Laurence & Ayoub Interviews

LRNCE creator Laurence Leenaert and her lover and partner Ayoub Boualam tell us about their encounter during a balmy evening in Marrakech. For D'ORSAY, she created 3 limited-edition candlescombining Moroccan craftsmanship and French waxmaking expertise.

Tell us about your first meeting?

Laurence Leenaert: It was in Marrakech. On a terrace in the heart of the city, surrounded by candles and palm trees.
I'd just moved to Marrakech, and I remember it was a magical evening.
Ayoub picked me up a little before midnight, we had a drink in a bar I'd never been to before and laughed the night away.

Ayoub Boualam: We first met at a dinner party in Marrakech through my best friend Ali. A few days later, we went for a drink quite late in the evening in an open-air bar in the center of Marrakech, just the two of us, and we really connected. That's where it all started.

What does the smell of her skin remind you of?

L.L.: Home. When I smell Ayoub, I think directly of home. He smells like wood and softness.
A.B.: To the freshness of morning dew.

What fascinates you about him/her?

L.L.: His confidence in life and beauty. His patience too, which is the opposite of mine! Things take time, you have to be patient, just like him.
A.B.: His bravery in leaving everything behind in Belgium and moving to Marrakech to achieve his goals.

What's the nicest statement he/she ever made to you?

L.L.: When he told me I was "the apple of his eye", I was won over.
A.B.: One day she told me "You are the sunshine of my heart".

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