Hanaa Ben Abdesslem in Chopard
“He stole my heart, so I'm stealing his last name!” Hanaa Ben Abdesslem wrote on Instagram after her engagement to her steady partner Amerpal Lamba in March. And surely enough, the supermodel recently became Mrs. Lamba in a traditional Tunisian ceremony in her hometown, Nabuel.
The celebrations began with a henna ceremony, where family and close friends joined the couple. For the ritual, which took place at the famous Dar El Gaïed guest house, the bride wore a customary outfit, handed down from her mother.
For the evening’s festivities the next day at the La Badira Hotel, the bride looked stunning in an embellished golden off-the-shoulder wedding dress by Tunisian designer Ahmed Talfit. Holding a delicate bouquet, Ben Abdesslem also wore a matching long chiffon veil, which sparkled with sequins. The 28-year-old brunette paid homage to her roots again by wearing a time-honoured Dokhla, which was “made from real gold and handmade by local artisans for just over a year,” according to Vogue Arabia.
The model, who is known for her hard-to-pin down, edgy looks and graceful allure, has always been extremely proud of her origins. 'My country is rich in history and traditions,” she said in an interview 'It’s a culture that’s been influenced and shaped by a succession of civilizations that includes the Berbers, Phoenicians, Romans, Fatimid Arabs and Ottomans. I grew up surrounded by all these influences and I am proud to be a part of that culture.”
About Hanaa Ben Abdesslem
After studying engineering in Tunisia, Hanaa Ben Abdesslem decided to enter the challenging modelling world. She first began modelling in Lebanon, and after winning second prize on Mission Fashion 2, the Lebanese equivalent of reality show Project Runway, in 2007, she signed with the internationally renowned IMG modelling agency.
After her runway debut for Vivienne Westwood in 2011, a 22-year-old Ben Abdesslem started gracing the catwalks for some of world’s most prestigious maisons like Givenchy, Chanel, Hermès, Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier and Ralph & Russo. The lithe 180-centimetre beauty facilitated catapulting her career by cutting her hair into a short pixie bob, which helped show off her renowned sculpted cheekbones. Ben Abdesslem, who was a muse for Azzedine Alaïa for many years, has also worked with the most prominent photographers in the industry, featuring in French, Italian and German Vogue, Dazed and Confused, Intermission, V and Harper’s Bazaar to name a few.
However, one of Ben Abdesslem’s most defining moments was when she made waves in the Arab world in 2012 by becoming the first-ever Muslim ambassador for an international Lancôme campaign as the new face of the French cosmetics giant’s Teint Idole Ultra 24H foundation. Plus, the model who has been likened to actress Isabella Rossellini, a former face of Lancôme, was also the first Arab model to be featured in the Pirelli calendar. She is also known for aspiring to challenge misconceptions in her homeland and getting people to respect to the modelling profession.
