As Egyptian actor Salma Abu Deif prepares for motherhood, she shares the big news, and her baby’s gender, on the cover of the October issue of Vogue Arabia, which explores this month’s rich tapestry of culture, fashion, and lifestyle in the region and beyond.
Photo: Alvaro Gracia
It’s a girl! This is the massive reveal that a glowing Salma Abu Deif shares exclusively with Vogue Arabia as she fronts our October issue. Embarking on a brand new chapter, the Egyptian star — who is currently filming the movie Hepta: The Last Debate even while pregnant — has been trying to find a balance: of her career in the spotlight, of marriage, of imminent motherhood. “I don’t have specific advice because I’m personally still learning. Every woman has her own experience and circumstances, but I try to enjoy every new stage in my life, and I don’t think one is more important than the other. Each phase comes at the right time and in the way that suits the person.”
Photo: Alvaro Gracia
And enjoying it, she has been. While at first the baby news was a shock that invited a mixture of conflicting emotions, Abu Deif has settled into this phase guided by joy and excitement, growing in both the literal and physical sense of the word. “I don’t know what kind of mother I will be, but I hope to God that I will be an accepting, understanding, and caring mother to my children,” she says while also being candid about how the experience so far has been different from what people see in the movies.
Photo: Alvaro Gracia
This kind of refreshing honesty is what helps others to feel less alone, and Abu Deif is not the only influential figure encouraging more open conversations about womanhood. For this month’s Upfront, Egyptian-French fashion designer Mariam Yehia gets personal as she discusses the motivation behind her new collection, Need Therapy, and the film of the same name launched alongside it. In keeping with the signature style of Mrs Keepa — the…
