Kenza Fourati

Kenza Fourati (Arabic: كنزة الفراتي) is a Tunisian model.

Early life

Fourati was born in Lille, France, but moved to Tunisia with her family when she was two months old. Her father is Kamel Fourati.^[3] She attended a French high school there and began modeling after graduation. Shortly thereafter, Fourati moved to Paris. Fourati graduated with degrees in Literature and Fine Arts from L'Universite de la Sorbonne in Paris. She also studied filmmaking and acting in London.^[4]

Career

In 2002, Fourati finished in third place in the Elite Model Look competition at the age of 15 and signed with Elite Model Management. She has appeared in numerous international magazines, such as Vogue Paris, Elle, Marie Claire, L'officiel Voyage, Grazia, and GQ, and has walked the runway for Armani, Valentino, Ferre, Jean Paul Gaultier, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Celine, and Tommy Hilfiger. Fourati appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2011. In an interview with Global Grind, Fourati said, “I grew up in a Muslim culture, but I can still be a swimsuit model too! Why should the two be exclusive? It is not…I am very supported back home.”^[5]

Post-revolution, Fourati has been an advocate for artistic expression in Tunisia: “We are at a point now in Tunisia where we are free. We should be able to portray art like this if we want to, as the extremists are allowed to express themselves, too. That is a debate that we want to create, but it must be a peaceful one.” As the first Arab Muslim model to be featured in the magazine, she raised debates in Tunisian society and abroad about what it means to be Muslim and about variety within the religion.^[6] In August 2011, during the 2011 month of Ramadhan, Fourati appeared in a bikini on the cover of Tunivisions, which created controversy.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, she appeared in the film Frankie alongside Diane Kruger. In October 2010, with Tunisian actor Dhaffer L'Abidine, Fourati co-hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the Carthage Film Festival.

Personal life

She resides in New York. As of 2011 she is dating rap/singer Ryan Leslie.^[7]

References