OF COLOR AT THE HELM, AND SHES
DETERMINED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN ITS FUTURE.
>> Reporter: HARPERS BAZAAR,"
KNOWN FOR BEING FIRST IN
FASHION, WITH A HISTORY SPANNING
OVER 154 YEARS, IS BEING
RECOGNIZED FOR ANOTHER FIRST.
THE MAGAZINES FIRST BLACK
EDITOR IN CHIEF.
SAMIRA NASR.
>> WELCOME TO "HARPERS BAZAAR."
>> Reporter: ITS ALL ON THIS
FLOOR?
>> THIS IS THE EDIT SIDE.
I GREW UP IN MONTREAL SUBURBS.
FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER,
IVE ALWAYS BEEN IN LOVE WITH
FASHION MAGAZINES.
>> Reporter: WHAT WAS IT ABOUT
IT FOR YOU THAT YOU LOVED?
>> THE FANTASY, THE ESCAPE, THE
POSSIBILITY, THE DREAM.
I GREW UP IN A VERY LOVING
COMMUNITY, BUT NO ONE REALLY
LOOKED LIKE ME.
FATHER IS LEBANESE.
MOTHER WAS FROM TRINIDAD, BOTH
IMMIGRANTS.
MY PARENTS WERE DIVORCED WHEN I
WAS VERY YOUNG.
SO MAGAZINES WERE A PLACE I
COULD BE TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER
WORLD.
>> Reporter: THAT WORLD WOULD
SOON KNOW HER NAME.
BUT HER PATH TO THE TOP WAS FAR
FROM TYPICAL.
YOU WENT TO NYU.
WHATD YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING
TO DO?
>> UNDERGRAD IN KLOSEPHILOSOPHY.
I WANTED TO GO INTO BIOMEDICAL
ETHICS.
>> Reporter: HER JOURNEY TOOK A
TURN.
AN INTERNSHIP AT MIRABELLA
MAGAZINE OPENED HER EYES TO A
NEW WORLD.
DID YOU HAVE A MOMENT WHERE YOU
WERE ENLIGHTENED AND THOUGHT,
YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS WHERE I
BELONG?
>> I REMEMBER AS AN INTERN BEING
ASKED TO BE ON SET AT MIRABELLA.
JUST TO SEE HOW EVERYONE ON SET
WORKED TO CREATE THESE IMAGES
AND THE CREATIVE ENERGY, IT WAS
EXHILARATING AND THRILLING.
AND SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO
LEAN INTO AND FOLLOW.
>> Reporter: THATS EXACTLY WHAT
SHE DID.
LANDING JOBS AT AMERICAN
"VOGUE," "ALLURE, "ELLE," "IN
"INSTYLE," "VANITY FAIR," AND
THEN A PHONE CALL THAT CHANGED
HER LIFE.
WHEN DID YOU KNOW FOR SURE YOUD
BE THE NEXT EDITOR IN CHIEF?
>> WE WERE IN LOCKDOWN.
I WAS IN PROSPECT PARK WITH MY
SON.
I GOT THE CALL.
MY SON WAS LIKE, MAMA, GET OFF
THE PHONE.
I WAS LIKE, I NEED A MINUTE.
>> Reporter: THE JOURNEY IN THE
FASHION INDUSTRY PROBABLY WASNT
NECESSARILY EASY.
>> NO.
>> Reporter: DID YOU EVER FEEL
LIKE A FISH OUT OF WATER?
DID YOU EVER FEEL OUT OF PLACE,
OR DID YOU --
>> ALL THE TIME.
>> Reporter: YES?
>> I LOVE THIS INDUSTRY.
IT HAS AFFORDED ME A BEAUTIFUL
LIFE, AND IVE TRAVELED AND IVE
GROWN AND IVE LEARNED SO MUCH.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE
WERENT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
LOOKED LIKE ME WHEN I WAS COMING
UP.
>> Reporter: NOW DETERMINED TO
USE HER EXPERIENCE AND CREATE
SPACE FOR OTHERS.
>> WE ARE AT THE INTERSECTION OF
HIGH FASHION AND CULTURE, BUT
STILL THERES SO MANY STORIES TO
BE TOLD.
THERES A LEVEL OF HUMANITY THAT
WE CAN BRING TO THOSE STORIES.
TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A SPACE AND
TO SHARE OUR PLATFORM AND OUR
PAGES WITH INDIVIDUALS, FOR THEM
TO TELL THEIR STORIES, AND TO BE
SEEN IN THE PAGES, MUCH LIKE I
WANTED TO BE SEEN WHEN I WAS
LITTLE, KIND OF GOES BACK TO
THAT IDEAL.
>> Reporter: HAVE YOU EVER
THOUGHT ABOUT THE GIRL WHO IS
LIKE YOU, ALL THESE YEARS LATER,
WHO SHE PICKED UP YOUR MAGAZINE,
AND ITS HER ESCAPE, ITS HER
TIME TO DREAM?
>> YOURE GOING TO MAKE ME CRY.
I DO.
I THINK ABOUT NOT JUST LITTLE
GIRLS.
I THINK ABOUT LITTLE BOYS.
I THINK ABOUT PEOPLE.
I THINK ABOUT INDIVIDUALS.
I HOPE THEY CAN REALIZE THEIR
DREAMS.
>> YOU DID THAT.
THANK YOU.
THATS ALL I GOT.
HAVE A GREAT DAY, EVERYONE.
>> I HOPE I CAN INSPIRE EVERYONE
TO DREAM BIG.
>> SO GREAT.
LIKE SO MANY WOMEN, SAMIRA STAYS
BUSY AS A SINGLE MOM.
YEARS AGO, SHE MADE THE DECISION
TO ADOPT A BEAUTIFUL BOY.
YOU HEARD HER TALK ABOUT THAT
MOMENT AND HOW IT WAS A SURREAL
MOMENT, WHEN SHE GOT THE CALL
ABOUT THIS BIG, NEW JOB.
WELL, SHE WAS AT THE PARK
PLAYING WITH HER LITTLE BOY.
ALL THOSE YEARS LATER, THEY
CELEBRATED TOGETHER.
IN THAT MOMENT, EVERYTHING FELL
INTO PLACE.
>> WOW.
>> ISNT SHE WONDERFUL?
>> REALLY INSPIRING.
>> MY GOODNESS.
>> "HARPERS" PICKED RIGHT.
>> I SHOULD SAY, BY THE WAY,
SAMIRA MEANS BUSINESS WHEN IT
COMES TO INCLUSIVELY.
THIS MONTH, FIVE COVERS.
SHES FEATUREING A DIFFERENT
DIVERSE MODEL.