Fashion

What FTA’s Win Means for Moroccan Designer Youssef Drissi

BYKhaoula Ghanem

November 25, 2025

When Youssef Drissi was announced as this year’s Ready-to-Wear winner at the Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) Awards in Doha last Saturday, he didn’t burst into celebration. He held his expression steady. “Before the ceremony, I told myself to stay calm and try to control my emotions, because I know how quickly I can get overwhelmed,” he told MILLE. “I kept repeating that I needed to stay focused on my speech and save the emotions for later.” The moment carried weight: “winning this prize could truly allow us to take the brand to the next level and reward the years of hard work and dedication.”

Drissi founded his label, Late For Work, in 2020, shortly after graduating from Casa Moda Academy in Casablanca. The brand quickly gained recognition for its gender-fluid approach to tailoring and its practice of deconstructing and reconstructing everyday garments. Late For Work is less about novelty and more about rethinking what already exists. Workwear becomes refined daywear, familiar silhouettes turn into structured pieces, and traditional categories—menswear, womenswear—stop feeling rigid.

That approach stood out during his FTA pitch. “I hoped they would notice the dedication, the depth of work, and the story that sits behind the brand,” he explains. Instead of selling an aesthetic alone, he walked the jury through how the brand operates. “I really focused on sharing the narrative and the values that shape our identity, how we structure the brand, how we function, and why we create the way we do,” he says. “I also made sure to highlight our achievements from last year and the rapid commercial development we’ve experienced, while giving space to the business side of things and our future projections.”

Late For Work at Dubai Fashion Week

That clarity paid off. The feedback he received wasn’t about design flaws but business strategy. “I received some insightful feedback on the business side, especially regarding price point,” he says. What mattered most to him, though, was the encouragement. “What I’ll never forget is how genuinely they supported my creativity, my ideas, and the direction of the brand. That meant a lot to me.”

Late For Work already sits outside what many expect from North African fashion. It doesn’t trade on orientalism, nor does it rely on storytelling clichés to sell clothing. Instead, it focuses on construction, inclusive silhouettes, and a contemporary aesthetic that isn’t tied to a single market or gender expression. “I can’t reduce it to one type of person, because the brand is meant for anyone who resonates with its values and identity,” Drissi says. “It’s for people who feel seen in our story, who connect with the pieces, and who embrace their own soul and complexity. That diversity is exactly what matters to me.”

Late For Work at Dubai Fashion Week

Commercially, the brand has already begun expanding beyond Morocco, particularly in Europe, where its mix of storytelling and structure has appealed to buyers looking for fresh, contemporary labels grounded in craft. The FTA win will now help scale that growth.

Drissi breaks down the next steps clearly: “We’ll focus on three major pillars,” he says. “First, production: expanding our atelier and strengthening our capacity to meet growing demand. Second, distribution: reinforcing our relationships with existing stockists and expanding further into the European market. And third, communication: building a stronger digital identity and growing a wider, more engaged audience. The prize money and mentoring will help us accelerate all three.”

What FTA’s Win Means for Moroccan Designer Youssef Drissi

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What FTA’s Win Means for Moroccan Designer Youssef Drissi

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