Casablanca Paris is a French designer label founded in 2018 by Paris-born fashion designer Charaf Tajer, whose Moroccan heritage a prominent part of the brand’s identity.

The brand is known for its après-sport aesthetic and hand-painted prints, and was shortlisted as a finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2020.

History Originally establishing itself as a menswear label in 2018 with a budget of just $3,000, Casablanca launched its first collection in 2019.The brand subsequently expanded its product line to include womenswear and accessories, securing international retail distribution.

In June 2023, the brand underwent a corporate restructuring and was acquired by a newly formed company, Casablanca Paris Ltd. With the goal of expanding its product lines and enhancing the brand’s digital capabilities, as well as strengthening its financial and organisational infrastructure, the restructuring aimed to accelerate global growth while retaining the creative team and leadership.

Founder Charaf Tajer (born 1984), Casablanca’s founder and creative director, grew up in Paris to Moroccan immigrant parents who met in a textile workshop, and his early exposure to fashion and crafts shaped his ethos. Tajer initially pursued studies in architecture and child psychology, the former of which has influenced his approach to design form and structure. Launching into the events scene with Pain O ChoKolat in 2007, he curated “parties” that aimed to bridge cultures. He co-founded Parisian streetwear brand Pigalle with Stéphane Ashpool in 2008, and in 2010 he founded Paris nightclub Le Pompon.

Pre-dating Casablanca, Tajer worked with global brands, including Off-White alongside Virgil Abloh, consulting for Supreme and other streetwear collectives, both experiences that expanded his understanding of contemporary fashion and youth culture. Self-taught as a designer, Tajer’s creative trajectory bridges Parisian heritage and contemporary street culture, and he is committed to self-expression and creating spaces for exchanging ideas.

Collections Casablanca presented its first full collection during the January 2019 Paris fashion season, marking its public debut and establishing its identity within the international ready‑to‑wear market. The collection was marked by menswear sporting bold blocks of colour and prints reminiscent of natural landscapes, with early glimpses of future staples of the brand identity. The debut was recognised as a finalist for the 2020 LVMH Prize, a significant milestone for the brand.

In 2021, the house formally launched its Autumn/Winter 2021 womenswear line, expanding beyond its original menswear focus and establishing a broader offering that integrated the brand’s signature fusion of luxury and leisurewear. During the Spring-Summer 2023 season, Casablanca’s collections explored designs inspired by Mexico that incorporated motifs drawn from Mexican landscapes and artisanal traditions.

Later in 2023, the Autumn-Winter 2023 collection drew on the experiences and resilience of communities in Syria. Tajer’s engagement with Syrian cultural contexts informed the season’s aesthetic and theme.

From 2024 onwards, Casablanca has incorporated new locations into its designs, creating collections inspired by global cultures. For example, the Spring-Summer 2024 season drew on Nigeria, reflecting Lagos’s vibrancy and creative energy and was showcased on Nigerian Independence Day. Subsequent collections explored Ancient Rome (AW24), the relaxed lifestyle of Los Angeles (SS25), and Japan (AW25), incorporating local aesthetics, traditions and urban subcultures into the brand’s signature design codes. The brand continues to refine its identity as a high-end fashion house that interweaves travel, cultural references and vibrant aesthetics.

Retail Following years of growth, in June 2025, Casablanca opened its first flagship at 62 Rue du Faubourg Saint‑Honoré in Paris, a three‑storey boutique designed with Steve Grimes (Casablanca’s Brand Art Director), London-based Counterfeit Studio and Morocco’s Elements Lab, and featuring interiors inspired by Carlo Scarpa and the brand’s tennis‑influenced aesthetic. Tajer saw this as Casablanca moving from being digitally native to a direct-to-consumer environment, calling it a “real milestone” for his brand’s growth.

Later in 2025, Casablanca opened its second global flagship in Beverly Hills at 469 North Canon Drive, occupying a historic early‑20th‑century structure characterised by classical motifs. Today, Casablanca Paris operates in over 300 luxury retailers globally, including Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.

Reputation

Industry recognition Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) Prize (2020): Casablanca was selected as one of the eight finalists. Due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition concluded with all finalists being recognised as joint winners, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s early recognition. International Woolmark Prize (2021): Casablanca was a finalist in the 2021 edition of the award, presenting designs that explored technical innovation in Merino wool. The designs included vibrant colours and geometric shapes, featuring padded oil capsules that released citric fragrance. ANDAM Fashion Award (2021): Casablanca was shortlisted as a finalist for the Grand Prize, an award judged by an international panel of industry figures, including Phoebe Philo (Céline, Chloé) and Blackpink’s Lisa (global ambassador for Nike, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari & Céline).

Reflecting on these awards, Tajer states: “You know, my dream is to create the new French house. I want Casablanca to be as important as the big houses in 20, 30 years' time.”

Critical analysis Casablanca has been recognised for its distinctive après-sport aesthetic, merging French tailoring with contemporary streetwear influences to create a modern interpretation of designer leisurewear. The collections have garnered widespread critical acclaim over the years, with major editorial boards consistently acknowledging Casablanca’s bold visual identity and cultural periscope while offering a balanced perspective on the brand’s influence in contemporary fashion.

For the SS23 runway, Future Optimiso, critics praised the designs for resembling 70s ‘Vaqueros’ cowboy culture, mentioning the pieces drawing on Mexican cultural references and celebrated the “brand’s unapologetic flamboyance”, though some concerns were raised regarding the ethics of including live animals on the runway.

In line with its cultural exploration, Casablanca’s FW23 collection incorporated Syrian elements, presented as an exploration of global narratives rather than solely marketing themes. Similarly, for SS24, the Nigeria-themed ‘Day of Victory’ collection was praised for maintaining the brand’s signature aesthetic coherence. However, reviewers noted that its recurring tennis-inspired motifs risked monotony and lacked an innovative angle to the significant day for Nigeria.

The AW24 ‘Venus as a Boy’ collection, inspired by Ancient Rome, was highlighted for its “Mediterranean meets après-sport approach with references to the Eternal City’s art and architecture.” Critics pointed out that the androgynous power of the title, in reference to Björk’s song, did not quite match the designs.

Following on from this, the SS25 Los Angeles-themed collection was noted for its vibrant and layered inclusions, and exploration of iconic Californian cultures, though critics flagged potential risks of cultural appropriation. For Tajer’s most recent collection, the SS26 collection marked a subtle shift toward wearable, everyday luxury, blending Casablanca’s characteristic energy with a palette that was “bright but controlled.”

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