Ladies First: A Letter From Our Editor | Harper’s Bazaar Arabia March 2024

Bazaar Arabia’s Group Acting Editor in Chief Natasha Faruque highlights all the formidable females in our March 2024 issue

Unshakable self-worth: as we gather to celebrate International Women’s Day this March, that’s what we hope that every woman has at her core. As trailblazer Iman, our March cover star, says with conviction, “My mum would always say: ‘Know your worth and walk away from anything that doesn’t serve you’… You could say to me ‘You’re not beautiful’ and I might believe it. But you could never say to me I wasn’t worth it.” The fact that this year’s IWC theme is Inspire Inclusion is particularly pertinent.

This issue of Bazaar Arabia celebrates high achievers, believers and dreamers in every field. From entertainment entrepreneur Sonal Vara-Parmer who has divas like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys on speed dial to director Tima Shomali who doesn’t shy away from controversial scenarios as conversation-starters in her series AlRawabi School for Girls, activist Zainab Salbi and bespoke queen Dina Melwani, we highlight those who have shattered glass ceilings, and through mentorship, connections and sheer hard work, are enabling others to reach similar dizzying heights.

As we enter the Holy Month of Ramadan – a time of introspection and spirituality – there’s no better time to reflect on our goals and priorities. And given that the collective empowers the individual, perhaps now is the time to re-evaluate what more we can do to ensure the next generation doesn’t even feel the need to mark a specific day; because every day really should be International Women’s Day.

Lead image credits: Dress, POA, Bad Binch Tongtong

Photographer: AB+DM at The Only Agency. Stylist: Ayumi Perry at Opus Beauty. Hair: Hos Hounkpatin at The Wall Group. Make-Up: Keita Moore at The Only Agency. Manicurist: Mo Qin at The Wall Group. Tailor: Shirlee Idzakovich. Production: Alexey Galetskiy. Senior Producer: Steff Hawker. Styling Assistant’s: Ayana Hipps, Isaiah Blest, Rowaine Grant and Nelly McKay.

From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s March 2024 issue.