Noémie Lenoir

Noémie Lenoir (born 19 September 1979) is a French model and actress. She is known for her work with Gucci, L'Oréal, Next, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria's Secret, Balmain Paris Hair Couture and Marks and Spencer. Lenoir was born in Les Ulis, Essonne, France. Her mother is a cleaning lady and comes from the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, while her father is from mainland France and an electrician. When she was 17, Lenoir was spotted by the Ford modelling agency and began modelling in New York. Growing up in a banlieue district near Paris, which she describes as a "ghetto", Lenoir was first spotted at the age of 17 in 1997 when she was approached by a Ford booker in a post office. She signed with L'Oréal in 1997, and has since appeared in their advertisements alongside Laetitia Casta and long-term model and actress Andie MacDowell. She has also worked for Victoria's Secret, Gap, Next, and many others. Lenoir was the face of UK high-street retailer Marks & Spencer, for four years until Christmas 2009 and was seen in various British TV adverts, magazines and billboards alongside fellow models Erin O'Connor, Twiggy and Laura Bailey. Lenoir returned to Marks & Spencer a