May 24 2016 – Mercantile London
Born in morocco bred in London.
En Shalla is a premium leather goods brand established in 1999 by Maryam and Daren Bonar. This Anglo-Moroccan company focuses on high end accessories and ready to wear items blending North African art with a modern aesthetic.
“ We noticed when we first started to visit Marrakesh local artisans lacked consistency in their work, and the quality of materials which were being used were not always up to scratch. There was a great potential in the skill and workmanship that we saw, yet we felt it had to be fused with another mind set. There was a large gap between what our clientele wanted, and what was being produced in Morocco. Why not mix the best of what both worlds had to offer ? ” - En Shalla
Employing local artisans in the En Shalla factory and working with women’s groups in and around Marrakesh, the philosophy of the brand is to give back to the community and to try and keep alive hand made methods that have been used in Morocco for centuries. Women who sometimes would not be able to work due to the nature of their circumstances are given work in villages in and around the city.
Where possible the collections use materials that are recycled and all the leather that is used is naturally vegetable dyed.
We love the idea of adding some tailoring to off-set the artisan vibe and make the look work hard for the city as well as the weekend. Balance out the tassel with skinny dark denim, a silk cami and cream blazer or like above, a striped trouser and khaki shirt ensures a luxe look.
Image 1 by Gaeton Caputo via En Shalla
Image 3 by Gaeton Caputo via En Shalla
Follow Gaeton Caputo here
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Tagged: artisan, East London, En Shalla, independent, Inspiration, style, trends, womans fashion