Who is Nour Rizk? The Lebanese Model Paving Her Way To The Top
Forging her way forward in the international fashion scene, the Lebanese model is changing the way the world views Arab beauty
Affectionately dubbed by numerous poets, writers and historians as the ‘Paris of the Middle East’, Lebanon has (and continues) to establish itself as the original fashion hub in the region. With its leading creatives flourishing – despite the country’s ongoing challenges – its collective devotion to the fashion, design and art worlds has never wavered.
Leading the nation’s latest fashion wave with her tenacious personality and striking features is Nour Rizk, a Lebanese model who is fast becoming the aspirational face for Middle Eastern women across the globe.
Who is Nour Rizk? The Lebanese Model Paving Her Way To The Top
Hailing from this small country in the Levant, Nour believes that past personal and professional hardships are necessary to strengthen creativity. “I believe that art is a beautiful escape from reality, and the best artists have gone through pain to be able to bloom,” she says. It’s a sentiment that Nour, as a rising star in the international modelling world (which is a notoriously competitive industry) can probably empathise with.
But what is it exactly about the Lebanese people that they continue to have such a profound impact on fashion? “I think the mentality we grew up having there is a big part of it. We enjoy putting in the effort to look our best and live every day like it could be our last, and that made Lebanon a very open-minded place to be in,” she explains. That’s certainly a quintessentially Lebanese perspective. A life philosophy that’s based on the notion of resilience and rebirth, over and over again – no matter how many times it takes.
Perhaps that further explains Beirut’s burgeoning fashion scene which extends beyond its borders thanks to its world-class couturiers who are a source of pride to many, Nour Rizk included. “There are so many talented and world-renowned Lebanese designers like Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad, and Georges Hobeika – who I adore. But I also admire the designer Nicolas Jebran for many similar reasons as the rest but also because I particularly love how he incorporated his talents for stage performances,” she explains.
But despite her discernible Lebanese pride, it’s interesting to note that Nour was actually born in Geneva, and brought up between Lebanon, Qatar and, most recently, Dubai where she completed her high school education. “I’m beyond grateful that even though I’ve travelled a lot and been around different cultures my whole life, my family has always raised me in Arab countries. As the values and customs of the Arab world, which I adore, are a big part of who I am,” she shares.
Not one to shy away from adventure, Nour Rizk moved to London for work and found herself travelling to all corners of the world for shoots and shows.
“I like to call myself a nomad and my home is Earth, as I’m never in one place for long and so far I enjoy the physical instability and adventures that life has given me,” she admits.
Indeed, ever since her debut on the modelling scene when she was 18, it’s safe to say Nour’s been busy. She’s quickly curated quite an impressive portfolio and has graced the runway and campaigns of some of the most prestigious fashion houses in the industry, including Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Versace, Ralph Lauren, Giambattista Valli and Bulgari, to name a few. “I think a big part of how my career started, which was always my goal in this industry, is that I’m a Lebanese model representing our culture and beauty and bringing the diversity needed in the fashion world. I also am very passionate about what I do and bring my personality and work ethic on set” says Nour.
There have been many firsts for the model, but one career moment stands out as the most memorable for Nour Rizk.
“One major highlight of my career was when I did the Loewe perfume campaign in 2021. It was one of my first worldwide campaigns where people would send me pictures of the ad from different places around the globe. What made it extra special too, was that the male model in the picture with me was also Arab. We both felt very proud to represent.”
While it’s no secret that the fashion industry has faced significant criticism for falling short of being truly diverse and representative in the past, Nour’s experience is a very positive one in this regard. “I haven’t faced any sort of negative stereotypes as a young Arab woman in the model world, if anything, the teams I’ve worked with showed great admiration to the beauty of our region,” she says.
As a small girl with big dreams, Nour Rizk initially assumed modelling may not be on the cards for her.
“I’m sure every young girl looked up to the top models as beauty inspiration, but mostly because I never thought I fit into the beauty standards,” she explains. Nevertheless, fashion houses have kept their pledges to champion diversity and inclusivity, as a result shattering the stereotypes that would have otherwise hindered the paths of many aspiring young models from the region. “The fashion industry has evolved 100 per cent when it comes to diversity and inclusion. What is considered beautiful is very subjective, and now brands and creatives have the freedom of portraying their definition of beauty with no judgement nor narrowed views of the typical beauty standards,” she says.
Nour Rizk serves as the ideal mentor for many hopeful models from the Middle East who may question their looks, or even wonder if they have what it takes to pursue a similar career. The young model offers up some advice she learned from her early days in the business. “One piece of advice I did receive when I first started modelling that I believe is very important for establishing any career, is to always have a goal you want to work towards,” she shares. “Write down a list of brands or projects you want to be a part of and discuss it with your agents from the beginning so you are all on the same page and put in the work to achieve it. The most important factor throughout your journey is to stay grounded and aim to always stay true to yourself.”
Nour finally shares with us her hopes and aspirations for the future of fashion in the region, which has been experiencing a surge in creativity of late. “I do believe a lot of new talents will be created in our region and hope that they can grow to become big names as many already have. Especially the way fashion has evolved and is more recognised in the Middle East, this brings more opportunity to showcase creations in the Arab world and not feel like they have to leave and westernise their brand to reach a level of success,” she explains.
While on the topic of brands, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that Nour has her own aspirations for what her future will eventually look like in the industry. When we inquire about how she envisions a headline about herself in five years she responds, “Iconic Lebanese Model and Advocate Nour Rizk Hits The Runway Promoting The Launch Of Her New Brand.”
Photography: Greg Swales. Fashion Direction: Anna Castan. Editor In Chief: Olivia Phillips. Model: Nour Rizk At The Lions Talent Management. Hair: Eduardo Bravo. Make-up: Emily Mergaert. Senior Producer: Steff Hawker. Lighting Assistant: Juliet Lambert. Styling Assistant: Gabriela Cambero
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s November 2023 issue