Gigi Hadid, Vogue Italia apologize for darkened skin tone

Gigi Hadid and Vogue Italia have separately apologized for the May Vogue Italia cover showing the top model with a darker skin tone and hair colour that set off a social media backlash and underlined the lack of diversity in the fashion industry. (Photo: Gigi Hadid/Twitter)

MILAN — Gigi Hadid and Vogue Italia have separately apologized for the May Vogue Italia cover showing the top model with a darker skin tone and hair colour that set off a social media backlash and underlined the lack of diversity in the fashion industry.

Hadid, in a post on Instagram Thursday, said diversity needs to be addressed and she does not want “to take opportunities away from anyone else.”

The cover shows the normally blond Hadid with dark hair and heavily bronzed skin, wearing a tiara and sequined jumpsuit.

She said the cover shoot by photographer Steven Klein, including bronzing of her skin and digital editing of the photo, “was not executed correctly and concerns that have been brought up are valid.

“I want to address this for those who were offended by the editing/retouch/coloring of the cover. Please know that things would have been different if my control of the situation was different,” the model said. “Regardless, I want to apologize because I never want to diminish these concerns.”

Vogue Italia said Klein’s “vision was to create a beachwear-themed story with a stylized bronzing effect,” adding that “we understand that the result has caused some debate with our readers, and we sincerely apologize if we have caused any offence.”