To step inside Carmen Haid’s Marrakech home is to be immersed in a sunset palette of Sahara brown, ochre and burnt red – the same tones that define so much of the ancient city’s architecture. Haid, who embarked on a career in fashion and worked alongside Yves Saint Laurent in the 1990s handling his PR, spent a substantial chunk of last year grounded in the city, taking the time to plan a new design venture. Apart from restorative afternoons at Riad Mena and Howell James and Vanessa Branson’s rooftop restaurant El Fenn (which became a kind of clubhouse for stranded friends from London and Paris), her focus turned to furnishing the house she bought as a shell three years ago. The first bespoke, monochromatic-themed pieces – vases, bowls and tableware – will be launched as part of her resurgent Atelier Mayer label, alongside vintage furniture. Priced from £100, the collection will be available online from May.
SOURCE: FINANCIAL TIMES