News

Kendall Jenner’s 'afro' hairstyle on Vogue cover draws accusations of cultural appropriation

Picture:
Picture:
Getty and Twitter

Kendall Jenner’s latest Vogue cover has landed in her in the middle of a cultural appropriation row, prompting the magazine to apologise for styling her hair in an ‘afro’ way.

The November 2018 issue of the fashion magazine shows the 22-year-old model in a cream and white patterned dress, with her hair styled in a big brushed-backwards way, reminiscent of the 1960s.

Critics argue that a white model should not be modelling a black hairstyle.

A Vogue representative told E! News:

The image is meant to be an update of the romantic Edwardian/Gibson Girl hair which suits the period feel of the Brock Collection, and also the big hair of the 60s and the early 70s, that puffed-out, teased-out look of those eras.

We apologise if it came across differently than intended, and we certainly did not mean to offend anyone by it.

The problem, people said, is that often when black women are on magazine covers, they have straightened hair in order to conform to European beauty ideals.

Others say that the hairstyle is ‘Victorian’ in nature and fits with the new clothing collection...

...and argue it isn't even an afro.

More: Romanian people are fighting back against cultural appropriation in the most incredible way

More: The cultural appropriation row over a prom dress has become a meme

The Conversation (0)