LALLAZI
"I have grown up between two cultures, two horizons, which are totally inseparable for me. Morocco represents my roots, my values, the light, the colour, the poetry; part of the dream I live with each and every day. France, on the other hand, has taught me discipline, anticipation and a certain established order of things. The East constantly inspires and enchants me, the West moderates me and creates my inner balance.
In my creative process, I strive to shine the light on the exceptional know-how of Moroccan artisanship, with its richness of codes and symbols, and re-write the story into a modern and universal vision of design. Thus, I melt my Eastern roots into a cosmopolitan vision opened to the modern world, creating eclectic ambiances and unique atmospheres that can find place not only in Marrakech, but also in Paris, New York, Dubai, Sydney or Singapore.
It is an on-going pursuit for a simple luxury, an Ethnic-Chic, a new Eastern elegance."
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LallaZi
Meet LallaZi
LallaZi el Mazouni-Mannix (also known as Lalla-Zineb or Zineb), Founder and Creative Director of LALLAZI Architecture & Lifestyle, is a renowned Moroccan Interior Architect and Designer with a prestigious portfolio of hundreds of prominent projects in Morocco and internationally. She is committed to promoting the ‘Moroccan Art of Living’ around the world.
Starting her university studying Architecture at the National School of Architecture in Nantes - France, LallaZi subsequently attended the Institute of Design and Space Planning of Bordeaux, where she graduated valedictorian with Honours as an Interior Architect specialising in commercial and hospitality design.
Upon her return to Morocco in 2005, LallaZi was invited by Xavier Guerrand-Hermès (Vice-Chairman of the iconic French fashion brand HERMÈS) to manage Lixus Concept – the Design studio dedicated to support Mr Hermès’ luxury real estate development projects in Morocco. In parallel, she created in 2007, her own Interior Architecture and Design firm that quickly established a reputation as one of the premiere design agencies in the region with an enviable list of high-end clientele. Her accomplishments and professionalism caught the attention of the holding company of the Moroccan Royal family, who requested LallaZi’s services for their hospitality projects.
Furthermore, she has studied Islamic Art and Architecture with the University of Oxford.
In recent years, LallaZi has devoted herself to researching Moroccan Arts and Architecture with its myriad of Amazigh (Berber), Jewish and Arabic influences; and is pioneering ways of valuing and promoting this important heritage internationally through cultural diplomacy. According to LallaZi: "Arts and Culture are tangible social, economic and political assets. They often prove to be effective channels of communication and mediation in intercultural and inter-religious dialogues. They are also the ‘soft power’ for the emancipation and liberation of women in the world, particularly in conservative countries." To complete her skills in that field, she has completed an International Master degree in Arts & Culture Management with 'high distinction' in 2022.
Active in the Moroccan business community, LallaZi was twice elected Regional Vice-President of AFEM - The Moroccan Businesswomen Association - where she led numerous national and international initiatives to promote and develop the empowerment of Moroccan women through intellectual and financial independence. LallaZi is also an accredited mediator from the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Mediation & Arbitration and a Board Director at Project SOAR, a non-for-profit organization empowering marginalized teen girls from the Global South.
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Since 2018, LallaZi, with her husband and their son, divides her time between her residences in Marrakech-Morocco and Sydney-Australia.