Sonia Ben Ammar Went From Dolce & Gabbana’s Runway to Graduation in 48 Hours

Though it’s not unusual to spot new faces studying their textbooks backstage, Sonia Ben Ammar’s journey from high school student to Dolce & Gabbana muse has been unique. A rising musician, Ben Ammar has been putting the finishing touches on her debut album while working with brands like Chanel and Miu Miu. And though she has nearly 400,000 Instagram followers and all the makings of a soon-to-be star, fame isn’t the only thing she’s chasing: After recently finishing a senior year in Paris loaded with AP classes, she’ll soon be a freshman at USC. Here, the beauty describes what it’s like to juggle dual careers, and why learning to drive is her next adventure.

On walking Dolce & Gabbana

“This was my fourth Dolce show, but it was so amazing because over 15 of my good friends do it as well, so it’s just a huge reunion backstage. We’re all in Milan together, and we just have a blast. The energy’s insane. It’s like a giant party. They really treat us so well. We’re so spoiled. I’ve walked other shows that are only models, and it’s just not as fun because the atmosphere is very serious and [it feels] like work. At Dolce it’s very open and joyful, and everybody is having a good time.”

On sharing the runway with her mom

“Domenico [Dolce] approached me and was like, ‘Sonia, Sonia, I have this idea. I want your mom to walk with you.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it. Amazing.’ Of course when I asked my mom, she didn’t want to do it. I had to convince her. At first she was like, ‘No, I’m gonna be the oldest there. I’m gonna feel terrible.’ But I basically forced her to do it, and she loved it. Now she’s so happy about it because she had such a blast. It’s a memory you keep for life, and we have the photos. It was such a cute moment.”

On balancing school, music, and modeling

“My school year has been bouncing back between work and classes. I remember with one of my exams, I was in New York for the Met Gala and I arrived back to Paris at 6a.m. and I had my AP exam at 8:00 in the morning! I’m kind of used to it by now and it was the same thing for graduation. It’s nice in a way, going to school takes you back to reality. Sometimes stuff gets in the way; I had to miss my prom, though, because I was in Milan. I went to [junior] prom last year, but I kind of wanted to go this time.”

I’ve always known my goals. I wanted to finish school and go to college, so I gave myself a challenge. Because I did skip a lot of school this year in order to work, I caught up on everything; my goal was to get the same grades I would have gotten if I hadn’t been missing school, and I was able to do that. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it and stay organized, but it was hard because you have to give up a lot. During the weekends when my friends were having fun and going out, I was either studying or catching up on all the work I’d missed. It has an effect on your social life, but I made sure to be a teenager. I still saw my friends and I tried to stay balanced and have fun.”

On her style evolution

“Modeling pushed me to not be so casual. When I dress for school, I’m super-simple—sweatpants and T-shirts—but thanks to work, you get free clothes and the chance to try new things. It pushes me to dress how I feel, because you don’t get judged as much as you would in school. During the weekends or when I’m traveling, I like to experiment more. I’m drawn to the boyish things; I shop a lot of the men’s sections in stores, but I like to add a classy touch and make it look, like, more elegant.

On that forthcoming album

“I haven’t really talked that much about [my music] because it’s not out yet. It’s been two years, and my style has been changing so much. All my songs are so different, and my main focus has been finding a cohesive sound, which I’ve done. I think it’s more avant-garde, a little bit darker pop; it isn’t bubblegum or generic, it’s on the edgier side of things. The songs still have strong melodies, but I contrast that with really cool, dark sounds and relatable lyrics.”