As Egyptian actor Salma Abu Deif prepares for motherhood, she shares the big news, and her baby’s gender, on the cover of the October issue of Vogue Arabia, which explores this month’s rich tapestry of culture, fashion, and lifestyle in the region and beyond.
Photo: Alvaro Gracia
It’s a girl! This is the massive reveal that a glowing Salma Abu Deif shares exclusively with Vogue Arabia as she fronts our October issue. Embarking on a brand new chapter, the Egyptian star — who is currently filming the movie Hepta: The Last Debate even while pregnant — has been trying to find a balance: of her career in the spotlight, of marriage, of imminent motherhood. “I don’t have specific advice because I’m personally still learning. Every woman has her own experience and circumstances, but I try to enjoy every new stage in my life, and I don’t think one is more important than the other. Each phase comes at the right time and in the way that suits the person.”
Photo: Alvaro Gracia
And enjoying it, she has been. While at first the baby news was a shock that invited a mixture of conflicting emotions, Abu Deif has settled into this phase guided by joy and excitement, growing in both the literal and physical sense of the word. “I don’t know what kind of mother I will be, but I hope to God that I will be an accepting, understanding, and caring mother to my children,” she says while also being candid about how the experience so far has been different from what people see in the movies.
Photo: Alvaro Gracia
This kind of refreshing honesty is what helps others to feel less alone, and Abu Deif is not the only influential figure encouraging more open conversations about womanhood. For this month’s Upfront, Egyptian-French fashion designer Mariam Yehia gets personal as she discusses the motivation behind her new collection, Need Therapy, and the film of the same name launched alongside it. In keeping with the signature style of Mrs Keepa — the name of her Dubai-based brand — she explains her aim of pushing boundaries, reconnecting with her roots, and making a statement. This latest creative endeavor is a reflection on the industry’s impact on self-worth and on her complicated relationship with her own body. “I had four nose jobs, before I even worked in fashion. And I see that pressure manifesting in my nine-year-old daughter today,” Yehia says. “I try to subtly guide her that we are so much more than just compliments about our appearance.”
Photo: Rory Payne
Elsewhere, our profile featuring former Little Mix bandmate Jade Thirlwall sees the singer posing in, among others, Middle Eastern designers such as Qasimi and Roni Helou. Stepping out on her own with her debut single “Angel of my Dreams,” she discusses the quest to find her unique sound after reconnecting with her Yemeni heritage: “I knew I was taking a bit of a risk with this song. I wasn’t chasing a radio-friendly hit, I was pushing myself creatively, thinking outside the box.” Another Arab designer in the spotlight is Kuwait’s Farah Al Babtain, founder of the label Muhra. She sits down with Vogue Arabia to discuss being commissioned to make her country’s opening ceremony outfits at the Paris Olympics, which featured the traditional Thobe Al-Nashl. “This is a historical piece from our cultural attire [and] the golden threads of embroidery called ‘Zari’ weave a picturesque story summarizing the first-ever participation of four Kuwaiti women in the Olympics,” she describes, adding that the design process was “a magical time.”
Photo: Lesha Lich
Magic persists in the realm of culture too, as we journey through time to when construction began for the famed Grand Palais in the heart of Paris in 1897. An ambitious renovation project for the iconic venue has seen Chanel play a pivotal role in recent years, though the relationship between both entities spans nearly two decades. The site was partially reopened for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and will, once again, host the maison’s ready-to-wear show this month. “It is a magical place with this large glass roof. There are no problems like rain and one can use it as is, or one could imagine the most amazing decors,” Chanel’s president of fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, says of the landmark, which has been turned into everything from a French country house to a space station with a rocket that actually took off. Nothing has been off limits in terms of how Karl Lagerfeld engaged with the Grand Palais and its surroundings. “The place inspired him, fed his ideas,” Pavlovsky adds.
Grand Palais
The news that the America’s Cup is embracing a female-focused series sponsored by Puig has us going back even further into the past as we consider how the sailing competition has changed since it started 174 years ago. We also hear from the women leading the charge about this historic moment, highlighting their efforts to diversify the sport. Then there are the multiple date festivals happening across the region that have compelled us to deepen our understanding of the storied significance of this small but mighty fruit. The date palm has long been a symbol of Arabia, its use in architecture appearing as early as the 26th century BCE when stone pillars took the form of tree trunks in the Egyptian temple of Sahure. Today, as you wander through the majestic marbled arcade of Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, those same influences are evident. From Byzantine mosaics and Odyssean legends to religious texts and Netflix films, the date is central to the cultural landscape of the region, and revisited applications in skincare, sustainability, and beyond give it fresh purpose.
Photo: Fouad Tadros
As far as fashion, an extra dose of pop icon inspiration appears as we take a look at the mega stars of the moment who are dominating charts and closets alike: Charlie XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan. Discover aesthetics with attitude and the ensembles to boot that will reign supreme, paying homage to these music queens. Tapping further into the sartorial zeitgeist, Vogue Arabia’s bold shoots shine a light on the most exciting trends by taking to the streets of New York City, where we put modern yet ladylike looks by Erdem, Givenchy, Elie Saab, Tom Ford, and more to the test. Meanwhile, on the slopes of Dubai (Ski Dubai, that is), the most fabulous faux-fur ensembles are on display. Want to get in on the action? Take our quiz to find out which aesthetic best suits you this season.
Photo: Daniel Asater
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