Bn some business visits it can be seen in just a few minutes whether the idea behind it is right or not. At Kari Concept it is enough to look at the small caravan of camels casually painted in white on the window pane or the filigree company lettering with delicate dots, which is reminiscent of a henna pattern. Both signals: Someone has thought about this.
That was Karima Henß. Last September, the Frankfurt native opened a shop for traditional handicrafts from Morocco in an old building diagonally across from the Ostbahnhof: carpets, ceramics, glasses, cushion covers, seat cushions, throws – you can buy home accessories of this kind here, rustic and robust. Henß describes her business as a “declaration of love to my roots”. The father is Moroccan and lives in the country, her mother is German. The thirty-three-year-old grew up between cultures. She often spent her holidays with her family in Morocco.
Henß had had the idea of starting her own business as a retailer for a long time, but then she first studied German and history, became a mother twice and was already teaching at an integrated comprehensive school while she was still studying. Now she stands energetically and motivated in her shop. She traces it back to a trip she organized for a large group of friends to Morocco. Their enthusiasm for everything that could be bought on the markets there was the decisive factor in tackling the project.
Oriental-Mediterranean gem: Kari Conept in Frankfurt’s Ostend
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Image: M. Braunschädel
The items that you can buy at Kari Concept are either woven, knotted, sewn or potted by hand. Many of the parts are unique. Henß buys them directly from the handicraft businesses in Morocco without intermediaries. She sets strict standards. She only orders from small cooperatives where the workers, who are usually women, are treated well and paid fairly. The animals should be fine too. Articles made of wool are subject to the condition that the sheep are not killed. Because Henß did not find any production conditions for leather according to her ideas, there are no leather items to buy.
Removed the kitsch of the oriental
But that doesn’t detract from their beautiful shop, where you can find special gift ideas. With the support of family and friends during the renovation, the founder created a small oriental-Mediterranean gem on Danziger Platz. Large shop windows let in a lot of light. Last but not least, the high ceilings ensure that things are shown off to their best advantage: the knotted carpets hanging on a wooden frame on the wall (prices start at 300 euros, large kilims sometimes cost 1200 euros), as do the plates and bowls with a traditional pattern, which sit together with mugs and glasses on floating shelves anchored in the wall. The “modern setting” is important to her, says the retailer. She deliberately took out the kitsch that often goes hand in hand with the oriental.
The materials used in the products are interesting. The seats of the small stools, which are available in three sizes (24.90 to 39.90 euros), are woven from palm leaves. The covers of the cushions draped on a corner seat were woven from agave fibers (49.40 euros). Others are sewn from old carpet remnants. The Vintage collection also includes square poufs made from kilim pieces like high-pile remnants (99 euros). Henss fills them with the packaging material that accumulates when the goods are unpacked. An online shop is under construction.
A customer confesses: she has been to the store twice and managed not to buy anything each time. This time she goes home with a big bag.
Kari Concept, Danziger Platz 2-4, Frankfurt; Wednesday to Friday 12 noon to 6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday and Tuesday by appointment; www.kariconcept.de