Rabat – The ongoing Morocco Fashion Week hosted earlier today a press conference at Marrakech’s M Avenue theater, featuring several speakers who spoke glowingly of Marrackech’s global charm and the increasing appeal of Moroccan fashion.

The speakers included the event’s founder Hind Joudar, M Avenue Founder Nabil Slitine, Fashion Channel founder and chairman Nocera Marzio, as well as the founder of the Accademia Moda school in Nazareth, Saher Okal.

The event’s founder Hind Joudar

Joudar, who is also the founder of the Oriental Fashion Show, said her participation in the event is mainly aimed at sharing her expertise and know-how for the benefit of Morocco. “The fashion show aims to develop the image of marrakech at the local and international level,” she told Morocco World News.

Morocco Fashion Week’s press conference at Marrakech’s M Avenue theater

The event is bringing together designers from all over the world, including Kazakhstan, Italy, Lebanon, and Palestine.

According to its founder, the fashion show’s main mission is to support young talent and develop their projects. The participating designers will get the chance to showcase their designs during the fashion show runway which will take place today, the founder explained, promising that the attendees will see “something that will transport them emotionally.”

Dance performance at Marrakech’s M Avenue theater

The event will also feature a competition in which students from various modeling schools will showcase their designs in the hopes of winning a prize that will allow them to present their designs at the upcoming fashion show in Paris in June.

The competition is jointly organized with the styling and modeling schools Casa Moda, Lasalle College, and Escom. The Jury of the competition comprises renowned fashion figures from across the Arab world, including Zineb El Joundy, Said Mahlouf, Hany El Behairi, and Saher Okal. 

Showcasing and supporting  young talent

Speaking on the sidelines of the press conference M Avenue Founder Nabil Slitine said: “We are very happy to be organizing the second edition of Morocco Fashion Week in partnership with Hind Joudar.”

The founder defined M avenue as a “cultural destination” that aims to highlight and promote young talent and creators. 

“Our vision from day one is to promote talent from all sectors including artistic, fashion, as well as technology sectors,” Slitine said.

In an interview with Morocco World News, Palestinian fashion designer, founder and owner of the fashion school Accademia Di Moda, Saher Okal, described the event as a platform  to showcase new talent and graduates from Accademia Di Moda, which would serve to highlight Palestinian creativity to the rest of the world. 

Palestinian fashion designer, founder and owner of the fashion school Accademia Di Moda, Saher Okal

Okal said he expects the fashion show’s runway to be “amazing,” noting that it will include both modern and traditional designs such as the caftan.

The Palestinian designer, who is also the winner of Project RunWay Middle East season II, seized the opportunity to express his love for Moroccan clothing. 

He especially spoke of his admiration for the Moroccan Caftan, which he said has over the years consistently captured fashion enthusiasts’ attention with its intricate details and refined appeal during fashion shows.

Read Also: First Edition of Morocco Fashion Week Kicks Off in Marrakech

The Morocco Fashion Show’s first day kicked off on March 8, featuring an exhibition of craftswomen which paid tribute to the Moroccan caftan as well as Moroccan women. The exhibition was held at Marrakech’s famous “La Brillante” hotel.

Exhibition of craftswomen at Marrakech’s famous “La Brillante” hotel

On its second day, the fashion show featured cooking workshops at Marrakech’s culinary arts museum, where the participants learned how to cook Moroccan chicken tagine and Moroccan salads such Zaalouk.

Cooking workshops at Marrakech’s culinary arts museum

This year’s Morocco Fashion Week is set to close the curtains on March 12, after showcasing the work of more than 20 haute couture, caftan, and ready-to-wear fashion houses.

The event is organized and supported by the Oriental Fashion Show and is chaired by Hind Joudar in partnership with M Avenue.