FOMO is definitely the curse of our generation; it’s impossible to not feel it. We try to play it cool, pretend that we don’t care about it, but it’s really complicated, especially when we are constantly hit with videos, photos and live updates. God knows I tried. So, if you are also prone to major FOMO, do not check out Casablanca’s show at the American Cathedral in Paris. It was definitely the place to be. The music, the energy, the looks… absolutely top tier.
Charaf Tajer knows how to throw a party. Before Casablanca, there was Pain O ChoKolat, a collective of artists that organised events and gave birth to the streetwear brand Pigalle and later the Parisian nightclub Le Pompon, where legend has it Virgil Abloh played his very first DJ set. For his new collection, the French designer didn’t hold back. The show took place inside a church, complete with a gospel choir and a DJ set that made the walls of the American Cathedral shake.
A crystal voice breaks the silence as the first model walks the runway; the mirrored backdrop seems to tremble with the vibrations of the music. Mini pink shorts, a grey mesh shirt with paillettes, a sporty jacket, sneaker-like heels, and the perfect rave glasses. Shifting between the sacred and the profane, Casablanca transforms leisure time into a mix of comfort and elegance, drawing inspiration from vibrant flyers and clubbing graphics. The looks are youthful, versatile, and free from labels. The models could be walking out of the church to go to a club later or just hanging around the city.
The palette is high on contrasts, gradients, and psychedelic prints. Sportswear meets house culture, creating a mix that’s casual but chic at the same time with an unmistakable ’80s disco touch. Basketball shorts are paired with mesh cardigans, and ruffled skirts with baggy sweatshirts and leather jackets. Tracksuits have become chic pieces that would never risk you being turned away at the club entrance ever again, while cut-outs on dresses and tops leave the skin exposed. Of course, the brand’s iconic structured tennis dresses are a must, followed by mini blazer-and-skirt sets, finally culminating in a dress of silver threads and mirrors that catch and reflect the light like the stained glass windows of the church.
The show was for sure an experience worth the FOMO, where fashion, music and sound came together and created a mystical moment that lifted us up. Words don’t do it justice, so in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and for the love of house and the love of fashion, all that’s left to say is get up on your feet and let the music take you higher.
