Riot of colour and culture as fashion and art merge in Morocco

Australian fashion brand Alemais has quickly established itself as a major played in Australian fashion.

Alemais Creative Director Lesleigh Jermanus with model Nora van der Tuina ahead of her show in Morroco. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles.

Lesleigh Jermanus, co-founder and creative director of colourful Australian brand Alemais, says the resort ’26 collection she showed overnight on Tuesday May 20 in Morocco at the Culinary Art ­Museum in Marrakesh, is one of the brand’s most ambitious projects yet.

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Jermanus laughs.

“Genuinely, like everything we do, we have to lead with the heart. And this felt like it was right.”

Alemais makes its highly anticipated international runway debut in Marrakesh. Picture: James Cochrane

The Australian brand’s resort ’26 collection was a riot of colour. Picture: James Cochrane

It is only the brand’s second runway show to date. The first was in 2023 when the brand opened Australian Fashion Week.

“I cannot emphasise how important it was for us to open Australian Fashion Week in 2023,” says Jermanus, who confirms she will stage a show at Australian Fashion Week again.

The runway show in Marrakesh fits with Jermanus’s love for collaborating with artists and the spirit of adventure within the brand’s bold, colourful and romantic pieces in environmentally conscious fabrics.

 

Models on the runway at the Alemais show during Australian Fashion Week in 2023. Picture: Getty Images

It came about, like many of Jermanus’s collaborations with artists – which have included the likes of calligrapher Sam Pauletto and painter Adam Lester – because of serendipity, and connection. For the resort ’26 collection, Jermanus collaborated with renowned Belgian and Marrakesh-based multidisciplinary artist Laurence Leenaert, whose ceramics and textiles house, LRNCE, works with local Moroccan artisans.

“I met her about eight years ago, maybe longer, when I was in Marrakesh. Serendipitously, I wasn’t meant to meet her, I was meant to meet her partner. I had saved up all my money to buy this one beautiful rug and was carrying it back from Morocco, jamming it in my suitcase, the things you do for love. But we ended up meeting each other and I think we sat in this restaurant for three hours and then she invited me to these dinners and we just connected … It’s always been my dream to collaborate with her,” says Jermanus.

The collection itself plays on ­Alemais signatures – including romantic, billowing silhouettes, rich textures and pattern – in a colour palette inspired by the colours of the city’s vibrant medinas, pink ­architecture and bustling souks.

The collection takes cues from Morocco’s bustling souks and vibrant architecture. Picture: James Cochrane

Jermanus collaborated with Marrakesh-based artist Leenaert to bring this collection to life. Picture: James Cochrane

Conversations with Laurence around working together started back in October last year, with much back and forth.

“We talked about artwork and what that might be,” she says.

“There’s always that, I guess you can freeze as an artist. And then also for us, we kind of froze a little bit too, sort of handling her work with such care. The same way I’d handle my newborn, it felt like that moment.

“And so there was this incredible sort of nervous energy to begin. And then she handed over, and then we worked on the art internally and then we handed over to our artisans who then have their creative lens on the artwork. So it really becomes multifaceted and the energy sort of changes and you hope to then maintain the creative integrity of the artwork by when you hand it on to your makers.”

 

The latest collection plays on ­Alemais signatures – including romantic, billowing silhouettes, rich textures and pattern. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

For Jermanus, this collaboration with artists is one of the great joys of her job.

“It always sparks in weird and wonderful ways with the artists, which may be my favourite part of the process,” she says.

“What I’ve loved is how we’ve developed over time this creative connective tissue between our whole team and then the world ­beyond with all of the artists and how all of that comes together.

“We get to showcase a part of their artwork as well in their world, which I feel really proud to do.”

This week’s show in Morocco – perhaps the beginning of more international shows for a globally resonating brand – represents exactly this sentiment.

“It did feel like a bit of a dream-come-true moment; it felt right to bring the two worlds together.

“(Laurence) celebrates working with local Moroccan artisans; she works on low-impact garments and furniture and interiors and it just felt right. We had the synergy.”