Unless you know it, the name Bokja hardly prepares you for that magical first encounter with its one-of-a-kind furniture. Bokja is derived from a Turkish word which refers to the dainty worked fabric in which a bride’s dowry was wrapped. This sentimental link between the bride’s old life with her family and the new one she is embarking on encapsulates Bokja’s philosophy.
Bokja’s line of furniture is characterized by its contemporary use of ancient pieces of fabric such as suzanis (embroidered tribal textiles) from Central Asia, Russian chintzes and exquisite Chinese silks and brocades.
Founded 10 years ago by two Lebanese women, Hoda Baroudi, an antiques dealer and Maria Hibri, a collector of oriental textiles. The brand was born when one of Baroudi’s colorful textiles was placed over one of Hibri’s sofas. The stunning combination gave way to the first collection of furniture which was a sell-out.
The Bokja style is a fusion of modern European furniture from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and colorful handmade fabrics from the East. Each piece of furniture, a one of a kind, is given a name and a “passport” filled with information concerning the origin of the textiles and the traditions behind the weaving, the tapestry or the embroidery. Wherever the furniture has been exhibited, whether in New York, Milan, Paris, London, it has been a sell-out.
The work of Hibri and Baroudi combines both a sense of style, a sense of history and high quality craftsmanship.
It is precisely the fusion of these elements which makes their work so special. Bokja exhibits a number of chairs, the most basic of household furnishings, but also one of the most challenging pieces for contemporary designers. For Hibri and Baroudi, making a chair is a labor of love; it can be made with as much as 20 different fabrics coming from diverse places such as Uzbekistan, Turkey and Syria.
There is something totally irresistible about Bokja: Once you see their pieces of furniture, you want to buy them and take them home. Bokja furniture is not only fun, stylish and unique but it also has an emotional appeal.
Christian Louboutin the famous shoemaker with his trademark red-soled footwear is so infatuated with Bokja that he has placed a piece in each one of his shops. Sandra Bullock, Kate Hudson, Salma Hayek, Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawk — among others — have also fallen for Bokja’s special furniture.
People who decorate their homes nowadays tend to look for objects which have a sense of history, make them feel happy and are also unique. This small, exclusive brand based in Beirut, answers people’s current needs by capturing the mood of the moment. Most of all, Bokja’s exclusive pieces of furniture make you feel incredibly happy.
