In the middle of a worsening pandemic, in the aftermath of an attempted coup, and during the lead-up to a historic transfer of power, the American people wanted a distraction. But what should have been a euphoric, glossy celebration has become a disappointment.
By placing the nation’s first woman vice president on its February cover, Vogue sought to grandly welcome the next administration. Instead, the final cover photo was met with critique and disgust, from Twitter to Harris’ own team. When the picture leaked before the magazine’s official announcement, some social media users even thought it was fake. Critics said the pictures made Harris’ skin appear "washed out" and didn’t align with Vogue's glamorous aesthetic.
Photographed in a full-body shot, the Vice-President-Elect stands with her hands clasped in front of her waist. Behind her, pink and green silk drapes hang, a nod to her sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha. She’s dressed casually in an outfit similar to those worn on her campaign trail: dark blazer, black slim-leg pants, a white T-shirt, and black Converse sneakers.
But behind the Chucks, what’s most noticeable is Harris’ body language. Her smile is forced and awkward, while her shoulders seem stiff, as if she’s unsure how to pose. The shot is uncomfortable, looking more like a test photo than the cover of a renowned magazine — and that’s the issue.
Fashion faux pas —
The photo’s stylistic imbalance is only enhanced by the second digital cover Vogue released alongside its print selection. In a much more vice-presidential manner, Harris is shown against a golden backdrop, wearing a powder blue Michael Kors pantsuit, a confident smile, and an American flag pin. She exudes power, authority, and hope. This is the photo Harris’ team agreed on.
According to the Associated Press, the cover photo was switched without the knowledge of Harris’ team. Even worse, the team learned of the change through Twitter, where the picture was leaked prior to Vogue’s announcement. There, the casual Converse photo replaced the political glamour shot that had been “mutually agreed upon.”
Both photographs were taken by Tyler Mitchell, who made history in 2018 as the first Black photographer to shoot a Vogue cover. The editor who oversaw the shoot, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, and the writer of the cover story, Alexis Okeowo, are also Black. But the final editorial decision was made by Vogue and its controversial editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, whose sunglasses aren’t big enough to shade out past accusations of racial insensitivity.
Paved with good intentions —
In the era of presidential Twitter drama and AOC fan-cams, Vogue thought it could get away with depicting Harris as an everyday person. But in doing so, historical significance — and respect — was lost. As the American daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, Kamala Harris makes up a lot of firsts for the White House. A little awe for her first cover of Vogue, supposedly celebrating her accomplishments, would’ve been appropriate.
The magazine insisted in a press release that it tried to highlight the vice president-elect’s “authentic, approachable nature,” adding that it released both images to “respond to the seriousness of this moment in history, and the role [Harris] has to play leading our country forward.” The damage, however, had already been done.
Kamala Harris may be “authentic” and “approachable,” but she is also about to become the second most powerful person in the country. She made history. She represents change. Can we say the same for Vogue's cover?
