The debate is on!
People seem to have mixed feelings about this disclosure and I must admit I am one of them.
Just yesterday, Vogue Arabia revealed on social media their first cover, which stars Model of the Year Gigi Hadid. Honestly, I was a little disappointed to say the least. Don't get me wrong, I like Gigi Hadid but I would have expected something less typical and more outside the box. I am just confused about why they would choose her as a first cover. I mean it is Vogue Arabia.
This reveal feels so déjà-vu and almost predictable. The only difference is the attire, the detailed orient-inspired veil. Everyone is super excited about Vogue being launched in the region.
I guess I even had bigger expectations.

“In one poised photograph, she communicates a thousand words to a region that’s been waiting far too long for its Vogue voice to speak,” says the Editor-in-Chief, Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz in the article 'Vogue Arabia’s First Cover Revealed'.

I would have loved to see another face of Arabia. I mean, it is a beautiful cover but it could have been used at a later time. Are we seriously lacking women to represent "Arabia"? Then we have a problem. What is the point then of Vogue Arabia?
Many have said that Gigi Hadid has always embraced her Palestinian roots and that she is proud of her origins. I can totally respect that but I would have loved to see a different kind of welcoming of Vogue into the Middle East, another approach that is more relative to Arabia.

On another note, I have an issue with the Arabic font. It doesn't seem to fit right, visually.
The first issue of Vogue Arabia is bound to create a buzz but has everything become just so over-rated that we are loosing our basic sense of humility and gratitude to our culture. I think that our Arab and Middle Eastern society and culture are undeniably rich in numerous fields. I have a hard time understanding the choice here. I think they would have taken the world by storm if they had gone for an unexpected cover woman. That would have created a major positive buzz, I assure you. And everyone would have been so proud.
You will not hear people say "Oh why didn't you put a model like Gigi Hadid, instead?"
People in power underestimate the fashion lovers and readers of our region.

Surely a much anticipated phenomena for the fashion and editorial world in the Middle East, the first issue of Vogue Arabia will be available on newsstands on Sunday, March 5th 2017.
Curious to get up close and personal with the first issue.