Mohamed Bourezza crafts stylish garments from vintage Moroccan pieces

Old curtains, worn blankets, kitchen towels, antique fabrics... These ordinary items hold extraordinary potential in the eyes of Mohamed Bourezza. For him, each piece of cloth carries the possibility of a new life as a valuable garment. After graduating highschool in 2016, the man affectionately known as Memo decided to forgo further studies to pursue his passion. In fact, he had already dipped his toes into entrepreneurship a year earlier, starting by reselling wholesale-purchased gandouras.

Over time, the Marrakech native began developing his own project. He started by purchasing fabrics to offer to tailors for making hooded garments. Despite the initially limited impact, demand gradually increased, prompting the young enthusiast to expand his activities and distribute his products in the markets of the Ochre City.

Learning through trial and error

The year 2020 marked a turning point. Mohamed, then 26, reinvested the capital from his trade into a collection of fabrics. He commissioned a tailor to make 3,000 hooded garments to be distributed over time. Caught off guard by the execution delays of his order, he decided to purchase a sewing machine, learning to master it with the help of the professional. Despite several failures on many pieces, he eventually produced the planned number of items.

The young creator learned quickly, mastering other fundamentals such as drawing to design models, as well as assembly and photography. This evolution was made possible with the help of his friend Soufiane, who provided him with simple tools.

Bolstered by his growing reputation, Mohamed decided to venture into social media. Last Ramadan, he shared his creations on Instagram. His first published video showcased an outfit made from the tiger-print blanket, a familiar sight in Moroccan homes that evokes childhood memories for generations. «We've all developed memories with this object, often associated with nocturnal incidents. Looking at it, some of us remember those days when we woke up in wet sheets!»

After his first video, which took a month to film, the creator didn't expect to get many views. To his great surprise, the content was widely watched, garnering over two million views in just four days. He then realized that his fame could grow through social media.

Reviving childhood memories to connect with internet users

Mohamed continued to use household objects, such as curtains and Fez embroidery sheets. He even keeps anecdotes about how he rewards his mother by exchanging each item taken from the house for a new one. «These are the terms of my agreement with her», he confided to us jokingly. To take his measurements, he also uses utensils familiar to all Moroccan families, like the famous «Taous» dish.

He recalls memories of this plate often marked with nail polish so that each mother could distinguish hers from her neighbor's. «When we were children, our mothers would threaten us if we broke the plate. I liked to remind my followers of these memories, and they reproduced their mothers' warning words in the comments (woe betide you if you break it)», he shares.

Mohamed has recently worked with household curtains and sheets with Fez embroidery, a centerpiece of accessories in weddings of yesteryear. His followers are captivated.

With just a few videos on Instagram, he has managed to attract nearly 200,000 followers. He has also started receiving orders from ordinary internet users and even celebrities. However, he wishes to focus on developing his social media content. He plans to open his own workshop to devote more time to his clients' requests.

This is how Mohamed advances slowly but surely, convinced of the importance of local fame before propelling himself internationally. Self-taught, he doesn't envision formal training in his field, preferring instead to learn on his own by watching online videos.