Did you ever think a veiled, Pakistani woman would make the cover of British Vogue? I certainly didn't. Not in a post-9/11 western world where Muslims – particularly visibly Muslim women – still bear the brunt of Islamophobia, on a continent where nations have imposed hijab and niqab bans, and in a country whose prime minister notoriously compared veiled women to "letterboxes".
So, when I first saw a portrait of Malala Yousafzai with bold Vogue lettering on Instagram, I thought, for a split second, that it was a faux mock-up. Then I saw that the post originated from Edward Enninful, British Vogue's editor-in-chief.
It was true – a Pakistani woman in headscarf has had her face splashed across one of the world’s most prestigious fashion magazines.
The June 2021 cover of British Vogue featured Billie Eilish, in pin-up style photography, wearing a pink bustier and figure-hugging latex skirt. July's cover offers a stark contrast: Yousafzai, swathed in a Stella McCartney dress and simple scarf, lacks the celebrity sensationalism and sensuality of the publication's recent cover stars.
Despite not being an actress, songstress or fashion star, Yousafzai commands an inimitable presence. “Survivor, activist, legend” are the words emblazoned under the name of the 23-year-old who was shot by the Taliban in 2012, for being a proponent of female education in Pakistan.
She was flown to Britain for numerous surgeries and stayed on in Birmingham, graduating from Oxford University last year.
Dressing her in red for the cover shot – coupled with a solid red background – must have been a considered decision. The hue is symbolic of bloodshed and rebellion, and Yousafzai is, after all, a rebel of sorts, having courageously protested against the patriarchal extremists who denied her right to education.
Some traditionalists have also deemed red to be an eye-catching and “immodest” hue, and non-compliant with conservative interpretations of hijab.
One might argue that an affiliation with a fashion magazine that discusses party dresses and pedicures could dilute Malala's message
But as Yousafzai's British Vogue interview reveals, she wears her headscarf not out of religiosity, but rather as a proud emblem of her culture and to show that a woman can be both veiled and vocal.
Modest fashion, while being skin-covering, has gained a reputation for being attention-grabbing, thanks to the multitude of Muslim fashion bloggers who dress in designer threads and sport the latest trends.
It’s refreshing to see that Yousafzai remains relatively unadorned, without ritzy logos and OTT make-up, and channels modest fashion in its basic, effortless sense.
While women of colour the world over are thrilled to see one of their own on a Vogue cover, as a fellow Pakistani, Muslim woman and modest-fashion enthusiast, I have mixed feelings.
I think it’s commendable that a woman who has endured so much, and remained steadfast in her faith and kinship to her culture, has become an aspirational emblem of female empowerment and a face of Muslim women worldwide.
At the same time, I’m wary of veiled women being tokenised and objectified.
I am not denying that Malala's cover is a win – for Muslims, hijabis, South Asians, minorities and women of colour. But should we be satisfied?
In an industry that’s constantly under fire for its lack of inclusivity, perhaps placing Yousafzai on the cover was a genius and gumptious tick of the diversity box.
But while she may be a poster girl for female empowerment, I worry that with the appropriation of her image, she may inadvertently fall victim to the “feminist” white saviour complex – the sort that has historically justified invasive missions to “save” Muslim women.
Yousafzai is a powerhouse on her own ground – a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and influencer with more than 3.5 million followers on social media. She doesn’t need further validity – from western media, no less – to prove that, nor does she require further pedestalling: her platform is established, her legacy cemented in history. She has been telling her story to the media since 2009 (starting out as an anonymous BBC blogger), and has penned her own autobiography.
A Vogue profile doesn't shed any revolutionary light on the prodigious Yousafzai – in fact, one might argue that an affiliation with a fashion magazine that discusses party dresses and pedicures could dilute her message.
More than a day after the cover reveal, and Yousafzai's Vogue image is still dominating my Instagram feed.
I am not denying that Yousafzai's cover is a win – for Muslims, hijabis, South Asians, minorities and women of colour. But should we be satisfied?
Is flaunting an already-famous face to help sell magazines an authentic way to be more inclusive? Is it too much to ask publications to dig deeper for stories of everyday female role models and community heroes from diverse demographics in Britain? Don’t they, too, deserve to be spotlighted, to tell their untold, trailblazing tales?
These are the questions I ask myself while wondering if I should click the "share" button below the magazine's Instagram post of the young woman whom I've respected and celebrated – way before she got the Vogue treatment.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Naga
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Fringe@Four Line-up
October 1 - Phil Nichol (stand-up comedy)
October 29 - Mandy Knight (stand-up comedy)
November 5 - Sinatra Raw (Fringe theatre)
November 8 - Imah Dumagay & Sundeep Fernandes (stand-up comedy)
November 13 - Gordon Southern (stand-up comedy)
November 22 - In Loyal Company (Fringe theatre)
November 29 - Peter Searles (comedy / theatre)
December 5 - Sinatra’s Christmas Under The Stars (music / dinner show)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
ICC T20 Rankings
1. India - 270 ranking points
2. England - 265 points
3. Pakistan - 261 points
4. South Africa - 253 points
5. Australia - 251 points
6. New Zealand - 250 points
7. West Indies - 240 points
8. Bangladesh - 233 points
9. Sri Lanka - 230 points
10. Afghanistan - 226 points
The biog
Born November 11, 1948
Education: BA, English Language and Literature, Cairo University
Family: Four brothers, seven sisters, two daughters, 42 and 39, two sons, 43 and 35, and 15 grandchildren
Hobbies: Reading and traveling
Superpower%20
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
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