Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Weaving
Beyond the sea of imported harem pants and splashy synthetic jellabas in the souqs, hand-
woven Moroccan fabrics with exceptional sheen and texture may catch your eye: nubby
organic cotton from the Rif, shiny 'cactus silk'
(soie végétale)
woven with cotton and ray-
on from the south, sleek Marrakesh table linens and whisper-soft High Atlas woollen
blankets. Some lesser-quality knock-offs are industrially produced, but connoisseurs seek
out the plusher nap, tighter weave and elegant drape of hand-woven Moroccan fabrics.
In souqs, village cooperatives and Ensemble Artisanal showrooms, you might glimpse
two to four women at a time on a loom, working on a single piece. Men work larger looms
for jellaba fabric, pushing the shuttle with arms as they pound pedals with their feet - pro-
ducing one metre of fabric this way is a workout equivalent to running several miles while
dribbling a basketball. You can buy linens and clothing ready-made or get hand-woven
fabric by the bolt or metre, and have Moroccan decor and couture custom-made to your
specifications. Tailors can be found in every major city, but be sure to leave enough time
for the initial consultation plus two fittings for clothing.
Leatherwork
Now that there's not much call for camel saddles anymore, Moroccan leather artisans
keep busy fashioning embossed leather book covers and next season's must-have hand-
bags with what look like medieval dentistry tools. Down medieval
derbs
(alleys), you'll
discover freshly tanned and dyed lime-green leather sculpted into fashion-forward square
pouffes (ottomans), yellow pompoms carefully stitched onto stylish fuchsia kidskin
gloves, or shocking silver leather stretched and sewn into flouncy bedroom slippers.
Along these leather souqs, you might spot artisans dabbing henna onto stretched goatskin
to make 'tattooed' leather candle holders, lampshades or stand-alone artworks. If you're
in town for a couple of days, you might even commission an artisan to make you a
custom-made bag, lambskin leather jacket or jodhpurs.
Answers to your every 'how'd they do that?' are on display at state-run Ensemble Artisanales,
where you can watch
mâalem
s at work and purchase their handiwork at ixed (if somewhat stif)
prices.
If it's an authenticity trip you're after, for men you'll prefer the traditional yellow
babouche
s (slippers) or 'Berber Adidas', leather slippers with soles made from recycled
