Israeli Model Featured on Cover of UAE Magazine for First Time in History

By: Kate Hisenbacher

Yael Shelbia,19, has become the first Israeli model to grace the cover of an esteemed Dubai-based fashion and lifestyle magazine. L’Official Arabia, which is published by a 97 year old group and has 30 International editions across 80 countries, has published a magazine issue dedicated solely to Israeli fashion. As reported by Ynet, in the upcoming issue, Shelbia is featured on the cover, making history.

The recent momentous peace agreements between Israel and Arab nations including Morocco and the United Arab Emirates have led to countless interactions which would have previously been unthinkable. The fashion and culture magazine published in the UAE, is printed in English and will highlight Israeli fashion designers and artists in alliance with the Foxylab New York brand. Illustrator Talia Zoref will have her work featured. As per Jewish Business News, Shelbia traveled to New York just for the photo shoot of the Arab publication. In September, another Israeli model, May Tager, along with an UAE Model, had a photo shoot in the UAE. Those photos, however, were not shown on an Arab magazine cover.

Shelbia was born in Nahariya, Israel, to religious Orthodox Jewish parents, Ofra and Offer Cohen. The green-eyed stunner has appeared in numerous international modeling campaigns, and has received TC CANDLER awards for the third, and second most beautiful face in the world. In December 2020, Yael was ranked as first place as TC CANDLER’s Most Beautiful face in the world. Yael stars in the television series ‘Palmach’ on Teen Nick and Yes TV Kids. In April, she joined the IDF, and is serving in the Air Force. She has also received extra media attention as an Orthodox Jew, who keeps Kosher and observes the Shabbat.

As reported by Jewish Business News, since 2019 Shelbia has been dating American businessman Brandon Korff, son of Rabbi Yitzhak Aharon Korff, and grandson of billionaire Sumner Redstone. In June, the couple got media attention in Israel when Korff reportedly violated Coronavirus quarantine measures in meeting with Shelbia. Brandon Korff had been admitted into Israel during the shutdown because his brother was serving in the Israel Defense Forces.

Since 1921, L’Officiel has been the leader of luxury lifestyle media network for women and men. L’Officiel stands for a global voice for style, culture, technology and storytelling to the widest and best targeted premium audience, as per their website. L’Official Arabia was launched in 2005 as the first international high-end fashion title in the region covering all GCC countries.