Marrakech is possibly one of the last cities on earth that doesn't have a Zara, H&M, Gap or countless other brands on every high street and therefore this is an oasis of unique experiences. OK, well, the visual merchandising is not exactly the best in the world, and neither is the merchandising. However, it is so refreshing to view and experience good old fashioned retailing. The bartering aspect takes some time to get used to as do the dramatics of the retailers, but once you get past this, it is quite a spectacle to be a part of. What is always so interesting about these kinds of places however is why is the same stuff repeated countless times? There is certainly a fairly limited market here but how many rugs, teapots and Gold coloured decorative trays can one realistically own? And don't get us started on the mountains of Moroccan slippers. If only these guys would inject a little more 'design' into what is presented here and thought into how they can differentiate themselves from each other then it would perhaps appeal to a broader market. This is of course easier said than done and through our conversations with so many of the retailers here, many of whom admitted that they have no idea how to use a computer it is perhaps understandable and the charm of what they do and how they do it would only be lost forever so in some ways its better not to tinker with it and just enjoy.
