Gigi Hadid Is on the First-Ever Cover of 'Vogue' Arabia

Gigi Hadid is many things: international supermodel, Victoria's Secret Angel, my pretend BFF. Another fun fact about Gigi, and this is like totally whatevs: her face is on the cover of 17 issues of international Vogue. 17. I'm pretty sure my mom doesn't even have 17 photos of me in our entire house, but I'm not salty or anything. Anyway, Gigi's 17th cover is particularly special because it is the first-ever paper issue of Vogue Arabia, which launched online in 2016.

“The collage of countries across the Arab world are long-deserving of a place in fashion history,” said editor-in-chief Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz. “And there’s no better first ‘face’ to lead the charge for Vogue Arabia than Gigi, a model who defines tomorrow’s entrepreneurial and dynamic generation.”

For Gigi, who is half-Palestinian, this cover is a very big deal. In an inspiring Instagram post, the 21-year-old model expressed her hopes that the fashion industry will continue to become more inclusive.

I think the beautiful thing about there being international Vogue's is that, as a fashion community, we are able to celebrate, and share with the world, different cultures. Being half-Palestinian, it means the world to me to be on the first-ever cover(s) of @voguearabia, and I hope that this magazine will show another layer of the fashion industry's desire to continue to accept, celebrate, and incorporate all people & customs and make everyone feel like they have fashion images and moments they can relate to... & learn and grow in doing so. Thank you @deenathe1st for your vision and for having me on this cover... by the incredible @inezandvinoodh - so much love.
A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on Mar 1, 2017 at 9:11am PST

Although Gigi has recently come under fire for racial insensitivity, reactions to this cover shoot have been widely positive so far, with dissenters trickling in slowly. Here is a sample of the Twitter conversation happening right now:

Maybe Gigi wasn't he 100% best candidate for the cover of vogue Arabia but do not remove her Palestinian heritage because of her skin colour pic.twitter.com/v8gvAufULc
— adam (@plasticrouge) March 1, 2017

so Gigi Hadid remembers her Palestinian roots when vogue Arabia want to feature her but when it comes to political problems she's quiet
— saeedah (@saeedahx) March 1, 2017

There are numerous Arabic models who could've made it to the cover of vogue Arabia but it had to be Miss Gigi racist Hadid. What a shame pic.twitter.com/7aRXf3VrjK
— ㅤ (@harrysvinyl_) March 1, 2017

Gigi is Palestinian and you can't erase that. Yes she's white passing but she has just as much right to be on Vogue Arabia as those ladies
— tangie (@velvetmalik) March 1, 2017