BONA FIDE SUPER WOMAN

Our Cover Star for the 21st Iconic Edition is No Less Than Iconic Herself, Being a Mogul at Everything She Chooses to be Rima Nails Every Task With Ease!

- MUKUND SHARMA

From winning the beauty pageant of Miss Universe USA 2010 to being a philanthropist, our star for L'Officiel April 21st Anniversary Edition is not less than any superhuman. She is none other than, Rima Fakih Slaiby. She was the first American Arab women to win the Miss Universe USA pageant. Not only strong, but she flaunts her dainty looks like nothing else. See for yourself what this bold and bodacious personality has to say about her life stories.

How do you manage being both a model and philanthropist at the same time?

I was blessed with the opportunity to work in philanthropy and modelling from day one when I started my journey. Now being a wife and a mother, I feel it's important to lead with example. I try to focus on the I important things that matter to me, my family and the world we live in. Today being the woman I am, I hope to bring awareness to all the young females looking up to me. You never need to limit yourself and you can break barriers anywhere you see fit.

Can you describe what your upbringing was like, especially having to immigrate from Lebanon to the U.S.?

My upbringing was hard and I didn't have the safety a child would feel because of the war in Lebanon. After immigrating to the USA, I didn't feel the stability a kid should feel because of not knowing if our family can make ends meet. We were 5 kids living in a small one-bedroom apartment in Queens, New York. However, I had love from my parents and my siblings and that was more than enough for me to believe I can reach for the stars if I wanted to. I was grateful for anything I was blessed with and never complained if it wasn't enough because I knew how hard my parents worked to get me to safety and to a better future. Today, I know the meaning of my life and the value of my husband's hard work and love and dedication because of my upbringing.