This combination of pictures created on January 12, 2021 shows two handout photo obtained on January 12, 2021 courtesy of Vogue, of US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in a Michael Kors Collection suit on the February 2021 cover of Vogue magazine(L) and against colours inspired by those of her Howard university sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Vice President–elect Kamala Harris(R) as she wears a Donald Deal jacket and Converse sneakers on the February 2021 cover of Vogue magazine. - AFP
US: A Vogue cover photo of a casual Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has sparked controversy, with critics saying it diminishes the politician's achievements, forcing editor Anna Wintour to defend the image Tuesday.
Criticism of the cover has spread on social media since it was released on Sunday, with users insisting that what they see as a poorly composed portrait of Harris wearing sneakers is disrespectful to the first Black woman to be elected vice president.
The photo -- in which Harris also wears a blazer and jeans -- was taken by American photographer Tyler Mitchell, who in 2018 became the first Black photographer to shoot a Vogue cover with his portraits of music icon Beyonce.
It was this image that Wintour chose to grace the cover of the hard copy of the February issue, rather than a more formal portrait of Harris in a light blue Michael Kors pantsuit, which was also taken by Mitchell.
“Obviously we have heard and understood the reaction to the print cover and I just want to reiterate that it was absolutely not our intention to, in any way, diminish the importance of the Vice President-elect's incredible victory,” Wintour said in a statement to New York Times reporter Kara Swisher.
Swisher, host of the podcast “Sway,” also broadcast a rare interview with Wintour Tuesday that was carried out before the controversy.
In the interview, the artistic director of Vogue's publisher, Conde Nast, describes the cover as “just so joyful and optimistic.” “I cannot imagine that there's anyone that really is going to find this cover anything but that, and positive, and an image of a woman in control of her life who is going to bring us with the president-elect the leadership that we so need,” Wintour said.
Harris, 56, has not publicly reacted but sources close to her have told US media that she was surprised by the choice of the more relaxed photo.
- AFP
