Bokja produces pieces that blur the lines between functionality and art, rooted in the region’s heritage. The two talents behind the design studio, Hoda Baroudi and Maria Hibri, reflect on their work, what inspires their design and Lebanon’s creative industry.
Hoda Baroudi and Maria Hibri’s emotive designs have toured the world. Since they created Bokja Design Studio in 2000, the Beirut-based designers have been transforming objects into functional pieces of art. Brought together by their passion for antique and ancient tapestries, the two women made a name for themselves by sourcing retro furniture found in Beirut’s antique markets and covering them with patchworks of colorful textiles and embroideries from the Middle East and the mythic Silk Road countries of Central Asia. The duo’s unconventional furniture even caught the eyes of some of the biggest names in the entertainment and fashion industry such as Julia Roberts and French footwear designer Christian Louboutin, who purchased a Bokja sofa for each of his stores. More than just a brand, Bokja, a Turkish word used to describe the heavily embroidered fabric that covers a bride’s dowry, is the story of ancestral traditions meeting with contemporary art and lifestyle.
How does your Lebanese heritage inspire you?
The influence of our environment is reflected almost directly in everything Bokja. The layering of fabrics from different parts of the country and the world reminds us of the multilayered nature of our city, which is chaotic and harmonious at the same time. There is also a sensibility to both the East and the West that is so distinctive to being here. Basing ourselves in Beirut for the last 15 years was a conscious decision and has allowed us to not only be inspired by our heritage but to positively contribute to it and give back in the long term.
Being from Lebanon, where history is charged with intense emotions, design is never just about aesthetics. It’s about expressing those emotions honestly. We don’t feel obligated to tell the truth—it’s innate. When something significant happens, we reflect on how to address it through our work, shedding light, debating, and creating meaning.
Long before sustainability became a buzzword, we naturally worked in a sustainable way. After the 2006 war, we created a collection inspired by the displaced people we saw around the city, often with mattresses tied to their cars. Those mattresses were covered with inexpensive floral fabrics from Syria. We transformed that fabric — embroidering it, upholstering furniture with it — and even sold pieces in New York. It was our way of turning a painful moment into something meaningful.
Recently, seeing cars again loaded with plain mattresses, I noticed the old floral fabrics were gone. So, this time, we used beautiful linen remnants to create heart motifs — our way of expressing resilience through design.
How do you complement each other as a design team?
We always found that working together brought more ideas, passion and knowledge to the table. The two of us coming together brings unexpected results that we feel could not happen if we worked alone. It makes our work stronger.
How and why did you get into design?
We have always been passionate about art and design, with a strong background in antiques and textiles. It was a serendipitous meeting that brought us together and led us to take the jump into working in that realm.
What is your design process and how would you describe your work?
Our design and work process is an all-encompassing one, with our focus divided on different parts of the practice. We spend half of our time working closely with our artisans in our atelier houses, while the other half is spent brainstorming and strategizing with our creative team at the Bokja studio.
Our work is deeply rooted in what’s happening around us. We don’t just design for the sake of creating; we live through moments and return to express them through our work. For example, we currently have a pop-up exhibition in London. When I create something, Maria often asks, “Why are we doing this?” She’s right to question because it adds another meaningful layer.
It’s not about delivering a message but offering a commentary on the social changes surrounding us. We’re closely connected to our country and its evolving social landscape. What we create becomes a tool for communicating where we stand. Bokja is more than our voice; it’s the voice of a collective.
What can you tell us about your atelier in Basta?
Our atelier has been based in Basta since 2017. After being displaced during the 2024 war in Lebanon, we are finally back, and it feels great. As soon as the ceasefire was announced at 4 a.m., people rushed back to their homes. By 9 a.m., we were here, cleaning up and bringing back our machines. Everyone was thrilled to return.
Basta drew us in because it connected us to our beginnings. When we first started Bokja, we were working together, planning exhibitions and exploring creative ideas. One memorable moment — though Maria and I remember it differently — was when we saw a piece of second-hand furniture in one of the shops. The area is full of such finds. We had a torn piece of Suzani fabric and immediately thought it would look stunning on that chair. That spark led us to start upholstering second-hand furniture, sourcing everything from this historic part of Beirut.
Central Beirut has been a cultural hub since the 17th century. When people moved out of its heart, they settled here, building small palaces with gardens. Over the past 400 years, layers of history have accumulated. Just across from us stands a building built about 150 years ago, expanded 50 years later and later reinforced with concrete. These layers and contrasts — old and new, rough and refined — are reflected in our fabrics and continue to inspire our work.
Why do you refer to Bokja as a collective of artisans?
While Hoda and I started this journey, it has grown far beyond us. It’s now about an extraordinary team of artisans from across the Arab world — Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan and beyond. Each artist brings their unique style, colors and creative energy.
Our process has become collaborative at every level. We discuss ideas as a team — designers, junior designers and artisans — to decide what we want to create. For instance, when working on a tapestry for Morocco, everyone contributed their perspective. We determined the design collectively and assigned embroidery tasks based on interest and skill, making it a shared creative endeavor.
Before this artistic expansion, we faced financial challenges, especially during the global market downturn that persisted until 2013. Back then, we focused solely on second-hand furniture upholstered with our signature jigsaw patterns.
The turning point came in 2013 amid the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Skilled embroiderers from across the region — Iraq, Egypt, Kurdistan — came to Beirut seeking work. Their arrival enriched our craft and broadened our creative vision.
This inspired us to explore storytelling through our work, leading to the creation of two significant tapestries addressing pressing social and political issues. These pieces now hang in the Institut du Monde Arabe, marking a pivotal moment in our journey. What began as a response to a difficult situation evolved into an artistic milestone, deepening both our craft and our message.
How do you think the design scene in Lebanon has evolved?
Design has never been more visible in Lebanon, and it is exciting to know that Beirut is now establishing itself as a design capital in its own right, with its own set of world class designers. During the Civil War, the ephemeral nature of time has turned Beirut into a wonderful incubator that led to tremendous experimentation. The boom that followed the conflict has been even more incredible; with exciting opportunities appearing as international interest for Beirut was growing.
What is the best piece of advice you can give to new designers?
To be humble, to be rebellious and to be persistent. And, not to look too far for inspiration. Their own culture and experiences can be the best and most unexpected starting point.
For more details, call +961 1 975576, bokjadesign.com
Mukhallassiya Street, Bldg 332, Saifi Village
If you enjoyed reading this, check out our article on the Beirut Museum of Art.
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