In his book, A Moroccan Passion, Pierre Bergé described their first stay in Marrakech as a life-changing revelation: “One morning, we woke up and the sun was there […] The birds were singing, the Atlas barred the horizon with snow, and the smells of jasmine rose in our room. That morning we have not forgotten him since, in a way, he decided our destiny.”
They entrusted their friend, Bill Willis, with the design of villa Es Saada, which recreated the “colonial design” they particularly loved. The Moorish decor featured a sensational zellige work covering the walls from floors to ceilings and from fireplaces to bathrooms. All was mixed with antique wood furniture, cactus silk pillows, brass and bronze lanterns, and a savant mix of traditional Berber rugs.
The following villa pictures were taken by photographer P. Horst for an issue of Vogue magazine.