Shopping in Fez: 3 must-see concept stores in the medina

Young fashion designer Ilham Benamar gave birth to the ready-to-wear brand Haïck, revisiting the great classics of traditional Moroccan dressing. She recently added this beautifully inspired ‘concept souk’ to her boutique-workshop in the Batha district. When it comes to fashion, Ilham’s creations range from tunics, coats, gandouras, caftans and djellabas with quirky textiles or unusual details, to surprisingly rockin’ men’s jackets! The boutique also offers a fine selection of Moroccan handicrafts, all with a contemporary twist. Discover a range of fine ceramics in intense colours, the scents of ‘L’Art du Bain’ handmade soaps, leather notebooks and bags, designer jewellery in fine chased or hammered copper, decorative objects for the home…

Here, the nomadic spirit is a trademark, or rather the DNA of the family who created the ‘Jardin des Biehn’ riad and its enchanting Andalusian garden. Go past the entrance to the riad and up a flight of steps to find the boutique, lovingly nurtured by Jeanne Biehn, on the left. You’ll discover Moroccan creations as well as pieces from the other side of the world. On the Moroccan side, you’ll want to take home with you: the ‘World of Biehn’ line of Fez crockery with its contemporary black and white design, ancient ceramics, a selection of carpets, a wide choice of traditional costumes (djellabas, gandouras, burnous or caftans), wickerwork and more. But the soul of this address lies in the rare pieces from the personal collections of Michel Biehn, an antique dealer specialized in old fabrics and costumes, now gone. Collected during the family’s travels in Central Asia, the Middle East, China and South America, many of the pieces reflect textile traditions that are now disappearing.