Known for her sharp cheekbones, noteworthy pout, and glossy mane, Bianca Balti is a modern day beauty icon. And while we’re more familiar with Balti for fronting major fashion and beauty campaigns for brands like Dolce & Gabbana and L’Oréal Paris, perhaps her visit to Dubai last year to celebrate the opening of the Vogue Café served as inspiration for the image she posted today on Instagram(above). A powerful self-portrait of her dressed in an Arab-style headscarf, with a tag line that simply reads, “Have a nice day,” this image amassed thousands of likes within minutes of posting.
Balti’s only identifiable feature on show is her set of pewter-rimmed, piercing blue eyes, which stare straight and unapologetically into the lens. The photograph, no matter how you interpret it, is a symbol of female power and whether she is on a Middle Eastern inspired fashion shoot or is simply making her own statement about the global perception of beauty, there’s no denying that this is a striking move.
