Lily Collins photographed by Thomas Whiteside for Vogue Arabia November 2020

With her enviable natural eyebrows and breathtaking red-carpet looks, Lily Collins always makes it to the best-dressed lists with ease. However, if the star had to choose her favorite fashion moments, she would go all the way back to when she was two years old. While on the set of her first-ever Vogue cover shoot, for Vogue Arabia’s November 2020 issue, the Emily in Paris actor sat down to talk about her most loved ensembles.

Read on, and watch the video below to find out what she had to say.

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1. It’s a Match

Lily Collins aged 2, wearing a matching red polka dot set. Photo: Instagram/ @lilyjcollins

“I was always about wearing loud, bright, and slightly obvious clothing,” says Collins. It seems even at two years of age, the actor was quite the fashionista, having already perfect the co-ord outfit. “I loved matching,” she says. “So my little red and white polka dot outfit with a matching headband was always one of my favorites.”

2. Obama’s Inauguration

Lily Collins aged 19, working as a reporter for Nickelodeon at Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration in 2009. Photo: Supplied

“I was reporting live from Obama’s inauguration,” explained the actor-producer. “I was about 19-years-old and it was freezing,” she added, noting that she was working as a reporter for Nickelodeon for Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration in January 2009. “I remember having so many layers on under that outfit and like three pairs of socks, but it was such a huge honor to be there and I remember feeling really proud. It was my first time voting and something I’ll never forget.”

3. Cannes Film Festival

Lily Collins aged 28 at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, for the Netflix film Okja. Photo: Getty

Collins’ first and only trip to Cannes is one to remember. She attended the 2017 film festival for the Netflix film Okja, alongside castmates Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal. “It was such a magical experience, I always wanted to be able to walk those steps and go up that red carpet with my cast,” says Collins, who wore a Ralph & Russo gown for her Cannes debut. “That fashion moment for me, that white dress with the train, that was one for the memory books.”

4. Elegant in Elie Saab

Lily Collins wearing a gown by Lebanese couturier Elie Saab at the Rome Film Festival in 2014. Photo: Getty

While promoting the romantic comedy film Love, Rosie, Collins looked breathtaking in a gown by Lebanese couturier Elie Saab at the Rome Film Festival in 2014. “It was a dress I’ll never forget because the wind picked up so intensely as we got out of the car and thank goodness it was a dress that could handle the wind,” stated the star. “In fact, I think the wind made it even more beautiful, so almost every photo had the dress had it kind of billowing in the wind and all the ombre colors really looked beautiful,” she added.

5. Enchanting Emily

Lily Collins as Emily for the Netflix series Emily in Paris. Photo: Instagram/ @emilyinparis

Playing Emily Cooper in the divisive Netflix hit, Emily in Paris, Collins got to wear many stylish outfits. However, she identified this bold green number as her personal favorite. “Emily’s character is bright, bold, and a little bit obvious and we tried to incorporate that into Emily’s clothing because it was the extension of her personality,” she explained. “This bright outfit was worn to one of the episodes where I go to an influencer’s luncheon. I just always smiled when I saw Emily’s outfits and this one was one of the ones I smiled at the most,” she added.

Read Next: November Cover Story: How Criticism and Quarantine Empowered Lily Collins

Award-winning Tunisian actor Hend Sabri believes in the freedom of Arab women and strives to defend their rights.

Hend Sabri wears coat, Maison Rabih Kayrouz; shoes, Ramla; jewelry, Azza Fahmy. Photographed by Ämr Ezzeldinn for Vogue Arabia September 2020

Hend Sabri is full of enthusiasm when she arrives at Nazlet Al-Samman in Egypt, a popular area near the Great Pyramids characterized by its simplicity. Her optimism increases when calligrapher Hend Riad arrives holding a large roll-out hand-painted with the words “break the silence,” which she wrote in collaboration with the star. Sabri considers it the best expression of her aspirations. She believes that only hope revives people, illuminates our present and our future, and urges us to move forward. “Hope is my daughters Alia and Leila,” she says, adding that the sheer act of giving birth requires a promise for tomorrow.

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Yet, Sabri speaks with pain when conversing about hope, the theme of this September issue. “2020 is really the year of ‘enough is enough.’ I pray that I will be able to erase it from my memory.” She believes that the world is experiencing a long rebirth and is certain that good will prevail. Sabri talks about human values and their roles in society. “True religion is the real deterrent and belief in the essence is what we need. Faith means that we stop hurting, backbiting, stealing, and disrespecting others. Religion is the appreciation of men in general and women in particular. Respect the rights it grants her and stop making judgments based on appearance. Religion exists in everyday practices.”

Hend Sabri wears dress, Donia Ashry; shoes, Bottega Veneta. Photographed by Ämr Ezzeldinn for Vogue Arabia September 2020

Sabri’s words shed light on her philanthropic activities, particularly those that concern women and the environment. She is known for playing meaningful characters that convey a social message because she truly believes that art can make a difference. “Society listens to artists and is influenced by them,” she says. “I am not saying that my job as an actor is more important than that of a scientist whose work is not widely recognized. Honesty is what is most important; no matter what role an individual plays in society.”

Currently the star is resuming filming the Hajma Mortada series under director Ahmed Alaa and with her friend Ahmed Ezz. She is also working on Kira and the Jinn, a film by Marwan Hamed, written by Ahmed Murad, and starring Ezz and Kareem Abdel Aziz. In October, she will start filming an Algerian-French movie. It’s a busy agenda for an artist who seeks to use her fame to champion values and have her voice heard. Sabri made her acting debut at the age of 14 in the critically acclaimed Tunisian production The Silences of the Palace (Samt al Qosoor) by director Moufida Tlatli in 1994, which was screened as part of that year’s Cannes film festival Directors’ Fortnight. It has also subsequently been listed as one of the Dubai international film festival’s 100 most important Arab films. Following this, she starred in several Tunisian productions until she drew the attention of director Inas El- Degheidy, who introduced her to Egyptian cinema with A Teenager’s Diary (Muzakirat Murahiqua) in 2002. In a short time, she became one of the most prominent Tunisian actors in Egypt and the Arab world.

Hend Sabri wears dress, Donia Ashry; shoes, Bottega Veneta. Photographed by Ämr Ezzeldinn for Vogue Arabia September 2020

Sabri recently joined streaming giant Netflix. “I’m so proud and excited to be the first Arab artist to sign with this network as an executive producer and starring in a show,” she expresses. “Going global is achieved through immersion in what is local. It is a matter of choices.” She’s also been chosen as a jury member at major international festivals, including Venice in 2019 – where she was the first Arab woman to join the jury – and Rotterdam in 2016. “They found an authentic expression of Arab women in my work,” she says. “I have frequently participated over the years where I introduced so many ideas,” she recalls, adding that she hopes the festival circuit will resume next year.

Also Read: Vogue.me Investigates: Why Does Egypt Have A Problem With Rape?

The star has recently used her social media platform to raise awareness about harassment, because she felt that women needed empowerment in this regard and that someone should open a dialogue to encourage victims to talk in public about their experiences. “I am against this heinous offense. Harassment is a crime,” she asserts. “It is necessary to educate young people and encourage girls to break the barrier of fear and expose the perpetrators. In law, to describe an incident as a crime, there must be a victim. When she is silent, the misconduct cannot be legally documented and will remain a social problem. Women must contribute to the documentation of delinquency in order to build a system that legally protects them. This requires courage, which in turn calls for a healthy society and the support of others, whether family or community, and this is what is lacking. Women are afraid of men, which paves the way for harassment and makes it permissible for men whose mistakes are forgiven by the people.” Sabri is well-versed on the subject of justice as she received her license from the University of Tunis in 2001 and earned a master’s degree in intellectual property law and copyright in 2004.

Hend Sabri wears shirt, Donia Ashry; Skirt, stylist’s own; belt, Okhtein; scarf, Rebel; jewelry, Azza Fahmy. Photographed by Ämr Ezzeldinn for Vogue Arabia September 2020

According to a 2013 study by UN Women in Egypt, 99.3% of the women surveyed had experienced some sort of harassment, ranging from being touched to verbal abuse, rape, stalking. The report also noted that 30% of the men surveyed gave their reason for pestering a female as “the girl feels happy when harassed.” “Years ago, I thought that it was still too early to address this issue,” says Sabri. “Today it seems to me that the time has come for victims to speak up. The more women there are who are willing to talk about their experiences, the stronger the issue becomes. At the same time, we must organize things to unify our words and stances.” The Ana Zada platform meaning “me too,” has since been created on Instagram. It aims to gather various opinions to form a pressure force to change laws. The star acts as liaison between women and the concerned parties interested in this issue. She provided a video to support them and was keen to promote them on various occasions. “I cannot say that I have achieved anything,” she notes. “This issue cannot be solved by one person, it requires community, legal, and political cooperation. Individual action in this field is like fighting windmills,” she says. “The only thing that can change the system is social awareness and spreading the slogan ‘No means no’ to everyone, which requires raising your voice without hesitation. It does not help to remain silent while urging others to speak about their experiences. It is enough for one to speak bravely so that other women do the same.”

Hend Sabri wears shirt, Hend’s own; skirt, scarf, stylist’s own; belt, Okhtein; jewelry, Azza Fahmy. Photographed by Ämr Ezzeldinn for Vogue Arabia September 2020

Accountability starts with enacting and enforcing laws that protect women and describe the crime. “It’s not acceptable that bothering girls on the streets goes unnoticed, because it is a form of harassment. We must not overlook any vulgar form of pestering or touching, which could hurt women,” states Sabri. The star has adopted several approaches to communicate her thoughts, including in the 2010 sitcom Ayza Atgawez (I Want to Get Married), which candidly addressed the issue of young girls getting married. She also starred in Halawet Eldonia (The Sweetness of Life) as a cancer patient – one of her most beloved characters to date, she notes.

Also Read: Vogue.me Investigates: The Surge In Domestic Violence Cases During Covid-19

Sabri is one of a handful of public women who promoted the uprising in the Arab world. “I wasn’t afraid to lose my fan base – particularly males – for promoting women uprising. I’m defending their rights here. I’m not calling for usurping those of others. I have a dream of realizing equality between men and women in Arab societies. I hope that we can enjoy the highest levels of equality like women in Scandinavian societies,” she says, acknowledging that there is still much work to be done to achieve this. As a mother and wife, she is focused on her family and credits her choice of partner for contributing to its strength. “He is a very respectable man who values women,” she says of her husband, a businessman who is not part of the entertainment industry, preferring to stay out of the limelight. “The man who appreciates and respects his mother will respect any other woman.”

Hend Sabri wears shirt, Hend’s own; skirt, scarf, stylist’s own; belt, Okhtein; shoes, Bottega Veneta; jewelry, Azza Fahmy. Photographed by Ämr Ezzeldinn for Vogue Arabia September 2020

Their relationship is based on mutual esteem and commitment to rules, including respecting her work and her responsibilities. As for her children, she instills within them important values like independence, self-confidence, and valuing the customs and traditions with which she was raised. She is keen to teach her daughters to empathize with others, to be kind, to love, to learn, and to contribute. From her point of view, such values bridge gaps and help build a sound society where people do not judge one another based on appearance or religion. She also hopes to continue to introduce the Arab woman with all her fears, pains, troubles, and joys through her art. She aspires to serve the Arab world and to raise her daughters in a manner that will secure them a better future.

Read Next: Hend Sabri on Being Discovered as a Teenager and the Perception of Arab Cinema with Manuel Arnaut

Originally published in the September 2020 issue of Vogue Arabia 

Photography: Ämr Ezzeldinn 
Styling: Yasmine Eissa 
Hair: Ahmed Mounir 
Makeup: Aya Abdalhamid
Video: Muhammad Gamaleldin  
Video Edit: Hue Studios  
Stylist Assistant: Habiba Rahoum 
Set Designer: Noor Satea 
Calligrapher: Negmedine 
Fabrics: Yara Ismail 
Sustainable Textile Designer: Kiliim 
Location: The Cheops Observatory by Studio Malka Architecture
Production: Snap14 Productions Production agency 

She documented human history in For Sama, but for Oscar-nominated Waad Al-Kateab, the fight continues until Syria is free and justice is served.

Waad Al-Kateab wears Jumpsuit, Emilia Wickstead; earrings, Cleopatra’s Bling. Photography: Sebastian Böttcher

Waad Al-Kateab is sitting in the Channel 4 news offices in London. Her hair cut in a neat, long bob, she’s wearing a floral summer dress while the bright morning sun shines through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind her. She looks like any ordinary 29-year-old woman. Yet she’s anything but. In 2011, Al-Kateab was an activist with a camera who went on to film one of the most important documentaries of the 21st century: For Sama. The film spans five years in Syria, starting with the peaceful protests against president Bashar Hafez al-Assad, through the Arab Spring and, ultimately, Al-Kateab being forced to flee the country of her birth in 2016. Unlike some war documentaries, For Sama reveals the full spectrum of humanity beyond the frontlines. While it provides a raw, inside perspective of the horror and systematic attacks on civilians, it also underscores moments of joy. We see Al-Kateab marry Hamza, a doctor who built the hospital in Aleppo where most of the footage is filmed; we witness baby Sama enter the world, and we watch friends and strangers become one community amid darkness and despair.

Al-Kateab, a young filmmaker and citizen journalist who moved to Aleppo to study in 2009, always kept her Sony camcorder rolling, filming approximately 500 hours of footage. It took two years for her and co-director Edward Watts – who she met through her work as journalist for Channel 4 – to cut it down to a 95-minute documentary. For Sama went on to achieve global acclaim, receiving an Academy Award nomination for best documentary feature and winning best documentary at this year’s Bafta awards (where it also set a record for most nominated documentary), as well as four British Independent Film awards. The recognition is testament to Al-Kateab’s talent for showing the human story that so many governments still choose to ignore. Yet, a year after the release For Sama, there is a look of pain and sadness in her eyes. “Nothing has changed in Syria. It’s still happening,” she says. While news coverage of the civil war has decreased and the fanfare surrounding the film has slowed down, the crisis hasn’t ended. “There are still people in Aleppo being shelled and bombed.”

Waad Al-Kateab wears Dress, pants, Simone Rocha; earrings, Cleopatra’s Bling. Photography: Sebastian Böttcher

Does she feel guilty for leaving? Her body closes in on itself; she folds her arms and her eyes well up. “If we were there, we could help a little,” she says, her voice faltering. “One day I risked my life and went to Aleppo. I felt it was the right thing to do. Now, I know it’s the right thing to do but I feel I’m not able to do this. I’m not the same person who left the city in 2016. It’s confusing and the guilt is something I don’t expect I will get away from.” Of course, if she hadn’t left Aleppo, fleeing after Russia threatened to bomb the last hospital where they were working, For Sama may never have reached the big screen. “Sometimes I feel that was right, but there are times when I think, maybe I’m just saying this because I want to make it easier for myself,” she considers. “When I’m talking to someone who is still in Aleppo, I feel so much shame. I’m trying to help but I’m not there. It’s hard.”

Witnessing so much tragedy has left Al-Kateab battling with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. “My main problem is the nightmares. It’s still very real for me – I’ve never been able to ignore what happened,” she shares. She even feels guilty for having nightmares. “I know that whatever I feel now is nothing compared to what is still going on in Syria. What happened to me is just a little compared to other people. I would love one day to feel some healing, but the only thing that will help me do that is feeling justice for Syria and its people.”

Waad Al-Kateab wears Dress, Worme; shoes, Manolo Blahnik; earrings, Ara Vartanian; ring, Waad Al-Kateab’s own.
Photography: Sebastian Böttcher

After fleeing Aleppo, Al-Kateab and her family lived briefly in Turkey before seeking asylum in the UK. That’s the abridged version – the full tale is one full of bureaucracy failings and political injustice.

Her family arrived in London in 2018, after the 2016 Brexit referendum, the result of which was in large part prompted by voters’ issues with border control around an influx of migrants and refugees. “I mean, oh my God,” she says, half laughing about the difficult timing. Yet, ever the pragmatist, Al-Kateab decided to not only be a voice for Syrians, but refugees, too. “I feel that I can affect people in their thinking about what it means to be a refugee, and why it’s important for us to not close ourselves. At the Baftas, I was the only refugee nominated. I felt that I was in a position where I could fight for different issues.”

“The most important thing is to maintain the conversation about Syria… it’s never too late for accountability and justice”

While she feels accepted in the UK, Al-Kateab struggles with displacement. She and her family never intended to leave Aleppo. They risked their lives and the lives of their children – she was pregnant with their second child – to stay in Syria. “When I watch the film I’m able to accept everything that happened to us, but the displacement I can’t feel OK about – when we were saying goodbye to the city…” She trails off briefly. “We were fighting so hard to stay.”

Al-Kateab’s daughters, Sama, who is now four-and-a-half, and Taima, who is three, have settled into life in England. Like her mother, Sama initially experienced nightmares. “We had doctors help her and she is much better. She rarely wakes up at night crying or screaming now,” Al-Kateab shares. The girls have adapted so well that they even have London accents, which Al-Kateab half-facetiously seems less than keen on – not so much for the actual dialect than for their heritage. “They are happy,” she says, smiling. “They speak a mix of English and Arabic. We are trying to keep the Arabic level good, but it’s difficult.”

Waad Al-Kateab wears Dress, Roksanda; shoes, Jimmy Choo; earrings, rings, bracelets, Bar Jewellery; ring, Alighieri. Photography: Sebastian Böttcher

While Sama is too young to remember what she witnessed in Aleppo, her mother aims to keep the girls connected to their roots. Al-Kateab is hopeful. “As Sama grows older, she will be able to understand more. We try to keep the conversation about Aleppo and Syria and I’m trying to tell them stories before bed. I want to keep part of that culture that Hamza and I believe in, and we feel that they should know where they come from, including all the elements like Ramadan and Eid.” One way to understand is to watch her searing documentary. “I don’t know if I will show them the film,” says Al-Kateab. “We need to see when they are ready. Sama has seen the trailer – she loves to watch it.” Naya al Altrash, the daughter of a family friend, Afraa Hashem – both of whom feature in For Sama – was shown the documentary when she was six. “The film answered so many questions for her,” explains Al-Kateab. “She was three-and-half when she left. Now, she is able to see the story as someone from the inside and the outside.”

Since moving to London – the family was granted leave to remain shortly after arriving – Hamza is no longer practicing as a doctor but is working towards a master’s degree in public health. Al-Kateab continues to work as a journalist for Channel 4, producing stories on justice, Syria, and Covid-19. She is also dedicated to three major ventures: a fiction project related to Syria, a new documentary, and Action for Sama, an ongoing campaign to end the targeting of healthcare facilities in Syria. It’s currently building a case against the Syrian regime and Russia for alleged war crimes – For Sama footage will be used as evidence. “The most important thing is to maintain the conversation about Syria,” Al-Kateab says. “If it’s too late for governments to intervene and stop it, it’s never too late for accountability and justice.”

While Al-Kateab may feel guilt for not being in Syria, she continues to fight for Aleppo from afar. “My main hope is to see something changed in Syria soon. I hope we can return to the place we fought for,” she says. Her dream is for citizens to feel empowered. “That’s why this whole Syrian revolution started. If we felt that we were being respected, or empowered, I think the situation wouldn’t have come to this.” After her years staring death in the eye, her words are poignant. “When I was in Aleppo, I was forced to live as if every moment was my last. Until today, I feel that this is the best thing to do. There is not a lot of time in the future so everything you want to do, do now. Tell everyone you love that you love them, right now. Don’t hide any of these feelings because when you have lost them, there is no more time.” 

Read more: Meet The Beirut Fashion Designers Refusing To Give Up Hope