Moroccan designer wins international prize

Moroccan designer Mohammed Ben Khalifa won the first prize in the International Exhibition of Leathers, Accessories and Footwear, which recently took place in Bologna, Italy. Ben Khalifa, who worked for 15 years at Nordica Benetton, won the first prize for his new design called as "ethnic". Pointing out that he was inspired by the traditional Moroccan-Turkish slippers, Ben Khalifa said, "This design is a mixture of the traditional and modern styles of Moroccan-Turkish art." <i>Le Matin</i> reports that Ben Khalifa is the first non-European designer to win this prize.