PORTLAND, Ore. (March 20, 2025) – Ann Sacks has expanded its best-in-class collection, Idris by Ait Manos, with new shades –Matte Black and Matte White – and brought back Grey Chine and Pearl Grey, two shades from the collection archives. Idris, which has been part of the ANN SACKS portfolio since 2011, is the result of a partnership with Ait Manos, a studio that has remained true to the practice of the traditional Moroccan art of Zellige as it was performed since the 9th century.

Exclusive to Ann Sacks, the new Black Matte and White Matte create the perfect foil to the existing glossy Idris choices, while also drawing from the collection’s past colorways with the reintroduction of Grey Chine and Pearl Grey. The Black Matte finish also imparts a slight metallic sheen that is enhanced when light travels across the tile face. Adding to the palette’s overall beauty is the tile’s natural undulating surface that adds a tactile quality to the layered shades. Additionally, Ann Sacks now offers Mixed Finish White and Mixed Finish Black, a complement of matte and higher sheen tiles, the color combinations creating soft juxtaposition rich in movement and dimension.

Idris is available in 2” x 6” and 4 ”x 4” field tiles, a 2” x 2” netted mosaic, and a 1” x 8” bullnose trim. The tiles are suitable for all indoor wall and light duty flooring installations and can also be used outdoors subject to climate and method of installation. The mosaics can be submerged, so a choice for showers, temperate climate pools, and fountains; however, pool chemicals may etch the glazes over time.

Founded by husband and wife team, Ghalia Sebti and Tawfik Bennani, in 1998, Ait Manos is based in Casablanca, Morocco, and steeped in Moroccan culture and historic craft. Using the centuries old art form known as Zellige, the family of artists at Ait Manos, many who have been with Sebti and Bennani since the studio’s inception, continue to these create singular works that showcase this coveted cornerstone of traditional Moroccan art.

Transforming the Berber and Andalucian architectural landscape with a tapestry of color and shapes that adorned its mosques, palaces and residences, it is testament to its 1,000-year history and continues to bring pause to even the most cosmopolitan of visitors to the country by its exotic beauty. The Idris by Ait Manos collection was named by Sebti and Bennani to pay homage to when Zellige was first recognized as an art form, referencing Idris I, the 9th century Moroccan sultan and the dynasty that began from his storied reign, and Ait Manos, which when translated means “tribe of hands,” nodding to the completely handcrafted nature of the designs.

The Idris collection is an artful compilation not easily accessed in today’s marketplace. The artists of Ait Manos are highly skilled and use the same techniques as those which were used by their ancestors. It is a process completely hand wrought using the same tools as those first Moroccan artists centuries past. The Zellige process begins with fine-bodied Moroccan clay found within the city of Fes and its surrounding lands. Unlike the redder terra cotta clay found in other countries, Moroccan clay produces a beige base allowing for superior pureness of color. Once the clay has been manipulated to the correct consistency, it is placed within a mold, smoothed and sun dried and fired. The artisans then dip the tiles into the handcrafted pigments and sketch with a fine brush the shapes that will form the desired patterns. The tiles are then fired one more time before being hand-cut and hand-chiseled into the final designs that will create the intricate mosaics.

Due to its handcrafted nature and adding to Idris’s charm is the variation exhibited in the edge detail, colorations and thickness. The mosaics are mounted into rigid, pre-assembled sheets that are a proprietary design by Tawfik Bennani. It was this backing design that allowed Ait Manos – and the country – to begin exporting the tiles outside of Morocco beginning in 1998, opening up a global marketplace for the country to explore.

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Ann Sacks Idris by Ait Manos Unveils New Colors