Harper’s Bazaar has announced Samira Nasr as its first black Editor-in-Chief. This is a first for the magazine in its 153-year run. Previously, the Executive Fashion Editor at Vanity Fair, Samira Nasr is no stranger to the fashion industry and we are excited to see her rise to the next, well-deserved, level of her career.
With so many celebs and companies getting canceled during this wave of the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s more important than ever for companies to diversify their leadership. So, at first glance, I viewed this as Harper’s Bazaar doing their part in the “Pull Up or Shut Up” movement, in which, companies who posted in support of Black Lives Matter, were asked to provide the number of black employees and executives in their company as well. If so, this would be pretty quick movement on their part. But part of me wondered if she was being considered for this role before the killing of George Floyd and the uprising that has followed. Because I feel like this is a decision that can’t be made within a week, right? This must have been in the works for some time.
But who knows, when the fabric of your company is at risk, I guess you’ll pull up as fast as you can.
After some digging, (let’s be real, it was a quick Google search) I found out the former Editor-in-Chief Glenda Bailey, stepped down back in January so Samira must have been in the running for this position and her announcement as editor-in-chief is either perfectly timed or the ignition of Black Lives Matter escalated the announcement.
We’re happy either way to be honest.
And I have to say that when I first heard the news, I wasn’t aware of who Samira was so I thought it’d be helpful to do a deep dive and find out exactly who this woman is.
But anywho, let’s make like Corbin Blue and KeKe Palmer and Jump In!
She’s Best Friends With Tracee Ellis Ross
I was scrolling on Instagram and noticed that Diana Ross’s son, Evan Ross reposted Samira’s video announcing she’d become editor-in-chief, so this is where my digging into her relationship with the family. Turns out they’ve been best friends fro 25 years as proven with the throwback pic posted of the two on Instagram.
She’s A Mom
How cute is her little boy. I estimate he’s about 6 or 7 years old based on a previous 2017 article stating he was 4 at the time. From the looks of it, she’s a single mom and that makes her an even badder boss babe in our eyes.
She’s Got an Impressive Resume
It looks like Samira previously worked at Elle from 2014 to 2017 as a Fashion Director. Elle is one of Harper’s Bazaar’s biggest competitors too. After Elle she headed to Vanity Fair from 2017 to present. Her new role as Editor-in-Chief with Harper’s Bazaar goes into effect July 2020.
We’ve got to say, this is an exciting time for Harper’s Bazaar and can’t wait to see how this shift in leadership will trickle down into the content we absorb. To learn more about Samira and her new role, check out her announcement via IG