From Miami to Tangier, via the French Riviera, Cascais and the Hamptons, the biggest names in fashion have found summer retreats far from the catwalks and spotlights where they can express their creative genius. Mythical villas, family homes, secret workshops and castles, each of these exceptional places embodies the spirit, audacity and art of living of their famous owners. First stop in Morocco, with Yves Saint Laurent.
This summer, LUXUS MAGAZINE takes you on a weekly tour of a prestigious residence: a nine-part journey through the iconic vacation spots of the world’s greatest fashion designers. Our journey begins in Morocco at La Mabrouka, Yves Saint Laurent’s little-known residence, now converted into a hotel.
Nestled in the hills above Tangier, facing the Strait of Gibraltar, Villa Mabrouka was Yves Saint Laurent’s ultimate private retreat during the last decade of his life. Now transformed into a luxury hotel by designer Jasper Conran, it continues to embody a certain idea of refinement: a lifestyle combining beauty, silence, and light, faithful to the spirit of Tangier.
A name steeped in poetry: Villa Mabrouka, the house of luck
It’s a sweet word, almost whispered: Mabrouka – meaning “blessed” or “lucky” in Arabic. Built in the 1940s in an Andalusian style, the villa stands on a cliff overlooking the bay of Tangier. It was purchased in 1997 by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, long after they first fell in love with Morocco in 1966.
Far from the fame of the Villa Majorelle in Marrakech, the Villa Mabrouka was a more intimate place, a haven of peace for the couturier’s last summers. A place of silence, reading, and inspiration, away from the spotlight but rich in a diffuse artistic presence. Tangier, at the time still haunted by the literary ghosts of Paul Bowles, Jean Genet, and Tennessee Williams, seemed the ideal backdrop for the retreat of a creator in search of beauty and tranquility.
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Featured photo: Montage of Villa Mabrouka’s poolside and Yves Saint Laurent portrait
