Latest news with #InternationalFashionAcademy
Ya Biladi
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Diaspo #394 : Leo Norma, a natural talent for elevating the Moroccan caftan
Born in Larache, Larbi Sahraoui left northern Morocco at just a year and a half old. Raised by his parents in Murcia and later Granada, Spain, he now goes by the name Leo Norma and is making a name for himself in the world of international high fashion. Drawing constant inspiration from the cultures, traditions, and lifestyles of his homeland, he has carved out his path in the industry against all odds. From a young age, his deep sensitivity gave him one clear certainty: he was destined to become a fashion designer. Growing up in a family where his siblings pursued other career paths, Leo—now based in Basel, Switzerland, remembers being a solitary child. «In Spain, I used to create my own little world, sketching what inspired me, especially the caftans I saw during summer weddings in Morocco. Once back in Granada, that's all I would do: sketch designs to carry with me the striking beauty that amazed me back home», he told Yabiladi. Leo Norma recently returned to Spain, where it all began, to present a fashion show. At the latest Almeria Fashion Show, he unveiled a collection he described as «bold and poetic, blending the richness of Moroccan heritage with contemporary European elegance». But his passion for drawing once made his school experience difficult, as education in Spain focused more on languages and math than creative expression. «That's how I discovered my talent because it wasn't exactly encouraged at school or even at home, where my parents were worried about my future. They wanted to be reassured that their children, in whom they had invested everything, would succeed. But those sketches I was constantly drawing in my schoolbooks? They often got me in trouble with my parents!» The Moroccan Caftan: A Proustian Madeleine in Every Sketch After primary and middle school, Leo became increasingly convinced of his calling. By 17, in high school, he was fully dedicated to fashion. «I think I've always trusted my intuition. Even as a child, I knew exactly what I wanted—and what I didn't. For me, it was always obvious I'd end up in haute couture», he said. He began researching opportunities on his own. «During the school year, and especially in the summer, I never rested. I'd take internships, do professional immersions, or work in restaurants to fund my training. I even found sketching more fun than spending the day at the beach!». «Once I started to see the results of all that work, despite the sacrifices and sleepless nights, my parents finally felt reassured. They saw that my focus on fashion was serious. Now, many of my family members wear my designs. I've created caftans for my mother, my sisters, my aunts, and my cousins», he proudly said. With a strong work ethic and relentless drive, Leo secured funding for his first projects, sought out mentors, and learned by observing. At 18, he left Spain to pursue studies at the prestigious International Fashion Academy (IFA) in Paris. There, as the only Moroccan student in his class, he leaned heavily on his heritage to stand out. That decision paid off: at graduation, he won the school's competition for most original project. «Even back then, my whole concept revolved around the caftan and traditional Moroccan clothing. Most other students drew from the same Western-European references. I wanted to be different», Leo recalled. Launching into Global Haute Couture Thanks to that early recognition, Leo received access to premium materials, funding, and mentoring to help him launch his brand. He began showcasing his work alongside established designers. «That momentum was more than a boost, it's how I launched myself on the international scene», he says. Today, he's grateful for the professional relationships that opened doors. «A close friend of mine, Riccardo Tisci, formerly Givenchy's artistic director and now at Burberry, has been a huge support. He's dressed celebrities like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Madonna. He's given me invaluable advice and connected me with other top designers. These relationships give me confidence in my work». «I've come to realize that my Moroccan culture is my strength. It's what sets me apart and it allows me to send a bigger message: that fashion is more than clothes. Moroccan caftans and traditional garments reflect a unique way of life. I reinterpret that elegance in a way that speaks universally». Leo's distinct aesthetic now attracts high-profile clients in both the Arab world and the West. He's dressed Ahlam, Eva Longoria, Pilar Rubio, Yvonne Reyes, and numerous Spanish TV personalities. He was also the first Moroccan designer to participate in several international fashion shows, including opening New York Fashion Week, another national first. Recognition in East and West In Egypt, he became the first Moroccan designer to present a show at the Temple of Nefertiti in Cairo. «That was a huge honor. Egypt is dear to my heart—I have many friends there. The Egyptian government invited me to present my work in a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was an incredible experience». «Every fashion designer dreams of something like this. Egypt opened this ancient monument to me in 2018, during a time of instability, when they were working hard to reassure tourists. I gladly accepted. To honor the privilege, I designed a piece blending the Moroccan caftan with Cleopatra's dress». Highlighting centuries-old heritage from Morocco and beyond, Leo uses fashion as a bridge between cultures. For his contribution, the Egyptian government awarded him a statue of Nefertiti, which he proudly keeps as a source of motivation. His work has also featured at Dubai's Emigala Awards, where he won «Star of the Night». Now, Leo is preparing a traditional Moroccan menswear collection with a «European twist», which he hopes to present again in New York, and eventually in Morocco. «That's something I deeply long for. I've shown my work around the world, received offers everywhere, but never yet in Morocco, the country that inspires me. The greatest honor I could give back to my homeland is to present my creations there», he concluded.
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Designer Vino Supraja is winning awards for an unusual fashion formula
'Every step in my career has been unplanned,' laughs fashion designer Vino Supraja, 45, 'but it has prepared me for exactly where I am today.' Her journey is testament to the power of serendipity, she adds. How else could a girl who 'spoke almost no English', growing up in the small temple town of Vandavasi in Tamil Nadu, end up winning a trailblazer award and delivering a speech on India's culture of sustainability, at the British House of Commons? 'I've grown to accept that when I'm willing to let go, be dismantled and reassembled, good things happen to me,' she says. Supraja started out, for instance, with a degree in architecture from Chennai. It was there that she met and fell in love with her husband 'and best friend' Deepak Renganathan, a marketing vice-president with a real-estate company. Eager to explore some of the new technology emerging in the early 2000s, she then completed a course in animation. This led to her first full-time job, as a TV presenter and radio jockey with Jaya TV. At this point, in 2011, her husband was offered a position in China, and she and their son Hriday (then six and now a medical student) moved with him. 'I spent hours browsing through courses there, trying to find something I could do,' Supraja says. That's when she stumbled upon a listing for a course in fashion design at the Shanghai outpost of the International Fashion Academy, Paris. 'This and a business course were the only two listings with websites in English, so I don't think I had much of a choice,' she says, laughing. Suddenly, it came together: her love of storytelling, her love of building, her passion for the arts. Here was a discipline where she could combine all three. Her graduate collection in 2014, inspired by the book The Kite Runner, made it to the Shanghai Fashion Week, where she won the Golden Laureate award. Her collections have since featured at the Brooklyn Fashion Week (2016), New York Fashion Week (2018), and London Fashion Week (2023), with designs increasingly rooted in Tamil culture. The instantly recognisable costumes of the ancient Tamil folk art form of Therukoothu (literally, Street Theatre) are reborn as ensembles. The iconic Bhavani jamakkalam stripes turn up in contemporary vibrancy, as accents on clutches and handbags. *** If it seems like Supraja is weaving her stories in fresh and surprising ways, it's partly because she grew up without the frames of reference of most of the urbanised world, she says. Folk lore took the place of fairy tales in her home. Her family had no TV set. Her father, the physician Dr Audikesavalu, opened up his house to patients from nearby villages that included Purisai, a hub of Therukoothu performers. The local temple hosted a range of folk artists too. 'These productions were not perfect. They were crude, raw and unpolished... which made them beautiful in their own way,' Supraja says. Her mother, Vimala Audikesavalu, ran a local school and was known for her collection of handloom saris, which she washed, starched and sun-dried every weekend, in a ritual that served as a bonding session for mother and daughter (and gave Supraja an early appreciation for and understanding of heirloom garments, traditional weaves and sustainable fashion). Syncretism was everywhere. The local church hosted Bharatnatyam classes. The Therukoothu performers let children from the neighbourhood watch and sometimes help with makeup backstage. 'My childhood was a patchwork of simple experiences but these fragments shaped me into who I am today,' she says. *** Given the opportunity to present a collection at London Fashion Week 2023, she decided to give Therukoothu 'the platform it deserves'. Her designs captured the depth and drama of the art form in flowy silhouettes. She showcased the art form itself too, through a one-minute performance by a Therukoothu artiste. Her latest collection is born of her travels to Bhavani in Erode district, to study the GI-tagged jamakkalam weave. The colourful stripes were traditionally used to make cotton rugs. She reimagines them as couture because 'if they can look like Gucci stripes, they deserve to sit alongside them too'. 'Having had my share of the limelight, I now find myself thinking: Who can I share this moment with?' Supraja says. Her eponymous label uses natural fibres and pigments. She offers to buy items back from customers after 18 months, in exchange for purchase points, and has plans to upcycle these items too. In her speech at the House of Commons, she advocated for garment workers' rights. Without the right kind of intervention, their livelihoods — which have tended to be embodiments of sustainability and yet have been tenuous and marginalised — will become even more challenging, she pointed out, 'as we encourage people to buy less'. She was awarded the Global Sustainable Fashion Trailblazer prize at the House of Commons (awarded jointly by the World Tamil Organization and the UK government) partly for her unusual approach to fashion, and for her work to promote undervalued and underestimated traditional crafts. Supraja's sustainability efforts have also yielded a self-published book (aimed at helping people navigate questions of consumerism), a podcast and a theatrical production. The designer, who now lives in Dubai, is looking forward to her next showcase at London Fashion Week, in September. And to more sustainability outreach work, particularly with children. 'Kids will ask if it's okay to buy new clothes for their birthday,' she smiles. 'They grasp the wastefulness of buying a new outfit to celebrate a friend's birthday.' Her hope is that, with enough of these conversations, they will grow into adults who treasure their heirloom garments, avoid fast fashion, and never buy into a microtrend.
