In this sizzling issue, Grazia’s International Beauty Editor – Kaniz Ali interviews and glams up film maker and international model Mariah Idrissi. Mariah opens up to Kaniz speaking about work, life-balance.
CEO: Zahraa Saifullah
Managing Editor: Nashmia Amir Butt
Creatively Directed by Kaniz Ali
Photography: Danny Singh
Hair / Make Up / Styling: Kaniz Ali
Wardrobe: Raishma
Assisted by Iman Chana
Location: Colonel Saab, London
Kaniz: Talk to us about your background
Mariah: I was born and raised in London but originally of mixed Pakistani and Moroccan descent. I went to university and spent my first year studying Advertising and Marketing but switched to English and History. I love film and always wanted to write and produce stories from our narratives authentically.
Kaniz: What inspired you to head into modelling ? How did you first get noticed ?
Mariah: I never planned to become a model, I was scouted for a H&M campaign in Westfields shopping mall and it took off from there. My background has always been in the creative space so fashion was a new adventure for me!
Kaniz: What inspired you to head into the world of filming / media ?
Mariah: I love storytelling and wanted to see more of our stories being told. Before working in fashion, I was focused on writing feature films. However, being exposed to different opportunities over the years and creating content for brands, I’ve been inspired to tell our stories through many different ways.
Kaniz: What aspect of film making do you enjoy the most ?
Mariah: I love the development stage, creating something from nothing. I’m full of ideas and enjoy researching all sorts of random things which is really handy when developing stories. I believe our personalities should match what we do to achieve exceptional results. Of course, there’s situations where we must adapt to working in areas we may not enjoy as much. That’s great for learning new skills and challenging ourselves but when you know your talents and can attach that to your work, it allows things to flourish effortlessly.
Kaniz: Could you tell me your greatest strengths and weaknesses as an actor ?
Mariah: I’d say my initiative and ability to improvise is a great positive on set. Although my memory isn’t terrible, I think if I could improve on that, it would be really helpful in learning lines!
Kaniz: What role do you think you play the best ?
I think for many actors, playing a role that is most authentic to yourself comes across on screen best. However, part of the fun in being an actor for me is playing characters out of your comfort zone. I’d love to play a character set in a historic period!
Kaniz: What have been your favourite moments as a model ?
Mariah: I love shooting for magazines because it’s often more than just a shoot as
there’s a written piece attached to it and is something I’m proud to share.
Kaniz: What has been your most challenging moments to date ?
Mariah: I think the first year of my career as a model was most challenging as many brands had no idea how to work with a hijabi. I was doing more consultancy and speaking engagements than I was actually modelling. I felt I was doing more talking about fashion than working as a paid model – even though that was what I was initially recognised for!
Kaniz: Did you face any challenges as a hijabi model and if yes how did you tackle them ?
Mariah: There have been many challenges, some directly attached to me being a hijabi model and some simply because I went from being employed to self-employed almost overnight. Many brands felt they only needed a hijabi (and many still do) when it’s a Ramadan or Eid campaign. A huge chunk of my career has been working behind the scenes which isn’t always publicised to change certain ideologies around Muslims and specifically women in hijab. I learnt to trust in God far more from having a salary to being my own boss. I also learnt being adaptable is one of the most important things in your career. The world is constantly changing and evolving and if you don’t flow with certain changes, the world will keep moving forward with or without you. The one thing that has kept me grounded is my faith. That allows me to determine what I can flow with and what I must stick with.
Kaniz: How do you maintain your physical and emotional health while working on demanding projects ?
Mariah: I try to ensure I have at least one day in the week that I don’t work and focus on my personal life like working out, doing any errands, seeing friends etc. I make sure I go to the gym regularly and I also pray 5 times a day which I believe maintains a healthy balance regardless of what’s happening in my life.
Kaniz: Name your favourite memorable moments in your career ?
Mariah: I loved doing a cover shoot for Emirates Magazine and of course – shooting for Grazia Pakistan has been incredible! I also loved doing a US university speaking tour across 5 states.
Kaniz: How do you handle criticism in the industry ?
Mariah: Generally speaking I ignore it unless it’s something that I believe has some truth in it, then I actually consider the criticism and think about how I can improve. No one is perfect so sometimes we may say or do things that we don’t see in another perspective and it can change our views.
Kaniz: What do you like doing in your spare time ?
Mariah: I love travelling, reading, walks in nature and binging on a good series!
Kaniz: What is the best advice you would give to someone starting new in the world of modelling ?
Mariah: I’d say to set strong boundaries around what you feel comfortable doing as models differ on what they’re happy to do and not do. Depending on the individual’s personal values, it would be advice based on that.
Kaniz: You have worked on aid work projects on the ground, tell us more ?
Mariah: I’ve worked with charities for over 10 years both in office and on the ground prior to becoming a model. As my platform grew, I wanted to use it as a space to promote more than fashion and lifestyle but to also raise awareness and money for causes that were important to me. The first aid trip I went on was with Islamic Relief to Niger. The project was around FGM and working to protect women and girls. It was an incredible experience and also inspired me to want to create more in depth campaign videos and short documentaries for charities to share their stories with the world.
Kaniz: What are your plans for the next 5 years ?
Mariah: I have loads of plans that I pray Allah protects and achieves for me but I’ll share that I’m launching a media company that bridges brands to films very soon Insha’Allah!
Kaniz: How do you switch off and relax ?
Mariah: I actually find cleaning therapeutic so I usually get into a cleaning mode, grab some snacks and watch a film or a nerdy YouTube video. I also relax reading the Qur’an and always find there’s a message that feels so on point in that moment which helps bring peace and stillness.
