Vogue Arabia releases two February covers today celebrating Saudi youth, and the exciting moment of cultural revolution in the region.
Photo: Mazen Abusrour
These covers also celebrate Hai Vogue, the publication’s youth festival taking place on February 8th and 9th in AlBalad, Jeddah. “Considering its extremely young and tenacious population, I truly believe that Arabia is experiencing its own Youthquake,” states Vogue Arabia editor-in-chief Manuel Arnaut. “Every day I hear about a new artist, new musician, fashion designer, a new entrepreneur… This energy really excites me and makes me thankful for living in a part of the world where things move forward.”
Photographed in Jordan, the first cover features the new cast of the AlRawabi School for Girls. This series recently created a true revolution on Arab TV. It targets topics such as self-esteem and mental wellbeing and captures the zeitgeist of Arabia’s teen world. The stars of the Netflix show will make a dedicated appearance at Hai Vogue, in conversation with Saudi entrepreneur Lina Malaika.
Photo: Amer Mohamad
In Jeddah’s AlBalad, designer Arwa Al Banawi, Atelier Hekayat design-duo Alia and Abeer Oraif, Olympic rower Husein Alireza, entrepreneur and creative consultant Lina Malaika, designer Mohammed ‘Moe’ Khoja, fashion and luxury consultant Nojoud Alrumaihi, actor Sarah Taibah, actor Fay Fouad, CEO and founder of Basamat Arabia Aisha Almamy, and professional boxer Ziyad ‘Zizo’ Almaayouf all feature in the iconic Unesco protected neighborhood, photographed for the second cover of Vogue Arabia. In celebration of this momentous occasion, they will all attend Hai Vogue for panel discussions and to interact with guests.
Rahma Riad and Alexander Uloom. Photo: Sandra Chidiac
Further fueling the excitement of the generations to come, Iraqi singer Rahma Riad and Iraqi-American actor Alexander Uloom chose Vogue to announce the sex of their coming baby and to reflect on their own upbringings. “Instability was the worst part of my childhood, so providing stability for my baby is the number one priority for me,” reflects Riad in this personal feature interview. Regardless of the international nature of their current everyday reality, Iraq is an immovable constant in both their lives. “No matter where we will be living in the future, it is important to us to teach our baby a love for Iraq and to understand where she comes from,” says Riad.
Francesca Amfitheatrof. Photo: Edgar Berg
In high jewelry news, Vogue Arabia speaks to Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director of watches and jewelry Francesca Amfitheatrof. Ahead of this month’s debut visit to Dubai, she delves into the codes that make the maison’s jewels so beguiling. “Our jewelry tends to take more risks from a design point of view. They’re unusual, very contemporary, but not hard or stiff– they are still very flamboyant,” she shares. Meanwhile, blending high horology and couture, Tamara Ralph speaks to Vogue Arabia about her collaboration with Audemars Piguet, unveiled on the runway during Paris Couture Fashion Week and debuting a limited-edition timepiece with flying tourbillon.
Rekha and Manish Malhotra
Continuing the exploration of couture, India’s Manish Malhotra offers an insider’s look at his first ever boutique in the Gulf and couture empire and divulges on his desire to direct a film. This would come as a full circle moment, with Malhotra’s fashion and costume career spanning over three decades, and nearly 1000 movies under his belt. He is responsible for dressing some of the biggest names in Bollywood, including Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, and Alia Bhatt, and Vogue Arabia cover star Rekha.
The Queen and Empress of Iran Farah Pahlavi who requested the expertise of the sisters at Carita Maison de Beauté every time she visited Paris
While the year gets in full swing, Carita Maison de Beauté offers clients a place of ultimate repose. The iconic Paris salon with a black book of famous clients has long been revered for evoking women’s best selves. Now, following its recent renovation it has undergone its own metamorphosis. All this and more in the February edition of Vogue Arabia.
