Trained as an engineer, this Moroccan woman left everything behind to make her mark in fashion in Milan
Halima Hadir studied engineering before creating her fashion brand in Milan. At the heart of her collections is the caftan, reimagined with Italian cuts and details handcrafted by Moroccan artisans. Her journey is now being highlighted by Vogue Arabia.
As a child in Morocco, Halima Hadir made dolls and sewed their clothes. Yet she chose to study engineering, then earned a master’s degree in public policy before settling in Milan. Fashion, however, never disappeared from her plans.
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In 2018, she launched Safira Milano. Her first idea was to give the caftan a place in a contemporary wardrobe by combining Italian tailoring with Moroccan embroidery and embellishments. Vogue Italia was already taking an interest in her brand in 2021.
From workshops near Fès to Milanese creations
The details are what make her clothes distinctive. Embroidery, pom-poms and buttons are made by hand by female artisans from rural areas around Fès, Halima Hadir told Vogue Italia. These elements are then incorporated into pieces made in Italy, from caftans to dresses, shirts and ensembles.
This year, Vogue Arabia featured her among the designers of Arab origin shaping the Milanese scene. Halima Hadir explained how her two paths come together: “I have never abandoned what I learned as an engineer; I have simply transformed those skills into another language.”
The precision and problem-solving skills she acquired during her studies now help her make her clothes. Morocco informs her choices of colors, materials and embellishments; Milan, she says, brought her the rigor of precise cuts and a more understated elegance.
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Her brand has also attracted attention beyond her workshop. From the outset, according to Vogue Italia, hotels chose to offer her creations. In 2026, Halima Hadir was named the winner of the Premio Internazionale Eccellenza Euro-Mediterraneo for her career in fashion and her work between the two shores of the Mediterranean.
Eight years after the creation of Safira Milano, the engineer continues to design clothes in Milan, with the work of Moroccan artisans featured in every collection.
