Bella Hadid has landed the Vogue Arabia cover, five months after her older sister Gigi graced the front of the first-ever issue. Shot by Chanel boss Karl Lagerfeld, two images of Bella feature on the cover; one in English and one in Arabic.
No doubt the younger Hadid sibling is hoping her Vogue Arabia shoot doesn't cause the same backlash as Gigi's did in March, after fashion fans blasted the blonde model, whose father Mohamed is of Palestinian origin, for only using her Middle Eastern roots when it suits her. Some people also took offence to the hijabs she wore, slamming it as cultural appropriation.
Bella Hadid graces the front cover of Vogue Arabia
Bella dresses modestly on the cover, wearing a beaded veil in one image and jewellery from Cartier. Fashion legend Karl also features in the issue, in a piece highlighting his creative process and work ethic. "I don't follow my second instinct. I don't believe that you can do anything if it comes in second place," he said.
Other articles include a story on Yves Saint Laurent co-founder Pierre Berge, a profile of Egyptian actress Amira Khalil and a piece on modestly dressed street style muses.
The magazine is available in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt, London, Paris, Milan and New York, with Shashi Menon, chief executive officer of Nervora and publisher of Vogue Arabia, explaining how the publication plans to grow over the next year.
"The next six to 12 months will see a major expansion in Vogue's presence in the Middle East," Shashi said.
"Across all platforms — print, digital, and flagship events — we have a slate of marquee activations and launches that will build on the unparalleled heritage and global footprint of the Vogue brand. We're doubling down on our distinct strategy of publishing more than 90 percent locally commissioned content with dual language editorial."
