Marrakshi Life Expands Fashion Atelier Handwoven Home Decor

MARRAKECH — On a long road that connects Marrakech‘s bustling Medina with the industrial area of Sidi Ghanem, Marrakshi Life’s atelier is alive with the chip-chopping sound of traditional hand looms.

Founded in 2013, Marrakshi Life is run by husband duo Randall Bachner and Nicholas Minucciani, who traded their fast-paced lives in photography and media, respectively, in New York City for Moroccan sunsets.

Marrakshi Life is backed by an in-house team of local artisans who work together to create contemporary, gender-fluid, made-to-order, ready-to-wear pieces that are sold worldwide and on upmarket platforms like Moda Operandi and Net-a-porter and is showcased in Paris. Now the brand is gearing up to launch a home capsule, expanding its fashion ethos into the realm of interiors.

Similar to their wanderlust-inspired dresses and accessories, colors that mirror the vibrant life around the Agafay Desert and Atlas Mountains are at the core of production. This newest offering includes throw pillows, rugs and linens, comprising a total of 94 individual pieces. A large portion of the capsule is made with zero waste methods, including incorporating remnants and bits of material to make a textural “rag weave fabrics [the technique of weaving narrow strips on a loom],” Minucciani told WWD after a tour of the brand’s headquarters, where artisans experiment with new accessories like summer hats, and the fashion curious from around the world stop into the showroom to take a peek at their trans-seasonal fashions.

With this latest foray into home, the couple is hoping to expand beyond the capsule, which captures the Moroccan vibe.

“We are launching quilts or overthrow blankets. They are kind of multipurposeful. But I really enjoy them because I think they lean toward some of the more handwoven pieces,” he said, holding up a swatch of fabric.

For the first time, the brand is introducing homewares in alpaca and merino wool, which is hand-brushed for a fuzzy and comforting texture. Stripes and upbeat colorways feature prominently in the collection, with bold combinations of purples, blacks, pinks, ecru, blue and yellow crafted meticulously into striking panels and ruffles.

“Randall and I will be bringing the brand more into a lifestyle perspective, just showing the world what our interests are through Marrakshi Life, maybe it will be glass-blown objects or furniture,” he reflected, adding that stripes are paramount — a salute to Bachner’s East Coast roots.

Founded to honor Moroccan handweaving traditions and culture, Marrakshi Life started in 2013 with one loom in the Medina, with a local weaver named Mohammed, who continues to serve as one of the brand’s weaving managers.

“We have an amazing team of weavers. Most have been with us for 13 years since we’ve started, and so they’ve taught us.…They are the textile experts, and they are the textile engineers,” he said, noting that their weavers emphasized the allure of working with flatbed looms.

The company’s approach prioritizes craftsmanship and strict quality control, pushing the limits of traditional loom techniques. It remains one of the few brands globally preserving the use of hand looms — a rarity kept alive in Italy by the Bevilacqua family, which continues to use 18th-century looms the family salvaged after Napoleon’s invasion of Venice.

“I always tell my husband he decided to begin one of the most challenging things you can do in the world. Not only build a handwoven weaving atelier with traditional flatbed looms, but then to make a brand out of it.…There’s a large education process to the general consumer about how our textiles are made and why we find them to be of high value.”

Marrakshi Life’s DNA commitment to zero-waste production practices extends to this latest venture.

Marrakshi Life’s journey into high luxury skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as consumers were on the hunt for colorful fashions. The relationship with Moda Operandi began when its founder Lauren Santo Domingo wore one of their rugby shirts on social media. It brought the brand credibility and “stamp” of approval in America, he said, adding that it sparked opportunities with Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-porter and others. Today, Marrakshi Life’s consumers are well-traveled, cultured high net worth individuals. Sixty percent of its clientele is based in America, followed by Europe, the U.K. and the Middle East.

Retail prices for the home capsule range from $435 to $1,000, in-line with the ready-to-wear range that spans from $500 to $2,000.

Three years ago, they tested the waters of the world of interiors with a patchwork quilt collection of 30 pieces. They sold out almost immediately.

“We speak to artists, architects, musicians, industry people, uber wealthy, anonymous, cultured humans. With the home collection we’ll bring in a different audience, still aligned.”

In and around Marrakech, a growing community of new generation expats have been drawn to the city for its creative possibilities. Among them, ceramics and textile brand Lrnce and fashion designer Romeo Gigli and his wife, fashion veteran Lara Aragno, who opened Riad Romeo, his luxury boutique hotel, much of which he designed himself and which serves as a vestige of his fashion past and his future in design.