Vogue launched its newest international edition this month, targeting a niche audience in the Middle East that is fashion conscious, style-driven and wealthy. If its debut is anything to go by, the magazine promises to be bold, representative and deferential.
The 22nd international edition of Vogue featured on its cover American supermodel Gigi Hadid, whose father is Palestinian, wearing an embellished, mesh veil covering half her face. The cover aimed readers directly at its mission: "Reorienting perceptions."
At the helm of Vogue's nascent project is Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz; a fashion-forward mother of three and Saudi royal. "I don't want Vogue Arabia to just be another regional magazine. I definitely want it to be a global one, as well," she said.
There are images of women in backless gowns and skirts that end above the knee. There are also artful shots of women in headscarves. "We aren't trying to make a giant political statement but we do think that we can help contribute to conversation" said Shashi Menon, founder of Nervora, which publishes Vogue Arabia in partnership with Conde Naste.
Inside its glossy pages, Vogue Arabia capitalizes on the breadth of culture and character of the Middle East's 22 Arabic-speaking countries. For its March issue, that meant features on an arts initiative in the Saudi city of Jeddah, an interview with the Egyptian sisters behind the purse brand Okhtein and a high-glamour shoot in Paris. The March issue also had a section entirely in Arabic.
Associated Press
