Anna Wintour has defended the Vogue cover featuring Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

To view this content referenced from Instagram, click here.

The history-making politician appeared on the cover of the magazine’s February issue wearing a black Donald Deal blazer, black trousers, and her signature Converse sneakers, which was shot by Tyler Mitchell. The photographer also snapped a second cover for U.S. Vogue’s digital issue, which showed the first Black woman vice-president wearing a powder blue Michael Kors suit. However, there was outcry on social media, as many criticized the informal cover for making Harris look washed out, with reports swirling that the 56-year-old’s team hadn’t approved the cover, and instead wanted the softer image of her wearing the blue suit. On Tuesday, U.S. Vogue editor-in-chief Wintour issued a statement to The New York Times in response to the backlash, and said staff at the publication understood the criticism. “Obviously we have heard and understood the reaction to the print cover and I just want to reiterate that it was absolutely not our intention to, in any way, diminish the importance of the Vice President-Elect’s incredible victory,” Wintour said, noting that there was “no formal agreement” with Harris over the choice of image on the cover. “And 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 which we are all in the midst – as we still are – of the most appalling pandemic that is taking lives by the minute,” the 71-year-old journalist continued, adding that the cover was a reflection of the “approachable” personality of the politician. While it was heavily criticised on social media, others were pleased with the subdued cover image, with one writing on Twitter: “Kamala Harris on the cover of Vogue sends the message that you can be smart, powerful, and beautiful all while being a black woman in America.” – Cover Media