Model Kendall Jenner has again found herself at the center of social media backlash, this time over her selection as the cover star of Vogue India‘s tenth anniversary issue.
The 21-year-old model and social media star appears on the cover of Vogue India‘s latest issue, with the headline promising an “Indian Affair” in the inside pages. Jenner was photographed for the magazine by Mario Testino on location in Jaipur, according to Women’s Wear Daily.
However, some social media users were incensed that the publication would choose the American Jenner to topline an anniversary issue for an Indian publication.
“Why not an Indian model there are so many???” one user commented on Vogue India‘s Facebook page underneath the Jenner photo shoot. “This doesn’t create the sense that india has its own beauty and character.”
“This is disappointing on so many levels,” wrote another. “I like Mario Testino’s work but there are so many wonderful Indian models and any one of them would have been worthy of being on the cover of Vogue India – celebrating all things India. Disappointing VOGUE India!”
Others pointed out that Jenner had not posted a shot of herself in the magazine on her Instagram account, as she traditionally does with her other magazine shoots.
The model and Keeping Up With the Kardashians star has had a rough few weeks of publicity.
In April, she starred in an advertisement for Pepsi that was widely criticized for its apparent suggestion that the soda could help defuse tensions between police officers and political protesters. The soda company later pulled the advertisement.
Last week, Jenner’s name was linked to the disastrous Fyre Festival, a promised “luxury” music festival in the Bahamas that collapsed spectacularly and left guests scrambling to leave the island. Jenner was one of several models who had promoted the festival on her social media channels; on Wednesday, Vice News reported that she was paid $250,000 for one Instagram post promoting the event.
Vogue India has not yet commented publicly on the backlash surrounding Jenner’s cover.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum