Icons Only: A Letter From Our Editor | Harper’s Bazaar Arabia September 2023
What is the true meaning of iconic? Bazaar Arabia’s Editor in Chief Olivia Phillips delves into its essence while sharing how life lessons are the gateway to a long legacy
“Being iconic means living forever.” Our legendary cover star Yousra is up to her fabulous tricks again, casually administering bite-size pieces of wisdom for the ages like it’s no big deal. And for her, it probably isn’t. More regional than national treasure, the, well, iconic grande dame of Arab cinema is exactly how I remembered her from the last time we met, pre-pandemic. But like all great women, she has only got better with age. In fact, I would argue that it is right now, in her late 60s, brimming with all that knowledge and life and heart, that Yousra is in her absolute prime.
Everyone could use a little Yousra in their lives. Straight-shooting, cheeky, absurdly generous with that hard-won wisdom, she is both light and shade, and really does possess that star power which you read about but always dismiss as hyperbole. She’s not just charisma, she’s old-school charisma. And thank God she exists, because if she didn’t we would have to make her up. “The word ‘iconic’ has become so cheap these days, like the word ‘love’,” she tells me. “A true icon leaves a legacy. 100 million views on YouTube? This is not a legacy, darling.”
No one could really argue, could they? But it’s lovely to be reminded – not least by a fearless godmother figure who has lived at least four lifetimes. So…what do we leave behind? Or more pointedly, what should we? And I’m not talking about those of us with a five-decade, culture-defining body of work on the silver screen. What about the rest of us mere mortals?
Since I found out that I was going to become a mother, it’s something I’ve been pondering more than ever. Sure, the word ‘legacy’ can seem overblown when it comes to talking about anyone who isn’t in a hall of fame somewhere, but it’s still worth considering in a quieter, more prosaic way. Mine certainly won’t comprise a stream of cinematic classics (not unless my career takes an unexpectedly sharp turn, anyway), but if speaking to Yousra taught me one thing above all else, it’s to think about it even more. My conclusion? Share your life lessons. Throw them around with abandon. Pass on knowledge. Encourage. Advise. Be as generous with your wisdom as humanly possible. What a beautiful thing to leave behind, no matter who you are. And certainly better than YouTube views. An icon once told me that.
Editor’s Picks
From Olivia’s Desk
My life is now trying and failing to find good maternity wear, but at least I know the baby will be well-dressed with the likes of Louis Vuitton’s infant range. Keeping it clean may be a whole other conversation. Wish me luck with that.
Photography: Fernando Gómez. Styling: Nour Bou Ezz. Artwork: Adra Kandil.
Make-Up: Raffaele Romagnoli. Hair: Yulia Pantiukhina.
Photographer’s Assistant: Rosa De La Paz. Stylist’s Assistant: Martina Dotti, Charlotte Williams. Producer: Steff Hawker
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s September 2023 issue.
