Text: Louise Daniel
Welcome to LA. Where dreams come to life. Drawing inspiration from the City of Angels, Charaf Tajer reimagines Los Angeles in Paris with Casablanca's Spring-Summer 2025 collection.
Charaf Tajer, as the founder and creative director of Casablanca, borrows less from fashion but more from the rich nuances of history, culture, and diverse art forms, imbuing his brand with a unique and unmistakable edge. Renowned for curating immersive fashion show experiences, the runway of his Spring 2025 collection was a visual spectacle for all to see—adorned with vintage cars, a vibrant stage bathed in sun-bleached pastels and electric neon, all set against the backdrop of a star-studded front row.
The spirit of LA, widely known as the iconic melting pot of Hollywood’s grit and glamour, was felt in its full breadth. Tajer highlights the multifaceted identity of LA—celebrating not only its mainstream appeal but also the underground and countercultures that fuel the city's creative energy. The paradoxes of LA mirrored his own Moroccan-French upbringing which shows his creative ability to reinvent passages of history to contemporary relevance.
Lowrider Culture As Art
Casablanca's Spring 2025 runway fused vibrant lowrider car culture with maximalist fashion. Airbrushed gradients, geometric designs, and prints from the automobiles were mirrored in the tailored jackets and embellished evening dresses. Wide-shouldered tailoring was featured prominently, including a sports jacket worn by Lucky Blue Smith, which drew from 90s streetwear. Anton Mason’s standout look was a textured, distressed ensemble in bright yellow, blue, and green. Look 18 highlighted a graphic-print dress with a lace bustier, while Look 15’s satin bomber jacket embodied the season’s colors and runway aesthetics.
These design elements reflect Casablanca’s ongoing pursuit of untamed freedom and self-expression through fashion. The brand’s connection with Mexican-American Lowrider culture, where individuality is celebrated through artistic automobiles, parallels its approach to clothing. The collection draws from this cultural aesthetic, merging street style with high fashion in a way that underscores identity and personal creativity. This intersection of cultures highlights Casablanca's core philosophy: an unrestrained celebration of craftsmanship, liberation, and individuality.
A Trip From Social to Venice Beach
The surfer and skater cultures came alive on the runway through the incorporation of decorated skateboards and surfboards. As a fun fact, a cruiser skateboard with the Casablanca graphics can now be purchased on the brand’s site. These elements infused a sense of athleticism and freedom into the designs, merging well with the collection’s sports athleisure pieces. As observed in Look 38, the model wore a bright neon coat with a fuzzy texture while carrying a Casablanca-branded bottle bag and a casual bucket hat. The mix of crochet, knits, and intricate embroideries, alongside fitted silhouettes, added a handcrafted touch to the heavy streetwear elements of the collection.
‘Can’t Get Enough’ of Casablanca
Casablanca Spring 25 was an act of celebration and liberation. From the collection's design philosophy to the captivating runway show, Charaf Tajer continues to expand Casablanca’s universe by delving into history, culture, and art. The vibrant runway presentation was elevated by the electrifying soundtrack created by Carlita, which perfectly mirrored the confidence and energy of the collection. Each element, from the staging to the fashion, embodied the brand's narrative of unrestrained creativity and cultural exploration– a distinct allure brought by Casablanca season after season.