Model Gigi Hadid has apologized for a Vogue Italia cover in which she appears with darkened skin, which some have considered blackface.
ABC News reported that Hadid, who is covering the May issue of the magazine, is of Dutch and Palestinian descent and typically has a fair skin tone. She is posing on the cover with a male model. Wearing a sparkling jumpsuit, her skin is heavily bronzed and tanned.
Hadid posted an apology on Twitter that included a paparazzi photo of her heading home after shooting the cover on April 3. She said the photo shows the amount of bronzing that was done on set.
“Please understand that my control of a shoot 1. is non existent in terms of creative direction 2. ends completely when I leave set, and anything done to a photo in post is out of my control fully.
“The bronzing and photoshop is a style that S.Klein has done for many years and I believe was what was expected from the shoot (to show me in a different way creatively). BUT, although I understand what Vogue Italia‘s intentions were, it was not executed correctly, and the concerns that have been brought up are valid.
“I want to address this for those who were offended by the editing/retouching/coloring of the cover. Please know that things would have been different if my control of the situation was different. Regardless, I want to apologize because my intention is never to diminish those concerns or take opportunities away from anyone else, and I hope this can be an example to other magazines and teams in the future.
“There are real issues regarding representation in fashion — it’s our responsibility to acknowledge those issues and communicate through them to work towards a more diverse industry.”
The magazine issued a separate apology on its Instagram page Thursday, saying, "Throughout its history, Vogue Italia has respected and encouraged the creative viewpoints of commissioned photographers. In our latest cover shoot by Steven Klein, the vision was to create a beachwear-themed story with a stylized bronzing effect. We understand that the result has caused some debate with our readers, and we sincerely apologize if we have caused any offence."
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