Fès may be a mecca for traditional Moroccan craftsmanship, but contemporary Moroccan designers are not to be outdone, and a number of boutiques have some great surprises in store if you’re looking for gifts and souvenirs to pack in your luggage. Here’s a look at three concept stores that we particularly like for their unusual offerings and their selection of high-quality products.
HAÏCK CONCEPT SOUK, the modern little bazaar
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…
Address : 74 Talaa Sghira – Médina
Opening hours: everyday from 10am to 9pm
Tél : +212 669-680823
Instagram : @haick_concept_souk
MEDIN’ART, the address for designers
Created by Frenchwoman Laurence Alberro, Médin’Art was the first concept store to open in the medina of Fez. It offers visitors a warm welcome and a wealth of information about the designers Laurence has passionately adopted.
Silk scarves, leather bags, handmade notebooks, bohemian clothes and oversized jewelry by Moroccan or Moroccan-based designers make this gallery-like boutique a haven of peace that’s a little less ‘bazaar’ and a little more ‘chic’ than the surrounding boutiques.
You’ll find iconic T-shirts and sweatshirts by Tangier-based Rock da Kasbah, splendid handmade leather bags by Bill Yadi, clothes and babouches in precious fabrics by Compagnie Extrême-Occident, oversized jewellery by Les Maures Collection, hand-embroidered scarves by Léo Atlante, as well as cushions, delicate notebooks, earthenware, bath products…
Address : rue Talaa Sghira – Médina
Opening times: everyday from 11am to 7pm
Tél : +212 617 575079
Instagram : @medinart.fes
WORLD OF BIEHN and the wonders of the world
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.
Address : 13, Akbat Sbaa, Douh – Médina
Tél : +212 535 741036
Opening hours: everyday from 9am to 7pm
Instagram : @world_of_biehn
