Vogue Criticized For ‘Whitewashing’ Kamala Harris On Cover Of Historic Issue
Image via Vogue Magazine
Kamala Harris’ cover on the February 2021 issue of Vogue magazine has caused a stir after social media users suggested that the publication had “whitewashed” her skin.
The photograph, released on Twitter, showed Harris donning a black suit jacket, a white tshirt, cropped pants and a pair of black sneakers.
Twitter users were swift to call out the magazine, stating that the magazine appeared to have lightened Harris’ skin. While Harris’ team has not publicly commented on the cover, journalist Yashar Ali claimed that her team had signed off on a different image instead—one with Harris donning a light blue suit.
A few hours later, Vogue shared a second cover that matched the one Ali said Harris had approved.
“In the cover that they expected, Vice President-elect Harris was wearing a powder blue suit,” Ali tweeted. “That was the cover that the Vice President-elect’s team and the Vogue team, including Anna Wintour, mutually agreed upon.”
When the cover first emerged, Twitter users claimed the low-quality photo and Harris’ styling fell short of Vogue’s usual style standards.
“What a mess-up,” New York Times’ contributor Wajahat Ali said. “Anna Wintour must really not have Black friends and colleagues. I’ll shoot shots of VP Kamala Harris for free using my Samsung and I’m 100-percent confident it’ll turn out better than this Vogue cover.”
“Vogue has Kamala Harris in some f**king Converse. Someone needs to throw a cinderblock at Anna Wintour,” an angry user tweeted. “Kamala Harris is about as light skinned as women of color come and Vogue still f**ked up her lighting. Wtf is this washed out mess of a cover,” another wrote.
The magazine has denied to New York Post about lightening Harris’ skin for the shoot. The Post reported that Harris and her team had control over her choice of clothes, hair and makeup for the shoot. Harris chose to wear a casual outfit for one photo and her powder blue suit in another one.
The publication has not confirmed which of two photos that were shot by photographer Tyler Mitchell would be used for the print cover.
Vice President-elect @KamalaHarris is our February cover star!
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) January 10, 2021
Making history was the first step. Now Harris has an even more monumental task: to help heal a fractured America—and lead it out of crisis. Read the full profile: https://t.co/W5BQPTH7AU pic.twitter.com/OCFvVqTlOk
Kamala Harris is about as light skinned as women of color come and Vogue still fvcked up her lighting. WTF is this washed out mess of a cover? pic.twitter.com/5O2q0axA0G
— E. Vaughan (@HypeVaughan) January 10, 2021
2. In the cover that they expected, Vice President-elect Harris was wearing a powder blue suit. That was the cover that the Vice President-elect's team and the Vogue team, including Anna Wintour, mutually agreed upon...which is standard for fashion magazines.
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 10, 2021
The cover with the pink backdrop is so fugly please stop sharing it, she deserves better
— Sharon ☕️👩🏾🍳 (@foreversmsm) January 10, 2021
There's no theme to the pic. It's like they said: "Okay, yeah, we'll grab this sheet and stick it in the background. Ma'am, can you wear the Chucks to give it some pizazz? Great, that's good enough. Okay, moving on."
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) January 10, 2021
For a cover photo of the first woman VP.
What a mess up. Anna Wintour must really not have Black friends and colleagues. https://t.co/8oCpEPkltU
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 10, 2021
Vogue has Kamala Harris in some fucking Converse. Someone needs to throw a cinderblock at Anna Wintour fr
— miss mullet (@simplyIemonade) January 10, 2021
Kamala looks beautiful in whatever she wears- and I love that she's brought Chucks back- but this Vogue cover is unworthy of the first woman, POC, Vice President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/GfdMsvazQI
— Shari Lynn (@LynnSharig8) January 10, 2021
Vogue knows Kamala Harris loves her sorority, suits, comfortable pants and chuck taylors. So they just jumbled it all together for the cover. Except they couldn't decide whether she is going to a luxe French salon, the Senate floor, or taking a jog. pic.twitter.com/FDNBbcw8tR
— E. Vaughan (@HypeVaughan) January 10, 2021
Anyone shocked by the poor quality of Kamala's Vogue cover hasn't paid attention to Anna Wintour's bullshit w/people of color. It spans decades. Team Kamala should've known better. Anyway, enjoy this pic that effortlessly shows her beauty w/o stripping her of her power(suit)😉. pic.twitter.com/S6RK9lpmIj
— Trish (@StilettoRoyalty) January 10, 2021
Anna Wintour needs to go. If the only time her team can properly style a black women is when she’s covered in couture then her tenure has ran it course. Look at how Kamala Harris’ Elle cover straight up bodied Vogue. Electric chair! pic.twitter.com/aBVZIho98P
— MVP Harris (@PTA_Daddy) January 10, 2021
[via The Guardian, cover image via Vogue Magazine]
