Kim Kardashian’s Cover for Vogue India Sparks Internet Outrage

Readers of Vogue India are outraged by the new cover featuring Kim Kardashian, which shows the reality star in a traditional lehenga skirt.

The 37-year-old appeared on the cover of the fashion magazine in a patterned lehenga skirt, a dupatta — a type of shawl — and a blouse from an Indian fashion label. The cover went up online on Monday afternoon, and Vogue followers were incensed. Some described the outfit as “tragic,” and dragged the magazine itself for featuring Kardashian on the cover rather than an Indian woman.

“Instagram royalty Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) has a fantasy moment in our #March 2018 issue!” the Instagram caption reads. The outlet disabled comments on the post.

On Twitter, the photo made waves as people from within and outside of India marvelled at the magazine’s choice to hire Kardashian.

“I can’t believe @VOGUEIndia featured Kim Kardashian on their cover as if we don’t see her featured on a different magazine every day,” one follower wrote. “India’s vogue should embrace and feature their own south Asian women instead of choosing someone from pop culture.”

“No shade on the Kardashians,” wrote another, “but like y’all seriously couldn’t find an INDIAN for the cover? First Kendal & now Kim?”

Others focused on the fact that Kardashian was clad in traditional Indian clothing, despite having little or no affiliation with the culture.

“Umm Kim k for vogue India? Wearing a lehenga?” wrote one user, with an upside down smiley face emoji.

In her back-and-forth with the magazine, Kardashian confessed that she never imagined her family’s show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, nor her social media empire would grow to the size it is today.

“I thought I was just going to run my clothing store,” she said. “I didn’t think [the show] would go beyond season 1 or 2. And then as things were happening, my mom and I were so excited. We didn’t even know what we were starting, but we knew we were in it together.”

“We definitely made so many mistakes. At first, we would be involved in anything,” she went on. “But it helped us work our way up to now, to launching a beauty brand completely by myself, and funding it all.”

Kardashian is one of the most-followed people on Instagram, with 108 million followers.