Leona Erziak: The New Blood of Haute Couture

Exclusive Interview by Ada Iliopoulou

The door opens, and Leona Erziak enters the showroom in Cannes, sporting black glasses and a radiant smile. She laughs, embraces everyone warmly, and shares wishes with genuine enthusiasm. Being with Leona feels like being with someone who can turn the heart’s desires into a magical reality, one filled with superstars like Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, and many more.

This memory of Leona takes me back to when I waited for her in her fashion house in New York City. I first met her when she launched her couture collection in Paris and again at the Cannes Festival. From the moment I met her, I knew that beneath her kind and good-natured disposition lay a dynamic woman who achieves her goals creatively and professionally. She is charming yet determined, sweet yet a leader, beautiful yet intellectually engaging. Her childlike laughter is infectious.

The Interview

Ada Iliopoulou: Tell me that you started to dress your dolls and decided to be a designer.

Leona Erziak: Fairytales were a way of living for me. I dreamed that a shoe could change a life, so I began designing shoes and bags, hoping they could lead to a fairytale. I loved dressing my dolls in beautiful evening gowns, imagining them at magical events. This dream drove me to dress real dolls on the red carpet, bringing that energy from my childhood dreams to life.

Ada Iliopoulou: You told me your biggest inspiration was your mother.

Leona Erziak: True. As a little girl, I watched her sew and started copying her around six years old. My mother wanted my sister and me to pursue business and become financially independent before creating anything. Watching her, I learned about craftsmanship and perfectionism. She learned sewing in Morocco from Spanish sisters, creating both European and oriental clothes.

Ada Iliopoulou: How was your life as a kid?

Leona Erziak: We were daughters of Moroccan immigrants. My father was a Marrakchi potter, and my mother was from the Tangiers aristocracy. They moved to Brussels, where we lived on Boulevard des Italians. My father worked for Simon du Chastel de la Howarderie, a lawyer passionate about sculpture and ceramics. He artistically assisted him, and we played at his castle. It was a beautiful time. I inherited my father’s artistic spirit and my mother’s practicality. I lost my father to cancer when I was almost seven, which led me to support my family. My mother, a resilient and loving woman, became my model and muse. I decided then to succeed to support her and my family.

Ada Iliopoulou: So you decided to be what society calls “achieving brilliantly.” What is the right way to succeed?

Leona Erziak: Understand that you want to succeed! Success is no accident. It requires hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and love for what you do.

Ada Iliopoulou: Have you ever felt that you lost your inner power?

Leona Erziak: Before my summer collection, I lost my mother two days before the show. I didn’t go to Paris to present it. People learned about it during the show and sent me messages of love and respect, encouraging me to continue. It was very touching and kept me going. When you work passionately, it’s important to feel supported by those who appreciate your efforts.

Ada Iliopoulou: Your new collection speaks louder than you in this case.

Leona Erziak: My new collection, based in black, is called Melancholy. It’s dynamic and supportive, symbolizing strength and the ability to handle everything. Black, being the color of power, contains all colors. It’s sleek, bold, and timelessly alluring, representing resilience against moments of darkness.

Ada Iliopoulou: Your life was very different all these years. You were a journalist too, as I know.

Leona Erziak: I studied journalism and communication at the Free University of Brussels.

Ada Iliopoulou: Ask yourself a question!

Leona Erziak: How did I survive in Hollywood with my roots?

Ada Iliopoulou: Tell us more about that.

Leona Erziak: My life was like a movie. Being born in Belgium, I feel Belgian-Moroccan, blending different roots and cultures. I celebrate multiple traditions, reflecting my open-mindedness and desire for people to live freely.

Ada Iliopoulou: After all these experiences, how did the American dream come into your plans?

Leona Erziak: I went to New York to assist my brother in his sportswear business. I learned real estate and started my own company with my sister, Hanna. We made significant investments and deals. However, the subprime crisis in 2008 changed everything, but it also pushed me to switch to fashion.

Ada Iliopoulou: The brand “Lena Erziak” was born in 2009 with shoes and bags.

Leona Erziak: Yes, we financed everything ourselves, and it was an immediate success. Celebrities like Beyoncé, Katy Perry, and Jennifer Lopez loved our bags. However, personal tragedies in 2013 made us pause and reflect. We eventually returned, focusing on shoes and achieving success again.

Ada Iliopoulou: During the pandemic, while many gave up, you saw an opportunity.

Leona Erziak: Covid was challenging but allowed us to evolve. I created a couture capsule collection and presented it in Paris. My twelve-year-old son made me realize the environmental impact of the fashion industry, prompting me to use recycled materials and stop mass production.

Ada Iliopoulou: What are your next plans?

Leona Erziak: I am preparing my fourth fashion show in Paris and considering purchasing a private mansion there for my fashion house. My teams are split between New York and Paris, and our clientele is global. The ideal woman for me is one who believes in herself, her heart, and her actions.

Ada Iliopoulou: What will I see if I look into your eyes?

Leona Erziak: Yourself, like every woman who strives hard for her dreams. You see the cult of personality who still dreams and creates, for when we create, the world awaits our next step.

Leona Erziak’s journey from a little girl dressing dolls to a celebrated haute couture designer is a testament to her resilience, creativity, and determination. Her story is an inspiring blend of personal and professional triumphs, filled with lessons of hard work, perseverance, and the power of dreams.

Photography Sinem Yazici @sinemy

Production Méphistophélès Production @mephistophelesproductions