Dubai-based French-Lebanese model, Rayan Ricci dreamed of a world of cameras, lights and a lot of action as a tender lad. Being born at a suburb of Paris in France made the dream all the more powerful and overbearing. Right from then, he had his mind made up that he would have to move far afield to get closer to what burns inside me.
“I remember myself buying Vogue every month even when I didn’t have enough money. I would ask my mom to buy them for me even though she didn’t understand what for. But for me it was like dreaming, and from that I always knew that I would love to represent a brand, an ideology, a movement or something that preaches my own style or convictions.Ricci knew his time would come. In the meantime, he went to a public school in the north suburb of Paris till he was 16 then moved to a private business school in Paris where he studied Marketing where he bagged a Masters degree.
To lay in wait for the opportunity he felt would one day come for him to be what he had always dreamt about, an actor, he enrolled at Cours Florent, reputed to be the best acting school in Paris.
But when the opportunity would come, it didn’t come in a script written by anyone or by fate. It was a vista of opportunity that rode in on the wings of his activities on social media. It was a virtual opportunity that gave birth to actual reality.
“From the age of 20, I was noticed by many Internet users on Instagram for my photos around the world. It also aroused the interest of brands like L’Oreal, Four Seasons and Ron Dorff who offered to collaborate with me on social media (Instagram),” he said.
“I subsequently collaborated with many groups such as LVMH, Kering, as well as many hotel groups around the world, namely; Oberoï, Sonu Shivdasani, Cheval Blanc etc.
“In 2020, shortly after the deconfinement caused by the Coronavirus, I signed with several agencies: namely; The Management (Canada), Nouvelle-Ere (France), POP (Switzerland), as well as BASE Models (United Kingdom).
“When I arrived in Dubai (UAE) I was contacted to be part of GQ Middle East magazine.
As well as Sorbet Magazine to represent Burberry, Prada, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Hermes and Dolce & Gabbana during the editorial of December 2020,” he said.
Rayan Ricci believes he owes so much to the city of Dubai that took him in wholeheartedly and set in on the path to greatness.
“Since I have been in Dubai, I have been so lucky to have been contacted for magazines, and I love this country for that. I am the first to try and talk about the new experiences or the new locations all around this city which I think upgraded very fast in such a good way. I have been on the cover of a digital magazine called Boys Magazine. A magazine representing good looking boys, which allowed me to be in contact with interesting agents and brands in Mexico,” he said.