Saudi permits fashion photoshoot at Al Ula UNESCO heritage site

By Rahul Vaimal, Associate Editor
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Vogue Arabia Photoshoot
Kate Moss, Mônot Fall 2020 campaign. Photo by Luigi and Iango. Courtesy Mônot

Often considered as the epitome of governance in line with Islamic value systems and modesty, Saudi Arabia, under the new leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been embracing modernization and liberal thinking while retaining its value at the core. 

Slowly and steadily the Kingdom has been easing several restrictions that were in place to open up the Saudi economy to the world.

In line with its grander vision of Saudi Arabia 2030, the crown prince permitted Vogue Arabia, the regional edition of the famous US-based fashion magazine to conduct a fashion photoshoot with international supermodels.

The action is one of many that could be seen as an example of Saudi royalty’s adherence to allow non-Muslim in the kingdom to enjoy all the liberty they are afforded by their religious value systems while also endorsing co-existence of the native Islamic community with their traditional values.

The photoshoot which was titled ‘24 hours in Al Ula’, was facilitated at the Al-Ula UNESCO heritage site, some 300 kilometers away from the holy city of Madina. Such an action would have been unimaginable in the Kingdom previously due to strict rules of modesty.

The day-long glamorous photoshoot campaign for the New York-based label Mônot included Kate Moss, Mariacarla Boscono, Candice Swanepoel, Jourdan Dunn, Amber Valletta, Xiao Wen and Alek Wek.

As per the reports, the Lebanese designer Eli Mizrah who organized and directed the shoot had his first photo shoot in January 2020.

Al-Ula is termed as ‘world’s largest open-air museum’ for his carved up rock structures similar to Jordan’s Petra.

Acknowledging the commitment of his model, Eli Mizrahi said: “I persuaded the talent that they would recall this moment as something extra special. Kate Moss not only acted, but she was the first one on set at 5 A.M. and the last to leave.”

He also shared the outstanding images on his Instagram profile.

 

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Bringing to life the first ever Mônot campaign was a collaborative creative effort. So I want to give a shout out to all of the amazing, incredibly talented people who brought my vision to life. Kate the Great, you showed me just what a ⭐️ you are. You trusted me and jumped blindly into this project. You gave it your heart and soul and you were the keystone to making this campaign a success. Alek, Amber, Candice, Jourdan, Mariacarla, and Xiao Wen you embody the inclusive cross-cultural swath of empowered women that Mônot wants to dress. Thank you for flying in from all over the world to be part of this passion project. Luigi & Iango the incredible images and film you created for this campaign have a timeless beauty that pulls you in and makes you think. I know how much hard work you put into this project, but when you look at the results they have an effortless grace to them. And Carine I just want to say thank you for everything! Your sleek, chic, and sexy aesthetic dovetail perfectly with that of the Mônot woman. You are not afraid to tell it like it is, even when I don’t want to hear it. You keep me honest and you keep me focused. They say, there is no “I” in team but let me tell you there is an “I” in this!!! So last but not least I want to thank myself for going against the expected. For the drive and passion that I dedicated to this project. What I was able to achieve with my first campaign, as the founder of an emerging independent brand, is pretty fanfreakingtastic. And above all, I want to thank myself for not giving up on my dreams. It’s moments like these, when everyone thinks I’m crazy, that I push even harder. I always welcome a challenge. As my father always said, “Follow your dreams and you will never lose sight of your goals”. Mônot Autumn Winter 2020-21 Campaign Creative director: @elimizrahi Photography: @luigiandiango @2bmanagement Fashion editor: @carineroitfeld Hair: @luigimurenu Makeup: @georgisandev Models: @msalekwek, @ambervalletta , @angelcandices, @jourdandunn @katemossagency, @mariacarlaboscono @jujujuxiaowen

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The photoshoot along with the widespread reforms in the entertainment industry and gender relations can be seen as a stepping stone on which Saudi Arabia transforms itself into a progressive global power without any traditional burdens which it had earlier.

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