Cultural Significance of Moroccan Clothing
Throughout the ages clothing has played an important role in all cultures. Not just as a necessity, clothing is also a form of self-expression. Clothes have the power to define a person’s image and impact on the way one is perceived by others. They represent the wearer, their beliefs, nationality and culture. All over the world there are different traditions and beliefs, and different kinds of textiles grown and woven. There are countless different types of clothing throughout the world, sometimes with hidden meanings that can only be understood by the people of that specific culture. From ritualistic to whimsical, clothing tells a story that the people of that country understand. This is why foreigners need to be careful of the clothing they choose to wear when in another country’s territory. Making a mistake about who you are trying to represent, what you are trying to tell with your clothes, can insult people. On the other hand, for the people of that country, clothing becomes memory, souvenir of the wonderful travel, the discovery of another culture and its traditions.
Morocco is a gateway between Europe and the Middle East, where an amazing mixture of Berbers, Arabs, Sub-Saharan Africans, Jews, Spaniards and the French has been created. Thanks to its rich past, Morocco has a striking and diverse architectural and cultural richness which includes food, customs, monuments and clothing. Visiting the souks is like going through a journey in the past, where craftsmen are still using their traditional methods to create Moroccan traditional clothing like Djellabas, Kaftans, Takchitas, Babouches. Textiles like wool, cotton and silk are dyed with natural edible products from plants. This paper aims to inform and shed light on Moroccan clothing, as well as to explain why it holds such morphological, historical, cultural and economic importance. In fact, by studying Moroccan clothing, we will be able to survey Moroccan civilization through its taste, its know-how and its sources of bank, which are its exports all over the world.
2. Historical Overview
Ancient Berbers are among the earliest settlers in North Africa, and at least part of the current Moroccan population is descended from these aboriginal Berbers. The Berber probably introduced agriculture to this land around 7000 BC. They were organized in tribes, speaking a language of that same origin as the Egyptian. Browning skin and dark-haired, the ancient Berbers were nearer the Egyptian type than the Europeans, in spite of their distance from the Nile. Archaeological data indicate that Tunisia supported settled agriculture during the later Stone Age, while the same occupation occurred during the Early Metal Age in Morocco and elsewhere. Phoenicians established commercial settlements along the Mediterranean, raising small quantities of grain and trading commodities with the smaller inland settlements. These small settlements were not influenced by the Phoenicians or the merchants of the Greek and Roman cities who exploited the natural resources of North Africa and controlled major trade routes across the region until the establishment of the Carthaginian Empire. The subsequent occupation by the Romans influenced these smaller populations, as Latin became the official written language and an economic and urban expansion began. The defeat of Carthage brought the Romans to Africa, where they created cities such as Volubilis, Lixus, or Tingis, bringing in Gallic and Iberian labor. They established roads and led the Berbers to pastoralism leaving aside agriculture. After a long process of gradual influence, the local tribes ended up being related to these occupiers through a process of adopting elements of the Latin culture and other ways. The Romans operated their mines and olives, exporting Africanized fruits and lusitanized mines to the metropole.
3. Traditional Garments
Moroccan clothing passes down traditions and reflects the country’s unique influences. From the Berbers, Romans, and Arabs to the Spanish and French, Morocco is a blend of cultures. Moroccan dress conveys this cultural significance through colors and designs. Clothing is considered auspicious for ceremonious occasions since attire brings its own energy. The garments below are formal wear in Morocco, typically worn on festive days. They are made of silk, cotton, wool, and velvet and often embellished with exquisite embroidery.
3.1. Djellaba
Undoubtedly Morocco’s most famous garment, the djellaba is an outer robe with a hood, often worn over the kaftan or simply on its own. It is said to have Berber origins, dating back centuries, and some still favor a very simple version. Today, however, a djellaba looks just as quietly elegant in nude tones as it does in bright pink, turquoise, or royal blue, embellished with brocade. Although its hood is meant to cover the head and conceal the woman in her djellaba, fashions have evolved, and as often as not, djellabas are paired with a headscarf, while the hood hangs open on the back.
3.2. Kaftan
The kaftan is a fitted, often open-front, long-sleeve dress worn by women on festive occasions. Traditionally, kaftans were made of cotton, embellished with embroidery and trims, while today they are made of silk and satin and decorated with crystal rhinestones and gold embroidery. No festive outfit is complete without shiny jewelry. Traditionally made of gold or silver, Moroccan jewelry is embellished with colored beads and shaped into unique motifs, including flowers, birds, and the like.
3.3. Tarbouch
The tarbouch is a small hat worn by men, similar to the fez. Traditionally made of wool or felt, it is embellished with tassels. Originally a prayer cap, it was worn by Muslim men, especially in Turkey. Today, rarely will you find a Moroccan man wearing the tarbouch in everyday life.
3.4. Bournous
The bournous is a cloak with a hood, typically worn as an outer garment, usually when it’s cold. Traditionally made of wool, with embroidery around the neck, it is worn by men, especially in the mountains, but can also be worn by women. Today, Moroccans wear the bournous primarily in Berber settlements.
3.1. Djellaba
The djellaba is a loose-fitting hooded robe, without a lining, made of wool or cotton, and worn by men and women alike, often belted. Its extra-long sleeves and hood protect against the cold and rain as well as the dry heat. The djellaba appears to have originated in the Arab-speaking regions to the north of Morocco. During the French protectorate, a lighter-weight djellaba was adopted outside of Morocco, but the djellaba’s continued association with the noble culture of the Berber stressed the Moroccan’s dislike for foreign influence concerning daily dress; its reintroduction during the early years of independence was welcomed by the people, as it belonged to the Moroccan heritage.
Originally, people specialized in the manufacture of djellabas, making single garments or according to the requirements of the clients. For the most influential classes, the garment was made of precious materials. The journey undertaken by the djellaba, and its stylistic forms, was extremely varied up to the present. The possibilities of variation are, in fact, certain, with the approach of new channels of distribution: the shops attached to the industry unit, which propose a quality djellaba or an inferior quality djellaba for the benefit of quantity. The djellaba is now also available at a lower price in the districts of the big Moroccan towns. It is often neared thanks to the progressive movement of belts, buttons, and embroidery. The hook attached to the head is more frequently turned to the back, its other garments being more frequently made in a slightly different style.
3.2. Kaftan
In contrast to the djellaba, which is generally worn daily, the kaftan is elegant, formal, and made of more expensive and intricate fabrics. If an occasion requires one to dress nicely, the kaftan is usually the best choice. It is almost always ankle-length, with an extravagant embroidery running up the front and round neckline. Its rich colors and fabrics certainly appeal to the eye and therefore might be especially attractive when worn for holidays, weddings, or traditional parties. Kaftans used to be very exquisite, featuring jewels, gemstones, valuable ornaments, and carefully polished fabrics. Nowadays, though, they are available in numerous different types and categories – narrow or wide, with belt or without, silk or cotton, with hood or without. The Moroccan kaftan generally has an ankle-length, loose, robe-like shape with long sleeves. It is mostly closed at the front from the neckline to almost the bottom, although sometimes it opens around the waist with an elaborate belt. Many fashion designers and seamstresses nowadays are also working for an international market, as kaftans have become popular not only in Morocco, but also in Europe, the United States, the Persian Gulf, and other countries. Some buyers are looking for special and extravagant designs; among these, kaftans enriched with elaborate embroidery are very popular. Beyond Morocco, the most beautiful and luxurious kaftans can be found in the Gulf countries. In those regions, these garments are often worn by wealthier people and even royalty.
3.3. Tarbouch
At several new events such as weddings or family celebrations in modern Morocco, one can see the extravagant cap of the pure red color with its green silk tassel that is worn by Moroccan men, or sometimes also female guests. The red felt cap, which is called Tarbouch, is clearly associated with Morocco and is often incorrectly thought to be a representative Moroccan costume in Western countries. The term Tarbouch in Morocco is itself an Arabicized term which is traced back to the Persian word. Although condemned for decades by Republicans since independence and considered somber, recently, the Tarbouch is celebrated in line with the high-spirited search for authenticity of the Moroccan women and men. There are several variations of the word which refer to the Turkish Fez, or the classic barb at the end of Arabic farasheh, which means moth, which refers to the similarity of the long tail of the Tarbouch to the moustaches of a caterpillar. In Oriental French, it is chai by attribution, and simply Fez for Italians.
According to a tradition, Sultan Moulay as-Suleiman Ibn Moulay Ishaq issued a decree in 1860 stating that no one in Morocco should cover their heads with anything but the Fez. The Tarbouch embodies the common identity of Moroccan believers. As a sign of their Muslim faith, Moroccans proudly wear this cap which was in diplomatic use already during the Middle Ages and represents the blue-red-white colors of the Moroccan flag. The Tarbouch is still sometimes worn with a bournous or djellaba, and also for festive occasions as a ceremonial cap.
3.4. Bournous
Along the region of the Great Atlas and in Southern Morocco, men and boys are provided with another garment, known as the bournous, which is sometimes also known as bernous, burnous, or bornoose. This garment is in fact a hooded woolen mantle, generally full and pleated at the back. It is lined with wool and the outside, frequently made by women themselves, is woven of all wool goat hair in a variety of colors and patterns. The heading or top of this garment is most generally of a different color with a small white embroidered border and is rounded where the two unique black tassels are fastened. The bournous is kind of a universal warmer throughout the year. It protects from cold, wet, and indelicately scorching sun, the body, the head, and to some extent the face of those who wear it along the roads which lead to the valleys in the Great Atlas Mountains, most of which are inhabited by Berber tribes. It is also a lictor of authority worn by men in impressive positions. It can be taken off to sit in shape of a circle with closed edges on the shoulders and the sleeping person or by a man who had a drink too many. The bournous, this area’s bournous, is practically unknown outside it, as it is too heavy to be carried a long way for no reason at all. In popular art, it has captured the eyes of painters, photographers, and craftsmen. The animalistic shadows generated by the bournous, which masters make a dip at the edges overspreading in lengthwise either side of the figure, its progressively vanishing body’s final tip, the frozen form and color of models preempted by this austere coat, offer this mural and primitively realistic art the road to expressionism.
4. Regional Variations
Moroccan clothing varies considerably depending on region and locale. Often, the style of clothing varies from valley to valley. In the north of Morocco, particularly in the Rif Mountains and on the Mediterranean coast, the capes worn by men and women and the flat weaves of women are in stripes with bright colors, red, green, yellow, blue. The population of the region is Berber, but in the main towns, there are Arab influences; the clothing of artisans and merchants is richly embroidered and more precious.
More southern in the lands of the Berbers of the Atlas Mountains, for women, the Djellaba, a wool long dress with a hood, the milhfa (the veil is worn in all Morocco), for men, the Qob, a robe worn by the peasants, the ikhamrh, the brown wool long tunic, the l-‘ab, the tunic of the silk merchants, the ‘arbi, a wool tunic of the Arabs, and the farmla, the coat worn by the higher classes. The embroidery is less colorful and more developed in the country, contrasting with the simplicity of the forms. The women’s wool covers have much variety; the tassels are demanding and colorful. In the mountains, the colors are grotesque – invisible blue, yellow-orange, reddish pink; In the snow countries, the blades are colorful but pale.
The materials are poor, often unfinished, the symbols gross; but the clothing adapts with genius to a rudimentary, hard, and primitive existence. The dress of the Sahara today is simple, the men wear a stripped wool tunic; the women a flat wool cover, a yashmak, and continual hosiery. Their colors and forms are more lively than in the Atlas because the Sahara today brings together commercial and moving points. The Sahara clothes were once luxurious; few signs still remain.
4.1. Northern Morocco
Clothing is very valuable in the rural regions of Morocco. It has a communicative function as well as a protective one, prolonging human life in the realm of the Divine, yet it also signifies community, differentiating one tribe from another. In addition to all this, Moroccan clothing is evidence of the superior skills of its makers, the artisan women spinners, weavers, dyers and embroiderers. The aesthetic of this production merges form and function, making each item an art object. Further, the Moroccan attitude, which can be translated as “cultural conservatism”, assures that a community’s artifact production confirms local history, not some foreign pattern.
In Northern Morocco, along the Mediterranean coast, we find towns with their golden tingle to the Moroccans, and we find the people mostly devoted to the tourism and fishing industries, both of which draw sustenance not long away from the Mediterranean Sea. Generally, the inhabitants of the towns are Spanish or French settlers or descendants of settlers. Thus, the only signs of “Moroccanness” are to be found in the casbahs, the Medina districts, in which Arabic is spoken and the inhabitants wear clothing distinct from that of the townsfolk. The memory of the “noble” Spanish or French presence lives on in town architecture. The people of the coastal region are mostly Berbers. Next to them we find the Berber Saladins, settled and controlled by the town authorities and in charge of the Muslim service in town mosques, as well as the Berber Almohades, who live in the villages and are occupied with agriculture, the only industry of this region.
4.2. Southern Morocco
The Berbers have influenced both the clothing styles and techniques in Southern Morocco, as is evidenced by the dominance of the djellaba and haik among men and women. The djellaba is a long, unskirted garment with a large hood. Though it can be worn without a belt, Moroccan men generally wear it belted at the waist. Women have both belted and unbelted versions, but the unbelted types are not as common. Djellabas are made of a variety of fabrics, depending on the time of year. During winter, they are made out of thick, heavy wool to protect the wearer from the cold. During summer, they traditionally are fabricated from cotton, though silk versions are available. The varied colors and patterns of the djellaba depend on the taste of the wearer. The haik is a long, unskirted cape that folds, hides, and swathes. It is completely sewn in such a way that it creates a tube-like structure with openings on both ends. The haik protects against the cold and, for men, the sun’s harsh rays. This clothing must be worn tucked in the belt. While men’s haiks are usually plain, women’s haiks come in a variety of colors with patterns made using silk, cotton, or wool.
The Berbers also influence men’s and women’s clothing by introducing the burnous, the man’s sarouel, and the woman’s long skirt. The burnous is a long, hooded, unskirted cape that is either belted or worn without a belt and tucked into the man’s sarouel. It may be related to the djellaba. The sarouel is a cotton trousers type with tight-fitting calves and baggy thighs that features large patch pockets. The long skirt is another version of the djellaba, and like the haik, it is folded, hidden, and swathed; however, it is sewn to create a tube-like structure that opens at the waist. These clothing items protect against the cold and the sun’s rays.
Men often wear a large head covering that is held in place by a cord, called the agal, knotted under the chin. This head covering comes in several variants. Among Berbers, a white or beige cotton scarf, called a khamla, is placed over the head and knotted in back, while a colorful scarf is folded and draped over the back of the head. Some men’s and women’s capes are pleated, embroidered, and/or woven with silk, thread, or other materials.
4.3. Western Sahara
In Western Sahara, traditional attire remains an integral part of the local lifestyle. The Saharawis from this region create practical clothing that is well-adapted to their environment by making use of local fabrics. It is difficult to find specialized craftsmen for the manufacturing of attire for Saharawis, as only a small number of women are capable of making the handmade dresses and tents for which the Saharawi are known. Adults wear a walking dress, called melhfa or melfa, that consists of a large piece of light or patterned cloth, rectangular or triangular in shape and often confused by outsiders with a blanket. The melhfa has many uses; it can serve as a dress, a shawl, a turban, and even a tent. It is wrapped around the body, usually without a closure, with the long part hanging down and going below the knees. The older generation, especially women, usually cut the cloth at regular intervals and apply embroidery to the edges, shoulders, and chest.
Because of the local climatic conditions, particularly the winds of the trade desert, clothing must be relatively heavy and made out of strong material to withstand days of travel across the desert on foot, camelback or mounted on a truck, which is why Saharawi women prefer to wear pants under the melhfa. Men wear pants and shirt under a tobe, but the tobe fabric is usually more resistant than the fabric of the women’s dresses. Saharawi women wear jewelry that is particular to the region but not very extensive; not unlike the jewelry from southern Morocco. Saharawi headpieces, however, are one of the region’s characteristics. It consists of wrapping a scarf around the head and wearing it to the local funerals. It is a type of khalkhal and worn by men, particularly around the wrists.
5. Materials and Fabrics
The materials and fabrics that compose Moroccan clothing are just as varied and diverse as the culture that produced them. From thick wool-lined customs designed to insulate from the cold of the Atlas mountains to sheer silks used on the balmy beaches of the Mediterranean and Atlantic, the facets of Moroccan clothing reflect the geography, climate, and people that produce them. Wool, cotton, silk, and leather are the most common materials used to manufacture traditional Moroccan clothing. Wool, cotton, silk, and leather can be combined with other fabrics as well. For example, wool is sometimes blended with an acrylic fabric, and it is often seen combined with other fabrics on leather slippers. Wool is the most common textile used in traditional Moroccan clothing, especially among Amazigh peoples. The history of wool processing in Morocco can be traced back millennia. Because of its insulating properties, wool is preferred for the manufacture of clothing designed to be worn in cold conditions, such as the customs of the Atlas Mountains during winters. Traditional wool garments may be lined with cotton, silk, or cashmere. Embroidered wool garments can be worn as everyday clothing or for celebrations, such as weddings. Thick wool may also be used for the manufacture of shields and armor. In recent decades, wool products have been manufactured using thick acrylic fabrics. While these fabrics easily repel rain, they also trap in heat, leading to overheating during hotter months and in sunnier areas. Cotton is the preferred textile used in the manufacture of light clothing designed to be worn in warmer climates and warmer seasons. Cotton garments are often made plain. Additionally, they may be embroidered with threads of wool, silk or cotton. Another cotton resource comes from the fabric made by beetles and silkworms. With the complexity of colors and patterns in which it can be dyed, cotton has become the preferred material for simple and light Moroccan caftans. The dyeing process involves dyeing the fabric first with indigo and then adding other shades using a more recycled dye.
5.1. Wool
Both nomads and sedentary figures have exploited wool for various uses since ancient times. Nomadic groups have generally employed sheep wool for survival in harsh climates. Sedentary people have valorized wool for luxury clothing in warmer areas. The wool industry has developed in the cities of the north and in the sous. The best wool comes from Merino sheep. Other traditional breeds are Agadiri, Draa, or Ouled Djellal sheep. The fleece is sheared and left to dry for several days. The wool is then scoured in boiling water and sold to dyers and on-spinners creating a rich color palette for Morocco’s woolen clothing. Red, green, and white for the nomads, indigo blue for the Berber women of the Atlas and green-eyed women of the Draa valley, yellow, rose, and brown for the Shiit Menaouar women, orange and white for the Brahim women of the Middle Atlas, without forgetting blue for the Saharan touaregs. Unspun scoured wool is used for clothing of the privileged, who wear white wool burnous with hoods. Dyed woolen yarn is needed for the pacific blue wool burnous, woven by a few nomadic or sedentary masters specialized in this type of garment, that is offered for sale in the souk of certain oasis towns in the Saharan region.
As for bulky long wool coats, they are very popular among sedentary men too, using the same colors or with simple decorative patterns. The difference with nomadic djellabas lies in the quality of wool that is selected for the fineness of the product according to the status of the wearer. The Moroccan cities of the north and Italy produce fine woolen fabric finely checked or striped for the robes of high-ranking, wealthy individuals.
5.2. Cotton
5.2. Cotton Cotton textiles have been introduced into Morocco relatively late, despite the fact that it is possible that small quantities were imported since Roman times. During the late Middle Ages, cotton products entered the Muslim world from India or Egypt. Cotton plants were introduced to Spain by the moors in the 16th century, but it was not until northern Europeans began to monopolize its trade in the early 17th century that the Spanish empire started to grow it in the Americas. By the end of the 18th century, large quantities were arriving in Morocco from Mexico and from Texas. The traditional cotton business later developed in an informal manner in the north of Morocco using ‘pocket’ techniques and predominating in the 20th century. Initially imported cotton products were regularly sold along with woolen fabrics in most souks, until Moroccan producers created their local cotton industry.
Moroccan cotton fabrics were still tested for quality at a very primitive level in reviewing the weaving, strength, weight, evenness, print, hand and feel, crease recovery, colorfastness by sun (for dyed fabrics), and resistance to laundering (for printed fabrics). Local cotton cloth can be manufactured in white, plain, bleached, dyed, striped or patterned variations, and their famous ‘sefor’ semi-lustrous damask weave is used for fine formal wear among the Moroccans. Cotton is also much employed for bed and breakfast items. Cotton is used for everyday (and fine) clothes among the poor, and even a few very rich Moroccan families have adopted it for communications. Throughout the country, cotton garments can be seen worn by the inhabitants on banks, beaches and architecture, and the fabric is used widely in all parts of the world with more ethnic flashes.
5.3. Silk
Silk is a precious material that is worn on rare and solemn occasions in Morocco, but it played an important role in luxurious fabrics. One day the Moroccan asked a merchant about the “secrets” of the silk weaving, that it and the silk woven in the countries of the East had not the same aspect. The merchant explained him that it was not to their taste to wear a similar fabric to that adorned the couches of the sultan and his viziers. The muse of the conversation was nevertheless a merchant of China who traded the susurrus of the looms from Aleppo to the plain of the Shaykhs and had taken seat in Frank at the bottom of a large silk shop, with luxurious garments from the East, alive and variable as gowns of flowers, shaking the foot and telling a story of delight to lively children. He was ambitious: “In some time they will sell only here,” he said, pointing at the exquisite pieces whose multitude was to fill the Baghdad of the Turks; “and the beautiful gown of your Sultan will be no more but a courier of cushions.”
This anecdote relates the luxury of silk in the very epoch of the reigning of the Almohades. It would not be logic however to resort there – since Persia was closer – if one could find the same goods in the country. But even silk is faithful to its subtlety, that of the cotton and worsted and wool knotted or spongy and softened like disheveled gales. The difficulty of the elaborate finishing and obtaining of a refined aspect must have prolonged the wearing of the type borj by the great lords. Not even the characters of the embroidery represent light buds disclosing flower collars become the delicate décor of fineries, because silk was employed by the skilful hands of the embroiderers of Fes, of the shoemakers of Marrakesh for sandals, of the goldsmiths of the bazaar of the Silver, of wrought iron for cages, passes and gratings of nestled sky.
5.4. Leather
As far back as the first and second centuries, leather from Fez was reputed to be the world’s finest. Leatherworkers made shoes, slippers, wallets, purses, belts, and various other items. They produced leather dyed in colors and decorated with stamped patterns. Today, tanning industries in Fez and Marrakech have not changed since Moorish times, but while their products are of fine quality, they pale in comparison with the original Moroccan leatherwork. Noteworthy pieces of handmade leatherwork include slippers trimmed with fur, beautifully stitched traveling bags, and finely chased belts.
Leather and leatherwork reflect the wealth and individuality of their origin. Among the items that make unique entries to the decorative menu, Moroccan leatherwork is of utmost elegance and finesse; leather is more than just a protection for the body; it is an instrument for refinement. The artisans are busy in every street. Although their labor is long and tedious, often proceeding in the open air, they are the pride of their family. Shoes, house slippers, bags, shoulder bags, pooties, pouches, and trunks; these are all leatherworks by Moroccan artisans. Everything from dressed lambskin, tanned sheep-skin, and colored or embroidered cowhide is created. And to warm these varieties there are the minor variations: those that are antique, engraved, embossed, and sometimes gilded. It is leatherwork for the sultan of edged weapons. A wealth of knives sheathed with asymmetrical blades of which the scabbards must be matchless. A slipped carpet of the lightest leather, frosted and powdered. Anything can be made in leather.
6. Symbolism and Meaning
This section delves deeper into Moroccan clothing culture. It defines what clothing signifies and discusses the colors, patterns, and embroidery techniques of Moroccan clothing and their significance.
In general, clothes have several connotations. They provide comfort and protection against outside elements and help show social ties. For many human groups, clothing has significance beyond the protective aspect, from which derive connotations of rank and status, ethnicity, age, sex, and wealth of the person wearing them, and family life cycles. In other societies, clothing is a way of bringing happiness to the individual and generating social prestige. For the majority of Moroccan groups, Muslim clothing has specific connotations. The purpose of this law is clear: to differentiate the group from neighboring groups, to separate believers from nonbelievers, and to emphasize social equality and community belonging. Even if the practice of some Muslim principles differs or tends to fade away in some contexts and only a minority of people adhere rigorously to this law, colors and patterns play a subtle role and the techniques used for embroidery reinforce the necessary difference between a person’s clothing and another individual’s clothing.
This section presents a brief analysis of the use of colors and patterns according to the group that wears a specific garment and refers to the techniques used for embroidery. There are no printed or stamped motifs because all motifs are embroidered. Everything is symbolic of ‘Moroccan’ clothing, which is mainly woven or embroidered. We shall only briefly address woven motifs; clothes are easier to weave than to embroider. People wear embroidered clothes at the important events in their lives. People usually get bored of their lives if they spend too long embroidering for monetary gain, while weaving is something they enjoy doing; they are willing to weave for their pleasure as they enjoy weaving colorful items.
6.1. Colors and Patterns
Every color and shape in Moroccan clothing has a symbolic significance. The color red symbolizes strength; brown symbolizes the earth; white symbolizes purity and morality; blue symbolizes the sky and is said to protect against the evil eye; yellow is associated with the sun; and green is the sign of Islam, the color of the prophet. The various colors come from natural sources, such as flowers, herbs, and roots, or from minerals. There are colors from chemical sources: red comes from aluminum sulfate, while external violet is made with violet orymin. The patterns and color combinations seen in Moroccan clothing and textile designs also bear symbolic significance. For instance, the design known as “oftyt” describes interlaced diamonds arranged within a 6 or 8-angled framework. Such diamond shapes represent nests so the proprietor can have a great harvest each year. Each hapless bird would sacrifice itself in the face of this ominous sign.
Saharans employ a color known as bousli, which is made from kohl mixed with a plant. The last color symbolizes the mourning of a woman facing the death of a loved one. The color khak represents a sick person or someone in mourning. Men use two colors: the white color assembles them, while the blue one is employed as khitma. This latter color is exclusive to men. Patterns of almost any combination can be found on the garments and vary from region to region. Moroccan textiles often feature bold and bright multicultural designs using color combinations that are thought to help with mental focus and concentration. Bright designs or chosen patterns strengthen the talib’s memory.
6.2. Embroidery Techniques
The embroidered decoration of Moroccan clothing is done either by the techniques of stitching or of applied decoration. The first category includes many kinds of techniques executed with different material. The stitching technique is the most practiced, executed with colored cotton threads and, less, with gold or silver threads. In the early traditional techniques used to be cotton, they were replaced by synthetics, which resisted better to wash and used normally for clothes for everyday use. That of gold or silver threads is used rather for the most elaborate decorations, normally for clothes rather worn for ceremonial events. This technic’s stitches are emitted variously to form flower shapes, geometrical and check patterns, which decorate the garment showing vertically or horizontally. The second category of decorating techniques includes, first of all, the applied silk pieces, which used to be framed or highlight with stitching. The technique of applying colored silk pieces is demanded for the decoration of babuches, djellabas and caftans, where this kind of decoration has attained a high level of artistic creations because of the heaviness of application that is designed, transformed almost into a pictorial work. Other more or less used applied decoration techniques are that of stitch-ladder and that of fringes. The first one is rarely used, it is used rather for the decoration of banal tcheroualis or summer djellabas. The second one has almost been abandoned; it has lasted only for a long time on the sleeves of a shirt, exclusively worn by rich men.
7. Cultural Practices and Rituals
Moroccan culture has a wealth of timeless traditions which are reflected in its clothing. Clothing plays a primary role in cultural customs, from weddings to religious holidays, Moroccan people pay careful attention to the garments they are wearing. Gold embroidery, silk, cashmere, and other materials are typically used, as well as elaborate hairstyles embellished with gold jewelry, henna, and other decorations. Moreover, Moroccans treat the act of dressing not only as a necessity, but also as an elegance and beauty ritual, through which they express their cultural identity with pride. Traditionally, Moroccan clothing customarily has many variations according to seasonality, color, materials, shapes, and accessories. They change according to age, sex, and social status, as well as the occasion and the time of the year. Moroccan clothing differs during celebrations: Ramadan, Aid Al-Fitr, Aid Al-Adha, weddings, and other celebrations. For Aid Al-Fitr, population wear elegant outfits, consisting of gabachas and dresses decorated with gold. For Aid Al-Adha, in addition to gabachas, and other Moroccan clothing styles, a large part of the male population put on djellabas, an “outdoor” outfit, while females wear simplex models of dresses or caftans. As for weddings, clothing takes on its best and finest form. Formation are considerably remarkable; the bride carries on herself silky and flashy touches, embellished with bright colors and flowers; whereas the groom wears djellabas. With whatever county his father-in-law belongs to, the groom puts on the local clothing specific to that region. In the past, Moroccan people were very attached to the traditions, but in recent years globalization has affected the latter, during Aid Al-Fitr and weddings, for example, some colorful traditional clothing are replaced by Western-style elegant outfits, mixed embroidery, or simply chosen from well-known fashion brands.
7.1. Weddings
Moroccan weddings are lively and splendid parties celebrated over several days with activities including henna ceremonies, busca and zaafa, wedding receptions, and post-wedding brunches. Weddings are also ceremonials that imply specific cultural traditions and symbolism. The celebration of a wedding requires an immense effort and is endorsed by all family members. Every Moroccan wedding ceremony is characterized by each family’s different customs and rituals specific to the region. From past to present, the Moroccan couple has chosen to introduce new customs into their marriage specific to their own tastes. Thus, the marriage will evoke the cultural significance and the globalization of Moroccan wedding dress.
The exchange of wedding gifts usually takes place at the man’s family home or at the home of the woman’s family. This tradition usually takes place in the evening, and the two families, friends, and witnesses often attend this party. The woman’s strongest wish is to wear her wedding dress, but the party is not a wedding. The commercial market offers many styles of ceremonial dress. The wedding itself is preceded for the couple and their families by a religious feast. In practice, the wedding celebration extends to the following day and sometimes lasts a full week. The first day of the celebration is usually devoted to the woman before she joins her husband’s home, where women go to beautify their handle. Traditionally, the wedding has marked the beginning of a sexual life that is presented as new, the next day, the husband’s parents welcome their daughter-in-law. From that moment, the marriage is announced publicly. The couple receives gifts from their relatives and then shares the feast with family, friends, and witnesses. The wedding also attracts the greatest number of guests who are entertained with music and dance. After this week, the maamzoune starts to sweep the slopes of the new home at the invitation of the husband’s family.
7.2. Festivals
The multitude of festivals in Morocco is certainly the aspect that comes to mind when we think of Moroccan celebrations. There are a number of celebrations in Morocco where it is customary for each region or community to both contribute and also be involved in the preparations. With this involvement is, of course, the opportunity to show off the colors and the beauty of the dresses that will be exhibited during the festival.
The latest festival to be born, but not the least significant, is that of the celebrations of Moroccan Women’s Day, which takes place on October 10 of each year. It has become an opportunity for Moroccan women to assert their belonging to a country where women have always occupied an important and essential role. It is this festival where the consumption and appreciation of the Moroccan dress and traditional Moroccan clothing reach their peak. Thousands of visitors invade the streets of Fez to celebrate this event on stilts dear to the Moroccans and a theme emphasizing dialogue between cultures through the work of artisans and craftsmen.
A performance is traditionally planned. Festivities for the occasion, the music concerts are scheduled over three days on two sites, the large buffets as well as other surprises await the public. The Moroccan Festival of Culture and Traditional Discovery is an invitation to feel at home. For that reason, tourists are not forgotten: from the first days of the event, volunteers explain to them in their language the different aspects of Moroccan culture. Other tourists will have to cope with technical problems such as language and discover Morocco in real life.
7.3. Religious Ceremonies
The two main Islamic holidays, Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, are celebrated in Morocco with special clothing, and many families now opt to wear traditional clothing. Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting from sunrise to sunset. After the prayers on the morning of the holiday, people visit family, friends, and neighbors. Traditionally, children receive cash presents called eidiya, originally coins that were given wrapped in palm leaves but now are usually paper money. New clothes for children are customary but have not always been affordable. Eidiya began to be given more widely in the late 1960s, when more Moroccans began sending remittances. The earthen-oven-baked sweet bread and fried beignets that are made as holiday specialties feature prominently in the holiday. During Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, men are required to dress in clean, preferably new clothes as a way of maintaining social order.
Eid al-Adha commemorates the sacrifice of a sheep or cow by Ibrahim to atone for his sins and his willingness to sacrifice his son Isma’il in obedience to God’s command. In honor of Ibrahim’s sacrifice, men are required to slaughter a sheep or cow after prayers on the morning of the holiday. The meat must be shared with family members, friends, and the poor. Because slaughtering requires special attention to avoid injury and unnecessary suffering to the animal, slaughtering during the holiday is done in the morning. The slaughtering holiday had, especially in urban areas during the late 2000s, become tantamount to a livestock festival, as, in addition to the slaughtering, barbeque stands flooded the streets, and livestock sales monopolized the attention of men and boys.
8. Influence of Modern Fashion
While the importance of ethnic Moroccan clothing is recognized, many desire western dress styles. Like many traditional dress styles, ethnic Moroccan clothing has recently been subjected to the influence of modern fashion. The deplorable reality is that, ethnically, and in crafty movement, there are also young beggars or ill adults inside the city, in their primitives old and torn clothing, who want to make evident that they are Sahraouis, in a world dictated by fashion’s modernity with no coordinates, in which the more pleasurable is to forget the stereotypes of tubu countries still existing in Morocco’s Orient, with archives that date back to prehistory, that wish to be upgraded to the present day. With the advent of independent media, printing houses specializing in fashion releases basic patterns and model designs commercialized by decorators and servitors of worldwide fashion laboratories. Many creators of the leading fashion houses resort to traditional forging techniques for precious pieces – brocaded silk fabrics, hand-woven woolen khbila, and golden thread embroidery – used only in temple decorations or princely dwellings, now obsolete but exhaustive, or in pieces of traditional clothing by women of high status. Suppliers put into the market items that meet these parameters. This inevitably leads to imitations and errors whose authors are neither designers nor traditional creators, but simple textile merchants, without any knowledge about the fashion culture. The daily products intended for everyday lifestyle of the native environment become ostentatious.
8.1. Fusion Styles
The fusion of traditional and modern styles in Moroccan clothing stems from two influences. On the one hand, women’s fashions have been trying to keep pace with the ready-to-wear industry. On the other hand, many newcomers are using the changing times to flaunt Moroccan customs with a contemporary twist. A growing number of designers are bridging the gap for clients. Their fashionable dresses present elegant, modern cuts while respecting Moroccan tradition in terms of choice of material, colors, details, and craftsmanship. Elegant dresses made out of satin, silk, or brocade, embroidered with sequins or gold thread, bedecked with beads, lace, or ribbons, and leaving the back bare have entered the pantheon of Moroccan wedding fashions. Their originality lies in the choice of fabrics that often belong to haute couture, as well as the daring mix of colors, while coats and jackets made in sometimes kaleidoscopic yet harmonious colors add to the novelty of such creations. A group of innovative designers revitalize the clothing sector by pioneering the fashion of turban-wearing women.
These multi-faceted models combine the beauty of Moroccan design, the ancestral refinement of local craftsmanship, the richness of eastern arts, and the youthfulness and dynamism of western styles, either for young brides who like to openly flaunt their sensuality, or for young adults who appreciate materials layered on top of each other while keeping the unique identity of Moroccan dresses. Be it futahr, takshita, or dliha de mariage, these dresses embellish the race of women daring to exploit the conditions of Moroccan society today: a fusion society, still rooted in the richest legacy mankind passes on, yet receptive to modernity.
8.2. Globalization Effects
While local artisans are capable of producing large quantities of clothing, especially with the advent of more industrial-style factories in Morocco that create fast fashion, a consumer’s choice of clothing signals their position in society and their national identity. Westernization and globalization have pushed Morocco into a perilous position of seeking a balance between traditional culture and the demands of an increasingly globalized world. The competition and demand for less luxurious, less labor-intensive, and lower-cost clothing from industrialized countries has caused Morocco to sacrifice traditional and artisanal production for fast fashion production. In fact, many items traditionally manufactured using painstaking and lengthy processes are now created using machine embroidery or printed images to meet demand. As Western fashion increasingly leaks into local Moroccan markets, the traditional kaftan is now being marketed with image prints inspired by Western pop art, generating an unprecedented ‘fusion’ kaftan, which is not received well by the local Moroccan people as they continue to hold on to the original kaftans that tell a story and reflect Moroccan craftsmanship. The emergence of Moroccan women’s fusion kaftans symbolizes a youthful population on the quest for freedom of expression, without the desire to discard their cultural heritage.
It is believed that a local economy that is as organized as Morocco’s could potentially support the whole demand for clothing facing the market for local and foreign tourists. Tourist demand can therefore potentially play an important role in sustaining and promoting the local clothing market at all levels. The emergence of the fusion Moroccan kaftan also symbolizes the quest of Moroccan youth and young women in particular, and freedom of dress without the desire to deny their cultural heritage and identity. The youth symbolize the future generation, and their quest could unify various components of Moroccan society, a particularly necessary factor for a stable bright future for Morocco in the 21st century.
9. Role of Clothing in Identity
This chapter aims to present clothing as a powerful performative means of action for individuals to exhibit their self-identities, particularly their gender identities. Clothing is an important part of our lives because it can convey fascinating messages in many contexts and ceremonies. One of the most widely shared ideas about clothing is that it is an integral part of the sum of semiotics. Semiotically speaking, clothing may not necessarily code one’s identity. Clothing may not directly encode identity — most of the time it signals other contextual semiotic codes, and these are what is primarily read when reconstructing identity messages.
9.1. Gender Identity
Gender is one of the key structuring features of every culture. While it can be studied through an almost limitless range of lenses, one of the most commonplace and popular ways to reflect gender is clothing. Clothing is often seen as privileged territory in which gender is not just coded, but where gender is understandable as a societal decision involving the regulations set up to enforce and maintain cultural codes of what it is acceptable for women and men, girls and boys to say about themselves through their clothing.
9.2. Cultural Identity
Clothing can signal one’s origin: by its texture or color; by the kind of embroidery worked on it; by the way it is cut or sewn: there are many and varied ways in which to signal cultural like how a Moroccan will wear his locally dyed, djellabah, threaded with a woolen thread that distinguishes his cultural and linguistic belonging. This is also true for the berber speaker who will choose the dear and familiar blue, black, and white hues of the wool djellabah, woven on the loom and worn by all the members of his family. One can immediately identify their cultural origin by looking at the way they are clothed.
9.1. Gender Identity
Gender is one of the most important aspects of identity because, from the moment of birth, it involves social and cultural conditioning. Unlike biological sex, which refers to the anatomical features characterizing female and male individuals, gender identity is constructed through society, institutions, and everyday life. The clothing associated with the different sexes helps people to place each other in a category inside a classification system. Understanding can take place at different levels, however, given that the categories are usually not mutually exclusive. Societies differentiate between men and women regarding their functions and specializing in the performance of different activities. What role do Moroccan garments play in gender relations?
Women are often dressed in a manner that marks them as inferior. Their apparel undergoes various adult transformations, but at the same time can remain childish for longer periods. Their ornamentation signals to society that they are from a non-privileged group. As part of the tradition, they only wear indigenous garments, coloring their faces with black tattooing and neglecting their teeth. On the other hand, men strive to look dapper, elaborate their clothing borrowing from the garments of society’s elite, and consider their constitution a sexual characteristic. Despite the burden of clothing, man’s task is to define his identity. Although in Berber culture the body serves not only to express a difference of sex but also a differentiation of ages and tribes, the clothing worn by men and women does not entirely respect these concepts. The association of gender and clothing, preconceived as inflexible, is challenged by the Moroccan reality.
9.2. Cultural Identity
Clothing is not only a means of physical protection from the elements; it also plays a role in social life, allowing the wearer to convey an impression about himself that is suited to the occasion. Designers and psychologists assert that clothing style translates feelings, establishes moods, attracts attention, and reflects individual and collective identity. The widespread adoption of Western styles of clothing does not mean that the clothing values of non-Western nations have been abandoned. Rather, the phenomenon is better understood as one facet of the globalization of social life, a process that has meant that groups no longer relate primarily on the basis of nation-state but of culture. It promotes both the homogenization of culture and the development of cultural distinctiveness. The former is expressed by the supra-national popularity of Western fast foods, films, and clothing brands. The latter is executed in the “fashion statements” of decorative art and clothing. Like models and performers around the world, the Moroccan merchants, traders, and artisans who sell their wares use the Internet to promote cultural distinctiveness. Thus, clothing can be seen in terms of style used to convey a particular image and it can serve the purpose of delimiting specific social categories. Worn as visibility markers, certain garments allow groups to be identified within the general population, with their members sharing the same cultural elements, but still maintaining their differences from one another and from other groups.
10. Sustainability in Moroccan Fashion
Besides the Maroc’Attitude objective to show the beautiful Moroccan fashion, we also wanted to understand the different actors of this fashion. We wanted to exchange with some Moroccan designers that put the people and the respect of the environment at the heart of their creations. We discovered amazing eco-friendly practices, respect and support for local artisans and products, we wanted to share them with you.
Eco-friendly Practices
The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. The brands are followed by a lot of fast fashion brands and we buy too much… to throw too much as well! Indeed, 92 million tons of textile waste are produced every year. Today, we see the emergence of so-called “sustainable” brands, which show the commitment to make fashion responsible and to commit to reducing their environmental footprint.
But, what is sustainable fashion? The term covers a variety of areas: from recycling, or reuse to upcycling and also slow-fashion.
On the Maroc’Attitude trip, we discovered everything: upcycled products, textile waste reduction, use of fibers without treatments…but also a total respect for the environment. In Marrakech, we met our friend Abderrazak, a designer whose collection aims to promote a traditional know-how, dyeing with saffron. Indeed, on the Djebilet plateau, some women have kept the artisanal secret of the saffron dye and make the colors flower again. Abderrazak is the spokesperson for this know-how and wants to share its magic with the greatest number of people to promote its preservation.
He surrounded himself with women from a local cooperative to design pieces stamped with the “Confection Meilleure” that meet the highest quality standards and at the same time promote the preservation of heritage and provide a sustainable income for families. By its impact, this process guarantees a social environment that respects women’s rights in the labor market who have decided to work as dyers and seamstresses.
10.1. Eco-friendly Practices
Over the last couple of decades, concerns about the fast fashion industry and its related negative impact have fueled an increasing demand for sustainability from consumers. This has resulted in conscious fashion brands continuing to make valuable ties with local artisans and producing collections locally. This has resulted in collections that use organic textiles, eco-friendly materials, and ethical production methods. Sustainability acknowledges that all apparel and textile products come from a supply chain that has environmental and socio-economic impacts from beginning to the end, while at the same time embraces the idea that the ‘Sustainable fashion’ movement not only advocates but at the same time provides a platform for communication about issues such as climate change, pollution, waste, animal friendliness, labor rights, and exploitation.
The traditional Berber fashions from Morocco are made from natural materials that are biodegradable, such as wool, cotton, camel hair, and linen. Animal, vegetable, and mineral dyes are used to create the color palette. The embellishments are inspired by the nature surrounding Berbers. Moroccan modern designers are influenced by traditional shapes and patiently hand-crafted techniques but are specifically redefining the creative process surrounding the Berber tradition by modulating couture aesthetics with sustainable concerns. The starting point is informed by sustainable principles, including the use of leftover fabric from the pre- and postproduction of collections, either designed directly in a line of creator accessories in collaboration with local artisans or pushed into a collection that either follows couture tradition and has higher pricing made to order with a made-in-Morocco originality or a sculpture line produced in smaller volumes with a smaller price tag. What both projects have in common is the deconstructing focus on the local Berber textile traditions loaded with the community work aesthetics that are recognizable references in the contemporary Moroccan fashion industry and creative endeavor.
10.2. Support for Local Artisans
As the world becomes more interconnected, the local artisans of Morocco are being recognized more and more for what they offer in design. Many companies now incorporate kibrit as part of their collections, which allows for the local art and design scene to flourish and helps create jobs for artisans, providing them with a steady source of income. Businesses help to ensure that content, as well as the materials and techniques used in its creation, are Marrakchi. This design emphasis on locality is known as locavorism and encourages the use of local materials as well as techniques, traditions, and artisans to create content in order to put less strain on the environment and lessen the carbon footprint. This paradigm underlies the work of many Marrakchi designers, such as Yassine Saidi, the founder and creator of Kibrit, the contemporary yet traditional Marrakchi design company that specializes in both fashion items as well as everyday homeware.
Saidi uses the concept of wakalat, the small alleys in Marrakech’s medina that are filled with little shops, to champion local artistry. In these narrow streets, visitors and residents alike can discover sharbat makers who manufacture traditional embroidered leather sandals; linen, wool, and cotton weavers who create fabrics used in traditional djellabas and kaftans; local metalworkers; and so on. Although the artisans may seem lost in time, the creations they produce are not only beautiful, featuring a variety of colours, designs, and patterns, but also support the economy of the city as well as the country. Saidi’s desire is to keep these ancient artisanal techniques alive, for future generations to enjoy as not only a key aspect of Moroccan culture but as a source of pride. However, these artisanal techniques are at a risk of dying out as fewer young people continue to take on the trade, opting instead to seek jobs in urban areas. Because of this, it is crucial to support the artisans and local businesses of Morocco now, more than ever, to ensure the continued preservation of the craft.
11. Conclusion
In conclusion, Moroccan clothing is multifaceted, with multiple layers of history, traditions, influences and colors; it occupies a very important place today in the daily life of Moroccans. It has persisted through time, like certain traditions: Elegant, majestic, refined, Moroccan clothing makes Moroccans beautiful and is the jewel of any wedding party or other big occasions. It also changes with the seasons and centuries. This development is visible in Moroccan wedding garments, in which style changes depending on the season.
The evolution of textiles has passed from handmade to totally machine manufactured; dresses embroidered by artisans, housed on veils and sets are gradually abandoned in favor of less durable fabrics. Nowadays, velvet is the favorite textile in weddings, since it is more affordable than other materials. Moroccan caftans have evolved over the centuries. Formerly, they were sewn little by little by several seamstresses, starting from the collar to the last embroidery, for several months. In order to impose a silhouette, they had a circular shape, mostly made up of a bottom and a circular sleeve. Today, Moroccan wedding caftans are made up of a front, a back, and a set of sleeves. They are sewn in a single day by one or two seamstresses, for a modest price. The main evolution of the caftan has taken place in the material used, the dressing line for the body, the level and content of embroidery, the closure on the figure, and the general patching formula. Several colors are used today, although the most used are white, fuchsia, and red. On the other hand, veils are almost rudimentary.
