………………..MOROCCO was one of my most favorite countries to visit, and MARRAKESH is it’s jewel!……How could you not be inspired…..the architecture, the furniture the food, the COLORS of the spices in the market places, the jewelry and lanterns and the clothes were all eye candy…….Jac and I loved our time in Marrakesh……On one occasion we were with our wonderful guide….Gili…..walking through the Souk. It was summer and quite hot…..Many of the streets had these kind of thatches roofs shading them with beams of sunlight making their way through the roofs. We were in shorts and sandals, and as we walked some of the men were calling out to Jac, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying…..I asked Gili…….He said they were calling her…”La Gazelle”…..because of her long legs…….The clothes in the sketches were all made in a beautiful gauze fabric except the dress which was in a knit….Caftans, tunics and djellabas are worn by everyone….women, children and men…..most are plain in wonderful vegetable dye colors, but some are very elaborate with edge banding and embroideries. I used soutache embroidery mixed with jet beads….Layering different length garments created additional drama as the first two sketches at the left illustrate….The cowl funnel neck on the cut in armhole swing dress over pants had banding at the bottom and around the armhole. Embroidery decorated the front…..The body hugging dress with thin straps had beautiful jet embroidery in the front in a soutache scrolling pattern……The single sleeve tunic over wide leg pants had embroidery down the side slits, across the bottom, and at the border of the sleeve……….Berber jewelry was very inspiring, and I bought many pieces from an antique dealer in Ouazazate, a fantastic dealer who specialized in authentic old Berber artifacts and jewelry that Gili knew…The city is called the “Gateway to the Sahara”, and many movies were made there……..For this collection I had elaborate large tassel necklaces make out of beads…..I also had beautiful tassel necklaces made for QVC……….Maybe some of you still own them…..I hope so.