New Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré space reflects founder’s personal and creative journey
Casablanca has opened its first flagship store on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. The three-level retail space sits at a prominent corner in the city’s 8th arrondissement and is set within a monochromatic building framed by Haussmann-style architecture.
The opening marks a personal and professional milestone for Casablanca founder and creative director Charaf Tajer, who was born in Paris and raised in Belleville.
“When my parents came to France, my mother worked as a maid, so starting and building a fashion house went against the odds. Then, five or six years ago, I said, ‘I want a corner on that street,’ and everyone said it was impossible, because all the corners are taken by the biggest brands. Opening this store is a huge accomplishment for us: like I’m coming back home, but more than that, bringing something greater to Paris than how I left it. It’s a sign of progress, and goes back to our purpose, which is always to inspire people,” said Tajer.
Tajer collaborated with brand art director Steve Grimes to design the space, working with London-based Counterfeit Studio and Moroccan architecture firm Elements Lab. The flagship draws on Casablanca’s existing visual identity while incorporating references to architecture, sport, and film.
The centrepiece of the store is a deconstructed tennis court composed of marble, velvet, and lacquered wood, referencing the work of architect Carlo Scarpa. A tiled Carrara Bianco marble mosaic floor contrasts with a full-ceiling lightbox that draws from Japanese minimalism and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Design elements include arched niches and traditional mouldings, reinterpreted through Casablanca’s color palette of blue, red, and green. The store’s lower level is lined with green carpet that extends onto walls and product displays, some of which double as art installations for private clients.
“Opening our first store in Paris is a bit surreal, but I’m not a dreamer – I’m a man of projects, and I’m driven by a pursuit to manifest the things I believe in. This is a real milestone: it stands for the fact that anything is possible. In gratitude for this,” Tajer said.
The store at 62 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré officially opened on June 5, 2025. A second Casablanca location is scheduled to open later this summer at 469 North Canon Drive in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
