Born in a rich family in Tunisia, she studied at Beaux-Arts in Paris , became a model for Guy Laroche. She got the nickname la Reine Mage for her window displays (1978-2013) at Hermès Paris boutique and she was head of the scarfs committee. Her works was the subject of a 2017 exhibition called "Hermès à tire-d'aile - les mondes de Leïla Menchari ".