I decided to take a break in my professional life and had this crazy idea. During the summer of 2019, I randomly met a sculptor and I was literally absorbed by the beauty of this ancestral technique and the symbolism behind it. Indeed, working on terracotta was, to me, very poetic as I felt it could be interpreted by each individual differently. I fell in love with this art and realized that, with my creativity and vision, I could modernize the traditional zellige and its craft.

The small zellige tiles are kneaded, molded, cooked then enameled with a 100 percent artisanal technique in the imperial city of Fez. Fez has actually been the capital of this [type of] craftsmanship for centuries.

After that, [the tiles] are shipped to my workshop in Tangiers and we work on the design by carving the tile and turning it into modern pieces of art that measure 12x12cm and are designed to be hung on the wall. Their small size actually allows our customers to be creative as well in terms of pairing designs and creating their own patterns.

My sources of inspiration are very diverse. I am generally inspired by what is around me. It can be a situation, an object, or a cause that means something to me. I love my country and I am trying to showcase it through a Zelart collection starring Moroccan cities. Marrakech, Casa, Tangier all have a place in Zelart. I am also very moved by female causes, and our bravery as women. Sometimes, I also get inspired by art pieces from famous or emerging artists, and try to do humble interpretations of their work.

As is the case with many young brands, we had to stop our activity during the months [impacted by Covid], which was sudden and unexpected. Then we realized people wanted to communicate and show love to their family and friends that they could not see anymore so we started making Zelart pieces with emotional messages to be sent anywhere in the world. We were not selling in shops anymore, but exclusively online.