Farida Khelfa

Farida Khelfa
Khelfa in 2019
Born23 May 1960 (1960-05-23) (age 64)
Lyon
Occupation(s)documentary filmmaker, model
Spouse
​
(m. 2012)​
ChildrenIsmaël Seydoux
Omer Seydoux
RelativesLéa Seydoux (stepdaughter)

Farida Khelfa (born 23 May 1960) is a French documentary filmmaker and former model.

Early life

Khelfa, one of eight children, was born in Lyon to Algerian immigrants.[1] She ran away from her strict Muslim family at the age of 15, joining her sister in Paris.[2] There she befriended Christian Louboutin, who gave her a place to stay.[3]

Career

While working at a nightclub, Khelfa was discovered by photographer Jean-Paul Goude. Goude was the first to use Khelfa as a model and later introduced her to designer Azzedine Alaïa.[3]

In 2013 Khelfa was appointed as the brand ambassador for Schiaparelli.[4] Khelfa parted with the brand in 2017 stating that she needed time to focus on her own projects including filmmaking.[5] However Khelfa continued to work with the brand, notably appearing on the Schiaparelli spring/summer 2020 Haute Couture runway in 2019.[6]

Personal life

Khelfa and Carla Bruni Sarkozy in 2019

At 20 Khelfa was involved romantically with photographer Jean-Paul Goude.[3]

Khelfa married Henri Seydoux in 2012. The couple had been together since 1989 and already had two sons, Ismaël Seydoux and Omer Seydoux, at the time of their marriage.[7] Through her marriage Khelfa is the step-mother of stylist Camille Seydoux and actress Léa Seydoux, her husband's children from his first marriage to Valérie Schlumberger.

Khelfa is a friend of former model Carla Bruni and was a witness at her 2008 wedding to French president Nicolas Sarkozy.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Farida Khelfa". Madame Figaro (in French). Archived from the original on 7 January 2022.
  2. ^ Walker, Harriet. "Farida Khelfa: The teen runaway who swapped Islam for Schiaparelli". The Times. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Ghanem, Khaoula (3 January 2017). "Five Things You Probably Didn't Know About Farida Khelfa". Vogue Arabia. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  4. ^ Volandes, Stellene (18 November 2013). "Madame Ambassador". Town & Country. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  5. ^ Glendinning, Maddison. "Farida Khelfa Is Parting Ways With Schiaparelli". Harper's Bazaar Arabia. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  6. ^ Midwood, Milli. "After Abruptly Leaving Two Years Ago, Has Farida Khelfa Been Reappointed As Brand Ambassador For Schiaparelli?". Harper's Bazaar Arabia. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Farida Khelfa : Retour sur un magnifique mariage aux côtés de Carla Bruni". Purepeople (in French). Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  8. ^ Sciolino, Elaine (3 February 2008). "French Leader and Ex-Model Wed in Quiet Ceremony". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 May 2019.