“Casa Moda Academy” arouses the creativity of young Moroccans

Morocco continues to develop in terms of creativity. Apart from local fashion design schools that comply with the country's traditional codes and a know-how that is normally handed down from generation to generation, as well as the Higher School of Textiles and Fashion Industries (ESITH), in the past ten years, Morocco appears to have been the seat of the only modern international school in the system seeking to export its talents.

Casa Moda Academy was designed by the Moroccan Association of Textile and Clothing Industries (AMITH) in order to accompany the sector's development and jointly created by AMITH and the Moroccan Government. Since it was created in 2010, France invested heavily in the project through the participation of the French Development Agency (AFD) and the experience of Dominique Chardon-Savard, co-founder of the Chardon-Savard Atelier, a fashion school located in Nantes and Paris, which closely follows the evolution of Casa Moda Academy.

Morocco, more than a supplier of the European Union?

Morocco no longer wants to be seen as a mere exporter of clothing to Europe as it occupies the seventh position in the ranking of the biggest exporting companies in the world. The clothing industry, which is the largest industrial employer in the country, now has 175,000 stable jobs and registered a turnover of 31.4 million dirhams in 2015 (3 billion euros). Its 1600 companies also produce one billion items of clothing every year. From now until 2025, the growth forecast is encouraging. The Moroccan clothing market should double and reach 100 billion dirhams (10 billion euros) due the emerging middle class and wishes to become known for its creativity.

An industrial acceleration plan and the training of 100,000 workers forecast for 2020 should allow Morocco to strengthen its capacity to attract foreign capital (read our article entitled "Morocco encourages you to prosper amongst creation and industrial acceleration" published on 30/10/2016. Competence continues to be very strong, especially in the Euromed zone (Maghreb and Mediterranean countries) and production local, which discards Asian countries and sees a comeback of European brands with satisfactory prices and delivery times.

18 finalists, 18 universes

There are many advantages of studying at Casa Moda Academy. This almost "revolutionary" school in the country, which offers students the possibility of expressing a modern view of fashion based on their own ideas and emotions on three-year degree courses in fashion design, clothing and accessories stylist and fashion photographer for the press and brands, among others. At the end of these three years, a professional license is presented under the supervision of Sylvie Billaudeau, the school's pedagogical director. With a degree from Esmod Paris issued in 1987, she worked for Chanel Haute-Couture and as theatre fashion designer before going to live in Morocco with her husband. Another advantage for middle class students who do not have sufficient economic resources to follow a career abroad, is that Casa Moda Academy charges 26,000 dirhams (2,500 euros) a year. This price allows "everyone" access to have access to a modern career and often find a scholarship in a fashion house abroad... and "does it stop there?"

Last week, FashionUnited was the first one to know the eighteen finalists from the end-of-course «7th Generation’s Fashion Show » in Casablanca. "A double challenge this year because last year there were nine, adds Dominique Chardon. We found as many collections as personalities at the show. Totally different universes: from the elegant Baroque of Kaoutar Ben Ali to the 3D fabric of Fatima Ezzahra Errih, going from the changing woman of Othmane El Gamah, the heartfelt Brazilian vibe of Maroua Alla, the street style of Mohammed Kahhouli, the dark monk of Ansar El Yacoubi, the Short Maltese comic inspiration of Sara Bousmah to the radical feminist quotes of protest “Brains are our new tits” of Zineb Benkirane.

A successful attempt with "the means they had", say the teachers, as the students must have had to buy their fabrics themselves to be able to create their first collection. "They sometimes have to import fabrics because they are very scarce and often very expensive in Morocco, which complicates the task", says Sylvie Billaudeau. "However, one student with very few economic resources was offered several metres of denim to make his/her collection. In fact, Clúster Marroquí del Denim (MDC), one of our sponsors, gave him/her the material and even treated it to make it look unwashed, adds Bechar El Mahfoudi, communications director as well as art teacher at the school and founder of the Festimode Casablanca.

Images : courtesy of CMA. Othmane el Gamah, Kenza Latif, Sarah Bousmah and Ansar El Yacoubi.