SemSem unveils its Fall 2018 look book with Vogue.me. The new offering draws inspiration from the glamorous fragrance campaigns of the early aughts, which translates to bold pops of color, prints, and textures. A tophat and tuxedo-clad Marlene Dietrich in the 1930 film, Morroco also served as a muse to the collection. “She perfectly embodies the spirit of the collection,” quips SemSem’s new Design Director, Albino Riganello, who has honed his skills during previous stints at Givenchy, Zuhair Murad, and others.
Kenza Fourati, Vogue Arabia’s October cover star, is the face of the campaign. She was handpicked by SemSem’s Founder and Creative Director, Abeer Al Otaiba, who believes that the Tunisian model shares co-existing values and perfectly represents the SemSem woman. Indeed, Fourati is more than just her supernatural beauty. The model is also a philanthropist who is involved with a number of human right’s initiatives in Tunisia and beyond, making her the ideal campaign star for the Egyptian mother-daughter label’s Fall 2018 collection. “Every season we focus on communicating a positive and inspiring message,” says Al Otaiba.
For instance, Spring 2018 was all about love and tolerance, and featured Halima Aden wearing a SemSem t-shirt emblazoned with the Arabic word for “Love” in a feel-good campaign. “This season, our message is to “reach for the stars,” empowering women and girls to reach their full potential, as little girls with dreams become women with vision,” explains the designer. A worthy message during a Post-Weinstein era where hashtags like #MeToo and #TimesUp are dominating our social channels.
Fourati takes to the Fall 2018 campaign wearing crimson, beautifully-tailored pantsuits, body-hugging evening dresses, and oversized, deconstructed turtleneck knits (all complete with a stamped-on crimson pout) that will undoubtedly find favor in A-list fans Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, and Kourtney Kardashian among many others.
Today, SemSem, which draws its name from Al Otaiba’s first daughter Samia’s nickname, has joined forces with luxury E-commerce platform Moda Operandi for a two-week-long digital trunk show. The label’s entire Fall 2018 collection, which is punctuated with deconstructed blazers, crisp button-downs, and androgynous silhouettes in a bold color palette will be available for purchase on Moda Operandi until April 17.