, the styling captures a world of vintage glamour (with shades of Slim Aarons and old Versace ads), but the clothes, which include a roomy pink suit, a silk shirt, and velour track pants, have immediate, current-day appeal.
Tajer consciously made his Net-a-Porter capsule as broad as possible; the lineup encompasses T-shirts and Neapolitan-style tailoring, so that there are options for customers who want to get their hands on a piece of Casablanca’s first foray into la mode feminine. “I’m very happy when I see women in men’s clothes from Casablanca, I think it’s fantastic,” says Tajer. “But we want to create the things that really shape women’s bodies and maximize their beauty. I think they deserve their own garments.”
