Local lass a global sensation

INTERNATIONAL model Gabriella Demetriades is one of the world's most recognisable faces after gracing the covers of magazines in South Africa and worldwide.

A little more than three years ago Demetriades was an ordinary girl from Parsons Hill in Nelson Mandela Bay but her life was turned upside down when she was spotted in a crowd and went on to compete in Miss Indian Premier League (IPL) Bollywood in 2009.

Beyond her striking good looks lies an astute businesswoman with a marketing and communications degree, a clothing line recently launched in South Africa and a budding Bollywood acting career.

The clothing line, called Demi, is a higher end clothing line, with the more affordable Dill clothing line to be launched soon.

Demetriades, who is of Greek parentage, said she sees her meteoric rise to fame and her booming modeling career as just "another career and every job I go on is seen as part of a business I'm running".

Demetriades took time to have a chat over coffee with La Femme at the Friendly Stranger about her modelling career and her business ventures before jetting off back to India where she now lives.

I love my career because ... I get to travel and I have the freedom to explore other interests.

I have a soft spot for ... bacon.

I should have studied ... psychology.

I'd love to party with ... Winston Churchill.

I'm listening to ... The XX.

When I was 16, I wish I knew ... How important family is.

I'll know I've made it when ... I'm on holiday for six months of the year.

The people who taught me the most are ... my parents.

My music weakness is ... alternative country.

Nothing makes me happier than ... a good conversation.

I absolutely hate ... small mindedness.

I am saving to buy ... a pair of Isabel Marant slouch boots.

I share my life with ... those I love.

I can't go a day without ... my boyfriend.

In 10 years I see myself ... as an improved version of myself.