Elected Vice President Kamala Harris appears on the cover of the February 2021 issue of Vogue, but controversy over the selected cover photo has overshadowed the magazine’s debut. The cover photo, which began circulating on social media on Saturday afternoon, shows Harris with his arms crossed in a dark suit and his Converse sneakers in front of a drop of pink and green background: an ode to Harris’s sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha.
The magazine later published an additional photo, a portrait of Harris wearing a powder blue dress, which a source familiar with the photo shoot told CBS News that it had been the agreed-upon image that would be presented as the cover.
“Harris and Vogue’s assistants understood that the blue dress / gold background would be the cover photo. Without telling Harris’ team, Vogue changed it to the pink / green photo that the team’s elected vice president did not accept “. said the source.
Another source described Harris’ team as “blinded” when the cover was released.
According to the source, an image showing Harris in his Converse sneakers was originally intended to be used as a smaller photograph that appeared within the Vogue story.
The two photos in question were taken by famed photographer Tyler Mitchell. Mitchell, 26, became the magazine’s first African-American photographer to shoot a cover of Vogue in the magazine’s more than 125-year history when he photographed singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter for the September issue of 2018.
A Mitchell rep did not respond to any requests for comment, but sent a tweet on the cover of the powder blue dress.
“The Vogue team loved the images shot by Tyler Mitchell and felt that the more informal image captured the authentic and accessible nature of Vice President-elect Harris, who we believe is one of the hallmarks of the Biden administration / Harris, ”a Vogue spokesman told CBS. News and added: “To respond to the gravity of this moment in history and the role it must play in moving our country forward, we celebrate its images and covers digitally.”
In addition, a source said that both Harris’ team and the magazine “collaborated closely in all creative decisions.”
For Harris, who made history in November, when she became the first American and South Asian to be elected vice president, decorating the cover of Vogue was intended to send a message to young people of color.
“There aren’t many black women, let alone black and South Asian women, who like the covers of these high-end magazines,” a well-known source told CBS News. “[For Harris], it was important for young men and women, people of color, to see that this is possible. “
The story, written by Alexis Okeowo, features an interview with Harris and follows Harris to Pennsylvania during one of his last campaign days on the Monday before election day.
This isn’t the first time Vogue has come under fire for photographing people of color. The magazine’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, said she admitted so much during the summer of 2020 saying in an internal note from the entire company: “I want to make it clear that I know Vogue hasn’t found enough ways to elevate and give space to black copywriters, writers, photographers, designers and other creators. We have also made mistakes in posting images or stories that have been harmful or intolerant. I take responsibility for all these mistakes. “
After the cover first appeared online on Saturday night, there were several angry reactions, including some media personalities.
Danielle Garrand contributed to this report.