Latest news with #Moroccan-Italian
CairoScene
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Moroccan-Italian Designer Zina Louhaichy Styles Her Favorite Gandouras
Moroccan-Italian Designer Zina Louhaichy Styles Her Favorite Gandouras Zina Louhaichy doesn't just wear a lot of hats - she wears them well. 'I carry so many hats,' she laughs. 'And I love hats.' The metaphor writes itself. Based in New York, Louhaichy is a Moroccan-Italian actress, designer, photographer, and creative polymath who approaches getting dressed as both art and armour. 'Your outfit is a story—how you feel that day, what you want to say, or what you want to protect,' she says. 'Some days it's like, I want to be seen. Other days it's: I don't want to talk to anyone, but I still want to slay.' Often, that feeling draws from home. North African silhouettes, textures, and jewellery regularly anchor her looks. 'There's something so luxurious and grand about Moroccan fashion—it's all about layering, gold, mixing prints and textiles. Even the way we wear kaftans or takchitas, it's always been about showing up and showing out. That's where I get my maximalism from.' Her own brand, Louhaichy, channels that same energy. Handmade and deeply personal, it leans into fashion as storytelling - with humour, heritage, and drama all stitched in. At just 22, Louhaichy is as comfortable behind a camera as she is in front of it, sewing silhouettes, directing campaigns, and building a fashion label between takeout orders and existential crises. To understand her style is to enter a world where a Moroccan djellaba flirts with Vivienne Westwood energy, a lace top doubles as emotional armour, and a single gold bangle might spark a conversation about diaspora identity before the Uber even arrives. She treats fashion like she treats art - fluid, feral, and fabulously unserious. 'It's like creating a character for the day,' she shrugs. 'Then at night, you take it all off - and you're still you.' And who exactly is that? Someone who wants to write, direct, style, sew, perform, and provoke - all in one look. 'They all merge,' she explains. 'Whatever I make, it's a Zina project.' Whether it's a lacey ode to the unboxing of North African womanhood or a cheeky graphic tee that reads All My Exes Live in Morocco, her work is grounded in a joyful kind of rebellion. 'I just want to have fun,' she says. 'I want to mix silhouettes, make things sweaty, and never lose my sparkle.' In this SceneStyled SELECTS, Zina curates five head-turning outfits straight from the Zina-verse - spanning nostalgic 2000s references, Eid auntie glamour, and cosmic cowboy realness. Expect pink. Expect pins. Expect chaos with a point. Just don't expect her to be one thing. Look One | Gallery Night In L.E.S 'It's merging the styles of New York. I had a bit of fun with it—I put some designer items that I do not own yet, but inshallah, soon. It's wearing my pride on my sleeves. It's sleek, it's classy, and it's Louhaichy.' Pairing the flowing black gandoura with over-the-knee suede boots, Luar sunglasses, and her own structured top, creating a silhouette that's sharp yet rooted in cultural pride. A Yankees cap nods to the city that raised her. Men's Moroccan Gandora Louhaichy | Noire Belle Top THE ROW | Bindle Medium leather tote bag ALAÏA — Suede over-the-knee boots Luar | Double Eyewear - Black/Grey Iseder — NY Ring "Black" New Era MLB New York Yankees Pillow Box Series Ball Cap Navy Look Two | 2000s Maghrebiya It-Girl 'This is so me in a look. The djellaba, and being able to pin it up on the side—I can use safety pins to show the tights and the sunglasses—it's very 2000s and reminds me of being a young girl in New York City.' Velvet leopard print meets sheer thigh-highs, shield sunglasses, and a Tamagotchi charm. It's Y2K with a Maghrebi twist—cheeky, confident, and entirely hers. Moroccan Djellaba Calzedonia | 20 Denier Sheer Thigh-Highs in Black Juicy Couture | Red Handbag Pink Tamagotchi | Lots of Love Electronic Pet Yankees Bamboo Earrings ISABEL MARANT | Bekett hidden-wedge sneakers Jet Set Candy | MetroCard Ring Motorola | Hot Pink Razr Flip Phone Look Three | Eid @ Daar Dyal Mweema 'This is a bit of an elevated look. I wanted to include MENA brands—Eid at my Mweema's house—so it's a merging between NYC and the traditional Amazigh jewellery. Giving a new look to the wedding caftan.' A sentimental celebration look blending traditional and contemporary MENA references. Layering a vintage white Moroccan caftan with silver Alexis Bittar jewellery, a lace keffiyeh from Nazzal Studio, and bold Amazigh pieces- rendering something sacred but utterly modern. Vintage Moroccan White wedding Caftan New Berber Kabyle Amazigh headpiece Alexis Bittar | Molten Silver Knuckle Ring Alexis Bittar | Molten Puffy Teardrop Earrings Atlal From Galbi | Ballerina Roots Galbi Nazzal Studios | Lace Keffiyeh Long Amazigh Necklace Look Four — Shopping Spree In Soho xx 'It's Vivienne Westwood X Louhaichy X NYC X Morocco. The fabrics juxtapose against each other—they're very harsh—and then the lace and the mesh creates this light and airy look.' She's stomping through Soho with fibula earrings, frilly socks, a plaid skirt, and yellow Balenciaga—no rules, just brilliance. Folkwear | Blue Stripped Djellaba (pinned up with safety pins to show skirt) Chopova Lowena | Plaid Print Midi Length Skirt Balenciaga | City leather bag in yellow For Love & Lemons | Knee Hight Frilly Socks In Cream Handmade silver fibula earrings Amazigh Vintage Tribal Necklace Manolo Blahnik | Maysale Leather Mules Look Five | Chilling @ Home AKA (DND Unless You Brought Atay) 'I would wear this scarf around my head. I own all of these pieces. I always wear my Allah necklace—this is really how I chill at home. If you're coming, bring something. I like a lot of pink.' Her softest, pinkest self—a home gandoura in rose, vintage slippers, gold bangles, and the necklace she never takes off. This is Zina Louhaichy's Sunday softness, accessorised with henna and boundaries. Moroccan Home Gandoura In Pink Tisbinit | Amazigh Traditional Scarf, Silk MOANI bangles set - Gold Bangles Crystal & gold Allah (SWT) pendant and necklace Bamboo Heart Hoop Earrings 14K Yellow Gold-Plated Silver 925 My Meemaw's Slipper | Women's Chinese Slippers Sandals Slip in Pink Henna
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Fresh flights send New Yorkers running for Italy's high heel
This month, Italian startup carrier Neos launched the first ever nonstop direct flights from America to the country's buzziest region, Puglia. The JFK to Bari route will operate once weekly through Oct. 15, with prices starting from $1,000 for standard economy seating and an upgraded Premium Relax cabin for around $400 more. The outbound flight is on Tuesday, with the return from Bari every Wednesday over that window. 5 Fly direct from JFK with Neos. Michela Celi Even better, there's a stylish and roomy new lounge at Bari airport so you can wait for that return in style. The region's been on the rise for a decade or more, but local experts say the Dolce & Gabbana show, which took place on a makeshift runway winding through the fairytale-like cottages, known as trulli, in Alberobello two years ago turbocharged curiosity. 'We saw a 120% increase in booking from US clients from the region for 2024, after that,' said Ben Julius, who runs Tourist Italy. 'And we already see a 50% increase on that for 2025.' Still, you won't have to worry about over-tourism issues as you might in Venice peak season or, certainly, in Rome during this Jubilee Year. Puglia's at its Goldilocks stage, right now, per Stellavision Travel's Zoe Shapiro, it's just right. 'The region is definitely in that incredible moment where there are wonderful hospitality options to be had but it's not over-explored yet.' 5 Puglia's OG boutique retreat, Masseria Trapana, is newly refreshed. Handout Thankfully, there's already a raft of superb hotels on tap. Pick of them is the chic makeover of the nine-room Masseria Trapana, run by expat Aussie Rob Potter-Saunders, who was a visionary when he opened a decade ago. La Fiermontina in central Lecce is a cluster of three properties, owned by a pair of wealthy Moroccan-Italian siblings. Book one of the four rooms they've installed in the museum they operate in tribute to their grandmother, a famous artists' muse born nearby. 5 Park at palace perches like La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi Corso in Lecce. La Fiermontina New this year: the buyout-only 10-bedroom mansion house Casina Cinquepozzi, in the tiny village of Putignano, best known in Italy for its carnival celebrations. Nigerian jewelry designer Thelma West and her Neopolitan husband, Stefano Liotta, bought it to turn it into a stylish retreat for creatives. Otherwise, check out Trulli e Puglia, said Embark Beyond's Jack Ezon. 'Mimmo Patrizio Palmisano is the mayor of Alberobello, and a great guy who will invite you to his home,' he raved. 5 Enjoy a swish stay at Casina Cinquepozzi, Handout Don't miss the chance for a candelit meal in Grotta Palazzese on the waterfront in Polignano a Mare — not for the food, but for the setting, in dramatic grottos carved out from the cliffs there. The menu's more impressive at the Michelin-nodded Meraviglioso nearby — try some of the assorted pesce crudo. Wine lovers should make sure not to miss the 20-seater My Wine in Monopoli, where host-owner Gianni de Bellis offers advice and an encyclopedic selection. Olive groves abound here, too, of course and to see a farm dating back to the Roman era, complete with forests of hundred-plus-year old trees at Antica Masseria Brancati. Most of the action in Puglia, especially noteworthy hotels, is centered on the Adriatic stretch between the cities of Brindisi and Bari, but if you want to lounge on a top tier beach, you'll need to head over to the other, Ionian Coast, where the sandy spits are far more appealing. Campomarino is a standout, or head over to Tarento for boat trips to spot the Ionian dolphin in the northern reaches of the namesake sea, year-round. 5 The coveted Mathraki Beach on the Ionian coast. Dionisio Iemma – Several companies offer a quirky way to roam the back roads: classic cars. Puglia Auto Classica will rent you the likes of a Lancia Flaminia complete with the original red seats, while the aptly named 500 Journeys just launched a fleet of meticulously restored Fiat 500s. Antonello Losito, who runs Puglia-based Southern Visions has two must-see spots he suggests on any country adventure. Go to the Giardini Pistoia, a country estate that only recently opened to the public — there are concerts there during summertime, and a superb organic shop which sells the manse's own wines. Likewise, he recommends a detour to the Le Constantine Foundation which preserves and champions the skills — long synonymous with Puglia. 'The art of weaving is kept alive here,' he said, noting that the artisans' onsite shop sells everything from handwovens tablecloths or towels to wall hangings, scarves and shawls. Ezon adds another insider spot for handcrafted souvenirs: Barbara Sperti, a custom shirtmaker based in Putignano: 'It's worth a half-day detour with dinner in one of the great restaurants there,' he said. 'And her shirts are a bargain — totally made to measure at [approximately] $170.'
Ya Biladi
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Moroccan historian Bahija Simou honored with Italian Order of Merit for cultural contributions
The director of the Royal Archives of Morocco, Bahija Simou, has been awarded the insignia of Commander of the Order of Merit of Italy for her contribution to the promotion of heritage and the Moroccan-Italian cultural dialogue. These insignia were presented to her by the Italian ambassador to Morocco, Armando Barucco, on behalf of the President of the Republic, during the celebration of his country's national day. According to Armando Barucco, this high distinction, of which only ten are awarded each year, pays tribute to «a remarkable and exceptional contribution to the enhancement of Moroccan historical heritage, as well as the significant development of scientific and cultural exchanges between Morocco and Italy». An internationally recognized historian, Bahija Simou has distinguished herself through her rigorous work on the political and diplomatic relations between Morocco and Italy, illustrated by numerous reference publications. She is also a member of the Strategic Council of the Italian Leonardo MedOr Foundation and plays a central role in Euro-Mediterranean academic meetings, actively working to preserve collective memory. On this occasion, Bahija Simou expressed her deep gratitude to the Italian authorities, praising «the honor and strong symbolism» of this distinction. She emphasized that her research on Italy highlights «the geopolitical importance of Morocco and Italy in the Euro-Mediterranean space». She also recalled the historical depth of bilateral relations, which date back to the 12th century. After Italian unification, Morocco adopted a friendly stance towards Italy, which became, after independence, one of the kingdom's first economic partners. Italy was also the first European country visited by Mohammed V. Bahija Simou was keen to remind that this distinction «not only crowns a personal journey but also consecrates a commitment to a living, inclusive history that refuses to forget and values memories long kept in the shadows».
Maroc
04-06-2025
- General
- Maroc
Italy Honors Royal Archives' Head for Promoting Morocco-Italy Cultural Dialogue
The Director of the Royal Archives of Morocco, Bahija Simou, has been awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for her contribution to the promotion of heritage and Moroccan-Italian cultural dialogue. The insignia were presented to Simou by the Italy's Ambassador to Morocco Armando Barucco, on behalf of the President, on the occasion of Italy's National Day celebration. According to Barucco, this prestigious award—of which only ten are awarded each year—pays tribute to a remarkable and exceptional contribution to the promotion of Moroccan historical heritage, as well as to the significant development of scientific and cultural exchanges between Morocco and Italy. An internationally recognized historian, Simou has distinguished herself through her rigorous work on political and diplomatic relations between Morocco and Italy, as evidenced by numerous landmark publications. As a member of the Strategic Council of the Italian foundation Leonardo MedOr, Simou plays a key role in Euro-Mediterranean academic forums, actively working to preserve collective memory. On this occasion, she praised "the strong symbolism" of this award, emphasizing that her research on Italy highlights "the geopolitical importance of both Morocco and Italy within the Euro-Mediterranean space." She also recalled the historical depth of bilateral relations, which date back to the 12th century. After Italian unification, Morocco adopted a friendly stance toward Italy, which, following Morocco's independence, became one of the Kingdom's first economic partners. Italy was also the first European country visited by the late His Majesty Mohammed V. Simou noted that this award "does not only crown a personal journey, but also affirms a commitment to a living, inclusive history—one that resists oblivion and brings to light memories long kept in the shadows." (MAP: 04 June 2025)
Maroc
14-05-2025
- Business
- Maroc
Rabat Commemorates 10th Anniversary of Morocco-Italy Cooperation in Heritage Preservation
The archaeological site of Chellah in Rabat hosted an official celebration marking the 10th anniversary of Moroccan-Italian cooperation in preserving and promoting the Morocco's heritage (2015-2025). The event highlighted the outcomes of projects completed under this successful bilateral cooperation, with senior officials from both Morocco and Italy in attendance. This cooperation, part of the Debt-for-Development Swap Agreement, was signed by the governments of the two countries in 2013. It includes archaeological sites such as Chellah, Volubilis in Meknes, and Lixus in Larache, with a budget of €3 million. In a speech, Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, stated that Morocco and Italy share exceptional ties, emphasizing that the two countries, centers of artistic innovation and creativity, have chosen culture as the cornerstone of their history for centuries. He further emphasized that under the leadership of His Majesty the King, Morocco has made the preservation and promotion of heritage a central priority in its public policies. For his part, the Italian Ambassador to Morocco, Armando Barocco, said that the two countries share a rich history in the Mediterranean basin, highlighting the deep-rooted cultural relations between them. The diplomat noted that the Moroccan community in Italy, which is the largest community in the peninsula outside of those from Europe, is an example of integration and success, and a source of pride for both Italy and Morocco. This celebration, organized in partnership with the Italian Embassy and the Italian Cultural Institute, featured an opera recital consisting of arias by Rossini, Mozart, and Verdi, to the applause of the audience. MAP: 13 mai 2025
