Sirocco Living
While the artisanal traditions behind their products extend back through the generations, the story of Sirocco begins in some ways 10 years ago, when Danish designer Ellen Raven, her husband Henrik, and Ellen’s cousin, Malou Lenskjold visited a famed resort in Egypt. (Near where the couple had settled in the Siwa Oasis, a refuge within the Sahara Desert, the resort had once welcomed Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Lenskjold says.) All three were struck by the beauty of the locally made lamps and other design goods. “It was lit up only by the salt and alabaster lamps, as no electricity was available,” Lenskjold says. “It was absolutely stunning to see all the handcrafted walls and beautiful products they had created for this place.” Lenskjold returned to Copenhagen with product samples in her bag, while Raven began a rich partnership with local Egyptian artisans — who now collaborate on these pieces and others, including blankets, baskets, candlesticks, and more.