Rabat- The picture of Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane and his wife, Nabila Benkirane, with American President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hasn’t gone unnoticed in Morocco. It went viral on Facebook, stirring a controversy.
Nabila Benkirane has received compliments as well as harsh criticism following her appearance in a Moroccan Djellaba in the picture.
The picture was taken during the US-Africa Summit, which is taking place in Washington from August 4 to 6.
Some Facebook users expressed their appreciation of Nabila Benkirane, who kept her Moroccan character by posing with the President of the world’s most powerful country in a traditional Moroccan Djellaba.
However, many criticized the quality of Nabila’s Djellaba, comparing her to a” sack of flour,” according to hespress. According to the same source, some Moroccan Facebook users slammed Nabila Benkirane, stressing that she shouldn’t have worn the traditional Djellaba in such important international event.
Other Facebook users wondered if the PM’s wife has sought advice from dressing specialists before going to the White House to meet Barack and Michelle Obama.
In addition, others said that Nabila’s Djellaba offends the elegance of Moroccan women. They pointed out that her Djellaba “was very wide and baggy, and its color was not suitable to Nabila’s face. “ They called on Nabila Benkirane to "learn a little" from the elegance of Morocco’s Princess Lalla Salma.
A Number of Moroccan media outlets, such as Hespress, quoted the Moroccan Fashion Designer Fatima Ezahra Yaacoubi as saying that Nabila Benkirane “should have worn a silky Caftan rather than wearing that sack of flour.”