"Once upon a time there was a Berber bag. It belonged to a proud Berber who took it with him wherever he went. His friend, a master bag maker, had made it especially for him. With its unique hand-embroidered patterns and floral motifs, it was filled with the traditions, stories and secrets of the Berber people. For many years - even decades - it was his daily companion. On long nomadic journeys through Morocco under the blazing sun, it was always at his side..."
Love at First Sight: Andrea’s First Berber Bag
That was the story the shop assistant told Andrea when she came across her first Berber bag. In fact, it was a gift - and love at first sight. These bags are a blend of character, craftsmanship and creativity. Each bag is unique and tells the story of the Berber people. That's how Andrea started collecting them.
The German on a Quest for Berber Bags
Andrea wanted to know everything about these special bags: their origins, their traditions and their secrets. She wandered through the medina of Marrakech, and every time she saw a Berber bag, she talked to the seller. That's how she learnt the meaning of the straps, which symbolise the owner's status within a Berber community, as well as the different embroidery techniques, patterns and regional differences.
Andrea spent many afternoons in the alleys and cellars of Marrakech's old town, sipping sweet mint tea and listening to old stories. She soon became known in the medina as "the German looking for Berber bags". She soon had a small collection of valuable old pieces, and older men often approached her, claiming to know the bag's maker or even wanting to buy it back. Andrea often sat with them and listened to their stories about the Berber people, Morocco's nomads, and traditional embroidery and handicraft techniques that were slowly disappearing.
The Idea for ABURY
One afternoon, after Andrea had collected about 100 Berber bags, a man from a mountain village knocked on her door. He had heard about her passion and brought a large plastic bag full of Berber bags. Excited, Andrea sifted through the pieces - about half were very old, while the others stood out as particularly unique. But the clever seller would only sell them as a bundle - so she bought them all.
From that day on, word spread and Andrea was visited daily by people wanting to sell her more bags. Soon it was almost impossible for her to enter the medina without someone showing her a Berber bag. Her collection grew to over 500 bags, some of which she eventually took back to Germany.
When a friend asked if she could have one of these unique bags, the idea for ABURY was born. That's why ABURY now sells ABURY Berber Bags and continues to share their stories.
© All photos via ABURY
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