This month is significant for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the country will finally allow women to drive from June 24. And to welcome the momentous change, Vogue Arabia has finally put women in the driving seat as it celebrates the wide-reaching achievements of Saudi Women.

To everyone’s amazement, HRH Hayfa bint Abdullah Al Saud has turned cover girl for the magazine’s June edition, thereby joining the ranks of actresses and models to have graced the cover of Vogue. The June Arabia cover features Princess Hayfa, a professional artist, wearing an elegant white ensemble with a matching headscarf as she poses in the driver seat of a red convertible in the desert outside Jeddah. Shot by photographer Boo George, it marks the debut magazine cover for the daughter of the late King Abdullah.

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Her distinctive image in the driver seat not only marks the reversal of ban but also celebrates the undergoing cultural change. It projects a new image of Saudi Arabia with less stringent social laws under the rule of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

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Apart from the Royal Highness, the landmark issue of Vogue also acknowledges other Saudi women who have carved their own paths in the Islamic country. From a prominent women’s rights activist Manal al-Sharif to soccer player Saja Kamal who is working to establish the first-ever Saudi women’s football team, the first-ever issue of Vogue dedicated to Saudi Arabia honours these women for bringing the much-needed change. Ahd Kamel, the first Saudi star to appear in a Netflix series and part-Saudi supermodel Shanina Shaik, also feature in the notable issue.

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The lifted ban to get a driver’s license might be seen as small step for Saudi women but it seems, it will kickstart a welcome change in Saudi Arabia’s global image -- and Vogue does it magnificently.