【 Afro-Japanese Blues. 〜The World Tour of a Designer of Extraordinary Talent] Vol. 13 A city of artists. Morocco, a country that has evolved in its own unique way, pleases both the eye and the mind.

Fascinated by black culture and passion forLamrofand an African jewelry label calledAFLOGICAL JEWELRYSDaisuke Sakamoto, aka Shirley, is a fashion designer who pours generously into the "Shirley" brand.

In addition, in recent years, the company has been developing a new label, "Miscellaneous Goods," which focuses on items from the American mid-century period, which it had been operating for some time.Aflogical AntiquesHe has also changed the direction of his business to mainly African goods, expressing the black culture he loves from various angles.

The term "Afro-zero" means "of African origin. In this sense, Sakamoto is an "Afro-Japanese" with roots in Africa, even though he is Japanese.

In this series, we introduce the people, things, and things that Mr. Sakamoto has seen while wandering around the world, especially in Africa, through his own filter. We present the realities of black culture as he sees it, how he incorporates it into his products, and the realities of the black culture that has fascinated him, through actual photos and Sakamoto's own voice.

Photo_Sha-Le (Daisuke Sakamoto)
Edit_Naoya Tsuneshige

A peaceful moment.

Continuing from my last post, here’s another installment of my travels in Morocco. My day began with a visit to the studio of the young artist I’d met the day before.

"His studio was in Essaouira (a UNESCO World Heritage port town on Morocco's west coast, known for its beautiful white-walled streets and blue sea). I immediately got a Berber-style tattoo while chatting about this and that, sipping Moroccan tea, and listening to Bob Marley played by the Rastafarian who shares the studio with him. It was a peaceful and fulfilling time.”

"By the way, Berber design is a style that combines traditional geometric patterns, straight lines, and symbols, and is often used in interior design. I really like this style, so I’ve incorporated it into the items at ."

With a heavy heart, Mr. Sakamoto left the spot to head to the next town. He was given a ride to the bus stop on a motocross bike, and they parted ways after promising to meet again. As Mr. Sakamoto makes new friends in every town he visits, he must surely have plenty of peaceful friends all over the world.

The next day, they reportedly took a bus to Agadir, a city located at the foot of the Anti-Atlas Mountains in southern Morocco, and then on to a certain area further inland.

"I can't go into too much detail about what I bought here (laughs). But we plan to unveil a special lineup on 'AFLOGICAL JEWELRYS' soon, so stay tuned!"

"The next day, I hopped on local buses and headed east along the coast. My destination was Safi, one of Morocco’s leading industrial cities. I arrived a bit late, at 9:00 p.m., but I decided to head out to the media district to gather some information. After chatting with a few people, I learned that this is an artistic town known for its abundance of pottery and painters."

"I remember falling asleep at the hotel that night, excited about spending the entire next day doing research and buying goods at that location."

Art transcends language barriers.

As for where he went in Safi that day, it was an area deep within the medina where artists’ galleries and pottery workshops are clustered together. As always, he has an uncanny knack for finding places like that.

"Although the scale was small, it was very rich and well worth seeing. What set it apart from other towns was that many of the works, while honoring tradition, were elevated to the level of art. Not only was the aesthetic design beautiful, but the painting techniques and artistic sensibility were also excellent."

"When I asked around, I found out that the artists here don’t draw a line between those who paint on canvas and those who paint on pottery—it’s a wonderfully eclectic space where everyone paints on just about anything. But that’s exactly what makes it so interesting and memorable."

His approach is to actively seek out places and people that pique his interest. He told me that he was able to learn a great deal about Safi’s craftsmanship firsthand, from watching the pottery-making process from start to finish to seeing artworks not available in stores.

"One artist in particular caught my eye. His work seems to express a Moroccan interpretation of contemporary art, incorporating traditional Moroccan Gnawa music and traditional Berber designs. Although he didn’t speak English and we couldn’t communicate verbally, his demeanor conveyed his kindness, so I purchased a few pieces from him. These pieces are scheduled to be released through ‘Aflogical Antiques,’ so please look forward to them.”

And here, too, Mr. Sakamoto’s drive really came into its own.

"As I mentioned in the first part, the keywords for 's 25AW collection were Essaouira and Arabic, so I asked him to create an original sign in Arabic."

"I'm so grateful to him for accepting it so graciously—it turned out perfectly."

On our last day in Morocco, we took a shared taxi to Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca. It seems we took our time savoring our final day while sipping Moroccan tea.

Finally, he reflected on his stay in Morocco and said the following.

"A blend of old and new, excellent safety, and warm-hearted people. In Morocco, just a few hours' drive can take you to a place that feels like a completely different country. It’s a sensation you rarely experience in other African nations. I traveled quite a distance across Morocco this time, and every city offered an unforgettable experience. I’ll be back next year. Shukran, Morocco.”