Moroccan designer Hicham Lahlou is taking “Design made in Morocco” places

In recent years, the Middle East has attracted a bevy of star architects such as Jean Nouvel, Zaha Hadid and Ron Arad, who have been a huge inspiration and influence for a generation.

For Franco-Moroccan designer Hicham Lahlou, it was a proud moment to be included alongside these luminaries in the Parisian publication In the Arab World…Now. The book dedicated its architecture and design chapter to the ten most fashionable international talents in this domain working in the Arabic world. Lahlou was one of them.

An interior architect and product designer, Lahlou has created furniture, tableware objects and lighting products. Lahlou founded Morocco’s first multidisciplinary design agency in 2004.

Specialised in industry identity, commercial architecture, packaging, interior design, hotel industry and urban furniture, his firm was also commissioned to create the urban furniture and global identity for the city of Agadir – a first in Morocco, and indeed, in the Arab world.

His multidisciplinary portfolio includes residential interior architecture and hotel projects, as well as brand identity projects and packaging. A 1995 graduate of the Academy Charpentier in Paris in interior and design architecture, early in his career, he designed the teapot “Koubba”, a design that became known around the world.

Industrial edge: Concept for Dizayn restaurant

Lahlou has also been active in promoting design ideas and activities in Morocco. One of the country’s first industrial designers, he founded and chaired the first Moroccan federation of design and industrial design, FEMADE. After achieving international fame at 26, he showed his works in several exhibitions in Europe, Russia, Africa, the Mena region, Brazil and Hong Kong.

Born in Rabat, Morocco, Lahou went to Paris at age 16 for his schooling – an event that he says was crucial to his development as a designer. Since 2005, he has often travelled to the Middle East. His creations have been exhibited in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and they have been well received. Currently, he is working on hotel and restaurant projects in the region.

What makes Moroccan design special?
I prefer to talk about design created in Morocco, it is not necessarily made by Moroccans because there are also foreign designers living in Morocco, and it is not necessarily created with a “Moroccan charter”.

I think any design being produced here may have its own particularity, but we have to distinguish pure decorative items from design. The design here must not automatically be focussed on what we could call “Moroccan ornaments”; it must be, before everything, a feeling, a personal perception of what surrounds us. It’s also a question of how to position our design.

What have been some of the biggest influences on you personally, as a Moroccan designer?
One of the biggest influences is for me has been one of “Al Andalus”. For large parts of its history, particularly under the Caliphate of Cordoba, Al Andalus was a beacon of learning and one of the leading cultural and economic centres in both the Mediterranean basin and the Islamic world.

The Arabesque design is probably the most noticeable approach, which is still particularly used today. There is also the contemporary style, the Art Deco, that still remains present in our streets with beautiful architectural buildings such as La Villa des Arts. There is also a growing tendency towards modern architecture and “new design”, as exemplified in the big malls and projects that have just been launched here.

What is the future for both Moroccan design and designers?
Design here needs to become more professionalised than it is today. The fact that design may have a decisive role to play in economics or industry does not seems relevant for many people. That is why I believe we have a long way to go but it’s thrilling. 

Made in Morocco: Narghilé

I’m still waiting to see a designer who will produce amazing things. Even though the upcoming designers belong to a young generation, they are rather conservative in a way as far as design is concerned. I recognise also that I’m pretty conservative in my creative process but I think it’s a necessary step to make on the way to a complete impulsiveness of our creation.  

How did Design Made in Morocco come about?
First of all, this concept means that Design does exist in Morocco. Design may appear as something superficial for some people but it does exist and it generates dynamics, favours creativity, help people thinking in another way, developing new strategies etc…

Secondly, Morocco represents a mix of several things, a strong identity with mixed cultures, historical background, and values such as generosity and conviviality.

The existence of design in Morocco is not so surprising if you think about the variety of refined arts and practices that have been developed in Morocco (music, courtesy art, beauty care, interior architecture etc.) There are many sources of inspiration for a designer. There is still a strong inclination towards aesthetics, this may be an explanation.

Could you tell us more about your upcoming exhibition? What are some key exhibits?
The exhibition “Hicham Lahlou Designer Around the World”, will be on all of October at the ONA Foundation, Villa des Arts of Casablanca and Rabat. It aims to show several facets of design through objects, furniture and urban furniture.

The Villa des Arts is a very prestigious museum that already exhibited brands such as Alessi and Cartier.
Both Villas des Arts will reveal in a world premiere, the first creations that I’ve developed for national and international brands, such as Aquamass, the famous wellness brand, Airdiem, a leader in the design of narghilé, Valmont, Philips, Odiot, D’Argentat furniture and FC Com urban design furniture.

Who are the designers you admire?
I do not admire any designer in particular; I prefer to say I appreciate many movements of design and architecture such as the Bauhaus, pop art and minimalism. But above everything, I like it when design communicates universal values.

By Shalaka Paradkar