NEW DELHI, May 6 — Kendall Jenner is the subject of social media ire once again this week.
The model and Keeping Up with the Kardashians star is the cover model of the 10th Anniversary Special Collector’s issue of Vogue India.
The fashion magazine was blasted online for its decision to feature Jenner instead of an Indian model, with many people saying it’s yet another example of a mainstream media outlet reaffirming Western standards of beauty.
The backlash comes barely a month after Jenner appeared in a now-pulled Pepsi commercial and a week after she was slammed for promoting the disastrous Fyre Festival, which was touted as ‘Coachella for the super-rich’.
To add insult to injury, social media users pointed out that many Indian actors and models were featured inside the magazine, including Katrina Kaif and Sushant Singh Rajput, and would all have been suitable cover personalities.
Vogue India... There are women from India who are god damn beautiful yet you had to succumb to western influences AGAIN
— anu party (@anuparty) May 4, 2017
Kendall Jenner is on the 10 yr anniversary cover of Vogue India. The few opps brown women have to shine are given to white women I'm tiredt pic.twitter.com/D0NoyJeemG
— eemi (@eemanabbasi) May 3, 2017
Vogue India is going to have a rough month. Putting Kendall on the cover celebrating Indian culture. When was that ever going to work?
— 🌞 (@RunTheWorldxx) May 3, 2017
Someone explain to me why there is a white woman on Vogue India's 10th anniversary? @KendallJenner you represent 0% of Indian women #bull
— Hilary Samuel (@HappyHilary86) May 3, 2017
Vogue India: we've completed 10 years in India!
— Peglet (@PedestrianPoet) May 4, 2017
Vogue India: we need to celebrate India!
Vogue India: let's put Kendall Jenner on the cover!
Following the backlash, which saw its social media pages flooded with hundreds of comments, Vogue India released a statement yesterday seeking to offer a “few clarifications” about the cover.
“In the last 10 years, Vogue India has had only 12 international covers, including Kendall Jenner, in 2017,” the statement read.
“Therefore, statistically, 90 per cent of our covers are Indian! And we are proud of that.”
The magazine said that it wants to feature “some of the best international celebrities on our covers. Occasionally!”
It is understood Kendall Jenner flew to Jaipur to shoot the cover in February, with renowned photographer, Mario Testino.