Life Style: Louis Vuitton launches first-ever ready-to-wear line for Ramadan

DUBAI: The daughter of archaeologists, Manhattan-born designer Ulla Johnson often combines her love of fashion and historically significant sites.

In September, she was the first designer to secure the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for her spring 2022 ready-to-wear show.

She would go on to eschew Brooklyn for Marrakech for the ensuing campaign, placing British-Moroccan model Nora Attal front and center.

The 22-year-old is the star of Ulla Johnson’s spring 2022 campaign, shot in Attal’s homeland.

The campaign images and accompanying video was lensed by Ukrainian photographer Yelena Yemchuk in the ruins of Marrakesh’s El-Badi Palace, which was commissioned by Sultan Ahmad Al-Mansur of the Saadian dynasty a few months after his accession in 1578.

The palace, adorned with materials imported from numerous countries ranging from Italy to Mali, was designed to showcase the sultan’s wealth and power. It eventually fell into ruin after the decline of the Saadian dynasty in the 1600s.

In the video, Attal showcases pieces from the New York-based label’s 40-piece offering, including Johnson’s signature ultra-feminine frilly designs.

The model ambled along the centuries-old palace wearing a Victorian-inspired floral print dress, a lavender gown with voluminous sleeves and a pastel lilac, asymmetrical organza gown with a single, gathered shoulder that all beautifully contrasted the rugged setting. 

Born to Moroccan parents in the UK, Attal has been keeping quite busy. She recently starred in a campaign for Gucci’s Nojum capsule collection, alongside fellow Moroccan-Italian model Malika El-Maslouhi.

Additionally, Attal who has forged a position as one of the most in-demand models in the world at the moment — Models.com currently ranks her as one of the top-50 models worldwide — has had quite the whirlwind fashion month.

Based in London and signed to Viva Model Management, the catwalk star was one of the most sought-after models during the Fall 2022 New York Fashion Week, racking up 11 shows. She walked for Prabal Gurung, Oscar de la Renta, Brandon Maxwell, Anna Sui, Tory Burch and others.

She also had stellar Milan and Paris fashion weeks, where she showcased the creations of Max Mara, Blumarine, Etro, Stella McCartney and Chanel.