A Living, Breathing Textile Atelier in Marrakech
A living, discreet, committed atelier
Outside the Medina, in a bright white space that opens onto a courtyard, the Valérie Barkowski textile atelier is a functional, welcoming place, alive with threads, fabrics, and the gestures of those who work there.
The team has been here a long time. Some were there at the very beginning of the brand. They are trusted people, true all-rounders in the best sense of the term, able to move from one technique to another with the same precision. They know Valérie’s standards, they apply themselves to them, and they like to see things evolve. Every new direction, every challenge, every new piece is met with curiosity. Everyone knows there is a direct link between sales and the atelier.
In the courtyard, Valérie dreams of a vegetable garden. Pesticide-free mint for tea, vegetables year-round to feed the team at lunchtime. The first shoots haven’t yet emerged, but we’ll be working on it very soon.
The beating heart of the brand
This is where everything begins and where everything ends. Valérie works in her studio above the boutique and comes to the atelier when the project requires it. She arrives with a sketch, a technical sheet, sometimes a full-scale drawing. It is Fatima, the head of the atelier, who takes over—she passes it on, explains, organises. The idea passes through her hands before moving into those of the team.
In the atelier, there are threads, fabrics, patterns, templates, a stock of carefully stored semi-finished products. Each hand-embroidered home linen follows a precise path, from the first sketch to the stitched finish. Tassels, trimmings, embroidery, twisted threads, seams, shapes, measurements: every step happens here, by hand, from start to finish.
It is a laboratory full of ingredients and know-how: techniques accumulate, the repertoire of colours and ranges expands, finishes become more refined season after season.
A word on materials: the know-how is Moroccan, profoundly so. The materials, however, come from elsewhere. There is no local textile industry in Morocco that meets the brand’s standards. Over time, Valérie has built her sources—first through active research, then through loyalty. And always with her eyes open to what comes along.
Special projects and bespoke collaborations
Beyond the collection, the atelier develops projects for hotels, private homes, textile design projects. Some call for existing finishes, adapted to a place or an atmosphere. Others require something more personal, conceived from the outset for a specific space.
Each project dictates its own logic. It is built through dialogue, from the VB universe: bespoke formats, embroidery variations, personalised colourways, proportion adjustments. The initial standards and the quality of execution run through every project, whatever its origin. A bespoke textile creation, crafted by hand, faithful to a timeless aesthetic.
Limited white-label runs
From time to time, the atelier takes on production for other designers or houses who share the same vision: artisanal gestures, carefully chosen materials, a respectful pace. These collaborations are rare, selected with care, and carried out with the same standards as the VB collections.
The gesture remains the same, whether it is a Valérie Barkowski sheet or a confidential piece for another house.
Less, but right
The atelier is as much a space for creation as it is for making, where each project is chosen, carried, and brought through to the end with the same attention.
What sets it apart is the variety, the precision, the richness of the techniques brought into play. We produce differently: on a human scale, locally, with the standards and the pace that well-made work demands.
Projects are chosen for their meaning, their integrity, the affinity they spark. When everything aligns, the work begins. Sometimes a sample comes out right away. Sometimes it takes a year. When Valérie knows something is possible, she doesn’t let go. That determination is contagious. It’s a shared energy that always ends up finding its form.
The atelier in the VB universe
The atelier is the foundation of everything. What you see in the boutique, what you order on the e-shop, it all starts here. It is the place where we test, where we correct, where thread follows the idea.
In consultancy missions, the atelier plays a concrete role: Valérie has prototypes, samples, tangible references made here for the projects she supports. The team then becomes a partner in work that goes beyond the collection—and they like that.
Those who visit the atelier understand something you don’t see in the boutique: the time it takes to complete a piece. The simplicity of a VB product is often deceptive. What you don’t see is the dexterity, the precision, the complexity of the gesture that made it possible. The atelier makes this reality visible.
To see our atelier from the inside, read our story or watch the recent feature by Condé Nast Traveler.
Our atelier is part of an ecosystem: the boutique in Dar El Bacha, the Riad Dar Kawa, selected collaborations. One universe, several points of entry.