Kamala Harris' Vogue Cover
Vice president-elect Kamala Harris garnered a different kind of attention when she made the February 2021 Vogue cover. While both the print and digital covers featured Harris in a pantsuit, one placed her in a matching powder blue suit from Michael Kors, while the other was a more casual version of the pants suit designed by Donald Deal — another American designer — and finished off with her signature Converse and a white T-shirt underneath.
Can you guess which one made the print cover and which made the digital?
The Vogue cover photo sparked controversy in the news with its choice for the print issue; that being the obviously less formal picture of the two. The background is a supposed nod to Harris’ sorority, but even with context, the draped satin that is placed both under and behind her comes off as half finished.
While the longtime Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour defended their decision for the print issue, even Harris’ team came out with claims of disapproval at the photograph selected.
Many people argued that the cover of the print issue did not take Harris seriously enough in her newfound political position and belittled the historical significance of it, whilst most everyone agreed that the digital issue was widely more suited for the print cover because of its formality, both in the outfit and background of the photograph.
In October, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was on the cover of Vanity Fair and sparked comments for the exact opposite reason — she was too overdressed, with her outfits totaling around $14000. (Vanity Fair)
However, this wasn’t the first time a political figure made headlines for a controversial cover photo in a fashion magazine. In October, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was on the cover of Vanity Fair and sparked comments for the exact opposite reason — she was too overdressed, with her outfits totaling around $14000.
However, AOC refuted these claims entirely.
“GOP, get yourselves together. It’s sad,” AOC tweeted after the controversy hit.
While both AOC and Harris hold different political positions, there is no blurring the lines at their similarities; both of them are women of color in the democratic party who are consistently under fire for their own policies and beliefs, mainly by those who remain more conservative in the ever-evolving progressive political climate that we see today.
So where is the balance? When it comes to women in political positions of power, how can they avoid the onslaught of criticism if they are under fire regardless of their stylistic choices? Perhaps the simplest answer is the best: They can’t.
When it comes to scrutinizing, political leaders will always be forced to deal with any criticism on both ends. However, it is how they respond that will follow them throughout their career. In this case, Harris has yet to comment on anything except for her team's acknowledgment of disagreeing on the specific photograph that was to be used on the February cover.
Despite this, her Vogue cover will continue to remain historical as time passes, both for its stylistic choices and for setting a precedent that now includes understanding and analyzing the vice president's fashion choices and how she wants to portray herself as, as both a political leader and a woman.
Although criticism will remain relentless, it is confidence and assuredness that will transcend any headline or Vogue cover. Instead, both the print and digital issue of Vogue says something else entirely: Get ready, because change is coming and it’s already here.
