Randall Bachner, founder of Marrakech Life
Founded by the fashion photographer Randall Bachner , Marrakshi Life is an ode to the inspiration that Marrakech gave him upon his arrival in January 2010. "I only stayed for ten days but that's when my curiosity was piqued," he tells Condé Nast Traveler exclusively. "The light, the rhythm of the city, the energy, the love for crafts and the feeling that creating something new was more than possible hooked me," he continues.
Bachner lived at that time in New York , but he did not feel that sensation of novelty that he planted in him Marrakesh in the heart. "I made the decision to return and in 2013 I stayed for three months to see how things were going. I left with a suitcase and with the mental plan of embarking on an adventure with very few plans," he tells us.
The looms are the fundamental piece in the creative process of Marrakshi Life.
already in the city, met Mohammed Zerhloul , person who guided him in each of his decisions. "Together, we started weaving with Mohamed, the brand's master weaver, and Mohamed, our tailor (completing the Mohameds trilogy!), but also exploring the idea of make hand-knitted garments. We rented a little shop in the Medina and we started to expose our pieces. It was there where the magic began," he reveals about the "new" life that led him to settle permanently in the African country and that he now enjoys living on the outskirts of Marrakech. "Before COVID-19 I lived in an apartment in the Gueliz neighborhood , since he was always traveling and it was most convenient to live there. Now I have settled in the countryside, about 18 kilometers from the city center, and that is when I am finally able to enjoy the natural beauty of morocco ", he confesses.
The evolution of Marrkashi Life (on sale at Matches Fashion) has been organic, building from scratch and naturally to become what it is today: a firm that produces absolutely everything with Moroccan materials and labor . The only thing they don't produce in Morocco is cotton , so they import it "raw" from Turkey and Egypt, to later dye it, spin it in the atelier and process it in their own looms . Next, all the materials and pieces are cut and sewn.
"Our textiles are woven by hand and I think it would be a real disgrace to artisans , their culture and heritage, to use something other than what we produce ourselves," he says. Androgynous by nature , with loose silhouettes that fit all tastes, Marrakshi Life has created her own library of colors over the past seven years and has managed to stay true to them, with shades ranging from dusty Marrakesh pink, to army green, pale mimosa yellow and, since this season, black.
"The decision to create a brand as such was not conscious, it was more than anything a decision to get involved in the creation of something whose process was slow and on it could have control , contrary to my work as a photographer, where I have always been at someone else's mercy for my next commission", confesses Bachner. The latest collection launched by the photographer comes under the name of Urban Holiday , produced in collaboration with Nicholas Minucciani , head of the brand.
In it, they explore the first phases of love and relationships through song lyrics . "We wanted our collection to have the function of being a journey through new silhouettes, structures and the love of 'totals'. It was also the first time that we gave each of the garments a name," he tells us. Some of the pieces that make up the collection are the Miracle trench coat, Pledge cargo pants, The Savior turtleneck and Devotee sweatshirt. "I have always considered Marrakech a incredibly exciting and energetic city , with a very relaxed lifestyle and I think, undoubtedly, that has influenced each of the pieces we make at Marrakshi Life".
To enjoy that Moroccan pulse on our next visit, Bachne helps us trace the route to enjoy a dream day: "I would start with a bowl of bean soup that is usually eaten here for breakfast, called bissara . My favorite is made in a little stall next to the road, in Gueliz. Then, I would take you to the Medina, to the Baadi Palace, an ancient ruin that belonged to a sultan and a place that inspires me for the vast space it occupies and the beauty of its architectural details. We will continue with a walk through The Fenn and its terrace , and with a cocktail at the **Italian bar of La Mamounia** to enjoy Moroccan hospitality and luxury at its best. To eat, we would go straight to Al-Fassia , a place run only by women where they cook a spectacular lamb at a low temperature. Or, in case you are looking for something more modern, we would go to +61 Marrakesh , which has the best cocktails, atmosphere and creative cuisine."
Randall Bachner, fashion photographer and founder of Marrakshi Life.