IN CONVERSATION WITH NICOLE SAHEBI
Nicole Sahebi is emerging as one of the defining faces of a new generation of digital tastemakers. Long before making her television debut on Netflix’s Calabasas Confidential, Nicole had already built a community of more than five million followers, signed with IMG Models, and established herself as a trusted voice in fashion and beauty through collaborations with some of the industry’s biggest names. While Calabasas Confidential introduces audiences to her life in front of the cameras, it also highlights the ambition, creativity and authenticity that have shaped her career from the start.
full look DOLCE & GABBANA
shoes LOUBOUTIN
earrings JENNY BIRD
You’ve become known for your effortless personal style. How would you describe your fashion philosophy?
My philosophy is really just to have fun with it. There is something so beautiful about being able to reinvent and express yourself every day through fashion. I love discovering unique or extravagant pieces and finding ways to weave them into my everyday wardrobe. Even when I am wearing something simple, I usually want one unexpected element that makes the look feel more personal. I have always believed that every day can be an occasion, so getting dressed is something I genuinely enjoy.
Was there a defining moment when you realized fashion would become a big part of your career?
It happened very naturally. I began creating content because I genuinely loved getting dressed, experimenting with makeup, and sharing the things that inspired me. As my audience grew, the opportunities grew with it.
Attending my first New York Fashion Week was a moment that really shifted my perspective. Through working with brands such as Valentino Beauty, Burberry Beauty, YSL Beauty, and Prada Beauty, I was introduced more deeply to their fashion worlds. I became fascinated by the relationship between beauty and fashion, and how hair and makeup help complete the story of a runway look.
Working with houses I had admired growing up made me realize that fashion was no longer something I loved from a distance. It had quietly become a major part of my career.
top THE ATTICO
skirt MIU MIU
shoes PARIS TEXAS
earrings ALICE AND LOU
ring ETTIKA
You built your career long before reality television. Did joining Calabasas Confidential feel like a natural next step or a leap into the unknown?
It was definitely a leap into the unknown, but one I was excited to take. I had never been a huge reality television viewer, so the entire experience was new to me. It pushed me outside my comfort zone in ways that were very different from anything I had experienced through social media.
With social media, I am used to creating and sharing my own story. Reality television introduced me to a completely different form of storytelling and taught me to let go of some of that control. It was an adjustment, but it also helped me learn a lot about myself.
I am incredibly grateful for the experience. It allowed me to share a different side of who I am and connect with people who may never have discovered me online.
top THE ATTICO
skirt MIU MIU
shoes PARIS TEXAS
earrings ALICE AND LOU
ring ETTIKA
How has life changed for you since making your Netflix debut?
The show introduced me to a completely new audience, which has been really exciting. Before the series, many people knew me primarily through my makeup, fashion, or beauty content. The show gave them an opportunity to learn more about me as a person and connect with parts of my personality they may not have seen before.
It also offered a glimpse into how I was raised, my family values, and the experiences that shaped me. Those parts of my life do not always come across in a short video or photograph, so it was meaningful to share them in a different format.
Of course, a television show can only capture one part of a person. I am excited to continue sharing more of who I am through my own work and allow that connection to grow over time.
dress VINTAGE
shoes PATRICIA PEPE
belt STREETS AHEAD
earrings ALICE AND LOU
Being a media personality often blurs the line between public and private life. How did you decide what you were comfortable sharing on camera?
I have always been a naturally private person, which is a little ironic considering social media became my career. Over time, I have learned how to create a balance that feels healthy and authentic to me.
I love inviting people into my world and sharing the experiences that have shaped me, but I also believe there is value in keeping certain parts of life close. I have learned that authenticity does not mean sharing everything. It simply means being genuine in what you do choose to share.
dress JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
shoes LE SILLA
earrings, rings JENNY BIRD
How do you maintain genuine relationships while living an increasingly public life?
I feel very fortunate that many of my closest friendships existed long before my life became public. Those people know me completely outside of my career, which is something I value more and more as my platform grows.
I have also been lucky to meet genuinely kind and supportive people through this industry. For me, it comes down to being intentional with my time and surrounding myself with people who make me feel grounded and completely like myself.
As someone working closely with both luxury brands and digital audiences, how do you balance creativity with commercial partnerships?
I am very selective about the brands I partner with. I want every collaboration to feel connected to products or fashion and beauty houses that I genuinely admire and would naturally incorporate into my life.
Many of my partnerships have grown from products I was already using organically in my content. My audience is very observant, so they often recognize when something has been part of my routine long before it becomes a campaign. That existing relationship allows the creative process to feel much more natural and honest.
Fashion and beauty trends move incredibly fast. How do you stay true to your ownaesthetic instead of chasing every trend?
I enjoy paying attention to trends because they can be fun and inspiring, but I have never felt pressured to follow every one. I only participate when something genuinely resonates with me.
Even then, I usually find a way to interpret it through my own style rather than recreating it exactly as I have seen it. I think developing a recognizable point of view is much more valuable than constantly changing yourself to match whatever is popular. For me, the goal is to take inspiration and make it feel like my own.
full look VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
shoes GIANVITO ROSSI
earrings JENNY BIRD
Social media can create pressure to present a perfect life. What does authenticity mean to you today?
To me, authenticity means that the person people see online is consistent with who I am in real life. My content is often polished because creativity, styling, and production are all parts of my job, but that does not mean my life is perfect.
I try to be honest about the work that goes into creating those images and videos. There are teams, preparation, planning, and plenty of imperfect moments behind every finished piece of content. I believe you can create something beautiful and aspirational while still being genuine about the reality behind it.
Do you think the role of the creator has fundamentally changed over the past few years?
Absolutely. I think people used to follow creators mostly for inspiration or a certain aesthetic, but now the connection feels much more personal. Audiences want to know who you are beyond the content and feel like they are growing with you.
Creators also have so many more opportunities now. What may begin with posting online can grow into a brand, a business, or even a career in entertainment. It is exciting because there is no longer one set path, and I think the role will only continue to evolve.
fur DOLCE & GABBANA
shoes CAREL
sunglasses VINTAGE
Beyond fashion and television, are there other creative or entrepreneurial ambitions you would like to pursue?
I would love to continue building within fashion and beauty, whether that means developing a business of my own or working more deeply with the houses I admire. Before social media, I had also started exploring modeling, and I would love to return to that world in a more intentional way. I also earned my real estate license before many of these opportunities began. Real estate has always interested me, largely because of my dad’s work and the influence he had on me growing up. It is definitely something I would like to explore again, more for my own investments and personal projects than as a full-time career.
What is coming up next for you?
My focus is on continuing to elevate every part of what I do. I want to continue to grow internationally, deepen my relationships with the fashion and beauty houses I admire, and push my content in a more creative and cinematic direction.
At the same time, I want to continue nurturing the community that has supported me throughout my career. I feel incredibly grateful for everything that has brought me to this point, and I am excited to see where this next chapter takes me.
TEAM CREDITS:
talent NICOLE SAHEBI
photography NICK RASMUSSEN
styling SIENA MONTESANO at The Wall Group
makeup CHLOE FORBES at Opus Beauty
hair MEL DOMINGUEZ at The Only Agency
photography assistant MADELINE LUNZER
styling assistant KELLIE CAGE
editor TIMI LETONJA
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA
