 Moroccan caftans strut London catwalk
By Abdelghani Aouifia 04/08/2009
London - Embellished by its worldwide known splendour and wrapped in its historical and legendary sumptuousness, the Moroccan caftan (traditional attire) has managed to turn the heads of fashion savvies in London.
Morocco's famous designer, Samira Haddouchi had top billing, and was unquestionably THE star of a grandiose ceremony organised Monday in the centre of London.
Haddouchi, who was among top designers coming from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon in the "Arabian Fashion World" ceremony, snatched the limelight and had a strong presence among her "competitors."
Haddouchi succeeded in attracting the attention of an audience of politicians, businessmen, fashion professionals and journalists, thanks to her creations with sublime designs and broidery.
Charmed by the glamour, the elegance and the fineness of the artwork of the Moroccan designer, the audience gave a standing ovation to the creations of this young artist, and, through her, paid tribute to the genius of the Moroccan woman, who knew how to embody the important place the caftan has in the Moroccan society as a symbol, a centuries-old know-how and a guardian of a rich and flamboyant artistic heritage.
"The Moroccan caftan is a real revelation to us all this evening," Alvaro Rey, general manager of Intercontinental London Park Lane, which organized the show in collaboration with the Arab British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC).
"The work of the Moroccan designer allowed us to discover the splendour of the art of living in Morocco, a country known for its historical richness and its thousand-year civilisation," Rey told MAP.
He said he was confident the caftan will continue to impose itself in the international fashion world thanks to the talent and to the know-how of Moroccan designers.
Since the beginning of her career, Samira Haddouchi has won her spurs thanks to an undeniable talent inspired from the great classicism of this traditional attire.
However, the "classical caftan" is not her only long suit, but a rather revisited and corrected version, which reveals an unbridled, audacious, and strong imagination that brings together the traditional forms and a genius cut of a bold and adventurous designer.
A stroke of freedom and enthusiasm wraps the twirling dresses of Samira Haddouchi, one of Morocco’s young creators who adorn the fashion industry in the north African kingdom.
Power and lightness, originality and serenity, a modernism that pampers conformism…these are the flavours that spur reflection and denote the hand that is guided by the spirit.
First event of the kind to be organized in the British capital, Arabian Fashion World, due to be an annual rendezvous, is part of a series of cultural and arts activities aimed to promote Arab culture in the United Kingdom. | 
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