Vivid Threads of Fashion and Tradition Meet in Morocco
Vivid Threads of Fashion and Tradition Meet in Morocco
By
Viviane Sassen| Sep 2, 2025
In Viviane Sassen’s lens, centuries-old dyeing techniques ignite a bold, graphic exploration of color and form.
Styling by Alexandra Carl
In Viviane Sassen’s lens, centuries-old dyeing techniques ignite a bold, graphic exploration of color and form.
Styling by Alexandra Carl
Model Anyiang wears a Ferragamo blazer and skirt in the ancient medina of Essaouira, a UNESCO World Heritage site and former trading post built by the Portuguese in the 18th century.
Palette cleanse Essaouira’s harbor, with the 16th-century Castelo Real de Mogador in the distance, evokes centuries of maritime trade between Europe and North Africa. Givenchy by Sarah Burton dress, Fforme shoes and Rellik scarf.
NOT SO MELLOW YELLOW Maison Margiela dress from Passage Archives.
Petal Push Left: Melons for sale along the roadside in Sid L’Mokhtar, a small town known for its lively souk. Right: The Flatteur Ville, once a French colonial quarter, now home to artists’ ateliers. Prada dress, Zomer skirt and Celine shoes.
PRIMARY POPS Tom Ford dress and Rellik scarf.
Ray play Chouara Tannery—operational since the 11th century—is one of the oldest tanneries in the world. Issey Miyake dress and shawl and Celine shoes.
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Loewe dress and Camper x Issey Miyake shoes.
FRESH TAKES Givenchy by Sarah Burton dress and Rellik scarf.
Chromatic crush Left: The dyeing pits of Fes, where wool and leather are tinted with plant-based dyes and mineral-rich earth. Right: Super Yaya shawl, JW Anderson shirt, Brunello Cucinelli skirt and Fforme shoes.
BLUE ORIGIN Balenciaga dress, stylist’s own hood, Fforme shoes.
Bold strokes A variety of pigments, displayed in a shop in the ancient medina in Essaouira. Opposite: The ancient Sqala du Port d’ Essaouira, an 18th-century bastion once used to guard against European invasions. Calvin Klein 205W39 NYC by Raf Simons Collection dress from Pyrn Archives, Giorgio Armani jacket (worn around waist).
Lemon twist Left: Tom Ford dress and Camper x Issey Miyake shoes. Right: The dyeing pits of Fes.
FRILL SEEKER Roksanda skirt (worn as top).
Saturation point Left: children at play with pigment. Right: Fforme dress and Celine shoes.
BACK IN STYLE Roksanda dress.
SCARLET STATEMENT Sportmax dress.
Model, Anyiang at The Society; Hair and makeup, Irena Ruben at House of Orange; casting, Julia Lange Casting at Art Partner; production, Saad Films; post-production, Jan Hibma.
Based in Amsterdam, Viviane Sassen combines photography, fashion and fine art. She has published more than 25 books and her work has been shown at the MoMA and the Rijksmuseum, among other venues. Sassen’s most recent exhibition, “This Body Made of Stardust,” was on view at Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy, this summer.
