Gigi Hadid’s Latest ‘Vogue’ Cover Receives Backlash Over Model’s Skin Tone

Gigi Hadid has scored the latest cover of Vogue Italia, sharing the magazine’s May cover image with fans on social media this week. The shot sees Hadid sitting on a male model’s lap, covering his face while wearing a Dolce & Gabbana jumpsuit, statement earrings and a gold crown.

“Excited, honored, and grateful to cover @VogueItalia’s May Issue by my loves @stevenkleinstudio, @patti_wilson & @gb65 – thank you so so much for an amazing shoot, I am forever inspired by you all !!! & can’t wait to share the full story !!” Hadid captioned the cover.

However, it’s not the model’s outfit that’s causing a commotion, but rather her appearance, with several fans pointing out that both Hadid’s skin tone and hair appear noticeably darker in this photo than they do in real life. Due to these factors, many accused the publication and the model of blackface.

“This is blackface,” one person wrote. “How anyone thought this was okay is beyond me. They made you look like a black woman instead of getting a black woman to pose for the cover or letting your natural skin show. This is nowhere close to okay.”

“What is this? Why are you so dark?” questioned a second. “Looks almost like a black woman and ABSOLUTELY NOT you. You, beautiful yes, the concept, the editing, the amount of tan /skin touching in this picture? Not.”

Another opined, “I don’t see the point of hiring someone just to make her unrecognisable.. also, I think making someone look like a different race is not a good thing, disrespectful indeed.”

In addition to Hadid’s coloring, commenters also discussed the model’s features, with some saying that they had been Photoshopped a little too much.

“Yikes thought photoshop was supposed to make you look good not worse… shoulda left it all natural,” one commenter wrote.

“Why does this not look like you at all,” added another. “I mean. Why tho.”

A third wrote, “I really can’t find your face even though I’m staring at it!”

While the Photoshop was a pretty universal theme, some argued that getting a tan shouldn’t be considered blackface, voicing their support for Hadid.

“It’s more her face that looks strange not the tan,” one person wrote, with another commenting, “It’s a tan, get oooooover it. I swear, I’m so sick of this.”

This isn’t the first time Hadid and Vogue Italia have been accused of blackface, with Hadid appearing on a 2015 cover with noticeably darker skin and an afro-inspired wig.

Photo Credit: Instagram / @gigihadid