DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz has confirmed that she was fired as editor-in-chief of Vogue Arabia.
In an exclusive statement shared with BoF, the Saudi princess said: "I refused to compromise when I felt the publisher’s approach conflicted with the values which underpin our readers and the role of the editor-in-chief in meeting those values in a truly authentic way."
It continued: "I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish in such a short space of time... It had initially been my intention to build this important and groundbreaking edition of Vogue from inception to a mature magazine in line with others in the Vogue stable."
Aljuhani Abdulaziz was appointed editor-in-chief of Vogue Arabia in July 2016, charged with leading the launch of Condé Nast International’s long-awaited move into the Middle Eastern market. It is understood that a new editor has already been appointed and an announcement is forthcoming.
The news comes on the heels of a party celebrating the launch of the latest international edition of Vogue last week, at the Museum of Islamic Art and Place Vendôme Qatar. Aljuhani Abdulaziz and her team were joined by Condé Nast International chairman and CEO Jonathan Newhouse, Nicholas Coleridge and Suzy Menkes, International Vogue Editor.
Vogue Arabia was launched in partnership with Dubai-based publishing company Nervora, and debuted with a dual-language website in Arabic and English last year, followed by a print edition in March, starring a veiled Gigi Hadid shot by Inez and Vinoodh on its inaugural cover. The April cover featured Imaan Hammam, a Dutch model of Egyptian and Moroccan descent.
Prior to her appointment as editor-in-chief of Vogue Arabia, Aljuhani Abdulaziz was known for founding Riyadh and Doha member’s-only boutique D'NA, which established her as an important independent fashion voice on the international scene.
Condé Nast declined to comment. Nervora Publishing could not be reached for comment.
Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz's statement in full:
"I am delighted, as Vogue Arabia's first Editor-in-Chief, to have brought a voice to women's fashion in the Arab World. I am honoured to have enabled the Vogue brand to firmly and uniquely establish itself in a way that allows a fashion magazine in the Arab World to fuse traditional values with aspirational fashion.
"I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish in such a short space of time, working alongside some of fashion's greatest talent, including the region's most influential and creative women. It had initially been my intention to build this important and groundbreaking edition of Vogue from inception to a mature magazine in line with others in the Vogue stable. Having launched Vogue Arabia with such distinction, I have a clear vision for what fashion means to today's woman.
"I stand behind my values and vision for Vogue Arabia and I refused to compromise when I felt the publisher’s approach conflicted with the values which underpin our readers and the role of the Editor-in-Chief in meeting those values in a truly authentic way."
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