Samira Nasr has been appointed as the Editor-In-Chief of the US edition of "Harper’s BAZZAR," making it the the first time the magazine is going to be run by a black Arab in its 153-year history. Lebanese-Trinidadian Nasr will start taking the helm of the leading fashion magazine owned by publishing company Hearst Magazines on July 6. And she will be reporting to the company’s Chief Content Officer, Kate Lewis.
Nasr, who will be joining "Harper’s BAZZAR" after working as the Executive Fashion Director at rival publisher Conde Nast's "Vanity Fair" magazine, will supervise the entire content strategy and development across the brand’s print and digital platforms. The fashion expert will be taking the reins from Glenda Bailey, who announced in January that she was stepping down after almost 19 years at the glossy magazine, but will still act as a consultant to the brand. Canadian-born Nasr took to Instagram after her appointment was announced to share the news with her followers. While doing so via a video, she nodded towards her heritage and touched on her wide-ranging vision.
“As the proud daughter of a Lebanese father and Trinidadian mother, my world view is expansive and is anchored in the belief that representation matters,” Nasr, who lives in New York, said while celebrating her new gig. 'My lens by nature is colourful, and so it is important to me to begin a new chapter in "BAZAAR"'s history by shining a light on all individuals who I believe are the inspiring voices of our time. I will work to give all voices a platform to tell stories that would never have been told.” The editor and stylist with a graduate degree from New York University also took the opportunity to offer a message of support to Black Lives Matter activists.
“To all the protestors, community organizers, activists and those currently fighting to be safe, to be seen and heard through our own narratives — I see you, I thank you and I hope we can join forces to amplify the message of equality because black lives matter.”
In a statement announcing Nasr's hiring, Hearst Magazines’ President, Troy Young, said her “important voice will continue to evolve the brand’s distinct position as a style touchstone for fashion’s most discerning."
Montreal-raised Nasr started her career as an assistant to American "Vogue"’s former Creative Director, Grace Coddington. She went on to work as a Style Director at "InStyle" and then joined "Elle" as a Fashion Director for five years. Additionally, she has styled campaigns for some of the most renowned fashion and beauty brands, including L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch, Laura Mercier and Clarins.
Nasr has a bevy of famous friends and fans, who were quick to congratulate her on her latest career milestone. Joan Smalls, Tracee Ellis Ross, Hailey Bieber, Elsa Hosk, Narciso Rodriguez, Prabal Gurung and Philip Lim were some of the stars who showed their support. Others included Janelle Monae. Kerry Washington and Bella Hadid, who reposted Nas’r video on her Instagram Stories, writing, “This is the best news of 2020” and “Yes! Queen Samira! This is everything! Sending you my love and congratulations!”
