Ijlal, also known as La Habiba, has always admired matriarchal families led by free and generous women who open their homes to anyone in need.

She is the daughter of Moroccan parents, and although she grew up between Barcelona and Andalusia, she feels deeply attached to Morocco. She has lived in Andalusia for years, where she has already started her own family. For her, there is a certain connection between her culture of origin and the Andalusian woman as she understands it.

Ijlal was always very clear that she wanted to be a very present mother in her son’s upbringing and pass on her mother’s legacy in some way, even though at certain times in her life she struggled with the very conservative upbringing she received. However, her mother has always encouraged her to achieve her own independence as a woman without having to live in the shadow of a male figure.

Now that Ijlal is about to become a mother, she’s much more aware of the legacy mothers leave behind for their children, and that’s why these photos are set in environments that symbolize everything she admires and feels a part of. We took these photos at the home of Candi, the matriarch of a family in the Albayzin neighborhood of Granada.

Since Ijlal moved to Granada, that house has been an important gathering place for her because of the people who live there. They’re not part of her blood family, but they feel almost like they are.

Ijlal is a huge admirer of fashion as a form of identity. She continually draws on her Moroccan origins but is also a huge fan of Asian culture. In 2018, she opened her own nail salon in Granada. For her, nails are much more than just aesthetics; they’re another sign of identity. A sign of empowerment and distinction.