“I wanted it to be a joyful and optimistic, I think we need to have some fun,” says Anwar Bougroug as he takes us through thorough Haraka, his AW21 campaign. The Stockholm-based Moroccan designer made this short film and photo series with a group of likeminded third culture kids who all share a strikingly similar vision. “There was me, the photographer Angelina and choreographer Mona - this trio of Moroccans - and although we didn’t know each other very well, when we started working on the moodboard, we had all the same references, so we were like, let's do this!” Together they searched for three months to build the wider team, including hairstylists who were familiar with an Amazigh braiding technique found only in North and West Africa, and the final results are a colourful balm for the soul.

Bougroug, whose family hails from the Rif – a proud Amazigh region of the country – splices together Scandinavian and Moroccan influences in his namesake gender-neutral brand. Launched in 2017 and first noticed for its leather goods, the designer was named among the Forbes Africa 30 under 30 class of 2020 and is also part of Swedish Fashion Council's incubator programme, Swedish Fashion Talents.

Haraka – Arabic for ‘movement’– is perhaps his most thoughtful meditation on his culture yet. Shying away from mimicking traditional dress, the designer has instead translated draping and crafting techniques from across the Maghreb into contemporary pieces that will please your inner peacock. “I looked at a lot of Moroccan Amazigh tribes and dug into Algerian and Tunisian groups too, to see the commonalities,” he explains. “I’m trying to translate and celebrate these references without being literal. How can you be respectful while at the same time presenting something new and innovative?”

Collars are popped, gold embroidery glistens, swathes of diaphanous organza shimmers – these are garments to go all out in. Replete with shimmering coats to make an entrance and dresses that have been designed to twirl. “My design process starts with a feeling and I really miss partying with my friends, which is translated into the collection,” he explains. “There are so many cool festivals in Morocco, where we would be in the desert dancing under the stars, wearing whatever we want to. That was the feeling we wanted to bring to the campaign.”

So much so that he also commissioned a song specifically for the film by Los Angeles-based artist LVDF inspired by the Moroccan desert. Meanwhile his choice of fluid and floaty textiles came from a deadstock market in Tangier, making the collection both sustainable and authentic. “They have all kinds of different materials and there's also that special touch – working with materials and fabrics that are so loved in Morocco makes the collection feel naturally effortless and chic.”

Before the world turned upside down and fashion begun its reckoning with itself, creating mindfully manufactured clothes was already important to Bougroug who has always worked with Moroccan artisans and tailors to build his collections. The pandemic made this all but impossible, so he had to draw on the lessons he’d learnt in those ateliers. “The techniques the craftspeople employ are optimal when it comes to waste. If you look at the kaftan or the djellaba, they're made from the whole square of fabric,” he explains. “There are also so many different details with draping that I have learnt and implemented back in Stockholm. My brand is built on craftsmanship so a lot of work goes into every piece, which is difficult to replicate.”

The energy he puts into creating a brand with much thought and intention behind it cannot be underestimated. The pandemic meant that Bougroug has had to reconsider what before felt like givens. For example, moving from seasonal to annual collections. “I’ve never wanted to get trapped in this fashion loop, which just doesn’t make sense to me anymore,” he muses. “Covid-19 forced me to take a couple of steps back to think about what I really want from my brand and find a way to do things that are slow and kind. Community, friends, love ­– that’s how I want to connect to consumers beyond it being just nice clothes.”

See Nataal’s 2019 fashion story featuring Bougroug here.