Salima Filali

Salima Filali revisits traditional aesthetics of the zellige art through her exceptional creations. Zellige is a terracotta mosaic in entirely handcrafted according to ancestral Moroccan know-how. Each piece is unique and enhanced by light. An authentic and precious product, sublimated by Salima’s creations through sophisticated and timeless decorations.

The zellige is manufactured by Moroccan master craftsmen, the maâlems. The ancestral manufacturing technique has remained unchanged since the 12th century. If each region has its particularities, related to the quality of clay, the city of Fez, where Salina is originally from, is its capital.

What is your design philosophy?
Never lose your sense of wonder at the things that sometimes seem the simplest and which are ultimately the essence of everything.

Where you live: How long have you been there and how does it influence your work?
I live in Switzerland since 12 years, but my work as a designer is totally influenced by Moroccan craftsmanship. Morocco, where I come from through my parents, is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for me: the smells, the colors, the people, the know-how, and the materials influence my work.

Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to be a designer? If so, what was it?
I wanted to get into architecture when I was a teenager. A job that linked the creative side and the scientific side, creating interiors where we feel good, where we share pieces of life, history and memories. I graduated as an architect at 23 and after 6 years working as an architect I wanted to get closer to the creative side on a smaller scale. In 2021 I launched my first custom zellige collection for high-end projects.

Which of your pieces, products, and/or projects are you most proud of? Why?
I am very proud of an apartment renovation in Geneva for which I designed the decorations of three bathrooms: one of my first projects which launched me and gave me confidence for the future. Also very proud to have designed the decor of a restaurant bar in Paris for the famous architect Laura Gonzalez whose work I have admired for years.

What is the most pressing issue in the design world today?
The environment, but not only! The preservation of know-how that is lost over time in different cultures. Transmission no longer takes place as before, craftsmen are becoming increasingly rare. We can tend towards a disappearance of savior-faire for a total industrialization of design. We must revalue these craft professions and pass them on as much as possible so that handmade work does not disappear.

What’s now? 
I am currently working on the United States Consulate in Morocco. It’s a large project with two custom wall art pieces of 600 sq ft each. A real challenge that I can’t wait to see completed!

More about Salina’s work, HERE