In the manufacturing of V.Barkowski home linen, everything begins with a thread ball. It is hand-closed, stitch by stitch, with a simple needle. Once finished, it is sewn, one by one, onto the edge of the linen. This is AYA, conceived in 1997, and produced continuously ever since.

1996: A Djellaba Button Reimagined

In 1996, Valérie Barkowski arrived in Marrakech and began exploring the medina. In haberdashery shops, she discovered small thread balls sold in clusters. These are the buttons that close djellabas and gandouras – always placed in the same spot, on the neckline, at the front. A traditional finish that medina artisans have been crafting for generations.

She also discovered that it was possible to place custom orders, in the colors of her choice. The idea of adapting them to home linen became evident.

“Upon my arrival in Marrakech in 1996, I was fascinated by the passementerie work. An ancestral savoir-faire that remains popular, as all traditional garments are still adorned with twisted threads, ribbons, braids, and small thread balls that function as buttons. Women craft these buttons at home, while men work with threads and ribbons and assemble the garments. I can spend hours watching them work. Very quickly, I envisioned personal interpretations and adapted them to my original and timeless home linen.”

The AYA finish was conceived in 1997. It has been in continuous production ever since.

Needle, Thread, Newspaper: How an AYA Ball is Constructed

The artisans who make AYA balls only have a needle and a spool of thread. Sometimes they roll a small ball of newspaper between their fingers, compressing it – this is the core, the heart around which everything will be built. Sometimes they start with the thread alone.

The work begins at the top of the ball. The thread is passed, tightened, and secured stitch by stitch. The netting descends and covers the surface until it is entirely enveloped. The construction logic evokes crochet – but the technique is different, and so is the result: a dense ball, hard to the touch, which retains its shape after washing.

For a duvet cover, approximately 400 balls are needed. For a pillowcase, more than 100. Each is then sewn by hand, one by one, onto the edges of the linen. This home linen manufacturing process takes the time it takes: the ball immediately reveals the slightest sloppy gesture.

Home-Based Work, Within a Network of Women

The artisanal passementerie AYA is produced at home by a network of women organized around an intermediary. This mode of operation corresponds to a Moroccan social reality: home-based work provides women, whose family obligations limit their travel, with access to their own income. Orders arrive, and the finished balls return to the Marrakech textile workshop, which receives, inspects, and assembles them.

This system has a constraint: finding women capable of maintaining the required level of precision is increasingly difficult. The savoir-faire is less frequently passed down. This explains why each AYA piece takes the time it takes, and why this time is incompressible.

Bed Linen, Table Linen: The Two Worlds of the AYA Finish

The AYA finish is applied to high-end home linen for beds: duvet covers, sheets, pillowcases – in white mercerized combed cotton poplin. And to table linen: napkins, placemats, tablecloths – in mercerized combed cotton or fine linen.

The color of the balls can be chosen from a wide palette: solid tones or multicolored assortments. Each order can be customized in terms of dimensions and colors. Custom requests can be made at: sales@valeriebarkowski.com.

Before Linen, There Were Garments: The Mia Zia Years

These same balls adorned garments before bordering sheets. From 1997, the artisanal fashion brand Mia Zia – which I founded alongside V.Barkowski and sold in 2007 – used them on sweaters, t-shirts, and tarbouches. The artisanal embroidery was the same, the textile different.

→ Read the story of Mia Zia in the V.Barkowski journal

Thirty years later, the AYA ball is still here. On bed linen, on table linen, and for several years now on necklaces, unique pieces available in the Marrakech boutique. The handmade V.Barkowski home linen manufacturing still relies on this same gesture, unchanged since 1997.

AYA Necklaces: Unique Pieces in the Marrakech Boutique

The same thread, the same ball – this time, worn around the neck. Valérie Barkowski has developed a line of AYA artisanal passementerie necklaces: unique, handmade pieces, available exclusively at the V.Barkowski boutique in the Marrakech medina.

FAQ – AYA Home Linen Manufacturing

Can AYA linen be machine washed?

Yes. AYA balls are made with fade-resistant thread. The linen can be machine washed at 40°C on a delicate cycle. Air drying is preferable to preserve the finishes.

Can AYA balls detach with use?

Each ball is individually sewn onto the linen. A ball that detaches can be re-sewn. The density of the netting ensures the solidity of the ball itself; it is the fastening thread on the linen that may eventually give way after intensive use.

What is the difference between AYA, YUMI, and NIL finishes?

All three finishes belong to the V.Barkowski family of artisanal passementerie and share the same source of inspiration – the ornaments of traditional Moroccan garments. AYA reinterprets the djellaba button as a small ball. YUMI interprets another element of the djellaba: a twisted thread snail, finished with a pompom. NIL is another variation on hand-worked thread.

Is AYA home linen manufacturing available for custom orders for hospitality or decoration projects?

Yes. V.Barkowski handles small series orders for interior decoration or hospitality projects. Dimensions, linen colors, ball colors: everything can be defined by quote. An important clarification for hospitality establishments: the AYA finish is incompatible with the use of a mangle. The pressure exerted by this type of machine, repeated with each cleaning, irreversibly flattens the balls. For linen processed in industrial laundries, we recommend other finishes from the collection. Contact: sales@valeriebarkowski.com