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.

I Miss the Internet!

I am living a land that is always loading, buffering or apologetic for its failing to upload! Its strange how much I now rely on the web to keep my work up to speed with my day. I'm sure that I'm going to have difficulty with this post but if you are reading it, it means I finally got there in the end!

This is just one other way of life that I am getting used to. Over the last few days I have been looking high and low around Casablanca to find fabrics for my collection. With the help Joseph Ouechen, who has been showing me the ropes of the city, I have been able to find some amazing places. Firstly being the markets deep in the Medina, tourists are uncommon here so it was a real privilege to be able to visit and witness the comings and goings of its residents. Down small streets lined with old, hand powered, singer sewing machines which were all operated by women sewing traditional clothing. I couldn't help but feel as though I was slightly encroaching on their territory as this is their life and their own bubble of civilization. The fabrics in the main market are sold in small pieces which are mainly the remnants from textile manufacturers. The entire surface of the street is covered in fabrics which makes it difficult to distinguish between stalls but, you are soon made fully aware of the owner if you hover too long around their goods. Some of them definitely care about their stall more than others as the fabrics are either perfectly folded and colour coordinated where others are just huge piles of fabric that are thrown in all directions. There are men in the market who hand spin rope in all different colours and thickness's which is then sold as intricate decoration. They have a special machine for doing good this which looks a little like a pasta machine. It wasn't appropriate to take photos of this area so you will have to take my work for it that it was amazing! Joseph did manage to sneak one in as we were walking though...

The sheer amount of fabric shops and the options that comes with that puts Shepard's Bush, Berwick St and the Birmingham Rag market to complete shame. The only difference is that there is no way you will find any neoprene or rip stop knocking about in the backstreet's of Casablanca's Medina's.  I have to say its a lot to take in all at once but as soon as you settle into it, it gets better! I'ts the first time that I have ever been fabric shopping and felt confident that I will be able to find everything that I'll need. Pretty much all fabric is sold in 2-2.5 metre lengths which is difficult to get your head around while working to a budget in an unfamiliar currency. This is because most people out here by fabric to make Jiliaba's which is a traditional style of  full length dress that would need this length to make. When you start to realise the equivalent cost in sterling it is always a happy moment as everything is a lot more cost effective to what I know. If only I could have sourced fabrics from here for my Graduate collection, the £5,500 of debt that I'm in for it may have been a lot less at this point!!

So after my first few days sourcing ^^^ this is what I have come up with ^^^ Its very feminine for me which came as quite a shock, I have never worked with a floral before. There is still so much to see and do before I make my final choices but I have belief that this is the right way to go. I've been trying to trust my instincts more and have the confidence to go all in on a decision but, this is made much easier here by the average price and knowing I can afford to make mistakes. 

The aim of  my collection is to incorporate traditional Moroccan craft in contemporary ways. I have chosen to work with metal and I hope to work with artisans in Fez. My vision is to  commission enlarged Moroccan pendants that I will sew into the garments. During the fabric sourcing I was also able , through Joseph, to find out about how the artisans work and rough ideas for price size and  quality. I want to share a few of my findings which are the pictures below...