Modern clothing lines are inspired by the traditional Algerian heritage and put in tune with the times.
In Algeria, traditional clothes, and particularly those worn on special occasions, are still on the rise.
For example, the region of Tlemcen (northwest of the country) is known for its nuptial costume, the chedda. At the other end of the country, in the region of Constantine, we find the gandoura, a dress made of thick velvet, embroidered with gold thread.
In many regions, men wear the kachabia, a long brown dress, the burnous, a large, hooded, sleeveless woolen coat, or the saroual, wide pants also used by women.
If all these outfits reveal the local know-how and the social rank of the person who wears them, in the majority of cities, modernity has nonetheless got the better of certain everyday clothes.
Faced with this observation, today, several young designers agree on the idea that the dress is not only a clothing accessory but a component of identity. Middle East Eye introduces you to three of them.
El Moustach, Disrupting Algerian Dress Codes
Hicham Gaoua is an artist designer. The 42-year-old, better known as El Moustach, is steeped in pop art and urban culture. Its work has long been articulated around heritage and collective memory.
He now carries a project called The North African Streetwear. Inspired by some traditional clothes, he created a collection of clothes with Algerian and North African trends.
“Djellaba, djebba, saroual, and many other clothes were once worn by our ancestors in everyday life,” Hicham Gaoua told Middle East Eye.
“These are outfits that can be found in Algeria, but also in Tunisia, Morocco, and some African countries. Only, they froze in time and became outfits reserved for exceptional occasions. I am inspired by these clothes, and I try to project them towards more modern, even futuristic trajectories.”
His first collection is called “Zenqa wear”: “Zenqa means street in North African Arabic, the whole could be translated as ‘street dress’,” he specifies.
Ease of movement, garish colors, his creations overturns Algerian codes. Among the revisited clothes, the djellaba, a long dress with a pointed hood worn by men: Hicham Gaoua renamed it maqnin (the goldfinch), in reference to a very symbolic bird in North African popular culture, which is characterized by its elegance and its fluid and repeated songs.
“Maqnin incorporates the large pointed hood which draws a very flexible and almost aerodynamic shape, hence the resemblance to the goldfinch. In my designs, it is the silhouette of traditional clothing that inspires me, because it is the most difficult thing to achieve. So I appropriated the cutouts of old clothes and created my own model and style”.
For Hicham Gaoua, clothing is a space of communication that gives total freedom of expression to whoever designs them. He believes that in this area, modernity should not wipe out the past and that it is necessary to preserve the work done by the ancients, to enhance it, and to put it in the air.
Amira Tefridj, at the Crossroads of Influences
Originally from Tidikelt in the wilaya (prefecture) of Adrar, in southwest Algeria, Amira Tefridj worked for several years in public relations before launching her clothing brand.
It is the story of a dress that is at the origin of her project, called El Jawali: “It is the name of a dress that women in my region wear the day after their wedding. The bride, but also the women of the groom’s family. It’s a way of welcoming her to her new family,” she told MEE.
Entirely made of white lace, it is adorned with silver jewelry, a yellow belt tight around the waist, and many other accessories.
“But the most interesting thing about this dress is that it is worn by the inhabitants of Tidikelt, who are Amazigh, African, and Arab,” continues Amira Tefridj.
“This dress brings together various ethnic groups, and that’s the idea of my project. The clothes I design to celebrate the elegance of Algerian and African women. Everyday outfits with a traditional touch are reminiscent of a region and know-how.”
Her first two collections, Amira Tefridj called them Algerian Spirit and Tidikelt Spirit (Algerian spirit and spirit of Tidikelt). The outfits bear African influences, which are distinguished by their patterns and the wax fabric, African textile in printed and colored cotton.
“The Adrar region is closer to Mali and Niger than to certain Algerian towns. We grew up with the culture of these African countries, hence my use of wax, which has existed in my region since the 1950s”, underlines Amira Tefridj.
In the second collection, she intends to “pay tribute to the diversity of Tidikelt”, where she is from. “The outfits are simple and elegant, mostly made in wax, and feature traditional elements that give the clothes a heritage dimension.”
More generally, Amira Tefridj wishes to enhance the allure of Algerian women: “I draw my inspiration from traditional outfits from all over the country and I integrate them into my models. The goal is for every Algerian to be an ambassador of our culture and the diversity of our sartorial heritage.”
Amel Mohandi, Attacking Kabyle Traditions
After working for several years in audiovisual media in Algeria, Amel Mohandi wanted to pay tribute to the Amazigh outfit by launching the brand Azar Dziri a few months ago.
“Azar means in the Berber language ” root ”, and Dziri, ”Algerian ”. This collection offers comfortable clothing for women, with ornaments that refer to traditional Berber attire,” Amel Mohandi told MEE. The latter has created a series of outfits inspired by Kabyle dresses “worn by grandmothers”.
“I am from Tifilkout, a town in the wilaya of Tizi Ouzou, in Greater Kabylia . Last summer, I noticed that the village girls brought out the old Kabyle dresses and often wore them with sneakers. I found that original and important insofar as modernity has not got the better of this sartorial heritage. I thought it would be interesting to imagine everyday clothes with ethnic details,” she argues.
Amel Mohandi uses the fabrics, embroidery, and other elements of Kabyle dresses, and comes in modern and comfortable clothes that her clients can wear on a daily basis. To create this collection, she explains that she carried out long research work with the women of her village.
“I have always worn the Kabyle dress, only its history is much richer than I imagined. Before launching Azar Dziri, I went to meet the elderly in the village. The grandmothers taught me many things. For example, the fabrics on which the Kabyle dresses are sewn refer to particular circumstances: mourning, marriage, the arrival of spring. This information cannot be found in books, and yet it is part of our identity,” continues the young designer.
For Amel Mohandi, tradition is too little present in modern clothing.
“When I participate in meetings abroad, I recognize the nationality of the guests’ thanks to their outfit. For example, the kimono of Japanese women is worn in all circumstances. This is not the case with some of our outfits intended for specific occasions, including weddings. Azar Dziri’s idea is to wear heritage on a daily basis,” she underlines.
This alliance between modernity and tradition seems to appeal to Algerians. Comforted in their projects by the enthusiasm aroused by these brands, the three designers are aware that their research must be constant. Algeria has, according to them, not yet revealed all its secrets.
