Burda Style Arabia – the ‘do it yourself’ fashion magazine - here to stay in the Middle East

Burda Style Arabia, a combined English and Arabic version of the hugely popular European fashion title Burda Fashion, which has been in operation since 1950 and is published in 90 countries and 17 languages, is now on sale throughout the GCC, Egypt and Levant.

Produced by independent film, television, digital and publishing company, Takhayal Entertainment, the monthly fashion title will also have four additional special editions – Plus Sizes, Kids, Teenagers and Weddings.

Burda Style Arabia is a fashion magazine with a difference, with each edition featuring patterns for those who prefer to make their own clothes or have the latest designer styles tailored. Particularly popular in Germany and Russia with women who sew and replicate clothing as a hobby, the publication focuses on designer fashion and current styles.

Takhayal’s Entertainment’s chairman, Youssef El Deeb, flew to Germany to meet Hubert Burda Media’s owner, Dr Hubert Burda, publisher of over 250 magazines worldwide, to finalise the deal, which will see the magazine appear in the region for many years.

El Deeb says: "We met at Burda’s offices in Munich to finalise the long term plan of Burda Style Arabia and learn more about his vision for the brand. Since taking over the family business Dr Burda has taken the company forward, repositioning the magazine from one bought by people forty-plus years ago who needed to make their own clothing - to one read by those who like to create their own fashion as a sign of individuality.

“The magazine must have been one of most anticipated launches this year, with hundreds of Burda fans calling in to us every week since the beginning of the year to ask about availability in the region. We are quickly building circulation in the region as it proving extremely popular for a specialist publication, with over 15,000 copies sold in its first month.

“Like many children growing up in Egypt and Lebanon, there was always a German edition of Burda lying around the house before there was as much access to ready-to-wear clothes. I’d regularly see frayed and worn-out German editions of Burda shared by five or six families before eventually being grudgingly discarded.

“This isn’t a celebrity fashion magazine where you discover which celebrities are wearing what each week before throwing it out. It has up-to-date tips, patterns and knowledge that anyone who enjoys making their own clothes or having their own unique styles produced will keep to look back on and learn from.

“Of course the magazine has moved with the times and is now a top fashion publication in its own right, but will always be particularly popular with those who enjoy producing their own clothes. Many Arab women in particular, often due to cultural reasons, prefer to have their own clothes tailored by their own seamstress to suit their preferences."

Dr Hubert Burda, says: “The time was right for our move into the Middle East and it’s the perfect region for us to create communities of people who like to sew and create their own fashion.

“The sense of community is particularly strong throughout Arab countries and we wish to build upon this by creating groups of people connected by the love of creating their own fashion and the building of a strong following for Burda Style Arabia is the first important step towards this.”

Dr Burda is the youngest of three sons of Aenne Burda, who was famously told by her husband she would be good in business, so she proceeded to build an empire. Today Burda is not only a successful magazine, but also one of the largest and most diversified publishers in the world.

Burda Style Arabia is the only Burda edition in the world published in more than two languages and is distributed in supermarkets, bookstores and other magazine outlets throughout the region. Takhayal Entertainment also plans to launch a Pharsi edition of Burda Style Arabia later in 2011.

www.takhayal.com

Takhayal Entertainment is the independent award winning film producer and the Arab World's Only Film, TV, Publishing & Digital Media Company. Launched in 2005 by Youssef Eel Deeb, the company has offices in Dubai and Cario and works with a distribution network in 14 countries of the region.

Unit P12 Rimal, The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence, PO Box 487177, Dubai, UAE

This release was published on openPR.