For the editors at Vogue Arabia, it may seem like it was only yesterday when they came together for the very first meeting of our annual Saudi Issue. When, in fact, it has been many swift weeks since editor-in-chief Manuel Arnaut shared the concept of enlisting 10 Saudi designers to create custom lavender looks, for them to be modeled by 10 top names in the industry. The special color was chosen in alignment with Saudi adopting the magnificent hue as its new color identity, owing to its postcard-worthy lavender fields in the North, and to represent its resilience as a nation. With 10 covers, the June 2023 edition is undoubtedly our most daring project to date and is also one mammoth feat in our enduring mission to globalize the Kingdom’s fashion, which came to light in our first Saudi issue in 2018.
Now, for the first time, Vogue Arabia is offering a glimpse of the issue-making process to its readers, via a documentary that takes you from conception to culmination—with countless Zoom calls and meetings in between. Discover what went on in the Vogue Arabia HQ, and step inside the ateliers of our 10 chosen Saudi designers, who poured heart and soul into these one-of-a-kind lavender creations: April by Noura AlSaif, Aram by Arwa Alammari, Atelier Hekayat, Honayda, Kaf by Kaf, Loodyana, Lurline, Mashael Al Faris, Raghad Alblaihed, and Yousef Al Akbar. Finally, see them come to life on a carefully curated cast of cover stars, which includes three of the Kingdom’s much-loved faces, Amira Al Zuhair, Sophie Al Shehry, Taleedah Tamer, and to help us take Saudi fashion worldwide, seven international supermodels: Candice Swanepoel, Coco Rocha, Donna Bahdon, Isabeli Fontana, Sasha Luss, Sara Sampaio, and Toni Garrn.
Watch the video above to go behind the scenes of Vogue Arabia’s June 2023 Saudi Issue now.
Video: George Tsikos, Forest Erwin
