Hanaa Ben Abdesslem - Proust Questionaire

As one of the fastest rising stars in the business Hanaa Ben Abdesslem is certainly having a moment. The Tunisian stunner is the newly minted face of Lancome, a favorite of Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci and is quickly racking up editorial milage in choice publications like V and Vogue Paris. Though her classic beauty has struck a chord with industry insiders, Hanaa remains refreshingly down to earth. MDC caught up with Ms. Abdesslem to talk style, working with Carine and why she's passionate about introducing the world to Tunisian talent. MDC: What has been a career highlight for you so far? Hanaa: When I started modeling my first experience was with Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy, I had an exclusive and that was my first big runway show. MDC: How were you discovered? Hanaa: It is a bit of a long story. I dreamt of being a model when I was young, but so many have that dream and only a few are able to make it a reality. By chance I met a business woman named Sophie and she connected me to IMG. That led to my first photo shoot for Vogue Paris and starting to do runway shows. MDC: Are there any misconceptions or difficulties you've had to deal with being an Arab model? Hanaa: There are misconceptions, yes both at home and abroad but the good outweighs the bad. Where I'm from there really isn't a big fashion industry the way there are in other places. It was always my dream to work in that business and now that I've succeeded I hope to become an example for others. MDC: You're s