A 1970s villa in Marrakesh, Morocco, built by an influential designer and friend of fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent has come to market at an undisclosed price, Mansion Global has learned.
Pioneering French designer Jacqueline Foissac, who left a lasting impact on Moroccan interiors, created the Moorish-inspired home in the exclusive La Palmeraie neighborhood. It’s built in classic Moroccan style with a central riad, a symmetrical inner courtyard, and features pointed Moorish arches, engraved turquoise doors and detailed tiled flooring.
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Unlike other Moroccan homes of its time, the riad is covered by a domed glass ceiling designed by American architect Bill Willis—another influential figure in Marrakesh design—that creates an airy atrium overrun with ivy and bougainvillea. Willis also added several of his signature fireplaces and a stone arcade in the landscaped gardens.
Both Foissac and Willis were friends with Yves Saint Laurent, who frequented Marrakesh with his entourage, and Foissac would have hosted them during the heyday of the 1970s and ’80s, said listing agent Philippe Chalindar with the John Taylor brokerage. “The property entertained a lot of parties with the Yves Saint Laurent clique,” he said.
The home, which spans more than 3 acres, has passed through several hands since Foissac’s days and was recently renovated by the sellers, a French-Moroccan couple, in 2024, Chalindar said. The grounds also include a two-bedroom guest pavilion, staff quarters that sleep four, a pool, and landscaped gardens with palm-lined pathways and citrus trees.
“The park is quite mature, so the trees are really beautiful,” Chalindar said.
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The home abounds with a vibrant teal, splashed across painted doors and window panes, matching furniture and detailing in the floor tiles. The color, more cheerful than a typical Moroccan blue and paired with white walls, is rather different in Marrakesh, which is known as the Red City because of its architecture. “It gives holiday vibes,” Chalindar said.
La Palmeraie, French for “palm grove,” is one of the most exclusive areas in Marrakesh, with large lots and stately villas amid a lush landscape, and just 20 minutes from the city’s downtown. It is home to royalty and wealth; current and former residents include the late mother of Moroccan king Mohammed VI, the chairman of Fiat, Italian style icon Marella Agnelli and Guy de Rothschild of the banking dynasty.
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