Huddled in the bustling alleys of Riad Zitoun, Meriem Nour's clothing shop 'Hanout boutique' glows with a thousand lights in the vibrant Medina of Marrakesh.

The store dates back two hundred years and has been painted a cool white and fitted with filigree plaster arches with shelves of two-piece suits in graphic stripes, kimono-inspired dresses with Warhol-like floral motifs, accessories and embroidered leather jackets that attract customers from all over the world.

Hanout Boutique is a Moroccan luxury ready-to-wear brand dedicated to women's fashion that’s been around for 7 years with the release of two collections per year, as well as several capsule collections.

Marrakech holds an important part of the brand's identity. The designer also gets her inspiration from the 70s, Rock culture and Victorian influence from the months she spent in England at the Central Saint Martins school for which she later designed a caftans line for the famous department store Selfridges in London.

The collections are made in traditional workshops in the Medina of Marrakech by a small group of artisans from the local community.

And here we are bringing you an exclusive interview with the designer behind the brand. Here’s what our designer of the month, Meriem Nour, had to say.

Who is Meriem Nour ?

I am a proud Moroccan, a lover of art and literature. I love to be proactive and have an entrepreneurial outlet in life. I enjoy unleashing creativity and staying active with different projects because I tend to get bored easily. I love my job, especially the responsibility and tasks it gives me, from managing people to creating collections and choosing the design and aesthetic vibe of every collection. .

When and how did your passion for fashion start?

It started from my family because they happen to be very creative, and we always had knitting machines everywhere due to the family business in textile. Since childhood, I was always surrounded by Fashion. I spent my summers and lunch breaks from our high school either knitting, embroidering or making caftans around the lunch table with my sisters. That was our daily life.

But I actually rebelled at first against the family business and went and got a degree in biology before going back and pursuing my path and building a career in fashion.

How would you describe your current style?

I have a big love for vintage. At the moment I wear a lot of vintage mini skirts in my daily life like a uniform along with denim and flat shoes with shirts. It’s not that different from my style when I was in my twenties. I wore a lot of skirts back then too because I love their feminine touch. I try to portray a sense of elegance with a quirky touch. It's good to rebel sometimes.

Tell us the story behind your brand’s name and identity?

It’s a funny story, actually. When my kids were small at the start of my business, they were always asking me where I’m going, and I'd say ’I’m going to the Hanout’ and because I couldn't find a name for the shop, I ended up naming it just that, Hanout Boutique. I like that it has the same interpretation in different Arab countries, in Hebrew and even in Albanian, apparently.

How did your experience in London inspire your journey as a fashion designer?

I studied at Saint Martin's for 6 months in London. Living there and getting that much exposure to their culture and fashion style was an amazing educational experience. They are super eccentric and classic. London is one of the best countries representing fashion to me, and you can see some inspirations from my stay there in our collections, with the Victorian influence apparent in the dresses.

What message or feeling do you want to convey with the clothes you create?

The clothes I make are always conveying the feelings I felt when I was making them. I have fun making people’s dreams come true through clothing.

Walk us through your creative process of creating a new collection :

It depends on my moods, the books and movies I consume, and which colors and themes I am into at that moment. I really loved the aesthetic of the movie Call me by your name. I’ve always wanted to make clothes for boys with androgynous looks. I tried to interpret that in our unisex collection.

How was "Hanout Boutique" received in Morocco?

We are based in Marrakech and have clients coming from all over the world to our boutique in the Medina. We have become a Medina shop that you had to visit and got more exposure from clients in Casablanca.

Where do you see the brand and yourself in five years?

I am a mom with 3 teenage boys and I really love the idea of this brand lasting for my kids to enjoy. I would love for it to be here for the next 20 or 30 years.

What can we expect from you in the near future?

I would love to do more of the concepts and techniques that are close to my heart like sustainable fashion, embracing upcycling and second-hand clothes. To me, they are very important concepts that should be more used in collections. I like to think of my brand as ethical and aware and would like to keep working in a happy, healthy environment to make a difference.

What advice can you send to young aspiring designers?

I would advise them to be more courageous and avoid self-censorship and harsh critique of oneself because people are always going to find something they don’t like with their different personalities and tastes.