Why Marrakech Should Be Top Of Design Lovers' Travel Bucket Lists
Dozens of designers have dreamed over the colors, patterns and architecture that define Marrakech. These include the iconic French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and American interior designer Bill Willis. In the 1960s, the duo and their laid-back bohemian crowd roamed the streets and souks for inspiration.
Today, the Moroccan city is still a treasure trove of maximalist design, unfettered by modern trends or homogenous international styles. Here's how to seek out a feast for the eyes in Marrakech this summer, visit Yves Saint Laurent's eye-popping garden inspiration, and sleep in sumptuous style in a newly-opened Bill Willis-designed property.
The warren-like souks in the heart of the city are a mine of joyous, idiosyncratic design. While several stores and stalls have now popped up selling designer imitations and made-in-China mass-produced goods, real quality is still easy to find.
A maze-like tangle of narrow alleyways that are shared by tourists/shoppers, bikes, motor bikes, donkeys and carts, lined with souks (markets) selling everything from glass to brass to silver, rugs and leather goods, spices galore and more getty
Carpets are a must-have, and where better than the workshop favored by Yves Saint Laurent himself. Dar Haram Cheekh No. 17 is hidden down a dark passageway hung with rugs. In the dim interior, you pick your way between haphazardly stacked, floor-to-ceiling piles of carpets like a labyrinth. It's no hardship to while away a few hours here, sifting through the endless variety of material, texture and pattern.
If you love bold color, make sure the gardens of Marrakech that Yves Saint Lauren described as 'an endless source of inspiration' are on your itinerary. Located in an elegant, residential area of the city, the Jardin Majorelle was created over the course of 40 years by French Orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle, starting in 1923. Majorelle conceived of this one-hectare walled oasis as a sanctuary and botanical 'laboratory', cramming it with exotic specimens from far-flung corners of the world.
Located in an elegant, residential area of the city, the Jardin Majorelle was created over the course of 40 years. getty
In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and his business partner Pierre Bergé, who first arrived in Morocco in 1966, purchased the garden to save it from hotel developers. Now, it consists of a maze of pathways ensconced in foliage and a boldly-coloured Cubist villa designed by French architect Paul Sinoir in the 1930s. Sleep In A Bill Willis-Designed Dream Property
Marrakech's most aesthetically exquisite rental property opened this year, located just a short car ride outside the bustle of the city center. Casa Memoria is a private oasis of refined Moorish architecture, botanical gardens, and quietly decadent living. The villa was designed by Tunisian architect Charles Boccara, who grew up in Morocco, and was finished by Bill Willis, an American aesthete who emigrated to Morocco.
The Suite Ocre is filled with intricate Moroccan furnishings. Manou Fatima
The six suites, lounges, dining room, courtyards, and pool house are all defined by Bocarra's architectural whimsy and the free-spirited elegance of Willis' interior design. The first-floor master Suite Royale is a lesson in opulence, with hand-sculpted ceilings, a majestic zellige fireplace, and a hammam-inspired emerald green bathing chamber. Next door is the optional adjoining Suite Jaune d'Or bathed in the golden tones of Marrakech's desert sands, where elephants march around ceilings in sculpted relief.
The first-floor master Suite Royale is a lesson in opulence. Manou Fatima
Downstairs, the Suite Ocre is another standout, steeped in a sensual delight of Oriental ruby tapestries, soft lighting and Berber-style Moroccan furnishings. French doors open onto the arcaded ochre-hued portico filled with wicker furniture and cascading greenery. Beyond it is a three-hectare haven of silvery olive trees, luxuriant Washingtonia palms, and lawns where peacocks wander freely. Across the garden, a pool and graceful pavilion are fringed by trees.
French doors open onto the arcaded ochre-hued portico filled with wicker furniture and cascading greenery. Manou Fatima
Guests rent out the full estate, which includes a dedicated majordomo, private chef, and housekeepers. The team can tailor meals according to guests' preferences, from sunrise breakfasts in the garden to intimate candlelit dinners. They can also throw lavish parties with DJs and fire dancing, organize excursions into the desert for camel rides or quadbiking, and book yoga and stretching sessions in the grounds.
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