How Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Brought Love To Life For Its Bicentennial Issue
The issue to celebrate all issues, Bazaar Arabia’s 200th edition took love as its muse, partnering with Cartier on a 12-cover ode to friendship, family, and falling in love at first sight…
“Ambition is a word we love at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, so a 12-cover, 26-person extravaganza for our 200th issue was a self-imposed challenge we relished,” says Olivia Phillips, Group Editor-In-Chief at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, reflecting on the project that has been more than a year-in-the-making.
“The brief went from big (one cover, 10 people), to bigger (8 covers, 16 people), to biggest – by far the boldest undertaking in Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s 18-year tenure,” she explains.
Its muse? Love itself.
“Every single one of our now-200 issues have been made with love, so it’s fitting that love is what we’re celebrating here. From the power and importance of female friendship to the once-in-a-lifetime gift that is a true soulmate, we asked some of our favourites to share the special bonds that bind them together,” elaborates Olivia. “We shot over a few different days (and countries), and there was cake (for Dora Bouchoucha’s birthday) dancing (May Calamawy and Dina Shihabi made sure of it), and more than a few happy tears (from anyone listening in to Youssra and Khaled Selim’s love story).”
While bringing the love was no challenge for Bazaar Arabia, every love story requires a little sparkle. “Naturally, our partners-in-fine (jewellery), Cartier, not only matched our grand plans, but elevated them way beyond what all of us had initially envisioned when we had our first phone call over a year and a half ago,” says Olivia. Drawing upon all realms of the region’s creative industries, the project swiftly became larger than life, bursting at the seams with all iterations of love, straight from the heart of the Arab world’s most influential icons.
Traversing the globe, brought to life by the industry’s leading luminaries, the initiative became a first in the media landscape of the Middle East – a unique, episodic collection of 12 covers that each speak to an individual love story. Love at first sight. Love that burgeons from childhood and still burns bright. Love that sometimes falters, yet fights fiercely to re-flourish once more. Fervent love. Telepathic love. Unyielding, unwavering and utterly ardent love. The one, single human experience that unites young and old, all genders, all creeds, and all communities across the region and far beyond.
Naturally, these stories speak to every Harper’s Bazaar Arabia reader – reflected in the digital footprint of the cover roll-out thus far, which reached tens of thousands in just its first few hours. So if there’s one thing left to be said, we hope you remember that love can catch alight quickly from the smallest of embers… and should always be shared.
Lead Image: May and Dina wear Cartier Love Jewellery, all Cartier. May wears: Dress, Ferragamo. Dina wears: Dress, Versace.
Editor-in-Chief: Olivia Phillips. Acting Editor-in-Chief: Sophia Serin. Creative Director: Marne Schwartz, Tamim Mortaza; Vice President: Farrah Taylor. Group Managing Editor & Words: Natasha Faruque. Art Director: Paul Solomons. Photographer: Mattia Guolo, Vladimir Marti. Movement: Jamie Neale, Adrien Galo. Production: Steff Hawker, Jean-Marc Mondelet. Make-up Direction: Anna Sadamori, Raffaele Romagnoli. Set Styling: Camille Rousseau. Videography: Maycon Dehan. Fashion: Gabriela Cambero, Charlotte Marsh-Williams. Hair Direction: Jean-Luc Amarin, Adam Garland. Nail Artist: Nafissa Djabi, Leyla Mistry. Photography Assistants: Alessia Azzolini, Alessio Spanu, Manfredi Prestigiacomo, Macky Navarro; Videography Assistants: Larissy Leandro. Production Manager: Gijo Thomas. Image Editor: Jemima Joy. Production Coordination: Erin Steel, Chloe Christodoulou, Marina Moravenova. Hair Assistants: Tracey Nguyen, Yihan Jen, Ziyan Zhang, Wenting Zhangn, Bella Hudgell. Make-up Assistants: Ismahane Benabbou, Natalia Bokan, Roberto Meloni, Sitara Nash, Gabriel Leggieri. Nail Assistants: Yasmine Hilali. Editorial: Milli Midwood, Meeran Mekkaoui.