Casablanca’s relationship with Japan isn’t new. Charaf Tajer has been orbiting its landscapes, traditions, and contradictions for over two decades, and Fall 2025 marks his second collection dedicated to the country. But this time, it’s not a mere love letter, but an exploration of opposites. Titled “Kaizen,” after the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement, here, 1980s biker gangs stand shoulder to shoulder with impeccably tailored salarymen. It’s a reflection of the brand’s own identity—somewhere between a silk shirt billowing in the wind and a sharply cut blazer worn like armor.
The show opened in classic Casablanca fashion: striking visuals, a transportive ambiance, and a meticulous attention to detail that felt cinematic. Wide-shouldered coats and layered ceremonial tailoring set the tone for the first act, paying homage to Japan’s business culture. Muted shades of brown, gray, and black—colors that mirror Tokyo’s high-rise boardrooms—dominated the opening looks. Then, the mood shifted. The collection erupted into color, playfulness, and subcultural references that felt like a crash course in Japanese street style.
There were nods to Harajuku’s Kawaii aesthetic with exaggerated bubble knits, anime-inspired mascot tees and bag charms, and animal-ear beanies. Bōsōzoku biker influences came through in heavily padded leather jackets and paneled motocross pants, evoking the rebellious spirit of Japan’s legendary underground racing gangs. And then came the raver looks—neon-lit ensembles that felt plucked straight from a late-night Shibuya dance floor. Somewhere in between, a scattering of après-ski fits, ready for a winter escape to Hokkaido, punctuated the chaos.
But what makes this collection feel so distinctly Casablanca is its ability to embody the duality of the human experience. We all exist between extremes—the polished professional and the reckless dreamer, the disciplined and the spontaneous, the minimalist and the maximalist. Just like Japan itself, a country where centuries-old traditions exist in harmony with futuristic cityscapes, Casablanca’s Fall 2025 RTW collection mirrors the fluidity of modern identity.
Heat-pressed plastic sakura flowers, made in Italy and dip-dyed by hand, felt like a literal manifestation of the old-meets-new philosophy that Japan embodies, and a subtle nod to Casablanca’s own approach to design—where craftsmanship and modernity are constantly in conversation.
Casablanca isn’t interested in merely replicating or borrowing from Japan’s aesthetic lexicon. Instead, it interprets, transforms, and recontextualizes it through its own lens. The result is a collection that feels fresh, current, and entirely Casablanca.
