History
An iconic color born under the light of Marrakech.
JACQUES MAJORELLE AND MARRAKECH
An encounter that would give rise to a unique place
A French painter born in Nancy in 1886, Jacques Majorelle discovered Morocco in 1917 and fell under the spell of Marrakech. He chose to settle there and, in the 1920s, acquired a plot of land on the edge of the palm grove where he gradually imagined an extraordinary garden.
As passionate about botany as he was about painting, he gathered exotic plants and rare species brought back from his travels. In 1931, he commissioned the architect Paul Sinoir to build an Art Deco studio in the heart of the garden.
For several decades, Jacques Majorelle thus shaped a place where art, architecture, light, and vegetation become one. The Jardin Majorelle was born.
THE BIRTH OF AN ICONIC BLUE
A color conceived for Marrakech
To decorate his studio and then the architectural elements of his garden, Jacques Majorelle chose an ultramarine blue of exceptional intensity. Both luminous and deep, it creates a striking contrast with the green of the vegetation, the warm earth tones, and the brilliant light of Marrakech.
This shade gradually became inseparable from the site. The walls, fountains, and decorative elements of the garden give it an immediately recognizable identity.
More than just a color, Majorelle Blue becomes a signature: a powerful, vibrant, and timeless blue that still bears the name of its creator today. The garden opened its doors to the public in 1947.
A LIVING LEGACY
From the Majorelle Garden to our interiors
After the passing of Jacques Majorelle in 1962, the garden went through a period of neglect. In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé acquired it to save it from a real estate development project. They then undertook its restoration and helped bring global recognition to this place, which has become iconic to Marrakech.
Today, Majorelle Blue continues to fascinate far beyond the garden walls. In both decoration and architecture, its depth and intensity allow it to transcend eras without losing its character.
It is this legacy that OLONA Peinture wishes to bring to life: to rediscover the intensity and emotion of this iconic shade in your own home.
From history to your project
Bring the intensity of true Majorelle Blue into your home with our authentic paint made in Morocco.