Farida Khelfa

Khelfa, one of nine children, was born in Lyon, France in the working-class suburb of Vénissieux to strict Algerian immigrant parents. Her childhood was marked by severe trauma, including child abuse and incest. It was there that she befriended a young Christian Louboutin, who gave her a place to stay. Khelfa decided to become a model "without [too much] ambition except being free." She spent the next few years heavily involved in nightclub culture, where she would meet major figures of the fashion world. ==Career==

While dancing at Le Palace in 1979, Khelfa was discovered by designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Gaultier would cast her in his 1980 fashion show, launching her modeling career. In the following years, she would become the muse to many important figures in the fashion world, including Jean-Paul Goude, Azzedine Alaïa, and Thierry Mugler. Khelfa stepped down as brand ambassador in 2017, stating that she needed time to focus on her own projects, particularly filmmaking. Despite this, Khelfa has continued to work with the brand, notably appearing on the Schiaparelli spring/summer 2020 Haute Couture runway in 2019. Most recently (as of April 2026), she worked with them in December 2024 on a photoshoot for 7 Hollywood Magazine. In 2024, Khelfa wrote her first book, a memoir titled Une enfance française. ==Personal life==

in 2019 In 1982, Khelfa became romantically involved with 44-year-old photographer Jean-Paul Goude. She cites Goude as the one to introduce her to "so many things, like the Bauhaus, Stravinsky, the Russian ballets." Khelfa became the step-mother of stylist Camille Seydoux and actress Léa Seydoux, Seydoux's children from his first marriage to actress Valérie Schlumberger. Khelfa's mother died in August 2022. == Filmography ==

Acting credits Directing credits == Bibliography ==