The second edition of the Arab Fashion Awards confirms the growing momentum of Moroccan creativity. While Morocco had four finalists in 2025, during the inaugural edition of the awards, that number has risen to 11 this year. The surge places Morocco at the top of the rankings, making it the most represented country in the competition.
In the “Emerging Talent” category, designer Youssef Drissi has been shortlisted for the second consecutive year with his label, LATE FOR WORK. Inspired by contemporary urban life, the brand explores deconstruction, reconstruction and gender fluidity through oversized silhouettes and reworked garments. Already available in more than 10 retail outlets worldwide, the label has built a creative universe in which craftsmanship, storytelling and visual production play a central role.
Morocco is also represented by three nominees in the “Creative Entrepreneurship Talent” category. Yassine Chenna, founder of YC, champions a vision of premium sneakers that combines contemporary design, certified leather, recycled components and ethical production.
Alongside him, Angéline Dangelser has been nominated for LABEL OUED, a Casablanca-based creative platform bringing together designers, artisans, textile engineers, cultural institutions and industrial partners with the shared goal of fostering a new creative scene rooted in Morocco and across Africa.
For the second year in a row, designer Anass Taf rounds out the category with FISCA_BRAND, a label founded in Fez that draws inspiration from Moroccan elegance, workwear and cinematic imagery to create narrative-driven collections.
The “Creative Excellence and Craftsmanship” category features three Moroccan designers. Sara Afailal, founder of AFYLA, reinterprets Moroccan heritage through collections that showcase traditional crafts and a contemporary vision of luxury.
Also shortlisted again this year, Zineb Ghazali continues to reinvent the Moroccan caftan by working with artisans specializing in embroidery, beadwork and passementerie to preserve an exceptional heritage.
Based in Casablanca, Ghitta Laskrouif, founder of GHITTA STUDIO, embraces a high-end slow-fashion approach centered on timeless silhouettes, artistic embroidery and limited-edition productions.
Morocco has also secured four nominations in the “Accessories Talent” category. Jeweler Dalila Barkache has been recognized for her work blending craftsmanship, material research and contemporary design.
Also returning as a finalist is leather goods designer Mohammed El Mehdi Benabdel Moumen, founder of BAMEL, who revisits Morocco’s architectural heritage through luxury leather collections crafted with artisans in Marrakech.
Designer Karima Bidar has been nominated for ISLI, an accessories house inspired by the skills and stories connecting Morocco and France to create contemporary pieces with a distinctive visual identity.
Finally, Leila Roukni, founder of TALEL, continues to expand internationally with an experimental approach that reimagines the codes of Arab design. Her brand joined the IFM Entrepreneurs incubator in 2023, won the Fashion Trust Arabia Accessories Award in 2025 and was shortlisted for Maison Mode Méditerranée in 2026.
The winners will be announced on September 30, 2026, at the Arab World Institute in Paris.
