{"id":13920,"date":"2026-08-28T11:56:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T09:56:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.valeriebarkowski.com\/?p=13920"},"modified":"2026-07-22T19:00:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T17:00:18","slug":"randa-on-home-linens-the-asmara-finish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.valeriebarkowski.com\/en\/randa-on-home-linens-the-asmara-finish\/","title":{"rendered":"Randa on home linens: the ASMARA finish"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Randa on home linens: the ASMARA finish<\/h1>

A stripe. That’s what you see first. Lines, more or less thin, placed randomly on the white surface of a duvet cover or pillowcase. From a distance, understated, almost minimal. Then you move closer: the lines are embroidered<\/strong>. And looking really closely, it’s the work of a master craftsman. This is randa<\/strong>, an ancestral Moroccan sewing technique transposed onto home linens<\/strong> in the ASMARA<\/strong> collection by V.Barkowski. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a9 Tania Panova<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Randa: a stitch whose primary function is to assemble<\/h2>

Randa<\/strong> has been present in Morocco for several centuries. Its exact origins remain disputed – some see it as a Berber technique, others as an influence introduced over the course of the great dynasties that shaped Moroccan craftsmanship. What is certain: randa is part of the country’s textile heritage, passed down from generation to generation, inseparable from ceremonial garments. <\/p>

Originally, randa<\/strong> is more than decorative embroidery. It is an assembly technique<\/strong>: it serves to join two pieces of fabric. Each panel to be assembled must first be hemmed. Randa connects the two fabrics stitch by stitch, by needle, by hand. The visible line on the garment is the trace of this assembly: functional, precise, so beautiful that one would never want to hide it. <\/p>

On djellabas and caftans, the hems were all made by hand. Randa<\/strong> ran along the visible seams, transforming a technical necessity into ornamentation. What holds the piece together can also elevate it – a logic found throughout Moroccan textile craftsmanship. <\/p>

Always the same source. The traditional garment examined closely, each gesture deconstructed then reconstructed for another purpose. <\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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@ Tania Panova<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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What the construction reveals<\/h2>

The ASMARA finish<\/strong> is, at first glance, simple. You see lines. Then, moving closer, they are embroidered. And looking even more closely, it’s even more subtle. The lines made by needle vary from 1 to 5 depending on the thickness of each<\/strong>. They are juxtaposed randomly on the surface of the pillowcase or duvet cover. No repeated pattern, no imposed symmetry. Each piece differs from the next. <\/p>

The constructive logic of randa is evident in the numbers. A pillowcase with 5 stripes means 6 panels and 10 hems for the front face alone<\/strong>. The cutting work itself is considerable – one does not embroider on a continuous surface. Each panel is cut, hem sewn, then assembled by randa. In total: between 10 and 15 meters of embroidery per pillowcase<\/strong>. It is the most sophisticated finish in the V.Barkowski collections. <\/p>

The lines vary according to the thickness of each. This is also what makes each piece unique – the gesture is the same, the result never quite is. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A fragile craft<\/h2>

This technique, Val\u00e9rie Barkowski has only seen in Morocco. It continues to exist, but it is a fragile craft<\/strong>. Bespoke tailoring of djellabas and caftans has been declining since the mass arrival of ready-to-wear. What was once an ordinary privilege – choosing one’s fabric, thread color, having one’s garment made specially – is now declining. <\/p>

This decline reduces the number of artisans who practice Moroccan randa embroidery<\/strong> on a daily basis. The craft is transmitted less. This explains why each ASMARA piece takes the time it takes, and that time cannot be compressed. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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@ Tania Panova<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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ASMARA: randa transposed onto linens<\/h2>

In the ASMARA collection<\/strong>, randa retains its primary function: assembling fabric panels. What changes is the intention. Remnants can be used, panels chosen for what they are – it’s another interpretation of patchwork, but by needle, stitch by stitch. The randa line visible on the embroidered duvet cover<\/strong> or pillowcase is the trace of this assembly. A line that was necessary has become a motif. <\/p>

The collection exists in bed linens: duvet covers and pillowcases in white mercerized combed cotton, in a palette of 12 finish colors: amber, beige, blue-gray, brick, carmine, gray, khaki, brown, black, peacock, plum, pink. Other colors are available upon request. Dimensions, bedding formats, finish colors: everything is adjustable. Each piece is made to order in the V.Barkowski workshop in Marrakech. Lead time: 2 to 4 weeks. For bespoke orders: sales@valeriebarkowski.com. <\/p>

The ASMARA finish is also available as a bedspread, in cotton poplin like the sheets, or in a thicker, more raw cotton, ecru or bleached. All variations in sizes and colors are possible. Contact: sales@valeriebarkowski.com. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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@ Tania Panova<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A finish that demands to be seen up close<\/h2>

The ASMARA collection<\/strong> reveals itself. This is precisely what gives it its place in the V.Barkowski collection: surface discretion, depth of gesture. Randa on home linens<\/strong> is a Moroccan craft taken from its original context, transposed with precision onto bed linens, and designed to last. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u2192 Bespoke hotel linens<\/a> <\/p>

\u2192 Bespoke orders: sales@valeriebarkowski.com<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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