LONDON: The ITP Media Group announced the launch of bi-lingual Saudi Arabian editions of Harper’s Bazaar and Esquire magazines on Sunday, making them the first international luxury and lifestyle magazines in the country.
“I am excited that fashion publishing in the Kingdom increases opportunities for cultural professionals and will lead to more jobs for writers, photographers, stylists, art directors and graphic designers,” Princess Noura bint Faisal Al-Saud, a leading member of the Ministry of Culture’s Fashion Commission, said in a statement.
“Fashion publishing has the potential to be a strong platform upon which to narrate the story of Saudi’s homegrown fashion talents, and encourage cultural exchange. Using fashion as a lens through which to examine the beauty and history of this country will inspire people both at home and abroad,” she added
The Saudi Arabian editions, which will begin distribution as of March 2021, and will be run by an ITP editorial team based in Riyadh working with local contributors, stylists, photographers and content creators.
The launch will be accompanied by a series of exclusive private events throughout the year including luxury VIP soirées, hosted dinners and practical workshops from global experts in the fashion industry.
“I met Her Highness Princess Noura bint Faisal Al-Saud in 2018 to discuss launching the first internationally acclaimed fashion magazines specifically for the Saudi Arabian market and am excited that this discussion has now become a reality,” Sue Holt, managing director of ITP Media Group Saudi, said.
“We are immensely proud to be part of this historic movement in one of the world’s youngest and most rapidly evolving countries. To be able to showcase and celebrate the creative people there through our media is an absolute honour and we look forward to Harper’s Bazaar and Esquire Saudi helping to unearth previously unseen talent and to tell the stories of the many people that deserve to be recognised,” she added.
According to a recent report by the General Authority for Statistics (GSAT), Saudi Arabia has one of the youngest populations in the world with two-thirds of the country under the age of 35, which both Harper’s Bazaar Saudi and Esquire Saudi aim to target.
The Kingdom is undergoing a rapid evolution and transformation with the creation of sweeping new reforms and policies in line with Vision 2030, which is modernizing Saudi Arabia socially, culturally and economically.