By hosting the exhibition MOḌA. Moroccan Fashion Statements, the Centraal Museum is paying homage to Moroccan fashion in the broadest sense of the word. 5 artists in the spotlight. Said Belhadj Said from Utrecht felt the urge to incorporate his parents’ native country into his work, so he travelled to Morocco. In Tetouan, where his father was a tailor, he became fascinated by the natural material raffia, which comes from the African Raphia Teaedigera palm tree. He was also so impressed by the Moroccan tradesmen that he decided to take lessons from a shoe last maker in Voorstraat in Utrecht. He’s been running the sustainable shoe label Raphia on Oudegracht 268 since 2005. In MODA, you can admire raffia material and a pair of his hand-made, ecologically sound shoes, combined with a modern design. Meriem Yin Meriem is known for her analogue photos of family and street scenes in Morocco, which she then embroiders with brightly coloured thread. A sharp contrast with the speed at which we currently place an online filter on our photos. Meriem’s homage to craftsmanship is encompassed in three embroidered photos. Special embroidery workshops inspired by her technique are being run during the exhibition, to teach people how to make a special family photo à la Meriem. Siham Sara Chraïbi In the first room, prepare to be amazed by a monumental dress featuring a print of the 12th-century Tinmel Mosque in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The designer, Siham, has been running her own clothing brand Maison Sara Chraibi since 2014. Her fashion collection La Terre (the Earth) was inspired by a huge earthquake in 2023, in which the mosque was damaged. She has dedicated her collection to Mother Earth. The copper and gold thread in her clothes is symbolic of resilience, not only of the Earth, but also of the people of Morocco. Joseph Ouechen Thanks to globalisation, fashion styles are becoming more and more eclectic. Joseph grew up in a working-class family in a suburb of Casablanca, and a new world opened up to him when he discovered the widely diverse world of fashion online. He started his own blog, bought a camera and went out taking pictures of people on the street. He took photos of women in a djellaba (a long, loose garment with long sleeves) with the Chanel logo, punk-style young people, an older man wearing a white qamis (a traditional long Arabic shirt) and Dr. Martens. Joseph wants his pictures to show the diversity of Moroccan society. Meryem Slimani The vibrant photos that Meryem posts of her mother and muse Najate Leklye are a great hit on Instagram. She styles her mother in Dutch vintage streetwear from the 1980s and 90s, along with traditional garments from Morocco, such as the hijab (veil). In a society that rarely showcases older migrant women, Meryem and Najate are making a powerful statement about recognition and inclusion. Expect colourful close-ups, pulsating with pleasure. > MODA. Moroccan Fashion Statements, 3 October 2024 to 2 March 2025, Centraal Museum centraalmuseum.nl