General Assembly and Salam Hello debut ‘IZRA’

In celebration of storied craftsmanship, interior design studio General Assembly and artisan-first rug company Salam Hello are thrilled to announce the debut of ‘IZRA,’ an artful collection of hand-knotted Moroccan rugs that will make its exclusive debut at Assembly Line during NYCxDESIGN 2023.

‘IZRA,’ – loosely translated as ‘weave of the day’ – is the culmination of thousands of woolen knots irregularly woven together into rugs by 25 Amazigh artisans in a village just outside of Beni M’rirt in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains. Meticulously and poetically produced by a Mother (Keltouma)/Daughter (Soukina)-run, all-female collective, this collection of textiles serves as a vessel for the beloved, intergenerational craft of handwoven textiles that has been ever-present in Morocco since 600 BC. Steeped in tradition, this timeless practice is a material manifestation of history itself.

‘IZRA’ marks a milestone for Salam Hello as their first-ever collaboration with an outside partner beyond their artisans. “We’ve always admired General Assembly’s ability to balance modernity with artistry and craft – they have a way of capturing all your senses in the spaces they design,” says Solomon.

“When we design a space, we consider rugs very early in the creative process because of the character and texture they bring into a room. To us, their use extends beyond decoration and serves as a kind of architectural tool that allows you to define spatial boundaries and reimagine a space entirely,” adds Sarah Zames of General Assembly.

Born from a love of what it means to feel at home, General Assembly’s Assembly Line design center is a place for collaboration and community – a space where like minded people can foster their passion for beautiful materials, intentional products and thoughtful spaces. It’s in this spirit that this collaborative collection with Salam Hello – a brand so deeply rooted in this shared ethos – came to be. “An anchoring concept in the inception of Assembly Line was the intention to amplify the craftspeople behind the objects we sell. We couldn’t have asked for a more ideal project to serve as our first product launch in the store,” adds Colin Stief of General Assembly.

‘IZRA’ includes seven unique styles ranging in color, cost, and size. The collection will launch at Assembly Line in Brooklyn, New York during NYCxDESIGN, on Saturday, May 20, 2023 and online on the Salam Hello website.

In addition to the debut of IZRA, Assembly Line will welcome designers Pat Kim, Christopher Merchant and Brendan Ravenhill to their curated collection along with new works from Danny Kaplan, Fern, In Common With, Form and Refine and General Assembly a reimagined layout of the store.

Learn more at http://assemblyline.co/.