24 Hours With Lebanese Handbag Designer Alia Zaki Ali: From Dawn Till Dusk, She Shares A Day In Her Life
The CEO of playful accessories brand L’Alingi talks about balancing life with two kids under five while working from home on her burgeoning business
7:00 AM I crave lie-ins but with two kids aged two and four, it is nearly impossible, so my mornings usually start with being woken up by my son Hadi who loves to jump into our bed and cuddle. Whenever possible I like to put on my AirPods and listen to 10 minutes of meditation (the app I use is called Wake Up) as it helps me start the day focused. Then it is all about getting my children fed and dressed.
I quickly get ready so I can grab our regular double-decker bus to take my son to school. In the shower, I reach for Rituals Foaming Shower Gel and I love Kérastase for hair. I hardly wear make-up on a day-to-day basis but I can’t live without my BECCA concealer. I have also recently started using a great brand for exfoliation and moisturising called Biologique Recherche. And I sometimes will wear Charlotte Tilbury mascara and lipstick (Iconic Nude or Pillow Talk).
By 9:00 AM I am doing the half-hour walk back from my son’s school with a matcha latte in my hand as I listen to a Business of Fashion podcast or an audiobook relating to parenting.
As I work from home my mornings usually consist of an outing with my two-year-old daughter Talia or I’ll dive right into my workday. I turn to my Pangaia or Rotate jogger sets if I am staying in. But if I do have a lunch or a meeting I often find myself dressing around my bags, making an outfit work based on an accessory I feel like taking out. I really think bags and shoes are what make an outfit. I have never been big on changing jewellery every day and my most prized possession is my grandmother’s wedding ring.
“I often find myself dressing around my bags making an outfit work based on a bag I feel like taking out”
I have always loved discovering and wearing emerging designers, but I have great admiration for one of the biggest fashion houses: Chanel. For me, it embodies elegant yet whimsical and daring collections. It is historic yet current, theatrical, yet timeless. For more emerging brands I love AREA. I often look to everyday people and other mothers for fashion inspiration. In particular, I love the Fashion Bug blog. The writer, Laura Wills, is a mother of four who always comes up with great combos of casual/comfy by day and sparkly/chic by night.
12:00 PM I aim to finish work and important meetings in the mornings to keep afternoons free for the children. I try to be efficient and driven as time is limited when you have other duties such as running a household and motherhood! I also like to plan ahead as I just love seeing the brand grow each day. Watching clients and influencers style our bags is so rewarding. In the afternoon I take Talia for walks or to the park on days that are less busy and try to do emails as they come in. It’s a constant challenge as circumstances keep evolving and, as a working mother, you must learn how to adapt. I tend to eat during Talia’s nap time. A tuna and brown rice poke bowl from Granger & Co is my favourite dish and my ideal lunch would be 15 minutes of Netflix while eating. It helps me switch off.
Work slows down at around 6:00 PM. Most evenings consist of me being either out with the kids or doing activities and hosting playdates at home.
Next, it’s dinner and bath time for the little ones, then reading and bedtime by 7:30 PM. My husband and I like to go out at night a few times a week with friends and we try to do a date night once a week. But my favourite way to relax is just to order in and watch a documentary with hubbie. I recently enjoyed watching You and I as I love to watch crime investigations (don’t ask!).
At about 11:00 PM I start getting ready for bed, wash my face, put on some serum and then I like to read. Right now I am working my way through two books, The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read as well as Attached. Then I pray and switch off the light. I drop off to sleep instantly!
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s February 2022 issue