Casablanca SS25: An Eclectic Tribute to Los Angeles Subcultures
Held at the Pavillon Cambon, the Casablanca Spring-Summer 2025 Fashion Show stood out with a vibrant tribute to Mexican-American culture, as well as Los Angeles subcultures. Fashion designer Charaf Tajer drew on his childhood memories to draw parallels between Mexican communities in the U.S. and Arab communities in Paris, both of which have forged their own cultural identities. The collection was heavily influenced by the Chicano style, as we can see in pieces like the crystal-embellished hairnet or the satin work shirts. Some looks even raised the delicate question of cultural appropriation, blurring the line between tribute and caricature.
The visual aesthetic was inspired by Californian psychedelic artists such as Rick Griffin and featured bold patterns that enhanced Casablanca’s signature pieces. They include gradient shirts adorned with crystals and oversized pants with rainbow detailing, as a nod to the Venice Beach skate scene. The show also made references to music icons, such as Bootsy Collins.
We saw many different looks walking down the runway decorated with lowrider cars, embodying iconic Los Angeles figures: businessmen with suits and ties, surfers dressed in colourful neoprene, and skateboarders sporting rhinestone jeans. The Malibu-esque ambience of the set reinforced the lively, eclectic energy of the collection.
Effervescent and glittery, the Casablanca show subtly questioned cultural boundaries in contemporary fashion.
On the front row, we had the pleasure of meeting Bella Thorne, Liza Koshy, Clara Berry, Léo Walk, Uglyworldwide, Redouane Bougheraba, Willy Cartier, Ayra Starr, Tokischa and many others.
Photos: Julia Hervouin
