La Fripe: A photo-series by Oumayma B. Tanfous and Taïz Ben Smail revealing the magic of thrifting
Words by Jameela Elfaki, Oumayma B. Tanfous and Taïz Ben Smail
In August, when the heat is so intense you cannot do much except drink tea and evade the sun in shady spots, two strangers met for the first time. Surrounded by blue shutters and chatter at La Marsa’s iconic cafe, Le Safsaf, Taïz and Oumayma connected over cups of tea and a shared love for their motherland, Tunisia.
Oumayma B. Tanfous is a Tunisian-Canadian photographer now based between New York and Montreal. Her work focuses on exploring people, authentically blending the styles of documentary and fashion photography. Tanfous’ images have an air of nostalgia and softness to them with stunning light and harmonious colour palettes. Oumayma spent much of her childhood in Tunisia before immigrating to Canada with her family.
Her childhood memories of life in Tunis are still very vivid in her mind. “I remember everything but with a very naive eye which makes me beautify every story and every detail of my childhood. It’s interesting how the memory works, the smell and the taste of something is so strong, it’s unforgettable. I miss my grandparents mostly, the amazing food my grandma used to make and the incredible stories my grandfather used to tell us. I sometimes buy random products that smell like jasmine just to remember a little bit of the jasmine flowers you find walking down the streets in Tunis,” Oumayma told WÜL Magazine.
This summer, Oumayma travelled back to Tunisia to explore and reconnect with the local people and art scene. As much as her travels to Tunisia were complex and quite emotional, they were also inspirational. ‘’All of my senses awake when I find myself in Tunis, which is exhausting, because I am never really rested, but at the same time it allows me to produce work that for the moment I cannot create anywhere else.’’
While doing research for her upcoming projects, Oumayma stumbled across the talented Taïz and her second-hand shop named Les Filles du Soleil. “You have to understand that in Tunisia, access to certain brands is quite limited. For me, Les Filles du Soleil represented a breath of fresh air, the name was appealing and I was curious to know more.’’
Taïz Ben Smail grew up in Tunisia and had always had a particular knack for hunting down treasures where you least expect to find them. Her wardrobe is three quarters-full of clothes and unique finds from the Tunisian Fripe (a thriving and famous second hand market), the way it has been since childhood. After high school, she went to study in Paris at Studio Bercot where she was often asked to go hunting for inspiration in thrift stores. But feeling disconnected, Taïz returned to Tunis where she returned to the Fripe. This is when the idea came to her: “Why not make the magic of thrift and treasure hunting my job?” she asked herself. And that was how Les Filles du Soleil was born.
“La Fripe is a place where all your fashion and design dreams are possible!,” says Taïz. “If you search well, you will be rewarded. And if you find something but it is not your size or you want to add or remove something, you can always alter it at the small tailor on the corner of the street. But the Fripe is not for everyone, it's exhausting, you have to search for a long time and know what you want. It's not a store, it's a treasure hunt.“ Taïz enthuses. The art of thrift hunting is a big part of Tunisian life.
Putting together their unique knowledge, visions and experiences of Tunisia alongside their joint love for the surprises of second hand pre-loved clothes, they set out to pay homage to their homeland through a photo story. The two women launched an open casting on social media and chose a cast of women who inspired them, including local actresses, models and students. The photos were all photographed near where Taïz lives in La Marsa, where two neighbourhoods intertwine. The girls were intentionally photographed at La Marsa Cube, Bousselsla, Marsa Plage and in the streets of Safsaf. “It ended up being an interesting creative process, mixing our similar eye for fashion and two very different visions of Tunisia,” Taïz explains.
The outcome of their collaboration is a beautiful collection of images. Together, they have captured the warm nostalgic feeling of their home with gentle colours and stunning settings that engage all of your senses.
