The Art, Hands & Hearts Behind Our Home
Meet the people who brought our first ZAZI boutique to life
This summer marked a very special moment for us. On ZAZI’s 10-year anniversary, and our founder Jeanne’s birthday, we opened the doors to our very first ZAZI boutique! On the canals, in the heart of Amsterdam. Can you believe it?!
But this space was never created by us alone.
Months before the doors opened many hands, minds and hearts came together to transform this old 17th-century bakery into a (ZAZI) world of its own. Our community came to paint and sand, artists brought walls and ceilings to life, everyone gave their time, energy and love to help us build something we could never have created on our own.
And perhaps that is what makes this place feel so deeply ZAZI. Everything you see carries the story and trace of someone’s hands. From the celestial ceiling above you to the antique furniture, painted goddess symbols and smallest details, every corner holds something of the people who helped bring this dream into reality!
The boutique may carry the ZAZI name, but it belongs to a much bigger story of collective creation.
So we wanted to introduce you to some of the faces, hands and hearts behind our new home, and share the stories of what they created, what inspired them, and what craftsmanship means to them.
meet jill
our antique & interior sourcer
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what you created for the ZAZI boutique?
My name is Jill Rose and I feel very passionate about antiques. After working with Jeanne on her home, we decided to do another round for the ZAZI Boutique. With all the different rooms in mind, I searched for pieces that honour the space and its history, creating a place where people feel inspired, connected and embraced.
What inspired the work you created for the boutique?
I’m endlessly fascinated by the way history leaves its fingerprints on the things we surround ourselves with. Antique pieces carry traces of the worlds that existed before us, shaped by place, culture, nature and people. Working with them is my way of honouring the past while allowing these objects to become part of new stories.
What feeling did you want to bring into this space?
The building itself, once a bakery with its original shop window and authentic tiling, was a beautiful starting point. I wanted to create a natural dialogue between the pieces and their surroundings, allowing the character and history of the building to remain present.
What does craftsmanship mean to you?
To me, craftsmanship is a ritual. It is patience, devotion and respect for the material, the process and nature. True craftsmanship creates a relationship between nature, the maker, the object and the people who will live with it.
meet Ellamari Auroila
the artist who painted the swans in the entrance
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what you created for the ZAZI boutique?
I’m Ella, an artist and designer from Finland. For the ZAZI boutique, I created the three swans and golden cosmic egg on the entrance ceiling.
What inspired the work you created for the boutique?
The historical architecture, rich tiles and mood boards Janne created for the boutique were a big part of the inspiration. We chose swans for their beauty and rich symbolism, while ZAZI’s Golden Egg series inspired the cosmic egg and gold leaf details.
What feeling did you want to bring into this space?
A feeling of magic. Swans carry a lot of symbolism across cultures and mythologies, often representing the journey of the soul, grace, love, beauty and intuition. I wanted people to feel that magical, mythological energy when entering the space.
What does craftsmanship mean to you?
For me, it’s deep care for what you’re creating. The attention, focus and hours spent on something create a bond between the maker and their work. Being able to sense the hands and the human behind something, including its little imperfections, is a richness to be cherished.
meet maia bunge
The artist who painted the goddess symbols in the boutique
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what you created for the ZAZI boutique?
I’m a multidisciplinary artist. My work is a tribute to beauty, nature, and the Sacred Feminine.
For ZAZI’s Alchemical Room, I created a pattern bringing together symbols associated with ancient goddesses and the Divine Feminine: serpents, double axes, doves, and flowers. The serpents represent creative energy and the balance between feminine and masculine energies.
What inspired the work you created for the boutique?
This creation was inspired by When God Was a Woman, a historical exploration of the worship of the Goddess, and by Art Nouveau, a movement seeking to restore the beauty of the organic world through art and architecture.
What feeling did you want to bring into this space?
I wanted to bring a feeling of harmony — the feeling I experience when deeply immersed in nature. I use beauty as a bridge to emphasize a return to the feminine, to nature, to symbolism, and to the idea that beauty can be a vessel for something sacred.
What does craftsmanship mean to you?
Craftsmanship is a story and a heritage. It means connection to nature, beliefs, symbolism and our roots. I believe supporting craftsmanship is an important part of rebalancing our relationship with nature, our communities and ourselves.
meet mattia papp
The artist who painted the zodiac signs in the cosmic room
Can you introduce yourself and tell us what you created for the ZAZI boutique?
My name is Mattia Papp. I’m an Italian artist from Florence based in The Hague, working across painting, ceramics and installation.
For the ZAZI boutique, I created a hand-painted celestial ceiling depicting the twelve constellations of the Western zodiac, surrounded by the sun, moon, stars and comets, with details in gold leaf.
What inspired the work you created for the boutique?
I was inspired by historical astrological rooms and periods in which astronomy, astrology, mythology and alchemy were deeply intertwined. I wanted to create a dreamlike celestial landscape where the constellations emerge from the night sky.
What feeling did you want to bring into this space?
I wanted it to feel intimate, feminine and dreamlike, almost like entering a celestial chamber, with details that slowly reveal themselves as you look closer.
What does craftsmanship mean to you?
For me, craftsmanship is about attention and the presence of the hand. I love when you can see that something has been made by a person, with small irregularities and gestures becoming part of the work.
