Embracing the wide world! Vogue Arabia just unveiled its inaugural issue, starring none other than Gigi Hadid, and the supermodel could not be prouder to represent the newly minted title.
Hadid, 21, shared both of the March issue’s cover images, in which she wears a stunning beaded headdress, via Instagram on Wednesday, March 1, accompanied by a message of tolerance to her immense fan base.
“I think the beautiful thing about there being international Vogue’s is that, as a fashion community, we are able to celebrate, and share with the world, different cultures,” she wrote. “Being half-Palestinian, it means the world to me to be on the first-ever cover(s) of @voguearabia, and I hope that this magazine will show another layer of the fashion industry’s desire to continue to accept, celebrate, and incorporate all people & customs and make everyone feel like they have fashion images and moments they can relate to… & learn and grow in doing so… So much love.”
It seems that Hadid’s dream of a more diverse and accepting fashion industry, especially in relation to Muslim models, is slowly coming to fruition. IMG Models just signed its first hijab-wearing model, Halima Aden, to its impressive roster. (Think: Gigi and Gisele.) Shortly after, Aden walked her first runway — for Kanye West‘s Fall 2017 Yeezy presentation.
In a similar vein, Vogue Paris just tapped its first transgender model, Valentina Sampaio, to be a cover star. And L’Oréal Paris just tapped Angolan model Maria Borges, the first Victoria’s Secret Angel to rock her natural afro on the runway, to be its latest ambassador.
