SHOP THE CASBAH

There are retail destinations, and then there is Marrakesh: a riotous mash-up of exquisite craft traditions, global influences, high fashion, and homegrown hipster chic. EVE MACSWEENEY blew the budget on a week in the medina.

- EVE MACSWEENEY

I AM STANDING ON a rooftop slap-bang in the middle of the Marrakesh medina, the winding maze of streets that makes up the Moroccan city’s original, medieval heart. The 360° view is a patchwork of pink walls, stone-lattice windows, and flat roofs, some with colourful rugs hung out to air in the sun. The occasional minaret or extra-tall palm tree rises above the skyline. Beyond them, the burning blue horizon stretches all the way to the Atlas Mountains. If it weren’t for the ubiquitous satellite dishes, this could be a scene from 500 years ago.

But there is nothing old-fashioned about the building whose terrace cafe I have climbed many stairs to reach: Shtatto is a concept store as hip as anything you’ll see in Brooklyn or Canal Saint-Martin in Paris. Here, you’ll find curated pieces by cutting-edge Moroccan designers, including fashion by Amine Bendriouich, photography by Hassan Hajjaj (one of the store’s owners), and a 1950s-style hair salon.

Everything is witty and fresh, with subtle cues to remind you where you are—such as the soft leather bags by the local label Nasire. They’re made in a restrained palette of black, white, red ochre (the colour of Marrakesh’s soil and its houses), and the vivid blue that the artist Jacques Majorelle used in his iconic gardens nearby.