Vogue Arabia Celebrates Its Seventh Anniversary With Seven Cover Stars and an Ode to Diversity (2024)

Marking seven years of success, Vogue Arabia’s March 2024 issue sees seven iconic women from around the globe in the spotlight.

Themed ‘Beauties of the World’, the edition aims to celebrate women of different ethnicities, body types, and ages — all with a strong connection to relevant social causes — while reminding us that beauty is not just a physical trait, but a quality that really shines from within. Meet Palestinian pop princess Elyanna, Somali-American model Halima Aden, Bollywood superstar Kareena Kapoor Khan, Lebanese actor Nadine Nassib Njeim, Italian diva Monica Bellucci, Canadian model Winnie Harlow, and Saudi author and diversity advocate Abrar Alothman.

Find out what’s to come within the magazine below.

In this month’s cover story, the seven women open up about their experiences and struggles with the idea of beauty, and how they empower themselves to achieve self-love. “I see myself in the mirror and I’m like, I have a mature beauty now, mature skin, a mature mind, a mature body, and I love it,” Nadine Nassib Njeim shares. “This is my beauty, my face, my body, I do whatever I want to maintain my physical appearance. Whatever I do, positive or negative, people will never stop talking,” she says unapologetically. And Kareena Kapoor Khan couldn’t agree more. “I’ve embraced myself through every decade of working – from 18 to my 20s and 40s; from being a size zero to having two children,” she states. “Beauty is a positive word with a positive emotion, and we should look at it that way.”

A reigning muse at 59, Italian icon Monica Bellucci also opens up about evolving perspectives on beauty. “Things are changing because women today are talking out loud,” she says in her interview. “I see all these incredible actors like Isabelle Huppert, Charlotte Rampling, Fanny Ardant… women who still have the possibility to play leading roles and they’re still amazing. It really proves how things are different compared to before, where after 40 years old, women didn’t have the chance to work anymore.”

Among the seven inspiring women on our covers is also Saudi Arabia’s Abrar Alothman, the author and social media personality whose content is spreading awareness of epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic skin disease. As a child, Alothman recalls, “Nobody wanted to sit at the desk next to me. They were afraid to shake my hand, or if they did, they would only do it with their fingertips and then immediately wipe their hands.” Now, the 30-year-old has become a favorite in the online sphere for her pithy and raw messages about self-love and how to handle setbacks. An inspiring journey that is unfolding in front of our eyes.

Spotlighting beauty in all forms, Vogue Arabia’s March 2024 issue also features a special with Ameni Esseibi, a much-loved name in the world of fashion. This month, the Tunisian model shows her back — quite literally — to trolls and bullies as she opens up about self-acceptance, and being herself unapologetically. In a letter written for this issue of Vogue Arabia, she takes back control and demands a woman’s right to back rolls. “I have been bullied my entire life, because I was the brown-skinned, tall, curly-haired girl with a big bosom by age 12… I blame capitalism and businesses for making us think that something like having back rolls is a problem, so that we go and spend money on liposuction to remove them,” she shares. “I am here to tell you not to believe them; you are pretty, they just want your money. One person once wrote to me, ‘I’m still alive because of you,’ and I will never forget that. ‘You made me feel accepted.’ That is my mission; I want to leave this world knowing that I changed the fashion industry, that I changed society, and the way that people think.”

Over in Los Angeles, Vogue Arabia meets with Noor Alfallah, who gave birth to her and Hollywood icon Al Pacino’s son last year. This month, the Kuwaiti-American producer and new mom introduces their baby to the world for the very first time in the magazine. “Becoming a mom — to be honest — it’s greater than I ever could imagine,” she shares. “Roman has just been the greatest gift from God, a thousand times better than what I ever thought he would be. Every day I look at him, I just know I’m so blessed. I say Mashallah, because I’m a little superstitious. Even when I got into Sundance—Mashallah. Or, we’re going to get into Cannes. Inshallah.” Also in Hollywood, the March issue takes a closer look at Daniela Melchior, Portugal’s latest export who is gearing up for another career milestone. After being part of blockbuster movies like The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Fast X, upcoming thriller Road House marks her first leading role that will see her sharing screen space with Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor.

In the realm of beauty, the seventh anniversary issue gets up close and personal with seven revered makeup artists in Dubai, who recreate SS24’s standout trends on their favorite muses. Get ready to see some unique looks from Hindash and Mai Yackout, Mina Al Sheikhly and Dima Al Sheikhly, and Toni Malt and Chanel Ayan, to name a few. Also in this month’s pages, Vogue Arabia takes you on a deep dive into Balmain Hair Couture’s history in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Of Moroccan origin, Ilham Mestour was appointed as the French maison‘s creative director in August 2022, and now, she takes readers through its archives to reimagine its most iconic hair looks.

On the list of incredible women, the latest edition also finds Princess Abeer bint Saud bin Farhan Al Saud, a unique Saudi royal who recently made a historic expedition to Antarctica, and wrote to Vogue Arabia’s readers from the remote location. “The desert pushes us to our limits, just as the ice does. Extreme heat and extreme cold test us to see how much we can tolerate and what we will do to survive,” she pens. “What I have learned as a desert and polar explorer among people who must dig deep to survive in these unforgiving conditions, is a kindness most supreme, an enthusiastic will to help, to care for others, to act as a friend, and to show hospitality of the most spectacular sort. This journey has changed me, and I say without hesitation: I am happy and all the better for it.” In another part of the globe, Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan grabs our attention, as she preps to channel the voice of many women at this year’s Venice Biennale to represent the Kingdom at its fourth-ever national pavilion from April 20 to November 24.

This month, Vogue Arabia also takes you to some incredible locations, starting with Saudi Arabia, where the first grand opera produced by the Kingdom opens in Riyadh next month. In celebration, the magazine gathers some of the most powerful voices of the country’s opera world, lensed in front of Saudi Arabia’s incredible landscapes. Vogue Arabia then heads to the farmlands of AlUla, home of the picturesque Tarah Farmhouse. Nestled in Wadi Sadr roughly 1,000km from Riyadh, the farmhouse invites the outdoors in via its seemingly endless glass walls, and is quickly becoming a favorite among tourists looking for a break from the bustling city life.

As always, the new issue is packed with fashion novelties and inspiration. For connoisseurs of fine treasures, Vogue Arabia’s March 2024 issue sparkles with an extensive jewelry report, while the latest pieces from SS24 jump off the page with the promise of an exceptional new season. By the looks of it, Vogue Arabia’s eighth year will be brighter than any before it.