Abdellatif Kabbaj
General Manager of Diamantine
Diamantine celebrates its 20th anniversary, what is the brand’s assessment?
The brand has been around for twenty years. Our first store was launched in 2002, it was initially called “Shawls and scarves” because these were the two products that were marketed at the time. Since then, we have launched modernized traditional Moroccan ready-to-wear, made in our factories, with the contribution of Moroccan cooperatives and craftsmen who manufacture all the amenities of a djellaba or even a caftan. From the 2010s, we recorded fairly marked growth at the level of the national scope in several cities. And, in 2011, we launched our first store abroad, in Algeria. Since then, we have ensured a regional and continental expansion, notably in the MENA zone, then in Western Europe and North America, as well as in the United Kingdom and in sub-Saharan Africa.
What exactly is the contribution of the international market to the growth of Diamantine?
I can say that our growth abroad is developing strongly. I remind you that in Morocco we are at 80 points of sale, and this market is stagnating given our large network in all cities with a population of more than 120,000 inhabitants. So the current and future development is more at the international level. And there, there is no limit of growth potential for Diamantine.
Thus we are already present in 14 countries in the world with 25 stores, some of which are franchised and others directly managed. I note, moreover, that at the level of the United States, we are present through online sales from our representation in the United Kingdom.
Is the Diamantine product 100% Moroccan?
Yes, from the raw material to the finished product, the Diamantine creation is 100% Moroccan. The work is done by Moroccan craftsmen and we are proud of it. And then, by their style, all our creations are purely Moroccan, made thanks to the know-how of Moroccans throughout the country.
How do you see the future of Diamantine?
Already I can confirm that the market has picked up again, following a sluggishness caused by the outbreak of the health crisis. For more than a year and a half we were in pause mode, the whole distribution, the whole global rhythm of retail was practically suspended. That said, our online sales activity continued during this period. I remind you that we were among the first to embark on e-commerce in 2011. Today, we have indeed regained our pre-crisis pace.
So for our future projects, I note that we are in constant renewal, whether in terms of products or in the way of being present abroad. We do not intend to stop at traditional clothing, we want to diversify and export all products related to modern craftsmanship, in particular home textiles and decorative items.
Sanae Raqui / ECO Inspirations