Farida Khelfa makes her catwalk return with Schiaparelli at Couture Week

Could this signal the French-Algerian model's comeback as the Parisian brand's ambassador?

Model and actress Farida Khelfa returns to the runway during the Schiaparelli Spring Summer 2019 show as part of Paris Fashion Week. Getty Images

Celebrated French-Algerian model Farida Khelfa has returned to the catwalk at Haute Couture Week, elegantly strutting her stuff in Schiaparelli's spring-summer 2019 show.

The 58-year-old was previously a brand ambassador for the Parisian label, but abruptly stepped down in 2017, saying she wanted to focus on personal artistic projects instead. Naturally, yesterday's (January 21) return to the runway has had the fashion world speculating whether the Paris star will again take the reins as Schiaparelli's go-to girl.

French-Algerian actress Farida Khelfa presents a creation by Schiaparelli during the 2019 Spring-Summer Haute Couture collection fashion show in Paris. AFP

Khelfa looked incredibly chic, wearing a dark A-line coat, large diamond brooch at the collar, a black boxy clutch and cowboy boots.

It was a stark contrast to the colourful, whimsical creations by design director Bertrand Guyon that were scattered with flowers and constellations, inspired by Elsa Schiaparelli's childhood memories.

See more Schiaparelli 2019 Spring-Summer looks in our gallery below:

ExpandAutoplay

Schiaparelli's 2019 Spring-Summer Haute Couture collection fashion show in Paris, on January 21, 2019. AFP

Khelfa in Paris

The model landed in the French capital a few days ago. She posted a selfie on Instagram with fellow models Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, writing "Paris Fashion Week is officially open".

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Farida khelfa (@faridakhelfa)

The trio were also snapped on 18 Rue de la Verrerie, where a plaque honouring the late Tunisian-born couturier and shoe designer Azzedine Alaia was inaugurated.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Farida khelfa (@faridakhelfa)

In a 2015 interview with The National, Khelfa talked about how important Elsa Schiaparelli was as a woman, and how significant the brand still is. "[Elsa] was ahead of her time," she said. "She was an intellectual, very smart and educated, and she had very strong ideas of what style was.

"It is such an important house, and we forgot how important she was."

Khelfa first became an ambassador for the brand back in 2012 when the house relaunched its couture line.

______________________

Read more:

Farida Khelfa on fashion, fame and freedom

How to own a piece of Catherine Deneuve's vintage YSL collection

The streetwear explosion: how the UAE is finding its own style

______________________