Souaad Gargari, with his brand SouAaG Paris, offers more than women’s suits. This Franco-Moroccan designer has a vision of fashion with an aesthetic that transcends Moroccan textile traditions to embody today’s urban chic. The ancestral Moroccan art of trimmings, with silk braid, is reintegrated into women’s wardrobe.
A harmonious fusion between timeless Parisian elegance and a very daring touch highlighting traditional Moroccan know-how. Souaad Gargari uses upcycled materials for his collections which have a timeless style, inspired by women. Chic, eco-responsible and elegant, naturally.
LCreation, for me, is a way to enjoy freedom. It is a freedom to think, to express our vision, our perception of the world. It is a non-palpable freedom. Creation cannot be measured and it has no price. It is truly something intangible, intangible and sacred.
“ I registered the brand SouAaG. I took the base of my first name, and then the first letter of my last name, to create SouAaG,” explains Souaad Gargari, stylist, founder of SouAaG Paris and fashion entrepreneur.
Souaad Gargari was born in the north of France. She grew up in the center of the country, in Corrèze, in a modest family, before studying business, then joining a large group as sales manager. She practiced there for more than 15 years.
Drawing has always accompanied this Franco-Moroccan designer. She returned to it at a time when she felt like she had reached a glass ceiling in her career. Souaad Gargari therefore goes back to her fundamentals: drawing and the desire to succeed on her own. In 2014, at age 35, she trained as a stylist. In 2017, she registered her trademark. Between 2017 and 2019, she exhibited her collections in pop-up boutiques. Then, she devotes herself to full time in fashion as a stylist and business manager.
“ When I created the brand, immediately and without asking myself any questions, I had an ethical and responsible approach, to the extent that the textile market is already the most polluting market in the world and it already existed a lot of stocks, fabrics, dormant stocks. When I created my first creations, I was hunting around, looking for pieces, fabrics that already existed in warehouses that collect fabrics that come from everywhere. So I always work with parts that have been manufactured and are no longer used and usable. I select the best materials for some of my creations. It’s always common sense and in short circuits. »
“ I merge the best know-how of my two cultures, that is to say France and Morocco. I am French, I live in France, I work with French collaborators, I have French artisans, fashion designers. My modelist is French. They all live in Paris. To me, that’s common sense. And then, Moroccan craftsmanship is the whole soul, it is the whole universe, the DNA of SouAaG, that is to say, these are the inspirations, these are my roots too. I’m of Moroccan origin, I’m of Berber origin, so there are a lot of things that I’ve seen being made since I was little. It’s an ancestral heritage that I want to reintegrate into our contemporary wardrobe and it’s totally possible. »
Souaad Gargari, with SouAaG Paris, addresses women with a message of emancipation. “ Through my life, my experiences and my past, I wanted to help women, give them strength to emancipate themselves and help women to be independent, autonomous. It’s a brand that helps women gain confidence and assurance, with upcycled pieces that combine very strong and empowering worlds. It also provides work for women who make a living from this craft. For example, to artisans in Morocco who, thanks to the making of these braids, can live and train neighbors, which allows them to work collectively and create a professional network which allows them to emancipate themselves. »
“For France, it’s research. I try to surround myself, as much as possible, with artisans who have ethical values like mine. It’s important to feel that the seamstresses are well treated and respected, because the sewing industry is very tough. There are working hours that are very wide. For me in any case, it is important that they have work, of course, but not at the expense of their family life. »
Souaad Gargari likes to work the ancestral Moroccan art of trimmings, braids and buttons in silk threads adorn his collections and reveal French elegance, in order to consume differently. “ The younger generation is much more sensitive and aware of the future of our planet and this need to consume differently, especially when it comes to textiles. They are much more sensitive than older generations. What I am developing as a fit is comfort. »
“ I worked for two years in the technical development of my suits so that they were very elegant and very comfortable. My customers are generally over 30 or 35 years old, those who buy the most are in their fifties. They have also reached a fairly comfortable social level. But it is above all comfort that takes precedence, but there is always this need to be elegant. So it’s important to combine comfort with elegance. »
Find all the episodes of 100% Création on:
Apple Podcast Castbox Deezer Google Podcast Addict Podcast Spotifyor any other platform via the RSS feed.