Meet Frederic Alcantara: All-Around Champion Of Moroccan Makers
GET TO KNOW
Meet Frederic Alcantara. Advisor, Connector, Designer, And All-around Champion Of Moroccan Makers
Story by Diana Keeler / Photography by Flint & Kent and David Chow.
Frederic Alcantara is something of a marriage maker, fostering mutually beneficial relationships between Moroccan artisans and western marketplaces. In addition to giving artisans a global platform, Frederic helps safeguard the integrity of their artisan design traditions.
Thirty years ago, Frederic Alcantara left his native France for western Africa — a paradigm-shifting, career-shaping experience that inspired a lifetime of work alongside artisans around the world: “It was just an amazing attraction,” he says now. “I had to go to Africa! Thankfully, I followed that instinct—and Africa, over the years, has been very generous to me.”
Clockwise from top left, Our man in Morocco Frederic Alcantara; navigating winding alleys in the medina in Marrakech; El Fenn, one of our favorite hotels in the middle of the medina; vibrant hues of pink and navy blue, also at the spice market in the medina.
Top: Navigating winding alleys in the medina in Marrakech; Above: El Fenn, one of our favorite hotels in the middle of the medina; Below: Our man in Morocco Frederic Alcantara; Bottom: Vibrant hues of pink and navy blue, also at the spice market in the medina.
Alcantara’s work in those early years focused on collaborating with the region’s most exemplary artisans, especially in Morocco — designers and craft-makers who often exemplified centuries of cultural heritage. Alcantara, who had graduated from college with a degree in biochemistry, found himself advising artisans on entering the western marketplace — and in doing so formalized his role from ad hoc consigliere to designer for Aid to Artisans, a powerful platform for promoting artisans while also safeguarding the integrity of their work and the design traditions that inform it.
In general, Alcantara says, the marriage of artisan groups to western marketplaces has benefited both, offering the former economic stability and appreciative audiences while providing the latter with the opportunity to purchase work that in the past would have necessitated extensive overseas travel. The devil, of course, is in the details:
Frederic and his colleague Saïd have been collaborating on artisan development for many years.
“The interaction between western designers and artisans generally upgrades the sector, while also opening the minds of other local artisans or youth, who might be inspired to become designers themselves — which results in even more handmade products,” Alcantara says.
In his role, Alcantara commissions work from artisan communities, made to satisfy western tastes while showcasing the best of those communities’ talents — like deftly patterned Moroccan vases, handcrafted mirrored lighting fixtures made by master craftsmen in Fez and Marrakech, and lustrous olive-wood accessories for the kitchen. In this influential role, Alcantara is working hard to spread sustainable practices far and wide. While many hand-craft traditions are, by definition and design, deeply respectful of the natural world, their journey to the marketplace has long been more complicated, with progress to be made in terms of packaging, packing, and shipping. These, Alcantara says, are his priorities — despite the challenges inherent in transforming well-established (if wasteful) habits.
Saïd and Fatimazohra stop in on the tadelakt maker to review and critique prototypes for our new collection.
“It’s always harder to work in an eco-friendly way — because you have to care, you have to be conscious of your actions, you have to be conscious of the lifecycle of the products,” Alcantara says. “Now, we must ask ourselves: What do I need to produce? What will become of what’s left? What will become of the product itself after some time?
“Eco-friendly practices represent the end of blindness toward our mother Earth — and the beginning of a new respect. Opening our eyes when we have been blind for so many years isn’t easy. But it’s vital.”
Alcantara says his new motto is “chemical free, biodegradable, upcycled” — labels he wants to apply to all of the products he produces in collaboration with artisan groups across Morocco and elsewhere. One example is swapping out plastic for recycled cardboard and other recycled packaging materials. Often, this means negotiating with large brands, whose priorities heretofore would have been the safety of their shipment, rather than the health of the planet.
Top, Saïd displays one of our new White Walnut vases; Middle, tamegroute bowls with assymetrical light green glaze waiting to be filled with soy wax and turned into our candles; Above, simple palm leaf brooms, coming soon to Bloomist.
Alcantara believes that both requirements can be met — and if not, he’s prepared to sacrifice that business. “We’ll just refuse orders with excessive demands around packing,” he says. Elsewhere, he’s encouraging his artisan partners to adjust their processes where possible. “We certainly don’t produce any products involving pollution or serious destruction to the environment — but we’re still working to finetune production processes where we can.”
Top right, Saïd displays one of our new White Walnut vases; Right, tamegroute bowls with assymetrical light green glaze waiting to be filled with soy wax and turned into our candles; Above, simple palm leaf brooms, coming soon to Bloomist.
Alcantara’s candle holders for Bloomist are a perfect example — instead of adding a glaze, which would have necessitated additional resources and chemicals, the product is left unglazed. “This way, we avoid the chemicals and save energy, as we only need to bake the pieces once, not twice, as we would have to with a glaze.” The revision represents not a sacrifice of style but an evolution — beautiful and austere, a credit to its maker, and a boon to its buyer.
Alcantara’s candle holders for Bloomist are a perfect example — instead of adding a glaze, which would have necessitated additional resources and chemicals, the product is left unglazed. “This way, we avoid the chemicals and save energy, as we only need to bake the pieces once, not twice, as we would have to with a glaze.” The revision represents not a sacrifice of style but an evolution — beautiful and austere, a credit to its maker, and a boon to its buyer.
Above left, Antique candlesticks from Tamegroute, a town located in the south of Morocco that’s famous for its lustrously glazed ceramics. Above right, our modern interpretation of the classic forms, handmade in unglazed white.
Above, Antique candlesticks from Tamegroute, a town located in the south of Morocco that’s famous for its lustrously glazed ceramics. Top, our modern interpretation of the classic forms, handmade in unglazed white.
GET TO KNOW
Meet Frederic Alcantara. Advisor, Connector, Designer, And All-around Champion Of Moroccan Makers
Story by Diana Keeler / Photography by Flint & Kent and David Chow.
Frederic Alcantara is something of a marriage maker,
fostering mutually beneficial relationships between Moroccan artisans and
western marketplaces. In addition to giving artisans a global
platform, Frederic helps safeguard the integrity of their artisan design
traditions.
Thirty years ago, Frederic Alcantara left his native France for western
Africa — a paradigm-shifting, career-shaping experience that inspired a
lifetime of work alongside artisans around the world: “It was just an amazing
attraction,” he says now. “I had to go to Africa! Thankfully, I followed that
instinct—and Africa, over the years, has been very generous to me.”
Clockwise from top left, Our man in Morocco Frederic Alcantara; navigating
winding alleys in the medina in Marrakech; El Fenn, one of our
favorite hotels in the middle of the medina; vibrant hues of
pink and navy blue, also at the spice market in the medina.
Top: Navigating winding alleys in the medina in Marrakech; Above: El Fenn, one of
our favorite hotels in the middle of the medina; Below: Our man in Morocco
Frederic Alcantara; Bottom: Vibrant hues of pink and navy blue, also at
the spice market in the medina.
Alcantara’s work in those early years focused on collaborating with the region’s
most exemplary artisans, especially in Morocco — designers and
craft-makers who often exemplified centuries of cultural heritage.
Alcantara, who had graduated from college with a degree in biochemistry,
found himself advising artisans on entering the western marketplace — and
in doing so formalized his role from ad hoc consigliere to designer for
Aid to Artisans, a powerful platform for promoting artisans while also
safeguarding the integrity of their work and the design traditions that
inform it.
In general, Alcantara says, the marriage of artisan groups to western marketplaces
has benefited both, offering the former economic stability and appreciative
audiences while providing the latter with the opportunity to purchase work
that in the past would have necessitated extensive overseas travel. The devil,
of course, is in the details:
Frederic and his colleague Saïd have been collaborating on artisan development
for many years.
“The interaction between western designers and artisans generally upgrades the
sector, while also opening the minds of other local artisans or youth,
who might be inspired to become designers themselves — which results in
even more handmade products,” Alcantara says.
In his role, Alcantara commissions work from artisan communities, made to satisfy
western tastes while showcasing the best of those communities’ talents — like
deftly patterned Moroccan vases, handcrafted mirrored lighting fixtures made
by master craftsmen in Fez and Marrakech, and lustrous olive-wood accessories
for the kitchen. In this influential role, Alcantara is working hard to
spread sustainable practices far and wide. While many hand-craft traditions
are, by definition and design, deeply respectful of the natural world, their
journey to the marketplace has long been more complicated, with progress to
be made in terms of packaging, packing, and shipping. These, Alcantara says,
are his priorities — despite the challenges inherent in transforming
well-established (if wasteful) habits.
Saïd and Fatimazohra stop in on the tadelakt maker to review and critique prototypes for our new collection.
“It’s always harder to work in an eco-friendly way — because you have to care,
you have to be conscious of your actions, you have to be conscious of the
lifecycle of the products,” Alcantara says. “Now, we must ask ourselves: What
do I need to produce? What will become of what’s left? What will become of the
product itself after some time?
“Eco-friendly practices represent the end of blindness toward our mother Earth —
and the beginning of a new respect. Opening our eyes when we have been blind
for so many years isn’t easy. But it’s vital.”
Alcantara says his new motto is “chemical free, biodegradable, upcycled” — labels
he wants to apply to all of the products he produces in collaboration
with artisan groups across Morocco and elsewhere. One example is swapping
out plastic for recycled cardboard and other recycled packaging
materials. Often, this means negotiating with large brands, whose
priorities heretofore would have been the safety of their shipment,
rather than the health of the planet.
Top, Saïd displays one of our new White Walnut vases; Middle,
tamegroute bowls with assymetrical light green glaze waiting to
be filled with soy wax and turned into our candles; Above,
simple palm leaf brooms, coming soon to Bloomist.
Alcantara believes that both requirements can be met — and if not, he’s prepared to
sacrifice that business. “We’ll just refuse orders with excessive
demands around packing,” he says. Elsewhere, he’s encouraging his
artisan partners to adjust their processes where possible. “We
certainly don’t produce any products involving pollution or
serious destruction to the environment — but we’re still working
to finetune production processes where we can.”
Top right, Saïd displays one of our new White Walnut vases; Right,
tamegroute bowls with assymetrical light green glaze waiting to
be filled with soy wax and turned into our candles; Above,
simple palm leaf brooms, coming soon to Bloomist.
Alcantara’s candle holders for Bloomist are a perfect example — instead of adding
a glaze, which would have necessitated additional resources and chemicals,
the product is left unglazed. “This way, we avoid the chemicals and save
energy, as we only need to bake the pieces once, not twice, as we would have
to with a glaze.” The revision represents not a sacrifice of style but an
evolution — beautiful and austere, a credit to its maker, and a boon to its
buyer.
Alcantara’s candle holders for Bloomist are a perfect example — instead of adding
a glaze, which would have necessitated additional resources and chemicals,
the product is left unglazed. “This way, we avoid the chemicals and save
energy, as we only need to bake the pieces once, not twice, as we would have
to with a glaze.” The revision represents not a sacrifice of style but an
evolution — beautiful and austere, a credit to its maker, and a boon to its
buyer.
Above left, Antique candlesticks from Tamegroute, a
town located in the south of Morocco that’s famous for its lustrously glazed
ceramics. Above right, our modern interpretation of the classic forms,
handmade in unglazed white.
Above, Antique candlesticks from Tamegroute, a
town located in the south of Morocco that’s famous for its lustrously glazed
ceramics. Top, our modern interpretation of the classic forms,
handmade in unglazed white.
