Sahrazads Love Letter to Morocco
Interviewed & Written by Akoth Otieno While fast fashion continues to desensitize consumers on the significance of considered design, most young African brands are leveraging traditional knowledge and excellence. They are reimagining our relationship with clothes by simultaneously looking forwards and backwards. “I take my inspiration from the textures and sounds of Morocco,” muses Sahrazad Ess, the founder and creative director of Sahrazad. “To create something lasting one needs to be open and curious, to allow history to influence your creative process without necessarily defining it,” she adds. Sahrazad is working against the current fashion zeitgeist by drawing from her Meknessian roots to reinvent heritage clothing whose essence transcends both time and tradition. She is centering collaborations and community partnerships. Established in 2020, Sahrazad captivates with a fluid proposition. The brand aims to cultivate a timeless feeling – one that is rooted in confidence and a strong cultural identity. With the goal of being more accessible, the brand offers simple yet elevated looks. Think maximum ease, delicate embroideries and a youthful effortless aesthetic. Over a series of conversations, she walks me through her creative journey: from the genesis of Sahrazad to her artistic vision to her desire to create clothing that allows for documentation and authentic creative expression. Let’s go back to the beginning. What was the genesis of Sahrazad? I may have been 7-8 years old when I knew that fashion was the path I wanted to follow. Caftans were such a point of excitement for me! I still see myself in my parents’ living room playing with my mother’s fabrics and creating dresses. My mother has an extensive collection of caftans that instilled my fascination for them. Sahrazad was born out of my attempt at synthesizing that fascination with my identities. Before starting your own label, you were working at Dior. What influenced your departure from the world of cosmetics and perfumery? What made you pursue fashion? I had always wanted to create my own label – even at school I knew that it was going to be important for me to create something of my own. I studied commerce and marketing, which is how I ended up at Dior. I realized quite early how unfulfilling a career in marketing would be for me. I was living in France at the time. I cannot possibly overstate the significance of my experience there though. A few years later my dad got sick, I learned he had cancer and that’s when things began to change for me. I guess grief, anticipatory or otherwise, does that to you. It opens you up. Makes you braver. I decided that maybe I wanted more. I knew I needed to follow my passions. My dad always advocated for that. After his death, I returned to Morocco to study design, and learn everything there was to know about Moroccan fashion. I got the chance to learn and work with a really brilliant designer. That came with its own new set of challenges, but I never gave up. The ideation of Sahrazad started during my apprenticeship and in 2020 we did our first fashion campaign in France and launched the brand. How would you describe the ethos of Sahrazad? Sahrazad is an ode to my origin- the heritage, and my love for it. It’s the beautiful blend between tradition and modernity. When you are a Sahrazad woman and even man, you are confident, proud of who you are, and are cool with wearing your culture on your back. I believe it’s important for people to see themselves in work that has been created, from a cultural standpoint. Once people relate to an item, they cherish it, and cherished things live on. That’s my view of timelessness. What is the significance of community and collaboration to Sahrazad as a brand? The brand would not exist without the artisans that we work with. True craftsmanship is a special kind of magic. A collaborative approach is important not just when it comes to creating meaningful work but culture preservation as well. I deeply cherish and respect Moroccan art and crafts. We’re currently a small team but the idea is to expand so we can hopefully create more work opportunities for the communities we partner with. What is your favorite memory as a designer? Without hesitation, my very first photo shoot. I did it in Casablanca with a photographer whose work I’d loved for quite some time. He has a beautiful body of work. There’s something special about seeing your ideas come to life. It’s almost spiritual. It was also affirming, in a sense. What – Who inspires you? I am going to start with Simon Porte Jacquemus. I am a great admirer of his journey and his universe. It is proof that simplicity is the key to elegance. The way he puts the sensuality of every woman with his creations fascinates me. He started from scratch and created an empire. His humility, work and determination are an example for me. I am also quite heavily inspired by Moroccan culture. Here in Morocco every alley, every place where I go lights something in me. And you can see it in my work. I love that culture keeps coming up. I’m curious, how has your identity informed your work? I come from two different tribes rich in culture and I am very grateful for that. My dad is Jebli, a tribe from the north of Morocco. Traditional clothing like chachia and medil is a strong symbol of the Jebli identity. It’s rich in color, just like the famous city of Chefchaouen. My mum, on the other hand, is a Meknessia from Meknes, a city that’s very dear to my heart and so rich in history. Meknassi culture is quite incredible, and I have come to respect its traditions. Both identities continuously inspire
