STOCLET

The square and grid motif of the Stoclet rug echoes the contrasts between the stark exterior and artistic windows of the Palais Stoclet in Brussels, which was built by the Wiener Werkstätte.

Atelier Mayer – the original digital destination for luxury vintage fashion and accessories – and Beni, the artisanal made-to-order Moroccan rug company, unveil a unique collaboration entitled Decorative Geometry to coincide with the relaunch of the Atelier Mayer website.

Comprising six made to order rugs, which are designed by Atelier Mayer founder Carmen Haid and crafted in the fair trade certified by Label Step Beni ateliers in Marrakech, Decorative Geometry weaves together the ancient techniques of Berber heritage with a modernist aesthetic.

"Modern simplicity is what gives these rugs contemporary appeal” - Carmen Haid

While the designs are inspired by the graphic details, bold colours and clean lines of the Wiener Werkstätte (Viennese Workshops) – one of the longest-lived design movements of the twentieth century that lay the foundations for modernism and were considered to be the first lifestyle brand – the rugs are made entirely by hand.

Using 100% natural Moroccan wool, which is sourced locally and of the highest quality, the flock is sheared of its winter fleece in the summer. The natural and beautiful variations in colour of the material are owed to the fact it requires 50-100 fleeces to make a standard sized rug. Once the wool has been thoroughly cleaned and spun into yarn, it is either left in its natural cream colour, or dyed before being strung onto looms.

The weaving process for a single rug can take over a month. Each woman artisan, sometimes working with a partner, sees a rug through from start to finish and it therefore embodies her own individual technique. These traditional Moroccan rugs feature optional tassels on one side of approximately four to six inches.

Atelier Mayer X Beni rugs are exclusively made to order via the Atelier Mayer website, with a lead time of 12-16 weeks. Sizes range from 3 x 5 ft with prices starting at £700.