Rihanna finally dressed up in high fashion style for Harper's Bazaar Arabia

She is known for her skin flashing ways, but Rihanna has been turned from controversial cover girl to covered up girl for a new magazine shoot.

While the 26-year-old - who has no qualms about posing topless - may seem an unusual choice for a fashion spread about dressing modestly, the pop star is set to grace the front of Harper's Bazaar Arabia.

With the tag line of 'Rihanna of Arabia: The new modesty, cover up in style,' the magazine shoot shows the S&M singer as she has never been seen before - clothed.

The magazine posted a sneak peak of the July/August issue on its Facebook page on Wednesday night.

In the stunning images, the Barbadian beauty wears a host on modern re-imaginings of traditional Middle Eastern clothing as well as couture head scarfs and veils.

For the cover, the pop star conceals her face according to Muslim tradition with a mesh veil, which starts at the top of her head and ties at her neck in a giant ornate bow.

While about dressing modesty, the veil is worn with a heavily embellished short sleeved and above the knee dress, which reveals the singer's shapely and toned legs.

In another shot, Rihanna wears a long sleeved leather and chiffon dress that is also heavily embellished with both studs and sequins and features a built in head scarf.

Also pulling on traditional elements but in a high glamour way, in a garden scene the controversial hitmaker wears a long purple silk dress with a low cut but cleavage covering neckline and a matching cape.