The French fashion brand Casablanca, a finalist of the LVMH Prize and the International Woolmakr Prize, was created in 2018. Its founder Charaf Tajer, an architect by training and aesthete by vocation, has worked with OFF-WHITE, Supreme, and Pigalle. Sharaf focuses on beauty and translates it into clothing through signature prints, quality materials, and exceptional comfort.
Meaning and history
Casablanca is the brand of French-Moroccan designer Charaf Tajer, who went from being an architect and backstage assistant to Rick Owens, to founder of Paris’ Le Pompom Club and finally to a career as a couturier.
Casablanca is a modern reinterpretation of the ever-popular apres-sport aesthetic, a fusion of luxury and leisure wear, creating the perfect balance between comfort and elegance. Retro-glamorous style, the use of tropical patterns, bright colors, embroidery, and monograms are the main elements that distinguish Casablanca from other brands.
Charaf Tajer founded Casablanca with his North African and Parisian cultural roots in mind. The result is a smart combination of high-quality tailoring and elegant casual wear. The designer’s parents once met in an atelier in Casablanca, so in addition to patriotism, there is also a beautiful family history involved. The brand’s clothes are indeed made in Casablanca and are designed for both the local public and sophisticated Paris.
Casablanca’s collections are based on duality, both cultural and ideological. Charaf Tajer makes full use of his background and refers to his native Moroccan culture, but he also takes into account the peculiarities of the Parisian public and its cultural codes.
Though he started with menswear, Sharaf Tajer launched his first women’s collection in 2020 with the support of Net-a-Porter, consisting of 15 pieces. The result was a line with an “elegant yet strong” aesthetic that “brings a bit of masculinity to women’s looks.”
In addition to apparel, Casablanca is also known for its use of innovative materials and techniques, including laser cutting and embroidery. This emphasis on craftsmanship and attention to detail has helped make the brand one of the most exciting and forward-thinking in the fashion industry.
What is Casablanca?
Casablanca is a fashion brand founded by Moroccan designer Charaf Tajer in 2017. The brand is known for its bold and eclectic style, drawing inspiration from different cultures and art movements. Casablanca’s designs often feature bright colors, bold patterns, and unique details, resulting in pieces that are both eye-catching and stand out.
In terms of visual identity, Casablanca is full of traditional elegance, even though the composition of the logo makes the sophisticated shapes look modern and unusual.
2018 – Today
The logo of the luxury French fashion brand Casablanca is based on black lettering, which is split into two levels: “Casa” above “Blanca”. Both lines are written in uppercase in the same fancy serif typeface. This is how in one simple step the brand turned its classy logotype into a stylish and instantly recognizable emblem, which perfectly represents the unique Casablanca approach to fashion and beauty.
Font and color
The two-leveled lettering from the official Casablanca logo is set in all capitals of a custom serif typeface with thin elongated lines and heavy triangular serifs. The most noticeable thing about the inscription is the difference in the characters’ widths— the vowels are slightly narrower than the consonants, and this adds even more uniqueness to the wordmark.
As for the color palette of the Casablanca visual identity, it is set in black and white, which is a perfect choice considering the brave and colorful prints and textures of the fabrics, used for the brand’s collections.