There is something soothing about Laylla: a calm presence, an honest feel to her, an eloquence earned from her studies in law school. We chatted about Nina Simone, Nawal El Saadawi, chocolate, and her thirst for knowledge...

Let us introduce to you a Tiger with strong convictions! 

Laylla is wearing the Natural and vegan matte liquid lipstick RED 888

Tell us about yourself! 

My name is Laylla and I am a law student. On the side, I work as a model.

For the record, I was spotted by a photographer on the street. I weighed 20 kilos more at that time, and the photographer said to me "You're actually hiding something behind those wide, baggy clothes, you've got great potential". It was a motivation to lose weight, and I lost 20 kilos. I started modeling about a year to a year and a half ago. So here I am, Laylla, with this curly hair... and proud of my curly hair! That's my story.

Do you feel like you're a queen of the jungle?

I love that idea! There are many moments when I feel that way. First, it would be when I plead for my studies,  because I love being a lawyer. When I am pleading, I feel like I am in an arena, and this is where I bare my claws. I am set for attack, ready to topple the opposing party! [Laughs] I also feel like a queen in front of a lens when I am being photographed. I show my personality, my character, who I am: I'm a Tiger!

And finally, at the gym. When I'm working out, I can unleash, I give it my all, and that's how I train to become a future Tiger!

What makes you bare your claws?

It would be injustice, greed, people who absolutely want to monopolize power, people who demean others. That's what would make me bare my claws.

What about when you come cross other queens of the jungle...?

I would say I get rather competitive—in the modeling industry at least, because there is so much competition! But in the end, there is more often a cohesion, a support that's created. I think that we as women are very paradoxical. We can be both united and rivals at the same time. But together we are so strong!

Are there women who inspire you, that you consider ultimate Tigers?

I have two. I think of an Egyptian feminist, Nawal El Saadawi, who is a doctor in Egypt and the voice of Egyptian women; she fights against the taboos of the Arab world. The other would be Nina Simone, the famous singer who rocked my childhood and helped me grow and discover who I was.

Do natural and vegan cosmetics strike a chord with you?

I think that in this society where everything is excessive, all these new emerging movements are very important. There is a tendency to make a lot of things commonplace, and people should be able to encourage us to change our habits, get us to pay attention to everything we consume. We are part of a mass industry, we manufacture everything in mass, and the result is that our world is gradually being destroyed.

What makes you so happy you want to roar?

I have a big sweet tooth, so chocolate comes to my mind right away! But what really makes me happy is to learn something new. I love to think, to observe things, to discover new things, like, for example, new languages...

What does lipstick mean to you?

To tell you the truth, I do not wear it very often. I think it brightens up a face, and it also shows a woman's character, it gives her more confidence. Like anything that gives us confidence, it can be used as a weapon, a weapon to defend ourselves and bare our claws if necessary.

Do you have a favorite lipstick color?

I love the burgundy lipstick. It is such a pretty hue, which sways between red and much darker tones, like the purple one. The burgundy lipstick is more simple, but with a certain kick to it. I really like this color.

Thanks Laylla ! 

[Photo JB Jaud ]