The BoF Podcast | Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz on Redefining Arab Fashion Media

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Background:

Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz was drawn to fashion from a young age, devouring issues of Vogue and Tatler. This led her to set up D’NA, a members-only boutique based in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. 10 years later when she closed her boutique, she became the founding editor-in-chief of Vogue Arabia – but soon parted ways with the publication due to a misalignment in values.

Now, Aljuhani Abdulaziz is back with her own media publication, on her own terms. ‘Deenathe1st.com’ is an editorial lifestyle website dedicated to fostering a creative community that celebrates Arab culture.

“What I hold dear is what anybody would hold dear. Representing my culture correctly and fairly,” she says. “And it’s not trying to show off Western ideas to the region. It’s the other way around. It’s showcasing the region and what we share creatively with the rest of the world.”

This week on The BoF Podcast, Aljuhani Abdulaziz joins BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed to share her career journey, the lessons she’s learned about fostering culture and community, and why the fashion community needs a new publication.

Key Insights:

• Born in California but raised between the US and Saudi Arabia, Aljuhani Abdulaziz is an expert code switcher who’s always felt able to act like a cultural bridge between the two worlds. “It never felt like an effort. It just came naturally. I think that’s part of what makes me who I am in a sense,” she shares. “It’s not just in figures of speech, but also in how you would interact with people, because there are different customs and traditions in different regions and in different households. It’s really about a state of mind.”
• Aljuhani Abdulaziz’s first fashion influence was her mother, who she describes as “still very, very chic.” As a child, her discovery of Tatler magazine pushed this passion even further. “I picked it up and I opened up its pages and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is it!’ I was just so grateful and happy that it existed.”
• Aljuhani Abdulaziz’s stint at Vogue Arabia ended abruptly after just two months. “I understood the responsibility of being a voice for a very big region, being Arab myself,” she said.  “I think there was a point when that didn’t align and the visions were not parallel.”
• Looking to the future, Aljuhani Abdulaziz says she is building her editorial lifestyle platform ‘Deenathe1st.com’ on the basis of community, shared values, and kindness. “I think that it’s super important to remind people that you don’t have to be nasty to be stylish or to be in fashion or to be chic,” she said. “I would love to continue my love letter to Arabia. That’s really what I’m trying to do with this site.”

Additional resources:

• Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz Exits Vogue Arabia: The Saudi princess has confirmed that she was fired as editor-in-chief of Vogue Arabia after only two issues. It is understood that a new editor has already been appointed.
• Vogue Arabia Appoints Manuel Arnaut as Editor-in-Chief: Arnaut is the second man in a week to have been appointed to the helm of an edition of Vogue.
• A New Era of Arab-Led Fashion Media: Harper’s Bazaar and Esquire have launched Saudi Arabian editions, signalling a drive toward localisation in the Middle East that locals say is long overdue.