body positivity

In the name of inclusivity, Dima Ayad asks regional designers to dress women of all sizes. Will they be up for the challenge?
From left: Lama Jouni, Reema Al Banna, Laura Leonide, Dima Ayad, and Mariam Yeya. Photographed by Rudolf Azzi for Vogue Arabia September 2021Dubai-based womenswear designer Dima Ayad tells a story many can relate to. Traveling abroad to attend a wedding, upon arrival she discovered that her bag had been lost along the way. She headed to the city to pick out a new dress, only to discover that women of all sizes were not all being catered to. Miserable, Ayad returned home, deciding to overlook the wedding altogether.
Dima Ayad and Laura Leonide wearing Dima Ayad. Photographed by Rudolf Azzi
“The lack of availability of clothes for an oversized person is frustrating,” Ayad says. “You go to the mall and find just one store that sells oversized clothes. But we each have a style that needs to be catered to.” Even exercise clothes are regularly off-limits. “If an oversized woman wants to exercise, she will not be able to find anything to wear, even something as simple as leggings. Some big brands are working on this, but barely.”
Laura Leonide and Lama Jouni wearing Lama Jouni. Photographed by Rudolf Azzi
Ayad is determined to redress the balance and her frustration is fuelling the launch of her new sportswear and leisure brand. Unflinching in her belief that all women deserve to wear exquisitely crafted clothes, she reached out to her peers and friends Reema Al Banna of Reemami, Lama Jouni, and Mariam Yeya of Mrs Keepa to join her on this journey towards inclusivity. While not everyone she approached could get involved, the ones who did, did so with gusto. “It’s not that designers are not keen, it’s all supply and demand,” remarks Egyptian-French designer Mariam Yeya of Mrs Keepa, a longtime friend of Ayad’s. “We launched a collection and we don’t provide size; most of the collection is on a preorder basis. People are free to order what they want. The biggest one I have received is a size 44. I don’t think that the designer should be blamed for not being inclusive, it’s also down to the buyers from big department stores. Most often they choose the sizes and collection and they rarely ask for bigger sizes.”
Laura Leonide wearing Lama Jouni. Photographed by Rudolf Azzi
Ayad explains, “I asked Mariam to be part of this journey with me, because she shares the same values in the fashion space as I do but also because when you see Mrs Keepa’s design aesthetic, you wouldn’t imagine it suiting larger-sized women.” Yeya agrees, “The brand’s aesthetics are very eclectic, avant garde, and with big silhouettes. I always say that there’s a thin line between something looking good on and it making the person look funny. I don’t do big sizes, not because I don’t want to include every shape, but because the brand DNA won’t look flattering. I go all out with my creativity, with print, drapery, and asymmetry, and everything has to fit properly.”
Laura Leonide and Mariam Yeya wearing Mrs Keepa. Photographed by Rudolf Azzi
Not unlike Mrs Keepa, at first glance, Lama Jouni may come across as a strange choice for this collaboration, since she’s known for her formfitting pieces. Jouni’s clients are often photographed flaunting muscle definition through her peek-a-boo clothes. “Body confidence with your curves is the right thing to do,” affirms Ayad. “I think it’s time that we show that anyone can wear Lama Jouni.” The Lebanese designer concurs. “I always admire women who know what they want and work toward that goal. I like to work with people who challenge me. Dima is one designer who inspires me so much.” Accustomed to creating for an athletically honed clientele, Jouni confesses that dressing larger silhouettes was a challenge. “I’m not shy to admit that my knowledge isn’t that strong when it comes to larger sizes. It was a great introduction to start thinking of women of all sizes, especially when my strength is in creating essential wear,” she says. Jouni’s piece is entirely her style. Designed for Ayad’s body, it’s form-fitted, a touch revealing in the right places, and incredibly flattering. The positioning of the straps is perhaps the only giveaway that this piece represents a departure from the norm. Vogue Arabia Fashion Prize winner Reema Al Banna, the designer behind Reemami, was particularly taken with the idea of creating a unique blazer featuring her signature prints. The jacket features a shoulder cut-out with trims along the sleeves; something that’s become a hallmark of Al Banna’s work. Tailored pants complete the look. The suit is a Reemami classic, but for a fuller frame, and it works perfectly.
Laura Leonide and Reema Al Banna wearing Reemami. Photographed by Rudolf Azzi
“Dressing Dima is amazing, as she embodies strength, confidence, and femininity,” says Al Banna. “I love and support the noise she’s creating around embracing and supporting all body types, which is also ingrained in Reemami.” Observing her flowing dress with white and green teardrop shapes that accentuate the form, designer Yeya proclaims, “I don’t believe in inclusive design. I believe that – individually – we all have different body types and the DNA of Mrs Keepa caters to that.” Ayad hopes that this coming together of some of the most talented designers in the Middle East will challenge conventions and assumptions, while also turning heads. The fashion industry has always catered to an ideal – and one that few women ever reach. Ayad and her collaborators are already thinking about dressing women of all sizes. The aim is that the pieces that emerge from this blending of talent will inspire others to continue to change how and for whom they design, offering all women an opportunity to dress themselves in a manner that reflects both body and spirit.
Laura Leonide wearing Reemami. Photographed by Rudolf Azzi
Read Next: Meet the Arab Women of Determination Giving a Deeper Meaning to Body Positivity
Originally published in the September 2021 issue of Vogue Arabia
Style: Amine JreissatiHair: Natalie CropperMakeup: Bethany Lea PentelowMakeup assistant: Kerris CharlesProduction: Ankita Chandra

When these women lost their legs, they gained a new perspective on the endurance of the human spirit – but how do they shop for their bodies?
Photographed by Sandra Chidiac
There’s a big change in the region,” says Dareen Barbar, one of the pioneering differently abled Middle Eastern women who are challenging the status quo, changing perceptions, and building acceptance. Fighting for diversity and inclusive fashion, the three women here are not only leg amputees but models, athletes, record breakers, and inspirational speakers. Each has suffered trauma, overcome adversity, and showed tremendous courage, proving, in the words of Rania Hammad, that “anything is possible.” Their harrowing hardships and powerful stories of determination have the force to resonate with all, showing what can be achieved with support, open-mindedness, and togetherness. These women hope that, in the future, they are no longer stigmatized but that exposure and education normalizes their perceived differences and that they are celebrated for their strengths.
Dareen Barbar
Photographed by Sandra Chidiac
Athlete, mother of two, and amputee Dareen Barbar from Lebanon has broken many barriers. The 43-year-old became the first athlete in the Arab world to complete a triathlon with a prosthetic leg. She was the first amputee to participate in a women’s beauty and fitness fashion show with able-bodied people in London, and became the first adaptive ambassador for a major brand in the Middle East when she stepped up for Adidas. This past June, she broke a Guinness World Record for the longest static wall sit for a female amputee, holding it for two minutes and 8.24 seconds.
Barbar lost her leg at 15 from osteogenic sarcoma, a rare kind of bone cancer. “I felt like life was hopeless, that the world had ended,” she says of her teenage self, who was a keen basketball player before her above-the-knee amputation. “I used to not believe that I could be someone and be something and have a purpose,” she recalls. Now, she inspires others to develop confidence and believe in themselves with the aim to influence wider society. “We should be more inclusive and more open, and celebrate differences,”she states.“The more people see it, the more normal it will be.”
Photographed by Sandra Chidiac
Her journey after her amputation was tumultuous. “I was disappointed with the world’s reaction,” she says. “That’s what made me feel insecure; that’s what destroyed me. I wanted to go out there with a positive attitude. I wanted to move on, regardless of the pain and all the difficulties I faced.” She recalls growing up in Lebanon, a country devastated after the war, unable to find facilities, deprived of electricity, and walking up six floors with a heavy prosthesis. “What made the suffering harsher was the reaction of people – the questions, the looks, the pity,” she remembers. Today, buoyed by her work as a motivational speaker and athletic pursuits, Barbar reflects, “I would tell my 15-year-old, post-operation self to be patient, not to care what other people think, and believe in myself.”
Rania Hammad
Photographed by Sandra Chidiac
The Egypt-born mother and fashion and design enthusiast Rania Hammad was six months pregnant when she was hit by a train in London, in 2018. She lost her leg above the knee on the spot but her unborn son survived. Since the accident, Hammad has endured more than 30 surgeries and complications, and undergoes continuous rehabilitation. “At the time, I felt like everything else was gone, too – my soul, my heart, and my life,” explains Hammad on her Instagram account, where she posts about her story. Her newborn child gave her the strength to fight. “I knew I had to move on and take care of myself in order to take care of him.”
Posting online about her experience has facilitated her recovery. “Helping other people has helped me,” she says. “When I started sharing on Instagram, I wanted to normalize the fact that some of us are different but we are the same.” If she learned to love her body the way it was, she quickly realized the world didn’t feel the same. “I studied fashion and design so I wanted to wear what I wanted to wear,” she says. She recalls being in Australia for an operation, where she received plenty of unwanted attention. “People said, ‘You freak’ and parents would tell their children, ‘Don’t look at her.’ It made me feel like an alien.”
Photographed by Sandra Chidiac
Fashion can help break ignorance, believes Hammad. “Fashion is changing, but it is doing so slowly,” she says. “I would love the industry to be more inclusive when it comes to photo shoots, just like we’ve seen with models of various sizes. Let’s add clothing for people with disabilities, and introduce more differently abled models. It will encourage people to love their bodies.” Hammad no longer feels any shame about her form. “To women who are experiencing issues with confidence, I would say, you matter. Love yourself for who you are and only ever change for yourself. Be brave and strong – because this life is so difficult. Everyone is struggling in their own way and fighting their own battles. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.”
Zainab Al-Eqabi
Photographed by Sandra Chidiac
Iraqi pharmacist-turned-athlete and TV presenter Zainab Al-Eqabi suffered a horrific accident after an undetonated bomb exploded in her garden in Baghdad when she was seven. It disfigured her father and sister, and badly injured Al-Eqabi’s hand and leg. Her leg was later amputated due to gangrene.
“My father would always tell me that he wanted me to be strong and not depend on anyone,” she recalls. “He was worried to see me grow up in a society where there would always be questions about my abilities. He encouraged me to not let anyone underestimate me.” Al-Eqabi was boosted by her family, friends, and teachers. However, things changed in college. “I realized that when people in the wider world saw me limping, they didn’t know why; they didn’t know what an amputation was. When I told them I had a prosthesis, they didn’t understand. I knew I had to start something.”
Photographed by Sandra Chidiac
Al-Eqabi set up a Facebook page called Disabled and Proud and shared humorous experiences from her everyday life. “I wanted to break that barrier between myself and society.” Now, at 30, Al-Eqabi has completed two triathlons in the UAE, hauled a 2000 kg Jeep for Dubai Fitness Challenge, regularly scuba dives, is an ambassador for prosthetics manufacturer Ottobock, and is the first amputee to present a TV show in the Middle East. She appeared on MBC1’s Yalla Banat [Let’s Go Girls], which she filmed in Saudi, Egypt, Lebanon, and Dubai. “Management never asked me to cover my leg; they believed in me and my goal. They wanted me for who I was. It was an amazing step in my life,” says Al-Eqabi, who believes that the more people see her amputation, the more people will stop seeing it.
Read Next: Precious Lee Opens Up About Her Queen-Sized Spirit with Arab Curve Model Ameni Esseibi
Originally published in the July/August 2020 issue of Vogue Arabia
Style: Amine JreissatiHair: Deena AlAwaid Makeup: Nadine EliasCreative producer: Laura PriorPhotography assistants: Jaafar, Rachel BarakatCatering: YavaWith special thanks to Marina Home Interiors

Vogue Arabia editor-in-chief Manuel Arnaut. Photo: Ziga Mihelcic
This month was extremely emotional for us at Vogue, as we approached the theme of the body from the rawest and most candid perspective to date. Every year, as temperatures rise and swimsuit season approaches, many of us embark on crazy diets and endless hours at the gym, looking for fast results in the shallowest way – I exercise just to lose weight quickly, not for my health. This could be a consequence of years of brainwashing from the entertainment and fashion industries, who have been promoting harsh patterns of beauty and an idea that the slimmer you are, the more beautiful you are, for decades.
Thankfully, the fashion community – from publications to designers – has been trying to fight this demon, with this reflecting in the visibility of more diverse bodies on covers, runways, and campaigns. This month’s cover star, Precious Lee, is the perfect example, as her glorious face and curves are everywhere this season – from the Versace show to the covers of British Vogue and Vogue Brasil. I met Precious in New York four years ago. She was not yet the supermodel she is today, but I was immediately blown away by her beauty and luminous personality. She had the full package. After I returned to Dubai, I told everyone in the office that the woman I met for dinner was going to be a star. And here she is, shining as bright as a diamond, shot for this month’s issue by Paola Kudacki, a photographer I have been keen on working with for years. Paola, Precious, and the team were in the studio until 3am, completely carried away by their creative process. Their passion is reflected in every single image they produced.
Precious Lee photographed by Paola Kudacki
In this issue, we also shatter further stereotypes around the classic idea of femininity. If sometimes society overlooks women with curves, the same happens with women with muscles. Strong female bodies are considered by some to be manly and not elegant, as if women have no right to a powerful figure. This led us to put together an editorial with three high performance athletes, styled in anything but their gym clothes, reclaiming their right to their femininity and strength.
Being on set with Dareen Barbar, Rania Hammad, and Zainab Al-Eqabi was definitely the highlight of my month, as I was inspired by their stories of perseverance and positivity. When they described to me how they lost their limbs, it put everything in my life in perspective. It makes me proud that we are dedicating a big part of this issue to people of determination, so many times overseen by society – and even more so by style publications. I’m happy to see that fashion brands, from high street to luxury, are also working towards including in their collections pieces for this segment, with Burberry, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, and Mango normalizing different bodies. But there’s still a lot of work to do around awareness and inclusion. As the Iraqi activist Zainab states, “The more you see my amputation, the more you will stop seeing it.”
Read Next: Precious Lee Stars on Our Body Positivity Issue in an Ode to Real Diversity and Empowerment

The Vogue Arabia Body Positivity summer issue is an ode to real diversity and empowerment, questioning the traditional notions of what society once described as the perfect body.
Precious Lee photographed by Paola Kudacki
Wearing a show-stopping dress by Saudi label Ashi Studio, supermodel Precious Lee announces the Vogue Arabia July/August 2021 issue with verve and attitude. In an issue that celebrates body positivity, the cover star and trailblazing curve model salutes women of all shapes. The Body Positivity issue is a call to arms for all women to love and appreciate their bodies with confidence and style, to draw their inspiration from those who have shattered stereotypes, to look towards women of character who refuse to compromise and comply with the expectations of society.
Lee was photographed in New York by Paola Kudacki in a joyful series of looks underscoring her feminine power. In an insightful conversation with the Arab world’s first curve model, Ameni Esseibi, Lee talks about the serendipitous start to her career and her rise to the top. “I was a very confident child; I always felt I could do anything.” A wise and assertive woman, Lee lists her heroes in fashion as, “People who didn’t compromise their personal values to be successful. People who stood firm in the storm; the indomitable women who are brave.”
Precious Lee photographed by Paola Kudacki
On working with Lee for the July-August issue, Editor-in-Chief Manuel Arnaut says, “This month we approached the theme of the body from the rawest and most candid perspective to date. Every year, as temperatures rise and swimsuit season approaches, many of us embark on crazy diets and endless hours at the gym, looking for fast results in the shallowest way – I exercise just to lose weight quickly, not for my health. This could be a consequence of years of brainwashing from the entertainment and fashion industries, who have been promoting harsh patterns of beauty and an idea that the slimmer you are, the more beautiful you are, for decades. Thankfully, the fashion community – from publications to designers – has been trying to fight this demon, with this reflecting in the visibility of more diverse bodies on covers, runways, and campaigns.”
The Body Issue goes further than skin deep by shining the spotlight on three extraordinary women of determination from the region – each of whom has lost a leg. They have suffered trauma, overcome adversity, and showed tremendous courage and today they are athletes, record breakers, and inspirational speakers. Shot by photographer Sandra Chidiac, they front Vogue Arabia’s digital covers: Lebanese athlete Dareen Barbar, Egyptian mother Rania Hamad, and Iraqi pharmacist-turned-athlete and TV presenter Zainab Aleqabi. “I would tell my 15-year-old, post-operation self to be patient, not to care what other people think, and believe in myself,” reflects Barbar, while Hamad recalls her life lessons: “Be brave and strong because this life is so difficult. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.” Aleqabi, who set up a Facebook page called Disabled and Proud, speaks of her desire to “break that barrier between myself and society.” She believes that the more people see her amputation, the more they will stop seeing it. These women’s journeys of hope and resilience show that every body has a story.
Photographed by Sandra Chidiac
The July/August 2021 issue also explores the changing perceptions of femininity, with three muscle-building Arab women who talk about strength, beauty, and crushing stereotypes in the Middle East. Saudi fitness athlete Somaiah Al Dabbagh says, “You can be a feminine Arab woman and also be physically strong,” while Jordanian-Filipino strength coach Angelica Yassine believes that the Arab world is becoming more open to the idea of women with muscles, and that “the relationship between physically strong women and femininity is about feeling confident in your own skin.” Palestinian-Jordanian engineer and CrossFit athlete Dara Kayyali shares, “Women are pushing boundaries of what it means to be feminine. Women with muscles also want to feel beautiful.”
Photographed by Maria Kordzadze
The beauty pages showcase Egyptian content creator and performer Hadeel Marei in an effervescent shoot that celebrates her unique style. While modeling the season’s bold beauty looks, the TikTok influencer says, “There is a certain mold that holds women – our jokes are expected to be about our age, looks, shape, or being ultra-fem. I’m steering away from that reductive concept, and defying the cultural norms that tell me to be more docile and calm.”
Egyptian TV host Rahma Khaled. Photo: Supplied
The Body Issue is a testament to Vogue Arabia’s commitment to showing different kinds of bodies in a true tribute to diversity, celebrating the power and perfection of every single body.
Read Next: Ameni Esseibi Highlights the Importance of Body Positivity and Self-Love During This Pandemic