Azza Slimene Is The Harper’s Bazaar Arabia January 2026 Issue Cover Star

Five years since her last appearance on the cover, Azza Slimene returns to Bazaar. In a candid conversation, the model and actress speaks to ambition, change & momentum – the woman Azzedine Alaïa once called his prodigy, still on an upward path

In March 2021, I interviewed a young, fresh-faced and enthusiastic Azza Slimene for this very magazine. She was just three years into a top-flight modelling career and beginning to find her feet as an actress. She was fun and excitable, showing complete professionalism on set for her first Harper’s Bazaar Arabia cover – a scene of colour and grandeur, which involved impeccable timing and effort to manoeuvre a tremendous prop: a giant hot air balloon. She took every direction in her stride for what would become an iconic cover – The Good News Issue. Followed now by this one with Tiffany&Co, it’s a shoot every bit as optimistic. Testament, perhaps, to Azza’s outlook.

“When I read that interview today, I feel a lot of love and respect for the woman I was,” says Azza of her last Bazaar cover story. “She was passionate, full of hope, excited about everything, and very hungry for life – and honestly, I still am.” Yet there’s a marked change. “I approached life with urgency back then, but today, I feel more mature, more grounded, and more at peace with my own rhythm,” explains the Tunisian model, before sharing the advice she would give her younger self. “I would tell her to breathe more, be gentler with yourself, trust the process – not everything needs to happen immediately,” she says thoughtfully. “Sometimes God closes doors to protect us, and in order to open bigger, better ones for us instead. Believe that what’s meant for you will always find you in its own time.”

These words come from the experience of someone whose journey has had its fair share of twists and turns. While Azza was set on becoming a model from an early age, it wasn’t a career choice that those closest to her encouraged. Still, she perfected her catwalk strut during school sports lessons and attended clandestine modelling jobs while studying for a degree in Business. The disapproval from her parents and peers – who worried how this ‘bad profession’ would be perceived within the Arab community – was something that Azza, who is one of eight daughters, navigated throughout her late teens. A chance encounter with legendary Tunisian designer Azzedine Alaïa – and his decision to mentor the then-20-year-old model – helped thaw her parents’ negativity towards her chosen career.

Azzedine instructed Next Models to sign Azza immediately after that first meeting in 2017, and within weeks she was in Paris, staying at his home and atelier – her destiny to be the muse for his next collection and walk in his next show. He described her as his ‘prodigy’ and a ‘belle plante’ (gorgeous specimen) – the only other model he’d mentored in this way being Naomi Campbell. Tragically, the partnership between Azzedine and Azza would be a much briefer one. The celebrated couturier passed away shortly after she arrived in Paris – while she was back in Tunisia collecting more of her belongings to take back to his home.

Azza was heartbroken, but is forever grateful that one of Azzedine’s final acts was to jumpstart her modelling career. Just a year after his passing, she was walking for Chanel at Paris Fashion Week. Fast forward to 2026, and Azza has partnered with international brands including Prada, Miu Miu, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Fendi and Samsung. She’s starred in countless Arab-speaking roles in films and TV dramas and she has doubled down on her work as a human rights and climate activist.

It’s been a busy few years, and Azza is frank about the pressure she put herself under to achieve this success. But now, she’s keen to slow down. “Of course I’m still ambitious, I still dream very big, but now I walk instead of run. In the past, I felt that I was running after life. Today I feel like I’m finally walking with it – and I’m happy,” she explains.

Azza explains that she is being more considered about the projects she takes on, keen to experience new ventures such as hosting 2025’s Joy Awards in Riyadh – an international event recognising excellence in music, film, and television. “That was a very major step for me. It was my first time hosting such a big event,” she remembers. “Standing on that stage made me realise how much I had grown, not just professionally, but in confidence and presence. It made me emotional to realise how far I’ve come.”

And when it comes to modelling, Azza admits that she’s grown more comfortable with that aspect of her career than she was when we last spoke. “My relationship with modelling is finally healthy. I don’t overthink it the way I used to and I’m not so hard on myself – I’m enjoying the process now,” she says, sharing that she has used “essential wellness and fitness practices” such as mat Pilates and meditation to deal with the anxiety that she might feel. “It feels very different for me today, I’m much more confident and comfortable in my skin. I understand my body, my energy and what I want to express in front of the camera.”

While she started out as a model, Azza describes acting as “the central focus” of her career these days, and is currently filming the Ramadan series Al Khotifa in Tunis. Although she doesn’t give away much about her character or the storyline, she describes it as: “a new challenge – it’s very different from anything I’ve done in the past. It’s pushing me out of my comfort zone.”

Once filming finishes on Al Khotifa, she’ll prep for another first: “I’ll start filming a horror movie. OMG!” she laughs. “It’s something I’ve been waiting for years to do. I truly love psychological horror films and finally having the opportunity to act in this genre feels very special to me – I really believe it’s going to be a major change in my journey as an actress.” I ask if there are any genres she’s not so keen on? “I hate romantic movies – sorry not sorry,” she laughs. “I’m drawn to emotionally rich stories, especially psychological films and series.”

And while she points to Cate Blanchett as an actor who inspires her, she’s quick to add: “The women who inspire me most are those who survive the hardest realities – war, hunger, displacement – and still stand up for themselves and their families,” she says passionately. “No matter how hard life becomes, they carry their pain, fear and hope all at once – and still move forward with strength.” Azza takes a breath before adding: “They break my heart but also their courage and determination inspires me, and reminds me every day what real power truly looks like.”

It’s a natural segue into discussing Azza’s commitment to philanthropy and her work as a human rights activist. “I care deeply about using my voice for things that matter: environmental protection and human rights – especially women’s rights – are causes I’m personally committed to,” she explains. As an ambassador for No More Plastic, she promotes the organisation’s call to ban all single-use plastic in an attempt to overturn the likelihood that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. Azza is also an ambassador for the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and a Goodwill Ambassador for Women’s Empowerment and Social Justice with the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC). She has been especially vocal about women’s rights in Iran, and also the atrocities in Gaza – her Instagram grid posts calling for the horror to end and shows that her solidarity with Palestinians started well before 7th October 2023.

Azza’s diary for 2026 seems to be overflowing, but she has other goals she’s keen to squeeze in. Alongside spending more time with family and learning another new language – she’s already learning Spanish and speaks Arabic, French and English – there’s this pull from international cinema. “One of my main goals is to spend a few months in Los Angeles for intensive acting training to challenge myself and learn new techniques,” she says. I push her to think bigger, and mention the Japanese ritual ‘Misogi’ which encourages setting near-impossible challenges, and valuing the journey rather than the end result. “Then my challenge this year would be to fully step into international cinema in a serious way, not just one project but committing myself completely to working across different countries, languages and cultures within the same year,” she shares honestly. “Yes, I know it’s ambitious and scary, and there are many things outside my control – which is exactly why it feels like true Misogi, because no matter how close I get, the growth that comes from trying will already be a victory.”

More long-term, Azza has hopes of “building a beautiful, happy family” and a life that feels balanced in its creativity and calmness. “Success matters to me, but so does peace,” she says. “Ideally the two can coexist.” If anyone’s determination and positive outlook can make them work in unison, our money is on Azza Slimene.

Lead Image Credit: Wings Earrings in Platinum with Diamonds; Bird Pendant in Platinum and Gold with Diamonds, POA, both Bird on a Rock by Tiffany&Co. Jacket; Trousers; Boots, POA, all Schiaparelli. Top, Stylist’s Own. Headpiece, POA, Loro Piana

Photography: Álvaro Gracia. Styling: Enol Blasco. Art Director: Paul Solomons. Hair: Sofien Semmache. Make-Up: Raffaelle Romagnoli. Nails: Nafissa Djabi at B Agency. Executive Producer: Steff Hawker. Casting Director: Jean-Marc Mondelet. Talent Management: HuManagement. Styling Assistant: Julieta Moreira. Photographer’s Assistants: Simone Friuli & Matei Focseneanu

From the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia January 2026 issue