Casablanca Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear
Little wonder that during this show Casablancaâs CEO Fred Lukoff was wreathed in smiles and chair-jacking like heâd been transported to the Sound Factory Bar circa 1993. The brand he operates pulled off a great coup today, partnering with âLittleâ Louie Vega to premier âLift Me Up,â a new track that designer Charaf Tajer reported backstage will be released in collaboration with the brand.
Vega stood behind the decks at the end of the American Cathedralâs aisle-runway, framed by a mirrored backdrop and the gospel choir that delivered his vocals with roof-raising oomph. The building was not made for deep bass and the punchy delivery of the ear-trumpet Void Acoustics Air Motions (the high hat was echoing like crazy) but to watch Vega, a master at work, was uplifting indeed.
His involvement framed a collection set around clubbing. Backstage Tajer, who years ago, with Pain O Chokolat operated the Paris club Le Pompon, said the best night out of his life was last seasonâs closing party at Amnesia in Ibiza. He added: âIâve been getting into house for a few years now. So basically we wanted to tell a story about house music, but we didnât know where to start: rock ân’ roll has its own looks, hip hop has its own looks but house doesnât so much, you know?â
Part of that is because house started out as an underground art form before ricocheting around the world. But over the decades, houseânow a very broad churchâhas welcomed many typologies of character under its roof. You could spot some of them in Casablancaâs collection today: the DJ booth diva closing look; the â90s Cream kitten in a knit pink romper; the business-minded geezer with no visible source of income in a many-pocketed parka and bucket hat; the Manumission performer in her tactical harness; the money man in his progressively pocketed black tailoring, and so on.
More broadly Tajer created prints and jacquards inspired by different stages of club flyer aesthetic and presented many versions of his probably strong-selling going-out tracksuit. Vegaâs involvement and that clubbing context lent this collection a causal reason to be: that made it one of the most effective Casablanca sessions in recent seasons.
