With Central Cee, Bb trickz and Vivian Wilson looking on from the front row, the French label paid tribute to Chicago’s greatest musical export at Paris Fashion Week
While Paris Fashion Week is home to some of the oldest labels in the world, Casablanca is relatively young in comparison – but still likes to stand amongst the big guns. While it was only founded in 2018, the label has had somewhat of a meteoric rise in recent years, thanks to a very recognisable aesthetic and the singular vision of its founder, Charaf Tajer. Now, for SS26, the label puts on its biggest show yet, bringing together some of the biggest names in music, fashion and entertainment for its latest collection For The Love of House. Here’s everything that went down at the show.
For those lucky enough to receive one, this season’s invite arrived in a slim cardboard box with the Casablanca logo embossed in gold leaf across its top. Inside was a glossy lacquered gift case, one you might expect to contain an expensive watch – but, instead, there lay a festival wristband, with a psychedelic mushroom print and the words ‘For the love of house’ printed on it. By elevating the simple fezzy band to fine jewellery status, the invite perfectly teed up the theme of the show to come: an all-out exaltation of house music and the party scene that surrounds it.
THE SHOW SPACE PRAYED AT THE ALTAR OF HOUSE MUSIC
Casablanca SS26 show spacePhotography Lyvans Boolaky via Getty Images
With the red herring jewellery case poking from their bags, guests arrived at this season’s show space, and yet another surprise was waiting. Rather than a nightclub basement or muddy field, the label’s ode to house music would actually take place at the American Cathedral in Paris, one of the oldest English-speaking churches in the city. Founded in 1859, guests took their seats on its creaky wooden pews, while a bright green runway dissected the flagstone floor of the grand chapel.
THE GUEST LIST WAS PREDICTABLY STACKED
While the usual Casablanca stans were present at the show, some special guests had been shipped in for this season’s outing. Current Dazed cover star Vivian Wilson cosied up to Bb trickz and Central Cee, while Wisdom Kaye, Mia Khalifa and Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock looked on from over the aisle.
A GOSPEL CHOIR BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN
The gospel choir at Casablanca SS26Photography Lyvans Boolak via Getty Images
As Vivian, Mr Cee and all the guests settled into their seats, the heavens opened and an 18-person gospel choir jolted to life. Up on the chancel – that’s the stage behind the altar in church-y terms – the choir were joined by iconic Ibiza DJ Louie Vega, who premiered his new track “Lift Me Up”. Though it was early in the morning, the joyous, raucous performance got even the most straight-faced fashion editors tapping their feet.
THE COLLECTION WENT FROM CLUB TO FESTIVAL
Casablanca SS26Courtesy of Casablanca
As the gospel choir continued, the fashion section of the night began, with club-ready clothes materialising on the runway, one look after another. There were gradient pink mini skirts paired with black leather jackets, lime green cargos and wraparound shades, purple leopard print tops and silk logoed shirts, plus glitzy bandeaus and sharply tailored suits. “The personalities that light up dancefloors here appear as a diverse cast of unmistakable Casablanca characters,” read the show notes. In that way, the collection then transitioned to the rough-and-ready of the festival field, with mini skirts sprouting cargo pockets, suits transforming into tracksuits, and bucket hats appearing on heads. From there, the sportswear sensibilities of the collection continued to grow, with hoodies under shirts, multicoloured tank tops, and 80s-style coach jackets continuing to appear.
Scroll through the gallery at the top of the page to see the entire collection