Casablanca turned the heat up for their SS24 collection, and we’re not just talking about the weather. Taking place on the hottest day of Paris Fashion Week, the collection was a tribute to Nigeria. Talking backstage, Creative Director Charaf Tajer said that he “wanted to pay homage the best way that we could. We wanted to have something that was very youthful, because Africa is so young.” The day of the show marked Nigeria’s 63 years of independence.

This focus on youth could be seen in every outfit on the runway. From hoodies to bikinis and shorts, we didn’t so much see the language of streetwear, but an emphasis on the outfits that regular young people actually wear. Of course, as we can expect with Casablanca, everything was cast in bright tones, yellows and oranges and greens, with references to traditional Nigerian patterning. Intricate knitwear spoke of West African tapestry and moto leathers in sunset tones were a direct homage to the petrolheads of Lagos. “The music and the art movement is so important,” Tajer said of Nigerian culture. “It’s a country that I love, I have so many friends from there, and it’s been really leading the way over the years.”