Casablanca wants you to forget about all the chaos in the world – at least for a few minutes. The French-Moroccan label unveiled their Fall/Winter 2021-22 collection via “Grand Prix,” a short film directed by Thomas Lachambre that draws inspiration from the glamorous casino and racing tradition of Monaco, with plenty of the 1960s and ’70s references.

The film portrays a chic after-race party, with guests playing cards, snooker, and even the roulette while Giorgio Moroder’s 1979 song “In My Wildest Dreams” blasts over. The concept was to play with “that kind of idea that we have of Monaco, not really about Monaco itself, but way more about the fantasy that we have of it,” Casablanca’s founder and designer Charaf Tajer told V in an exclusive interview. “I want to create a moment that we forget COVID for two minutes while you watch the collection, we want to dream about the fact of all being together.” 

The casino-inspired details are seen throughout the collection, with patterns that combine card motifs with colorful creations: a red-and-pink checkered cape, a spade that pours into a dress, designs decorated with Queens, and even a pearl bracelet with a clubs charm.

Other highlights include a racer-inspired cream plaid tracksuit, a sweater decorated with flowers and a cheeky circuit scene, and a checkered fur coat with a pattern that is reminiscent of racing flags. Some designs reimagine the Casablanca logo, featured as a cigarette brand.

“What I wanted to show is that Casablanca is really a vestiaire, a wardrobe, that can go from the tracksuit to the nightgowns, for women,” Tajer said. “We wanted to go from the pajama to the tuxedo for men.” 

The dreamy atmosphere is further established through pastel suits and ample pants, along with illustrations of the moon and stars that even resemble tarot cards at times. Accessories include a golden chain belt with letter charms forming “Casablanca” and signature silk scarves with fluid colorful patterns. Brown leather bags are decorated with a green leaves-and-berries strip and the label logo, with handles shaped like bent bamboos. 

“It’s been in the DNA of the brand since the very beginning, the travel, the freedom, the individuality, all of those things are in every item,” Tajer said. “This notion of freedom is so important to me.”

This show also marked the debut of Casablanca’s women’s collection, which Tajer said he saw as a natural next step for the house – some of the brand’s female fans include Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber. “For me, it was very important to find my vocabulary for the woman and not only make a women’s version of what we do for men,” he said, “but really create something for the woman that is very specific to Casablanca.” 

Watch the Casablanca F/W 2021-22 show below: