{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fafikra.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2Fsofia-guellaty-xO4J6ptH","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"Founder of Mille World Sofia Guellaty | Fashion, Soft Power & the New Arab Identity","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/1ce0a58c-3e05-4d4b-a2e7-f3ffb869b215/29decdd8-9ed2-413f-87ee-5362994ea4a1/the_afikra_podcast.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"The unifying youth culture across the Arab region is characterized by a proud new Arab identity and the changing standards of beauty with the rise of \"Arab beauty\" (A beauty), which celebrates Arab features and aesthetics. The founder of Mille World and Mille Creative, Sofia Guellaty, talks about her journey launching the first Arab youth platform in the Arab world, the role of media professionals as \"editors of conversations,\" and the emergence of a new, proud Arab identity among both Gen Z and millennials. She discusses how she uses fashion and pop culture as a tool for \"soft power\" to talk about liberation, representation, and diversity, moving away from superficial content. She reflects on her early career, her shift from being fascinated by the West to \"unbashedly proud to be Arab,\" and the challenges faced by Arab talent, including visa issues and the lack of an Arab-centric market. The conversation also delves into how her platform, Mille World, aims to address the lack of authentic Arab youth representation by giving a voice to young creatives who want to define their own stories, not be perceived through a \"western gaze\".\n\nExplore Mille World 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mille_world/"}