Many people are disappointed with the magazine for not featuring an Indian model or celebrity for the cover, accusing the brand of whitewashing.
“I can’t believe @VOGUEIndia featured Kim Kardashian on their cover as if we don’t see her featured on a different magazine every day,” one Twitter user wrote.
“India’s vogue should embrace and feature their own south Asian women instead of choosing someone from pop culture.” Another added, “I have nothing against Kim Kardashian but @VOGUEIndia is really doing itself a disservice by continually neglecting to portrait [sic] brown women in their ‘magazine’ — you’re perpetuating a detrimental cycle of underrepresentation. Stop white washing your own damn culture.”
Other people were pointing out the issue of the mag dressing Kim in a traditional Indian lehenga, deeming it as cultural appropriation.
Although there were people who defended the cover as well.