This thesis explores how Vogue Arabia constructs and negotiates Arab identity through fashion discourse, focusing on the magazine’s representations and how audiences interpret them. For this purpose, a theoretical framework combining representation, identity, and stereotypes is used alongside Barnard’s (2008) theory of fashion communication, grounding the analysis in orientalism and cultural imperialism (Said, 1979; 1994).

This study's methodology is a mixed-methods approach that combines Critical Discourse Analysis and qualitative survey research, supported by a semiotic analysis of the featured fashion.

The results reveal that Vogue Arabia’s representations display significant ambivalence, oscillating between celebration and assimilation. Outsider perspectives shape both the magazine’s discourse and audience responses, which reflect a costume-ised representation that does not translate well across cultural codes. The analysis confirms that hegemonic narratives surrounding Arab identity dominate Vogue Arabia’s representations despite the effort to appear independent.

The resulting conclusion is that Vogue Arabia is a site of cultural negotiation and tension, where fashion mediates identity through a global lens, adhering to larger industry standards. Foreign editorial control and pan-Arab framing contribute to the orientalist restructuring of identity.

This thesis highlights the importance of local voices and audience engagement, suggesting a move beyond the pan-Arab model of cultural production to better reflect the region's diversity.