A Fashionable First: Harper’s Bazaar Is Headed by Samira Nasr as Its First Female Arab American Chief Editor

posted on: Mar 24, 2021

By: Claire Boyle/Arab America Contributing Writer

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the esteemed magazine, Harper’s Bazaar? You might think of their amazing front-page covers, their influence on the fashion world, or their impact on Victorian-era women. Or maybe it is their sleek image and brand recognition that has kept them in the business for over 100 years. I doubt your first thought would have been that Harper’s Bazaar has made history by selecting Samira Nasr as their first female Arab American chief editor.

In June 2020, Nasr was named the chief editor of this world-renown publication in the midst of a global pandemic and a summer of protests over racial inequality. Her job was to reimagine Harper’s Bazaar during this challenging time and bring the world of fashion into a base of equity, diversity, and technology.

A Diverse Backstory

Samira Nasr (pronounced NAW-sir) has a very intriguing backstory. Her life has been full of lived experiences, diversity, challenges, and many interesting perspectives. Nasr has a beautiful worldview. She sees her role as a journalist as one of compassion, peace, art, and kindness. Nasr grew up in a suburb of Montreal with a mixed familial heritage. Her father was Lebanese and her mother was from Trinidad and a person of color. Samira later moved to the United States and became a citizen.

Nasr has said that in the past, she had trouble identifying herself. She did not want to “offend anyone by claiming a particular biography that was not hers, and at the same time she was always aware of her differences,”. Nasr studied philosophy as an undergrad and went on to New York University to obtain a master’s degree in journalism. Nasr’s keen awareness of her differences is what makes her a strong journalist. She realized her passion was to tell stories of individuals and groups who are marginalized. Nasr then decided that fashion was the avenue through which she could do this.

Fashion Magazine Veteran

Samira’s career in fashion has taken her to numerous publications, agencies, and many places around the world. She knows the inner world of fashion as a consultant of Tory Burch, L’Oréal Paris, and Banana Republic. She also has vast experience in working for all sorts of fashion magazines. Nasr has both the eye of a journalist and of an artist, and she uses both these skills to craft interesting and impactful stories. She started her career as an intern for Mirabella Magazine, a now-defunct women’s magazine. She then became a fashion gofer for Allure Magazine. Afterward, Nasr moved her way up to Vogue as an assistant, fashion director for Elle, and another rung up the ladder as the style director for InStyle and Vanity Fair.

Finally, as of June 2020, she is now the first female Arab American chief editor of Harper’s Bazaar. Additionally, she has worked with and styled celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz. Nasr’s first publication as the chief editor of Harper’s Bazaar was released in March 2021. The cover story was a feature about the almost-overnight success of the female rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, who is also quickly becoming a cultural icon. Finally, because of Nasr’s wide variety of talent and her work for so many esteemed publications, one can definitely say that Samira is a fashion magazine veteran and a force to be reckoned with!

Fashion for Good—Using Art and Journalism To Advocate for the Marginalized

“I just want to bring more people with me to the party.” – Samira Nasr, Chief Editor of Harper’s Bazaar

As a young woman, Nasr decided that her role as a journalist was to use art and fashion to tell the stories of those who are marginalized whether it be by their race, ethnic heritage, religion, or some other defining characteristic. She says that she got tired of seeing Islam portrayed as a violent religion as a lot of the “imagery [is unfortunately that Muslims] are terrorists, killers, and murderers,” and instead she decided to turn the tables on that notion, become a journalist, and tell the real stories. As a Black Arab American woman, she is too keenly aware of all the negative stereotypes that people face. She decided to turn all of it into positivity by being an advocate for those who often go unheard.

Nasr is not Muslim, but, many of her family members are, so she said “I need to go to journalism school because I need to become a journalist to tell the other story of Islam…[one that is of] beauty and compassion.” Additionally, she has supported the Black Lives Matter movement. And, she recognizes that in her position as chief editor, she has the power to be a representative for both the Black and Arab American communities. In fact, she relishes the role. Nasr said in her introductory video shortly after being announced as the chief editor, “I will work to give all voices a platform to tell the stories that would never have been told.”

Representation

I think it is important to talk about representation. Samira Nasr brings a unique angle as she is both an Arab American and Black woman. Both identities are underrepresented in the United States. Even with her first issue as chief editor, it is obvious that Nasr is trying to make the fashion world more diverse and equitable. Knowing her background, this will be something she continues to work on throughout her tenure in this role. Additionally, she is a role model for all women.

Despite her numerous career accomplishments, she says her greatest achievement and “proudest moment was when she became a mom and held her son Lex, for the first time.” As a high-powered woman in her 50s, she is also a representative for older women by telling the world that they matter, too. Finally, she is a journalist, artist, stylist, and mother. She will do amazing things in her new role as chief editor of the prestigious fashion magazine, Harper’s Bazaar.

Congratulations to Samira Nasr on her history-making appointment as the first female Arab American chief editor of Harper’s Bazaar! We are so proud of her success and advocacy for the Arab American community!

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