Alia Zaki Ali, a Lebanese-American mother of two based in London, grew up in both the United States and Beirut. She studied Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut but then it was her marriage that would take her on a new path.
She relocated to London, working for ten months at an advertising agency before freelancing as a graphic designer for a year whilst searching for a way to bring her ideas to life.
Pregnant with her first child during the launch, Alia now sells her handbags and earrings through retailers including Harrods, Nordstrom and Selfridges as well as directly to consumers.
The brand is known for challenging the status quo by transforming a conventional staple item into a quirky statement piece.
The unconventional designs began with the first collection, inspired by the Japanese fake-food movement. Alia took a trip to Japan and was left transfixed with the country and its culture, the Harajuku fashion and colourful cafés were a source of inspiration. They gave her the idea to express her love for sweets by reproducing ‘candy’ as handbags, using materials such as resin and metal.
From there on, the brand has been mimicking real food such as their iconic ice cream scoop and lollipop handles.
Translating her inspirations into a finished product using photoshop it is one of the ways she uses her background is graphic design to discuss her ideas with the factory.
L’Alingi pieces are handmade, in both Lebanon and the United Kingdom, experimenting with resin, metal, stones, fabrics, leathers, vegan leathers, bamboos, raffias, beads, fruits and plants.
The use of carefully sourced, cutting-edge and unconventional materials mean that some pieces are already 100% vegan. Waste materials are being reused in the design process and the brand continue to search for more sustainable, environmentally conscious and animal-friendly materials.
Making a statement with feathers, velvet, satin, glitter and giant pearls ensure the pieces make a statement, and especially at this time of year, fans will be turning to the website’s Party Edit https://www.lalingi.com/collections/party-edit and the feather pouches destined for the festive dancefloor.
By Anna Bance
December 2023
