Hicham LAHLOU

A propos

Born on February 6, 1973 in Rabat and French – Moroccan, Hicham Lahlou Graduated as an Interior Architect and Designer from the prestigious Charpentier Academy in Paris in June 1995, he is recognized as the spearhead of Moroccan national design and one of the flag bearers of African and Arab design, an emblematic figure of emerging design of which he has been a part for more than two decades, he is a personality recognized worldwide, on the continent. African, and in the Arab world. Nicknamed in diplomatic instances "the Ambassador". Nominated and distinguished in October 2021 by the "MIPAD - Most Influential People of African Descent" in New York in alongside Sir David Adjaye and the late Virgil Abloy among the 100 most influential people of African descent in the world in the Lifestyle & Design category, with the support of the United Nations. Recognized worldwide, Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic since 2016, Curator, Author, consistently active in soft power and diplomacy through design and involved with the design community for over 25 years as well as the World Design Organization since 2015. He is the founder of the global design and architecture agency 1852 and Co and several other initiatives such as Africa Design Award, Days and Organization. He will also launch in 2022 the Africa Design Academy project to train future design aspirants. His creations, regularly exhibited in museums such as the Vitra Design Museum, the Guggenheim Bilbao, the Kunsthal Rotterdam, High Museum Atlanta Usa, or the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, are ranked halfway between design and contemporary art which makes the designer recognized both for his unique pencil line but also for his innovative artistic choices. Published regularly in the press and TV interviews…. he constantly advocates for the values of design and its importance. • He exhibited at the Arab World Institute from 1999 to 2000 “Regard sur le Design au Maroc” during the year of Morocco in France. • He exhibited at the Saint Etienne International Design Biennial for several editions from 2000 • In 2006, “Canvas Magazine” in Dubai devotes to him several pages of interview “Changing the face of Moroccan Design”. • In September 2007, he was selected in the highly touted “Scène d’intérieurs” at Maison & Objets in Paris • In October 2007 the French Institute of Rabat and Morocco organizes his first solo exhibition. • From October to December 2009 The Villa des Arts in Rabat and Casablanca exhibited “Hicham Lahlou Designer Around the World” as a world premiere of several of his creations edited by international brands such as LIP, AQUAMASS etc. was presented. • In 2009, Hicham Lahlou appeared alongside the most influential Arab international designers such as Karim Rashid, Nada Debs, Zaha Hadid etc… in Qatar Airways' Oryx magazine. • From December 2009 to February 2010, he exhibited at the renowned Casacor fair in Rio de Janeiro and also at Sao Paolo during the year of France in Brazil. • December 2009, he exhibited at the Business of Design Week alongside several French designers, an exhibition presented by UBI France, which has now become Business France. • In 2008 he appeared in the book “IN THE ARAB WORLD… NOW” published by the Galerie Enrico Navarra in Paris, alongside big names in architecture and design such as Tadao Ando, Ron Arad, Andrée Putnam, Jean Nouvel , Karim Rashid… • In 2009, Hicham Lahlou appeared alongside the most influential Arab international designers such as Karim Rashid, Nada Debs, Zaha Hadid etc… in Qatar Airways' Oryx magazine. • In 2010, he was chosen by the Qatar Foundation as a VIP Jury to represent Arab international design during “Stars of Science” / Session 2 in Doha, broadcasted on TV around the world. • April 2011, He appears and is quoted in the prestigious Magazine "INTERNI" among the 15 international emerging designers of the planet. • He exhibited his works in July 2012 at the “Beirut Art Fair” within the scenography he designed for the Gallery “Musk & Amber – Tunis” • October – November 2013, the Expressions Gallery of the CDG Foundation organizes the “PlayDesign By Hicham Lahlou” • In 2015, Hicham Lahlou celebrates his 20th anniversary during a tribute dedicated to him organized by the prestigious Royal Mansour Marrakech on December 5 with the presence of more than 200 select guests. • In 2016 he received the distinction of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Republic in recognition of all of his career and works. • From December 2016 to July 2017, A new exhibition is Co-organized by the French Embassy in Morocco and the French Institute of Morocco "Out of the Box by Hicham Lahlou Designer", presented at the Delacroix Gallery in Tangier, at the Center d'Art Contemporain de Tetouan , at the Bab el Kebir Gallery in Rabat. • May 2017, Presentation of the WAX Silver Design By Hicham Lahlou collection edited by ECART International Paris (French brand) at the Salon Révélations, Grand Palais, Paris. • September 2017, he is in the spotlight in Paris at “SILVERA” where his exhibition “Out of the Box” is presented on rue Saint Dominique during Paris Design Week • November 2017, he is invited to the collective exhibition "ABWAB" during Dubai Design Week • October 2017, He was elected Member of the Board of Directors of the World Design Organization (WDO) during the 30th general assembly and the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the organization in Turin, Italy on October 14th and 15th, 2017. He becomes the first Moroccan, from the MENA Region, and the first West African and French-speaking African elected in 60 years of history of WDO since its foundation in June 29, 1957. • April 2018, He also had the honor of being invited by Ms. Marva Griffin, founder of the Salone Satellite, to be Africa’s curator of the AFRICA-LATIN AMERICA exhibition, Rising Design/Design Emergente exhibition event for the SaloneSatellite of the Salone Del Mobile alongside the famous Campana Brothers, exhibition curators for the Latin American section). The Salone Satellite is the biggest design gathering in the world since 25 years, held in Milan, the world Mecca of design. • He presented at the Salone Del Mobile in April 2019, his new creation "Africa Sound's" published by CITCO, a famous international Italian brand, which publishes his creation in a limited edition as 8 signed copies. This work was presented alongside the new creations of Anish Kapour and Arik Levy… since then, Africa Sound's is exhibited in several cities in the world such as London, Miami, Shanghai… • He co-initiated as co-author with the Kenyan Professor Mugendi K. M'Rhitaa, a project with the Editor Mrs. Patricia Defever, Founder of Editions Langages du Sud, a fine book that sheds light on 50 designers from the African continent. Launched in May 2019; It is marketed worldwide. Hicham Lahlou was invited to present the work at 100% Design during the London Design Festival in October 2019, and He also presented it during AKAA Art & Design Fair in November 2019 in Paris • 2018, He is the official designer of the LGV - Al Boraq stations, the first line of high-speed trains in Africa. He elaborated the interior scenography and the furniture design of the Al Boraq Business Class lounge areas, sales and ticketing areas, honor lounges, as well as the public benches on the platforms and information counters. Kenitra LGV Al Boraq station recently received the Versailles Prize for Architecture. Project Inaugurated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron. • September 2019, Guest of honor of Marmomac in Verona, Italy, he gives an inaugural conference in the presence of Italian officials and the organizers of the show, Africa is for the first time a guest of honor. Marmomac is the biggest meeting place in the world in the world of marble and design. • November 2019, He was officially appointed in February 2020 as "Regional Advisor Africa" of the World Design Organization (WDO), to the President, President Elect, and the Board of Directors. He is in charge of Africa from a diplomatic point of view, relations with NGO organizations, governments, institutions, and also to federate design and non-design organizations in Africa, he campaigns in the sense that design is above all strategy - the engine of innovation and is a powerful lever for economies. He is at the origin of the partnership between WDO and both WPO (World Packaging Organization) and UNIDO (UN). He works to make Morocco a real Design Hub in Africa • April 2020, Hicham Lahlou joins the catalog of Art editions of the famous international French luxury brand "Daum" with his work "Oryx" published in a limited series, numbered and signed. He thus joins other artists of great renown such as Dali, Armand, Richard Orlanski, Romuald Hazoumé, Carlos Mata, Hilton MacConnico, Pedro Ramirez Vazquez... • In 2020, Hicham Lahlou celebrates 25 years of international career. • At the end of March 2020, at the very beginning of the COVID-19 Crisis, Hicham Lahlou agreed in a spirit of solidarity to support the national momentum of the fight against the pandemic, to donate the exterior design and the branding of the Moroccan Made respirator that he designs and develops with his team in order to meet the technical requirements of the project with a collective of researchers, engineers, industrialists and doctors with the support from the Ministry of Industry of the Kingdom of Morocco. • September 2020, launch of the collection "Morocco by Hicham Lahlou" for the world-famous French luxury brand HAVILAND. Porcelain factory based in Limoges, France. World capital of porcelain. • In 2020, he officially launches the Africa Design Academy project, the first network of design academies in Africa, which is scheduled to open in Rabat, Morocco in October 2022. A project in partnership with the French Institute of Morocco and the French Embassy in Morocco as well as the various Moroccan, European, African governmental institutions • March 2021, he presented in the collective exhibition “Alice in Wonderland” his jewelry collection “Magic Alice”” at the Musk & Amber Gallery founded by Mrs. Lamia Bousina Ben Ayed in Tunis, Tunisia. • July 2021, He is named “African Design Ambassador” by the World Gastronomy Organization”. • October 2021, he receives the distinction of MIPAD100 as one of the 100 most influential figures of African descent in the world, in recognition of his international career and his commitments, MIPAD100 is supported by the United Nations in New York • November 2021, he is invited as a speaker as he participated in the conference "Moroccan Craftmanship as a vector of Inclusion and Tolerance" co-organized by the Maison de l'Artisan du Maroc and the pavilion of the Kingdom of Morocco at Dubai Expo 2020. • January 2022, he is appointed Curator and Co-Curator of "Morocco Art'Expo" to be held in Paris at the end of March 2022. • February 2022, he will exhibit in the collective exhibition “Touched” at the “Museum on the Seam” in Jerusalem, which has been listed by the “New York Times” as one of the 29 most impressive art institutions in the world • March 2022, The official website of the "Salone Del Mobile" Exhibition which celebrates its 60 years in Milan which is the World Mecca of Design dedicates on March 30, 2022 on the "Home Page! of the most famous official website in the world of design!" an interview article with the title "Hicham Lahlou, Worldwide African Design Leader": https://www.salonemilano.it/en/articoli/people/hicham-lahlouworldwide-african-design-leader • March/April 2022, Hicham Lahlou has the honor and privilege of being appointed as the "Special Envoy and Advisor" of the President Mr. David Kusuma of the World Design Organization (WDO) for the Mena and Africa Regions as well as Regional Advisor. • From April to the end of July he exhibits the 100% Moroccan respirator "Oxylife" whose exterior he designed in the exhibition "Singulier Plurielles - Dans les Afriques Contemporaines" on the occasion of the twelfth edition of the International Design Biennial of Saint-Etienne in the Cité du Design where the African design is honored. Curator and scenographer Franck Houndégla. www.hichamlahlou.com