From Gardens to Runways: Exploring Fashion and Culture in Marrakesh
By Vidhi Bhandari
After a nice breakfast of eggs and pancakes, we began our long drive from Rabat to Marrakesh. During the drive, our guide Hassan taught us about Islam and Moroccan culture. He explained that Islam means submitting to the will of God and discussed the importance of monotheism. Since I grew up in a Hindu household, it was interesting to learn more about a religion centered around one God because it is different from my own background. Hassan also talked about the Prophet Muhammad, how the Quran was revealed and compiled, and some of the main teachings and practices of Islam. These included the Five Pillars of Islam—which are the five core acts of worship and religious practice followed by Muslims around the world—as well as the rituals that Muslims perform before prayer.
One part of the discussion particularly caught my attention as it directly connected to my digital humanities project. My project focuses on how young people in Spain and Morocco use fashion for self-expression while balancing religion, cultural traditions, and globalization, with an emphasis on generational differences. While Hassan stressed the significance of modesty in Islamic culture and tradition, he also noted that younger generations today often dress less modestly than older generations. I think this reflects the influence of globalization and modern culture on fashion choices.
Once we finally arrived in Marrakesh, one of our first stops was Le Jardin Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, which I was especially excited to visit because of my project on fashion in Spain and Morocco. Visiting these places made me think more deeply about how fashion connects to identity, culture, religion, and globalization. Throughout the day, I noticed how traditional and modern influences exist alongside each other in Morocco, which is something I hope to continue exploring over the course of this program.
Walking through Le Jardin Majorelle was one of my favorite experiences in Marrakesh. The gardens were beautiful and unlike anything I have seen at home. Being from Ohio and going to school in Boston, I do not get to experience that much variety in plants and greenery, so it was amazing to walk through such a wide range of landscapes. The bright colors, unique plants, and peaceful paths made the entire garden feel both artistic and relaxing. My favorite plants were the cacti, as I rarely see plants like that at home.
Going inside the Berber Museum was also really striking. My favorite part was the star room filled with jewelry and decorative pieces. At first, it felt a little overwhelming and almost surreal because of all the lights, reflections, and intricate details, but after spending more time there, it became really mesmerizing. Given my fascination with jewelry, I especially enjoyed seeing all the different styles and artistic designs up close. It made me realize how jewelry can reflect culture, religion, and identity all at once. Even though photography was not permitted in the museum—so I could not provide visual examples here—it was fascinating to see traditional Amazigh (Berber) jewelry and clothing representing different tribes and regions throughout Morocco. Many of the pieces used geometric patterns and detailed designs that reminded me of concepts we learned about Islamic art during Hassan’s lecture. Because Islam often discourages the use of human figures in religious art, Islamic artistic traditions commonly emphasize geometry, symmetry, calligraphy, and intricate patterns instead. I noticed these same ideas reflected in the jewelry, embroidery, and decorative pieces throughout the museum. Seeing these artifacts helped me understand how religion and cultural traditions influence Moroccan fashion and artistic expression.
Visiting the Yves Saint Laurent Museum also helped me better understand the strong connection between Yves Saint Laurent and Morocco. Yves Saint Laurent first visited Marrakesh in the 1960s and quickly fell in love with the city. Morocco became one of his biggest sources of inspiration because of its architecture, gardens, fabrics, colors, and Islamic artistic influences. After visiting both museums, I started noticing similarities between the Amazigh jewelry in the Berber Museum and Yves Saint Laurent’s fashion designs. Many of his pieces used bold colors, embroidery, layered jewelry, and flowing silhouettes that reflected traditional Moroccan and Amazigh styles. I also noticed how the bright blues and geometric designs throughout Le Jardin Majorelle connected to the same Islamic artistic traditions we discussed earlier in the day. These connections made me realize that the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, Le Jardin Majorelle, and the Berber Museum are all connected through Moroccan history, Islamic artistic influence, and cultural identity. Together, they show how religion, art, and fashion can shape the way a culture expresses itself over time.
One part of the museum I especially enjoyed was seeing the sketches and costume designs Yves Saint Laurent created for ballets and performances. Before visiting, I did not know he designed costumes for theater and dance productions, so it was really interesting to learn about that side of his work. My favorite designs were the costumes for Les Monnaieaires because they were so sparkly, dramatic, and bold. They immediately stood out to me as statement pieces. I also really liked the costume sketch for Zizi Jeanmaire in La Revue. Seeing the original sketches made me appreciate how much creativity and detail went into every design before it became a finished costume. Even though photography was not allowed in the gallery—so I could not incorporate those images here either—it was fascinating to see the sketches and the amount of work behind them.
Overall, the day helped me better understand how fashion, religion, culture, art, and identity are interconnected not only in Moroccan society, but also in shaping art and fashion around the world. The experiences of today made me even more excited to continue my digital humanities project for the rest of this program.