Dutch-Moroccan stylist, Oumayma Elboumeshouli, knows Marrakech inside out, she tells MOJEH how to shop, stay and play the Red City in style
“Travelling means everything to me. It’s made me become such a different person, more strong and responsible,” says Oumayma Elboumeshouli, a Dutch-Moroccan creative whose profession as a stylist and content creator has made hopping around the globe part of her lifestyle. Armed with her Celine Made In tote, a trusty travel companion she carries everywhere whilst on the road, the 23-year-old has aced traversing continents and numerous cities – but there’s one she can’t seem to get enough of, returning time and time again to explore its blend of wild magic, local culture and simple pleasures.
“My love affair with Marrakech began when I used to travel to Morocco with my parents. My dad is from Ouarzazate, and we used to drive through Marrakech every time we were heading there,” she reminisces. “We would stop at my uncle’s and sleep at his house before we continued our journey. I was always very excited about that, because it meant a visit to Jemaa el-Fna Square, where we would have dinner and walk around afterwards.”
A quick peek at her Instagram page, and it’s clear Oumayma knows exactly where to go and what to do when she visits; her collage of posts reads like a guidebook of the red city, its technicolour web of souks, ancient alleyways and intriguing neighbourhoods begging to be explored.
“I love Nomad in the Medina and Le Jardin, which is owned by the same person – the food there is absolutely amazing. They’re also pretty hidden away which gives them a bit of mystery! For drinks I go to La Poste, which is in Gueliz, and in the evening to Comptoir Darna,” says Oumayma of her go-to hangouts when she’s in town.
“To get the ultimate Marrakech experience though, you need to go to La Mamounia. Have brunch, and then just spend the entire day there. It has the most beautiful spa I have ever seen.” If she checks in to a hotel its likely to be El Fenn. "It’s a small boutique hotel/riad in the middle of the Medina. The view from the roof is breathtaking during sunset. You can hear the prayers from the Katoubia mosque which makes it even more magical. The rooms are all different with a Moroccan touch."
For a culture fix, she heads to Medersa Ben Youssef and Bahia Palace, followed by a trip to the Yves Saint Laurent Museum at Jardin Majorelle, which opened in 2017, and is home to the legendary French fashion designer’s electric blue villa.
A multi-faceted city whose influence has clearly rubbed off on her, Oumayma’s urban chic aesthetic of combining luxury and streetwear labels is a clear reflection of Marrakech’s delectable mix of history and modernity.
“I like to wear a new outfit at least twice a day, one for the morning and one for night,” she explains of her daily Dubai uniform, a routine that continues through to her holiday wardrobe.
“When I’m in Morocco, I’ll go for something like a white Zimmermann dress and a Loewe basket bag in the day, which I’ll team with flats if I’m heading to the Medina for some shopping. Then at night, it will be either a red feathered Attico dress, or a floral one by Magda Butrym, paired with Balenciaga pointy sandals.”
An over-packer by nature, her luggage is full to the brim with cool girl go-tos, including a Danse Lente Johnny bag, wooden-heeled Jacquemus sandals, vintage Margiela jeans, a Nanuskha vegan leather jumpsuit and Midnight 00 pumps. “I travel with a lot of shoes!” Oumayma laughs. “Just as I like to change my outfits throughout the day, I like to have plenty of different shoe options to choose from as well.”
