COVER CAUSES DISPUTE: The just-released Kamala Harris cover for the February edition of Vogue has already attracted reams of attention, not all of which was expected.
The Vice President-elect is also featured in a lengthy profile by Alexis Okeowo, which is understandably heavy on Harris’ experience and White House objectives, and scarce on fashion references. The controversy around the story centers on the choice of photography, more specifically the cover image of Harris wearing a Donald Deal jacket and Converse sneakers with a backdrop of colors that are emblematic of her sorority at Howard University, Alpha Kappa Alpha. Some social media critics questioned the decision to feature the first female vice president as well as the first Black and Asian American to be elected to that role wearing sneakers — even though she regularly wears them with her outfits, including on the campaign trail. They described the photo as “disrespectful,” “poor quality” and “a washed-out mess.”
Lensman Tyler Mitchell photographed Harris. (In 2018, Mitchell became the first African American photographer to land a Vogue cover, which was the September one.)
In addition, politicking of a different kind can often happen with magazine covers, as in certain designers and advertisers carry more weight than
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