Yves Saint Laurent's spectacular Tangier villa with interiors by Jacques Grange

It was in 1990 that Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent first called on Jacques Grange to design the interiors of Villa Mabrouka, in the heights of Tangier with spectacular views of the Strait of Gibraltar. Yves Saint Laurent dreamed of a modern villa that reflected the artistic and literary past of the white city, and that would also be a peaceful haven of beauty in this cosmopolitan crossroads between Europe and Africa, and between past and present. The city is full of references to Spanish and Moorish architecture, and local craftsmen could ensure the authenticity of the construction and details. When the two of them moved in, the light-filled villa became the tranquil refuge that they sought, dedicated to small gatherings of friends, long walks, and listening to music.

As Jacques Grange remembers, “The theme wanted by Yves was that of an eccentric Englishman of the postwar years who had come to live in Tangier. Yves wanted chintz and one color per room: a blue room, a yellow, and so on. It was like decorating a house for characters out of a play by Tennessee Williams.” Chintz was indeed used for the soft furnishings throughout, but the rest of the decoration was all elegant contrasts, and the house retained a modern Moorish style. In 2017, Pierre Bergé commissioned Grange to refresh the villa. Airy white spaces in tadelakt plaster abound, while most of the chintz has given way to wicker furniture and straw-lined walls. A more subtle palette has been used, in earth tones with accents of green, which frames the views of the lush gardens designed by Madison Cox and featuring rare species of Mediterranean plants.