Even if the market in Arabic is mouth watering, Condé Nast has chosen Turkey to launch Vogue instead of the United Arab Emirates. The reasons sound reasonable
Oka i’m not complaining about it but when i heard about the lunch of Turkish Vogue for the first time, i’d thought: Why on earth Condé Nast chose Turkey instead of an Arabic country such as the United Arab Emirates or Lebanon. Since the increasing Arab effect on western fashion retailing is so serious.
It’s so clear that Arabs are more enthusiastic about the luxury consumption than the Turkish. They have been barely affected by the recession and they already have strong influence on western fashion retailing.
The Arab market is so important that Louis Vuitton has launched its first global store in Dubai Mall. Tom Ford and Jil Sander designed special items for the Gulf countries.
Besides the market expands: It’s lately mentioned that Sheikh Hassan Bin Ali al-Nuaimi from the United Arab Emirates is likely to take over the French fashion house, Christian Lacroix.
Thinking all of these above and very naively seeing only the one side of the business, i made a quick search on google and realized that this discussion has already been out of fashion.
After reading Condé Nast International Chairman Jonathan Newhouse’s press release, below, on 'why Vogue cannot be published in Arabic', one of the most important side of business i forgot hit my face: The values!
Here are the reasons why not in Arabic:
“Within the Arab world, or to be more accurate, the Muslim world, there is an element which accepts Western values. There is also a powerful fundamentalist, religious element which rejects Western values,
This element rejects freedom of expression, equality for women and expression of sexuality, to name three values associated with our publication.
And this militant element is capable of aggressive opposition, even violence, to attain its goals. At its most extreme, this militant element is capable of murder.
In Indonesia recently, the editor of the local edition of Playboy was put on trial even though the local edition did not print nude photos.
Our company has no wish to impose its values on a society which does not fully share them. And we do not wish to provoke a strongly negative, even violent reaction. It isn't even worth it for a few million in licensing fees.
The Middle East has plenty of people who would love to read Vogue. But unfortunately they live in the same general region as some of the most militant and violent elements.
The UAE borders Saudi Arabia, home [country] of Bin Laden and most of the September 11 terrorists. And militant elements take offense at any Arabic-language magazine.
This isn't Israel/Palestine, Iraq or Iran. It isn't a thorny problem which has to be solved. It is a problem I don't have to have. So I will simply avoid it by never entering the market. And I will sleep better at night.”
Jonathan Newhouse
