With its rich history, bustling souks, colorful cuisine, sweeping deserts, and white-washed walls, Morocco has charmed and captivated many designers over the decades. From Yves Saint Laurent, who had a home in Marrakech, to Charaf Tajer, whose Paris-based label draws its name from Morocco’s largest city, fashion designers consistently turn to the North African Kingdom for inspiration when designing collections or staging runway shows. The latest to pay homage to Morocco is Daily Paper, the Amsterdam-based label co-founded by Jefferson Osei, Abderrahmane Trabsini, and Hussein Suleiman.
Since the three young friends established the contemporary ready-to-wear label in 2012, they have consistently stayed true to their African roots— Osei is Ghanaian, Trabsini is Moroccan, and Suleiman is Somali— by incorporating traditional prints and patterns into their designs. As one of the few African-owned labels, Daily Paper has went on to capture the attention of the likes of the late Virgil Abloh, who collaborated with the streetwear brand on a collection of Off White x Daily Paper shirts, hoodies, and bucket hats in 2020.
For Spring 2023, the brand decided to celebrate Trabsini’s Moroccan heritage with a colorful offering of men’s and womenswear titled Under the Same Moon. Back in their studio, the designers transposed the colors and artisanal motifs found on hand-woven tapestries and borrowed from the flora found in Morocco’s lush gardens and tattoos sported by ancient tribes, recasting them all through meter upon meter of luxury materials like jacquard. Meanwhile, several styles, such as blazers and trousers, are embroidered with illustrations by Sudanese artist Yasmin Elnour.
Desert colors like brick, sand, amber, and amaranth as well as the red and green colors of the Moroccan flag punctuated the collection alongside natural henna dye, which was used to reflect the tradition of North African craftsmanship and the use of natural materials.
Collection highlights include a crochet button down with matching basketball shorts and fez-inspired hat, an expertly-tailored black suit embroidered with palm tree motifs, and the introduction of new seasonal bags in a white monogram print and a new tote style in black. And of course, it wouldn’t be a true Daily Paper collection without core tracksuit staples.
The new offering will be available online and in-store from Jan. 13. To get a closer look at the new collection, watch the accompanying campaign video directed by Yazid Bezaz and Fattah Bezaz in l’bled below.
