Bags, so many bags. I find them to be such intimate objects, so closely tied to the evolution of femininity, holding so much history and symbolism. At a time when women’s pockets were often absent, hidden, or too small to serve any real purpose, the bag became a private space carried outside the body. “What’s in My Bag?” became a way of showcasing one’s personality, as we carry so many objects every day that reveal who we are. This is why I find bags to be such sacred spaces.
And because they are so closely tied to womanhood, I found the Le Baiser bag so beautifully conceived. Its symbolism lies in René Lalique’s 1920s glasswork and, just like bags, kisses hold a special, intimate place in each person’s heart and personal evolution. From a mother’s kiss to a lover’s, the bag carries this history with it.
Below is my conversation with Motira, alongside a universe I created for them, centred around the powerful woman who has everything put together, yet keeps her intimacy inside her bag.
a: I’d love to start from the beginning. What did Motira look like before it became a brand other people could recognize?
Before anyone knew the name, we actually started out super small, just playing around with reworked designer pieces—specifically archival stuff from the 90s Tom Ford and John Galliano eras. We were making things like reworked thongs and custom jewelry way before we ever launched a proper fashion line.
It really just came down to a specific creative mindset. Our founder, Achraf Lakhdar, always says: "At first I thought, then I analyzed, then I did what I wanted to see. That's how MOTIRA came about—not a trend, but a way of thinking and living."
a: What was the first thing you had to learn the hard way when building Motira?
Honestly, the hardest thing to learn was just figuring out how to turn my obsession with beautiful, old-school things into actual, wearable fashion.
I basically spent my entire childhood up until I was 28 just watching, learning, and listening to good music to feed my soul. Then, in the last two years before launching Motira, I worked as an art and vintage furniture dealer. I was completely consumed by pieces on 1stdibs, vintage Piaget watches, and old luxury cars. That world totally shaped how I look at design and materials.
When I was working on our L'Absurde wooden heel sandal, I was literally picturing a vintage Bentley Azure in my head—I actually almost named the shoe Azure before settling on L'Absurde. It’s the same thing with the buckle on our Le Baiser bag, which was entirely inspired by René Lalique’s 1920s glass artwork Le Baiser (The Kiss).
So the real challenge wasn't the ideas—it was learning how to take that specific feeling of luxury, like the wood and leather in a vintage car or the texture of archival glass, and figure out the craftsmanship needed to compress it into a shoe or a bag. It takes a lot of trial and error to find artisans who actually share your taste and can bring that specific of a vision to life.
a: For young designers or creatives who are at the beginning, what do you think people underestimate the most about starting a brand?
Everyone wants to be a fashion designer. They see the runway shows, the famous names, the red carpets, and they think, "I can do that too!"
But do you even know when the biggest creators—the ones who changed fashion forever—actually started? They all had one thing in common: they didn't wait. They just created something. Sure, their first collections weren't perfect—some completely flopped. But they took risks, learned from their mistakes, and never gave up.
The truth is harsh: 99% of people who "want" to be designers never even start. Those who do often fail. And those who actually succeed have to survive extreme pressure, chaos, and burnout.
Talent alone isn't enough. Marketing, networking, timing, and pure obsession are what actually decide success. Everyone thinks they'll be the next McQueen—until they realize what it really costs.
But if you can survive it... the world can be changed by you.
a: What is something you believed about fashion or building a brand in the beginning that you no longer believe now?
In the beginning, I used to think that if you just had incredible talent and a beautiful product, everything else would magically fall into place. I believed that the work would simply speak for itself and the right people would notice.
I don’t believe that anymore.
The reality is that talent alone isn't enough. Marketing, networking, timing, and pure obsession are what actually decide success. Everyone thinks they'll be the next McQueen—until they realize what it really costs. You can be the most gifted designer in the room, but if you don't understand how to get your work seen, build relationships, and survive the sheer chaos of the business, the talent goes to waste.
a: Motira seems to be entering a more defined visual chapter. What changed in the way you want the brand to be seen?
We’re focusing entirely on rhythm and scale now. The immediate goal is to establish ourselves by dropping two solid collections a year. After two sold-out collections, the next step is to present our first official runway show.
As for how we want to be seen globally, it’s about positioning the brand exactly where it belongs, alongside the absolute best. We want Motira to be carried by major global stockists like SSENSE and Moda Operandi. It’s about taking that raw, uncompromising obsession we started with and injecting it straight into the highest tier of the industry.
a: Who is the Motira dream girl today?
You know, I don't really think of her as a 'girl'—she’s a woman. And she’s definitely not sitting around waiting to be noticed or trying to copy whatever is trending on TikTok this week.
To me, the Motira woman is someone who is just completely, unapologetically in charge of her own life. She’s smart, she’s sharp, and she knows exactly who she is. When she puts on a great jacket or a beautiful dress, it’s not about looking pretty for anyone else. It’s about feeling powerful. It's armor, really. She’s the one pulling the strings. Honestly, if Motira were a woman, she’d be Gloria Trillo from The Sopranos.
a: What do you think she wants from fashion right now, and what do you think she needs from it?
What she wants from fashion right now is substance. She’s completely exhausted by the endless cycle of micro-trends and cheap, disposable clothes that have no soul. She wants pieces that have a story, real craftsmanship, with noble materials and an undeniable presence—things like the L'Absurde sandal, the Le Baiser bag, or the Sculpture top. She wants something that feels rare and deliberate.
But what she needs from it is entirely different. She needs fashion to give her a feeling of absolute control. When the world out there is chaotic, putting on a specific piece should feel like clicking a lock into place. She needs clothes that don't wash her out or compromise her edge, but instead act as her weapon and her armor. She doesn't need fashion to help her fit in; she needs it to solidify exactly who she is.
a: Do you feel Gen Z relates to fashion differently than previous generations?
Honestly, yes. I always say Gen Z completely misses the mark on taste. The sheer quantity of information we get from the internet—especially TikTok—has destroyed any sense of personal style. Instead of building a unique look, people just chase whatever micro-trend is viral that week. They don't invest in high-craftsmanship or quality materials anymore; they’ve lost the appreciation for clothes that are actually made to last for years
a: Le Baiser has such a beautiful story behind it, inspired by René Lalique’s 1920s glass artwork “The Kiss.” What first made you connect with that reference?
Honestly, it was never about the scent for me—I was completely obsessed with René Lalique’s glasswork, which is pure art, and the physical shape of the perfume Le Baiser by Lalique just entirely captivated me. In fact, my initial vision was to create an acrylic clutch bag shaped exactly like the perfume bottle itself. I eventually changed my mind and evolved the design into the silhouette you see today, but that bottle was the absolute spark for the whole concept
a: A kiss can mean many things: love, desire, memory, performance, obsession. What feeling does Le Baiser hold for you?
It holds a feeling of pure obsession. Not just the romantic kind, but the creative kind. It's about looking at a beautiful object, falling completely in love with its form, and feeling that unstoppable urge to create something new from it. That bag exists because of that exact feeling.
a: What do you think fashion needs less of right now, and what does it need more of?
Fashion needs less algorithm-chasing and fewer cheap micro-trends. What it needs more of is high craftsmanship, real quality, and people who have the confidence to build a signature style instead of just following what's viral.
THE END
Photographed and produced by Ana Petrisor
