Printable Biography of Yasmeen Ghauri

At the age of 17, she was discovered by Montreal hairdresser Joseph Del Tortoon. At the time, she was working in a McDonald's, and was described as a rebel who dressed completely in black, from head to toe.

Her father, a strict Muslim, and her German mother were vehemently opposed to her pursuit of a modeling career, believing the business was unsanitary and evil. Yasmeen had a troublesome childhood, and was constantly tormented by her classmates while in school. She began to withdraw from those her age, preferring to associate with older children in her neighborhood. This resulted in Yasmeen growing up very quickly, and reaching a level of maturity beyond those her own age.

She got past these obstacles, and made her first step towards a modeling career by signing with a Montreal modeling agency. In 1990, Yasmeen moved to New York, where she began modeling for Versace. Her natural beauty and remarkable ability to look good in a variety of styles and designs quickly got her noticed in the fashion industry.

Soon, Yasmeen was modeling for Isaac Mizrahi, Chanel and Givenchy. At 5'10", her height garnered the honor of being the star in Donna Karan's Fall collection preview. Ghauri spent most of '94 and '95 on the runways of Milan, Paris and New York, not delving into print work until late '95. She has graced the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover on a number of occasions, as well as the covers of Shape, Marie Claire and Fashion Quarterly.

Her list of credentials includes appearances in advertisements for Anne Klein, Bruno Magli, Chanel, Christian Dior Haute couture, Escada, Etienne Aigner, Gianfranco Ferré, Gianni Versace Couture, Givenchy Organza perfume, Hermès, Jil Sander, Laura Biagiotti, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sonia Rykiel, Valentino and Victoria's Secret.

Yasmeen truly stands out in person, with her natural good looks, self-confidence and the way she gives off an impression of true female charm. This has made her extremely popular on the runways, and has led to work in several big shows, including Badgley Mischka, Christian Dior, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dries van Noten, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, Antonio Berardi and Dirk Bikkembergs.

She pulled out of a major runway show for Yves Saint-Laurent at the last minute in June of 1996, which led to rumors that she may retire. Yasmeen did in fact take time off to pursue a degree in business. Although Yasmeen ignored the words of her father earlier in her life, she does in fact share some of his philosophies. For example, although she is one of the top models in the world, she still shuns the spotlight, preferring a more humble approach to life. She enjoys golfing, painting, rollerblading and skiing.

Yasmeen is a person who truly enjoys life. She takes everything in stride, and does not get carried away with her own fame and fortune. She lives life for the moment, and her favorite expression is You can't take it with you. This joie-de-vivre is what keeps her going, and she makes sure she has fun in whatever she does.

Yasmeen married after giving birth to her daughter, Maya. Yasmeen spent most of her time raising and caring for her beautiful baby girl. Rumor has it that she will soon be making her return to the runway at some time this year. Although this may be speculation, we at AskMen.com -- along with her millions of fans around the world -- are keeping our fingers crossed.