Kamala Harris' Vogue Cover Explained After Intense Backlash: 'A Tribute To Her Sorority Days'

Kamala Harris' Vogue cover received intense backlash from the netizens, with some complaining that the magazine was "disrespecting" the vice president-elect, but the shades in the backdrop of the photo were actually significant to Harris.

Several netizens were furious after seeing Harris' appearance on the Vogue cover because for them it wasn't as beautiful and fashionable as the other celebrities who graced the magazine cover in the past. Many of them even complained about her wearing sneakers and they were particularly unhappy with the pink and green curtains behind her.

However, according to Janelle Okwodu of Vogue, the "cover is a tribute to her sorority days." The shades that appeared in the background of her photo became part of Harris' life in 1986 when she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter at Howard during her senior year. She was among the handful of students who were accepted into the organization at the time.

Her sorority sisters became her lifelong friends and they supported the VP-elect on her campaign trail, Okwodu explained. Also, her time at the AKA had profound impact in her life. Harris explained it in her autobiography "The Truths We Hold."

"We weren’t just told we had the capacity to be great; we were challenged to live up to that potential," Harris wrote. "There was an expectation that we would cultivate and use our talents to take on roles in leadership and have an impact on other people, in our country, and maybe even the world."

When photographer Tyler Mitchell conceptualized Harris' cover, he wanted to honor her college days as well as the women who comprised the ranks of sororities like Alpha Kappa Alpha. Mitchell himself is a son of a Delta Sigma Theta member and nephew of an AKA member.

"I grew up from a young age deeply understanding the rich history of these sororities and their significance," he told Vogue via email. "With this cover shoot with Madam Vice President-Elect Harris, I wanted the set design to pay homage to that history, to her status as an AKA, and Black sororities and sisterhoods worldwide.”

Set designer Julia Wagner gave Harris the pastel fabric background. Harris wore Converse sneakers that have become her trademark and a blazer by her friend, Donald Deal. The picture shows Harris' story that brought her to the White House.

"To me, their colors conjure images of Black women standing together. [United] in sisterhood throughout time, affirming one another," Mitchell added.

Meanwhile, a source also spoke earlier saying Harris and her team selected her looks for the cover. The Vogue insider added that they collaborated on all creative decisions and agreed that her cover should capture her "personality and authenticity."