During one of my latest trip to Paris, I met with Farida Khelfa at the Peninsula hotel in Paris. It was a lovely morning. We sat down, had a green tea and chatted. Farida is a strong woman sculpted by life and her multi-careers : guardian of the temple of the Parisian nights Les Bains Douches in the end of the 70s with her friend Christian Louboutin, muse for the photograph Jean Paul Goude and designer Jean Paul Gauthier, intimate with Azzedine Alaia, Ambassador for Couture House Elsa Schiaparelli, actor and documentary director. She illuminates the space by her prestance. She combines the beauty of Orient and the Parisian elegance. Impressive inside and out. Here is my interview.
Coud you tell us a little bit about your story?
I came to Paris to be free, I was raised by very strict parents. I became rapidly a model without to much of ambition except being free. I met Jean-Paul Gaultier and start to work with him. And then Jean Paul Goude and Azzedine Alaïa. I did movie as an actrice, I had my kids and start to work in Alaïa studio as a head chief. Then i worked with Jean Paul Gaultier at the couture studio. I went back to cinema and did my own documentaries : Jean-Paul Gaultier ou les codes bouleversés, Une Jeunesse Tunisienne, Campagne Intime, Louboutin. Then I did Schiaparelli and now I am back at my documentaries and do films as actrice too.
You have been an Ambassador for the parisian couture house Elsa Schiapparelli, what did you like the most when you were working for the fashion house?
The most exciting thing was to relaunch the Schiaparelli brand. We start the first collection with Christian Lacroix who did a beautiful hommage collection to Schiaparelli. Talking about how important Elsa Schiaparelli was in fashion. The important thing was to put Elsa in fashion today. I loved to work with the atelier. Watch the fitting being close to the designer it’s important too. I loved every step of the process. It was a very exciting moment. It is a successful maison de couture today and I am still very close to the House.
Born in France in the suburb of Lyon with Algerian origins, how was it to grow up in France with arab origin in the 70s and 80s ? Do you think it would have been different today?
I don’t think it was very different from today except you have more immigrants ascendant today. The racism at this time was much more present but didn’t impact me. Today it’s different you have a lot of people with my background everywhere in the media, sport, entertainment, cinema and music. When I was younger they were no one. But, when I became a model in the 80’s I still had an Algerian passport and it was not easy to travel with an arabic passport.
Does social discrimination exist in the fashion world?
I don’t think so since the 80’s with the "new designers" people from different backgrounds could work in the fashion business. You didn’t need to have "a particule name" to be accepted. Today, the model who work more are the one who are already known by their parents and they are coming from very wealthy family and have a lot of followers on Instagram. Fashion industry prefer models with millions of followers, it is the easier way to reach your customers.
You have been photographed by the most iconic photographers and in particular Helmut Newtown, what did you learn from him? Do you have a favorite photography?
It’s easy to understand why people like in yourself. Working with talented photographers helped a lot. I learn that what I considered as a physical defects were actually what people liked about me.
The emblematic couturier Azzedine Alaia passed away last november, you were his muse and closest friend, could you tell us your best memory with him?
Azzedine Alaïa is a huge loss for me and a lot of women and men who love his work. My best memories are all those great lunches or dinners at his house with all the Alaïa staff and the artists of the moment Jean-Michel Basquiat, Tina Turner, Arletty. The great thing was the mixed between people.
What did you learn from him throughout all these years spent together?
I learn that you should never give up! I was working with Mr Alaïa at his most difficult moments. He was working really hard and never gave up. And the success came back!
How become a mother have changed your life?
Becoming a mother changed every things in my life. In fact my sons have saved me, I don’t think I will be alive today without them. I have learnt from my children how to live.
You are an iconic arab model, a strong and brillant woman, a mother of 2 kids and a wife, what advice would you give to the new generation?
I’m definitely not good for advice but stay focus, work hard and have fun too. It’s important to enjoy what you do.
In 2017, you have been travelling quiet a lot in the Middle East, could you tell us what are your next projects over there?
It’s a project on women in the Middle East, a portrait of different women from the region. I really enjoyed doing this project because when you are facing the reality it’s always fascinating. In the western world, we have a lot of cliché about arabs women. So I want to hear them talk. And it’s very interesting.
What do you think about social media, how do you use instagram for exemple?
It’s fantastic to be able to communicate with so many people only through your smartphone whatever your background is. You can start your own business in sending videos from your kitchen and have millions of people following you. That’s a real social revolution.
How would you describe your style today?
Quite classic I like men suits tuxedo and beautiful dresses.
