ORIENTAL FASHION SHOW

The Oriental Fashion Show and the Mandarin Oriental Marrakech have joined together in creating something magical show with a breathtaking fashion runway that took place around the fabulous swimming pool of the Mandarin Oriental Marrakech.

For the 37th edition of the Oriental Fashion Show, it was decided that Marrakesh, the "Pearl Of The South" was the perfect destination to present this extraordinary show. This being the first event for the Oriental Fashion Show since the start of the pandemic.

For the 2021 show, Oriental Fashion Show paid a beautiful tribute to the memory of Mohamed Al Sagheer, the renowned Egyptian Hairdresser who had recently passed away due to the Covid virus.

Mohamed had been part of the Oriental Fashion Show organisation since its creation and he will be greatly missed. It was due to this fact that Mohammed's son Moustapha Al Sagheer and the Sagheer team came especially to Marrakesh to follow in their father's footsteps and to continue his father's legacy. Joining the Egyptian delegation were the international Egyptian movie stars Layla Eloui and Elham Shahi who were close friends to Mohamed Al Sagheer.

The Egyptian Couture fashion designer Hany El Behairy opened the show with a spectacular collection that just added to the stunning atmosphere. As usual, we were all taken back by the exotic surroundings and the electric atmosphere. This is why the Oriental Fashion Show is considered so unique.

Hany El Behairy made an impact by presenting flowing colourful printed silk dresses which shimmered in the soft evening breeze and finished his show with a spectacular silver beaded embroidered wedding dress, one of the signature pieces from his Couture collection.

We were then treated to the latest music by the Moroccan singer Xena Aouita, followed by the 2nd section of the show which included the Kaftan, that wonderful legendary garment that experts believe originated in ancient Mesopotamia.

Moroccan designers Wafa Idrissi, Fadwa Jamai, Nezha Lattaoui and Salma Lazrak, presented their couture evening wear and fabulous collections of Kaftans to enable the perfect addition to the holiday wardrobe. And for the final section of the show, we encountered the new young generation of Moroccan designers Kounouz, Loulou Ben and Merefie Co-founders who presented their ready-to-wear collections, which were inspired by Moroccan tradition and with their savoir-faire. They showcased cultural diversity in their presentations. The show was attended by VIP guests, Marrakesh's high society as well as actors and celebrities like Dounia Boutazoute, Mansour Badri, Camélia Rak, Rababe Gouyd and Driss Roukhe.

The event was held in the perfect setting. The designs and dresses enhanced the moods of the orient in all of its elegance and richness. With the gorgeous backdrop of plants and trees combined with natural, vivid florals, it created unique pallette of soft colours.

The Orientale Fashion Show has once again presented the craftsmanships of the orient, particularly the art of embroidery through a collaboration as old as time to the forefront of the fashion circuit.

HIND JOUDAR, ELHAM SHAHI, HANY EL BEHAIRY, MOUSTAPHAR AL SAGHEER, LAYLA ELOUI

MOUSTAPHAR AL SAGHEER, ELHAM SHAHI (ACTRESS) AND BEHIND HER IS AL SAGHEER TEAM MEMBERS, WITH HANY EL BEHAIRY, LAYLA ELOUI, GIGL - Photography by BERTRAN DEFILA

XENA ACUITA

HANY EL BEHAIRY

HANY EL BEHAIRY

HANY EL BEHAIRY

FADWA JAMAI

FADWA JAMAI

FADWA JAMAI

LOULOU BEN

LOULOU BEN

LOULOU BEN

MEREFIE

MEREFIE

MEREFIE

MODE

MODE

MODE

MODE

NEZHA LATTAOUI

NEZHA LATTAOUI

SALMA LAZRAK

SALMA LAZRAK

SALMA LAZRAK

WAFA IDRISSI

WAFA IDRISSI

WAFA IDRISSI