Harper’s Bazaar appointed Samira Nasr as its first-ever black editor-in-chief in the fashion magazine’s 153-year history.
Nasr comes from a position at Vanity Fair and previously held roles at Elle and InStyle. In the wake of the George Floyd protests over racial injustice, Nasr said she is excited to bring a new chapter to the magazine, according to the Daily Mail.
“As the proud daughter of a Lebanese father and Trinidadian mother, my worldview is expansive and is anchored in the belief that representation matters,” Nasr said. “My lens by nature is colorful, 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.”
Floyd, a black man killed by a white police officer last month, sparked change and increased diversity efforts among top companies, magazines, and sports and entertainment venues.
Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Harper Bazaar’s rival magazine Vogue, wrote an apologetic letter on Thursday expressing the magazine’s dealings with race relations in the past.
She vowed to do better to address the concerns of racial issues among her staff.
“I want to say plainly that I know Vogue has not found enough ways to elevate and give space to Black editors, writers, photographers, designers, and other creators,” Wintour wrote. “We have made mistakes too, publishing images or stories that have been hurtful or intolerant. I take full responsibility for those mistakes.”
The president of Hearst Magazines, which publishes Harper’s Bazaar, Troy Young, praised Nasr’s rise to editor-in-chief.
“Harper’s Bazaar is a leading American fashion brand with a point of view that is hugely influential in the U.S. and around the world,” Young said in a release. “Samira’s important voice will continue to evolve the brand’s distinct position as a style touchstone for fashion’s most discerning.”
