July 5, 2016

Vogue magazine to launch in the Middle East for the first time

Condé Nast-owned monthly magazine Vogue is to launch an edition for the Middle East this autumn.

Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz, who will be appointed the editor-in-chief of Vogue Arabia, told the Financial Times: “The Arab world consists of 250m people, and they never had a Vogue”. She added: “The time has come, and it has been a long time coming.”

The 31-year old royal is the founder of D’NA, a members-only boutique based in Riyadh, where she currently lives.

Vogue Arabia’s headquarters will be based in Dubai, with the aim of reaching a wider audience across the Middle East.

Dubai is also the home of Nervora, the company under whose licence agreement Vogue Arabia will be published.

Nervora is affiliated with Style.com/Arabia, Condé Nast’s first fashion publication for the Middle East. Style.com/Arabia will be replaced and rebranded by Vogue Arabia.

Shashi Menon, chief executive officer of Nervora, said: “Nearly four years ago, we embarked on a mission to change the fashion landscape in the Middle East with Style.com/Arabia. That mission continues — and grows markedly — with Vogue, the world’s preeminent fashion publication. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Vogue Arabia will begin with an English and Arabic language website with a print edition to follow in spring 2017.

Karina Dobrotvorskaya, president of Condé Nast New Markets and editorial director for brand development, said: “A digital first launch for Vogue is a historic moment.” She hopes “…that Vogue Arabia will transform the media landscape in the region.”

One of the Dubai-based edition’s first responsibilities will be to take charge of The Fashion Prize (soon to be rebranded as the DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize), an annual endowment that rewards fashion and accessory designers in the Arab World.

Vogue Arabia will become the 22nd international edition of the magazine, joining the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Russia, Japan, China, Taiwan, Mexico & Latin America, Korea, Brazil, Australia, Portugal, India, Turkey, Thailand, the Netherlands and the Ukraine..