Many are upset by the fact that the publication doesn't hire a black model with naturally afro hair for the shoot instead of tapping the 22-year-old model.
- Oct 23, 2018
AceShowbiz - Another day, another controversy surrounding Kendall Jenner. This time, the 22-year-old model and Vogue sparked outrage on social media after the publication shared photo of her in an afro hairstyle for its November story celebrating the 15th anniversary of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.
Social media users were upset and asked why the publication didn't simply hire a black model with natural afro hair for the shoot instead of tapping the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star. "Why did you use a white celebrity for this shoot instead of a person of color who rocks this hair naturally," one said. "Now that Black Women are getting praised for their natural locks and seen a beautiful, white women are trying to high jack as usual," another commented.
In addition to getting angry, many were left confused after a photo of Kendall and Imaan Hammam was posted on the magazine's Instagram account. Imaan, a Dutch model of Moroccan and Egyptian descent, has a naturally curly hair but was seen in the picture with her hair straightened. Meanwhile, Kendall still wore her afro hair. Many were questioning why Vogue decided to switch their styles.
"The creative director can do as they please, but why not just leave Imaan hair out of natural instead of straightening it? So then there's no need to give Kendall the afro?" one individual said, with someone similarly writing, "This doesn't sit well with me...what's the point of switching hair textures?"
Vogue itself has apologized following the backlash as well as clarifying that the photo shoot "is meant to be an update of the romantic Edwardian/Gibson Girl hair" in a statement obtained by E! News. "We apologize if it came across differently than intended, and we certainly did not mean to offend anyone by it," so the statement continued.