KAMALA’S COVER ELICITS BRICKBATS AND BOUQUETS
February cover of Vogue featuring Vice President-elect Kamala Harris prompts a debate
One of the twot covers featuring the former California senator has been in a whirling vortex on social media, with a sections of style arbiters stating that the lighting washes her out and that the lackadaisical styling doesn’t befit America’’s first Black woman to be elected vice president. In the controversial cover photo, Kamala Harris, 56, wears a dark brown pantsuit and her signature Chuck Taylors. In the other cover, she rocks a paleblue suit as she crosses her arms and smiles at the camera.
Some critics went on to call out editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. “What a mess up,” wrote New York Times contributor Wajahat Ali. “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% confident it’ll turn ouut better than this Vogue cover,” he wrote.
“Kamala Harris is about as light skinned as women of colour come... WTF is this washed out mess of a cover?” another Twitter user asked.
“It’s just far, far below the standards of Vogue. They didn’t put thought into it. Like homework finished the morning it’s due,” LGBTQ+ activist Charlotte Clymer tweeted.
“Can Anna Wintour explain why she chose what looks like a lighting test photo... Harris is movie-star gorgeous and I’ve never seen Vogue publish something this amateurish,” another user rued.
Designer Nachiket Barve, who feels that the blue variation is better styled, shares, “It feels less Vogue and more on the lines of a TIME cover. With the kind of resources available to Vogue, ththey could’ve picked any young American designer and mixed it up with some street cred.”
Designer Shane Peacock, too, observes that it could’ve been better in terms of styling, but he liked the cover’s relaxed and no-fuss vibe. “Vogue’s treatment of Kamala ushers in a modern and relaxed take on style. When I sees this cover, I instantly relate to her,” he says.
Designer Gaurav Jai Gupta sees it as a real cover, and opines that for fashion it’s important to be honest. “Times are changing and it’s better if we live in reality. The acceptance of truth needs to increase. Kamala is real and stands for the truth and people instantly connect with her. I much prefer the pale blue cropped version which is way more soothing,” says he.