Some people treat clothes like an obligation, something to get through before leaving the house — like making the bed, or rearranging the pantry. Romy Nour Yehia (Instagram), on the other hand, treats them like prophecies.
Paris-born with Lebanon stitched into her seams, she lives in a wardrobe where coin belts clang like applause, leopard-print luggage doubles as a travel companion, and fur is a year-round state of mind. It’s an instinct she’s sharpened through studying creative direction and styling at Istituto Marangoni in London and Milan, where she learned to treat a hemline like a headline.
The stylist’s looks are little stage plays, somewhere between Scheherazade’s palace and a Bratz doll’s dream closet. She can be working with Georges Hobeika one day, styling for Playboy Magazine the next, and still have time to map out her jewellery empire — all while dressing like ‘playing it safe’ was never in the script.
What’s the origin story of @romybzzl—the handle and the persona? Where does
“Romybzzl” end and Nour begin?
I was born and raised in France, and my parents wanted each of us to have a French name for
France and an Arabic name for our family in Lebanon. So in Paris I’m Romane or Romy, and in
Lebanon, I’m Nour. As for ‘bzzl’, it’s a relic from Justin Bieber’s Bizzle era — the year I made my Instagram. It stuck, because once a Belieber, always a Belieber.
Your style walks the line between Arab opulence, dreamlike excess, and playful mischief. Who were the first women who taught you glamour?
My Teta, her sisters and obviously Haifa Wehbe when I first saw her Wawa videoclip.
What’s your choreography when you get dressed—do you build around one statement piece or around a neutral addition?
For me, getting dressed is never a streamlined process, it’s pure, joyful chaos. I love the mess of it: the trial, the error, the sudden spark when something clicks. Styling is an emotional rollercoaster, you can ask any friend who’s seen me cry over trying to make an outfit work. That’s part of the magic.
Your looks swing from fur–trimmed drama to sheer mesh and coin belts. Where’s the line between costume and clothes for you?
For me, there’s no line between costume and clothes. I’ve never understood the idea of being “overdressed”. If you want to dress extra, just go for it. The only people who’ll judge you are the ones wishing they had the nerve to do the same.
Where do you find your style references—Pinterest, real life, found images, cinema, songs?
I mainly find my style references through vintage shopping. I spend hours everyday searching for pieces online, in stores, and in souks and it’s while looking at them that I get excited and start brainstorming how I should style them.
Your feed reads like a travelling altar—chains, chiffon, amulets, animal print. If you had to give your style a name or aesthetic, what would it be?
Cleopatra meets Paris Hilton.
A beauty choice that completes the look for you (nails, hair part, kohl?)
Nails, always. I started getting nail art when I was at university, and I haven’t stopped since then. Even if you keep them simple, having your nails done just pulls you together, even in the most laid-back outfit.
As someone shaped by the Arab diaspora, how does place or setting—both physical and cultural—transform the way you build a look?
I’ve been lucky enough to come back to Lebanon every year since I was born, and each time, it was a mix of settings. I was surrounded by these bold, extravagant personalities in my family and their friends. Watching them get ready to go out, or even lounging at home in feather robes and platform shoes, I picked up little habits and attitudes that became part of my everyday style, which is something I brought back with me to Paris and fully adopted.
When you wear talismans—evil eyes, coins, charms—are they aesthetic, protective, or both? Any piece with a story you’ll never take off?
People are always surprised that I never take my jewellery off. I sleep in my bangles, rings, and hand chains. They feel like an extension of me, almost like a second skin.
You’ve described your jewellery as second skin- something you live in, not just wear. Has that connection ever made you want to create pieces of your own?
After visiting souks all over the Arab world, I had the idea to create my own, imagined through my eyes. I’m launching my brand, Souk Nour: a re-imagined souk offering jewellery and objects crafted in precious materials like gold, diamonds, and precious stones.
This brand is a reflection of everything I love, from sketching the pieces to holding them in my hands. The launch is happening in less than two months, and it feels surreal. Every piece is made in Lebanon, allowing me to finally reconnect with my homeland in the most meaningful way.
It’s always been a dream of mine, and I still can’t believe it’s finally coming to life.
What’s one stereotype about “Middle Eastern glamour” you love to prove right (or wrong)?
There is no such thing as “Less is more”. We love opulence.
Give us your circuit: favourite flea markets/souks/vintage dealers in Beirut, Cairo,
Paris.
Souk Khan el Khalili (Cairo).
Souk Byblos (Lebanon).
Nouvelle Vague (Beirut).
Chamelian Sunglasses (Zalqa, Lebanon).
Bobby (Paris).
Snow Bunny (Paris).
That leopard–print luggage set feels like a character in your life. What’s always inside it?
There’s always an indecent number of belts, my hair straightener, a fur, and a three-kilo pouch of jewellery.
Best fashion/styling advice you ever got? Who was it from?
The best styling advice I’ve ever lived by is to never limit a piece of clothing to what it’s intended to be. Wear your top as a skirt, turn a scarf into a dress, the options are endless.
You often stage images like little shrines (candles, carpets, mirrors). If we shot a day–in–the–life diary, what three scenes must be in it?
First, me in bed in Paris with Athena, my black cat, drinking hot water with orange blossom while a stick of incense burns. Then, me in Beirut, sketching jewellery and running back and forth to the atelier to finalise pieces for my upcoming brand. And finally, my everyday walks, picking up packages while FaceTiming my best friends.
Has the algorithm changed how you dress or document yourself? What do you refuse to optimise?
As my style evolves, I am not on the hunt to adopt up and coming trends. I’m now comfortable in my aesthetic and I see trends not as something to completely adopt but rather something you can draw inspiration from to adorn your own style.
Your silhouettes love hips, wrists, ankles—jewellery that moves. How important is sound/weight/sway in your styling?
It’s everything. I’m always jingling — it’s become part of me to the point where I don’t even hear it anymore. It adds life to a look. They were the first piece that nudged my style in a more oriental direction, and now they’re the soundtrack to my life.
If your style could speak to younger you, what would it say?
It would tell her: “Enjoy the Tumblr era while it lasts”.
What do you want Arab girls to feel when they see your looks?
The Arab aesthetic is complex and visually rich — from the opulence and glamour rooted in our heritage to the incredible creatives reinventing it today. I want Arab girlies who once thought it belonged only to our grandparents’ generation to see it with fresh eyes and embrace it in their own way.
When does your maximalism go quiet—what does a “rest day” outfit look like?
My go to rest day outfit would be an I Am Gia set, big sunglasses, a big fur coat and a pair of Uggs.
Three words your friends use to describe your style?
Arab Diva, Avant Garde and Eclectic.
7 ESSENTIALS THAT BUILT ROMY’S SIGNATURE LOOK:
- Fendi Baguette Gold Pony Hair Bag – COLLECTOR SQUARE, PARIS
My absolute dream bag — gold, animal print, rhinestones. It merges all my style loves in one piece.
- Huge Fur Poncho – HER MUM’S CLOSET
The first fur my mum bought as a teenager. Comfiest, coolest wearable blanket — and I always travel with it.
- Cedar Handchain – SOUK NOUR
From my upcoming brand. A piece of Lebanon carved in gold that feels like carrying home everywhere I go.
- Vintage Leopard & Feathers Belt – BAZAAR, LAS VEGAS
I found this belt in a bazaar in Nevada on my way to my first Burning Man. The perfectly imperfect, almost DIY feel gives it so much character.
- Platform Flip Flops (Gold Zebra Glitter) – ALIBABA
After five years in a plain black pair, I levelled up to a $16 gold zebra glitter pair from Alibaba.
- One-of-a-Kind Rug Jeans –EAST MARKET, MILAN
It’s a one of a one piece, from this creative seller who reworks vintage rugs into pants.
- Fur Leg Warmers – LOS ANGELES FIND
I throw them over any boots for an instant style upgrade.
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