DFA In Conversation with Artsi Ifrah
Artsi's iconic and creative photoshoots combine and showcase Moroccan culture and arts, Arabic language, and vintage clothing immediately come to mind when you mention Maison ARTC.
Graphics & Article by Rania Abdalla
Images courtesy Artsi Ifrah / Maison ARTC.
Images courtesy Artsi Ifrah / Maison ARTC.
Daily Fashion Arabia and Artsi Ifrah agree that there is so much talent in the MENA region. However, most people in the MENA region only draw inspiration from the Western world. In the MENA region, we don't get to believe that we are talented and artistic enough to produce our products and have pride in ourselves. And that led to many people using the Western world as a reference in everything.
When do we get to support and help each other to be confident enough in our talents and skills? I think it is time to support all the talents across the MENA region to showcase their artwork, talents, skills, and voices.
On Daily Fashion Arabia, I shed spotlight on each country's arts, culture, and history across the MENA region. The fashion industry is the gateway through which artists can showcase their cultures and traditions. Our roots and who we are will not be represented if we keep wearing Westernized clothes and styles that are not representing our roots, culture, heritage, and history!
There are so many positive things that have come about because of globalization. But did we advance and export our talents and skills? Did we get to be on the top of the world regarding styling inspiration? Do we inspire people in the Western and Asian world in the fashion industry? I don't think so. Even if we do, it is very rare and needs a lot of push, connections, and money to advertise for ourselves and our talents.
When do we get to support and help each other to be confident enough in our talents and skills? I think it is time to support all the talents across the MENA region to showcase their artwork, talents, skills, and voices.
On Daily Fashion Arabia, I shed spotlight on each country's arts, culture, and history across the MENA region. The fashion industry is the gateway through which artists can showcase their cultures and traditions. Our roots and who we are will not be represented if we keep wearing Westernized clothes and styles that are not representing our roots, culture, heritage, and history!
There are so many positive things that have come about because of globalization. But did we advance and export our talents and skills? Did we get to be on the top of the world regarding styling inspiration? Do we inspire people in the Western and Asian world in the fashion industry? I don't think so. Even if we do, it is very rare and needs a lot of push, connections, and money to advertise for ourselves and our talents.
Who Is Artsi Ifrah?
When trying to find designers and artists from Morocco, I stumbled upon Artsi's Instagram page, Maison ARTC. I was so fascinated by all his photoshoots and designs! Artsi has always been in the creative and artistic world. The Moroccan-Israeli designer started as a ballet dancer before switching paths to become a photographer, designer, and fashion artist.
Artsi's iconic and creative photoshoots combine and showcase Moroccan culture and arts, Arabic language, and vintage clothing immediately come to mind when you mention Maison ARTC. By attaching Moroccan fabrics and textiles to vintage clothes, he uses upcycling, a sustainable method, to give clothes a new life. The pieces he creates are unique and one-of-a-kind. Artsi loves hand embroidery, adding vintage Moroccan accessories, embroidered Arabic words, flea market finds, and pieces he gathers from all over the world.
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Artsi's iconic and creative photoshoots combine and showcase Moroccan culture and arts, Arabic language, and vintage clothing immediately come to mind when you mention Maison ARTC. By attaching Moroccan fabrics and textiles to vintage clothes, he uses upcycling, a sustainable method, to give clothes a new life. The pieces he creates are unique and one-of-a-kind. Artsi loves hand embroidery, adding vintage Moroccan accessories, embroidered Arabic words, flea market finds, and pieces he gathers from all over the world.
What Does Artsi Say About Fashion in The MENA Region?
In Artsi's opinion, people from the MENA region are largely influenced by Western fashion. Everything has been brought in from the outside, and the MENA region exports little art and fashion to the West. Fashion creation in the MENA region is very challenging because designers in this region are very influenced by the fashion world that exists in the West.
As for Artsi, he uses the art and culture of Morocco as his inspiration. Artsi lives in Marrakech, and one of the wonderful things in his case is that it is a magical city. Particularly, he cites Marrakech as a live museum. His extensive understanding of multiculturalism kicked in as Artsi lived in Tel Aviv, Paris, and Amsterdam. Living in different cities made him become more appreciative of the Moroccan culture and its art.
As for Artsi, he uses the art and culture of Morocco as his inspiration. Artsi lives in Marrakech, and one of the wonderful things in his case is that it is a magical city. Particularly, he cites Marrakech as a live museum. His extensive understanding of multiculturalism kicked in as Artsi lived in Tel Aviv, Paris, and Amsterdam. Living in different cities made him become more appreciative of the Moroccan culture and its art.
“When you go to New York City, London, or Paris, you must visit a museum to learn about its history and culture. In Morocco, you are in a museum that lives in the streets with the people. You see how art is done. You see the craftsmanship in front of you as people work with their hands. That doesn't exist in Europe or the United States anymore. It is very complicated as people have started using machinery, unlike in Morocco.” - Artsi Ifrah
In Artsi's words, "I'm taking what's inside the MENA region and putting it outside. I'm taking the culture here to the Western culture, not vice versa." He believes that we need to respect and deal with our own cultures, and it is important to support our artisans.
What Does Artsi Say About His Artwork?
There is a difference between a product and an artwork. All of Artsi's fashion artwork is done by hand, and embroidery is one of his most important techniques. For Artsi, he plays more with culture and religion than fashion.
“What I do is very private. It is like my own language. I express it through my creativity. I play a lot with the culture. I am trying somehow to preserve the culture that I think has much more value than the Western culture. It has a lot of years of history. It is very deep, and it is also very emotional for me somehow.” - Artsi
It doesn't matter to Artsi whether he is trendy, famous, or whether his fashion artwork is sellable. He takes his time to create an art piece. Unlike other artists, Artsi does not chase fame or trends. He prefers organic growth, where he is honest and authentic with his artwork, taking his time to imagine. Artsi's artwork results from doing something he has never done before. As an artist, Artsi believes that applying his creativity through his work is the best way to express himself.
“I don't belong to the fashion industry. I only belong to fashion. Industry is not something that belongs to my work or related to my work because industry for me is something that is very wrong and very wrong to attach it to the products or creativity that I am doing because this industry is something that has become very commercial and less valuable. My goal is able to do something to express myself in the best way and be very honest to myself.” - Artsi
Artsi's Advice for The New Generation of Creatives
“I had to teach myself that to be creative, I had to be very confident and believe in what I was doing in the first place.”- Artsi
Find out more about Maison ARTC by following him on Instagram and visiting his website.