Salah Barka, the Tuni-clectic Designer

On the runway at Tunis Fashion Week this summer, Salah Barka demonstrated his keen ability of combing modern trends with ethnic and historic elements drawn from his country’s rich heritage.

As you will see in the look book, Salah revisits the 1960’s Summer of Love as he adds a touch of Turkish pants, medieval male leggings, and Tunisian sandals.

This avant-garde collection of eclectic styles spans the millennia of great civilizations that inhabited his homeland—Tunisia.

As Salah and I went through the photos this week, he explained to me how he envisions modern man on the backdrop of such an amazing cultural legacy, which, at times, only UNCESCO succeeds to reward.

Have a look at the entire collection here.

Photos Copyright Salah Barka.

Salah Barka—the Tuniversal Designer!

Yesterday in my introduction to this year’s exploration of menswear around the world, I made mention to one of Africa’s most acclaimed designers, Salah Barka.

The 35-year-old Tunisian designer hails from a city in southern Tunisia, Gabès, which is situated in the territory of Carthage.

Although Salah worked first as a costume designer before he entered the world of fashion in 1998, he is totally self taught, having studied fashion from perusing the web!

Salah creates fashion-forward collections that span the 3,000-year history of his homeland, as he references the styles, fabrics, jewelry, and garments of the ancient Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Berbers, Ottomans, and Arabs.

Typical of the collections are the fez hats and hooded cloaks of North Africa, the equestrian pants of West Africa, and the Tunisian-style pants that slim at the calves.

Winner of the Silver Thread Prize, Salah Barka presents his collections regularly at Tunisia Fashion Week.

I am very excited to become acquainted with this exquisite designer and, hopefully, to learn more about Tunisian menswear from the Tuniversity of Salah Barka!

For more images, please click here.

Photos Courtesy & Copyright Salah Barka.