The babouche slipper is a fixture of Moroccan culture and has been a basic element of their traditional dress code for centuries. Time has worked well for this design as the babouche slipper is still as popular and relevant today as it has always been. They are not only still a local staple but have expanded into western dress culture. It’s today a classic look for one’s loungewear style.
The continued popularity of the babouche is hardly a surprise as they offer the wearer the ultimate in comfort and style. We tend to prefer the soft soled, round toed babouche as they make the perfect indoor slipper great for the cold winter floors.
The creation process starts with leathers sourced from the traditional tanneries in Marrakech where the leather is naturally tanned using the same methods and natural agents that have been active for centuries. It is an old craft art which is often handed down from through generations. This results in a natural material which will have a distinctive scent no longer found in factory cured leathers.
Traditionally babouche are made from sheepskin, goatskin, camel hide and cowhide to produce a 100% leather shoe. Recently I’ve seen combinations with a wide range of hand loomed fabric uppers giving the shoe a new twist. The adornments are abundant with embroidered, sequinned, tasseled and bejewelled options. They detail and bling can be quite amazing.
Each piece of leather is cut to shape before dying by hand using natural plant based materials. Once the dyed leathers have dried in the hot sun they are hand stitched, finished and quality checked. There is a strong level of patience and skill required to produce each piece. On our initial trip to Morocco years back, we were lucky enough to find a wonderful group of small producing artisans that we still work with today.
A new batch of slippers has just arrived in timer the holidays!
XXX
Tracey
