“I lived a unique experience that I will remember all my life,” says Mohamad, an artisan from Fes whose delightful handiwork now adorns four fantastical tuk-tuks that race around Marrakech. Created by the Zoubida team, and festooned with everything from feather dusters to footballs, these pimped up taxis celebrate their disabled drivers – and became the most stylish form of transport for guests of 1-54 Marrakech 2025.

“Shuttling between La Mamounia and DaDa in the charming Zoubida tuk-tuk was pure joy, adding to the magic of the experience,” adds Sunny Dolat, Nataal’s editor at large who hitched a ride from one art fair venue to the next. Meanwhile photographer Osama Ahdi hopped on board to document the entire project. “Seeing how clashing and beautiful these tuk-tuks were going around the city centre really reflects the humanity of Zoubida,” Ahdi muses. “It’s true,” agrees Nataal’s SWANA editor, Miriam Bouteba, “the Zoubida tuk-tuk activation really spoke to the beating heart of this colourful brand, as well as its warm and welcoming family of collaborators.”

We pulled up alongside Sophia Kacimi, the French-Moroccan creative behind Zoubida, to discuss the ways in which she centres human connection and community through each of her craft-driven activations.

What is the vision that powers Zoubida?

After working for 15 years in the luxury industry, I wanted to find more purpose in my life and make an impact at my own tiny level. So, I founded Zoubida as a way to connect with my Moroccan roots, keep everything local and work with talented people. I see it not as a brand but a laboratory of craft experiments. We make art-to-wear (clothing), art-to-decorate (homeware) and art-to-play (art projects) and everything is infused with a joie-de-vivre dear to my heart.

How did you come up with the tuk-tuk idea for 1-54 Marrakech?

Our previous art piece at 1.54 London 2024 was a giant chess board game, co-created with my favourite artisans in Fes. The energy it created was unique so I wanted to come up with another interactive piece that people could have fun with. The idea of customising tuk-tuks started as a joke but the 1-54 team encouraged me and so we decided to transform four tuk-tuks into moving works of art.

How did you find your tuk-tuk drivers?

My friend Soukaina introduced me to a collective of drivers who all have some kind of disability (from birth, disease or accident) and have adapted their machine to their own needs. They’re a tight community and absolute heroes so it made sense to partner with them. We collaborated with two women (Zakiya and Rachida) and two men (Athman and Fares) and had conversations with them a few weeks before the fair to get to know more about them. And then when we met, I was very moved by their trust in me. They left me their keys and told us to go for it.

What did the customisation process entail?

The tuk-tuks were all different shapes and materials, making it too complicated to prepare anything in advance, so everything was done two days before the fair. Mohamed came from Fes with his sewing machine, photographer Osama Ahdi came from Barcelona, my dad and a few friends came too, and we decorated the beasts as an improvisation. The starting point was tlamt, the Moroccan jacquard upholstery fabric common in local homes, and that I use for our art-to-wear creations. I then added some very Zoubida touches to them – disco balls, hearts, mirrors – most of which were bought in the medina. When the divers saw the results, they were so happy. The next day, Rachida (who had the blue tuk-tuk) even wore a djellaba matching her new engine!

And how was the experience of taking the tuk-tuks out on the road?

On the first day, they got stopped by tonnes of curious tourists asking for their service. And throughout the fair, passengers were laughing and smiling as they enjoyed the rides in between seeing some mind-blowing art. The Zoubida spirit was contagious and created a magical bubble of love and enjoyment. That is my biggest pride. Now the drivers have kept the decorations so if you swing by Marrakech, hunt for a Zoubida tuk-tuk and jump on for a ride!