Vogue responds to Kendall Jenner cultural appropriation backlash
Vogue has apologised after a photoshoot starring Kendall Jenner was accused of cultural appropriation.
The Kardashian-Jenner sisters are no strangers to accusations of racism. Earlier this year Kylie Jenner’s was criticised by activist who suggested her new billionaire status was thanks to the exploitation of black culture.
Last year Kylie and her sister Kendall were embroiled in controversy over a bag from their clothing line, which looked like a Chinese takeout box.
The reality stars were also slammed for a now-deleted Instagram post that appeared to rip off Chola culture.
And of course who can forget the furore surrounding Kim Kardashian’s braiding and cornrow hair styling?
🌙 @voguemagazine by @mikaeljansson @tonnegood
A post shared by Kendall (@kendalljenner) on Oct 18, 2018 at 9:52am PDT
The most recent upset comes after Kendall appeared in a photoshoot for Vogue with her hair seemingly styled into an afro.
The 22-year-old posed alongside model Imaan Hammam in a shoot honouring the 15th anniversary of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.
But the release of the images ignited a wave of negative comments from people who found Jenner’s afro-like hairstyle “offensive”.
Kendall Jenner’s latest controversy 😬
I swear babygirl enjoys pissing black peoples off.
I can’t even wait for her half baked apology on why she wore afro hair for this shoot. pic.twitter.com/6oZqZYG9sM
— Beauty Queen in tears… (@Moosa_Kaula) October 23, 2018
Some wondered why Vogue didn’t hire a black model instead of teasing Kendall Jenner’s hair into a ‘fro.
Hey, Quick Question: Why Did ‘Vogue’ Put Kendall Jenner in an Afro Instead of Hiring a Black Model? [UPDATED] https://t.co/96pT9ERXe6 pic.twitter.com/6KVIQJRY7K
— MonroeEllesBoutique (@MonroeElles) October 23, 2018
why don’t you just get a black model???? LITERALLY OF THESE BLACK MODELS AND OTHER MODELS OF COLOUR ARE LITERALLY AS GOOD OR PROBABLY BETTER THAN KENDALL THIS ISN’T JUST BACKLASH SIS IT’S F A C T S !!
— lil black boy!! (@blkshippuden) October 24, 2018
But some people came to the magazine’s defence, commenting that they couldn’t see an issue with the pictures.
Sorry all but this is what I thought of when I saw the Kendall Jenner #Vogue cover.
I didn’t see an Afro. I don’t think that was the intent. #KendallJenner pic.twitter.com/PSCrNXBRth— Eleni Vassas (@elenivtv) October 24, 2018
Who was actually upset about Kendall Jenner’s hair for the vogue cover ?
— Fife (@Feefeh_) October 23, 2018
This whole Vogue/Kendall Jenner thing is pissing me off. Ever heard of Italian fros? Or Jewish fros? Black people do not own sole rights puffy curly hair. Quit trying to make everything a controversy
— Grace (@tinykittenclaws) October 24, 2018
A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine) on Oct 17, 2018 at 2:36pm PDT
Following the backlash, the Condé Nast publication released a statement, explaining that the pictures were meant to evoke a nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of the early 20th century.
“The image is meant to be an update of the romantic Edwardian/Gibson Girl hair which suits the period feel of the Brock Collection, and also the big hair of the ’60s and the early ’70s, that puffed-out, teased-out look of those eras,” the magazine told E! News.
“We apologise if it came across differently than intended, and we certainly did not mean to offend anyone by it.”
The Kardashian/Jenner’s aren’t the only celebrities to be hit with the cultural appropriation tag of late.
TV chef Jamie Oliver‘s latest food drop landed him in hot water earlier this year after he released a ‘punchy jerk rice’ dish which many claim has no characteristics of traditional Jamaican jerk recipes.
And back in July Zac Efron upset many fans after showing off a new dreadlock clad hair do.
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