Moroccan kaftans

Original post in: www.dailysabah.com

In many ways, the Kingdom of Morocco is a very peculiar country with outstanding people and culture.

First of all, it is the most Western of all Islamic countries having roots in both its Arab Muslim identity and in the African continent, while having its leaves blossoming in Europe only 14 kilometers away through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Righteously, Morocco is also referred to as the land of contrasts and breathtaking landscapes. Where else in the world can you see the Mediterranean Sea meet the Atlantic ocean? The legendary Atlas Mountains knocking at the door of the Moroccan Sahara desert? Eternal snow hills overlooking hot sunny kasbahs and oasis?

Thanks to its geostrategic position and special geography much like Turkey, Morocco has always been at the crossroads of many cultures coming from east, north and south. This melting pot of people was mainly due to the regional trade routes which all converged to Morocco and resulted in a culture of tolerance and openness toward different religious faiths and ethnicities.

In fact, Moroccans are truly the most Western of Oriental people sharing many common traits with our beloved Turkish friends. Yet, in the Kingdom, we highly value traditions because we believe they enhance modernity. This is particularly true in many fields from fashion to beauty, gastronomy to architecture and design and so on and so forth.

Moroccan fashion for example is a unique combination of tradition, authenticity, world-renowned elegance and feminity. In my country we have jealously kept the traditional dress commonly called caftan. By definition, "caftan" is a long, rather large dress with or without a specially crafted belt. It is very rich in terms of print, form and flows all at once, which underlines a woman's grace and highlights both her beauty and personality. Beyond fashion, the dress code is a social pillar for us in any social gathering.

Original post in: www.dailysabah.com