© 2026 ABC News

In the shot by photographer Steven Klein, Hadid, a 23-year-old U.S. model of Dutch and Palestinian descent, who is usually fair-skinned, is shown heavily tanned and wearing a sequined jumpsuit, posing in the arms of a male model.

In her tweet, she wrote she had no input into the photo shoot.

\"PHOTO:
Luca Bruno/AP
PHOTO: Gigi Hadid and Vogue Italia have separately apologized for the May Vogue Italia cover, seen on a newsstand in Milan, Italy, May 4, 2018, showing the cover model with a darker skin tone and hair color that set off a social media backlash.
>

“The bronzing and Photoshop is a style that S. Klein has done for many years and I believe was what was expected from the shoot, to show me in a different way creatively,\" she wrote. \"BUT, although I understand what Vogue Italia’s intentions were, it was not executed correctly, and the concerns that have been brought up are valid.”

She concluded, “There are real issues regarding representation in fashion—it’s our responsibility to acknowledge those issues and communicate through them to work towards a more diverse industry.”

\"PHOTO:
Splash News
PHOTO: Model Gigi Hadid is pictured in New York on April 26, 2018.
>

Vogue issued a separate apology, saying, \"Throughout its history, Vogue Italia has respected and encouraged the creative viewpoints of commissioned photographers. In our latest cover shoot by Steven Klein, the vision was to create a beachwear-themed story with a stylized bronzing effect. We understand that the result has caused some debate with our readers, and we sincerely apologize if we have caused any offence.\"

Throughout its history, Vogue Italia has respected and encouraged the creative viewpoints of commissioned photographers. In our latest cover shoot by Steven Klein, the vision was to create a beachwear-themed story with a stylized bronzing effect. We understand that the result has caused some debate with our readers, and we sincerely apologize if we have caused any offence.

A post shared by Vogue Italia (@vogueitalia) on May 3, 2018 at 1:27pm PDT

Hadid was also criticized for a November 2015 Vogue Italia cover in which her skin was much darker than normal as she wore various Afro wigs.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Style/gigi-hadid-apologizes-slammed-vogue-italia-blackface-cover/story?id=54933710","legacySlug":"/style/story/gigi-hadid-apologizes-slammed-vogue-italia-blackface-cover-54933710","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"16:08","publishDate":"05-04-2018","updatedTime":"19:13","updatedDate":"06-21-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"Model Gigi Hadid walks the runway during the Chanel Croisiere fashion show on May 3, 2018 at the Grand Palais in Paris.","credit":"Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Entertainment/gigi-hadid-01-gty-jc-180504_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"5/4/2018 16:08:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":54933710,"headline":"Gigi Hadid apologizes for Vogue Italia 'blackface","mediaAssetTitle":"MCKENZIE_gigihadid_backlash_180504","description":"\"My intention is never to diminish those concerns,\" she tweeted.","duration":"1:21","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/09/160928_ntl_model_0104_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["53019470","42400728","42410463"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"story","date":"February 12, 2018","headline":"Gigi Hadid claps back at body shamers, reveals disease that's affected her looks","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/gigi-hadid-claps-back-body-shamers-reveals-disease-53019470","id":53019470,"image":{"alt":"Gigi Hadid claps back at body shamers, reveals disease that's affected her looks","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Entertainment/gigi-hadid-gty-thg-180212_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Raymond Hall/Getty Images","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"September 27, 2016","headline":"Gigi Hadid Urges Women in Unsafe Situations to 'Fight Back'","section":"news","slug":"/news/story/gigi-hadid-urges-women-unsafe-situations-fight-back-42400728","id":42400728,"image":{"alt":"Gigi Hadid Urges Women in Unsafe Situations to 'Fight Back'","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Entertainment/GTY_gigi1_Bella_ml_160922_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Robino Salvatore/GC Images/Getty Images","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"video","date":"September 28, 2016","headline":"Gigi Hadid Defends Fighting Off Man Outside Fashion Show","section":"news","slug":"/video/42410463","id":42410463,"image":{"alt":"Gigi Hadid Defends Fighting Off Man Outside Fashion Show","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Nightline/160928_ntl_model_0104_4x5_240.jpg","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1"}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Gigi Hadid apologizes for Vogue Italia 'blackface","description":"\"My intention is never to diminish those concerns,\" she tweeted.","duration":"1:21","uploadDate":"05-04-2018","publication":"05-04-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/09/160928_ntl_model_0104_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/09/160928_ntl_model_0104_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/style/story/gigi-hadid-apologizes-slammed-vogue-italia-blackface-cover-54933710"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131142257","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131046664","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131048076","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131033212","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130999943","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130971027","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:style:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"style","title":"Gigi Hadid apologizes for Vogue Italia 'blackface","pubTime":"12:08","pubDate":"05-04-2018","modTime":"15:13","modDate":"06-21-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":54933710,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Gigi Hadid apologizes for Vogue Italia 'blackface","mediaAssetTitle":"MCKENZIE_gigihadid_backlash_180504","videoId":54933710,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/style/story/gigi-hadid-apologizes-slammed-vogue-italia-blackface-cover-54933710"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/54933710","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/54933710","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};