Kamala Harris On Vogue Cover: Why The Internet Is Upset With It

A Vogue magazine cover that leaked Sunday of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ Vogue has generated mixed reviews and controversy.

Harris will be on the cover for the February 2021 issue and the photo that was chosen for the cover includes her wearing a classic black blazer, black pants and white top, finished off with a pair of Chuck Taylors.

Vice President-elect @KamalaHarris is our February cover star!

Making history was the first step. Now Harris has an even more monumental task: to help heal a fractured America—and lead it out of crisis. Read the full profile: https://t.co/W5BQPTH7AU pic.twitter.com/OCFvVqTlOk
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) January 10, 2021

The quality of aesthetics of the picture drew the condemnation of New York magazine contributor Wajahat Ali.

“What a mess up,” wrote Ali. “Anna Wintour must really not have Black friends and colleagues. I’ll shoot shots of VP Kamala Harris for free using my Samsung and I’m 100% confident it’ll turn out better than this Vogue cover.”

Social media users immediately shared their opinions and most were negative. The comments mainly raged about the lighting of the photo, as well as the pink and green sheet background the Vice President-elect was standing in front of.

So my father, grandfather and great-grandfather were photographers. I grew up in my grandfather's dark room. The Vogue cover is horribly lit, the backdrop lazy and in a color meant to wash out Kamala Harris's beautiful skin tone. The VP-elect is a gorgeous woman: TIME and ELLE pic.twitter.com/c3ync0a3Qy
— Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) January 10, 2021

IMO, Vogue put as much effort into this magazine cover as Fox put into the season 4 title sequence for New Girl pic.twitter.com/RvxmbWrkLh
— Zia Thompson (@ZiaThompson21) January 10, 2021

This cover is bad and unflattering, but it looks to me like Vogue tried to glam up a person in a role where she absolutely has no intention of being glamorous. The Chucks, the business suit, and the Vogue-ian "crumbling aristocracy" background combined to make a terrible image.
— Tom and Lorenzo (@tomandlorenzo) January 10, 2021

There were still some positive reviews for the images.

I absolutely love this cover!! The shot depicts exactly who she is. The pic and green rep her sorority, the converse rep her realness and a glam squad was not required... she’s pretty without makeup. Kudos to @voguemagazine for recognizing the of @KamalaHarris
— Pamela Brown (@PamBam2) January 10, 2021

I’m seeing crap replies for this exceptional woman’s CLOTHES? After what she’s accomplished and about to take on as VP?! All I see is one fine, happy looking woman pleased with HERSELF. As it should be. @SenKamalaHarris? You are beautiful & you dress to please yourself. 💙🇺🇸
— ꧁ 𝚂𝚕𝚘𝚊𝚗𝚎 ꧂ (@THERoyalCrabbit) January 10, 2021

The cover photo may not have been mutually agreed upon by Vogue and Harris’ team. Another photo option, which is a clear social-media favorite based on tweets, shows a more focused and up-close Harris in a light blue suit standing in front of an orange/yellow background with correct lighting.

Harris' Vogue profile includes her thoughts about the incoming Biden administration.

Vogue hasn't released any statements about the backlash or reason for changing the photo without Harris' team's knowledge.