Lamia Lagha
We first met Lamia around Rue Montorgueil, at a corner café in Paris. We instantly clicked because Lamia is so carefree and opened minded… She is a stylist, and a very talented one. We talked about the changing pace of fashion and what it takes to live and work in Paris. She is truly a girl who has eclectic tastes and ideas.
The first thought that enters your mind when you wake up?
I never really have the same thoughts when I wake up, it always depends on the situation, the day before, and how I feel. Lately when I wake up I usually think; “I hope I still have coffee left & I hope its not raining.” I always need a cup of coffee in the morning to get up, otherwise I’m in a vegetable state all day. Most of the time I’m walking /running around Paris for appointments or to picking up things or just touring vintage shops, book shops and art galleries. Paris is a great city for that. All of these things are much easier when its not raining, especially when you have to prepare a shoot. Also I’m not a very big fan of the metro I have to say. The city is way too beautiful to spend most of your time underground.
Was there a challenging moment today?
There are always challenging moments I guess especially in a city like Paris. But I think to be challenged is very important. It makes you learn and it helps you grow to think why you’re doing what you’re doing, if it is worth it, and if it makes you happy. The last 7 years that I’ve been living in Paris, I’ve been challenged quite a lot. I think learning French was my biggest challenge so far. It makes your life much easier when you speak French!
Did you meet a person who inspired you today?
A lot of people inspire me; that old lady that lives in front of my building that is looking every morning out of her window for hours, or just walking through Montmartre passing Barbés and seeing all the amazing mix of multicultural, differed faces, differed clothes the colours, the smell… It inspires me a lot! I love to watch people in the streets, especially around this area. It’s like traveling around the world.
I love Montmartre because it’s like a little village and every street can transport you to a completely different world. Pigalle, Barbés, Abbesses… all so different and yet sometimes it’s just one street that separates one from another.
What has been the most significant change in fashion – that maybe everyone is talking about – at this particular moment?
I think that fashion changed a lot during the last few seasons here in Paris. We’ve been used to hearing only names like Chanel, Yves Saint-Laurent, Givenchy, John Galliano for a very long time. Paris is very classic, very chic most of the time, very safe in terms of fashion. However there is a big movement, a change that is happing right now. You can call it “the new born generation.” Talented young designers are popping up in Paris and changing the classic way of fashion. Designers who are not afraid to take a risk to cross the line and I think that we can all see it and feel it. I guess everyone is talking about that movement. For me it’s just the way things should go. I think that there are so many great young talented designers just waiting for their chance to get noticed. I think we should support them and help more young designers, artist, photographers, stylists to do more things and give them a chance to show how talented they are… Also we should not be afraid of working on projects with different people to not get stuck with the same crowd. That makes a change and a difference.