One of the things I love about Dubai is how beautiful the city is. Every corner or roundabout is decorated with flowers or palm trees, wrapping us in a technicolour haven. Just driving to work becomes a simple yet delightful experience, where spring blooms everyday. For someone who is smitten by the city, the location of this month’s cover shoot took the love story to a whole new level, literally. Standing on the helipad of the iconic Burj Al Arab, with a spectacular panoramic view 212 metres above ground level, reminded me of how lucky I am to call this place home.
This feeling was also shared by our cover star Lindsay Lohan, who swapped Hollywood for the UAE back in 2014. “Please make sure you get the view behind me,” she told Jonas Bresnan, who photographed the actor for this special edition celebrating the ninth anniversary of Vogue in the region. Although Lindsay has been in the spotlight for many years – she was only 11 years old when she made her film debut – I was so impressed by how relaxed and practical she is. The day we spent together was truly fun and memorable.
As is the tradition now, March is a key month when we dissect the spring/summer trends. Personally, I feel this is a very happy season, with designers making bold colour statements often inspired by nature. The collections by Loewe, Prada, Balenciaga and Dior (don’t miss new creative director Jonathan Anderson’s interview in the Arabic section) are an ode to much-needed optimism. This is reflected in the pages you are about to enjoy, bursting with romantic or high-energy fashion – but never dullness.
Beyond style, this anniversary issue features incredible personalities from different fields who are truly raising the bar – from sports to culture. Case in point: Tunisian tennis superstar Ons Jabeur, who is ready to embrace a new chapter: motherhood. When Ons called me to let me know she was expecting her first child, I instantly asked if we could share the news through Vogue. I was honoured that the athlete accepted this invitation, as this is such a beautiful and intimate moment for any family.
With the same optimism of the season, I would like to thank all the team members and contributors who worked so hard to put together this very special anniversary issue, and of course our readers, who showed incredible support for almost a decade of Vogue Arabia. Happy reading.
