THE WHAT? Vogue U.S. Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour has defended the recent Vogue cover starring Vice President Elect Kamala Harris following a social media backlash over the lighting and styling of the imagery. 

THE DETAILS Leaked last weekend, the image starring Harris in a business suit and Converse was criticized for ‘washing out’ the Vice President Elect, while one stated it was ‘far below the standards of Vogue.’ It was also accused of being ‘disrespectful’ to the Black future Vice President. 

A second cover was later released, with a similarly washed out tone, with Harris in more formal attire. 

THE WHY? Responding to the controversy, Wintour told the New York Times’ Sway podcast that, “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.”

Speaking on the choice of outfit for Harris, she continued, “There was no formal agreement about what the choice of the cover would be. And when the two images arrived at Vogue, all of us felt very, very strongly that the less formal portrait of the vice president-elect really reflected the moment that we were living in which we are all in the midst – as we still are – of the most appalling pandemic that is taking lives by the minute.
“And we felt to reflect this tragic moment in global history, a much less formal picture, something that was very, very accessible and approachable and real, really reflected the hallmark of the Biden-Harris campaign and everything that they are trying to, and I’m sure will, achieve.”