Industry Updates
Magazine
Brand Story
Press Release
BLOGS
Madeleine Jarl’s journey is one of self-discovery, creativity, and empowerment, and it inspires women to find their path. As the founder of ZAZA&LILI, Madeleine specializes in bringing a unique perspective to the design, infusing each piece with balance, movement, and strength. Passionate about creating meaningful connections with her community, Madeleine values authenticity, kindness, and trust in all her endeavors.
From Diving Boards to Runways: Madeleine’s Inspirational Journey
Madeleine’s early experiences have shaped her approach to business. Born and raised in Sweden, she moved to Paris at the age of 19 — a bold step that marked the beginning of her international journey. Her inner compass urges her to trust herself, take risks, and seek precision and elegance. Competitive diving, a key part of her youth, taught her to embrace risk and strive for perfect, graceful movement — lessons that continue to influence her decisions today. As a model, she learned to express emotion through posture, light, and composition. These experiences instilled in her a sense of courage, adaptability, and curiosity, enabling her to build and lead her own company. Those early influences still guide her. Madeleine continues to run her business with that same mix of freedom and focus.
Motherhood and Entrepreneurship: A Personal Connection
For Madeleine, being a mother has influenced her approach to brand creation and business management. Her twin daughters, Kenza (Zaza) and Ellin (Lili), are the inspiration behind her jewelry brand, ZAZA&LILI. They are her guiding force and her emotional compass, reminding her to stay true to what truly matters. Hence, Madeleine reflects her family values of warmth, honesty, and authenticity. When creating or managing her business, Madeleine’s thoughts go beyond the business—she envisions the kind of world she wants to build for them.
Preserving Emotional Authenticity
Madeleine avoids chasing trends, instead focusing on creating pieces that come from the heart and are infused with emotion and meaning. Madeleine maintains the brand’s essence and prevents it from being diluted. She also carefully selects partners who share her values, allowing the brand to grow slowly and intentionally. This approach enables ZAZA&LILI to foster a sense of personal connection with its audience, making customers feel like they are part of something human.
Building and Evolving the Team
Having worn many hats in the early days, Madeleine learned valuable lessons through trial and error. A self taught entrepreneur with no formal business education, she built her knowledge step by step, gaining experience by doing. However, she realized that true growth requires delegation and trust. Madeleine envisions a small, agile, and empowered team of creative thinkers who share her passion for the brand. She aims to foster a family-like atmosphere where team members feel empowered, supported, and connected to the brand’s mission.
Being Gentle While Making Tough Decisions
“Being gentle doesn’t mean being weak,” says Madeleine. She believes one can be kind and still set boundaries. When faced with difficult choices, Madeleine prioritizes fairness and staying true to herself. She believes in leading with softness and still being strong.
Leadership Lessons from the Pandemic
The COVID pandemic presented Madeleine with multiple challenges, mainly in the travel retail and more specifically the in-flight sector, which is a major part of her business. As sales came to a sudden halt, she faced moments of uncertainty and self-doubt. However, this period of quiet also brought clarity, enabling her to reassess her business and refocus on the direct-to customer side.
Madeleine’s experience ultimately made her a braver leader, teaching her to trust her instincts and prioritize the aspects of her brand that truly mattered.
Empowering Others through Trust and Freedom
Madeleine’s approach to mentoring and collaboration is built on trust and empowerment. She believes in providing people freedom to explore and grow. She deeply values the trust of those who believed in her early on, despite her lack of formal education and experience — their support made a lasting impact.
Her leadership style is focused on valuing and trusting her team members instead of dictating what to do. It not only fosters creativity and innovation but also helps individuals build confidence and flourish.
Key Differences between Nordic and French Markets
Madeleine observed that the Swedish market tends to favor a minimalist approach, focused on simplicity and understatement. In contrast, the French market places a strong emphasis on emotion and detail, focused on the storytelling and craftsmanship behind a brand. Having experienced both cultures, Madeleine’s work showcases a unique blend of both of these influences. She balances a love of simplicity with an appreciation for meaningful details, believing that beauty lies in the subtle nuances that tell a story.
Learning through Experience and Intuition
Madeleine has relied on hands-on experience, embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth. Her approach includes asking, listening, and staying curious, as well as not being afraid to acknowledge the limits of her knowledge.
Madeleine also credits her intuition as the most powerful business tool. Over the years, she has read, experimented, and adapted. But mostly, she has followed her gut and stayed open to change.
Pivotal Moments in a 30-Year Career
Madeleine’s career has been marked by several pivotal decisions that have shaped her journey. One of the most significant was her decision to move to Paris in the 80s, the first big leap that broadened her horizons. Another key moment was starting her own commercial agency, which allowed her to build a successful business. The most defining decision was leaving that agency behind to launch ZAZA&LILI. This choice—to stop selling other people’s dreams and start creating her own—changed everything.
Learning from Failure
For Madeleine, failure has been a powerful teacher. Despite making design choices that didn’t resonate, entering partnerships that weren’t a good fit, and missing opportunities, she has used each experience to refine her vision and values. Each “mistake” helped her develop clarity and course, allowing her to stay true to herself and her brand. By embracing failures as a natural part of the learning process, she has been able to build a stronger, more authentic business that reflects her unique perspective and values.
Dreaming of Global Elegance
Madeleine’s vision includes expanding into international markets. While ZAZA&LILI is already a global brand—thanks to a strong in-flight portfolio and worldwide shipping through its website—the next chapter focuses on deeper international expansion: connecting with local markets where the brand’s distinct style and vision naturally resonate.
Japan remains a dream market, reflecting Madeleine’s love for its simplicity and beauty. As ZAZA&LILI continues to grow, the goal remains the same: to stay soulful, authentic, and quietly captivating across borders.
A Vision for Meaningful Growth
In the next 5 to 10 years, Madeleine envisions ZAZA&LILI establishing its global presence while maintaining the intimate and soulful essence. She aspires for ZAZA&LILI to be part of a lifestyle movement rooted in balance, emotion, and care. Madeleine does not measure success by numbers—she measures it by the depth of connection she creates with the community, including her customers and all partners involved in the chain.
Redefining Success
For Madeleine, the definition of success has evolved significantly over the years. While it once meant freedom, she now views it as harmony—a balance between her work, personal life, and values. This alignment brings her a sense of peace and pride in what she creates.
Pearls of Wisdom
Madeleine advises women entrepreneurs, no matter what stage of life they’re in, to take the leap and start, even if uncertainty exists. She believes life experiences, wisdom, and resilience can serve as a strong foundation for building. By being open to learning, asking questions, and staying true to their passion, women can turn their ideas into reality. Madeleine emphasizes that their authenticity and heart are key to success, allowing entrepreneurs to navigate challenges and find their path.
