Style: Dream Weaver| Reine de Saba textiles

"I had to work undercover," says Mohamed Ben Abderrahmane about his childhood weaving projects. "My mother would say, 'You're going to lose a hand.'" The French-born Abderrahmane, owner of the seven-year-old textile company Reine de Saba, inherited his love for fabrics from his father, a weaver who immigrated to France from Algeria. From a workshop in Niort, a town in western France, Abderrahmane and his partner, Nadine Richet, design silk, cotton and satin tablecloths, napkins, aprons, table runners and cushions in striking patterns (uneven stripes, swirling flowers, concentric circles) and vivid colors (violet, tangerine, turquoise, lime-green, yellow). But Reine de Saba's products aren't just for the home; its espadrilles and mules are perfect for the beach (011-33-5-49-77-16-87).

—Salma Abdelnour

Published June 2003