Azel, Co-Founder IbkkiWe want to convey the value of our hands and highlight the natural beauty of each material. We like things as they are. We admire simplicity and we believe that a simple world is better. This is the source of our inspiration."

FOUNDED BY
Azel & Youri
Our studio is based in Paris, while our workshop is in the mountains of Kabylia, Algeria. We do residences there, where we spend up to 8 months designing the collections in close collaboration with local artisans.
MEET
Ibkki
TEAM: 2 founders + 6 artisans.
LOCATION: Paris & Kabylia, Algeria.
MATERIALS: Clay & glaze.
TECHNIQUE: Handmade pottery and 4-layered glazing.
IMPACT: Participatory design processes reviving traditional artisan techniques & empowering family artisans.




our design
Respecting the LOCAL PROCESS
We choose to work in residency. Over several months, we worked in the mountains of Djurdjura alongside local artisans in their pottery workshops. Together, we designed and made each of the objects that we’re so proud to present to you now. We work closely with the artisans in their workshop and learn from them, without ever imposing ourselves. Our approach is that of apprentices, in order to master the local processes.
A SYMBIOSIS OF TECHNIQUES
Every day at the workshop is a moment of sharing, we are constantly discussing and learning from each other. And our objects are proof of this; each of them is the culmination of the work of 2 to 3 people. They pass from the craftsmen's hands to ours in a constant exchange of techniques.
Understanding ANCESTRAL MATERIALS
By understanding where the clay came from, we could handle and shape it in such a way as to honor it. The clay originates in Mother Earth and tells a local story. Worked by those who wish to use it, the earth becomes material for artisanal creation into which are blended powders of varying hues. Know-how is transmitted from generation to generation.