While Arab version of Vogue has been online for a while, the first printed issue of Vogue Arabia was just released – March 2017, and it looks so promissing.

Having Saudi princess Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz appointed as editor-in-chief, the magazine features Gigi Hadid as cover girl, delivers fashion stories photographed by Hans Feurer and Inez & Vinoodh, showcasing established designers and emerging talents. Conceived in bilingual version English/Arabic, Vogue Arabia will be distributed in several Middle Eastern countries: UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and in international location such as London, Paris, Milan.  

As underlined on Vogue’s website:

The launch of Vogue Arabia is a pioneering one on many levels: it is the first Vogue to break onto the market in digital prior to print, it is the Middle East’s first premium fashion publication in two languages, and the first Vogue to represent an entire region.

Ultimately, we should add that the launch of Vogue Arabia is particularly significant and challenging within the very special cultural context to whom it is addressed. Middle Eastern ladies had embraced fashion since forever, while the cultural environment valuing privacy above all, kept them away from the spotlight and the pages of glossy publications. Therefore, the Vogue Arabia moment sounds like a genuine breakthrough.

The title of the first issue “Reorienting Perceptions” clearly emphasizes the scope of this wonderful project. Besides the appealing look, this cover works as a symbolic moodboard – the famous half-Palestinian model as the first face of the magazine, the precious fabric detail (so cherished by clients in the Arab world), the styling twist functioning as a reference to fashion glam masks as well as Arab dress codes.