A Doré and Mr & Mrs Smith creation

A Doré and Mr & Mrs Smith creation

The Art of Storytelling and other tales…

We're sorry, this retreat in Marrakech is now sold out.

 

Travel club Mr & Mrs Smith and lifestyle site and studio Doré have much in common – a passion for art, an eye for detail, a love of boutique stays – so they’ve joined forces to create an exclusive one-off retreat in Marrakech.
 
Many of the gifted and glamorous have rewritten their story in Morocco: the Stones rode out a rocky patch in legendary hotel La Mamounia, Burroughs had too much fun in Tangier, and Yves Saint Laurent enhanced Jardin Majorelle’s already colourful demeanor.
 
We can’t promise Burroughs-style highs, but we can offer the chance to craft a story of your own with Garance Doré: illustrator, photographer and creator of website and studio Doré. With Smith and a team of talents, she’s crafted The Art of Storytelling: a four-night salon held in rainbow riad El Fenn. This retreat from November 13-17 is from €2,340 a person (approximately US$2,750), including taxes and hotel fees, based on two people sharing. Single occupancy is also available.

Your retreat

Your retreat

Over four nights, from November 13-17, you'll take part in three workshops – one led by Garance herself, two by her hand-picked troupe of talented creatives - you’ll learn Doré’s way of letting your art live and breathe, whether you’ve a passion for photography, weaving a narrative, or simply want stellar social-media channels.

Garance will lead a workshop on photography. In her own words, she wants 'to teach students how to capture an image that makes people feel excited and engaged. I will start with a class covering basic techniques, such as lighting and framing, and achieving the best photo possible using your phone camera. Then I'll explain the elements that make a photo exceptional, and we'll take a little trip outside the hotel to practice. To finish, I'll show them how to edit their story.'

Exact details of the two additional workshops are being kept close to Garance’s chest, but we suspect there’ll be a little myth and magic, a brush-up on North African artistry, and you’ll leave with some heavenly holiday snaps.

You’re ensured some one-on-one time with Doré too – a limited release of just 20 spots make this a more intimate learning experience.

Garance at a glance

Garance at a glance

Garance Doré’s Instagram stream showcases her perfectly composed approach to life, fashion’s grandees have graced her Pardon My French podcast and her illustrations have accentuated spreads in international editions of Vogue and Elle. She’s collaborated with a constellation of leading fashion houses; written for The Wall Street Journal; launched a stationery collection; and published photographic memoir Love Style Life.

Her rise to blog superstardom was swift; GaranceDoré.com – a self-made sharing space for her illustrations and articles – grew into Doré. This creative studio – and blueprint for living life in artistic fashion – draws its audience in through events, publications and commanding visual language. 

Of Italian and Algerian descent – and currently residing in California – Doré’s love for North Africa runs deep; she chose Morocco for this retreat because her story is scrawled over the richly cultured country. Her Berber grandmother Tahmanent’s customs and traditional dress proved to be a lasting inspiration. 

Flight of Fenn-cy

Flight of Fenn-cy

(Note: this hotel is no longer part of the Mr & Mrs Smith collection). You’ll stay in luxury riad El Fenn, a hotel that maintains a glamorous and graceful manner within Marrakech’s dizzying Medina. The stay has a superlative stylist in the shape of co-owner Vanessa Branson (Richard’s sis); she hasn’t skimped on saturation in any corner: courtyards have plentiful cushioned alcoves, rooms have bath tubs of grey and neon-pink marble, emerald and terracotta tadelakt walls, and stained-glass doors; and modern interpretations of Moroccan patterns throughout ensure a space that’s true to its surrounds but forward-thinking. 

The hotel’s jewel-bright interiors embody the Pink City’s dynamism and cosmopolitan curve: its boutique sells covetable locally made homewares (vintage blankets by Anajam, hand-blown glasses by Verre Beldi, Maroc’n Roll’s leather pouffes), sultry portraits and bold abstracts from Branson’s art collection hang throughout, and by night a courtyard pool is candlelit. 

Sun-blanched snaps of this inspiring stay have already starred on Doré’s Instagram, so it’s the natural setting for her suite of surprising daily workshops.

What to expect

What to expect

This four-night retreat (from November 13-17) starts at €2,340 a person (approximately US$2,750), based on two people sharing a Small Room. Single occupancy is also available. Rates include taxes and hotels fees, shared return transfers from Marrakech Menara airport, entry to all workshops, El Fenn’s fulsome breakfast spread (shakshouka, baghrir pancakes, fresh breads and pastries) and a mod-Moroccan meal each evening; both will be served in communal family-style. Some workshops and meals may be hosted off-site, so you’ll do a little sightseeing, too.

We're sorry, but we've now filled all spaces on this retreat.
 

Please note that bookings are non-cancellable and non-refundable. You’ll need to book flights to and from Marrakech, and any extras (lunches, alcohol, tips, minibar items and laundry services) will incur an additional cost. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance before you depart.