Redesigning the Kamala Harris Vogue Cover

Jan 17, 2021

In the past few days there has been much stirring on the internet about the leaked photos anticipated for the February cover of Vogue magazine.

Differing opinions have been flying through twitter time and space, but congratulations you’ve made it to the right place to hear the opinion of a fashion student and founder of college democrats at her university.

Normally you wouldn't expect fashion and politics to be so intertwined, but trust me they are.

Coming from someone that has set up multiple photoshoots as an instagram influencer and a former fashion intern, this Vogue cover of our nation’s first female and first person of color Vice President was disappointing and underwhelming.

The layout of the backdrop was sloppy, unappealing, and frankly unprofessional for such an iconic publication.

Honestly, the production interns from the Bachelor could have made a more aesthetic set up.

In an article released by Vogue on January 11, 2021, author Janelle Okwodu wrote that the styling choices of the Converse sneakers and Donald Deal blazer were of Madam Vice President herself. The article went on to clarify that the color choices of apple green and salmon pink were a tribute to Harris’s collegiate sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

While it is so important to amplify organizations that encourage sisterhood, women supporting women, and respect for the historically oldest African American sorority, the creative aspect of this cover was not well executed.

Between the mismatched backdrop, and placements of the props, the set up looks like recycled fabric from the Bridgerton costume department.

Paying tribute to such a groundbreaking individual, I would have much rather seen a cohesive back drop that brought out her skin tone and complimented the colors of her outfit. And represented Kamala Harris as the revolutionary queen that we all aspire to be.

Taking a look back on some “insta-worthy” to say the least, magazine covers from other female powerhouses in politics, I would have expected to see more glamour and as cult tiktokers would say “a little bit of spice” added.

The cover received backlash from many Harris supporters on twitter, expressing their opinions that Vogue should have honored Madam Vice President with the same level of creative design, fashion, beauty, and respect that was received by former women in the political sphere.

But it would truly not be a post 2020 world if there weren’t differing opinions on women in politics.

Some said on twitter that they were proud to be seeing a more down to earth image of a politician and that the pink and green colors, Chuck Taylor’s, and relaxed vibe represented a new wave of politician thinking.

Vogue has received a lot of backlash in the past for creating an “unattainable” standard of beauty for women on their magazine covers.

Perhaps this was the publication’s attempt to have a more relatable and reassuring image on their cover, but in my opinion, it was not the right move to use Kamala Harris’s debut cover as their chance to rebrand from their toxic image of barbie standards of beauty.

I hope Vogue, being the most influential driver of fashion in the world, can learn from it’s mistake and give justice to the next female, person of color, and political trailblazer on their cover.