QUARANTINE DIARIES with : MALIKA LOUBACK
Facetime photographed by Mathieu Puga. Words by Charlotte Coquelin.
Could you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hello World. My name is Malika Louback. I'm from Djibouti and I've been discovering this world for 25 years now. I'm a fulfilled woman, a materials science engineer, a model and a love provider since birth.
How long have you been modeling for?
I have been full-time modelling with IMG since September 2019. I came to France six years ago to study. I waited until I graduated to start this new adventure in the fashion world.
Where are you isolating and with who?
I am isolating in Paris with my roommate in a tiny but cosy apartment.
What is your number one way to pass the time during the quarantine?
My number one way to pass time during the quarantine is reading. I can even lose the notion of time when I’m into a book. Funny little story, a few years ago I was just reading to sleep. Books had more effect on me than a sleeping pill. Today and especially in this time, reading has helped me to free my mind and to nourish my soul.
Did you improve your cooking skills?
Of course! Who hasn't? I am now a master chef in Tiramisu. You only need a good coffee and a strong arm in my case because I don’t have an electric mixer.
Could you share with us your best recipe?
The first step is to mix 3 egg yolks, vanilla sugar and 250g of mascarpone. Afterwards, whisk the egg whites and gently incorporate them into the previously prepared mixture. The last step is to build up the structure of the tiramisu by alternating layers of Ladyfinger biscuits soaked in coffee and cream. My little trick is to put the tiramisu in the freezer for just 5min to create a direct thermal shock and then put it in the fridge for 4h minimum.
What do you do to stay sane?
Who says I want to stay sane? I think it's important to keep our little part of craziness. Especially if it makes us feel good and doesn't hurt anyone. For example, I used to turn on music and dance insanely and spin around for several minutes in the middle of my living room for no reason. Some people won't understand why, but the good feeling it provided me was unique.
Otherwise, next to that I do a bit of everything, home work out, meditation, yoga, watering my plants, laugh (more than just a little bit). It is not that stressful for me, or hard because I really love spending time on my own. That’s how I keep my peace of mind.
Have you done any new form of isolation shoots?
I have done one Facetime shooting.
What is the first place you want to visit once the world opens back up?
I had planned before the Covid-19 situation to travel to Cape Verde in April but this situation made me think a lot about air travelling. I think we should find less polluting alternatives. Even if I can’t wait for the world to open back up and I still want to go there, I hope that scientists, airlines and government leaders are actively working on this issue.
Do you think the world will ever be the same?
I don’t think we can ever go back to normal. As a person I believe I am growing from experiences and this one is definitively teaching me some valuable lessons. I think that we will value human relationship differently. Being far, physically, from people you love sharing time with, makes you want to make to most of each moment.
Moreover, I hope that after more than two months lockdown people will have understood that we must cultivate our happiness from within and be satisfied with what we have, instead of focusing on what the neighbour has or has done.
Could you recommend your top 3 books?
My top 3 books for a quarantine are:
“The Four agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz.
“The Fifth agreement” by Don Miguel Ruiz and his son Don Jose Ruiz.
“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.
Top 3 movies?
My top 3 movies are:
“7 pounds” with Will Smith.
“Captain Fantastic” with Viggo Mortensen.
“Ye Ying - Le Promeneur d’oiseau” a French/Chinese movie about a granddaughter/grandfather relationship.
Malika appears courtesy of IMG Paris.