Louis Vuitton artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière welcomed model Loli Bahia into the spotlight of his Fall/Winter 2020/21 show. Today Bahia has more than 235 shows to her credit, numerous magazine covers and editorials anchoring countless luxury campaigns.

In the Vogue France [IG] December issue cover story ‘La Renaissance du Chic’, the emphasis is a blend of sophistication, elegance and simplicity. A feeling of modernity mixed with classicism. It’s both an attitude and a natural way of being. It’s simply Parisian.

The iconic photographers Mert Alas [IG] & Marcus Piggott [IG] alongside top stylist Alastair McKimm, photograph the multicultural beauty, a young woman of her time and already a top-flight fashion model. Claire Thomson-Jonville takes the credit for editorial content./ Hair by Paul Hanlon; makeup by Thomas De Kluyver

‘A Beloved Diamond in the Rough’

Vogue France’s Alexandre Marain affectionately calls the girl from Lyon ‘a diamond in the rough’ — actually a possessive ‘our’ diamond.

Bahia is cherished by French luxury fashion and beyond as ‘their young woman’, a living embodiment of a global, cherished, multicultural French aesthetic with a complex history — one this young woman embraces fully. Bahia is also an accomplished trombone player with a love of jazz and drums; as well as an emeritus athlete in volleyball, a sport she almost made her profession.

For perspective, Loli Bahia has clocked 36 pages on Models.com since March 2020, according to AOC’s count. That puts her in the top 10% of new models with certainty, and probably the top 3- 5%. The rising star also has an enticing role in cinema, playing the younger self Jeanne du Barry de Maïwenn.

Loli Bahia also sees herself as an action film hero who does her own stunts. Note, she does not see herself as the Bond Girl. No — her focus is being James Bond, the center of the action, or an enemy of Bond.

Her favorite sports icon is Stephen Curry. On the music side, she’s in love with Quincy Jones, Marvin Gaye and — more than anyone else in the world — Michael Jacison.