Marianne Friese came to China more than 15 years ago. Her Chinese Name: 玛莉莲 transposed into Western Characters is: MǎLìLián. Her name means: Jade, Jasmine, Lotus. Just like her name, Marianne combines contrasting elements: East and West, hard and soft, noisy and calm, tactile and visual. These contrasts spark the visual and sensual eccentricity of her soft furnishing pieces.
Marianne travels extensively, engaged in the global search for unique materials, styles and craft techniques. When not out-and-about on such missions, Marianne - or MaLiLian - lives in Germany and China.
MaLiLian carpets are paintings to walk on. They can be decorative and subtle or expressive and vibrant, for example creating an omnipresent impression of Beijing’s cityscape and life. The sky, and a few technical production parameters, are the limit. The result is a work of art that ages at the same slow pace as its owners. Small traces are left here and there, reflecting and manifesting the life of its owners, like the lifelines on a palm.
Soft Furnishing Collection
MaLiLian, respectively Marianne, created her very first sofa while living in Los Angeles in 1988. In Germany, in the 1990s, she honed her skills, designing and handcrafting additional pieces. New influences pushed her imagination into new dimensions after moving to China in 2001. Sofas, chairs and pillows - the collection was boosted with vibrant color schemes and vivid patterns as well as brilliant combinations of the two.
Marianne has always specialized in one-of-a-kind creations. None of her pieces have ever been or will ever be mass-produced.
