Supermodel Kenza Fourati: "I Come From A Family Of Women, Women Are Very Powerful!"

Interview & Intro by: Cacy Forgenie

This week, a ray of sunshine walked into our offices in the shape of Kenza Fourati, the first Arab model to pose for Sports Illustrated.

Discovered in Tunisia in 2002, Kenza placed third in the Elite Model Look Competition after being encouraged to enter by a friend of her family, and has since posed for the likes of Vogue and Marie Claire.

Politically conscious, smart and beautiful, Kenza exuded a sophistication, charm and inquisitiveness that rivaled many of the great beauties we've interviewed here over the years.

And why not?  She's educated, she's politically aware, she likes to dance, she has great style and is breaking ground.

We spoke to her for nearly an hour over espresso and green tea while it poured sheets of  gray outside in New York. She wore a black top with a matching wide brim black hat, a pleated, pale blue, full length skirt by Maje, a beautiful silver and turquoise ring purchased from a little shop in Paris, and an intricate silver ring from Ethiopia, a gift from her sister.  The Hand of Fatima, a khomsa, was worn as protection around her neck. We were 43 stories above midtown  and our conversation was far from dry. Here's some of what we discussed.

How does being a Muslim woman from Tunisia work with being a model?

I get this question a lot, but I don’t see it as being exclusive. Of course, the culture is a little bit conservative, but it's not a problem either. Also, I think Tunisia has a specific place in the Arab world and in Africa because it is a tiny Muslim country; but it's very open minded. It’s the first country to start the Arab Spring for example.