Modesty meets Luxury

Sydney, today you’re a successful model, whom luxury brands such as Cartier, Chanel, Mercedes-Benz, and Loro Piana are eager to work with. Do you remember the first photoshoot that changed your perception of the profession? What moment would you call a turning point in your career ,when you realized you had become an international model? 

 My first photoshoot that changed my perception on my career is when I shot with Sephora in NYC. I was able to then bring my parents to the stores and show them the work that I have done. In that moment I realized my dreams were my reality and people across the globe were recognizing me.

Your style is instantly recognizable, elegant, serene, and timelessly classic. How did you shape it, and what does “professional elegance” mean to you? How has working across different countries like the USA, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia influenced your understanding of beauty and fashion? 

First of all, thank you so much. I’ve shaped my style over the years by being true to myself and always wearing what I feel the most comfortable in, then styling with accessories that bring out my personality. Professional elegance to me means being modest and classy at the same time. If you can show little skin and still be sexy, you have professional elegance. Working across different countries has influenced my understanding of beauty & fashion by acknowledging at the end of the day we are all children of God first. True beauty comes from within. Treating all individuals the same with respect & love. This is true beauty, & once you have this, everything else follows.

You became part of Saudi Arabia’s first modeling agency, Clay. What did this experience teach you about culture, communication, and female empowerment? What changes have you observed in the modeling industry in recent years ,especially in the Middle East?

 My experience becoming a part of Saudi’s first modeling agency has taught me how to work with others in the fashion industry from this region. Spanning from learning to speak Arabic, the appreciation of modest fashion, & experiencing being empowered, being the first women to set foot and shoot for Cartier in Riyadh’s Tuwaiq Palace. I’ve observed a tremendous change in the modeling industry in the recent years in the Middle East. From clients' communication skills, wonderful studios being built, international brands feeling more comfortable working in the Middle East, & more talented agents coming to manage models in the Middle East.

Back in 2018, you founded SkinBySyd, a skincare brand offering vegan, cruelty-free, fragrance- and paraben-free products — and became a successful entrepreneur. What new business ventures of yours should we definitely know about? 

A new business venture you should definitely be looking out for is my debut into the fashion space not as just a model but as a creator. This position has landed me as an investor into the fashion industry & I can’t wait to share more soon