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Rabat- Despite the rise of the highly-profitable industries of fast fashion and luxury brands, Mohamed Youss chooses to create unique sustainable vintage items that do not harm the environment, are healthier for humans, and save animal lives.
Born in Taroudant, a market town also known as “the little Marrakech’’ in the Sous Valley in southwestern Morocco, the 27-year-old creative sustainable fashion designer focuses on recycling fabrics, using old materials such as coffee bags to design clothes and accessories that are eco-friendly.
In a conversation with Morocco World News earlier this week, Mohamed said that he draws much of the inspiration for his designing work from his birthplace.
The valuable insight he has gathered from sustained and focused observation of his surroundings — coffee sellers in the markets, vintage items, souks, and Moroccan rugs — has motivated him to create a sustainable fashion clothing brand, he explained.
Mohamed has worked in the sustainable fashion industry for about three years now, and he owns both a small atelier and a brand.
Falling in Love With Fashion Design
Mohamed’s enthusiasm and interest in fashion and design are part of his DNA. His father worked at the tannery, where leather is cleansed, bleached, and turned into exquisite bags.
At a young age, his father taught him how to create and design bags with intricate details.
Being exposed to creativity and design enabled him to develop a passion for fashion. And Mohamed now strives to produce unique, handmade pieces, and has founded a brand called “Anouris Original’’ which translates into “back to the original.’’
Clothes and accessories designed by Mohamed Youss
Settling in Taghazout: A Town Of Art and Creativity
Mohamed told MWN that while he was In Taroudant there was little interest and engagement from locals for his designs. This prompted his decision to expand his journey, to make himself recognized by traveling to different places and working in various ateliers.
He traveled and worked in Senegal, where he met men who sewed, designed, and manufactured clothing. He acquired more expertise there and decided to launch his project, which quickly gained popularity during the Covid pandemic.
His travels led him to Taghazout, where he decided to settle as he “felt that he belonged there, it’s the town of artists and creativity.’’ Mohamed currently runs a small atelier where everything is handmade and works with a team.
His brand, “Anouris Original,’’ operates in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe under the name “Taghanouri,’’ a mix of the name of the place that gave him his creative refuge (Taghazout) and the brand (Anouris).
The fashion designer currently promotes his designs in street shops on the Boulevard in Taghazout and through social media, but he wishes to expand and is looking for a bigger atelier. “Taghazout is known as a surf city but I hope it gains popularity for art and fashion as well,’’ Mohamed noted.
Mohamed’s atelier
Read Also: Designer Ghitta Laskrouif Sheds Light on Sustainable Fashion in Morocco
Tools and Fabrics Used in Sustainable Fashion
Mohamed’s design approach relies upon the recycling of old materials. He creates jackets, pants, accessories, and handbags out of burlap coffee bags.
The young Moroccan designer describes Burlap as a “natural fiber made from jute, hemp, or flax that is generally hand woven into fifty-pound sacks that hold and transport coffee and other crops.’’
Mohamed explained that he decided to incorporate coffee sacks into his designs and personalize them because in the past people wore them to keep warm.
One of the challenges Mohamed encountered throughout his fashion designing journey was convincing people to purchase an item that is made from old materials and recyclables in an era of fast fashion and trendy clothes.
Coming up in the fashion industry, he experienced what every other artist has had to live through or with: both fierce (sometimes constructive) criticism and heart-warming, morale-boosting support. The secret of success in his industry, he suggested, is to firmly believe in oneself and tenaciously pursue one’s passion.
Having lived what he now preaches to all those with creative endeavors — strong self-confidence and openness to experiencing the world for inspiration — Mohamed is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel as he experiences the unequaled joy of recognition, of validation. “I am happiest when people in the streets appreciate my art, and wonder how I have turned old materials into creative designs,’’ he said.
