Sourcing in Casablanca...

For my final week I have returned back to Casablanca to finalise all of my orders and purchases. I'm also finalising my ideas for the Pre 3D Development collection so I can start work as soon as I return to the UK. Like always, time flies when you are having fun and although I feel as though it has been way too long since I have been able to indulge in a Boots Meal Deal, I still can't help but feel that the month has just disappeared without me realising. 

Fabric sourcing in Casablanca is a minefield of garish colour and sparkle. You have to be in a particular head space to be able to see past the the intense shades to focus on the less 'in your face' choices that are hidden in the pile. There are hundreds of shops, market stalls and holes in the wall where you can find such fabrics from, so sourcing can be a timely process and also exhausting on optic nerves and the shoulders from carrying all of your specially selected purchases. It is very satisfying to be able to colour match different prints, textures and structures and purchase each piece within walkable distance from each other. This runs a complete contrast to my graduate collection where nothing matched and money was wasted from constant online sourcing and sampling.

My little notebook has been my best friend, dictator and saviour during my trip, however it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find space for all my fabrics but, it has prevented me from making some extremely bad choices. For some reason I always love to play with the balance between cheap and chic and one of these days it is going to all come crashing down around me, I'm hoping and praying that I have developed the skill to stop this from happening to this collection! 

So, without trying to be a travel blog I wanted to share some of my photos of Casa and show how they have inspired the collection...

I needed a design element to bring the collection together so by taking the lines created by the architectural design I have experimented with creating a versatile and transferable pattern that can be created by paneling fabrics together. I am thinking that this will ultimately develop into a print design of some description. Watch this space...

The design development for the project has seemed like a much more considered process than in my graduate collection, now I feel that i have the confidence to take time with my work and think about much more design detail. The design process for my previous collection is just a haze of stress and pressure to create the most diverse selection of shape and print placement possible. Giving myself time to learn about detail and composition has hopefully been very beneficial within my work.

So the budget has nearly dried up which is a pretty nerveracking time with moments of panic, wondering if I have done the right thing. I have gone for a pretty intense colour pallette which I'm sure will form opinion but I suppose it is time to stick to my guns! It is also time to figure out how I will be getting all this home, I am already 4 bags down and still have my toiletries to go... its time to make sacrifices.

My metal work came back from Fes and i couldn't be happier! I have a total of 120 charms, 2 huge Berber inspired pendants and 1 metal belt to use within my collection. I said from the start that i wanted to incorporate moroccan craft into my work and I really believe that you can't get more authentic than this!

In Marrakech I also did a spot of accessory shopping. The dream is to customise these slippers in to flatform sandals, although I am slightly concerned that walking may be an issue...

Fes

The first thing that struck me about Fes is how old the city is. There is a strong sense of tradition here and a historic way of life that never really changes. I love walking through the Medina! There is no knowing what you might find through the small doorways and alleys. My, sometimes, short attention span feeds of this environment however, the Medina was not made for the clumsy, I have had a few knocks and close calls with donkeys. Full spatial awareness is key to survival in the narrow streets as you never know when you will suddenly be faced with a motorbike or some form of large animal. 

In the artisan district, there are many little pockets of the Medina where you will find small shops with a traditional loom tucked up in the corner. Here shop workers hand weave fabric for scarf's and throws which are then displayed in meticulously folded columns of colour and texture. The artisans behind the loom expect to finish around 2 metres per day which is more or less the equivalent of 2 scarf's. I wanted to commission someone to create me a piece for my collection however I would have to change so much of the fabric that I had already purchased, looks like it will just be a scarf for me. 

One of the purposes of our trip to Fes was to find an artisan who could produce some metal work for the collection. There were so many skilled craftsman to work with however I found mine by chance. In a small dress shop we met a woman who sews clothing for a living. On her shelves I found a variety of belts made of gold metal that were produced in a workshop in the market. I had to get one made to size so her son led us through the market and up to a workshop on the roof of a house. Here the artisan said that he would make my belt to size and also took on my order of 120 charms to be made for the collection. We made a deal that her would charge me a fair price if I told people in the UK that not all Moroccans want to overcharge Europeans for their trade, so this is me keeping my end of the deal.

After placing my order with the artisan, my next task was to find leather. Where better to start then the Tanneries. There is no way of seeing the area until you are literally over the top of it on a balcony where shop owners utilise the space to sell all manner of leather goods at high prices to tourists. The smell is very overpowering at first, I'm pretty sure my face pulled some unattractive expressions while I was getting used to it. The work that the men were doing below looked hard, especially on the body. Without any protective clothing there were some unnaturally coloured limbs moving around in the area. 

Diamonds in the Rough

At the weekend I was asked to give a presentation on my work and experiences as a fashion student.The audience was made up of students, teachers, industry and hobbyists from the school and surrounding areas. This was again another challenge this trip has provided me to overcome. I have never thought of myself as a good public speaker but this actually went really well which was such a confidence boost. It also felt good to be able to do something good for the school and as they have been so accommodating to host me for my stay and give me office and studio space.

               

I travelled with Joseph to Rabat to stay with Sylvie Billaudeau and her family in their villa by the sea which showed me a completely new side to Morocco. In comparison to Casablanca my, even though very short, experiences of Rabat have given me the impression that it is a more peaceful place however, my judgement only comes from the three markets and the train station that I visited there. The coast reminded me of a place in Devon where we take our family holiday every year so I felt very comforted as soon as the sea came into view. Here there is a huge fish trade, there are fishermen across the entire coast line who sell their catches at market or even on the side of the road still on the hook.

We visited two markets while in Rabat, the first was similar to what I had experienced in Casablanca, very traditional and very busy. You have to completely let go of any 'British politeness' and stand your ground against invasion of personal space and chance to keep with the group your in. The second that we visited was a Moroccan equivalent of a flea market set out in trademark narrow streets with the occasional motorbike trying to push its way through the crowd. Amongst all the used artefacts we came across two old Singer and Elena sewing machines, I think I would have taken the time to haggle one of these to a good price if only my luggage allowance would have also agreed with the purchase.

This Market, like many I have seen, is about finding the diamond in the rough, a little like shopping a TK Maxx but the complete opposite in culture, tradition and atmosphere. The fabric shops here are extensive! Every inch of available space is dedicated to showing as much variety of fabric as possible. In some shops owner's didn't care if you physically climbed all over their stock to reach the piece you had your eye on. My collection swatch book has grown since my visit so it have been a very productive yet relaxing trip.