Barely a month after Kendall Jenner appeared in a Pepsi commercial that drew such a concerted backlash, she's again at the center of controversy. Vogu
Barely a month after Kendall Jenner appeared in a Pepsi commercial that drew such a concerted backlash, she’s again at the center of controversy. Vogue India, has been blasted online for its decision to feature Jenner, a white American, instead of an Indian model on the cover of its 10th anniversary issue. Many people have said it’s yet another example of a missed opportunity to celebrate women of color.
Vogue India released a statement Friday offering a “few clarifications” about the cover.
“In the last 10 years, Vogue India has had only 12 international covers, including Kendall Jenner, in 2017,” the statement said. “Therefore, statistically, 90 percent of our covers are Indian! And we are proud of that.”
The magazine said that it wants to feature some of the best international celebrities on their covers. Occasionally!
A post by Vogue announcing the cover has attracted hundreds of negative comments, many of them expressing disappointment that the magazine did not hire a local model.
“Yes, it’s pretty, but we’re not celebrating white/European beauty standards, we’re trying to celebrate Indian women of color,” wrote Instagram user Sabrina Martinez, 17, adding that as a woman of color, seeing the image hurt.
For some Indians, the cover was an insulting reminder of the country’s obsession with whitening creams and light skin. But 22-year-old Harnidh Kaur, from Mumbai, thought that if anything, Jenner had been made to appear darker.
“If you compare it to her past covers, you look at them and she’s definitely been bronzed into an Indian face,” she said.
“In a country where you’re struggling with colorism and shade discrimination, to see that — it’s very insulting.”
The photo spread inside the magazine did feature some Indian faces, including Bollywood actors Sushant Singh Rajput and Hong Kong-born Katrina Kaif.
