The Birth of a Project: When Art Meets Handcrafted Fashion In 1997, Valérie Barkowski founded Mia Zia in Marrakech. The idea originated from a practical need: to finance the Sahart Foundation, an artistic project she established after settling in the red city. Initially, she intended to open an art gallery. Mia Zia became a fortunate …
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Mia Zia: Handcrafted Fashion in Morocco, a 10-Year Adventure (1997-2007)
Dar Kawa’s vegetarian cuisine: simple, local, essential
Vegetarian riad in Marrakech: a unique culinary experience in the heart of the medina At Dar Kawa, cuisine is an invitation to experience a different kind of journey—slower, more sensory, more conscious. Since September, the riad has embraced vegetarianism as an opening toward a more ethical cuisine, more respectful of the environment, and always oriented …
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Baraka: My Passementerie Lucky Charm Bracelet
A Baraka bracelet handmade in Marrakech I am called Baraka. Quite striking, isn’t it? Luck, gratitude, joy: I embody all of this on the wrists of those who adopt me. I was born a twisted thread, inspired by passementerie, with tassels at the ends, two circumflex accents that have gone astray. Once tied, I become …
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A(RT)wareness. When Art, Bodies and Stories Come Together
(ART)wareness, an Exhibition That Shapes Awareness, Literally As part of ‘’What’s on’’, the Off program of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in Marrakesh, Céline and I are hosting the A(RT)wareness exhibition in my studio, above the V.Barkowski store in Dar El Bacha. From 4 to 10 February 2026, the space will present a series …
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Handcrafted Terracotta Candle Holder
Candle Holder / Spool Honestly, I don’t know how she managed without me. Always searching for accessories to “stage” her tables… but never the personal element, the one that catches the eye and truly defines a style. Everything was… correct. But nothing quite up to my standard. And then one morning at a flea market, …
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Why Choose Handmade Combed Cotton Sheets? The Art of the Craft
An Exceptional Material: Combed Cotton A Meticulously Selected Fiber Combed cotton, resulting from a rigorous selection process, is freed from its impurities, retaining only the longest and most uniform fibers. This ‘combing’ stage produces a smoother, more uniform, and particularly resilient fabric. Thanks to this method, the resulting textile boasts remarkable softness and impeccable durability …
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What is ethical design today?
Creating less, but better: a responsible design philosophy Behind the word “ethical design”, a conscious commitment For Valérie Barkowski, ethical design is a founding value. It’s a way of creating with a clear conscience, of proposing responsible design, far removed from an industry often disconnected from its environmental and social impact. Ethical design favors sobriety: …
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When Passementerie Becomes Contemporary Design
What is Passementerie? Passementerie refers to a collection of refined textile finishes: fringes, braids, pompoms, twists, or tassels. Behind this apparent simplicity lies an ancient, subtle, and demanding language of thread. Inheriting centuries-old traditions, it is characterized by meticulous work, often manual, where each element is shaped from woven, twisted, embroidered, or knotted threads. This …
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Dar Kawa, a confidential riad in Marrakech
A lively place, designed for a different kind of hospitaly Dar Kawa is a confidential riad in Marrakech, a guest house with a soul nestled in the medina.I wanted you to feel at home here, naturally, as if in a house that you rediscover every time you come back.Days follow a simple rhythm: breakfast on …
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