Fashion

Vogue To Print Alternative February Issue Cover Following Kamala Harris Photo Criticism

American Vogue says it will publish a new version of its February issue, fronted by a different image of Kamala Harris after the original cover photo was criticized for appearing casual and “washed out.”

The widely preferred alternative cover, which features Vice President-elect in a light blue suit against a gold background, was originally created for the magazine’s digital edition, but will now appear in a limited print run, Vogue announced Tuesday.

“In recognition of the enormous interest in the digital cover, and in celebration of this historic moment, we will be publishing a limited number of special edition inaugural issues,” Vogue wrote on its website, with similar messages posted to social media.

The original print cover, which features Harris in a black jacket and Converse sneakers, sparked backlash after it was leaked last week. Fashion critics and social media users said that it appeared poorly lit, while others suggested it was “disrespectful” to the Vice President-elect.

“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,” Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour said in a statement to the New York Times last week.

“We are in the midst … 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 really reflected the hallmark of the Biden-Harris campaign…”

Harris’ team had initially believed the blue and gold cover, which attracted praise online, would appear on the print edition, according to a source familiar with discussions, though Wintour said there had been “no formal agreement.”

Vogue said that only a “limited quantity” of magazines will be printed with the alternative cover, and they are only being made available in the US.